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Hello! My name is Markey and I’ve been trying a ton of new and interesting things to improve my lifestyle. This week, I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone and try a different style of eating. I want to start this off by saying that I don’t love diets; I’ve dieted before and always came away with a negative experience. But I wanted to know how keto worked for two reasons: 1) my partner was doing it and 2) I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
I don’t want to start off the week already deciding that I’m not going to follow the keto diet to a ‘T” (how else will I know if it actually works?) but I also don’t want to enter this week stressed out and scared of certain foods. So I’m going to steal my partner’s words and, “do keto, but not hate my life while doing it.”
Define ‘Keto’
One of the most popular weight loss diets wasn’t even popular for weight loss initially; the keto diet was first popularized when researchers found it could cure or treat epilepsy. Forbes continued researching the diet and found it could “promote weight loss, improve cardiovascular health, and help with anxiety and depression.” Not only will those factors improve, but it could also reduce inflammation and clear your skin (yes, please).
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There seem to be no downsides, but when I mention it to anyone, all they can talk about is their horrible experience on keto.
The Problems With Keto
So why does a diet that eliminates all sugars and high-carb foods poorly affect so many people? Harvard Health Publishing reviewed the keto diet and they seemed to not love it. Actually, most health experts don’t love it.
Dr. Andrew Freeman is a cardiologist who researched the diet and found that the main problem with keto is that people will overload on unhealthy foods. We are meant to live a balanced lifestyle with a balanced diet. Keto eliminates some of the food groups that are intended to balance our diets; as a result, people tend to load up on meats and cheeses. He suggests people take a more plant-based approach to the keto diet rather than a meat-based approach.
Do It Right
I’m uncertain if I’m going to follow the keto diet completely. Forbes interviewed LA-based holistic nutritionist, Angela Mavridis who said, “my suggestion is to start changing your mindset…around three very important facts: this is not just another diet, you don’t have to live in ketosis forever, and you will not be depriving yourself.”
She also suggested that if your current diet involves a lot of processed and sugary foods, you may want to ease yourself into this. Considering I still have half a box of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts on my kitchen counter, this week ought to be fun.
What You Can Eat
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Fish and seafood
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Low-carb veggies
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Cheese
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Avocados
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Poultry
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Eggs
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Nuts
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Seeds
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Some oils
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Plain Greek yogurt
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Berries
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Coffee
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Tea
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Dark chocolate
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Cocoa powder.
Day 1
Breakfast: 2 eggs, bell peppers, onions, spinach, avocado, and black coffee
Snack: Sunflower seeds and trail mix
Dinner: BBQ Curry Chicken Wings
Let’s start off strong! As you already know, I thrive on routine, so I’m sure I’ll be eating almost the exact same thing every day. My partner made dinner tonight, so this is his recipe.
I started to crave something sweet around 3 pm and I really don’t know how to quell that craving. I grabbed some trail mix from Aldi and ate everything but the chocolate chips (I usually do the opposite, so that was very strong of me). I was a little cranky today. I think the bread I usually eat soaks up my attitude. Is that how this works?
Day 2
Breakfast: 2 eggs, bell peppers, onions, spinach, avocado, peanut butter, and black coffee
Snack: Spinach chips with paprika and garlic salt and guacamole
Dinner: Five Guys lettuce wrapped burger with grilled onions and mayo
I was hungrier this morning than yesterday, so I’m trying to add in more food. I planned to bake today, but the day got ahead of me and I decided not to get my kitchen messy. My goal for tomorrow is to find some keto mug cakes or something I can make for breakfast.
I made some spinach chips for myself and then some guacamole to go with our burgers. My review of the lettuce wrapped burger is: don’t get it. I miss bread so damn much. That is all.
Day 3
Breakfast: This mug cake and eggs
Snack: An avocado and some guacamole with carrots
Dinner: A salad with spinach, strawberries, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and turkey on top
Dessert: Trader Joe’s Ice Cream
I made the mug cake! It was a little dry, but it tasted so good and I probably will make it again, even when I’m off keto. The website I got the mug cake from had a ton of different keto recipes and I plan to bake some of them soon!
I wasn’t too hungry today, so I grabbed an avocado mid-afternoon and then some guac and carrots for the early evening. The salad was amazing, if basic. I need to eat more meat, but that’s for tomorrow! We also went to Trader Joe’s and got some keto-friendly ice cream bites, so that was the highlight of my life.
Day 4
Breakfast: A coffee mug cake and 2 eggs
Snack: Guacamole and the rest of those Trader Joe’s ice cream bites
Dinner: Trader Joe’s vegan ranch salad and a ton of rotisserie chicken
Another mug cake! I actually liked the mug cake from yesterday better, but this one was pretty good. I haven’t put on the suggested toppings because I’m too hungry for that mess, but I do add butter.
I was getting a little hungry, so I hunkered down with a huge cup of coffee and some guava (a weird pairing, but I’ll get over it). I was also watching The Great British Baking Show today, so the temptation was real. My partner came over and we had a huge salad and a ton of chicken tonight.
I’ve noticed a slight change in my body. My abs are definitely more defined. But I feel hungry earlier in the morning now and I only can attribute that to the lack of carbs. My skin also cleared up a lot in the last week. I usually don’t have breakouts, but the week before I went keto was really hard on my skin for some reason.
Day 5
Breakfast: The mug cake from yesterday, eggs, and bacon
Snack: The rest of the guacamole and coffee
Dinner: Trader Joe’s vegan ranch salad and a ton of rotisserie chicken
Late Night Treat: Waffle House’s hash brown bowl with bacon
No, I have not fooled you, this is exactly what I ate yesterday. I warned you that I was a creature of habit! I wasn’t upset, though. I really like having a routine in what I eat and that’s actually a huge upside of dieting for me — I usually meal prep and plan and have something pretty similar every day.
My partner and I went to Waffle House and he got the hash brown bowl. I took the eggs, bacon, and sausage and called it a healthy keto meal!
I’m not adoring this diet, but I stand by my skin getting clearer and my body feeling a bit better. My partner described this week of keto as a cleanse because it’s mostly about getting all the non-keto stuff out of your body. Do I still miss bread? Oh, hell yeah.
Day 6
Breakfast: A new mug cake and eggs
Snack: Guacamole
Dinner: Salmon and the Trader Joe’s salads
Dessert: Keto blondies
I love baking and really thought that this challenge would inspire me to bake all day, every day. But if you don’t count the mug cakes, I haven’t really baked a lot. So I changed that tonight and made keto blondies! I was really excited because I had my house completely to myself, so I made a mess of the kitchen and made dinner and dessert!
I’m not going to miss keto, specifically because tonight was a night that I would have rather just thrown a pizza in the oven and had some wine on the side, but it is fun to be challenged by new ways to look at and consume food. I honestly had a great dinner and baking is one of my favorite things, so I was glad to have an excuse to do it!
Day 7
Breakfast: A mug cake and eggs
Dinner: BBQ Chicken Wings
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I had to keep with tradition and make a final mug cake! The recipe called for blueberries, but I decided on strawberries, and it was an amazing choice. Let me tell you, this mug cake was the best thing I think I have ever made in my life. I loved it so much and I heavily debated making another one. This is something that I will be making, even when I’m not on keto.
I woke up super late today, so I was eating breakfast at 2 pm. That meant there was really no need for me to snack during the day, so I just went over to my partner’s house and he made me his chicken wings again! It was a great way to end keto!
So, Does Keto Work?
Full disclosure: I’m writing this with a bowl of cereal in front of me. I like keto, but I am excited to get back to ‘normal’ eating. It’s just easier for me to be able to grab and go for breakfast and not have to worry about reading labels.
I often come out of these experiences with things I learned or loved and will keep doing. That strawberry mug cake was the highlight of my week. That being said, I will be eating chips and drinking alcohol tonight, thank you!
I didn’t adore keto, but I also didn’t hate it. I don’t know if I saw enough of a difference in myself to justify doing it again, but I also wasn’t too annoyed or put out because of the diet. So all in all, it was worth the try!
Have you tried the keto diet? Did keto work for you? Share with us in the comments!
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