In Honor of National Keto Day | Keto and Low Carb Tips for Beginners

Did you know January 5th is National Keto Day?  I had no idea Keto has become so popular that it has been given it's very own day!

With each New Year, comes goal setting, many have "lose weight" on their goal list.  I know it has been on my goal list for many years.  2019 was the first year in over a decade that I stuck to my new Keto eating lifestyle consistently throughout the year.  you can read about my journey here. 

I thought I would share some basic things to help if you are just starting out. 

Clean out your refrigerator and pantry.  Get rid of all the junk food, give it to someone, throw it out, don't wait until you finish it.  This one can be difficult if you live with other people who are not joining in on your journey.  If you are not completely getting rid of junk food I highly recommend having a designated cupboard for your healthy eating snacks.  Have a shelf and drawer in the refrigerator that is yours.  I have four boys who love cookies, chips and all the carbohydrate things.  Keeping their stuff separate has helped me, especially in the beginning when those carbs were so tempting.  I have a shelf and drawer that I mostly use.  I have trained myself not even to look in their cupboard.  As a result of this I will admit we have run out of stuff a lot more this year, but that is okay, they really don't need all that processed food anyways .

Meal Prep.  This is key!!!  Don't wait until you are hungry to try and find something healthy to eat.  Always have salad on hand.  Some of my easy go to items that I always have available are string cheese, salami, celery, berries and nuts.  Salad or these things may not sound appealing, but many times when hunger strikes, if I have a small salad, while I cook a chicken breast, or while I wait for a piece of fish to bake, then I am not as short tempered, famished and reaching for the wrong things.  Especially when you are first getting started.

Keep on hand Keto friendly Grocery Essentials. For each person this list may vary a little so make your Keto essentials list and keep it handy.  This is my list that I keep in my Notes on my phone: Eggs, Cheese, Bacon, Sausage, Heavy Whipping Cream, cream cheese, Broccoli, Cauliflower (fresh, frozen riced cauliflower), Spaghetti Squash, Zucchini, Celery, Berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries), butter, mushrooms, spinach, onion, avocado, kielbasa, salami, cucumber, bell peppers, pork rinds, beef jerky, almonds, meat (chicken, ground beef, steak, pork roast, fish).  Here is a free printable list, you can click on the image below as well.   

Keep it simple at first.  It may sound boring, but I find if when you first start you if you rotate a handful of meals, that don't require a lot of extra ingredients, it will help you be consistent. 
When I first started I did not try a lot of Keto or Low Carb recipes, I just kept it simple.  Eggs/Omelette with sausage or bacon for breakfast.  Salad for lunch.  Meat, Veggie and Salad for dinner.  I snacked in between meals with salami, string cheese, almonds, celery and berries if I wanted something sweet.  After I lost fifty pounds is when I started trying new recipes with almond flour and monk sweeteners.  There are a ton of recipes out there to help you stick Keto and still satisfy your cravings.  This past December I made Keto Tamales and they were amazing!!!  So you will get there, but at first I say keep it simple (pick a protein, pick a veggie or two and add in a fat (butter, bacon, avocado, nuts, eggs, cheese).

Make it your goal to stick to under 20 carbs a day and move daily.  I walk daily.  Simply going on a walk on your lunch hour or after dinner will make a huge difference.  I find it makes an impact on your mental health more than anything.  You will feel better knowing you are making an effort.  Walking daily is another way for me to align my actions with what I want to achieve. 

Don't give up.  If you slip up and eat something you shouldn't, don't blow the entire day, or weekend.  In my past, that is what would happen to me.  I would have something I shouldn't and then go overboard and say well I'll start back tomorrow.  I am so grateful this changed for me in 2019, I had some things throughout the year that are not low carb, but I never went overboard which was a huge victory over food for me. 

Skip the Scale.  In all of 2019 I only weighed myself at my doctor appointment and right before I went on my cruise in December.  I think this was a huge help in sticking to this eating lifestyle.  I chose to not make it about what the scale said and more about how I felt and how my clothes were fitting.  It is recommended by many to take measurements and use that as a tracker.  I did not do measurements, I felt that this time around I was choosing the Keto eating lifestyle as just that a lifestyle, not a diet.  The truth is no one needs sugar and and processed foods.  I feel I had greater success this time around by shifting my focus to a healthy lifestyle rather than a diet or "to lose weight". 

Just get started!  You will thank yourself this time next year.  I know everyone wants to lose weight fast.  The truth is there is no magic pill or magic diet.  The diet that works is the diet that you work.  So if that is Weight Watchers, Paleo, or Keto just know it takes time.  Just like we added the weight one bite at a time, that is the same way we have to lose the weight.  One day at a time, just keep moving in the right direction, each day making healthier choices.  It does get easier!  It eventually does become a new way of eating and living, it just takes time.  Seeing before and after pictures has been the biggest eye opener for me, but again, these pictures are a year apart.  Commit to stick to a healthier way of eating for a year, once you see the benefits and feel better you will want to continue.  

Community.  I strongly encourage you to find your local Keto community.  I am so grateful for a local Keto meet up I attended, I met some great people who share recipes, products and things that work for them along this journey.  They bring encouragement and tips that help keep me on track.  You can find Keto and Low Carb groups on Facebook and people who share menu ideas on Instagram.  Connecting with fellow Keto eaters will help keep you inspired and motivated. 

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Christmas 2018

Christmas 2019

Christmas 2019

Fall 2018

Fall 2019