The keto diet helped these 5 coworkers lose 220 pounds

Aisle after aisle of chips, cookies, and candy can make it hard for grocery store employees to diet.

But five coworkers at a Sprouts Farmer's Market store in Katy, Texas, lost nearly 220 pounds by following the ketogenic diet. Keto is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that requires roughly 60 to 80 percent of your total calories to come from fat.

Known as the "Keto Krew," the group formed after grocery manager Farley Hayes inspired colleagues with his dramatic weight loss. Hayes weighed 354 pounds when he began keto in March, and now he's down 65 pounds. His sudden transformation stunned the others, who decided to join the keto craze.

"I dropped almost 10 pounds in the first week," Hayes tells MensHealth.com. "In six weeks, I was over 30 pounds down."

He was motivated to go keto in March after his wife began the diet. In six months, Hayes has lowered his blood pressure and triglyceride levels.

After two weeks, coworkers began asking about his weight loss. Micha Govella was the first who hopped on bored. Soon, Ana Lewis joined too. Eventually, Chris Martinez and Nick Glidden also became part of the Keto Krew.

Now they swap recipes, support each other's efforts, and answers keto questions from customers.

"They come in specifically to talk to me," Hayes says. "They’re sharing their successes with us. Looking for new items. Sprouts has been great about encouraging us to have camaraderie with our customers like we have with each other."

Ana even started a Facebook page to which the Keto Krew refers customers for support.

Hayes doesn't intend on giving up his new diet anytime soon, as he credits keto with cleaning up his eating habits.

"Before, my choices were out of convenience," he says. Fast food burgers, tacos, and pasta were frequent go-to meals.

"I used to despise brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Now we’re making them on a regular basis. I’m just eating them up. I love them."

Should you try Keto, too?

As with any diet, the best choice is one you can stick to.

"A healthier type of diet is something you can do every day of your life," registered dietitian Andy Yurechko, MS, RD, of Augusta University Medical Center in Georgia, previously toldMensHealth.com.

Although many health professionals agree that Keto helps with short-term weight loss, there is no long-term data comparing ketogenic diets to other diets. Plus, followers often experience "keto flu" as their bodies adjust to eating fewer carbs; symptoms include headaches, nauseau, and fatigue.

While keto dieters may be inclined to load up on bacon, weight loss experts recommend eating plenty of green vegetables and healthier fats like avocado, olive oil, and nuts while following the keto diet.