Keto Means
Photo by Klaus Nielsen Pexels Logo Photo: Klaus Nielsen

How many meals should you have on a keto diet?

You can only eat one meal a day. The meal should follow the traditional keto guidelines of high fat and low carb macronutrients.

Is there any ham that is not processed?
Is there any ham that is not processed?

Uncured ham, also labeled as "fresh ham" is the same cut as cured ham. The difference? Uncured ham is not injected with the same chemical brine,...

Read More »
Can you eat eggs everyday for breakfast?
Can you eat eggs everyday for breakfast?

Is it OK to eat eggs every day? Because of their numerous benefits, it's OK to eat one whole egg, including the egg yolk, every day if you don't...

Read More »

Share on Pinterest Speed Keto combines keto with intermittent fasting. Here’s what experts have to say about the benefits and potential health risks of this diet. Getty Images Speed Keto is a high fat diet program meant to get you into a fat-burning state called ketosis more quickly. Speed Keto combines keto with intermittent fasting, when you eat only one meal a day.

Experts say Speed Keto is unsustainable in the long term and could be unhealthy for some people. Keto evangelists have popularized the high fat, low carb diet as a lifestyle. But for the majority of people, the keto diet is restrictive, making it hard to maintain. Now Speed Keto, an even more extreme form of keto, has arrived on the diet scene. The newest twist on keto promises to tap into the body’s fat-burning system faster by integrating a controlled version of fasting. It’s common for people to pair the keto diet with intermittent fasting, usually 16:8, which means someone only eats during an 8-hour window each day and fasts for 16 hours. Speed Keto takes this further by advocating for one meal a day. The meal should be keto-approved, of course. Potential weight loss is the primary selling point for a majority of the keto curious. It’s also been found to lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, but it may have negative health effects for other people. We asked two nutrition experts to review Speed Keto’s protocols for benefits and dangers and answer the question: Should you try this diet?

What is Speed Keto? “Speed Keto is a means of achieving faster ketosis and was created by Harlan Kilstein, who is not a medical professional or nutrition pro, but a coach,” said Cynthia Thurlow, NP, who specializes in nutrition and intermittent fasting. The Speed Keto program is similar to the traditional keto diet in that it requires individuals to eat a high fat, low carb diet. Similarly, it also focuses on putting the body in ketosis, a metabolic state when your body burns fat instead of glucose for energy. When your body is in ketosis, it’s basically a fat-burning machine, thus giving keto its reputation as a weight loss tool. The difference with Speed Keto? You can only eat one meal a day. The meal should follow the traditional keto guidelines of high fat and low carb macronutrients. “It’s main goal is to attempt to become fat-adapted faster than a more traditional ketogenic diet,” Thurlow told Healthline. “Fasting can help speed the process of getting into ketosis,” explained Tony Castillo, MS, RDN, LDN, nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition. “It can typically take 2 to 4 days to enter ketosis if you have less than 50 grams of carbs per day,” he continued, pointing out that several factors, from what you eat to age and activity level, can extend the amount of time it takes to enter ketosis. Even though you may enter fat-burning ketosis more quickly on Speed Keto, seeing a lower number on the scale might be misleading. “Since the traditional keto and Speed Keto focus on [eating] fats, your body will excrete more water because fats do not like water. This means the weight loss you see is most likely water weight or even muscle weight, not true fat loss,” Castillo said.

How do I switch from low-carb to keto?
How do I switch from low-carb to keto?

Transitioning off the keto diet should take a few weeks. About 14 days is pretty reasonable for your body to adjust to the change. Some people find...

Read More »
What is the most unhealthiest snack ever?
What is the most unhealthiest snack ever?

7 Worst Snacks Your Dietitian Would Never Eat Any baked chips. Rice cakes. Pretzels. Potato chips. Veggie sticks or straws. Store-bought smoothies....

Read More »

Is there anything sweet to eat on keto?

Chocolate Almond Butter Protein Balls And at 7 g net carbs per ball, they make the perfect sweet snack for keto dieters.

“Keto” and “dessert” are not usually two words that go together. But with a few simple ingredient swaps, you can satisfy a sweet tooth on this extremely high-fat, low-carb diet. For instance, you can replace white flour with low-carb almond meal or coconut flour. Likewise, you can trade white sugar for sweeteners such as monk fruit extract, stevia, and erythritol to cut carbs. You’ll simply want to enjoy these treats in moderation and factor in the net carbs provided by each recipe. (That unofficial term roughly describes the total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols, according to Atkins.com.) That’s because the ketogenic diet is very restrictive. On the standard version of this eating plan, 80 to 90 percent of your calories will come from fat, 5 to 15 percent will come from protein, and 5 to 10 percent will come from carbohydrates. Thus, it’s not a good idea for everyone, and research suggests that people who take insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents for diabetes, as well as those with liver failure, pancreatitis, or some other metabolic disorders should be especially cautious and consult their healthcare provider before attempting the ketogenic diet. Also, many of these recipes contain sugar alcohols (xylitol being one example), and these may contribute to gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhea, according to past research. After you’ve gotten approval from your healthcare team to try keto, consider adding these keto-friendly desserts to your meal plan.

RELATED: 11 Health Conditions Keto May Treat and 6 It Won’t

Why isn't my chicken getting crispy in the air fryer?
Why isn't my chicken getting crispy in the air fryer?

During the air frying process, if you pull out the chicken and notice any dry flour spots on the chicken, spray those spots lightly with oil. The...

Read More »
What should I eat on my cheat day?
What should I eat on my cheat day?

The Best Cheat Meal Ideas for Your Cheat Day 15 Healthy Cheat Meals & Snack Ideas. From pizza to milkshakes, these cheat foods surprisingly have a...

Read More »
Do you gain weight back when you go off keto?
Do you gain weight back when you go off keto?

You're naturally going to gain a few pounds when you reintroduce them back into your diet because they contain water. The key is to pick healthy,...

Read More »
How does your fat leave your body?
How does your fat leave your body?

The triglycerides release fat as carbon dioxide and water atoms during fat metabolism or oxidation. In other words, fat leaves the body as carbon...

Read More »