Women are going crazy for new keto shakes — and it’s no wonder. Dozens of brands now offer convenient drinks that basically turn one of the world’s most powerful diets into one of the easiest.
“They’re faster than the drive-thru, and all the diet math is done for you, so staying on track is pretty effortless,” says Texas mom-of-five Stepphanie Godsey, 40. That means keto shake dieters often lose huge both short-term and long-term.
“I dropped 19 pounds my first week. And I was shrinking so quickly, I’d be walking along and my jeans would just fall down. I went from a size 32 to a 14 in about nine months.” The simple explanation? “These pre-made products help you get the right mix of fat, protein, and carbs, taking the hard part out of the keto diet,” notes mega-selling Grain Brain (Buy on Amazon, $14.49) author David Perlmutter, MD. “It’s a shortcut that actually optimizes your results.”
For those who aren’t familiar with the keto diet, it works like this: You aim to get about 70 percent of your calories from fat, 25 percent from protein, and just 5 percent from carbs — a mix of nutrients that drastically reduces the blood sugar your body can make to fuel itself.
“The body responds by turning stored fat into a type of fuel called ketones, which it burns instead of sugar,” explains Dr. Perlmutter. Research shows this spikes fat burning by 900 percent. Dr. Perlmutter adds that making ketones also sets off a chemical chain reaction, boosting production of hormones that kill appetite and speed metabolism. So waists shrink quickly. And since it’s so much easier to turn fat into energy, our get-up-and-go shoots through the roof.
Keto eating is also proven to soothe blood vessels, allowing the heart to function better. Oh, and the brain loves ketones — so much so that, per studies, mood improves by 52 percent and memory by 62 percent. Says Dr. Perlmutter, “It’s good for you and feels good!”
While all keto meals are based on the same magic formula, no other option hits the bulls-eye with the speedy precision and consistency as keto shakes. “Anytime you inadvertently take in too many carbs or an excess of dietary protein, you stimulate the production of blood sugar, stopping production of ketones and stalling progress,” notes Dr. Perlmutter.
Shakes are a no-stress way to prevent that from happening. How big a difference do they make? A German study found that just one shake a day helps a dieter double her weight loss. Meanwhile, a University of Kentucky study found two meal-replacement shakes a day triples results — wow!
The Keto Shakes Diet Meal Plan
For fastest results, enjoy a keto shake as your meal one to two times a day. At non-shake meals, go for about six ounces protein, two servings fat, and two servings low-carb veggies.
You can also add a small keto snack or two. As always, get a doctor’s okay to try any new diet.
Breakfast — Shake it Up: Choose any ready-to-drink shake or shake mix, such as SlimFast Keto (Buy on Amazon, $12.55). Dr. Perlmutter is a fan of Garden of Life Keto Fit and Ketologic Keto Meal mixes (Buy on Amazon, $40.94).
Lunch — Salad Bar Special: Enjoy 2 sliced hard-boiled eggs, 3 slices bacon and 3 cups nonstarchy salad-bar veggies with 3 Tbs. full-fat dressing. Or if you prefer, simply have another keto shake as your midday meal.
Snacks — PB & Yum Fat Bombs: Whisk ½ cup melted coconut butter, 1 cup natural peanut butter, 5 Tbs. cocoa and low-carb sweetener to taste; spoon into 24 lined mini-muffin cups; freeze until set. About 2.5 grams carbs each.
Dinner — Sensible Keto Entree: 6 oz. roasted or rotisserie chicken with skin, 1 serving sugar-free sauce (such as G Hughes sugar-free barbecue sauce) and 1 cup veggies sautéed in butter or olive oil.
DIY Peppermint Mocha Keto Shake Recipe
This fast recipe packs all the flavors of the coffee bar favorite into a DIY meal replacement shake with about seven grams of carbs!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 avocado
- 2 Tbs. cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. espresso powder
- 1⁄8 tsp. peppermint extract Pinch of salt
- Zero-carb sweetener to taste
Instructions
In a blender, blitz all ingredients until smooth, adding a little water if necessary. Add 4– 6 ice cubes and blend again until thick and creamy. Enjoy! Makes 1 serving.
This story originally appeared in our print magazine.
