Introduction
Hi, My names Aaron, and I’m the founder of FatForWeightLoss.
I recently embarked on a Keto on $2 A Day challenge that enabled me to highlight some key concepts for the ketogenic community. Poverty, and the Ketogenic Diet.
The Challenge
The challenge I set out to accomplish over the duration of the challenge (5 days) was to be able to eat a ketogenic diet in Australia for $2 a day, “Keto on $2 A Day”.
Background Information
According to the ACOSS, over 3 million people are living in poverty in Australia, 731,000 of those figures are children. This highlights that over 17% of Australian citizens often don’t have much money to spend on utilities and expenses, let alone food.
Poverty can be measured in many different ways. Generally, income or wealth are key measurements, but also by looking at “essential items” people are missing out on via their lack of income. An example of this would be spending income on housing and utilities, instead of food, or also known as ‘deprivation’.
In Australia, The poverty line is measured by anyone living below 50% of the median household income, which as of 2016 equated to $400 per week for a single adult.
So by the time rent, electricity, gas and other utilities are paid for, it generally doesn’t leave much for food.
The Keto on $2 A Day Argument
My argument that I’m trying to showcase is that if you would benefit from being on a ketogenic diet for therapeutic purposes, (Alzheimer’s, reversing the effects of diabetes, or potential cancer treatments), that you could easily reach the therapeutic level of ketones (between 3 and 6mmol/L) on $2 a day, without compromising too much on caloric intake.
I’m not trying to say that you should stop what you’re doing right now and switch to only eating $2 a day. I’m only showcasing that it is possible to get into ketosis for $2 a day, regardless of the cost.
The ketogenic diet does not have to be expensive. In fact quite the opposite. I would argue that If you spent $10 for 5 days on cheap white bread, peanut butter and carrot sticks that you’d find the ketogenic diet would be cheaper- Calorie vs Calorie.
The Recipe:
Ingredients
12 Large Eggs
500ml Olive oil (17 f.oz)
400ml Coconut Cream (13.5 f.oz)
180g Bacon (6.34) – 2 Slices
Method
- Preheat oven to 180C (355F)
- Cook the 2 slices of bacon in a pan until crispy.
- Dice bacon and put aside.
- Whisk all of the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the coconut cream and Olive oil.
- Line a large baking tin with greaseproof paper. Pour the egg mixture into the baking tin.
- Place the diced bacon around evenly throughout the mixture.
- Cook for 30 mins or until slightly golden on top.
- Remove from baking tray and slice into 15 portions.
So, What Were The Results?
Weight
So I am 195cm tall (6f 5″) and 85.7kgs before starting the challenge.
Over the 5 Days, I lost a total of 1 kgs (2.2 pounds)
Going from 85.7 to 84.7.
Keep in mind, for a person my size and weight, I should have been eating around 2600 calories.
Instead, I was eating 1300 calories, which is a 50% reduction. Water loss and reduced calories could definitely be a contributing factor to this, but this trend wouldn’t necessarily continue downwards, and I don’t recommend this as a viable way to lose weight.
Ketones
Day 1: 0.8mmol/L
Day 2: 1.8mmol/L
Day 3: 3.8mmol/L
Day 4: 4.8mmol/L
Day 5: 5.2mmol/L
Here is a chart that outlines the levels of ketones for reference:
Improved Athletic Performance / Weightloss:
Above 0.5mmol/L
Improved Mental Performance:
1.5mmol/L – 3mmol/L
Therapeutic:
3mmol/L – 6mmol/L
So what exactly does therapeutic ketosis mean?
Therapeutic ketosis would be to manage the following items:
Good Scientific Evidence
- Epilepsy
- Diabetes mellitus
- Weight loss
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- GERD and heartburn
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
There is also reasonable evidence to prove the following:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Dementia
- Schizophrenia, bipolar and other mental illnesses
- Narcolepsy and other sleep disorders
- Exercise performance
Emerging areas that require further investigation
- Cancer
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic pain
- Migraines
- Traumatic brain injury
- Stroke
- Gum disease and tooth decay
- Acne
- Eyesight
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) and Huntington’s disease
- Aging
- Kidney disease
- Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
- Arthritis
- Alopecia and hair loss
- GLUT1 deficiency syndrome
I’ve included the videos below on my findings. If you’re short for time, watch Video 1 (start)Â and Video 5 (results).
Alcinda says
Can’t read the menu. Couod you please change the resolution.
Erin Forstein says
I noticed that you didn’t have any vegetables in you weekly plan. While this could work for 5 days, it would not be sustainable. We can’t live off of eggs. I’d like to see some research into what a true sustainable Keto diet would be for people at the poverty level, and if it’s even possible.
Weslee says
I would love to see something more sustainable, too. I think for this recipe, I’d at least mix in a good amount of spinach (fresh or frozen, whichever is more affordable) to get a veggie in there. Or for a few extra calories, use the egg as a topper for a simple salad dressed with olive oil, maybe. I know it’s an extra expense, but you can get a head of lettuce for pretty cheap.
Julia says
Sally is probably a rich, spoiled millennial!
Sally says
Hi Aaron I recently watched your Vlog living on Ket $2 a day. I was really shocked when you purchased Caged Eggs from the Supermarket. Those hens are treated so badly and it’s in humane to have an animal caged for the purpose of human beings consumption. I understand that free ranged free roaming hen eggs are more expensive, however, I would go without rather than buy caged hen eggs to prove a point.
FatForWeightLoss says
I totally agree, and I buy good quality free range eggs all the time. Not everyone has this choice though Sally.
Sneak says
When your are poor broke and tired….you do not have the ability to care we’re your food comes from. So afford the best you can when you can. And unless you buy all your foods from a small time local family owned farm you would probably be shocked about all the food you eat and how the land is treated. So, point being…..if someone rights an article for health…..for those who need a way…….to eat almost as well as you do…….don’t bash it! It is childish and selfish. Rather, you should maybe contribute things that would help those that need it. I started a farm, no tilling earth loving and yes I kill my own animals cruel yes, true to were food comes from yes……small harvests, yes……donate to food pantries and soup kitchens for the homeless yes. I do like the article here as it offers a way to a healthy diet that can be afforded by almost everyone…..that does not require a subscription or tons of cash every time one walks into the grocery store. Thank you for staying on point. Blessed be!
Elizabeth Kingsbury-Frew says
Some, nay, most of the population can’t afford the free range eggs. Or the organic foods. In a perfect world most poor people would choose options like those but in order to survive can not. I can find a dozen eggs for $0.49 the cage free eggs are going to be at least three to five dollars. if you have $15-$20 per person to spend on groceries for a week you’re not going to be able to afford that. Must be nice to be that privileged where you can think of the condition of an animal you’re eating over your own condition, but not everybody has it like that. You are completely unaware of yourself in relevance to the vast majority of others. he put this together so anyone can be on a keto diet whether they have money or not. It would seem you’re the type that goes critiquing to see what you can find flawed. It would have been a reasonable assumption that if he’s talking a $2 budget that it wasn’t going to involve free range eggs. Duh