These 6 celebs are obsessed with the keto diet

Despite the old adage, celebrities aren’t actually “just like us.” They have chefs, personal trainers, and household staff who help them live well and maintain their busy schedules. But no matter their level of fame, most people have experimented with their eating habits—including celebs. And many of them have fallen in love with the keto diet. If you’ve been considering this trendy diet, hearing from celebs who love keto may convince you to give it a try—even if you don’t have a chef on call to make your fave keto meals.

By now, you probably know that the ketogenic diet is based on eating more fat and fewer carbs. As Seattle-based registered dietitian and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics keto spokesperson Ginger Hultin explained to HelloGiggles, the purpose of avoiding carbohydrates (like fiber, starches, and sugars) is to force your body to burn fat instead of blood sugar for fuel. When you eat the keto-approved ratios of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, your body will enter a state of ketosis that, for some, can help with weight loss. “It makes sense that people use it for weight loss—this diet literally burns fat for fuel,” Hultin said.

Individuals will adapt the keto diet to suit their own bodies, but “generally, it is a high-fat diet (80%+), moderate protein (one gram protein per kilogram of body weight), and very low in carbohydrates at only 40-60 grams per day of low-glycemic foods,” said Hultin. So people who eat keto will consume more things like red meat, fish, eggs, olive oil, bone broth, full-fat dairy, and leafy greens while avoiding bread, many fruits, and processed foods.

Celebs don’t always agree on the benefits of keto. TV health expert Dr. Oz often covers keto on his show, praising its results. But personal trainer Jillian Michaels has continuously pooh-poohed the diet, as she did in a Women’s Health “Rant or Rave” video—she called it a “bad plan” for your overall health to cut out carbohydrates and instead advocated for a balanced diet.

Hultin has other reasons for advising caution when it comes to the keto diet. “As a registered dietitian, I don’t recommend a ketogenic diet unless it’s prescribed for a medical reason,” she said, noting there are possible side effects including “keto flu” (where you experience flu-like symptoms as your body adjusts to this new way of eating), muscle cramps, kidney damage, nutrient deficiencies, and severe constipation.

Here’s what six celebs have to say about this controversial (but oh-so-popular) diet that people can’t stop talking about.

1Halle Berry

In 2017, Halle Berry—who has long been known for her ass-kicking workouts—did the talk show rounds to share her love for the keto diet. “I swear by the ketogenic diet,” the Catwoman star told PeopleTV. She explained on Live with Kelly and Ryan that because she’s diabetic, this low-sugar way of eating supports her overall well-being. She has even shared some of her favorite keto recipes on Instagram.

2Kourtney Kardashian

The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star revealed on her app that she first started doing the keto diet in 2017, People reported. She wrote, “I would make broccoli rice or cauliflower rice to at least feel like I was eating some carbs,” saying that “it was a really positive experience for me.” On her new lifestyle website, POOSH, you can find Kardashian-approved tips on how to cut out carbs and sugars.

3Megan Fox

In March, Megan Fox explained that she switches between the keto and paleo diets. In her first-ever sponsored post, promoting Truwomen protein bars, she explained that the bars work for her because “the carbohydrate profile is low enough that I could make these work even in ketosis.”

4Al Roker

NBC weatherperson and personality Al Roker has been very open about his love of keto. As he shared on the TODAY show, he has been doing the keto diet since September 2018 and by March 2019, he had lost 40 pounds. Before keto, he had undergone gastric bypass surgery in 2003, so Roker has been on a long journey to figure out the best way to maintain his health.

5Vanessa Hudgens

Vanessa Hudgens called herself an “exercise fanatic” in an April interview with People, but also shared the other elements of her fitness plan. “It’s great,” Hudgens said of the keto diet. “If you have the right ingredients to keep you on track, I think it’s amazing. People a lot of times think of fats in diets as a negative thing, and when you’re doing keto, it’s a very positive thing. I’m always making sure I’m getting those healthy fats in, so I eat a LOT of almond butter. You feel really energetic and supported on the keto diet.” But she added that she switches between keto and intermittent fasting because “I love pasta, I love pizza, and when I’m not eating carbs, I feel like a little piece of me dies.”

6Mark Consuelos

Although Riverdale actor Mark Consuelos hasn’t spoken openly about going keto himself, his talk show host wife has talked about it for him. In a January interview with Bon Appétit, Kelly Ripa said, “My husband has gone full keto, which I don’t mind telling you is something I could never do. I just don’t have that level of discipline. Mark says that I’m carb-o, because I always eat his bun if he gets a burger. And the fries.” Well, whatever this married couple does to keep in shape, it’s clearly working.