It’s Time to Do Some Serious Explaining!

There is no denying the fact that people are not comfortable when one of their own makes a big change in their life. This is especially true when it comes to diet, as the most common hangouts and get-togethers are at restaurants, bars or cafes. 

So when that fateful day comes where you are going out with your friends or family for the first time after going Keto, you better be ready to do some explaining.

But, you need not worry. This is your life and your health, and you need to take care of it regardless of what other have to say.

“Yes, I’m Going All Fat from Now On!”

The biggest and most annoying response you need to be prepared for is, ‘You only eat bacon, cheese and butter! Gross!’, and here’s another one, ‘Won’t all that fat make you, FAT?!’

Well, you can’t expect everyone to go on Google and research keto diet and its benefits so you will have to do some explaining of your own. 

Here are some things to keep in mind when explaining your new eating habit:

• Remember to stay positive and be patient with the questions
• Be educative, let them know what keto is all about
• Tell them how good you feel as compared to before 
• Let them know about all the healthy food you eat, even the healthy fat!
• Never try to enforce your way of eating on others
• Let others eat what they want to

New habits are always easy to incorporate when you are at home. The problem arises when you are surrounded by people who don’t share your eating style. There will be people who might be genuinely interested in what you’re doing, some will be indifferent. 

How to Explain?

Just like with keto, you need to be prepared beforehand. Know your audience with whom you will be interacting with. This will allow you to be better prepared on how to respond, and when the time comes, here’s what you need to do:

• Be clear when you explain what keto diet is 
• Let them know about the numerous food items you can eat
• Tell them why you won’t be eating some of the food anymore
• State clearly the benefits of eating what you eat
• Pay extra emphasis on the health damaging effects of the foods you are no longer consuming
• Give examples of people who have successfully followed the keto diet to lead a healthier life
• Tell them about your own experience, how energetic, strong and healthier you feel
• Show them how much weight you have lost by focusing on eating wholesome foods

Even if someone keeps pestering you after all this explanation, the best course of action would be to ask them (nicely!) to let you be. 

This is your life, your health, and you have made this decision to change your life for the better!

Your Wallet is Not as Fat as Keto! 

One of the things that comes to mind whenever you start a diet is, ‘this is going to be expensive!’. And before you know it, the diet ends before it even begins. The same goes for when people think about going keto. A lot of people think it might be expensive as well, however it does not have to be the case. 

Remember, keto is all about quality over quantity so you know you are only buying what you need to fulfill your dietary requirements. All it takes is a little pre-planning and you will be good to go with your keto diet. 

To help you get started, here are 10 tips that can help you stay within your budget: 

1. Keep Your Eyes Open for Discounts & Offers

Whenever you visit a grocery store or are passing by one, make sure to take a look. Chances are they might have some deals that can save you a lot of money. This is especially true when items are about to reach their expiration date. If you are certain that you will be able to utilize that particular item before it expires, go ahead and get it.

2. Stop Spending on Unnecessary Beverages

This is important, if you’re spending more on coffee than food in a single day, you’ll go over budget. Grabbing a bottle of your favorite (and expensive!) wine every other day or having $5 latte everyday isn’t a good idea either. 

Let go of these unnecessary drinks and incorporate water as your go to beverage. If you feel like you need a morning caffeine boost, make your own tea or coffee and take it with you in a travel mug.

3. Do Bulk Shopping

There are stores that have grocery items on wholesale prices, so skip going to the closest store near your house. If you wish to save up on your hard earned money and still have quality food for your keto diet, stock up on items that you know you’ll need on a daily basis. 

4. Cook in Advance and Freeze Up

Now that you have bought all the grocery, it’s time to start cooking. The best way is to cook in advance and freeze. This is called batch cooking and it ensures that you’ll have something to snack on or eat at any given time. By freezing, none of your food will go to waste, saving you money!

5. Make a Shopping List and Stick to It

Before you leave for shopping, make sure that you have made a list of things you need. Assert yourself to stick to the list. This way you won’t deviate and buy stuff you don’t need. 

6. Use a Vacuum Sealer 

You will need to make space in your refrigerator for the bulk food, so why not get a vacuum sealer! 

By vacuum sealing the food, not only will you be able to prevent freezer burn, you will also have more space in the freezer. 

7. Online Shopping Can Save You a Lot!

Your local stores won’t have deals and discounts all year round time. This is why you need to go online for low priced items you need for your keto diet. Amazon is a good option as they have items at a much lower cost, shipping included!

8. No Need to Buy the Expensive Meat!

Yes, you need protein but not as much that you purchase the expensive cuts. Go for the affordable ones like ground beef, chicken thighs, eggs, nitrate-free bacon, tilapia or cod.

9. Always Prepare Your Meals at Home

By preparing your meals at home, you will not only be saving money, but also preventing yourself from consuming unnecessary added sugars, artificial colors and additives. 

10. Don’t Buy Cut Vegetables, Fruits or Meats

If you check the prices between whole and pre-cut items, there will be a significant difference. Take out time to do some chopping and cutting on your own. It will be kinder to your wallet!

There’s no reason why a keto diet should cost you a fortune. Follow these topics for doing keto on a budget.

Welcome to the Mythical Land of Keto!

Whenever something, or someone, starts getting mainstream attention, myths and stories will be told to either promote or devalue it. The same applies to the keto diet as myths have risen to form around this way of eating, preventing a lot of people from taking advantage of its benefits.

Here are 5 biggest myths about keto you need to know about:

Myth 1. Keto Diet Has an On/Off Switch at Your Leisure!

Keto is not just a simple ‘eat this, not that’ diet, you can do whenever you want to. It’s a way of life as it changes how you manage your food intake for each and every meal. Know that keto only works when your body reaches a certain state of ketosis, and that’s only achievable by following a strict code of eating.

If you are doing keto for the weight loss, even if you lose some weight at first, you will gain it all back if you make stops in between and start eating junk food! 

Myth 2. You Get to Eat ALL the Fat You Want!

This cannot be further from the truth! Just because keto is all about eating low-carb / high-fat meals, it does NOT mean you can eat as much as you want. You really think it will help your health if you ate a pound of cheese with a pound of bacon?

Yes, keto requires you to have a fat-rich diet. But, you have to make sure that the fat you’re consuming is heart healthy and unsaturated. 

Myth 3. Keto Won’t Let Your Eat Fruits and Vegetables!

Another one of the biggest myths that’s totally bogus!

Keto does require that you cut down on the carbohydrates to a minimum, however, you are still required to eat some. These are whole, unprocessed foods, necessary to eat so you can get your fiber, vitamins and minerals. 

Yes, there are some fruits and vegetables that are considerably high in carbs and starch, so you’ll have to avoid them. Remember, one of the side-effects of keto is constipation so you have to eat some of the produce to avoid it!

Myth 4. You Get to Eat a Lot of Protein!

People often mistake the keto diet for Atkins diet, which has given birth to this particular myth. Because keto is all about making your body consume the fat, eating a larger portion of protein would nullify that. This is because excess protein is turned into glucose, which results in your body coming out of ketosis. Even though the protein’s amino acids can be broken down into ketones, it can backfire if the person is already on a keto diet, resulting in an unhealthy surge of ketones. 

Myth 5. There is No Other Way But the Keto Way, to Lose Weight!

Just because you have read about or seen videos of people losing weight by following the keto diet, doesn’t mean it will work for you as well. Keto makes some major changes in the way your body manages its fuel source. Some people can adjust easily, while some find it difficult, and then there are those for whom it is not recommended at all.

Bottom line: before you jump on the keto band wagon to lose weight, make sure you’re not under any misconceptions about the diet.