It’s that time of year again friends! You may have stayed on track, but you probably went off plan. At least a little bit. Or you may be one of the many people trying something new for the new year. Maybe you just went straight to Pigsville over the holidays. Whatever section you fall into, you can sit with us!
How to Get your Keto Card
Guess what, there’s no secret club. I mean yes, once you start living the keto life you’ll tell anyone who will listen all about your low carb ways.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret: You don’t get points for staying on track, just like you won’t lose your keto card if you stray.
I have been living the keto life since May 2018. I have stayed on track through many holidays and I’ve indulged in a handful of cheat meals. I can count how many times on one hand because that’s what works for me.
I feel best when I eat well. Do I indulge myself with keto treats? Hell yes, I’m human. I’ve been able to stay on track by learning how to recreate my favorite things in a low carb way so I don’t have to feel deprived.
I stayed keto for Thanksgiving but decided to splurge on some eggnog this Christmas. Like real, full-on Eggnog. I have tried many recipes, but have yet to find anything close to the real thing. Given this dumpster fire of a year, ya girl wanted some real eggnog.
Did you know how many carbs are in just a half cup of Eggnog? 20g! One day’s worth of carbs in half a cup. I drank 2 cups over 2 days and every sip was delicious, but my body was not a fan.
So what in the ef do you do if you’re just starting, went off plan, or need to clean it up?
1. Drink Your Water
Friends, “Keto Flu” is no joke.
Get plenty of water and electrolytes. If you’re just starting you might feel like shit and crave all the things. Ride it out and remember what you are working for (this is a good reminder to set rewards for yourself).
If you’ve already been in Keto and got knocked out of Ketosis over the holidays, the effect of getting back into Ketosis shouldn’t be as drastic as when you first started Keto. But you will be shedding a lot of water, so you need to take plenty in to replenish.
2. Start Tracking Your Food
If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it
Peter Drucker
Your goal is to track every single thing you put into your mouth. There are a ton of free apps to track your food. Don’t get overwhelmed, and if you eat a meal you don’t track, just start tracking again tomorrow.
Pro tip: If you use MyFitnessPal, type “net carbs” after every food and you don’t have to do any math.
3. Plan Your Meals Ahead
You don’t have to plan everything but do your research. I plan our dinners for the next week every Sunday. Check out my Instagram for some #MealPlanMonday inspo!
4. Measure Your Food
This is a key step. Most people need a reminder of what a serving size is. Make sure you’re paying attention to the nutrition information too. It’s easy to add a little extra this, a little more that, but every little bit adds up.
5. Measure Yourself
The scale can be a big liar sometimes. You might not be losing pounds, but your body is changing. How do your clothes fit? Take your body measurements to track your gains (and losses) beyond the scale.
6. Take Pictures
You don’t have to share, but trust me, you will want to look back at your progress. I have very few pictures and the few that I have, I’m hiding behind people.
7. Fix Your Relationship With Food
The key is living a sustainable lifestyle. If you are a person who likes the occasional off-plan meal and can do so without feeling guilt, then go for it. In the beginning, I still had not addressed my relationship with food and had tremendous guilt the first time I had an off-plan meal, even though I had waited an entire year to have it.
You need to establish a healthy relationship with food. This is key and HARD AF!
I am an emotional eater. I ate when happy, sad, angry, bored… You get the picture. I have worked hard over the past 2 years on this. Food is fuel. I fuel my body and not feed my feelings.
8. Find a Support System
I’m lucky enough to have started Keto with my spouse and we keep each other accountable. You don’t have to have people in your household to be successful though.
I’ve found an amazing, supportive Keto community on Instagram. Before Covid-19 we went to a few Keto meetups and made some great friends along the way.
9, You Don’t Need “Keto” Products
You will see a lot of products. Some good, some terrible. I’ve tried a lot of products, but they enhance my journey and help me stay on track.
I repeat: YOU DO NOT NEED ANYTHING SPECIAL TO LIVE THE KETO LIFE.
If you find things you like, that’s awesome, but no one should ever push things on you. No one should be sliding in your DM’s telling you you need X because that’s BS. If they do, unfollow.
10. Embrace the Criticism
Remember, you will face criticism as you succeed. This is tough but you don’t have to explain yourself. I have had a lot of people question me about my health. I simply remind them no one was worried when I ate like an asshole and was almost 50 lbs heavier… aka Worry About Yourself!
So that’s it. Basically, get your shit together, drink your water, worry about yourself, and bask in how amazing you will begin to feel. If you need help, I’m here.
This is so very helpful! I wish I had this when I started years ago as well. These tips are spot on!
Great article and very helpful information