Keto Diet, month 1

Now… let’s put this out here first… My husband and I are doing Keto. No, I don’t need you telling me we’re stupid. I don’t need judgment. I just don’t. We did research and are doing with a doctor’s supervision so please don’t judge, yell, or tell me we’re stupid. 

Now that we have that out of the way… let’s proceed on. We are doing Keto. A lot of people are. It’s probably one of those fad diets honestly. So it’s a high fat, medium protein, no/low carb. That kills me. Quite almost literally. I love my breads and pastas. I’m not a huge dessert or candy fan and gosh I want those too. Really, I am a savory person, but right now I want sweets so bad sort of. 

So your carb intake is based on net carbs. So you take the carbs in your food, subtract out fiber and alcohol sugars, and that gives you the net carbs. You have to eat less than 25 net carbs per day. I’ve also read 20. Either way, 5 doesn’t really make you or break you. 2 days per week you are supposed to bump that up to 50 carbs to help avoid health problems you hear about. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE PASTA? That’s totally random at this point but I can’t help myself.

Menu Week 1:

• Monday:
  • Breakfast – 3 eggs with onions and bell pepper and 6 slices of bacon.
  • Lunch – Chicken breast with broccoli
  • Dinner – Pork chop with broccoli and asparagus
• Tuesday
  • Breakfast – 2 eggs and 3 pieces of bacon
  • Lunch – Greek omelet from a local restaurant
  • Snack – Diet Limeade from Sonic
  • Dinner – Egg Roll in a bowl
• Wednesday
  • Breakfast – 1 egg and a sausage patty
  • Lunch – Maria’s Mexican Cantina – Chicken Fajitas with the guac, sour cream, and pico.
  • Dinner – Garlic Chicken and Asparagus
• Thursday
  • Breakfast – Keto Pancakes with Peanut Butter
  • Lunch – Outback – French Onion Soup (minus the crouton), a salad with ranch dressing minus the croutons, and medium-rare 6oz Sirloin (I saved the dessert for my sweet little girl)
  • Dinner – Taco Salad – Lettuce, taco meat, cheese, and salsa
• Friday
  • Breakfast – A Sonic Breakfast burrito minus the tortilla shell (I removed the shell when I got home)
  • Lunch – Ham Rollups – Ham with cream cheese and a pickle spear, rolled up.
  • Snack – Diet Limeade from Sonic and 3 Sugar-Free Reese’s cups (which is funny because I really am not a fan but boy they’re good)
  • Dinner – A Local Diner – A Chubby Cheeseburger with Mustard, lettuce, and tomato minus the bun and a House Salad with ranch dressing.
• Saturday
  • Breakfast – roughly 2 eggs scrambled with mushrooms, sausage, red bell pepper, and onion. And a Zero Sugar Blue Monster (I think it’s blueberry)
  • Lunch – Outback again. Same as above, French Onion soup (minus the crouton), Salad with Ranch dressing (minus the croutons), and a Medium Rare 6oz Sirloin with Broccoli.
  • Dinner – Keto Zuppa Toscana Soup and Keto Garlic Cheese biscuits.
• Sunday
  • Breakfast – Ham Roll-ups – Ham and cream cheese (no pickle like Friday)
  • Lunch Olive Garden – Are you curious. Well I had a 6oz steak medium rare, parmesan zucchini chunks, and zoodles with alfredo sauce

After week one, I was a little worried about Sunday’s meal at  Olive Garden. So you are supposed to have two days per week where you up your carb intake from 20g to 50g to help your liver out. I figured that I’d consider the OG meal that. I was afraid when I weighed in this morning if I’d actually lose any or not. I was afraid of the disappointment. Whew, my fear was not met and I actually dropped 5.8 pounds.

My biggest problem this week was the headaches. Holy cow! I went through different versions of the KETO flu. Ugh! I felt like poop, but I never felt rundown. That is one of the things, the first couple weeks you’re supposed to feel tired a lot. I didn’t notice that as much. I was, however, fighting off a cold too so that didn’t help things. But I still didn’t feel the tiredness they say.

My aunt is doing this also. She suggested Simply Keto by Suzanne Ryan. I got that ordered. I’m excited for it to come in.

Menu Week 2

• Monday
  • Breakfast – Ham and cream cheese rolls. (I might be obsessed)
  • Lunch – Keto Zuppa Toscana Soup and Keto Garlic Cheese Biscuits (leftovers from Saturday
  • Dinner – White cheddar and Proscuitto stuffed Chicken breast and cream cheese stuffed bacon wrapped Jalapeños.
• Tuesday
  • Breakfast – Keto Biscuits and Gravy (Simply Keto by Suzanne Ryan)
  • Lunch – Local Mexican restaurant where I had what they call Steak Feliz. Steak covered in peppers, onions, mushrooms, and shrimp topped with cheese sauce. Then I swapped the beans and the rice for a guacamole salad (lettuce, awesome cheese, and tomatoes).
  • Dinner – Green Enchilada Chicken Soup
• Wednesday
  • Breakfast – Sausage Burrito from Sonic minus the tortilla shell, Diet Limeade
  • Lunch – Chicken Ceasar Salad from Cheddar’s
  • Dinner – Taco Salad (taco hamburger, cheese, lettuce, salsa)
  • Snack – Sugar-Free Russel Stover Peppermint Patties (3)
  • Drinks – Zero Sugar Monster (purple can – grape)
• Thursday
  • Breakfast – Keto Biscuits and Gravy (see above)
  • Lunch – Cream Cheese Ham Rollups
  • Dinner – Longhorn Steakhouse – Flo’s Filet (Medium Rare), Broccoli, Salad with Ranch
  • Drinks – Zero Sugar Monster (green can)
• Friday
  • Breakfast – Keto Biscuits and Gravy (see above)
  • Lunch – Cream cheese ham rollups
  • Dinner – Local steakhouse – Medium rare Ribeye, green beans, and a salad with Ranch dressing
• Saturday
  • Breakfast – Blueberry muffin (minus the blueberries because I didn’t have any) (Keto Karma)
  • Lunch – Local Lime, Rogers, AR – Romaine, Red Bell Pepper, shaved Jalapeño, Queso Fresco, Manchego Cheese, Avocado, Cilantro, Manchego Peppercorn Cream + Grilled Chicken
  • Dinner – Green Enchilada Chicken Soup (see above)
• Sunday
  • Breakfast – none
  • Lunch – A local diner – A Chubby Cheeseburger with Mustard, lettuce, and tomato minus the bun and a House Salad with ranch dressing.
  • Dinner – Keto Pizza

I still had off and on headaches. I feel like it’s more of caffeine withdrawal headaches than anything. I did find that I could have a Monster. I’m a little worried that they are hindering some weight loss too, I’m not sure. But they have helped with that headache issue some. I have felt a little more rundown this week than last. I even took a nap one day. I typically don’t take naps unless I am sick. I have still been fighting this cold so some of that could be a playing factor. My weight loss wasn’t quite what I was hoping for but there could have been some biological factors playing into that too. In fact, I went up 0.3 lbs this week. That bothers me. We’ll see what next week brings.

Menu Week 3

• Monday
  • Breakfast – None
  • Lunch – Outback – Steak, French Onion Soup (minus the crouton), and a salad with Ranch
  • Dinner – Green Enchilada Chicken Soup
• Tuesday
  • Breakfast – Keto Pancakes (Simply Keto by Suzanne Ryan)
  • Lunch – Sonic Hamburger without the bun
  • Dinner – Medium Rare Steak with a side of Creamed Spinach (Simply Keto by Suzanne Ryan)
• Wednesday
  • Breakfast – Blueberry muffin (minus the blueberries because I didn’t have any) (Keto Karma)
  • Lunch – Rib Crib Smoked BBQ Chicken Salad minus the tortillas.
  • Dinner – Slow Cooker Low-Carb Chicken Spinach & Artichoke Soup
• Thursday
  • Breakfast – Blueberry muffin (minus the blueberries because I still don’t have any) (Keto Karma)
  • Lunch – 4 Ham/Cream Cheese Rollups
  • Dinner – Keto Chicken Enchilada Skillet and Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
• Friday
  • Breakfast – Blueberry muffin (minus the blueberries because I still don’t have any) (Keto Karma)
  • Lunch – Greek Salad at a local restaurant.
  • Dinner – Local steakhouse – Medium rare Ribeye, green beans, and a salad with Ranch dressing
• Saturday
  • Breakfast – None
  • Lunch – Outback – Alice Springs Chicken (minus honey mustard), a salad with extra ranch (but didn’t use all the ranch), and cheesy broccoli
  • Dinner – Leftovers – Green Enchilada Chicken Soup (see above)
• Sunday
  • Breakfast – None (bad mistake. Gosh, I was hungry.
  • Lunch – Jose Peppers in Belton, MO. Why? Because we were headed to a George Strait Concert in Kansas City. Oh wait, you didn’t ask but I still had to brag. Hubby and I used our extra carbs day here. We had their stuffed jalapeños that are breaded for an appetizer. Totally worth it. Then I had a Chicken Salad. See, I was good.
  • Dinner – Fogo de Chao. We were in Kansas City. If you’ve never been to this type of Brazilian steakhouse, they bring meats around and you scrape it off their fork onto your plate. I was careful with the salad bar. Because really you go for the meats there. They had Brazilian bread. It is made with Yucca flour. Don’t think that’s good flour for no carbs. We had to try it anyway. It was good and we just split one little roll.

This week I stumbled across a blog called All Day I Dream About Food. She has written cookbooks on the Keto diet as well. I ordered The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen. She has some pretty stellar food that has helped with this journey.

This week because we left town on Sunday for an overnight to Kansas City, I did my weigh-in on Sunday morning before we left instead of Monday morning. I’m proud to announce that I have dropped 1.4 lbs. Last week almost made me want to throw in the towel because with this diet you are supposed to lose weight (fat) fast and easy. I gained weight in last week’s weigh-in. I kept chanting to myself, don’t give up. Whew, I survived.

Menu Week 4

• Monday
  • Breakfast – We ate breakfast at Ikea. Eggs and Bacon.
  • Lunch – Back to Belton for Jose Peppers again. Yes, we had the appetizer, same as above. I had a Roasted Poblano Pepper. The closest thing to a Chile Relleno I can have.
  • Dinner – 
• Tuesday
  • Breakfast – None
  • Lunch – Outback. Steak with cheese broccoli and a salad with extra ranch no croutons.
  • Dinner – Dinner at the local Mexican restaurant. We had Steak Feliz. It’s steak and shrimp covered in cheese. They subbed the rice and beans for these fabulous veggies for us.
• Wednesday
  • Breakfast – Keto Coconut Flour Pancakes out of The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen cookbook.
  • Lunch – A local Mexican restaurant. I had Chicken Fajitas and steamed veggies.
  • Dinner – Stir Fry
• Thursday
  • Breakfast – Blueberry muffin (minus the blueberries because I still don’t have any) (Keto Karma)
  • Lunch – Ham and Cream Cheese Rollups
  • Dinner – Steaks and asparagus
• Friday
  • Breakfast – Keto Coconut Flour Pancakes out of The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen cookbook.
  • Lunch – Outback. I had French Onion Soup minus the crouton on top and a Salad with Ranch Dressing
  • Dinner – Olive Garden. Steak with Zoodles (plain, they forgot my Alfredo sauce) and a Salad with Ranch
• Saturday
  • Breakfast – Almond Flour Pancakes out of (Simply Keto)
  • Lunch – Rib Crib. I had Smoked Pulled Pork Salad with regular ranch and bbq ranch (that was a whoops on my part)
  • Dinner – Outback. Ribeye (supposed to be medium rare but it was more like medium to medium-well… yuck), broccoli, and a salad with extra ranch.
• Sunday – Super Bowl Sunday
  • Breakfast/lunch – So I snacked all day. I made Tortilla Chips from the All Day I Dream About Food Blog. I made my smoked chicken dip that I kept tasting either on a spoon or on Keto chips. and that’s about the extent of what I ate for breakfast and lunch.
  • Dinner – It was Super Bowl. Okay so I ate stuffed jalapeno peppers with either my smoked chicken dip or cream cheese/cheddar/bacon. Mushrooms stuffed the same way (both ways). And then I cheated and ate a Pizza slider that was on a Hawaiian roll. But just 1. I was kind of too Nervous. by the way Go Chiefs!!

I debated doing my weigh-in yesterday morning versus this morning. The reason being, last night… Super Bowl. However, I held off until this morning. I was down 0.9 of a pound. You know what… I’ll take it.

So… if this is supposed to be the FAST weight loss… I don’t see how it is FAST. Plus I’m feeling deprived of some of my faves. So in the grand scheme of things I only lost 7.8 pounds this month. Could I have lost that without doing it this way? I kind of feel like yes. They say the average should be 1-2 pounds per week. I’m basically at the 2 pounds per week weight loss. I am feeling a little frustrated. I know if I were to introduce carbs back like I initially ate them I would balloon back up. And no one told me but I was ballooning up bad. That makes me want to cry.

So I feel lost and stuck and happy and sad at the same time. So… 

 

 

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