I try to write about what is on my mind every day. Sometimes a problem a friend is having or something I read will prompt a post or series. Other days I write about what I am researching or concerned about. Today I have two completely different subjects on my mind, but there is a common thread. Diligence is a requirement for success.

Diligence: Do the work and keep doing it until you reach your goal.

Wouldn’t you know it? Blogging and a “keto” low carb healthier lifestyle have work in common.

Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, and your health is not overseen by me or anyone else on the internet. It is your responsibility to be in a doctors care and all ideas here are based on low carb eating. These are ideas and suggestions that have worked for me.

My goal is  to make getting started a little easier. Here are the Basics for Keto beginners that worked for me:

First, you can get started by limiting your diet to green vegetables and moderate cuts of meat.

No Sugar including sugar found in sauces, juice, or added.

 Snack on 4-5 almonds or walnuts, a few olives. Snack on small amounts of hard cheeses, or organic deli meats from Boarshead or other organic deli. 

Drink sugarless drinks.

Have some bacon and eggs without biscuits or grits. 

Drink plenty of water. More than normal. Add lemon slices.

Eat dark leafy greens.

If you have never understood keto, you are reducing carbs, adding healthy fats, eliminating fake food or processed, and eliminating sugar.

For instance, have some baked chicken breasts and broccoli tonight. Use real butter. Drink water or unsweet tea. Or steak and salad with low carb salad dressing. 

If you need a snack, have a roll up made with ham and real cheese, sunflower seeds, a small amount of almond milk, or some Greek yogurt with a few raspberries.

Slice an avocado and add grated parmesan cheese, tsp lime juice, and garlic for a guacamole dip. Top with a small amount of diced tomatoes.

Limit fruit to dark berries or lemons and limes, and have only a few a day. 

Your goal is lowering your carbohydrate count. Outside of real fruits and vegetables, most items have carb counts on the label. You can find tons of low carb pins and keto recipes on Pinterest.

Here is a link to my Keto board on Pinterest.  Follow me there.

Next make sure to remove all white starches like potatoes and white rice from your diet as well. 

Remove all bread, pizza, biscuits, and wheat flour. (Almond flour and other low carb flours are available for keto biscuits etc.)

I’ve included more great substitutions below.

Eliminate sugar even in sauces, condiments, and drinks. Swerve made with stevia is a great sugar replacement for baking if you use less overall. I get it in white and brown. I also buy confectioner’s Swerve for making a low carb cake icing. In general though, we eliminate these sugary tasting foods altogether. Helps reset your palate. 

Swerve Sweetener, Granular, 12 Ounce

Add the following things to your diet:

ADD healthy fats like eggs, avocados, plain full fat Greek yogurt, nuts, and heavy cream.

Eat those dark leafy green salads with low carb dressing.

Cucumbers, deviled eggs, asparagus, and broccoli are great sides. Zucchini, cauliflower, radishes, and bell peppers are low carb as well.

Top things with 3 or 4 raspberries, lots of avocado, boiled egg slices or dill relish. Sprinkle some cinnamon or cocoa in your coffee or on yogurt.

Black beans in small quantities are the best bean choice for low carb diets.

We make chili with a can of black beans, no tomato sauce, canned or fresh diced tomato, half a green pepper, browned organic ground beef, a little onion, a can of Rotel. Add water if needed, some salt and pepper, garlic, chili powder and let it cook all afternoon in your crockpot or simmer for at least 20 minutes on the stove.  

Once again, water is vital. You need to drink more than you normally do.

Diced up cauliflower is a great sub for rice. Sliced or spaghetti sliced zucchini is a good substitute for pasta.

However difficult it is to get started, I am eating low carb and saw some results this morning in terms of scale numbers dropping!

I guess I eat a modified keto. For my carb count, I aim at 30 carbs or less a day most of the time. Many enthusiasts say 20 or less to begin, while leaving out the dairy for the first couple of weeks. I can report that it works. I have done this diet before with some great results and increased energy, so I am encouraged. Every time I get off track, my energy level drops.  

My husband can eat 40 or less carbs per day and still lose weight, but you would be surprised how easy it is to eat too many. Yesterday I had to push through and get past the withdrawal cravings, but I feel less hungry today. Four days in and I am back in the swing of it. Energy is way up!

Four days of low carb eating, plenty of water from my Zero water pitcher, more green, and organic as much as available put me right as rain. I feel so much better! 

Invest in a water filtering water pitcher. Clean chemical free water. 

My simple Low Carb Menu as example:

Breakfast, lunch,  and snacks

A glass of water, a mini Kind bar, and a cup of Keto coffee altogether contain 5 net carbs. A net carb is total carbs minus fiber count.

*My Keto coffee: Add  1tbsp each of MCT oil(has no taste), organic unsalted butter or vanilla Ghee, and heavy cream to your coffee. Great for the brain and starts your day with almost zero carbs and amazing energy. The MCT oil below is the one I use. After a year of drinking coffee with MCT in it, I have solved a constipation problem, have increased my energy, and think more clearly.

Premium MCT Oil derived only from Non-GMO Coconuts – 32oz 

Eggs, avocado, olives, and a tablespoon of cream cheese are a great brunch, maybe toss some spinach and cheese in my eggs when I scramble them. I drink decaf coffee, water, or unsweet iced tea.

I love to snack on a few walnuts, several raspberries, and plain Greek yogurt in the afternoon topped with cinnamon and a cup of hot tea with lemon to drink.

Later I might have a couple of almonds and some smoked cheddar or olives. I can dip celery in natural or low sugar peanut butter. Slice a boiled egg, avocado, or a pickle. Eat those deli rollups of cheese and turkey or ham. I buy Smucker’s Natural peanut butter. Hard to go back after getting used to it!

Always, plenty of water.

Dinner or your largest meal

For dinner we choose an organic meat and a green side like lemon pepper chicken, roast or steak and steamed broccoli or green beans with butter and garlic. Drink unsweet tea or tea sweetened with stevia and life is delicious.

Yep, I can do this. Even the No Sugar part.

Since milk has sugar like just about everything in most fridges, it is replaced by unsweetened almond milk, tbsp. heavy cream, and water. Stevia is a good natural substitute if you need some sweetener. I buy stevia and use it along with heavy cream to make whipped cream. Also, I put it in mixed drinks or where I need a little sugar. 

Stevia In The Raw 50 Count BoxI make a mean cup of hot cocoa with almond milk, cocoa, Stevia, and a tbsp. of heavy cream.

Alcohol:

The easiest part of Keto for me is the no sugar, but I find it difficult to limit wine to 6 ounces. I will have to eliminate wine at the end of the week to remove all the sugars. 

Zero carb alcohols like clear rum or Jack Daniels are ok in moderation, but for your initial weight loss of 2-3 weeks, eliminate alcohol altogether. There are tons of pins on alcohol. Alcohol slows metabolism, so it is not optimum for weight loss regardless of carbs.

My husband misses  the condiments and sauces that contain sugar like ketchup and cocktail sauce, but mustard, mayo, dill relish, and horseradish help fill the gaps.

I also drink sparkling waters occasionally like La Croix, use Bai water in small quantities as a mixer, and my families’ soda substitute for that occasional treat is Zevia.

Zevia Zero Calorie Soda 

We use black beans for their fiber, lower carb content, and protein if we want to make chili and ditch the tomato sauce.

For lasagna, use zucchini or just ditch the pasta and make it without.

A roast in the crockpot gets green beans, but we leave out the potatoes. If I add carrots, it is in small quantities. Same for onions.

Chicken salad hits the spot too. Side of deviled eggs is amazing.

My fibromyalgia flare ups can be lessened by eating the right foods.

If I follow the right diet, I feel better, look better, and my weight starts dropping. It takes diligence.

I found this mix called Perfect Keto and use it to make protein drinks since it is gluten free too.

Perfect Keto Chocolate Protein Powder 

Most endeavors require you to make an effort, show up every day. Keto takes diligence, but the pay off is energy and weight loss for me.

If I want to feel better, look better, and wear the clothes I like, I have to do the work. I will not be tempted by nothing foods that make me feel awful. I will be diligent.

Remember:  reduce the carbs, add healthy fat, eliminate  sugar, eat organic vegetables and moderate portions of organic meats.

Let’s do the work. Be diligent in our goals until we get there.

Keep at it.

You can do it!

And, so will I.

Barefoot and diligently writing,

Kim

How to Keto Simply.

For more Keto, read My favorites & #myKetoGFdiet

keto low carb for beginners

For more information , you could try this book on Keto.