The Truth about Bariatric Keto

NEWS FLASH. A BARIATRIC DIET MEANS WE EMBRACE THE LOW CARB BUT NOT THE HIGH FAT! Which pretty much means no to keto.

Do not adopt a high fat plan because someone on Facebook said it worked for them.

Keto keto keto, it's all you hear about and it's EVERYWHERE. If we did not have Bariatric Surgery, WE WOULD ALL BE ENTHUSIASTIC MEMBERS OF THE KETO KLAN. It would be the latest addition at the bottom of our long diet list. Why sure, lots of people are losing weight on the Keto Diet, but we also lost a lot weight on the Grapefruit Diet, Atkins Diet, Cambridge Diet, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, South Beach, Banana Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, didn't we?

THE TRUTH is that Morbidly Obese people are experts at losing weight - it's keeping it off that has been the vast problem. It is critical that after having bariatric surgery, we do not fall into the KETO DIET trap or any fad diet hole.

Absolutely NOTHING about the Keto plan is smart for people who have had aggressive stomach altering obesity surgery. As with all weight loss programs, it is important to find one that wasn't written by FATBRAIN. We understand that cheese, and cheese and bacon and cream cheese is tempting and sounds wonderful.

We can even sort of buy the premise that "Fat Keeps You Satisfied", but you know what else it does? It keeps you on that Yo-Yo Diet cycle that brought you to Bariatric Surgery in the first place. What we do not understand is the draw of Fat Head Pizza. Doesn't that sound like a bad thing for a person who has had obesity surgery? Please tell us you understand that all that cheese can not add up to weight loss.

So what's next? How about we embrace the Bariatric Eating version of a Keto Diet - the one without the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon and butter. We promise it will work with your surgery. Lucky for you that we are nutrition experts as well as and bariatric experts - we'll help you take the Best of Keto that will move you towards life goals and leave the rest behind.

KETO is basically low carb but we need to remove the a short list of foods that will mess you up. These are foods used by the Keto Diet that are NOT foods for those who have had bariatric surgery.

Maybe take some notes, this is important and MANY seem to miss this part:

THE NO NO NO BARIATRIC KETO LIST

• Full Fat Milk
• Heavy Cream
• Unlimited Bacon
• Blankets of Full Fat Cheese
• CREAM CHEESE
• Low Fat Cream Cheese
• Greek Yogurt Cream Cheese
• More than 1 teaspoon of butter in a meal
• any kind of Fat added to COFFEE

Good Golly... are there Bariatric Friendly Keto Foods?

Sure there are! Here are a few terrific foods to fill your belly with 65 to 75 g of daily protein, capping off at 50g of low carb vegetables and even some healthy fats every now and then. Hmmm, this sounds a lot like the Inspire Diet to us!

Shrimp, beef, pork, chicken, turkey and most seafood does not contain any carbs and these foods are rich in high quality satisfying protein.

Low-carb vegetables make great substitutes for higher-carb foods. For instance, cauliflower can be used to mimic rice or mashed potatoes, "zoodles" can be created from zucchini, and spaghetti squash is a natural substitute for spaghetti. Then again nothing is tastier or easier than a bowl of cut up tomato salad to serve with your chicken!

ONE OUNCE of Parmesan cheese provides 1 gram of carbs, 10 grams of protein and 35% of the daily requirement for calcium. Dietary Calcium is a Really Good Thing! The Inspire Diet Twist is to use LOW FAT CHEESE and only one half ounce at a time. Cheese is a GARNISH... you are supposed to see the food under it.

Each avocado half contain 2 grams of net carbs, they are high in fiber and nutrients, including potassium. While NOT on the Inspire Diet Food List (it would be IMPOSSIBLE for us to call out EVERY vegetable out there), a little beautiful ripe avocado every now and then will keep the scale moving downward and put a smile on your face!

Eggs are one of the healthiest and most flexible foods on the planet. One large egg contains less than 1 gram of carbs, 7 grams of protein, and help keep you full for hours. Eggs are an ideal Inspire Diet food. Turn them into an egg custard, or make an omelet with lots of vegetables and a sprinkle of cheese.

Most fruit is too high in carbs to include on the Keto or Inspire Diet, but berries are an exception that are low in carbs and high in fiber - the SEEDS are fiber. Ahh-haaaaa, who knew? We'll let you in on a little secret, BERRIES never hurt a soul who ate them in partnership with a high protein, low carb diet. TRY adding a 1/2 cup to a bowl of sugar free Jello once in a while and then and SEE how fast the Sweet Tooth thoughts poof right out of your head.

Here are the carb counts for 1/2 cup of these tasty berries:

Blackberries: 5 grams net carbs

Blueberries: 12 grams net carbs

Raspberries: 6 grams net carbs

Strawberries: 6 grams net carbs

Unsweetened coffee and tea contain zero carbs and can increase your metabolism as well as improve your alertness and mood! The Inspire Diet Twist: learn to drink plain unsweetened iced or hot coffee and tea with a very small amount of creamer if you need it at all - AVOID skinny lattes which are made with a lot of non-fat milk and high-carb flavorings.

Important Info about Ketosis

One of the hallmarks of any Low Carb Diet or Keto success is knowing if you are *in ketosis* or not. Ketosis is a state where your metabolism is primed to burn fat more effectively. Many followers of Keto diets check this state with a Ketosis Stick and some even use pricey keto specific ketone & glucose monitors on a regular basis, proudly posting their *keto stick selfies* online.

HOWEVER, Bariatric Surgery alters our digestive systems which can impact the way the body signals that it's in ketosis. With this in mind, it's MUCH easier to skip the frustration of thinking that ketosis is the key to success and just stay consistent with the Inspire Diet. It's not just a diet, it's a life change.

You will see results when you follow the Inspire Diet just like the thousands in our groups. While Keto is BIG out there, in the realm of Bariatric Surgery, the Inspire Diet is a much better way to lose a regain and get goal and beyond.