Martina Slajerova is a passionate food and nutrition enthusiast and specialist. She is a renowned figure in the world of keto diets, having created the flagship KetoDiet App and authored ten published cookbooks. She also runs a successful blog. The ketogenic diet has made waves in the world recently. It is a high-fat, low-carb, and moderate-protein diet. The premise of the keto diet is that the body shifts from burning primary carbohydrates into burning fats called ketones, hence the name.
You don’t get to have a sit-down with experts every day, but luckily, keto expert Martina Slajerova has graced us with her presence today. In this exclusive interview, we delve into her entry into the keto world and what this all means for people.
Q. Hello Martina, thank you for your time. Our first question for you is: How did you get into the keto world?
Martina Slajerova: It is my pleasure. To answer your question, my passion and drive have pushed me into this world. I’ve harbored a passion for food and nutrition for a very long time, and when I finally got to express and explore it, I fit right in and felt confident.
Q. Why is keto so popular right now?
Martina Slajerova: Primarily because many people have experienced significant improvements in weight and health conditions by following the ketogenic diet, and many physicians, nutritionists, and even researchers can testify to the same. Though most people follow it for weight loss, many people are gradually getting to understand the numerous other health benefits of the diet. Once people see the results, they recommend it to others, and that has spread to the rest of the world.
Q. So, Is keto for everyone?
Martina Slajerova: No, it’s not. Some people are metabolically healthy, which means they can eat almost anything as long as it is done in moderation. Having said that, although not everyone needs to follow a strict keto diet, almost everyone would benefit from some sort of carb restriction. There is absolutely no health reason to eat sugar, processed vegetable oils and ultra-processed high-carb foods. The general consensus is that everyone can be healthy and fit if they don’t overeat, and that’s just not true. Everyone’s body reacts differently to different types of food. Finally, where your calories come from will affect not just your body weight but also your metabolic health.
Q. Who shouldn’t follow keto, then?
Martina Slajerova: This will depend on several factors. For example, athletes who do high-intensity exercise and need to perform explosive actions would not do so well on a strict keto diet. Instead, they would benefit from carb-ups for a quicker source of energy. Also, people with Carnitine deficiency should not follow keto. This deficiency makes it harder for you to get fat into the cell for fuel, and with the low-carb aspect of the keto diet, you are not providing glucose as fuel either. This can be an issue. It all comes down to personalizing the diet so that it suits the unique requirements of your body.
We thank Martina Slajerova for her time and insights and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.