What is lazy keto? And is lazy keto right for you?
Some people hate to track their macros and others love to track them. Those of you (you know who you are!) who love to track your macros are most likely follow a strict keto diet. Others don’t like being weighed down, and instead opt not to track macros and simply eat intuitively low carb.
Should You Count Your Macros? Should You Follow a Lazy Keto Diet?
Well, that depends.
When first starting a keto diet, I normally have my clients just reduce their total carbohydrate intake. First I’ll instruct them to take out chips and soda from their diet. Then the potatoes and other starchy vegetables and grains.
After a few weeks you’ll have effortlessly reduced your carbohydrate intake, and you may or may not already be in ketosis.
A good majority of my clients follow a strict keto diet. This is because they need elevated ketone levels and lower Glucose Ketone Index (GKI) to manage some sort of disease or aliment.
The blood glucose and blood ketone meter I use is Keto Mojo. It’s easy to use and the strips are the cheapest on the market!
One of the most surprising benefits my clients have, is the reduction of (or the elimination of!) hot flashes and night sweats. All by following a strict keto diet and tracking their Glucose Ketone Index.
Some who follow a strict keto diet track their macros because they have tracked for years, and it’s just a part of them that they don’t want to give up. Others track because we are trying to reverse diet them.
Some of my clients who are interested in weight loss initially start on a strict keto diet. And then they transition to a lazy keto diet once they hit their goal weight, or when they continue their weight loss by intuitively eating.
Two benefits to following a keto diet are that you have more even glucose levels throughout the day and that you are more easily satiated. Both of these factors allow you to follow a lazy keto diet and stay in ketosis without tracking.
How Can I Track My Keto Macros?
If you want to track your keto macros, I recommend using the Cronometer app! It’s super easy to use. Additionally, I like it much better than other apps because it uses the USDA database for nutrition, and it doesn’t allow just anyone to add a food that the whole world can see (you can still add foods and recipes just visible to yourself though!).
What is Reverse Dieting?
Reverse dieting means that a client came to me eating a severely low caloric intake or was eating at a caloric deficit, and we will be slowly increasing their macros to minimize any fat gain while increasing their basal metabolic rate.
What is Lazy Keto?
The definition of lazy keto is open to interpretation. I feel that the term lazy keto refers to intuitively eating a low carb, moderate protein, and high fat diet without tracking macros.
To follow a lazy keto diet and see results, you must first know what foods include carbohydrates. And specifically, which foods contain a lot of carbohydrates.
High Carb Foods Include
- Chips
- Cookies
- Bread
- Starchy vegetables (potatoes, peas, corn, lima beans, some squashes)
- Some fruits
- Candy
Or reversely, if you know what foods are low in carbohydrates, you can just stick to eating those. To help you follow a lazy keto or strict keto diet, we created this keto diet grocery list.
Low Carb Food Guides (Foods You Can Eat on a Lazy Keto or Strict Keto Diet)
What is Dirty Keto?
Some people call a lazy keto diet a “dirty keto diet” when the majority of the food eaten is highly processed or in the form of fast food.
This may be grabbing a burger or two from a fast food joint, adding cheese and bacon, and omitting the bun and ketchup. This meal is low in carbs, high in fat, and moderate in protein. However, depending on the quality of the restaurant, the micronutrient profile might not be the best.
We created a keto fast food guide to help you navigate different fast food restaurants and still eat low carb.
What Do Some Lazy Keto Meals Look Like?
Lazy keto breakfast may look like 2 slices of bacon and 2 eggs cooked in bacon fat, with half an avocado.
A lazy keto lunch might look like 1 chicken thigh, 1 hard boiled egg, 1 cup steamed broccoli and cauliflower, with 1 ounce of melted cheese.
And a lazy keto dinner could look like an 8-ounce ribeye steak seared in a cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon butter, a few Brussel sprouts, and the other half of of the avocado from breakfast.
You don’t have to eat extravagant or difficult meals on a keto diet to get awesome results!
Lazy Keto Recipes We Love
- 3 Ingredient Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bites
- Easy Sea Salt Caramel Low Carb Mousse
- Instant Pot Crack Chicken
- Sesame Vegetable Beef Stir Fry
Tips for Keto Success
Save Money and Jumpstart Keto
If you found this post and you’re ready to start a keto diet, check out our 5 Day Budget Keto Meal Plan to get into ketosis fast! You’ll get 5 days worth of recipes and eat for under $5 per day!
4 Week Keto Meal Plan
For something a little longer term, you might be interested in our 4 week keto meal prep course. It comes with 4 weeks of keto meal plans (1200, 1500, and 1800 calorie levels), weekly keto grocery lists, 40 keto recipe ebook, how to meal prep ebook, videos, and more!
Keto Recipe Inspiration
Or if you’ve been doing keto for a while and just need a little help with inspiration, we’ve got you covered! Check out our low carb and keto recipe collection.
Beverly Calloway says
I’ve been strict keto for a while and it worked for me I’m at a weight loss plateau I’m doing under 20 carbs a day 14-15 sometimes I max out at 20. The only thing I’ve changed the last month is I have a mission smart balance tortilla 4 carbs. I am insulin resistant it goes from high in the morning to dangerously low at night. It’s getting better, I’m exercising but the belly fat won’t move, what could I be doing wrong I’m desperate I need to lose 20 more pounds I’ve lost 53 already since August
Penny says
I want to start this diet and have concerns because Inhave no thyroid and don’t wanna ft I mess my system up. I battle constipation already. Is that an issue on Keto?
Lara says
Hi Penny, it’s best to ask your doctor or health care professional before starting any kind of new diet or exercise regimen.
Karen says
Lazy Keto looks heathy to me. Why such a bad rap. If u are cutting out the garbage carbs. You will lose weight right
Lara says
Yeah I’m not sure why some people think lazy keto is bad, it’s definitely more maintainable than counting strictly every day, at least in my opinion 🙂
Crystal says
Can you give me some insight as to how to start? This is my third try at the diet
Lara says
Hi Crystal,
Here’s our FAQ page which should help 🙂 https://theketoqueens.com/keto-start-here/