One Year Of Keto

I posted this article last week on my other blog.  It only seemed right to put it here too.

Hard to believe it has been one year now since I began my Keto Journey.  The biggest surprise for me is that I've stuck to it!  It has been an amazing time for me, to be sure, and the benefits of this lifestyle are incredible.  I am so very happy I decided to take the leap.  Keto has given me my life back!

I had so many crazy things going on this time last year.  My health was tanking and I was really sick with nonstop migraines, auto immune issues, high blood pressure, intense back pain due to a kidney that wasn't functioning properly and several other problems.  I was facing another round of steroids that I absolutely did not want to take due to the fact that one they didn't seem to help much and two the side effects were awful.  Needless to say my anxiety was off the charts and I felt like I was spiraling fast.  No one likes to feel hopeless, but there I was.  I was really scared too.

Never in a million years did I think something as simple as changing my eating habits could have made such an impact.  I dove in head first, figuring I had nothing to lose at that point.  I was hoping it would help.  Keto not only helped it began to turn everything around.

Within two weeks I felt amazing.  I never did get the Keto Flu, or if I did it was better than how I was feeling to begin with.  The first thing I noticed was all the swelling in my body flushed itself away.  I lost 8 pounds of water and my clothes fit.  I was able to sleep through the night and when I woke up I wasn't in as much pain and I felt rested.  As time went on pain was no longer my constant companion.  Nor was my anxiety.  I felt calmer.

My body began to change.  I was on this Keto Journey to improve my health.  My focus was not on weight loss because I knew that would happen anyway so I didn't worry about it.  I got stronger, my muscles began to function and I was able to do things like I should be.  I began to to do repairs and updates to my house.  I spent more time with my friends.  I began to have tons of energy.  I wanted to do stuff!  And I did.

My health stabilized.  The migraines have subsided.  In the past year I've only had two, instead of two or three per month.  My blood pressure has gone down, my kidney is behaving itself, my back pain went away, my muscles no longer hurt and my joints don't ache.  The nonstop tinnitus I was suffering gives me a reprieve during the daytime.  I'm hopeful it will continue to improve.  My mood is so much better and my anxiety is much more manageable to the point I often forget it is an issue.  My hormone levels are normal for the first time in years.  I feel good.

I did lose weight.  Thirty seven pounds in total.  I am now at the weight I was five years ago before all of this began to get out of control.  All of my clothes fit.  I'm at the weight I am supposed to be and I recognize myself again.  I am 54 years old and I feel like I did when I was 40.

Mentally I'm much sharper and clearer than I have been in a long time.  No more brain fog.  I feel like I'm able to make better decisions with regard to all the different areas of my life.  Last summer I changed jobs and I love what I do and my coworkers too.  I have an amazing boss and I enjoy going to work each day.   When I come home to my beautiful home I find I'm very happy to be here and I enjoy it so much more.  I'm better off financially, spiritually and emotionally.  I'm hopeful, I'm grateful and for the first time in a very, very long time I'm optimistic about my future.  I'm back in control.

There is no doubt in my mind that this Keto journey has literally saved my life.

Meal Prep #3

I meal prepped for a full week plus of eating and created six entrees with three to four servings each.  It took me one hour and fifteen minutes to complete, including clean up.  I picked up some items at the store and thawed ground beef and chicken breasts yesterday, then it was time to get busy and get to work.

Seasoned with garlic powder, dried basil, salt and pepper

I began by slicing and butterflying one of the two large boneless skinless chicken breast halves to make Asiago Chicken.  Then I started cooking by placing avocado oil in my cast iron skillet to cook four butterflied pieces.  I seasoned each side with garlic powder, dried basil, salt and pepper.  

The onion was huge and I only ended up using half of it

While the chicken cooked I prepared my vegetables by slicing up half an onion and two thirds of a bell pepper to use in another dish and chopped up the rest of the pepper, some onion and sliced up six mushrooms.

Asiago Chicken

Once the chicken was done I topped each piece with a half slice of asiago cheese and allowed it to melt before removing it to a dish to cool.  I then sliced up the remaining chicken breast half, added some olive oil to the pan and placed those slices in seasoning each side with lemon pepper seasoning.  Once done the chicken was placed in a dish to cool and it was onto the the next dish.

In the same pan I cooked up four bratwurst patties.  Once they were done I removed them to a dish to cool and continued on.  I had some chicken pieces left from slicing and butterflying so I cubed that and cooked it with a little more oil and some taco seasoning making enough to top a salad.  I put the cooked chicken into a small dish and then browned up a pound of ground beef with some more taco seasoning.  That also went into a dish to cool.

The peppers picked up all the flavors from cooking the steaks in the same pan

With the same pan I cooked carne asada, just a few minutes per side and it was finished.  I removed the steaks from the pan and added the sliced peppers and onions to sauté.  While those cooked I grated up about a cup of pepper jack cheese. 

Sunday dinner

Plenty of leftovers

With the peppers finished I rinsed out my pan, added more olive oil and sauteed the chopped onions, peppers and sliced mushrooms.  I chopped up the steaks and placed them in a dish with the sliced peppers.  That was our Sunday dinner with plenty left for at least two more meals.  I served the carne asada, onions and peppers with the pepper jack cheese, sour cream and salsa.

The final product

The last of the onions, peppers and sliced mushrooms were placed in a small dish to cool to use with eggs for omelets and/or egg scrambles.  To go with these entrees I have plenty of fresh salad fixings and a bunch of asparagus to steam, roast or saute.  Plenty of variety to keep things interesting as well as nutritious and really satisfying.

I had a couple leftover hard boiled eggs from last week to add to the mix
as well as some no sugar yogurts made with stevia

As usual this was more than enough food to feed me for 7 days, both my lunches and suppers.  My children are joining me more and more in my keto journey and I find they tend to eat along with me and their carb loaded meals are becoming less and less frequent so nothing will go to waste.  They not only like the food, but also the energy boost they get from eating this way.  Like me they feel better and are much more satisfied after a meal.

Valentine's Day Keto Meal - Lasagna Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

Need an idea for a special Valentine's Day dinner sure to impress your sweetheart?  Look no further, how about some Lasagna Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms.  

Click on the link and head on over to my other blog for the recipe.  I don't have the macros on these, but you can easily plug the ingredients into My Fitness Pal or any other keto app and have that information.  

And if you need some dessert that is sure you make you think you are cheating try this one.  Enjoy!