Keto - My Way
I’m not trying to be an authority on the subject. I’m just sharing my story.
I don’t know if “Keto my way” will work for you, but so many of my followers are begging for the details so here we go…
I’m in good health, and I’ve never been overweight by American standards. I was dealt a great set of genetic cards and I was raised eating a healthy, balanced diet.
I cook for myself, and my family—and I did this even as a full-time working Mom, running and owning restaurants. I exercise 3-4x/week. I live in NYC and therefore walk miles a day, without even trying. I make thoughtful choices when grocery shopping. I don’t drink soda or eat fast food. Above all, I have a healthy relationship to food and my body; even when it would be on an upward swing of the five pounds I didn’t appreciate.
Despite these blessings and choices, I’m now 44, and every year since the of age 25, my body has “wanted” to gain weight. Said another way, if I ate the same things and exercised the same way, I gained a pound by every birthday. From 25 till about six months ago, I combated this by either increasing exercise or cutting and counting calories. This worked but was not fun, and the five pound weight loss was always temporary. If I left the exercise or the diet “of the moment,” the weight would return - and fast.
My friend and former colleague, Katie, started doing Keto when we worked together at Empellón. It seemed strange to me. While I ate my fat-free plaaaaaain yogurt lunch, she was eating scrambled eggs, topped with avocado, cheese, and salsa. Huh? She looked great; her skin radiated, she had endless energy, and was loosing weight faster than even my “blessed set of cards” could understand.
About 7 months ago, I decided to try this Keto thing. I got Katie’s advice, watched nutritionists’ videos on the subject, read articles, and bought Keto magazines filled with recipes. I then went grocery shopping and did what felt like a “good-fats” shopping spree. I was ready, but it still felt strange. I just couldn’t wrap my head around how I didn’t have to count calories! In fact, I needed to count fat and make sure I was getting enough or my body would not go into Ketosis.
Ketosis is a metabolic process that occurs when the body begins to burn fat for energy because it does not have enough carbohydrates to burn. During this process, the liver produces chemicals called ketones. The ketogenic, or keto, diet aims to induce ketosis in order to burn more fat. Proponents of the diet claim that it boosts weight loss and improves overall health.
In my research, I also learned that a ketogenic diet comes with numerous risks.
Top of the list: it's high in saturated fat. McManus recommends that you keep saturated fats to no more than 7% of your daily calories because of the link to heart disease. And indeed, the keto diet is associated with an increase in "bad" LDL cholesterol, which is also linked to heart disease.
Other potential keto risks include these:
Nutrient deficiency. "If you're not eating a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and grains, you may be at risk for deficiencies in micronutrients, including selenium, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamins B and C," McManus says.
Liver problems. With so much fat to metabolize, the diet could make any existing liver conditions worse. Kidney problems. The kidneys help metabolize protein, and McManus says the keto diet may overload them. (The current recommended intake for protein averages 46 grams per day for women, and 56 grams for men).
Constipation. The keto diet is low in fibrous foods like grains and legumes.
Fuzzy thinking and mood swings. "The brain needs sugar from healthy carbohydrates to function. Low-carb diets may cause confusion and irritability," McManus says.
Those risks add up — so make sure that you talk to a doctor and a registered dietitian before ever attempting a ketogenic diet.
Just one more thing before I tell all:
At my most recent Dr. physical examination, I learned that my cholesterol, liver, and kidneys are functioning well.
Here are 3 Steps of a Flaweless Keto diet:
Step 1: Understand the following:
This is not an Atkins diet. Atkins allows for a lot more protein than Keto. Eating too much protein will prevent Ketosis.
This is not a Paleo diet. Paleo does not allow dairy. I eat A LOT of dairy on Keto.
I started to better understand carbohydrates when I thought of them as sugar. It felt strange to think of rice, for example, as sugar but all carbohydrates turn into sugar in the body.
The “Keto flu” is real and something that often happens in the first week while your body detoxes of sugar. For me, it felt like a 5 day hangover, but drinking a lot of water and bone broth helped me a lot. I have not experienced the Keto flu since my first week doing Keto.
Eat when you’re hungry. Don’t eat when you’re not.
Drink lots of water.
Keto doesn’t include grains. No: rice, quinoa, couscous, bread, crackers, pastry, pasta or gluten/wheat of any kind.
Keto doesn’t allow legumes. No: beans, lentils, peanuts or peanut butter.
Keto doesn’t allow potatoes. No: Russet, Yukon, sweet, chips.
Avoid high starch things like corn.
Avoid fruit, except tart citrus and berries.
Embrace cooking from scratch. You can do this without cooking, but it is so much easier to know what you’re eating when you create it yourself.
If you can muster the strength to avoid my above mentioned “no and avoid lists,” you get to enjoy your carbohydrates in the vegetables and fruits you need for nutrition. You’ll also get to enjoy that 5g of carbs glass of wine with dinner!
Step 2: Embrace and delight in what you CAN have:
Cook with butter, avocado oil and olive oil.
Replace all your non-fat and low fat products with full fat or high fat ones.
Eat nuts.
Bake with cassava flour instead of GF flour or AP flour.
Sweeten things with coconut butter, monk fruit, or a drop of honey or maple syrup instead of white or brown sugar.
So what DOes my day of food look like?
Morning: lots of water and a good cup of black coffee.
Late Morning Options (11:30 am) :
A scoop of full-fat plain yogurt topped with a handful of blueberries and a heaping tablespoon of sliced almonds.
Three scrambled eggs cooked in butter, topped with sharp cheddar, half an avocado, and hot sauce. I like to add a few cassava flour chips too! I love Siete brand grain-free tortilla chips with sea salt.
Mid Afternoon Lunch Options (2:00 pm):
A big bowl of guacamole with about 10 cassava flour chips.
A salad of greens, peppers, radish, cheese, avocado, and onion; topped with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.
Chicken vegetable soup (no pasta, no rice, no lentils) topped with freshly grated Parmesan.
Snack Time Options (3:30 pm or whenever):
Cheese and charcuterie (and feel free to add mayo and mustard!)
Olives
A handful of nuts
A scoop of crème fraîche topped with 1/2 cup salsa. Scoop up the goodness with those cassava flour chips or parmesan chips - I like the brand “Parm Crisps”.
A Keto Bar - my favorite is brand called “Good Fat Bar”.
A square of dark chocolate sweetened with coconut sugar - my favorite is the brand “Primal Chocolate” 72% cacao, signature dark.
A homemade Keto treat. I like to melt coconut butter in a saucepan and pour it into a 9” x 9” brownie pan lines with parchment paper. Let that set in the refrigerator and then pour a melted bar of primal chocolate (see #6) on top. Let that also set and then cut the pan into 1” squares. Keep treats in a sealed container in your refrigerator and enjoy every time you need a sweet fix! Full recipe here.
Dinner Options (7:00 pm):
The possibilities are endless! Here are a few right here on my website:
Bouillabaisse: A Rich Winter Meal & Fresh Summer Supper - Skip the bread garnish.
Steak Fajitas (the Flaweless Way) - Replace corn tortillas with almond or cassava flour ones.
Night Cap (9pm):
Mezcal on the rocks (0g of carbs!)
A glass of dry wine (5g of carbs)
A square of dark chocolate - Primal Chocolate
Night night!
In my short journey with Keto, I’m able to enjoy the food I deeply enjoy preparing. I’m at the weight I was at age 25, and I feel fantastic. #Flaweless🍍
