What Is Lazy Keto? A Guide To Getting Started
There has been a lot of hype around low-carb diets lately, and for good reason. This buzz surrounding diets such as the Atkins and ketogenic diets is definitely not unfounded – people have seen many advantages when it comes to low-carb lifestyles, like weight loss and improved overall wellness.
These days, there are a few different versions of popular low-carbohydrate diets. One of the latest adaptations of the ketogenic diet to emerge is lazy keto! But what is lazy keto? How is lazy keto different from your standard keto diet? Once we tap into what lazy keto is, we’ve got you covered with a guide to getting started on your lazy keto journey.
Keto: A Beginner’s Guide
Many of us know the ketogenic diet as a low-carb focused way of eating. But going keto involves so much more than just lowering your carb intake! The keto lifestyle is also about upping your healthy fats, curbing your sugar cravings, and maybe even losing weight along the way.
Entering the metabolic state of ketosis is imperative to a keto meal plan. When you aren’t following a keto diet, your body normally runs on carbohydrates. When you ingest carb-forward foods, your body transforms carbs into glucose.
Glucose is our cells’ main source of fuel when we consume carbohydrates. This changes when we up our fat intake and cut back on carbs. Giving our bodies more fat to run off of means our bodies are then burning fat for fuel! Nice to meet you, ketosis.
One of the pinnacles of being keto is adhering to a specific macronutrient split. High fat, moderate protein, and very limited carbs are the name of the ketogenic game. Think around 60% of calories from fat, about 30% from protein, and 5 to 10% of from carbohydrates. Wondering how that translates from percentages to grams, based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet? Approximately 50 to 20 grams of carbs should keep you in your ketosis state and on the road to weight loss.
Could starting a ketogenic diet be right for you? Maybe you need to learn a bit about the lazy keto approach before making a decision. We don’t blame you at all! Next, we will compare traditional keto vs. its younger sibling: the lazy keto diet plan.
What Do Lazy Keto and Standard Keto Diets Have in Common?
It can be easy to get mixed up with the various keto deviations. Lazy keto, standard keto (also known as clean keto), dirty keto … which one is right for you?
Lazy keto is an adaptation of the keto diet that is slightly easier to stick to for keto beginners (or people who simply prefer to follow fewer guidelines when it comes to their diets).
Instead of sticking to a strict 60/30/10 macronutrient split like clean keto, there’s only one rule that lazy keto asks us to follow: You should eat less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. Within these parameters, lazy keto meals can still include small servings of nutrient-rich carbohydrates and the occasional treat.
Naturally, keto and lazy keto have a few similarities. After all, keto is still the name of the game! Both keto and lazy keto would require you to cut your daily carbohydrate intake and switch up your macros. However, the amount that you will have to reduce your carbs by will vary based on which keto iteration you choose.
What Are the Differences Between Keto and Lazy Keto?
In a clean keto diet, the majority of your calories should come from keto-friendly whole food sources. There are major benefits to this! Eating mostly whole foods will allow you to achieve optimal intake of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber — a delicious combination in our book.
As far as lazy keto is concerned, your suggested intake of whole foods is a little more relaxed. You can, of course, eat your fair share of delicious whole foods, but with a bit more food freedom to indulge in fast food, ice cream, or processed keto snacks from time to time. You are only counting net carbs while on lazy keto, meaning more processed foods that wouldn’t be allowed on strict keto can also potentially be on the menu.
Keto is considered to be a fairly strict diet at times – you keep track of all the macronutrients that you consume throughout the day and adjust your grocery list accordingly to lower your carb and sugar levels. This is because it is important to stay in the state of ketosis when following a keto diet.
Using calorie counting apps and food lists can help you ensure that ketosis is always obtained and that you’re getting the right amounts of protein, carbs, and fat while on a standard keto diet. Typically, you will only have to count carbs on the lazy keto diet.
What About Ketosis?
Because lazy keto doesn’t require you to be as strict with your carbohydrate counts, it is likely you won’t fully enter ketosis. Since you’ll still be restricting your carbs, you can still reap keto’s weight loss benefits even if you don’t benefit from keto’s fat-burning goodness.
Taking a laid back approach to counting carbs could mean that a lazy keto diet is easier to follow. A diet that feels more sustainable is generally one we will keep, and the standard ketogenic diet can feel a little more restrictive, so it may not be for everyone. You could find that lazy keto feels like it fits into your lifestyle better than clean keto!
Who Should Try Lazy Keto?
People who have busier lives may realize that lazy keto falls more in line with what they can manage on the daily. If you travel often, don’t always have kitchen access, or just have a busy work/life balance, lazy keto may be for you.
Folks might find lazy keto more convenient and sustainable than the standard ketogenic diet. If meal prepping ain’t your thing, welcome lazy keto to your life. If the idea of restricting a lot of different foods just isn’t the business, here comes lazy keto!
What Are the Health Benefits of Lazy Keto?
Lazy keto is, at its core, a low-carb diet. Low-carb diets are great for weight loss, helping to manage diabetes, and aiding heart health.
How can lazy keto help those with diabetes? Eating a low-carb diet has been shown to lower blood insulin levels. When your blood sugar is high, that can lead to long term and serious health complications. Always consult with your doctor before beginning a new eating plan, but lazy keto could be a great option for those seeking to help keep their diabetes in check.
Following a low-carbohydrate diet may reduce the risk of heart disease. Heart disease is unfortunately the leading cause of death in America, so actively working against contributing heart disease factors by adhering to a low-carb diet is one of our favorite ways to practice self-care. Nothing better than taking control of our health where we can!
Even though eating whole foods isn’t as imperative while on a lazy keto diet as it would be with eating clean keto, those following lazy keto should still take care to include a good amount of healthy foods into their daily diet. Still, be sure to include plenty of fruits, veggies, and fiber-rich foods while sticking with lazy keto.
How Can I Follow a Lazy Keto Diet?
Following a lazy keto diet can be as easy as low-carb pie. You don’t have to worry about counting any other macronutrient besides carbohydrates. This can help alleviate stress by removing the need to count protein and fat from the picture.
Following lazy keto will necessitate a calorie counting app. Some potential calorie counting apps you can use to track your carbohydrates are MyFitnessPal, LoseIt!, Cronometer, Noom, and Calory — just be careful, as some of these apps can contribute to unhealthy restriction practices. On keto and lazy keto alike, the goal isn’t eating less … it’s eating smarter! This way, you still get the fuel you need to feel energized and function at your best.
On lazy keto, you can eat when you are hungry, paying attention to the labels of what you are eating to be mindful of your net carbs. Consume a good amount of whole foods, and track those carbohydratess! Presto; lazy keto magic has been obtained.
What Are Some Foods To Avoid on Lazy Keto?
Just as with the standard ketogenic diet, any foods that are high in carb are off limits for lazy keto. Foods that are high in sugar should also be dodged, because sugar is a form of carbohydrate. Some examples of foods to avoid on lazy keto include:
- Refined carbs such as pasta, rice, and bread
- Marinades or sauces with added sugar
- Alcohol
- Certain types of frozen meals
- Pastries
What Foods Can I Eat on Lazy Keto?
Low-carb foods are always good to go when you are on lazy keto. While more processed foods are up for grabs on lazy keto vs. standard keto, don’t forget that whole foods are just as important to eat on the daily.
The fun part of lazy keto is that as long as you keep your carbs under the 50 gram threshold, you have a lot more flexibility with your dietary choices! So, what can you eat when you are on a lazy keto diet?
- Non-starchy veggies
- Processed foods like low-carb chips and crackers
- Whole grains
- Yogurts and cheeses
- Berries
- Low-carb keto chocolate
MiiRO makes following a keto diet easier than ever with our vegan, low-sugar, and keto-friendly chocolates and baking ingredients. Enjoy all of your favorite sweet treats on the daily while staying in ketosis, thanks our low-carb goodies. (Plus, we have tons of keto-friendly recipes on our website to help make your keto journey easier than ever!)
Conclusion
Lazy keto, standard keto…there is no one size fits all approach with low-carb diets. The best low-carb diet for you is one that you can stick to! And we think that’s pretty rad. If you’re looking for inspiration on your keto or lazy keto journey, don’t forget to check out MiiRO’s plentiful vegan and keto recipes for delicious treats you can enjoy every. single. day. No guilt here!
Sources:
Definition: Glycogen | KidsHealth
Whole Foods Plant-Based Eating Patterns | PMC
Low Carbohydrate Diet on Glycemic Control | PMC
