ONE Actionable Takeaway from Ketosource

Takeaway: How to Navigate Eating Out Socially When on a Keto Diet

Eating out can be challenging for those on a keto diet. In particular, where you’re eating out with friends and family or in any other social situation. This can come with pressure to eat foods that are not ‘Keto Friendly’. Often people avoid eating out while on a keto diet because:

  • They believe there will be no keto options for them to eat.
  • Restaurants will not cater to their keto diet.
  • Friends and family will give them a hard time for wanting to stay keto.

Tactics for Overcoming Negative Pressure When Eating Out

Knowing how to navigate eating out can make your keto lifestyle much easier. This is why we have come up with three tactics to help keep you on track.

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  • Tactic 1: Take the Lead in Food Selection
    • Whether you are eating out at a restaurant or a family picnic or a dinner party with friends, make sure to take the lead. This could mean choosing a keto-friendly restaurant or preparing keto-friendly foods to bring to the event. You don’t need to mention you’re doing this, just do it.
  • Tactic 2: Customise Your Plate to Keto-fy It
    • When eating at restaurants it may seem like there are no keto options when first looking at the menu. However, you can always customise your plate by choosing protein (meat or fish) and swapping the carb elements (potatoes, bread) for a keto-friendly fibre options (green vegetables, salad). Extra Tip: Most sauces contain carbs or sugar – so it’s best to ask them to hold the sauce also.
  • Tactic 3: Don’t Bring It Up
    • At times bringing up that you can’t eat certain foods (e.g. carbs) or you follow a specific diet (e.g. keto) only creates more negative pressure from friends and family. To avoid this simply eat the keto-friendly foods available to you without mentioning it. In most cases, you’ll find people don’t even notice. When you don’t make it an issue, they don’t.

Actionable Takeaways

  • Take control when eating out and choose the restaurant or otherwise take the lead to ensure you have accessible keto friendly options.
  • Ask to switch up the menu to create keto-friendly meals when dining at restaurants.
  • Don’t tell anyone you are on the keto diet or mention why you’re making specific food choices when out. If you don’t bring it up, they’re isn’t a reason to give you push back.

ONE Quote from a Credible Expert

Takeaway: Ketogenic Diets Are Unique in How People Naturally Restrict Calories on Them

This quote comes from Dr. Jeff Volek. Jeff is a Professor in the Department of Human Sciences at The Ohio State University. He has been researching the effects of low-carbohydrate diets for 25 years with a focus on the clinical application of the ketogenic diet.

“But here’s the kicker in the real world, and this is what matters… the real uniqueness and what stands out when you put obese people on a ketogenic diet is they spontaneously or naturally restrict calories…

They have less perceived effort because their brains are being fueled by ketones and they have improved fuel flow they become much more prodigious fat burners and all these things decrease cravings and allow them to feel better in the context of caloric restriction.

I do think you see much better compliance and outcomes in the real world, [and] a lot of that might be attributable to the increase in satiety and the fact that they are able to restrict calories more easily.”

Source: Dr. Jeff Volek, PhD, RD | Ketogenic Diet and Human Performance | The Metabolic Link Ep.20 (timestamp 44:11:00)

ONE of Your #1 Questions Answered

The Question:  What Can I Eat or Drink That Won’t Interrupt My Fasting for Fat Loss?

The top question sent in from you this week was from Emily Teague. Thank you Emily!

“I’m trying to fast for up to 72 hours for weight loss & health. What can I take that won’t break my fast? Thank you”

The Answer: 

Sometimes hunger can get the better of us, whether we are new to fasting or not. This can make it difficult to finish a fast and reach fat loss goals. It might appear counterintuitive but there are some things you can eat and drink while fasting that won’t disrupt your fat loss.

What Food or Drink to Consume While Fasting

If you can, you should always avoid consuming any calories while fasting. But from what we’ve learned from coaching clients, it is worth eating some calories while fasting IF it helps you maintain the fasting habit. This is because when fasting for fat loss, the focus is on calories. You can have up to 350 calories during a fast without interrupting fat loss.

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Fasting works for fat loss by helping you eat fewer calories each day. Allowing yourself to eat or drink up to 350 kcal will still keep you in a calorie deficit. This in turn will produce fat loss results over time. What you can eat or drink depends on whether you are keto or not.

  • What to Eat if You Are Not Keto
    • If you are not on a keto diet then you can choose whatever food or drink that has a kcal count of up to 350. If you are unsure what serving size will be below 350 kcal use MyFoodData database and search for your food, add the serving size and check the nutritional facts to find out if it fits.
  • What to Eat if You Are Keto
  • What to Drink
    • Liquid calories are harder to measure so it is safer to choose zero-calorie drinks such as water, tea, herbal tea and coffee. It’s also important to supplement with electrolytes while fasting which can be added to water.

Actionable Takeaways

Sources:

 
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Damien Blenkinsopp MBA.

Damien is the founder of Ketosource and the host of the popular health tech/data podcast, The Quantified Body. He has an MBA from London Business School and both French (ESC) and UK 1st Class Hon. undergraduate degrees. His career has had a data-driven and analytical focus, spanning strategy consulting, market analyst and health tech/data. Damien has a passion for health, longevity and predictable results. The Quantified Body and Ketosource projects are both focused on leveraging data and analytical tools to help people get the results they want with confidence. Damien speaks 5 languages and has lived in 11 countries across 5 continents.