This week I ran into two, no three keto casualties… people who did keto and then gained weight after then went back to “regular” food or their old diets.

Ugh. I hear about this ALL the time.

I get it, people CAN lose a tremendous amount of weight on a ketogenic diet. And rather quickly for some. So we innocently assume that it will work for us, perhaps it’s the magic bullet we’re desperately looking for.

In full disclosure, there are some health benefits: if you are an high-level endurance athlete and want to teach your body to become fat adaptive, using fat for fuel instead of carb loading this might be a great option for the athlete. Normal people are attracted to the keto promise that they can turn themselves into a fat burning machine. I feel ya it’s definitely a hook.

BUT the long-term effects are horrible for your bones AND metabolism. Most importantly you have to ask yourself this question: “Is this sustainable for me?” As in for the rest of your life. Emerging research showing the benefits of healthy fats on the brain and Alzheimer’s is enticing, so is the benefits a keto diet has for cancer patients. Personally I’m doing my best from a prevention standpoint, personally, to prevent disease but keto feels totally unsustainable. Not to mention how much I love, LOVE that I finally found a balanced approached to eating with an all foods fit philosophy + I’m no iron woman athlete.

I mean, I ALWAYS have the option to go back to dieting, restrictive and binge eating-like behaviors, but no thanks, did that for 2-0 years when I was sucked into diet culture and I’m soooo over it.

Regardless of the promising research, that doesn’t mean I’m jumping on the keto bandwagon by any stretch of the imagination. This is due to two, no three things: a) the feedback that I get from clients and neighbors is this: it is NOT sustainable, b) I can’t go back to abusive restrictive eating behaviors and dieting now that I don’t diet anymore and c) I love being able to eat carbs like pasta, pizza, cookies, cupcakes, and sweets without my old diet-days mentally-damaging guilt. True food liberation is the best thing ever.

The hard truth is diets in general are NOT sustainable. Yup there is ample research to prove that deprivation diets are not long-lasting. Some can help to establish healthier habits for some people (like boosting produce intake, consuming more water, consistent physical activity, etc), but in my personal and professional experience going on and off diets is the perfect way to set you up for a very damaging and disordered relationship with not only food, but also your body.

Go ahead and take a deep breath (I just did) because this is what we unknowingly do when we sign up for a diet. It’s the false hope that THIS one will be the magical unicorn way to eat that will cause long-term weight loss, right? But we are unaware of the long-term implications and ripple down effect of the diet behaviors we decide to adopt.

Gawd, I feel for it hook and sinker with each and every new trendy diet. I even went so far as to do a 7-day water fast (puuu-lease don’t do that). And also a 21-day Green Juice fast, no judgment, I was only trying to find the fountain of youth {holy moly you want to talk about receiving compliments on my skin daily tho} + shake off some weight. If I am totally honest with myself I will admit that I felt AMAZING energy-wise after I got into the flow of restricting but the weight that came back on so quickly wasn’t worth it in the long run. But I was chasing after that shiny object… the trendy diet with the elusive long-term weight loss.

So fast-forward 20 years later. What’s my obsession? A relationship with food that’s sustainable. Practicing mindful, intuitive + intentional eating.

I wish with every cell, every inch of my body, that I was open and willing to explore this mindful concept at least a decade ago. But I have to be grateful that I’m not only working with it daily, but teaching my profound wisdom to others who are struggling, suffering, jaded or tainted by their lack of long-term results with dieting, nutrition confusion OR have a whacky relationship with food.

If you are sick and tired of the food struggle, the up’s and downs, let me let you in on a little secret. I’ve created a virtual 30-Day Mindful Eating Challenge that starts Monday, September 16th.

* Each morning you will receive an email about the quick daily video and/or read a little about the daily challenge.

* You can also be part of a private, mindful challenge Facebook group to post pictures of your food, success stories, struggles, and anything else you feel like sharing so that we can all heal together in community. There is true power and shifting that takes place in a supportive environment.

* You won’t feel alone and you’ll receive valuable insight when it comes to why you do what you do with food as well as how to create eating habits that serve your emotional, mental and physical wellness goals.

And the best thing ever: there is NO, ZIP, NADA MEAL PLAN to follow, no diet, nothin’… you eat whatever you want and start to learn why, when, how, + how much you eat and where that energy from the food goes.

Does this sound like you?

• I hate my body

• I can’t stop binge eating

• I have zero control over food

• I don’t have any discipline or willpower

• I have a love/hate relationship with food

• I don’t believe that it’s possible to have true food freedom

If you answered yes to any of those statements, please click the link here to read more about my 30-Day Mindful Eating Challenge. I can’t wait for you to join us and start moving towards a more peaceful existence with food and your body – please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions either via phone or text at 404-353-3482 OR jennifer@nutritionatlanta.com. I’m committed to your transformation so let’s get this mindful journey started!

CLIENT TESTIMONY: The best gift I’ve given myself is Jennifer’s 30-Day Mindful Eating Challenge because I finally, finally have a sense of peace around food. I can even have tempting treats in my house without them calling my name! What a miracle, I didn’t think this could be possible after struggling with diets since I was 8 years old. I was the “chubby” one in my family and was always on or off diets for over 40 years. It’s hard for me to realize that was my life for so long, but I’m happy to feel like I”m on the other side of the food struggle now. I wasn’t really sure what mindfulness was and didn’t think it was possible for me to listen to my intuitive wisdom. But the daily challenges started to help me identify habits that I created from the anxiety and emotional triggers that plagued me. I’ve learned so much about myself and my relationship with food, lost some weight (although Jennifer stresses this isn’t the main focus) and continue on the mindful path daily. She’s so knowledgeable about this because she’s been through her own struggle and helps you find the silver lining in every situation. I highly recommend the 30-Day Mindful Eating Challenge if you have dieted, struggle with body image issues or have a tumultuous relationship with food. — AK Atlanta, GA