There are several diets that are very similar that fall into the low carb category: keto diet, carnivore diet, Atkins diet, Paleo diet, Whole 30, and just plain old low carb. The biggest difference that the keto diet has is its reliance on high fat. Keto diet says to do this for the three macronutrients – high fat, moderate protein, and very low carbs. For example, a man who is using MyFitnessPal app to try to lose 2 pounds per week is supposed to eat 80 grams of protein, 53g of fat, and 200g of carbs. But if you follow the keto diet, you are supposed to get your carbs down to 20g per day – super low! They encourage certain kinds of fat, such as avocado oil, coconut oil, and ghee. Does keto work? Yes, it can be effective for weight loss. However, our main complaint with this diet is that it could be hard to follow long term.

Low carb, on the other hand, is relatively easy to follow long term, and is excellent for weight loss as well. A low carb diet on MyFitnessPal might look like this: 120g of protein, 100g of carbs, and 80g of fat. You want to make sure all of your macronutrients are healthy. This means low fat meats, mostly low carb vegetables, healthy starches such as brown rice, whole grain bread, and sweet potatoes. Avoid fried foods, white potatoes, corn, sugary drinks, and processed foods. Low carb vegetables include greens, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and spinach. This is something you can follow for life.

If you want to try one of these diets, we can prescribe phentermine to help curb your appetite as you get started. Download MyFitnessPal to your phone and start using it to follow your progress daily. It also has excellent articles about diet, recipes, and exercise. If you have further questions about diet and lifestyle, we will be happy to assist when you visit us here!