The 8 Best Keto Cookbooks of 2020, Based on a Dietitian

Greg always says that 0 calorie foods aren’t actually 0 calories. This is just the tip of the iceberg of things you’ve missed about his messages. You really should have watched more of his content before making this video.

Your rice advice doesn’t sound sustainable. Most people don’t have that time to process brown rice as you suggested…”average joes” just don’t have time. Realistically people are looing for quick meals. I’ll probably never try your rice hack, I will however, easily put a microwave bag of popcorn into the microwave to eat when I’m hungry. **Context

You look so radiant since starting keto!!! Even just your tone of your skin and brightness!

While I agree that some fats are healthy; they can be pretty calorically dense too. Greg appeals to an audience who wants to lose weight and be lean without being hungry all the time; not just bodybuilders. Some of these people (myself included) struggle to find satiety even if we eat “healthier” fat choices like flaxseeds, almonds, egg yolks, avocados, pecans, etc. They are so calorically dense that you can only eat so much of them before calories start getting out of hand. Greg also promotes eating a lot of vegetables when he explains his wraps and salads which would cover the micronutrient needs. Also, after you’re done eating Greg style you end up eating a pretty healthy amount of fat ( i end up getting 60-80 grams of fat)

Oh boy….. looking forward to the response video from my doctor

Greg douchette said to take down this video, watch his videos and then make a vid on him. He said there was sm misinformation in this vid. If u don’t take ur vid down, then ig u earned urself a vid.

While our general policy is to spend an 8 hour day watching YouTube content for a review, plus it generally takes an additional 8-16 hours for research / writing (depending on how many academic references I need to source/ read), it is impossible for me to watch an entire catalogue of a creator’s content. Not to mention, I even consulted two dietitian colleagues who specialize in this field and are familiar with Greg’s content and diet. While I stand by my critique of the content I saw and the words I heard from Greg, he has contradicted these statements elsewhere or provided context that I missed. because again, I didn’t and just cannot reasonably watch everything (see my thoughts below). Unfortunately for anyone (not just me) watching particular random videos (even much less than 8 hours), this context would be lost, as it was clearly lost of me and I was looking for it.

Upon further reflection, however, I did remove the part of my video discussing the video he himself had removed from his channel. If it’s on his channel, I assume it is still relevant in some way to him, but if he removed it, I am satisfied that he is no longer aligned with that content, so I must respect that fully.

I also need to disclose that we shot this back in March/April I believe (right around the start of Covid) as you can probably tell by my modest belly (I don’t look like that now hah). So because of that, I didn’t see his most recent videos and I’m including some learnings below from that.

I also am sure you know that I am watching Greg’s content from a very different lens and worldview given my professional and personal experience, and since Greg and I have very different communication styles, I likely just do not “get him”. I get the sense that his approach is funny or motivational to some people, and is just not my style. Having said that, I really tried not to criticize Greg himself, and stick to some of the comments he made.

My goal with these reviews is not to misrepresent a YouTuber, or tarnish their reputation. But rather, to look at how their recommendations may apply to the general population who can watch their videos from abroad. In this video, even when I made a comment or recommendation for the general population (non body building population), I gave lots of disclaimers and acknowledgements that Greg’s goals are unique and therefore in a lot of cases, I “understood” why he was choosing the foods he was choosing. I also think I gave Greg a lot of credit and respect in the video for his hard work related to his lifestyle, even if it’s not something I would recommend.

Also of course it would be great for me to review Greg’s cookbook, but as a general rule for these, I only review FREE content by a creator, and Greg’s book is $99!!!

And yes, I was able to see Greg disclosing his use of PEDs a few times in my research (ie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZKJwBLprlg ), but I was advised by my team not to repeat this back and to keep it top level. I don’t want to get involved in making legal accusations, even if they’re something a creator has admitted themselves. This is (as I alluded) why Greg can eat low fat, and I actually even said that his diet wasn’t even THAT low fat considering this situation.

A few updated notes after watching a few more videos:

Greg addresses genetic factors/ set point weight (here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn7C7_SXmR0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoScJrCZjpU) – I’m glad to see this, and I know Greg is no dummy and he knows these play a role. But again, he still does heavily preach that weight loss is about calories in and calories out, and I don’t believe it’s THAT simple (set point/genetics/microbiome research are proof of that). So if he acknowledges these things, great, but his message is not consistent.

Yes, I assumed that anabolic diet and carb cycling are different, and that by anabolic he means “muscle building” aka high protein foods which is what I said. I was just stating how I have heard the term used “officially” in dietetic circles.

He does eat a lot of fruits and veg – Yep, and I applauded him for all the veg and I have no doubt they cover his micronutrient needs. He is doing great with veg! I still don’t think it’s a bad suggestion to add some berries for sweetness if one wanted to cut back on the artificial sweeteners even during prep. I’m not against using sweeteners in moderation, but when they displace nutritious food in large quantities, I have to question if it makes nutritional sense.

He advocates against bulking and extreme cutting for most people – I’m happy to see this isn’t a recommendation of his and I never said that it was. But as he said here ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHY1NExou3Y&feature=youtu.be&t=74 ), to suggest 1800 calories for women is too much for the average woman is incorrect. 1800 calories is not “a lot” for a woman.

He does not insist people push through injuries – I would hope not! But Greg himself stated that he was because there were “no excuses”, and I do believe as influencers, we need to be responsible for the things we ourselves are doing publicly. If you want to workout with a broken ankle privately, you do you, but when you say “no excuses”, it communicates to everyone else struggling with some kind of injury that they have no excuse, too.

He admits he’s not an RD and is just speaking from experience ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACS7a6Khmuo 0:37) – So glad to hear this. But like I say about all of the Youtubers who arguably have even less experience/ expertise compared to Greg (and I do think Greg has expertise in his field), we are all responsible for the content we produce, and the fact that he is profiting off of a cookbook and his content, means that people will take his recommendations as gospel.

His recommendations may help a large population who are looking to lose weight – There is no doubt that Greg and I have different audiences with different goals. And I can absolutely acknowledge that his recommendations (ie. Volume eating lower calorie foods) may help promote weight loss, and they’re not bad recommendations for that goal. In this video I specifically called out that Greg has unique goals and that a lot of the things he is doing makes sense in that context. But its important to keep in mind that a lot of people who are looking to lose weight, and who do have disordered tendencies/past will seek out this kind of weight loss content and it may trigger them into really problematic behaviours and thoughts. That is the reason I put in these trigger warnings, that is all.

Updated WIEAD from May OFF SEASON (after I shot this OG video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjcdzqhNtZo

Some thoughts:

Breakfast – Blueberry French toast with fruit on the side and low calorie syrup. That fruit looks awesome and I love that he’s not skimping on carbs. Love that he encourages people to eat the bread they want (I said the same about his white French toast actually). Says not to skip breakfast because it increases ghrelin and to eat until you’re full so you’re not starving (YES AND YES).

SnackHomemade Skor protein bar. Looks super delicious and love the creativity.

Lunch – WW wrap + turkey + veg pepperoni + veg + sauces. Love that he says you don’t need “5 lbs of meat” and highlights how calories on packages can be deceiving plus adds lots of antioxidant rich veg. Plus lots of veggies – a great lunch!

Snack – Coffee with no cal syrups, sweeteners, high protein milk, popcorn and 1 piece of French toast. Great balance of carbs and a bit of protein to get him through his cardio.

DinnerPB & Chocolate Protein Shake with fruit. Again, great combo of carbs and protein to aid in muscle & glycogen recovery after workout.

Snack – 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with tomatoes with white and protein bread, and fat free cheese and light butter. Love a good GC, but I wouldn’t be afraid of using real full fat cheese (especially on off season) and I would probably bulk this up with a nice salad or veggie soup, though he did get a lot of veg at lunch so nbd. Love that he said the white bread version was better so its okay to go with what you love (no need to obsess over eating high protein).

Says his intake is low for him (3000 kcal) which is higher than what he was eating in prep, and that he is simply eating intuitively so he will eat more tomorrow. The big picture of calories is more important than individual days – and I 100% agree. Even when I give suggestions on specific meals I’m reviewing, it’s just as inspo for viewers on how to build a balanced snack/meal. How balanced or how much you eat in one meal or day has little to no impact on the big picture of health. I also like how he says when he’s not contest prepping, he eats by hunger and recommends eating “normal foods” ie. If you want a hamburger, eat other foods from his cookbook the rest of the day. I think this is pretty balanced advice.

GREG VS ABBEY

Greg’s approach to food – Calories are king, volume eating helps fill you up, tough love approach.

Abbey’s approach to foodIntuitive eating/ movement, giving yourself permission to enjoy foods without guilt to prevent binge/restrict cycle, greater sensitivity to individual’s triggers/histories/experiences with food.

Similarities – Importance of avoiding fad diets/ extreme crash diets and eating enough and not skipping meals

Differences – Communication style, audience needs.

We can learn from different creators, and take and leave what we feel empowers and helps us.

Hope that gives some clarity!

With Science and Sass,

Abbey xoxox

Thank you so much for this video I really enjoyed it! Are these recipes grain free? And if I was egg-free would these recipes work for me? Thank you so much ❤️

Man can’t wait to eat some protein ice cream and watch Dr. Greg’s 5 part series on this ��

Based on the comments (both in your video and in the comment section), it seems Greg has a solid opportunity here to clarify his beliefs and correct any misconceptions about dieting/bodybuilding that may come across in his videos. Providing a clearer communication of this would allow him to increase his reach and address any contradictions his content may display. We are only human. All of us will contradict ourselves at one point or another, just not all of us do it online. Greg can do this just like Abbey can do this. ALL of us do it! Furthermore, there isn’t a perfect science to researching YouTube content like this. Abbey isn’t conducting a peer reviewed study, even though she might point to some in her assessment. She is going off a limited sample size and a highly unique one at that (WIEAD videos are not controlled samples). There is no way for her to be 100% accurate. She is most likely getting stuff wrong, which is why she provides disclaimers. Every individual would interpret this content differently and that’s okay. It is helpful to gain a different perspective on topics like these. Unfortunately, suggestions taken at face value occur far too often on YouTube. There are no agreed upon guidelines or rules for responsible viewership when it comes to WIEAD. Many people use them as personal health advice when they are NOT. Legally speaking, YouTubers can not claim to be giving you health recommendations in a way that a doctor can. It isn’t ethical. Think of these videos as educational and entertaining, you may choose to watch these videos to get recipe ideas, lifestyle tips, and fitness pointers… but you should always consult a medical professional. I appreciate what Abbey is doing because I have a decade long history with Anorexia and it is helpful for me to challenge the thoughts/beliefs I have about food, especially when they involve weight loss. Some of us cannot distinguish between harmful and helpful with respect to our bodies. Our gut instinct is wrong. It may tell us to starve, trick, or over stuff ourselves. Some of us will run with these low calorie suggestions to the point of hospitalization. We are here to learn how to flag, dissect, and become more independent thinkers about food. It’s about stopping and starting thought processes to be a more active participant in your relationship with food. Most importantly, it is highly individual. And we could all do better to improve our language, attitudes, and beliefs about food. Growth mindset!

0:05. Oh my. ��. You’re pregnant!!!!! Congrats!!!!!!! ��������♥️

Would you do a review of the subreddits r/1200isplenty or r/1500isplenty?

i mean he mentions that you should aim for half of what you want. if you’re 20% body fat and want to be 10% then 15% is more achievable and sustainable. he doesn’t promote to go to unhealthy levels of dieting, just what you can achieve. so uh well this is gonna be nasty lol