Welcome back! I took the beautiful picture above at a lovely vineyard in northern Michigan. Such a beautiful scene and yet while I was visiting there, I knew that the fruit growing on those vines were not something I was going to be eating – but if we’re talking red wine, well – maybe a little (more on that below!).
We have to eat. Fact of life. Obviously, this is something we have to learn to manage day in and day out with our keto or low-carb lifestyle. I finally learned at almost 50 years old. I swear I’m not a slow learner, usually.
The TOP question I get is “how exactly do you say no all the time to carbage garbage?”
I try my very best to find a humble answer. One that is encouraging, motivating, and inspiring! This really is a hard question for me – because this lifestyle has come pretty easily for me.
Let’s face it – sugar is addictive. As I tell my friends that want to follow me and my keto lifestyle – SUGAR IS THE DEVIL. Here’s a recent article promoted on Diet Doctor: Why Ditching Sugar is Really Hard. After you check that out, there’s a few other resources on that page that you can explore. Go down that rabbit hole – it’s fascinating.
Whenever I say “sugar”, I am also referring to anything you eat that will break down into sugar (glucose) during digestion. I can’t tell you the number of times people have said to me “Oh, I don’t have trouble with sugar – my trouble is potato chips”. Potato chips = carbs = sugar. Or, “trouble with bread.” Bread = carbs = sugar. Bottom line: Sugar = table sugar + refined sugar + honey + all those other syrups from natural sources of sugar + wheat + grains + starches + starchy vegetables + legumes. Oh, I’m sure I am forgetting something, but my bottom line is this – I don’t eat: SUGAR, WHEAT, GRAINS, STARCHES, OR LEGUMES. I’m here to tell you, living this Keto lifestyle for 15 months now – I do not miss any of that. I know people don’t believe me when I say that – but it’s the honest truth.
If I could fulfill a wish for you, I would flip a switch for you to turn off any part of your brain and entire being to have a desire for sugars and carbs. If I could do that, I wouldn’t be spending my time on this keyboard – I’d be vacationing around the world on a daily basis with all my cash. Ha!
Anyhow, back to ” SUGAR IS THE DEVIL “. It whispers in your ear, just like the devil did in the Garden of Eden, that one little bite won’t hurt you. It whispers sweet nothings – and if no one is watching, it whispers “no one is watching”! It is addicting and it leads you astray and sabotages your efforts! We need to figure out a way to be stronger than these voices!
I never want to be fat again. NEVER. I found the secret to overcoming obesity and all the diseases that go along with it. I spent hours upon hours reading and watching lectures from the top experts in the low-carb world. So my very first suggestion is to learn and understand the science of your hormones and metabolism. You don’t have to be big into science to understand this. I’ve talked about this before and encourage you to explore the links on my Keto 101 page. I have resources there from some very smart doctors and scientists that are passionate about improving your health. A lot of their content is available free!
I’m going share a little tip that really helped me smack down these temptations. As I learned the science, it all made perfect sense to me what I had to do to gain better health. I KNOW it’s all about the hormones – and most specifically insulin. Did you know that insulin is your fat STORING hormone? I don’t want to store more fat! Yikes! I want to keep my insulin under control, so I began asking myself “what will this food do to my insulin response?” If the answer was “spike it”, then that food did not go in my mouth. Start asking yourself “what will this tempting food do to my insulin when it hits my stomach?”
My fact of life is that carbage garbage will spike my insulin, put my body into fat-storing mode, and make me metabolically sick. I never want to go back to being unhealthy. Is it fair? Ehh, maybe not – but I really don’t think of it is unfair. I prefer the positive in it all – I eat food that is satisfying and specifically to fuel my body. I haven’t had temptations in a very, very long time. I don’t cheat and that is something that I am very proud to share with you. When I am in a social situation surrounded by lots of non-Keto food – the food has no power over me. I can easily ignore it and focus on conversations with my friends and family. I don’t have to stop and ask myself any longer what the food will do to my insulin – it’s just all natural to me now. It really is quite freeing! But it did take me months to get to this point. It is all part of the journey! I hope this bit of advice will help you. Think of the science!
I will share about a little hiccup I had a few weeks ago, though. I had some red wine a few nights, which is a bit unusual for me. I might have a glass on a Friday night after a long week at work. I have a glass or two when I’m out with friends (which doesn’t happen enough!). I had these glasses of wine while I was AcornTV binging on “Doc Martin”. I had them in the evening, not with a meal. I was woken up both nights with horrible reflux! Ugh, so painful. I haven’t had reflux since I went Keto.
I very quickly recognized this as a problem and made a plan. In my mind I was telling myself “red wine is Keto, it’s okay – go ahead. It’s a treat. You had a long week at work – blah, blah, blah!”.
My action plan – I immediately implemented a very simple meal plan for 3 days. I ate my very basic keto foods. Specifically a lot of bacon! This really helped me step away from the wine and I’ve abstained since that time. I will probably have some wine on my upcoming vacation – I wonder what Irish red wine is like?!?
Do you consider red wine in the evening cheating or falling off the rails? I don’t know – but I do know for ME that it veered drastically from my hard and fast rule of not eating after dinner time. I try to be done eating by 6pm every night and then nothing else but water. Sometimes it’s a little later if it’s a social occasion. That’s not a biggie. But a glass of wine by itself later in the evening was a painful lesson – twice in one week (I guess I can be a slow learner – HA!).
Dr. Fung, in his book “The Obesity Code” advocates that there are times in life that you should allow yourself to join in the celebrations and indulge in a carb overload. Your birthday. A wedding. Christmas. Thanksgiving. Easter. Independence Day. Family Reunions. Church Potlucks…WOAHHHH, hit the brakes. This list is getting way out of hand!
I’m a huge fan of Dr. Fung and his work – and I struggle with reconciling this philosophy – for MYSELF. I did take this advice two months after I read his book (I was still learning!). It was my 50th birthday and we went to National Coney Island for Hot Fudge Cream Puffs. That was March 17, 2017. That was the last time I ate something that was not Keto. I had to laugh because the waitress brought me the smallest cream puff I had ever seen – and I did laugh out loud. She asked if there was a problem and I replied and said “no, no – this is perfect!” It was very small and not very satisfying. I don’t eat this carbage garbage anymore because it was not satisfying, it most likely kicked me out of ketosis, and if I absolutely need some type of dessert – I will make a Keto dessert. Or I will have a small square of 90% or higher dark chocolate. The internet is loaded with Keto dessert recipes (just watch the carb count and serving size). My Keto friend, Kristie Sullivan has a fabulous Cookbook and YouTube channel where she shares the most delicious Keto dessert recipes. Her second book will be available soon. See, we have options! If you are prone to “falling off the wagon” DO NOT GO THERE. I repeat! DO. NOT. GO. THERE! Many of you have told me time and time again that you have fallen off the wagon. I SEE you falling off the wagon. I personally think it’s so much easier to stick to the plan and not have to start again (and again…and again!).
A few more helpful tips you could implement (and I have done all of these with success!):
- Updated to add this (like how could I forget this?) – reach for bacon if something has to go in your mouth!
- Journal – seriously start your story!
- Find a Facebook group for support.
- Read articles from the Keto/Low-carb world.
- Clean a junk drawer or organize your linen closet.
- Ohhh and here’s my favorite one – PURGE your closet of the clothes that are too big for you. Now that is FUN and REWARDING.
- Now that your closet is empty – go shopping for new clothes.
I hope something I have shared will spark a little reason for you to keep focused and work to overcome those temptations. Set your goals and your hard and fast rules and get to burning fat my FBFs (fat-burning friends)!
I’d love to hear about what you do to overcome temptations! And stay tuned – I will explore this topic a little more in a post about staying true to your journey in social situations.
Choose YOU and Choose JOY!
edited 5/3/2018 to add BACON!
(Disclaimer: I am not a health care professional. I am writing about my personal experiences to encourage others to research a low-carb lifestyle. You should always work closely with a health care professional to manage your health. I work with three MDs to manage my health: functional medicine, cardiology, and sleep/pulmonology. They treat my metabolic dysfunctions along with monitoring my important blood markers routinely. Keto or LCHF may not be an appropriate way of eating for your metabolic health or other health needs. Please check with your personal health care professional before making any changes in your diet.)
Because I live by myself there are no temptations there. But I have to prepare myself mentally before I go places that usually have snacks laying around in the open so I don’t just walk by and put something unhealthy in my mouth without thinking just out of habit. I’m sure this will become easier the longer I’m on this journey!
Hi Linda!
You do have a unique advantage in just having to worry about yourself! I do believe it will get easier for you as you travel this journey. Just keep talking and socializing when you’re out with people. I know you like to talk and you shouldn’t do it with food in your mouth…hahah!
Christine
I most commonly succumb to temptations when I am feeling intolerable feelings and I want to blunt them. Sometimes it’s social anxiety. Sometimes it is stress. It can be anything: anger, fear, frustration, loneliness, abandonment, shame. I eat so that I don’t feel.
I’m trying to name my feelings very specifically and just sit with them. It’s REALLY hard. It’s much easier to mindlessly throw myself into sugar. Even keto treats suck me into this escape mode. It is exhausting after decades of NOT feeling to have all these feelings. Sometimes I give in. But I am getting better at just feeling all of the bad feelings. Because when I live with the bad feelings, I have the mindfulness to work on changing what is causing the feelings. When I eat to zone out and “relax” (that is, escape from bad feelings), I don’t have any motivation to change. I stay stuck. And I don’t want to stay stuck.
So sometimes I yell at myself in the head…FEEL THIS! Yes, it hurts! And you have to feel it so you can change it!
It’s hard.
I appreciate you and all of your inspiration!
Hi Maura! I’m so sorry to hear you are struggling with all this. You’re comments are so HONEST, though!
You seem to have a good idea what’s going on. Have you been journaling? I would highly recommend it! You can write about all those feelings that you listed. Could be very good therapy! Mindfulness – that’s a great strategy. I think you are on your way – try some new tools.
Happy you stopped by! It’s nice to see familiar names.
As Always, Choose Joy!
Christine
You’ve really described beautifully how I feel all the time. I had so many bad habits to blunt my pain. I have managed to quit smoking and drinking but carbs are the final frontier. My longest addiction. The one that I keep running to because I’m too tired or scared to be alone with myself. I know intellectually that keto/low carb will free me of my metabolic syndrome but the little girl inside me doesnt know who will I be then.
HI Elaine!
That is AH-mazing that you have quit smoking and drinking! You are on your way. Keep going and you will soon see that you can quit the carb addiction, too.
Thank you so much for your comments! Choose YOU and Choose JOY! Christine
I’m curious about Atkins low carb bars etc. Is it ok to eat things like that as long as you stay below your carbs.
Hi Kaye! Thanks for the question. Personally, I don’t eat anything like that. I’m a big advocate for JERF – “just eat real food”. I just did a quick google search on Atkins Bars and found this: Sugar alcohols. Atkins bars are sweetened with maltitol, a sugar alcohol that has minor effects on blood sugar and can cause digestive issues (6). Artificial sweeteners. Although controversial, there is some evidence that artificial sweetener use can contribute to weight gain and other problems (7).Oct 3, 2013
If I need quick meals, I always have bacon, hard boiled eggs, and cheese in the fridge. Those are my go-to “grab and go meals”.
Hope that helps!
Christine
Hi Christine,I started The Keto way of eating on December26th .So far Ihave lost 8 kg but now seem to be in a plateau.I have eggs most days in some form and then don’t eat until the evening and I often include bacon with the eggs.When I eat desserts I usually have berries and cream.I don’t cook potatoes anymore and we have no bread or biscuits in the house.I do have a glass of wine about 3 times a week.What more can I do to get back into ketosis.?Do you have any suggestions .Should I be calculating the amount of carbs I am eating .I have heard the word macho but have no idea what that means.Hoping to hear from you.
Hi there, Barbara! Sounds like you are off to a great start on your own joyful Keto life! Plateaus will happen, just take a deep breath! Here’s a few suggestions, based on what you told me.
First – can you stop the red wine for a bit? I have been abstaining from wine for a month now. It has really helped me re-evaluate my mental state that was telling me that I “deserved” that treat! I will enjoy some red wine again soon. I do think that I have a better handle on the battle I was having in my head with that.
Second – it sounds like you are not eating enough, perhaps? I’ve suggested to a few friends that they need to up their fat and it has helped them bust through a plateau. You have to “eat fat to lose fat”.
Skip the berries and cream, too – until you are moving again in the direction you want. I had berries with cream cheese and sour cream only once a month during the weight loss portion of my journey. I still only have them once a month because I am fructose intolerant.
And lastly, I do love numbers and charts and graphs, so yes – you might want to start tracking your macros. You will want to track your fat, protein, and carbohydrate intake. You can do this with a smart phone application. I personally use “LoseIt” because I’ve used it for years (way before Keto). The Keto world seems to like Cronometer and Carb Manager. There probably is a small cost with all these apps to get full functionality out of them. Your daily pie chart ratio for Keto should be: 70-75% fat, 20-25% protein, and no more than 5% carbs.
I hope all of that advice helps. Keep me posted!
Christine
Hi Christine!
I just discovered you this morning and am very excited to learn from you! I’m also an Irish girl (wasn’t born on St. Patrick’s Day, but I did birth my daughter on that perfect holiday!), I have 100 lbs to lose, and we even have the same haircut. I like to think I’m your “before” picture living happily in the Chicago suburbs. 🙂
I have a job that makes IF really easy, and have been experimenting with different versions of it. Did you find a particular schedule of IF to be more efficient in terms of fat-burning than others? I have a pretty easy time just eating one evening meal each day, but wondering how that might impact my weight loss as long as I stay Keto on that meal. Any thoughts?
Have a beautiful and amazing trip in Ireland! My family is from County Cork, I hope to go there someday!
Warmly,
Joan
Hello Joan!
What a pleasure to hear from you. Sounds like we have a lot in common! That’s too funny that you gave birth on “that perfect holiday!”. I totally agree!
I love my pixie – I call it #PixiePower. I got the pixie when my hair was thinning a bit from all the hormonal changes. Good news, my hair is growing back in just as thick as ever. My body has finally recognized all the hormone changes are here for the long haul.
I find it easy to IF at work, too. I’m stuck in an office – away from a kitchen, etc. That makes it very easy. My best advice about IF is to keep switching it up. Don’t let your body fall into a routine – I found I could continue fat burning by doing this. I never really had stalls because of this. My favorite fasting routine was three 42 hour fast, three times weekly. Typically I didn’t eat on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The thing I absolutely LOVE about fasting though is the flexibility. If I had a busy social week, I could easily adapt. As long as you stay Keto, you will be fat-adapted and able to switch up your IF often. I hope that helps. I will be posting after my trip about Intermittent Fasting routine.
My family is from County Clare. I have the exact location of the family farm that my great-great grandfather left when he emigrated to the USA. I am beyond excited to track that down. I definitely encourage you to reward yourself with a trip to Ireland!
As always, Choose Joy!
Christine