Courtney Wright
By Courtney Wright
I hope you are all keeping safe and sane during these surreal, unfathomable times! I know I am starting to feel the impact, especially on my health, both mental and physical. You may be feeling the same. Are you sleeping too much? Have you lost your motivation? Overeating and gaining weight?
Well, I may be able to help you with the latter. I am sure by now, you have heard the words “ketogenic diet”, or just plain “keto.”
Whether you have or have not and you are having a hard time losing weight, I say (after checking with your doctor), you give keto the ol’ college try.
How keto has helped me
Health-wise, keto is literally the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I was never really heavy until I met my (now) husband at 19 and in six years gained 60 lbs of comfortable relationship weight. After many, many years of yo-yo dieting, weight fluctuations, a non-committal and bad attitude mixed with a heaping dash of self-doubt and self-loathing, I ran into a friend at the grocery store. She had lost weight since I had last seen her, so throwing etiquette out the door, I just had to ask how. “Keto!” said she, and as they say, the rest is history.
What exactly is the keto diet?
In case you are not familiar, keto is high fat, fairly low protein and almost no carbohydrates (and ZERO added sugars). It is split into three macros (daily caloric intake) of 70% fat, 20% protein & 5% (a very low 25g) NET carbohydrates (net carb = carb – fiber. This is VERY important). An online macro calculator will help you to sort all that out. (ruled.me has a great macro calculator)
A quick and simple summation of keto is:
- Eating carbs produces glucose and insulin
- That glucose is used as your main source of energy
- That makes the fat you eat virtually unnecessary, so it just continues to pile up and drag you down
- Lowering the amount of carbs you eat, and raising your intake of (good!) fats, your body will use that fat as your main source of energy, instead
- This creates a state called ketosis
- While in ketosis, we produce ketones, which are created from the breakdown of fats in the liver
- The end goal of the keto diet is to force your body into this metabolic state and remain in ketosis
By starving yourself of carbohydrates (NOT by starving yourself), your body will become dependent on fat for fuel and energy.
Keto is not a diet…It is a lifestyle change
It is a complete commitment to changing your health and in turn, your life. Don’t cheat while on Keto. Too many carbs, too much protein, and high amounts of alcohol can all throw you out of ketosis and that will immediately halt your weight loss. High sugar foods and ALL added sugar is an absolute no-no. But it is SO worth it. I cannot stress that enough.
In the past 10 months I have lost over 45 lbs, two pant sizes, three shirt sizes, and gained more confidence than I have ever had in my entire life. I have started my own keto cooking business, and I am ready to take on the world!! If you are ready, willing and able to seriously take the plunge into the keto pool, I say absolutely do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! I still have a ways to go on my journey, but as I go, I would love to help you along the way.
To get you started, I have included an easy 90 second keto bread that can be used for grilled cheese, a hamburger bun and loads of other options! See! All hope is not lost. There are wonderful carb substitutes out there. You just need to have an open mind and find the inner strength and willpower I firmly believe you have! Be safe & be kind!
90 second keto bread
90 Second Microwave Keto Bread
- 1 large egg
- 3 TBSP almond flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 TBSP of avocado, olive or coconut oil or melted butter
- Pinch of salt
- *add ¼ – ½ teaspoon each of your favourite spice for extra flavour!
Mix ingredients together and pour into a greased ramekin, mug or small microwavable bowl. (I use a three inch round Corningware dish). Microwave for 90 seconds. Slide a knife around the edges to loosen the bread. Once you have removed the bread from the dish, slice it in half and eat it as is or toast it for some extra crunch and texture.
Nutrition information per serving (1):
220 cal, 21g fat, 4g carb, 2g fiber, 4g protein, 0g sugar, and most importantly ONLY 2g net carb! Compare that to one regular white hamburger bun that has 25.5g net carb each!
Courtney Wright is a life-long Burlington resident who dabbles in writing, photography and runs Keto Delicious (ketodelicious.ca). She is just a simple girl making keto comfort food and trying to change the world one keto convert at a time.
