Delicious BBQ Pulled Pork!

We had delicious pulled pork tonight for dinner. My daughter and I are big BBQ pulled pork fans so I wanted to find a way to still enjoy it! Here is my recipe.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork ~ 

Ingredients ~ 

1 3-4 Pound Pork Butt Roast

1 18oz Jar Of G Hughes Smokehouse BBQ Sauce, Original

Simple Instructions ~ 

Place roast in a 6 quart crock pot. 

Poor half the bottle of the BBQ sauce over the pork roast. 

Set the slow cooker to low and let cook for at least 8 hours. 

When done, take two forks to shred apart the pork. Then stir around in juices once shredded. 

Plate pork and top with extra BBQ sauce, if desired. 

Add Cole Slaw for even more flavor. For my Cole Slaw Recipe click here: Keto Cole Slaw

I try to keep the artificial sweeteners to a minimum, but there are certain meals I really love once and awhile. I find that is the prefect time to use them. I am currently using Splenda but will continue to look into what is the best option to sweeten certain dishes. 

Keto Cole Slaw

We love pulled pork in our house, but I have to have Cole Slaw with mine. Here is the Cole Slaw recipe I came up with that the whole family enjoyed!

Keto Cole Slaw ~ 

Ingredients ~

4 Cups Of Shredded Cole Slaw Mix (12oz Bag)

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tbsp.  Splenda

Salt & Pepper To Taste

Instructions ~

In a small bowl combine the mayo, apple cider vinegar, Splenda, salt & pepper. Mix well. 

In a larger bowl place cole slaw mix. Add in ingredients from small bowl and mix welll. 

If possible refrigerate at least an hour or overnight.

How To Set Smart Weight Loss Goals

How To Set SMART Weight Loss Goals ~

SMART

S = Specific

Be specific and clear about what your goal is and what you want to obtain. I want to lose weight. 

M = Measurable 

Set a goal that you can measure. I want to lose 14 pounds!

A = Achievable

Make your goal achievable by keeping it reasonable. I want to lose 1 pound a week. 

R = Realistic

Your goal should be realistic and something you can achieve. By making your goal to high, you can be setting yourself up for failure in reaching your goal. I feel I can lose 1 pound a week without a problem. 

T = Timely

Be sure to set a date when you want to achieve this goal. My goal will be to lose 14 pounds in 14 weeks. 

Picking a reasonable goal when trying to lose weight is a good plan. Picking a goal that you feel, no matter what, you can achieve, will most likely make you feel like you can do this and you will want to continue. Constant failure will just cause you to lose motivation and eventually give up. 

There are 14 weeks left in the year, so my goal is to lose 14 pounds by the end of those 14 weeks. That would bring me to 211 pounds! I feel this can still be attainable even with the holidays coming up! What if I lose more? Great, it just helps me reach my goal faster. I do know by keeping my goal small, it CAN BE done, rather then trying to go for the gusto and have a goal of 2 pounds a week  only to find it difficult and to fail. 

Reasonable goals are much easier to obtain and takes the pressure off to be perfect 100% of the time. Humans are not perfect and we know we will have pitfalls. The more reasonable your goal, the more likely you are to achieve it. Everyone knows there own abilities, so base it on what you are 100% comfortable with.  

Haven't Been 225 Pounds Since December 2016!

 I haven't been 225 pounds since December 2016! Pretty much 5 years ago! This is exciting for me! The lowest weight I ever achieved as an adult was 182 pounds and that was in 2015! I didn't stay there long as I had a lot of stuff going with my family about a year later and then for the next 5 years, so I lost focus.  

The only other time I was 180 pounds is when I was a junior in high school! My goal is to get back to 180 and then keep going until I am around 150-160 pounds! With the Keto Diet I am feeling like this is finally possible and most of all, it is possible to keep it off! 

My first goal since November of last year was to get to 219. I am edging closer and closer to that goal and hope to hit it soon! 

4 Weeks On Keto!

I have been doing the Keto Diet for 4 weeks now! I weighed in this morning and I am down another 2 pounds this week. That gives me a total of 11.2 pounds lost since I started the Keto Diet. I was feeling a lot better this week. Less tired and seemed to have more energy. I feel the best I have since starting the Keto plan so I do believe this is a good sign that my body could finally be adjusting to my new way of eating. 

I'm excited to be down another 2 pounds this week. I am only 3.4 pounds away from hitting the 50 pounds lost mark since I began my current weight loss journey on November 9th of last year! If I can get that lost between now and November 9th, I will have lost 50 pounds in a year! If that is not incentive, I don't know what is! 

Taste Of Home Top 2020 Low Carb Recipes

 Taste Of Home is one of my favorite magazines. I can always rely on them to have delicious recipes! Here is a link to there collection of the best low carb recipes of 2020. 

Best Low Carb Recipes Of The Year - 2020

Cholesterol Clarity - Another Good Read!

 I think one of the hardest things to grasp on the Keto diet is fat is good for you. All my life I've been told by doctors and our government that fat is bad and so is cholesterol! I honestly think that is by far the hardest part of doing this diet. It's not easy to learn to be ok with eating natural fats. Especially after being brain washed all these years to thinking it is bad. We have been told time and time again that it will cause our cholesterol to go up and we will end up with heart disease!

Well guess what? Cholesterol is essential for our bodies function! We can't live without it, but we can live with out carbohydrates! Interesting, don't you think? 

Cholesterol Clarity is another book by Jimmy Moore from the Living LA Vida Low Carb Show. It is a great book that gives you the science behind why cholesterol is good and why we should be eating more fat in our diet. He has 29 different experts that he quotes in this book. 

I listened to this book on Audible, which is great because I find it hard to find time to read a book, so I listen in my car. Check it out. It's definitely worth the read/listen!

Simple & Easy Deviled Eggs

 Eggs are one of the best and most versatile foods you can have on the keto diet. I love eggs in every way, shape or form! My husband wants to have eggs for breakfast at work but microwaving them is not always the most exciting way to eat them and he isn't really into hard boiled eggs. What he does love is deviled eggs! I made him a batch tonight and put them in a couple of containers for him to take to work and have for breakfast. 

SIMPLE & EASY DEVILED EGGS

Ingredients ~ 

12 Hard Boiled Eggs

1 Heaping Tbsp. Of Yellow Mustard

2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise 

2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

Salt

Pepper

Paprika

Instructions ~ 

1) Peel all 12 eggs. Once peeled cut them in half length wise. 

2) Remove yolks and place in a small bowl.

3) Once all eggs are halved and all the yolks are in the bowl add the mustard, mayo & apple cider to the egg yolks. 

4) Using a fork, mash all ingredients together while mixing well. Add salt & pepper to taste. 

5) Using a spoon, scoop a small amount of the egg mixture back into the egg white. 

6) When done sprinkle all the eggs lightly with paprika. Refrigerate. 

EGG SALAD - You can use this same recipe to make egg salad. You simply mix all the ingredients together including the egg whites. 

Serving Size 2 Halves  

Number Of Servings Per Batch: 12

Calories: 105

Fat:         8g

Carbs:     0g

Protein:   8g

Sodium:  111mg 

Rich & Delicious Cream Of Mushroom Soup

My husband and I love mushroom soup. This soup is great for keto because it has lots of healthy mushrooms and rich with natural fat. 

RICH & DELICIOUS CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP ~

        Ingredients ~

• 3 Tbsp Butter
• 16 Ounces Button Mushrooms
• 1/4 Cup Flour (Optional)*
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream (You can substitute Half & Half)
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/3 Tsp Pepper

       

        Instructions ~ 

        1) Melt butter in a medium sauce pan until it begins to foam. This will allow the water in the butter to cook down and create a smoother soup. 

        

        2) Add the diced mushrooms and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the liquid is reduced.

        3) Add flour and cook for an additional 3 minutes.*

        * I have tried using gelatin as an alternative for flour to thicken this soup and it did not really do much. My husband and I decided not to add the flour in this soup, although not thick like a normal cream of mushroom soup, it was delicious none the less. We will continue to explore ways to thicken this soup that is keto friendly and will post any updates once we figure out what will work best. Any suggestions would be welcome! 

        4) Add the chicken broth and stir to combine. Slowly add the heavy whipping cream. Now add the seasonings. Whisk continuously until the soup comes to a gentle boil. Stir continuously while the soup boils gently for about 4 minutes. It will thicken and reduce during this time. Remove from heat. It will continue to thicken as it cools. 

        

I added some cooked ground beef to my soup to make it a little beefier, pun intended! LOL! I am sure this would be great with chicken or sausage as well!

Don't be afraid to change it up! Use your favorite type of mushrooms or multiple types of mushrooms. Add meat and other veggies. Get creative! Enjoy this quick and easy, yet delicious, soup! 

Calories For 1 Cup Serving With The Flour:

Calories:    400 

Fat:            33g

Fiber:         2.5g

Carbs:        14.5g

Sodium      981mg

Protien       7g 

 

Calories For 1 Cup Serving Without The Flour:

Calories:    368

Fat:            33g

Fiber:         2.2g

Carbs:        7.5g

Sodium      981mg

Protien       5.7g 

Batch Makes 3.5 Servings 

A Kid Friendly Way For Kids To Track Carbs

 My kids are fairly healthy. But my daughter struggles with being a little overweight. She is pretty much following the same weight path as I did at her age. Making sure they limit their carbs is something I really want to work on with them so we can keep them healthy! 

Each day my son gives me a rundown of what he had for the day and then asks me what he can have for a snack. We have to stop and evaluate what he has had so I can determine what would be a good choice. So I began to think, there has got to be an easy way to reference the carbs in his diet and for him to determine what he is allowed to have, in terms of carbs, when he is hungry for a snack.

So I came up with this little cheat sheet! I want to keep my kids around 150 carbs a day or less.  The carbs on the top of the list, aside from the muffins & bread, are natural carbs. The bottom of the list are sweet treats & snacks that we all grew up eating as kids. My intentions is not to deprive my kids of the delicious foods & treats that all kids should be able to enjoy. Instead I want to make sure that these foods are consumed in moderation for optimum health!

Anything with a 1 next to it equals around 25 grams of carbs or less. Anything with a 2 equals around 50 grams of carbs or less. This of course is per serving for each of the choices. All they have to do is check their intake of foods with carbs and do a quick calculation of how much they had in a day. Their number should not equal any more then 6. Six equals around 150 grams per day!  

The numbers will not be exact, but I'm not looking for perfection here. I am just looking for a way for all of us to monitor their intake of carbs so they eat them in moderation. Some days even with this list they will be well under the 150 gram goal, but others they could topple more toward 200 and I am ok with that. In keeping it simple, I understand that the numbers will fluctuate but at least it is within reason! 

As you can see, non starchy vegetables are not included on the list. These are very healthy carbs and we have no plans to limit how much of these our kids eat! 

Tonight I will present this to my kids and we shall see how they like this system!

The Incredible Edible Egg: Veggie Scramble

If you like eggs than the Kero Diet will suit you well! I looove eggs! Tonights dinner was a delicious veggie omelet/scramble with ham steak on the side! So delicious and very filling! 

Veggie Scramble

3 Large Eggs

1/2 A Red Pepper 

1/2 A Green Pepper 

1 Small Onion

1 Small Tomato 

2 Slices Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Salt

Pepper 

2 Tbsp Butter

Chop up the peppers, onion and tomato and place in a bowl.. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet.  Once melted toss in all the veggies. Cook vegetables down until onions are translucent and peppers are no longer crisp. 

Beat the 3 eggs in a bowl until scrambled well. Add rest of butter to pan with veggies,  let melt the add eggs. Scramble eggs and veggies until eggs are done to your liking. Keep moving eggs so they don't over cook. Once eggs are done, place slices of cheese on the scramble. Turn off heat and cover to allow cheese to melt. 

Cook ham, sausage or bacon to accompany your meal. Enjoy!

Low Carb Recipes On Delish!

 I found some great low carb recipes on Delish! Delish I always find has great recipes that can please just about everyone. Check them out!

90 Great Low Carb Recipes On Delish

Burrito Zucchini Boats

Keto Flu & How To Help Your Body Adapt To A Keto Diet

 It seemed last week my Keto Flu symptoms were getting better, although I still experiences some symptoms, but this week they are kicking me in the butt again with some new symptoms. I am feeling tired & having slight headaches still off and on but I've also experienced bouts of constipation and light headedness this past week. I also have had some issues sleeping, especially last night. Felt a bit antsy. I am definitely not feeling my normal self this past week. I'm hoping that this is a good sign that the end is near! Let's hope going into week 4 that things start to improve!

Per what I have read online, I will try to keep my water intake up but most importantly, try to get my salt intake up. I'm hoping that this is my main issue. Here are some things you can do if you experience Keto Flu. 

Helping Your Body Adapt

There are a number of ways you can get over the hurdle of the first week of carbohydrate withdrawal:

• Eat lots of fat and fiber. The fuller you feel, the less likely you are to miss your favorite carb-laden foods. Foods made with flaxseeds, for example, are high in both fiber and healthy omega-3 fats.
• Increase salt and water intake. Many of the negative side effects are caused by a loss of fluid and electrolytes like sodium (carbs hold on to water, so you'll probably urinate a lot more once you cut them out). To replenish both, drink a cup of water with a half teaspoon of salt stirred into it or a cup of bouillon broth several times a day for a few days.
• Go easy with physical activity. As you adapt to a new fuel source, strenuous workouts can further stress your body, so stick to gentle forms of exercise like walking and stretching for a few weeks.

This information came from the following article on Verywellhealth.com. 

What You Should Know About Keto Adaption

3 Weeks On Keto & Weigh In Day!

 Weighed in this morning and I am another pound down! That is 9.2 pounds in 3 weeks. I am happy with that! I figured I will do my measurements about once a month as well so I can get a clearer picture of where I am at with fat loss. But at least the weight keeps going in the right direction! 

I am very proud of myself for sticking with it. I have had my moments, like when my daughter was making banana bread the other day. That seemed to be one of the strongest craving moments I have had since I started! But why wouldn't it be. I mean come on, there is nothing like the smell of fresh baked goods!! But I stuck to my plan and haven't had a bite! 

Making The Change With The Entire Family!

 After learning what I have about proper nutrition and diet over the past several weeks I wanted to begin getting my family on board. My husband has been slowly cutting his carbs back since I started and this week is trying to stay under 50 carbs per day for the benefits of ketosis. So he is trying to make positive changes, too! 

I sat down and had a chat with the whole family on Monday and told the kids that I wanted to get as much processed food out of their diet as we can. I want all of us to eat more whole foods and make items from scratch. Amazingly enough, my kids were both open to this idea and were even glad for some of the changes! And if you are wondering, I have a 15 year old daughter named Morgan & an 11 year old son named Marcus. My kids will still be allowed carbs but healthy ones will be our goal most of the time. No more carbage for them! I read that term in a book of mine and love it! Because bad carbs are pretty much garbage for our bodies!

So I cleared out our cupboards and placed everything we are going to get rid of on the counter! The pictures below don't include my can food items as I haven't gotten to that yet. I told the kids they have until Monday to finish off what ever they want on the counter. But come Monday it is all getting donated to my employees at work and a food shelf!

I have to say, it's not a lot of stuff for a household of 4. I do try to make a big effort to limit our processed food consumption already when it comes to meals. Snacks on the other hand are an easy food item to buy for quick snacks. I think this will take the most adjusting for the kids, but they are up for it!  Either way, I am glad we are making this change and taking most of the processed foods out of our diet! 

The kids will be allowed one processed snack to have in the house that they can eat once or twice a week. My son loves Cheez It's and I wanted him to be able to still enjoy them, but in moderation. My daughter hasn't chose an item yet and that is fine with us, it isn't required of them and I would be happy to see them not choose that option! 

We are all looking forward to making adjustments and I do mean that! Even the kids expressed they liked the idea! They trust me and know that I wouldn't do this unless I thought it was better for us. I will do a follow up on how things go once most of the processed food is out of the house! 

 

Fat Head - Another Good Documentary With A Lot Of Humor!

I've been fascinated lately with all these documentaries I am finding with the same facts that seems to be kept from the general public by mainstream media!

All of them have been eye openers, but this one has been pretty funny as a comedian/writer made this documentary.

It has a lot of the same good information I found in other documentaries but with a humorous side. I would definitely recommend it.

You can currently watch it on Tubi or IMDb.

Here is the trailer on YouTube:

Recipe: Make Your Own Taco & Fajita Seasoning

Checking out my premade packaged of taco seasoning, I found the manufacturers use extra ingredients to prevent the spices from clumping together. I am trying to keep my families diet as whole as possible,  so I am going to make my own taco & fajita seasoning. It's pretty simple and easy to store! Adjust ingredients to make the seasoning as spicy or as mild as you like. The salt is optional and can be omitted. 

Taco Seasoning Mix

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Store in an airtight container or jar. Store for 6 months to a year in a cool dry place. 

Fajita Seasoning Mix

• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika or paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Store in an airtight container or jar. Store for 6 months to 1 year in a cool, dry place

Recipe: Fajitas Are What's For Dinner!

We had delicious fajitas for dinner! Fajitas are a great choice on a Keto Diet. All you need to do is eliminate the tortilla, but everything else fits the Keto diet perfectly! Below is the recipe I used tonight. Be sure to see the end of the recipe for recipe suggestions. 

Recipe (Family Size Portion)

Ingredients 

2 lbs Flank Steak 

3 Bell Peppers, Sliced

(Choose, green, yellow,  red, orange or a mix. It's up to you. )

1 Large Onion, Sliced

4 Tbsp Butter

Salt & Pepper

Condiments (Optional)

Cheddar  Cheese

Sour Cream

Diced Tomato

Sliced Avocado 

Salsa

Fresh Cilantro

Directions:

Melt butter in a large pan. Toss in cut up peppers and onions into pan add salt and pepper. Sauté until onions are translucent and peppers are no longer crisp. 

Salt & pepper the steaks. Cook the flank steaks on the grill or in a frying pan. If frying, fry in coconut oil. Fry or grill steaks until they are medium (a little pink) or to your desired doneness.  

Slice steak into strips. Top with sautéed peppers  and onions then add desired condiments. 

Serves 4

Recipe Suggestions:

Any type of steak you enjoy can be used. Just be sure it has enough fat to satisfy your Keto Diet needs.

Taco seasoning or Fajita seasoning can be used instead of just salt & pepper.  If it is a seasoning mix, be sure there is nothing added to the mix other then spices. Keep it as natural as possible.  Better yet make your own seasoning mix. Check out this post for seasoning recipes: Taco & Fajita Seasoning Recipes

Change up your meat! You can do chicken or shrimp fajitas as well. Or combine two proteins for shrimp & steak fajitas for example. This recipe is so easy to change to fit what you are in the mood for!

2 Weeks On The Keto Diet

 As of Sunday I have been on the keto diet for two weeks. In that two weeks I have lost 8.2 pounds, have less bloating and continue to stay on the diet with ease. 

I am still experiencing some keto flu symptoms. I've continue to experience slight headaches once and awhile but the cramps I had in my legs have improved as I have made an effort to up my salt & water intake. The next symptom I seem to be suffering from is constipation. I may start taking milk of magnesia, which was recommended in my book if this persists. Either way, everything I am reading says that this should only be a symptom until I am ketosis adapted. Hopefully this symptom will be short lived!

I have read that most keto flu symptoms will last from a week to a few weeks. I am hopeful that all my symptoms will be gone by a month. Fingers crossed, but if not, I will be patient because I do know the light is at the end of the tunnel! It will be interesting to see where I am at with all this at the end of week 3! 

How Can We Thicken Soup, Sauces & Gravies On A Keto Diet?

 I was thinking about my delicious mushroom soup that I love! But it has flour as a thickener. I found this great link that gives you several options for substitutes to thicken soup when doing a low carb/keto diet. 

How To Thicken Soup/Sauces/Gravies

I will share the recipe once I give this a try!

 

An Educational Video You Must Watch!

 In my continued efforts to educate myself thoroughly about the Ketogenic Diet, I am always looking for documentaries and books that will help me do just that!  I found a great documentary that is a must watch!! It's called Fat Fiction. It addresses the issues with the American diet today and how we got here. 

It also outlines the tremendous benefits of the ketogenic diet and how it is helping many people get back to having healthy lives!

Here is the trailer:

You can currently watch this video for free on YouTube, Tubi & Pluto. I would highly recommend everyone watch this video!

No More Counting My Days Of Trying To Lose Weight!

I've decided to stop posting how many days it has been since I started to get back to better health as of November 9, 2020. I plan to stick to what I am doing and make it a lifestyle change, so why keep counting. I don't plan to stop! That is how much I believe in the Keto Diet. 

I feel like what I am learning is a brand new start for myself and my family. Here's to better health!

Day 307 - My Weigh In

 I weighed in this morning with great results! I am down 3.4 pounds from last Saturday! I've lost a total of 8.2 pounds since I started my Keto diet! I am very excited about my results! I am now 1.2 pounds below my lowest weight since I started trying to get healthy last November. On June, 11, 2021. I weighed in at 229.8. Now I am 228.6! Woohoo! That small gain I had in the summer is now gone! So as far as I'm concerned, I have maintained during the summer for the first time in a very long time! 

My first goal is to hit 219 pounds. I am just under 10 pounds to that goal. I am hopeful that I can do that before my trip with my friend Missy in mid-November! But I am really hoping to hit that number by mid October! 

 

Day 306 - Checking My Glucose/Ketone Readings Several Times Today For A Baseline

I decided that I wanted to test my ketone and glucose levels throughout the day to see where I am at for a baseline.  I started with first thing in the morning and learned about the dawn effect that causes your glucose to go up and your ketones to go down. It does not mean you are out of ketosis and is rather normal. The best time to test is 1 to 3 hours after you wake but before you eat your first meal. Here are my numbers after I was up for just 15 minutes this morning. As you can see my numbers are drastically different then yesterday before dinner. If you want more info on the "dawn effect", check out this link for further details. Dawn Effect

 

I tested at work about 2 hours later and you can see my numbers were improved! The good news is my diet coke doesn't seem to effect my glucose or ketone levels. I read that sometimes caffeine can do this. 

And here is my last reading before dinner. 

I'm glad to see I'm staying in Ketosis.  Going forward I will test around 5:30 everyday before dinner. I will check after dinner only if I need to check my sensitivity to a certain meal.  But most days I plan to test only once a day. This has been really interesting! 

Tomorrow is weigh in day! Stay tuned!

A New Name For A New Lifestyle Change

 I decided to change the name of my blog from Sweet Road To Weight Loss to Sweet Road To Keto! I decided to change the name because I've recently discovered the Keto diet and have dove right in to changing my lifestyle! I figured it was time to update the name so it expresses my commitment to the Keto Diet! I also want this blog to be a good resource for anyone interested in Keto. I'll provide links to books, video & media I found helpful in starting the Keto diet as well as continuing to share important information as I find it about Keto Diets. I will also post on a regular basis with my own progress so anyone reading my blog can see how I do on Keto. I also hope to share tools I find along the way to help me on my journey as well as recipes I find enjoyable on Keto.

Interesting fact, I own the largest candy store in Vermont! It's also the reason for the "Sweet" in the title of my blog. A bit challenging to lose weight with what I do for a living, which includes making handmade chocolate as well. So you would think the Keto Diet would be even more challenging, right? For me, it hasn't been too hard at all! In fact, knowing I want to stay in ketosis is my driving force not to "cheat" and eat anything in my shop! I also find my cravings for sweets and other carbs are minimal. I am 100% committed to this new way of eating! Why? Because I feel like following the basics of a Keto Diet can be an actual lifestyle change for me rather then just another passing diet. 

So welcome to my blog the Sweet Road To Keto! 

Day 305 - It's official, I'm In Ketosis!!

I received my blood monitor today and tested when I got home from work. It turns out it was a great time to test. It was before dinner and at least 3 hours since the last time I ate. My results were 1.4 for ketones and my glucose was 65. I think I will do before dinner and 1.5 hours after to see how my meals effect my numbers tomorrow. 

My app also provides me with GKI. 

Definition: GKI, or the Glucose Ketone Index, is a simple formula that tracks the ratio of blood glucose to ketones as a single value. It's a biomarker for tracking your metabolic health as well as your level of ketosis, and it's easily tracked if you have a blood glucose and ketones testing meter. 

Here are guidelines I found for GKI numbers. 

• GKI > 9: You have not reached ketosis.
• GKI 6-9: You are at a low level of ketosis that is ideal for weight/fat loss and overall wellness.
• GKI 3-6: You are at a moderate level of ketosis that is ideal for those diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, etc.
• GKI < 3: This is a therapeutic ketosis level that is ideal for those who with chronic health conditions like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, or Parkinson’s disease.

It looks like my numbers are very good. It seems to me that I may be able to increase my carbs possibly. I will test for a week and see where I am at. I would be ok with being at a 3-6 as this seems ideal for my situation as I am obese and not just slightly overweight. But further testing before and after dinner will be necessary before I can make that decision. 

Comparing My Current Measurements To My Last Taken In 2019

I decided to check to see when the last time I measured was and it was in 2019. Here are my numbers compared to yesterday. 

                   4/15/19        5/17/19            09/08/21

Bust           52 Inches    50.5 Inches        47.70 Inches

Waist         51 Inches    49.5 Inches        49.47 Inches

Hips           58 Inches    54 Inches           54.9 Inches

Weight       247 lbs        237 lbs               232 lbs

Some of my measurements are up a little, but I'm not super concerned. I am using my digital measuring tape which is probably more accurate. But the good news is I am down in some areas. 

 

Day 304 - Testing The Accuracy Of Urine Tests

Yesterday was my urine test experiment. I found some more info on urine testing and waited 3 hours after I ate last night before I tested which was around 9:30pm. I was still in ketosis but not quite as strong as the night before. I was at 4.0 Tuesday night but then at 1.5 last night. But Tuesday night I did check just 2 hours after eating. 

This morning my results were even less! I was at .5. I can definitely see why urine testing is a much harder way to see if you are in ketosis. I feel the numbers just jump around way too much! This test has been for my own nerdy interest more then anything else. LOL! But it does prove it is a bit difficult to use. 

I have to say, I am looking forward to getting my blood meter today! I think once I do have a way of measuring my blood, I'm going to compare that to the urine test to see how the urine test fairs against the blood test. That way we can measure the accuracy of the urine test with the more accurate way of testing the blood. 

No More 8 Days On & 1 Day Off Thanks To Keto!

Today marked the first day I was going to go back to my 8 days of being on my diet then 1 day off since summer is now officially over. But I've decided I don't need to do that anymore! I am going to follow my Keto guidelines everyday! I don't feel the need to have a "day off". This plan is easy enough for me to follow everyday and has plenty of things I enjoy on it. My work days I will try to eat at home most nights and bring my breakfast and lunch to work. My days off from work, if I want to eat out, I will just be sure to follow my keto guidelines. 

This feels like it can be a real lifestyle change for me and I'm excited at what the future has instore with these changes I am making! 

Tools For Measuring Weight Loss

When we are trying to get healthy and lose weight, we all like to see results. The scale is the first tool most of us think of. I use the Renpho digital scale below. It links to my phone and I love it! 

 

Renpho Scale On Amazon

But the scale should not be your only tool for measuring results. Sometimes your progress won't show up immediately on the scale. Using body measurements is another way to see your progress.

A friend of mine told me about the Renpho measuring tape, seen below. I just used it for the first time tonight. It links to the same app as the scale, so my measurements are all in the same place!

Renpho Measuring Tape On Amazon

Here are the measurements I took tonight. 

I've included links to both the scale and the measuring tape on Amazon. The link for each is directly below their pictures. These devices are definitely great tools for tracking your weight loss progress!

Day 303 - Measuring Ketones & Finding Out If I'm In Ketosis!

 I decided that I wanted to measure my ketones to see if I am in Ketosis to get the full benefits of a ketogenic diet. I bought some urine test strips to start. Thinking that this would be the least expensive way to go about measuring ketones. These are the test strips I ordered. They cost me $5.95 for 150 strips.

I picked up the test in the mail yesterday morning and came home and did a test right away. It came out negative which was quite disappointing. But I also just drank over 32 ounces of diet coke, so my urine was quite diluted. 

After I took the test, I got into the chapter of my book about testing methods. I learned that urine strips are the least accurate. Once you become keto adaptive, meaning your body is now adjusted to burning fat for fuel, your body will have very little ketones in the urine, ultimately giving you a false negative at some point. Many people end up thinking they are out of ketosis when they actually are not. My test did come out negative, but I knew I hadn't been doing the diet long enough for me to be ketone adapted. I also learned that the evenings are a better time to test. So I tested about 2 hours after I had dinner with better results:

Clearly this test shows I am in ketosis! But even before doing this second test I decided to go online and order a blood keto testing monitor. It also measures glucose which is not a bad thing to check on now and then as well. Only downfall is, I have to prick my finger to take the test. But I'm sure I will get used to it after awhile. Here is the monitor I purchased which had the best ratings on Amazon. 

I also read that breath testers are coming a long way and is another good option. But all the breath monitors I found were 4 or below when rated by customers. So I decided to just stick to the best method and go with a blood monitor. It should arrive by Thursday.

I am going to continue to use the urine strips to determine when I become ketone adapted. Plus, this will be a cheaper way to measure my ketones in the first month since it takes about a month to be ketone adaptive. It's also a great way to use up my 150 strips! LOL!

Please note that per the Carb Confusion book, we don't have to measure ketones in the blood. I am choosing to do this because I love playing with numbers and the nerd in me wants to know if I'm in ketosis or not. But per Dr. Eric Westman, if you follow phase 1 of his diet, you should be in ketosis. As long as you are losing weight and you are happy with your results, there is really no need to check your ketone levels.  

 

Day 302 - What Do You Mean You Want Pizza For Dinner?

Today I chose to close my shop for the first time on Labor Day. My husband, son and I (my daughter wasn't feeling well) went to Lake George, NY for the afternoon. We started the day with a late breakfast/early lunch to accommodate my fasting and not being allowed to eat until 11am. Then we headed to Lake George shortly after. My son really wanted pizza or steak fajitas for dinner. We didn't find anywhere that had fajitas so we opted for pizza. I didn't flinch or feel the need to say "What do you mean you want pizza for dinner?!" Instead, I looked at my husband and said "Let's do it, I need to learn to adapt anyway." So I ordered a large sausage & mushroom pizza with extra cheese and light sauce (to keep my carbs down). 

The pizza arrived and I took all the toppings off and put the crust aside. I'm pretty sure our waiter thought this was quite odd, but I didn't care. I was going to do what was best for me! The pizza was delicious!! I really didn't miss the crust at all! Now figuring out the calories was a bit challenging but I'm not super concerned and do think I did a pretty good job with my estimates. I do know my carbs were at least still under 20 grams and that is all I really cared about! 

Looks like this girl will do well no matter what she faces on this new lifestyle change. Although, admittedly, the only cuisine I am still trying to figure out is Asian. I need to check with our local restaurants to see what my best options are, but I WILL figure it out and will share once I have some great low carb ideas that I can choose from.