In June I decided enough was enough and I needed to get in better shape and lose some weight. I heard a lot about the benefits of a ketogenic diet and decided to give it a try. The biggest difficulties for me have been staying away from breads and sugars, but the benefits have been well worth it. In the last month, I have lost 15 pounds. I have done this primarily through the changes to my diet as I have not been great about exercising consistently. I hope to improve my experience in month 2 by being more consistent with exercise.
Here is what I have done with my diet:
1) Intermittent Fasting
The idea of intermittent fasting is for your body to fast for 16 hours and you to eat your meals during the other 8 hours. I do not follow a water only fasting routine and then eat my meals between 10 am and 6 pm as some people do when following an intermittent fasting regimen. Instead, I start my day with Bulletproof Coffee to get a boost of fat for fuel without having anything to eat. This is enough to keep my hunger satisfied until lunch time. I then typically consume my meals between noon and 8 pm.
Read more about Bulletproof Coffee here: Bulletproof Coffee
2) Supplements
When I started researching a ketogenic diet, I looked at Drew Manning’s information on it. You may recognize him as the guy who intentionally gained 60 pounds in 6 months to see what it was like for his clients to lose the weight. You can read more about him on his website.
It was through this site that I discovered the Ketologic products to help supplement a ketogenic diet. I started out with the “Fuel Your Best” sample pack to see if I enjoyed the products before making a larger an investment in them. It was a good way to try the different products and flavors. I enjoyed the products and chose my favorite flavors from the sample pack when choosing my flavors for the 30 Day Keto Jumpstart Bundle. The products taste good, are easy to use and leave me feeling satisfied.
3) Snacks
I am not very hungry between meals, but I do want a snack now and again. I have been staying away from high carb snacks like chips and pretzels. Instead I have been having a handful of macadamia nuts, cheese, or nut butter. These snacks all have good fats and are low carb.
4) Meals
For meals, I keep it low carb and high fat. Salads with meats and cheeses are great. I also like chicken, beef, or pork with vegetables. If I am not having a salad, I usually have broccoli, asparagus, and/or cauliflower as my vegetables. You can find lots of keto friendly recipes online. Below are a few that I found on pinterest and have enjoyed.
Parmesan Crusted Chicken With Bacon
Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf Muffins
This article by Dr. Mercola on mercola.com explains the some of the science behind intermittent fasting and a ketogenic diet. One of the things that I have learned from his book Fat For Fuel is that it is important to not overcompensate for reduced carb intake with increased protein intake as too much protein can be harmful for your kidneys.
Why Intermittent Fasting Is More Effective Combined With Ketogenic Diet
I hope you found this article useful and that it spurs your interest in learning more about a healthier lifestyle!
Please note that I am not a doctor! I am simply sharing information on what has worked for me. If you are considering trying intermittent fasting and/or a ketogenic diet, you should consult with your physician first.
Lifelong Learning Coach 