Eating healthy should not be complicated. Sadly however, as the keto diet becomes popular, more and more products have come on the market that people think they need to have to do the diet correctly. Yes some products are nice and can be great for convenience sake, but really none of them are necessary. You don’t need MCT oils or…
It’s Giveaway time! To celebrate the kickoff of my Keto Coaching business. I am doing my first giveaway. You may not know that I went through keto coaching certification with Maria and Craig Emmerich. I am grateful for the guidance and support they provided during the course, I learned so much about the many benefits of this diet, and am…
The formation of habits is subtle. Day by day we may consciously or unconsciously move in directions that help or hinder our progress. Over time however, these choices become so much a part of who we are that trying to stray from them or change them becomes painful and seemingly impossible. Changing bad habits or creating new ones takes lots…
A word about fat and keto. Obviously, fat is your friend on a ketogenic diet. It gives you energy and helps you feel satiated. However, it doesn’t need to be overdone. Especially if you are trying to lose weight. When trying to shed extra pounds, you do not need to add fat to your diet to hit some ratio. Some…
We all know fad dieting does not work. Planning to change what you eat for a month or two to lose a few pounds is an exercise in insanity. Inevitably, when you return to a Standard American Diet (SAD) laden with sugars and copious amounts processed carbs, you will gain the weight back. You have to permanently change your diet by making a conscious effort to eat foods that promote health and well being 90% of the time. Yes, I know that this easier said than done (but really, isn’t everything?), and you may be thinking, “I’ve heard and tried this before, but sticking to it is hard!” Well, one way to ensure that a healthy way of eating becomes a lifestyle, is by adopting one that’s easy to follow and that you enjoy from day to day. Severe calorie restriction, one-food diets, and low-carb/low-fat diets leave you feeling deprived and hungry. They are not sustainable.
The ketogenic diet, although low carb, promotes eating moderate amounts of protein and healthy fats which leave you feeling full. “Because of its satiating effects and the resulting decrease in hunger, the ketogenic diet can be easier to incorporate into a more permanent lifestyle change.” (Wilson & Lowery, 74)
Below are some strategies I use that keep me on track while eating a ketogenic diet. They may also work for you.
During the week, I am incredibly busy. Having to think about where my next meal is coming from is a stressor, and leads me to decision fatigue and thus bad food choices. Meal planning not only helps me stick to my diet, but it also saves my family money.
The way I meal plan is pretty simple. On Sunday, I do the majority of the preparation for the week. This is the day I plan to spend about 2 hours of time in and out of the kitchen. I’m usually doing other household chores while food is cooking. See my meal plan at the end, and continue reading below for how I prepare and plan meals for the week.
I don’t eat out a lot. I use to love to eat out, and I would frequent Asian restaurants. My favorite Asian foods include coconut curries and Vietnamese pho. Sadly however, eating out means consuming highly inflammatory fats like canola oil and soybean oil. For this reason, I prefer to cook my own foods so I can better control the ingredients I consume.