The K-E Diet: Weight Loss Insanity!

The K-E diet ( Ketogenic Enternal Nutriton) has become the biggest rave with brides to be who want to lose weight for the big day, but at what cost. The K-E diet was brought to the U.S. by Dr. Oliver Di Pietro from Italy. The diet is unlike any other diet I ever heard of. The diet involves inserting a feeding tube (nasogastric) into the patient’s nose that runs through the esophagus and into the stomach and stays inserted for a period of 10 days. Before beginning the diet the patient is screened in order to participate. The patients on this diet are monitored with urine and blood test during the 10 day cycle of the diet. The patient carries the solution in a small bag that resembles a purse which runs through the tube. The solution contains 800 calories that consists of only fat and protein, no carbs or sugar. This diet forces your body to go into Ketosis, which means your body goes into emergency or starvation mode. As a nutritional health coach I wouldn’t advise anyone considering doing this type of diet.

Although this diet will result in some weight loss, the weight loss comes from water and muscle mass, instead of fat. The weight you lose will return as fat rather than muscle causing the patient to gain double or triple amount of weight after the diet is over. Aside from being costly, going rate for this diet is $1,500.00. The feeding tube diet can be extremely harmful, there are numerous risk associated with having a feeding tube down your throat when it is not medically necessary.

Some of the risks are lung and septum damage, headache, perforated throat, dehydration, problems with your kidneys due to the shortage of electrolytes, insertion trauma, GI bleeding, fatigue, esophagus stricture (tight narrowing from scarring on the esophagus) as well as a risk for pneumonia. Those with diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease or any chronic disease should not try this diet.

Losing weight too fast is not the way to permanent weight loss. Fad diets don’t work! Some can be dangerous and in the end you will gain more weight than you initially had. It seems absurd to do the K-E diet for a one day event. Most brides have enough time before their wedding day to lose those extra pounds in a healthy way. There are no magic pills, potions or diets to help you lose weight. Diets like the K-E diet are a reflection of how desperate people are to lose weight and how more education and information needs to be given to the public about healthy eating, weight lost, and physical activity. The best and healthiest way to lose weight is to eat healthy high nutrient dense foods, exercise and create a healthy lifestyle that will last a lifetime. This will keep the weight off and maintain your desired weight.