THERE’S a good reason Hollywood beauties like Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry and Kim Kardashian swear by the keto diet. The low-carb, high-fat eating plan can melt pounds away — but when wellness expert Naomi Whittel tried it two years ago, she found a big flaw. “I wasn’t getting enough fiber-rich foods,” she says, explaining that a fiber-deficient diet can weaken the immune system and cause the body to store extra fat.
In her new book, High Fiber Keto, the wellness guru reveals her solution. “I plussed-up keto by incorporating more fiber and made it work better for my body,” she says, adding that her 22-day plan can also rev-up metabolism, balance hormones, improve skin tone and reduce anxiety. “The results are amazing!”
Star caught up with Naomi to discuss her new book.
STAR: Why is getting enough fiber so key if you’re following the keto diet?
NW: Fiber is antiaging. It also contains micronutrients and prebiotics found in carbohydrates, which are our microbiome’s favorite food. If you can get more fiber into your diet, you’re giving the little bugs that make up your microbiome their favorite food, and then they perform for you.
STAR: Your book includes some great fiber-rich recipes. Which are your favorites?
NW: I worked with a team of nutritionists and dietitians to create yummy things like keto chili and chicken tenders. I also added cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, artichokes and cauliflower, which can help detox and hydrate the body and reduce inflammation and wrinkles.
STAR: Can you recommend a prebiotic for someone on-the-go?
NW: When I was starting the book, I spent the day with my friends at SlimFast and they brought us a bunch of their Meal Bars and Fat Bombs. One of the main active ingredients is inulin, which is a prebiotic. I got really excited.
STAR: Do the SlimFast Keto products work with a high-fiber keto diet?
NW: Yes, perfectly. They’re easy, delicious, fun, on-the-go snacks.
STAR: Any advice for sticking with the plan — and what to do if you fall off the wagon?
NW: I make sure that I’m getting 75 percent of my calories from fat, but I don’t push it too hard. And when I fall off the wagon, I just start over. At the beginning it might take a couple of days or a week, but you’ll get stronger, and your metabolism will become more flexible.
Read New York Times bestselling author Naomi Whittel’s High Fiber Keto: A 22-Day Science-Based Plan to Fix Your Metabolism, Lose Weight & Balance Your Hormones ($26.99, available at naomiwhittel.com) or text KETOFIBER to 44123 to find out more about SlimFast Keto.
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