Over the next few weeks, we’ll be publishing a variety of health and fitness-related posts meant to guide, inspire, and motivate you on your journey. We hope these will be a valuable resource for a moms; whether you’re still going strong since January 1st OR possibly need to be re-motivated.
I’ll preface by saying that I am NOT a health care professional (any alteration to your diet should be discussed with your health care professional), every BODY is different, and that this is just barely the beginning of what I expect to be a journey unlike any other.
It was a couple weeks before Thanksgiving, I had just had a birthday, and my youngest was about to turn three years old. I cannot honestly say that I felt great about myself. I was the heaviest I had EVER been in my life [sans being pregnant] and my blood pressure (that had only ever been high during pregnancy) was consistently staying high. Not to mention the holidays were creeping up and all I could think of was all the food and my total lack of self control. So, what did I do? I made a choice to START, right then and there, with Thanksgiving right around the corner and just went for it. I had heard about a Keto diet, read a couple articles, and followed a few people on social media who swore by it. I did a little bit of research and talked to my doctor about it, he gave me the green light and left me feeling very positive about what I was embarking on.
What is a Ketogenic Diet/Lifestyle?
I’ll give my very condensed explanation of it: high-fat, moderate-protein, very low-carbohydrates. When I first read up on it I wondered how something high in fat could possibly be good for anyone. We’re brought up to (or at least I was) to think of fats as bad. But our body needs fat: healthy fat! Being on a Keto diet means that your body will be forced to burn the fat rather that carbohydrates. It lowers blood sugar and insulin levels, and shifts the body’s metabolism away from carbs and towards fat and ketones.
What are ketones and do I have them? Everyone has ketones. Ketones are chemicals made in your liver. You produce them when you don’t have enough insulin in your body to turn sugar (or glucose) into energy. You need another source, so your body uses fat instead. Your liver turns this fat into ketones, a type of acid, and sends them into your bloodstream. Your muscles and other tissues can then use them for fuel (definition was found here).
So, basically I was on a mission to mentally and physically break up my relationship with carbs. Luckily, last fall, I had already broken it off with bread. I knew I needed to lay off the carbs and I think that was the first step I needed to accomplish if I was to go any further with whatever I was going to do thereafter. What I was not prepared for was having to end a perfectly good relationship with most fruits in my life. Most fruits (nature’s candy) are too high in carbs, i.e., why they taste so sweet and delicious. You’re still able to get nutrients from some fruits: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, plums, and blueberries (blueberries are a slippery slope so watch how much of those you eat), and of course, vegetables. In the process, I learned that bell peppers and kale (both veggies) have more vitamin C than most of the citrus fruits and less carbs and sugar.
How To Begin the Keto Diet
First, I found out how much fat, protein, and carbs I should be consuming daily. I used this Keto Calculator from www.ruled.me. These are the macros I check regularly as well as when buying foods and checking the nutrition label.
Next, I got the MyFitnessPal app on my iPhone (the free version works just fine!). I got this to begin tracking everything that went into my body. It’s really astonishing how much you don’t realize that you eat UNLESS you actually track it.
Then, I made a list of a few staple items we’d need to ALWAYS have in the fridge and pantry:
- avocados
- eggs
- bacon
- meat and chicken
- almond flour
- spinach
- olive oil
- butter
- riced cauliflower
- almonds
- pickles
- mozzarella cheese
- any cheese, really!
Last, I started planning what we’d be eating at home since going out as often as we had been was just not going to fly anymore. Although I was going the Keto route, that didn’t mean my husband would (he’s primarily plant-based) and neither would my kids. But I do manage to sneak in riced cauliflower as often as possible when I cook for them. They are none the wiser and I get to pretend like I’m eating rice!
I should mention that I check my blood pressure regularly as this was one of my main concerns when I started and I track that as well with the app: HeartStar.
Progress on Keto + Keto Resources
One month post seeing my doctor and getting labs done, I have lost 15 pounds and lowered my blood pressure, as well as significantly lowered my triglyceride levels, which were my next concern. Now, almost two-and-a-half month into this new lifestyle, I feel great! I feel great about my overall health, appearance, habits, energy- all of it. Not only because I actually stuck with something (where in the past I would have given up), but because I still continue to learn everyday about something that I had no clue about even three months ago. Like I mentioned in the beginning, every BODY is different.
My choice for going Keto may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you find something that you can do and go for it- just START. I also have an overwhelming amount of pride in the self control I was able to have during the holidays when all the treats were flashing before my eyes. I figure if I can get through that, I should be able to make it the rest of the year and many years to come.
Below are some valuable resources that helped me when starting on this Keto journey and continue to help me today.
- https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto
- https://www.ruled.me/
- https://ketokarma.com/
- Dr. Eric Berg’s YouTube Channel
- This scale that I take with me when eating out to weigh my food so that I can track it
- A list of 10 Instagram accounts for low-carb tips
- For easy Keto recipes I follow Living with Landyn from Instagram
Also- this meal has quickly become a crowd favorite in our home:
Let me know what resources I’ve missed that are your Keto go-tos!
