Before & After: How The Keto Diet Helped This Mumbai Musician Shed 10 Kilos

Been wondering whether to take to the keto diet that has got many fitness freaks addicted to it? We spoke to musician Sahil Makhija to find out how the keto diet worked on him and whether or not it’s worth you putting your body through this serious test of resistance and will power.

Sahil first embarked on his weight loss journey back in 2010. After having dabbled with a calorie counting diet and subsequently losing a lot of weight, Sahil had come to his desired body weight by 2013. And then he let go. By mid 2015, Sahil weighed about 77 kilos and that’s when he had realised it was time to shed the extra weight once again. Inspired by his friend who was following a dietitian recommended keto diet and then his girlfriend {now wife}, Sahil decided to do his own research and see how it works. Once she lost eight kilos in three months, he was on board.

Firstly, the keto diet is a lifestyle where you’re eating high fat, moderate proteins, low carbs and no sugar. You’re essentially putting your body in a state of ketosis where instead of running on glucose for energy, you’re running on fat. You keep your carbs under 20-30 gms a day. Sahil followed the diet for three months, after which he went vegan for two weeks, followed by a calorie counted diet before he finally resumed to keto again {he has been on it again for the last two months and is still seeing results}. During his first stint with keto, Sahil lost about 10 kilos {he went to 66 kilos}. Presently, he’s on 69 kilos and is following the diet religiously.

Sahil does intermittent fasting, which basically means that he doesn’t consume breakfast and has only black coffee with sugar free or stevia. He only eats between 2pm to 10pm, and has two meals and a snack in those hours. For lunch, he generally indulges in two eggs, either bacon or ham, a portion of cheese and some greens in the form of lettuce and olive oil or any other green, leafy vegetable. His evening snacks consist of some amount of nuts – almonds or peanuts, and at times pork sausages. Dinner is usually a coconut curry with his choice of meat, or it’s a grilled piece of meat with soup and salad.

Sahil says that keto is not a diet you want to be cheating on, for the simple fact that you’re putting your body through ketosis which is a painstaking process. Even if it’s temporary, he recommends you don’t cheat on it. As for alcohol consumption, Sahil says there are drinks that are permitted. So one can enjoy whiskey, vodka, rum or anything else that’s not beer or sweet by nature. And if you use a mixer, he suggests you use a diet soda. If you do feel the urge to eat something sweet, opt for sugar free desserts and when you’re out, look for keto-friendly eateries. He recommends Bandra-based baker Tara Kapur for her keto-friendly, healthy bakes.