My thoughts on Keto, Paleo, just plain healthy eating, and an overall healthy lifestyle.

The Keto Diet (Ketogenic)

This is literally the fat burning diet. Ketosis is the process of the body burning stored fat. By fasting and eating a minimal amount of carbohydrates, around 5-10% or your diet, you force your body to start consuming fat stores. The other main components of the diet are fat, 70-80%, and protein, 20-25%. Keto is probably the most strict of the popular diets today. It is healthy eating extreme.

The Paleo Diet (Paleolithic or caveman)

We’ll call this one the, keeping it old school, diet. Eat like a cave dweller and you have successfully achieved Paleo status. I guess that might be a slightly simple and unrefined definition but it’s pretty close. Meats and other proteins are a big portion of this plan but a reasonable amount of natural fats, fruits, vegetable, and sweeteners are allowed. I wouldn’t call Paleo extreme but it’s definitely a favorite of healthy eating fans.

The Just Quit Eating Junk Diet

While this isn’t a mainstream diet, it is the conclusion I’ve come to for being healthy and enjoying food. I believe we’re stuck here on this earth for a reason and we should make the most of it. Part of doing that is taking care of this body we’re given.

I don’t care much for processed food, candy, and other sugar packed treats, but I will, on occasion, add some ice and original Coca Cola to my bourbon. Point being, I think there are tasty treats available to us and it isn’t a sin to consume some.

This concept of “just quit eating junk” came to me years ago when I caught a broadcast of Dr Steve Hotze on his radio program out of Houston, TX. He founded Hotze Health and Wellness Center in Katy, TX. They treat guests with a combination of bio-identical hormones, allergy immunotherapy, supplements, and healthy eating. Hotze’s diet is what they call, yeast free. You cleanse yeast from your system by starving it of sugar, in order to get a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut. Once accomplished, add back reasonable foods that contain more carbs.

So, my just quit eating junk diet is just a common sense approach to food. Stay away from processed crap (grains, refined sugars, preservatives, nitrates, etc.) and eat things that actually occur in nature. A typical meal for my family is a serving of meat, a couple veggie options, and maybe a piece of fruit. For some crunch we may throw in a handful of non-GMO potato chips cooked in olive oil.

Conclusions

If you need an extreme plan to drop weight quick, go for a Keto diet plan. Try to get a partner to participate for help and support. I don’t believe Keto to be a long-term plan but for a quick jump on weight loss, you just can’t beat it.

For an extreme plan that is long-term, go for Paleo. Healthy carbs are not the devil. Paleo or near-Paleo diets seem to be the one of choice for the dedicated fitness type. I really like the Paleo diet but, truth be told, I’m not going to promise I could stick with it forever.

As for the rest of us, let’s stick to the just quit eating junk plan and enjoy a healthy life. There are so many great meals and snacks that don’t come out of a package. Try a new fruit, check out the bulk trail mix or nuts section of your local store, or be extreme and support a local market. Shop the outside of the grocery store.

To your health and happiness,

Heath

P.S. If you want to know more about Keto diets, check out my review of the Custom Keto Diet Plan.