The KETO Life

Hey guys! I have not posted in years but I have had so many questions on going Keto that I decided to do a post to try and sum everything up and answer a lot of questions in one place.


First off, I want to say that I believe Keto is life changing. It is a whole new way of eating and having a relationship with food and I obviously can not stop talking about it. I get a ton of questions on how to start and what I use. It's not one size fits all, you need to find things you like but I have a couple tried and true lesson and link that I want to share with you.


I started Keto 01/01/2018, I weighed my highest weight ever and to be honest, I had not idea how bad I actually felt! I thought I was fine! My weight had begun to take a toll on my health and I am still working on correcting those health issues with this lifestyle. As of this morning I am down 22 lbs and not looking back! This is the biggest change I have seen in my own body physically in a LONG time.

So what do I do? I aim to be below 20-30 grams of carbs a day. I track most of what I eat and I look at nutrition labels all the time! Not all carbs are created equal so I try and get my carbs from the healthiest sources I can (for the most part).

Two carb tracker apps that I really like are the KETO app and the Carb Manager App. I also use the My Body App to track my bodies measurements.

TAKE PICTURES and MEASUREMENTS! Guys that scale will move a TON at the beginning but some of your biggest success stories are going to be seeing those inches melt off and the physical changes you can see if your body when you take pictures.

 

Measure chest, arms, thighs, waist, hips, heck even calves!

 

Take pics of you from the side, front and back! Put those arms out, your gonna see changes there too!

This is my Pinterest board for recipes, not all are keto but all of the recent ones are! Pretty much amazing. You do not want to fear fat! You want fat to be your fuel so that your body begins to burn its own fat.

https://www.pinterest.ca/canelastancer/food/

 

BOOKS:

Here is the book I first started with and a few more that I really like:



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1628601167/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Easy-Ketogenic-Cooking-Recipes/dp/1628601000/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1521210697&sr=8-5&keywords=maria+emmerich


https://www.amazon.com/Keto-Restaurant-Favorites-Classic-Recipes/dp/1628602589/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1521210697&sr=8-7&keywords=maria+emmerich

 https://www.amazon.com/Keto-Comfort-Foods-Favorite-Low-Carb/dp/1628602570/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1521210697&sr=8-6&keywords=maria+emmerich




BLOGS:


Here are two blogs that I love and also offer a ton of recipes. If you sign up on the keto in pearls site with your email she sends you a 1 week meal plan totally free and I have actually used it the last 2 weeks.

 http://mariamindbodyhealth.com/


https://www.ketoinpearls.com/

 

COFFEE:


Bullet Proof Coffee – you NEED to learn to love this! If you’re a sugary coffee drinker you can still make yourself some treats.


Bullet Proof Coffee (with my spin on it):


Coffee (Organic if you can but mostly just one that has a flavor you enjoy even black
1 tbsp. Brain Octane
1 tbsp. Ghee
Dash of cinnamon or apple pie spice


If its a weekend or I am craving a treat I will add a little heavy cream and sugar free Torani syrup.


You want to blend all of this in a blender so it becomes creamy beautiful goodness! PRO TIP: If you don't want to scald yourself, remember heat=pressue. Put an oven mit on and HOLD THAT LID DOWN!

 

 

2 Starbucks orders that are AMAZING!

 Coffee with HC (heavy cream), sugar free vanilla and 2 Stevia.

Venti passion tea, NO classic syrup (say this!), sugar free vanilla and HC (heavy cream). OMG!

Websites/Stuff to Get:

Some of my favorite sites that allow me to eat keto but have some treats, also things you want to have on hand:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EH18RUW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EH18RUW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GWJI0PE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XMQWXK2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017WG0XG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DPW5H84/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DPW5H84/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1




 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KIK4J0I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LQYFLY8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1623158087/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P8E0QQG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VXQGY28/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1



https://shop.torani.com/Sugar-Free-Syrups/c/Torani@SugarFreeSyrups

 

FAVORITE:  http://www.greatlowcarb.com/

You will also want to have a hand spiralizer for goodies like this meal I made below:

https://intl.target.com/p/oxo-hand-held-spiralizer/-/A-50104528?disable_sapphire=true&

 

AND Miracle Noodles because they are a MUST!




You can get these at pretty much any grocery store now:


https://miraclenoodle.com/

 

Fast Food:

https://www.ruled.me/keto-and-fast-food-on-the-go/

TIPS:

Drink a lot of water, this should be a no brainer but just do it, it's good for you.

If you aren't feeling so hot initially (look up Keto flu) sometimes you just need a little salt.

Above All:

Keep in mind this is your path, don't let others input derail you! Get excited it will keep you going, also excitement is contagious! You can DO THIS, even if no one around you is. You WILL see change and you might even make a decision to keep this going for the rest of yo' life!


You can follow my story in Instagram here:


https://www.instagram.com/restorationboundessentials/

 

I go wherever you will go....

A new season in our lives has started. Big changes are just two weeks away. I will go back to work and leave my little ones in the capable hands of my husband. Even though I am leaving them with their dad it makes my heart sad to know that I will not have every day at home with them the way I have on maternity leave.



There where some growing pains getting used to being home with three kids, two under two, and now that I love it I have to return to work. But what a blessing to be returning to a job that will provide for my family. That will allow my kids to be home with my husband and not in daycare. That will allow my husband to leave a job that does not fulfill him to pursue his passion for education. That I actually enjoy.



From a personal perspective I am learning and growing myself, learning to take the days one at a time. God is really teaching me to have faith these days, apparently this is a lesson He REALLY wants me to learn.



I am allowing myself to feel and be, accept parts of me that I have often held back on or dampened in the past for one reason or another. I am not yet sure how that will work out but I am enjoying the journey.

 

 

A Season Of Thanks

I am so thankful for the family and friends that are a part of our lives. For the ways that God continues to bless my family. I am thankful for the job I have and the opportunities I have been given. I am thankful for my beautiful children. I am thankful for the baby that we will meet in just a few short months. I am thankful for a pregnancy and a healthy one at that. I am thankful that I got to marry the man of my dreams and spend every day of my life with him.

 

 

Babies Babies Babies

Currently: 13 weeks and counting
Wishing: That I knew the sex already! (and not-so-secretly that it is a little girl)
Missing: Sleep and not being nauseous
Wanting: To go for a long walk in this beautiful weather
Thanking: God, for all of his wonderful blessings and growing our little family

Sheep.
One definition in the dictionary defines sheep as, "a meek or timid person, esp one without initiative." It is difficult for me to swallow this definition as I find it filled with negative connotations. Especially when I myself am praying for a change in character. I long to be a sheep. I find in myself, as always a constant struggle for power.


I like to control my life yet need to learn to let go. I feel that if I can let loose a little I may be able to enjoy the little moments more. I also believe that things are brought into our lives and revealed to us when we let what will be, be. Here's to the sheep in all of us. The Lord's sheep and learning to live a "meek" or at the very least, "meek-er" life.

Contentment

So very elusive. I am finding contentment to be very elusive. Apparently. I was unaware of this problem until my husband pointed it out the other day. That I am always pushing, pushing, pushing for more. I think of this as a handy personality trait to get to the places you want in life but apparently I am taking it a bit to far. I know that the pushing and not just being is beginning to wear on him. I know that he has a very easy time being content in any situation. I think it is good that we are at such different ends of the spectrum because it creates a balance.


So in an effort to improve my contentment and calm my soul I decided today that I would make an attempt to be content. Not with everything because how then, would be ever succeed, be more or have more. But in the items that are specifically bothering my husband and a few that I have noted for myself as well. I decided I was going to pray for contentment. Well who knows that when you pray for it you have to be faced with it? Anyone ever pray for patience and see what happens? So as soon as my decision is made I get a call from my husband. He has been pushing for almost a year for an earlier schedule, one where he can spend more time with his family.


We where in the home stretch, his company had promised a schedule change at the end of May and he had been training someone to take over his position for the last three months. But NO! Low and behold they have decided that they do not think this new person is the right fit for the job, they are going to hire yet ANOTHER person and Eric gets the pleasure of training this person for another three months. So now we are stuck saying goodbye to our summer evening plans. Ugh. God when you test me you test me. So being human my first instinct is quit, stick it to them. Wait we need money.... and to eat. Don't quit, look for another job, now, right now! But instead I think I am going to be still in this moment and pray that God's will be done in our lives. I know that he has a plan. He always does. Always comes through and always, always, ALWAYS provides.


My family has been blessed beyond belief, we have incredible BEAUTIFUL and HEALTHY children. I have a husband that puts me before ANYTHING or ANYONE and loves God with all his heart. A man that I would never have to question. We have been provided for abundantly and in all this I am content and await the answer to what the next chapter has for us.

Fierce

I wanted to take a minute to explain the intensity of my love for my family. The FIERCE nature of my love. I would do anything for my kids, anything. If they where ever in harms way I would give my life to make sure that they are not hurt.


I love my husband with all my heart. I am amazed with him daily and continue to fall more and more in love with him with each day that passes. Sometime I am amazed that these people are mine, that I would deserve to be so incredibly blessed, and most of the time I do feel undeserving. What can I say but thank you?


Thank you God for blessing me with such incredible love for my family and although at time it feels like it might, a heart that does not burst from the intensity of it all. Thank you for seeing me as deserving of such greatness and seeing in me things that I may have a hard time seeing myself.