WildFit vs. Keto: Understanding the Core Philosophies
Many people exploring healthier eating encounter both WildFit and the ketogenic diet and wonder if they are interchangeable. While both involve reducing sugar and processed foods, their foundational principles, methodology, and long-term goals are fundamentally different. The ketogenic diet, or keto, is a nutritional plan designed to force the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. WildFit, developed by Eric Edmeades, is a program rooted in evolutionary history, nutritional anthropology, and behavioral psychology, focusing on creating sustainable, long-term habit changes.
The Ketogenic Diet: A State of Metabolic Change
Keto is centered on a specific macronutrient ratio: typically 70% fat, 20% protein, and 10% carbohydrates. This strict ratio is necessary to maintain ketosis, a state where the liver produces ketones from fat to be used as an alternative fuel source by the body and brain. To enter and remain in ketosis, carbohydrate intake is severely restricted—often to under 50 grams per day. This eliminates many foods considered healthy in other contexts, such as grains, most fruits, and starchy vegetables.
Commonly eaten foods on keto include:
- Fatty meats, fish, and seafood
- Eggs and full-fat dairy
- Healthy oils (olive, coconut, avocado)
- Avocados and nuts
- Non-starchy vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower)
WildFit: A Seasonal Approach to Food Freedom
WildFit is a 90-day coaching program that uses behavioral psychology to change a person's relationship with food. Instead of lifelong restriction, it guides participants through a cyclical eating model that mimics seasonal food availability from our evolutionary past. During the "WildFit Spring" phase, the program includes a temporary period of very low-carb eating to promote fat burning, which can induce ketosis. However, this is a short-term phase, not the permanent goal. Subsequent phases, like "WildFit Summer" and "WildFit Fall," reintroduce natural carbohydrates from sources like root vegetables and fruits. The overall aim is to achieve “food freedom” by re-calibrating the palate and teaching the body to thrive on whole, natural foods.
Commonly eaten foods on WildFit include:
- Lean proteins and wild-caught fish
- A wide variety of vegetables, especially bitter greens
- Seasonal fruits and root vegetables (reintroduced later)
- High-quality fats
- Abundant water and raw foods
WildFit vs. Keto: A Comparative Table
| Feature | WildFit | Ketogenic Diet (Keto) |
|---|---|---|
| Core Philosophy | Evolutionary nutrition and behavioral psychology, focusing on a sustainable lifestyle. | Metabolic state of ketosis achieved through strict macronutrient ratios. |
| Carb Restriction | Cyclical; involves a temporary low-carb phase but reintroduces natural carbs in later stages. | Continuous and very strict, typically under 50g daily to maintain ketosis. |
| Primary Fuel Source | The body's normal metabolism, optimized with natural foods. Temporarily uses fat during the spring phase. | Ketones produced from fat serve as the body's primary energy source. |
| Long-Term Goal | Food freedom and sustainable, intuitive eating based on evolutionary cues. | Maintaining ketosis indefinitely for weight management or therapeutic purposes. |
| Program Duration | Structured as a 90-day program with coaches and psychological tools. | Often followed long-term, requiring consistent monitoring of macros. |
| Food Variety | Encourages a wide variety of whole foods, including seasonal fruits and vegetables. | Highly restrictive of many food groups, particularly grains, legumes, and most fruits. |
Why WildFit is Not Keto
The most significant distinction is the role of carbohydrates. For keto, carbs are the enemy, and the goal is to permanently replace glucose with ketones. In contrast, WildFit recognizes that humans evolved with seasons, and our bodies are meant to adapt to different nutritional cycles. It doesn't aim to keep you in a constant state of ketosis. Instead, it uses a short period of carb reduction to reset the body's dependence on sugar and processed foods before reintroducing healthy, natural carbs. This approach prevents the long-term nutritional deficiencies and sustainability issues sometimes associated with the strict, continuous nature of a ketogenic diet. WildFit's focus is on behavioral change, addressing the why behind food choices rather than just the what.
For those interested in exploring the scientific basis behind nutritional strategies and metabolism, an excellent resource is the National Institutes of Health. Their studies on various diets provide valuable data on how different eating patterns affect the human body, offering a deeper understanding beyond program-specific claims.
Conclusion
While WildFit and the keto diet both lead people away from processed foods and sugar, they are not the same. Keto is a long-term metabolic strategy dependent on continuous, strict carbohydrate restriction. WildFit, conversely, is a behavioral program that temporarily utilizes a low-carb phase to reset the body, followed by a reintroduction of natural foods based on a cyclical model. For those seeking a permanent lifestyle change and "food freedom" rather than constant nutritional monitoring, WildFit's approach is distinctly different and may be more sustainable. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your health goals, tolerance for restriction, and personal philosophy toward food.
