Since Jersey Shore: Family Vacation premiered in 2018, Vinny Guadagnino has been ribbed by his fellow cast members for his weird diet.
Vinny, who dubbed himself “The Keto Guido,” took on the trendy Keto Diet in 2015 and has stuck to it ever since. It’s worked for him and according to a post that Vinny made on Instagram, he lost some 50 pounds and slimmed down from 25 percent body fat to only 13 percent body fat.
The diet, however, has some side effects. Vinny’s Jersey Shore castmates frequently complain about his “keto farts,” and make fun of him for his sometimes odd eating habits — like only eating the cheese and pepperoni off of a pizza.
It’s a bit crazy for a guido like Vinny to give up delicious Italian favorites like pasta, bread, and pastries, but Vinny’s made it clear that he’s happy with his diet.
“Keto is different,” Vinny said of his diet. “Keto is the only diet I’ve been able to stick to. I’m at four years and counting. And I haven’t thought of it as a diet in a long time — now it’s a way of life.”
What is a keto diet?
The keto, or ketogenic, diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that advocates say helps the body burn fat. According to practitioners, the keto diet induces a state of ketosis, wherein the body burns fat for energy rather than glucose. This leads to weight loss and, according to some, better health and well-being.
Staples of the keto diet include meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and low-carb veggies with minimal fruit and grains. The diet recommends fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. A typical keto macronutrient balance, and the one that Vinny aims for, is 75 percent fat, 20 percent protein, and 5 percent carbs.
The diet has become very trendy among celebrities, with stars Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, LeBron James, and Gwyneth Paltrow all dabbling in the craze.
Vinny’s business ventures
Vinny isn’t just practicing the keto diet — he’s making a business out of it. Vinny released a cookbook, appropriately called “The Keto Guido,” in September.
The book includes some of Vinny’s favorite recipes, including slow cooker chicken cacciatore, pesto-glazed cauliflower steak, and even lemon coconut truffles.
Vinny even made an Instagram account — @ketoguido — devoted to the diet and cookbook.
Vinny has a very good reason to stay fit: he’ll return to perform in Las Vegas’ Chippendales revue in April. The legendary all-male show involves a lot of shirtless dancing — so Vinny’s out to look his best.
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation airs on Thursdays at 8/7c on MTV.