Have you been on keto or a high-fat diet?

It’s a tempting ‘diet’ because if followed properly you will lose weight…

Much like any diet but I think the lure is being able to eat fat and still lose weight!

At least in the short term you can lose weight but from all the failed attempts I see, it’s difficult to maintain that level of carbohydrate restriction.

So what’s so bad about it?

First of all your body cannot regulate fat entering your cells like it can glucose.

So even though you’re losing weight your cells (muscle, liver, and fat cells) are still filling up with fat, especially the unfriendly saturated fat that is associated with heart disease.

And if your cells are full of fat they stop letting glucose in.

This is bad news because glucose floating around in your blood for extended periods of time is extremely damaging – think diabetes.

But when you’re on keto you barely eat any carbs (glucose) – so no drama there as long as you can maintain it.

However, before you start looking up keto diets!!!! while your cells are getting smaller (you’re losing weight) those cells are getting fuller and fuller with fat.

Hence why so many people end up with fatty liver.

This is why the long-term effects of keto are damaging to your health.

Fatty liver can turn into cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) which can lead to liver failure or liver cancer.

AND cardiologists are saying keto is their worst nightmare!

The good news is the damage is reversible in the early stages if you stop eating too much fat – this means embracing a whole foods plant-based lifestyle – and enjoy those carbs again!

If you think you might be eating too much fat check out this blog which will help you identify the high-fat foods – some of them will surprise you.

When you eat fruit, vegetables, whole grains (like oats, brown rice, and quinoa), and legumes (beans & lentils) you are eating unprocessed foods that still contain fiber and all their vitamins and minerals.

And yes we do need some fat, and ALL plant foods contain small amounts of fat – even lettuce.

The only fat you NEED because your body can’t make it is omega-3 (and omega-6 but it’s in a lot of plant foods) and you can get that from 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds, hempseeds, chia seeds, or walnuts a day.

You can read more about the foods that contain healthy fats here and why you might like to reconsider how much liquid oil you are using if you are struggling to release weight.

And yes olive oil is healthy BUT have an olive instead – then you get the whole olive including the fiber and the nutrients.

Eating more plants is a sure way to reduce the increased risk of heart disease that happens to women after menopause when they lose the protective effect of estrogen, which you can read about here.

Nor do plants upset women’s hormonal balance and make their symptoms worse – in fact in most cases eating more plants eliminates the likes of hot flushes and crappy sleep.

If you have been following a high-fat diet either intentionally or unintentionally and would like some help to transition to eating more plants (without gaining weight) then let’s chat.

Book a free 30-minute Mini Menopause Assessment and when you register you’ll complete an intake form, so I can identify exactly where your diet is right now and help you get clear on the steps you need to take to kick-start weight loss and optimise your health.

That way whether you decide to work with me or not you’ll know what direction to go in.

Nic x

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