As I sum up my second week eating Keto I am finding things are becoming a lot easier to manage. My energy levels have increased and I’m feeling positive about being in control of my food choices.
As with any long process, I am learning even more this week. I’ve gotten past communicating my diet restrictions because I don’t really view them the same way I did a week ago. My new favorite response when questioned about the Keto way of eating is this, “You can eat anything you want, you just have to account for it.”
This fact alone, is the bare bones truth of it all – I could eat anything I wanted – even before I went on the Keto program. But now, I’m making sure that I hold myself accountable for what I choose to eat AND the consequences of doing so. In any case, here’s how the tail end of my second week rounded out.
Eating out Keto is not as fun as it once was…but it is possible.
After planning a trip into “the big city” for a dental appointment and to run errands, I knew I would be eating out. Before that day came, I did a little research and decided that Qdoba had a burrito bowl (no tortilla, no rice, no beans, no corn) which would fit into my Keto menu. Complete with lettuce, chicken, cheese, queso sauce, guacamole and plenty of pico, it was sheer heaven! Thank you Kim for the lunch date and agreeing to the location!
During this outing I even splurged a bit when I stopped into Caribou Coffee for a Sugar-free, Almond Milk, Decaf, Caramel Macchiato with whipped cream. Yes, you could tell it was a little “less than” the full show-stopping version, but I was still happily within my diet boundaries.
Eating in public venues such as Birthday parties (especially with a particular weakness for cake) is more of a challenge.
This would also hold true for any potluck style meal. These menus tend to be fairly limited and flow along with mainstream diet parameters. That means, carbs – lots and lots of carbs. If you find yourself in a situation such as this, eat as well as you can.
Bring a small can of macadamia nuts or other acceptable snacks to help quell that hunger if low-carb foods are not available. Instead of cake, bring an appropriately portioned “splurge” of your own such as a 70% cacao chocolate bar. Basically what it comes down to is pre-planning!
Matcha Tea and the excitement over making matcha fat bombs was short lived, bitter and NOT my cup of tea.
A friend was nice enough to share a video recipe with me on the benefits and directions for making Matcha Tea Fat Bombs. I ordered all my ingredients off Amazon because I couldn’t find everything I needed locally. I was exited for a new flavor experience!
After putting all this time and energy into making these anti-oxidant powerhouses, I was very put off by the flavor. They were a disappointment. Yucky and bitter.
Instead, I decided to use the bombs as an addition to my morning coffee for Turbo Charged MTBPC (matcha tea bullet proof coffee). I just couldn’t fathom wasting the expensive matcha and all of it’s associated health benefits. Utilizing my fat bombs in this manner at least made consuming them bearable.
My new favorite thing is a Jalapeño Popper Omelette.
Whisk together:
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
Pour into a small pan, cooking both sides. To this egg “pancake”, add crumbled Bacon, Jalapeños & Cream Cheese onto one half. Flip the remaining half of the egg over the filling & enjoy!
People are really interested in hearing about my journey.
I think people are genuinely interested because they are looking to make a choice for themselves. They may not verbalize it or they may not even admit it, but they know they need to make a change. I’m trying to lead by example and I’m always more than willing to talk about it!
More people practice Keto-style eating than you realize!
It seems practically everyone has a friend who is Keto eating. I have heard so many stories echoing praises of my fellow Ketoan’s success! We are not alone!
It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to eat Keto.
Let me explain. Say you eat a typical American meal where 45% of your diet is carbohydrates, maybe 30% protein & another 25% fats – per meal. To make it simple, I’m just going to use an equivalent percentage to grams ratio. Amounts may vary but this is the simplest way to visualize it.
45% = 45g carbs @ 4.5 cal each = 203 calories
30% = 30g protein @ 4.5 cal each = 135 calories
25% = 25g fat @ 9.0 cal each = 225 calories
—————————————————-TTL 563 calories
Now, if you calculate the Keto grams required for the caloric equivalent meal, based on the Keto ratio structure of 75/20/5, this is what you get:
75% = 47g fat @ 9.0 cal each = 423 calories
20% = 25g protein @ 4.5 cal each = 113 calories
5% = 6g carbs = @ 4.5 cal each = 27 calories
—————————————————-TTL 563 calories
It might look a bit confusing I know, but hear me out. Many try to argue that the Keto diet can get expensive because they relate increased fats to increasing the consumption of red meat and so on. BUT I’m here to tell you, this is NOT the case. The Keto way of eating will not increase your meat bill at the grocery store!
As you can see, the need for protein actually decreases slightly along with the total carbs taking a drastic cut. Your fats increase as expected, but if you get your hands on some quality olive oil and coconut oil – you are set!
Most of the expense people relate to this diet are due to the cost of added supplements. You can choose to do this by purchasing vitamins to cover the added Potassium, Calcium & Magnesium requirements. Using Pink Himalayan Salt instead of sea salt or table salt is another great way to add more minerals to your diet.
I simply chose to go with the Kegenix PRIME supplement (approx $50 regular price) because it made increasing my water intake soooooo much easier. Plus, I had a really good coupon – I only paid $10 after coupon!
The mineral balance of this product is awesome, it tastes good and it allows me to get a boost of additional ketones to get me into and keep me in ketosis. I do my 2 scoops daily but consume half, mid-morning and half, mid-afternoon.
Whoop! There it is! Week 2 is complete and I’m charging full force into Week 3 and beyond!
#LifeOn25Acres
Dirt On My Plate 