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As the ketogenic diet continues to soar in popularity with its extremely restrictive — but admittedly effective — approach to weight loss, its younger brother “dirty keto” promises similar kilo-shedding results with considerably less hard yakka.
And if you’re a little skeptical, you’re in good company.
“Not all fats, proteins and carbs are created equal,” best-selling healthy cookbook author Luke Hines tells 9Honey.
The problem with the more relaxed ‘keto lite’ version?
READ MORE: Is dirty keto a better option than keto?
“Dirty keto focuses more on getting the macronutrient breakdown right, without giving too much concern about the sources of those macronutrients.”
This can lead to the consumption of foods that might interfere with weight loss.
Hines uses the example of fat sources: the ‘dirty keto’ approach wouldn’t factor in things like grass-fed meats, anti-inflammatory foods, or foods that have been sourced ethically, with low-carb (yet decidedly unhealthy) meals, like bunless fast food burgers, often meeting the criteria instead.
The foodie and health coach’s most recent cookbook, The Fast Low-Carb Kickstart Plan, combines a more purist take on the low-carb keto diet with another of today’s most popular weight loss diets — intermittent fasting — into one four-week program.
READ MORE: Sirtfood diet: The program behind Adele’s staggering weight loss
“My version of keto focuses on the best, most ethical produce you can source, so that the food is great for you, inside and out, and also looks after the environment and the welfare of the animals.”
For anyone considering the “dirty” shortcut approach, Hines warns to be extra wary of foods known for their inflammatory effects, with hydrogenated seed oils being top of the list.
“We’re talking things like vegetable, canola and sunflower oil. These have an unbalanced ratio of omega 3:6, making them highly inflammatory when we consume them.”
This inflammation can have a “cascade effect” in our body, he explains, disrupting our energy, hormonal balance, and gut health, which in turn thwarts our best chances of losing and keeping off any excess body fat.
But while the higher-calorie and processed foods often deemed acceptable in a ‘dirty keto’ diet is unlikely to keep you in the state of “ketosis” necessary to achieve weight loss, even the traditional keto diet has come under fire from experts for being expensive and generally hard to follow. So, is Hines’ approach any easier? He thinks so.
The four-week “kickstart” involves daily windows of intermittent fasting, alongside a meal plan that focuses on delicious low-carb, nutrient-dense meals, rather than calorie counting.
READ MORE: Volumetrics diet: The program that promises weight loss without going hungry
The fasting periods are increased gradually throughout the four weeks, to make the process easier and more manageable.
In fact, he’s seen first-hand the effectiveness of this approach.
“Before this plan was immortalised in this book, it was the way I have coached and trained clients for some time now,” Hines says, explaining he wrote the book based on his most successful clients as a health coach.
“The protocol is structured around what got me the best results, both personally and professionally in my health training and coaching career.
“I look forward to seeing awesome testimonials as the book goes farther and wider!”
The Fast Low-Carb Kickstart Plan (Pan Macmillan Australia) is available online and at selected book stores, RRP $26.99.
As well as being a best-selling author, Luke Hines is a qualified and certified functional nutritionist, personal trainer, health coach, and creator of the Luke Hines 10 weight loss program.
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