Keto
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How mind and body connection improves health
Why is it important to listen to our body signals? It not only builds a mind and body connection, but allows us to want to take better care of our mental and physical selves. When you understand the reason behind these signals sent from the brain, you can take control of your life, instead of the other way around. It can even improve your health and overall being. It all begins with your thoughts!
Our own thoughts begin a chemical reaction in our body that creates the experience of overwhelm, stress, boredom, etc. When we don’t understand or realize the thought creating the feeling, we often escape or “buffer” the negative feeling without even realizing it. Escaping or “buffering” consists of doing something to temporarily ease the pain, or gives us instant gratification; This can look like eating, shopping, scrolling on social media, or something else.
Are you unable to lose the weight because you mindlessly eat or overeat? Think of the last time you were stressed, did you make extra trips to the pantry to deal with it? Or did you sit and scroll on Instagram to avoid it?
Instead of caving into the instant gratification, understand why you are doing it in the first place. Journal your thoughts for a full day and notice what thoughts come up for you. Are they mostly positive or negative thoughts? This isn’t permission to judge yourself, either. It is something to notice now and decide if and how you change them later. This is the first step to an improved mind and body connection.
Practicing feeling your feelings help you process it quicker because avoiding them actually amplifies it. causing MORE problems like over eating or spending over your budget.
This may sound counterintuitive, but when you allow the negative emotions to stay, breathe through them and NOT resist them, they will become less intimidating.
This takes practice and intentionality.
If heading to the pantry is your biggest escape mechanism, first understand why you might be doing that. What is going on in your mind? Are you feeling stressed because of your endless to-do list? One way to move you in the right direction is a thought reframe.
Instead of thinking “I will never get all of this done”, consider the next believable thought, such as “I haven’t yet figured out how to get all of this done”, or better yet, “I will figure out a way to get all of this done”. The second and third statements are more empowering and will have your brain in problem solving mode.
Are you buffering or actually hungry?
If you have trouble understanding whether you’re bored or actually hungry, it is important to understand your hunger and fullness queues.
Hunger: Your stomach may growl, feeling slight dizzy or light headed, or may lose focus.
Fullness: Slight pressure in your stomach.
Use a scale to determine the level of hunger or fullness. When you wake up in the morning from a 7-8 hour fast, how hungry do you feel from a scale between 1-10? Start there and use that as a basis for eating the remainder of the day.
How to improve mind and body connection
- Write down your thoughts and body sensations (e.g hands begin to tighten, clench your teeth) for a few days in a journal.
- Notice the action (or inaction). Do you want to keep or change this result?
- If you want to change the result, start by finding the thought to reframe and practice the next believable thought.
- The next time you have a negative thought/feeling, breath through it, then practice the new thought. Repeat!
Watch your world change to an empowering and problem solving mentality. Once you have this down, you will be comfortable enough to face your negative emotions and no longer need to over eat to feel better, and finally lose the weight!
Looking for more ways to succeed with weight loss? Check out Learn how to plan ahead and get the results you want.
Take it to the next level and check out this Health and Fitness Stepper Machine to strengthen your wellness gains! -
5 Keto comfort food recipes
Craving comfort food but don’t want to be kicked out of Ketosis? Great Low Carb Bread Co. is my favorite noodle alternative brand and SOLA for bread. The following 5 Keto comfort food recipes will curb those cravings and forget you’re on a diet at all! beef stroganoff, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan, chili mac, and chicken fettuccine alfredo with garlic cheese bread. Comment your favorite below!
1. Beef stroganoff with cauliflower rice (~8 net carbs)
- 2 beef cubed steaks
- 1/3 cup cauliflower medley
Egg wash:
1 egg
1 tbsp heavy creamBreading:
2/3 c almond flour
2/3 c parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt & pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cayenneMushroom sauce:
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
16 oz sliced mushroom
1 1/4 c beef broth
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 oz cream cheese
1/4 c sour creamInstructions:
1. Prep the cubed steak: In one bowl, mix the egg wash ingredients. On a separate plate, mix the breading ingredients.
2. Dip each steak into the egg wash, then coat in breading mixture.
3. Air fry the steaks at 390° for 12-14 mins.
4. Begin making the mushroom sauce: melt the butter in a pan. Add onion and garlic powder, then mix in the mushrooms until tender. Combine remaining ingredients.
5. Once the sauce begins to thicken, remove from heat and mix in the sour cream.Serve with cauliflower rice and enjoy!
2. Instant Pot Spaghetti and meatballs (~18 net carbs)
- Carando Spicy Italian Meatballs
- 2 oz Great Low Carb Bread Co. noodles
- 1 cup Rao’s Marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup Mozzarella shredded cheese
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions:
1. Place the meatballs at the bottom of the Instant Pot in a single layer.
2. Place the noodles over the meatballs and drizzle olive oil over the noodles.
3. Pour marinara sauce and water on top, ensuring noodles are covered.
4. Close the lid and cook on Manual for 10 minutes at high pressure. Use the slow release method for 5 minutes before slowly opening the lid.
3. Chicken Parmesan (~10 net carbs)
- 1 butterflied Chicken Breast
- 2 oz Great Low Carb Bread Co.
- 3 tbsp Rao’s Marinara sauce
- 3 tbsp Mozzarella Cheese
Egg wash:
1 egg
1 tbsp heavy creamBreading:
3/4 cup almond flour
2/3 cup ground parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt & pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoningInstructions:
1. Begin boiling water on the stove top and add in noodles.
2. Prep the chicken: In one bowl, mix the egg wash ingredients. On a separate plate, mix the breading ingredients.
3. Dip the chicken in the egg wash, then coat in breading mixture.
4. Spray air fryer and spray the top of chicken. Cook chicken at 390° for 16 minutes.
5. Add marinara and cheese on top of the chicken and cook for 2 more minutes.Place on top of cooked noodles and enjoy!
4. Chili Mac (~10 net carbs)
- 1 lb grass fed beef
- 1 cup Great Low Carb Bread Co. Penne pasta
- 1/2 cup Hunts tomato sauce
- 1 cup Mexican shredded cheese
- 1 packet of Taco Seasoning
Instructions:
1. Begin boiling water on the stove top and add in noodles.
2. Cook beef in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the Taco seasoning packet and tomato sauce.
3. Once the noodles are cooked, mix it into the beef mixture and top with Mexican blend cheese.
5. Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with garlic cheese bread (~9 net carbs)
- 1 Chicken breast (butterflied)
- 2 oz Great Low Carb Bread Co. Fettuccine noodles
- 1 piece of SOLA bread
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Dash of sea salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 1 tbsp butter
Alfredo Sauce:
1.5 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup ground parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt & pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup sour creamInstructions:
1. Preheat the convention oven to 400 for the garlic cheese bread. Add melted butter and reggiano cheese slices to bread.
2. Begin boiling water on the stove top and add in noodles.
3. Season the chicken breast with Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.
4. Apply olive oil to a hot skillet, then add the chicken.
5. Begin making the Alfredo sauce: Add all sauce ingredients into a separate pan until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and add the sour cream. Add in the cooked noodles.
6. Finally cook the bread for ~3 minutes, until the corners are crispy and cheese melted.
For more recipes, check out the Quick and Easy Keto meals in 30 minutes or less blog.
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9 fantastic Keto/low carb products found on Amazon
Have you been looking for a list of the best Keto / Low carb products? Here you’ll find tried and true 9 fantastic keto low carb products to buy on amazon, including links to purchase.
A variety of products such as noodles, pizza, chips, cookies, protein bars (that don’t taste like cardboard!), ice cream, and energy drinks. These products help curb those cravings that you’ve been missing from your favorite meals. Your taste buds will have you thinking you’re eating the real thing!
1. Low Carb Pasta (7 net carbs)Great Low Carb Bread Co. noodles and pizza crust. They come in fettuccine, elbows, rotini, and penne. It’s so nice to have mac ‘n cheese and spaghetti back in my life!
2. Quest Products (3-5 net carbs)Chip flavors vary from BBQ, supreme, nacho cheese, ranch, to chili lime. Cookie flavors include chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, chocolate or frosted. Pizza flavors pepperoni, cheese, or supreme.
As for Quest protein bars, they are delicious warmed up in the microwave for 15 seconds! My favorite flavors are Oreo and white chocolate raspberry. You can also purchase most of these products at your local grocery store, Kroger or Walmart.
3. Hilo Life Chips (3 net carbs)Hilo chip flavors come in spicy salsa, ranch, and nacho cheese. You can also purchase at your local Kroger or Walmart.
4. Sola Bread (3 net carbs)Sweet and buttery or Sweet Oat flavored bread. Perfect for french toast or BBQ chopped beef sandwiches! You can sometimes find in the frozen bread section at Kroger.
5. Atkins Cookie ( 3 net carbs)The peanut butter cookie is soft and chewy, it is sure to curb your peanut butter cookie cravings! Atkins also sells a wafer crips protein bar If you’re a peanut butter fan you’ll LOVE both of these products.
6. Oroweat bread (3 net carbs) Classic white bread found in the bread isle at Kroger or Walmart. I like using this bread to make a breakfast sandwich or avocado toast with everything bagel seasoning.
7. Pork King Good Products (0 net carbs)The pork rind crumbs and dill pickle pork rinds are a staple in my house! The pork rind crumbs can be used for all your breading needs- I have made chicken nuggets, chicken parmesan, chicken fried steak, and air fried shrimp using this and I’ll never turn back.
8. Rebel Ice Cream (7 net carbs per pint)Peanut butter fudge and salted caramel are my current favorites. There are several flavors including birthday cake, orange cream, strawberry, chocolate peanut butter, etc. Don’t forget to take this ice cream out of the freezer about 10 minutes before you eat it – it makes the biggest difference! Rebel is sold at your local Kroger or Walmart or Amazon.
9. Celsius (2 net carbs)Propel Product Packs (0 net carbs)I enjoy both grape or watermelon celsius flavors, and black cherry or grape Propel. These products can be found at your local Kroger or Walmart, some gas stations, and again on Amazon.
Check out my next post to Learn how to plan ahead and get the results you want!
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How to confidently order Keto at 5 fast food restaurants
There are days you can’t cook at home and have no choice but to eat on the go, or maybe your kids are begging to stop at Chick-Fil-A on the way home. This is not a problem because you get to choose what to order. You can request modifications to almost any order to make it Keto / low carb. For example, when ordering a hamburger simply exclude the bun or ask for it lettuce wrapped. Sometimes you’ll even find Keto/ low carb specific options on the menu.
I’ve listed out delicious options to popular fast food restaurants:
Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich, hold the bun (3 net carbs)
The chicken breast is marinated in lemon-herb with Colby or your choice of cheese, smoked bacon, lettuce and tomato.
12 count Grilled nuggets (2 net carbs) paired with a Kale salad (7 net carbs)
This is my favorite combination! The Kale salad is a blend of Curly Kale and green cabbage tossed in Apple Cider and Dijon Mustard vinaigrette, topped with shaved roasted almonds.
Grilled Chicken Cool (Lettuce) Wrap
Sliced grilled chicken breast in a fresh mix of green lead lettuce with a blend of shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses, tightly wrapped in a lettuce bib (make sure to request).
Cobb Salad with grilled nuggets, no corn (3 net carbs)
Chick Fil A nuggets on a bed of mixed greens, with a blend of shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses, crumbled bacon, sliced hard-boiled egg and grape tomatoes- top it off with avocado lime ranch dressing (+ 3 net carbs).
Garden Salad with grilled nuggets (2 net carbs)
This salad comes with Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Cobb Salad (12 net carbs)
This salad comes with grilled chicken on a bed of red Roma lettuce, topped with shredded carrots, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped bacon strips, grape tomatoes and a sliced hard-boiled egg.
Whopper with Cheese, hold the bun (2 net carbs)
This 1/4 pound flame-grilled beef patty topped with lettuce, pickles, tomato and onion.
Grilled Chicken Sandwich, hold the bun (2 net carbs)
A grilled chicken breast with crisp lettuce, tomatoes, and creamy mayo. Ask for Bacon and extra greens!
Bacon on Bacon Quarter Pound Double Cheeseburger, hold the bun (2 net carbs)
Two seasoned patties with 2 slides of American cheese, 4 slices of crispy bacon, creamy mayo, pickles, and diced onions.
Power Bowl, no rice or beans (2 net carbs)
This bowl includes grilled chicken, lettuce, cheddar cheese, pico, sour cream and guac.
What are your favorite carb friendly fast food meals? Comment below!
Check out Easy 30 Minute Keto Recipes next for quick meal ideas!
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Quick and Easy Keto meals 30 Minutes or less
Now it’s time to plan your Keto meals for the week ahead. Not many people have hours to spare cooking at every meal. These are 8 quick and easy 30 minute (or less) Keto meals including breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes. Check out the 3 bonus snack ideas at the end! No cooking experience is required to successfully make these meals. They are quick and easy meals that show up in my weekly rotation.
*Serving sizes are for one, adjust the ingredients as necessary
*Net carbs are calculated with the Carb Manager App
Breakfast
Egg, Chorizo, & Cheese Scramble (5 net carbs)
- 1/4 cup Chorizo
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- 1/3 cup Mexican blend cheese
- 1 tbsp sour cream
Instructions:
1. Add the coconut oil to your pan on the stove top on medium heat
2. Once coconut oil is melted, add in the Chorizo
3. While Chorizo is cooking, crack both eggs in a separate shallow bowl and whisk, then add to the pan with Chorizo. Continue to mix and flip until eggs and Chorizo are fully cooked through.
4. Finally, mix in your cheese and serve with sour cream.
Egg, Chorizo, & Cheese Tacos (11 net carbs)
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup chorizo
- 2 low carb Mission tortillas
- 1/4 cup Mexican blend cheese
Instructions:
1. Add the coconut oil to your pan on the stove top on medium heat
2. Once coconut oil is melted, add in the Chorizo
3. While Chorizo is cooking, crack both eggs in a separate shallow bowl and whisk, then add to the pan with Chorizo using a spatula. Continue to mix and flip until eggs and Chorizo are fully cooked through.
4. Finally, mix in your cheese and divide the mixture into two Mission tortillas for tacos. Add in your favorite hot sauce or salsa!
Egg, Cheese, Avocado Sandwich (8 net carbs)
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- 2 slices of Keto Oroweat bread
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 square cheddar cheese
- 1/2 tsp everything bagel seasoning
Instructions:
1. Add the coconut oil to your pan on the stove top on medium heat
2. Once coconut oil is melted, crack your egg directly on the pan to make it sunny side up (carefully so the yolk doesn’t break!)
3. While the egg is cooking, place two slides of Keto bread in your toaster
4. Once the bread is ready, spread the avocado across both slices and top with everything bagel seasoning and one piece of cheddar cheese
5. Once the egg is cooked, place the egg on top of the cheese and place the second toast on top.Note: You can find Oroweat bread on Amazon
Lunch
Big Mac Salad (4 net carbs)
- 1 grass-fed beef pre-patty
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Lawry’s seasoning
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 5 pickle slices
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp sugar free ketchup
- 1 tbsp Mustard
Instructions:
1. Season the patty with garlic powder and Lawry’s seasoning2. Cook on the grill or stove to your desired liking, then cut in cubes3.Throw the remaining ingredients together in a bowl and enjoy!
Quest Beef Nachos (6 net carbs)
- 1/2 cup grass-fed beef
- 2 Mission tortillas
- 1/4 cup Mexican blend cheese
- 1/4 tsp Chili powder
- 1/8 tsp Cumin
- 1/8 tsp Onion powder
- 1/8 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp Oregano
- Dash of Salt & pepper
- 2 tbsp. sour cream
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Season beef with Chili Powder, Cumin, Onion powder, Garlic powder, Oregano, salt & pepper
3. Add the seasoned beef onto a pan on the stovetop on medium heat
4. While the beef is cooking, divide the Mission Tortilla into triangles with a pizza cutter
5. Place the triangle pieces on parchment paper on a flat cookie pan and bake for 6-8 minutes, or until edges are browned
6. Once the beef is fully cooked and tortillas finished baking, combine the remaining ingredients to build your nachos.Note: You could replace Mission tortillas with Supreme Quest Chips or peppers!
Dinner
Bratwurst & Peppers (8 net carbs)
- 1 1/2 Original Brats sausage (I purchase Johnsonville brand)
- 1/2 medium Red Pepper
- 1/2 medium Green Pepper
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions:
1. Cook brats on the grill (I like to boil them first on the stove)2. While the brats are grilling, add red and green peppers on stove top3. Once the brats are fully cooked, cut them into 1 inch pieces and serve with peppers and top with cheese.
Buffalo Chicken Wrap (8 net carbs)
- 1 Tomato basil Mission tortilla
- 1/4 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1/4 cup shredded lettuce
- 1/4 cup cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp. Franks Hot sauce
- 1 tbsp. Ranch
Instructions:
1. Shred rotisserie chicken with a fork or using a Kitchen Aid with attachment
2. Spread Franks Hot sauce and Ranch on the Mission tortilla
3. Place lettuce, cheese, and chicken on top
4. Fold tightly and cut in half
Chicken (Air) Fried Chicken & Green Beans (~8 net carbs)
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 cup of green beans
Egg wash:
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
Breading Mixture:
- 2/3 cup almond flour
- 2/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp Papikra
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cayenne
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
- Avocado oil spray
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Butterfly the chicken breast and flatten out with a meat mallet
3. Prep egg wash: whisk eggs and heavy whipping cream in one shallow bowl
4. Prep breading mixture: mix all breading ingredients in one shallow bowl
5. Spray avocado oil into the air fryer basket
6. Dip the chicken in the egg wash, then breading mixture, and place in the air fryer (repeat for additional thickness)
7. Spray avocado oil on top of the chicken, cook for 18 minutes at 390 degrees
8. Spread green beans on baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutesBonus: 4 net carb snacks
- Vanilla Ratio yogurt with 2 tbsp. blueberries
- Quest bar (Oreo is my favorite flavor. Microwave for 15 seconds for extra flavor!)
- Two hard boiled eggs and 1/4 cup dry roasted almonds
Comment below with your favorite meal or the one you want to try out first!What now? Take a moment to check out Keto Basics and 5 helpful tips to stay on track! -
Keto Basics and 5 helpful tips to stay on track
Are you overwhelmed with the amount of information out there on the Keto Diet?
Lets get back to the basics. Here you will find what the Keto diet is, the foods to avoid, foods to enjoy, and helpful tips on how I stayed consistent in my first 30 days. If you want to make a lifestyle change to attain better physical and mental health in your life, you’re in the right place!
So what is Keto?
The Ketogenic diet is a high fat, low carbohydrate, adequate protein diet. This diet relies on calories from fat and protein, instead of carbohydrates, as your energy source. When your body begins to burn fat for energy, that is called Ketosis.
Generally you want to stay at or below 20 net carbs per day. To calculate net carbs, the only formula you need is:
Net carbs = Carbs – Fiber – Sugar Alcohol
If you’re just beginning to track your macros, start by using this Keto calculator to provide your customized macros that fit your goals. Simply enter your age, weight, height, gender, and activity level, and calorie goal (either deficit or maintain) to see your customized macros!
Lazy Keto
If you’d prefer the less strict route, there is “Lazy Keto” where you don’t count your macros, but stick to a low carb diet. To keep track of your daily intake, you can use Carb Manager App, which is a free (with some advanced features that costs extra) and user friendly app. You can log your meals as you go, or log in the morning for what you plan to eat that day to ensure you stay under your net carbs limit. This is especially helpful in the beginning.
Foods to Avoid- High Carb
(Protein with fillers, sweetened milk/yogurt, starchy vegetables)
- Bread – Unless it’s low carb, my favorite is Oroweat!
- Grains (rice, corn, wheat)
- Starchy vegetables (potatoes, beets, corn, beans)
- Fried food
- Sugar
- Some fruit (bananas, apples, peaches)
Foods to Enjoy- Low Carb
(Animal proteins, healthy fats, dairy, nuts, vegetables)
- Pork (yes- bacon!)
- Beef, Chicken, Seafood (grass-fed beef/ organic is recommended)
- Avocado
- Cheese
- Heavy cream
- Butter/ ghee
- Eggs, nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans)
- Nut and seed butters
- Flax & chia seeds
- Pickles
- Greek yogurt (full-fat, unsweetened)
- Bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Cauliflower
- Berries (in moderation)
- Dark chocolate
You will be surprised with the meals that you can create in the kitchen using the ingredients above. It can make pizza, lasagna, tacos, cookies, and even ice cream!My first 31 days
Me and my friend at work were talking about Keto one day and decided to give it a try on January 1st. We would hold each other accountable and discuss how each day was going, how we were feeling, and shared new favorite recipes, both logging our food using the Carb Manager app. As we went through the process together, we noticed we were thirsty, our skin felt brighter and clearer, and didn’t have any food cravings. We would meet in the cafeteria for lemon water breaks to stay hydrated. We were surprised with how easy it was to stay on track because there are so many recipe possibilities that are acceptable with this diet, it didn’t feel like we were restricted.Tips to Stay on Track
- Clean out your fridge/pantry- Out of sight out of mind! If you don’t have candy or potato chips laying around the house, you won’t need to fight the urge to not eat them.
- Keep healthy snacks available- If you’re hungry between meals it is good to have low carb snacks on standby to make it to the next meal.
- Plan your meals a week in advance- If you set a plan in advance, you’re more likely to stay on track than if you didn’t plan anything at all. You will decide what you want to eat for the days ahead instead of making the decision in the moment which is most likely the unhealthy option.
- Track your food intake daily- This will help your overall awareness of the foods you consume. I use the Carb Manager app – it’s free and easy to use.
- Deciding ahead of time – I can’t begin to tell you how much this has helped me! If you know you have a dinner party or gathering to go, decide ahead of time what you will eat and drink. Make that commitment to yourself. The more you do this, the more you build trust with yourself and eating that cupcake won’t even be a question. Check out Thought Patterns and steps to achieve healthy results for more information on this!
