The idea of only eating grass-fed, free range, organic meats and organic poultry, quality "good" fats and cheeses, organic low carbohydrate vegetables, berries, nuts and seeds already makes one look at the Ketogenic diet as extremely restrictive and expensive. This also presents the idea that this is the only way to be effective and successful on this diet or lifestyle.
If you are going the straight and narrow route, yes, you are absolutely correct! The protein alone will make you take out a second mortgage. Unfortunately, this is how the system is set up anyway.
I find that my upbringing really does come in handy when it comes to pretty much every area of my life. The way that I saw and experienced my family's ways and teachings, especially shopping for food, is one of the things that I now truly appreciate.
I remember when my mother would go to every single supermarket with her pouch of coupons grabbing all the deals. She was having fun all by herself celebrating how much money she saved versus how much she got for what she paid for. Boy did my eyes roll. My brother and I were so annoyed being in that van begging the universe to save us from her apparent high-strung, out-of-body-experiencing insanity! "Yes mommy, that's amazing how you got a 100 pound bag of rice for $4.50 because you had 30 coupons and your pretty smile." Honestly, she was a coupon clipping olympian way before they had a show about it!! Our house was a great place to go shopping. You need it, we had it!
Confession: I'm a little bit, just a little bit, like my mother.
Now I am enjoying the benefits of supermom's shopping game.
Who doesn't like a good deal? The trick is not so much the deal itself, it is where to find them and how to get the best quality products for the best price.
Disclaimer: I am not a professional by any means, but I know how to "hunt" for my foods.
This is how I do it!
I go to any store that has what I need and want! I am just realizing that there are people out there who will only shop at that one supermarket or store. That is incredible to me. I find that to be very limiting. I am not saying this judgmentally, but....
I don't care where it is, well maybe a little, but that's how I find the good stuff.
My Favorite Hot Spots
Online Stores
Farmer's Markets
Little Mom and Pop Ethnic Stores
Ross
The Truck That Things Fall Out Of.......(kidding)
This is my strategy.
I love that I can get flyers online for most of these stores and I can see what deals are available and shop accordingly. Truthfully, it's my time to just drive about, go in, get out and go on to the next. It's my little adventure. The other trick/tip is to plan your meals which helps this process to be more economical and time saving with less waste. I found that when I did not have a plan for what meals I wanted to prepare, I would just go to the stores and shop based on the deals, what I wanted in the moment, and what I thought I needed. This allowed me to waste a lot of food as either my plans changed or I didn't want the thing I bought right away. I found myself tossing a lot of veggies out and other perishables.
What has worked for me is to, again, figure out my meals for the week. I make a list for breakfast, lunch, dinner and my treats. I then shop according to that list and produce little to no waste at all.
Keto Items
A good way to begin this habit is to make a list of all the food items you love and enjoy eating. Please keep in mind that eating ketogenically does not mean that you will have to give up everything. Start with all the proteins that you love. Then a list of all the low carb non-starchy veggies you love, all the nuts and seeds, all the cheeses and milks and creams, etc. Don't forget to read your labels. Once you have completed this, all you have to do now, is to figure out what you would like to eat during the week. For me, this is easy as I have little cravings for certain foods and I try to make them and replicate my favorites as much as I can.
This is my mindset as this is a lifestyle. It is also very helpful to throw away the old food pyramid that we have been using all our lives. Think about all that they tell us regarding fat, sugars, processed food and process the information for yourself. That pyramid cannot be correct. Thank goodness, I am not here to convince or convert, but seriously though, how can it be right? I am all about the Keto life and if loving it is wrong then I guess you know how to finish that.....
My Favorite Keto Finds
I have survived this keto lifestyle with the help of products that are not necessarily found in your typical grocery store. I have had to use the magic of the interwebs to get some of my products.
I am an affiliate of one of these companies which means that I may get a commission from them should someone use my link campaign to purchase their products. This is just my list of favorite quality Keto life saver companies and products.
Choc Zero Sugar Free Syrups
HVMN MCT Flavored Powders
Sola (Breads, Hot Dog Buns and Hamburger Buns)
Great Low Carb Bread Company (Pastas, Orzo, Pizza Doughs and Bread Crumbs)
Sun Warrior Pea Protein Powders
*Pleasant Pastures (Quality Pasture Raised Organic Proteins and Dairy)*
There are many other products out there that people within the keto community use, but I try to stay away from most of these products. There are products for just about everything that you would need outside of the keto food groups which actually helps most of us to maintain the lifestyle as close to that of our non-keto lifestyle.
There is a variety of "keto" ice-creams, breads, wraps, low carb tortillas, chocolates, desserts, rice, pastas etc. I cannot criticize this in any way as this works for me and I guarantee you that I would probably not have maintained this lifestyle as long if it were not for these products. Regardless of all the products available, believe it or not, if I can't afford to get something, I make it myself. You'd be surprised how easy many of these things are to make. Examples: Sugar-free tomato sauce, mayo that has no vegetable oil and canola oil, sugar-free salad dressings, sugar-free ketchup, etc.
In my mind, there is always a substitute. Honestly, I don't believe that 100% because, somethings just cannot be replicated or suitabley substituted. The good news is that we are not locked in forever and that is why I take breaks when I need them come what may. This is the reality. Yes, our taste buds change and our tolerance levels change, but all in all you can take the time to eat that _________________________!.......and enjoy it.
The Truth According To My Experiences
Keto is Not as expensive as you would think. Like any other diet out there, your food quality and cost is up to you. You may buy the same proteins, fats, berries, seeds, nuts and non-starchy vegetables that you've always bought and you grocery bill will not be much different, and your results will be the same in terms of weight loss. This is usually referred to as "dirty keto." If you choose to purchase a higher grade of food, the results will be the same at a higher level as you may have better quality outcomes regarding inflammation and toxicity in the body. We really are what we eat.
I am not a medical professional, but I am a person who is a currently experiencing the keto lifestyle and I know how my body feels when I eat completely clean versus when I eat "dirty keto or lazy keto." Either way works for me and I need that flexibility. I need to know that my options are not all or nothing.
Knowledge and Flexibility
Learn about you and your body. Listen to your body and practice recognizing how your body behaves when you consume your dietary requirements. Like I have suggested in my blog post "I Think I Need To Take A Break from Keto," figure out what foods make your body feel its best and what foods trigger negative body reactions. Use the information and that knowledge to allow your food choices to work in your favor. This, in my opinion, helps to minimize a lot of stress and overthinking when it comes to maintaining and sustaining your dietary lifestyle.
Live your life and eat as you may. However you may choose to do this, do it lovingly and knowledgeably. Read your labels, shop in a smart way, purchase what you can afford and focus on your well-being. It's always easy to compare ourselves to others but always do the best for you. I leave you with this one thing I constantly remind myself to do, just be gentle to yourself! You are doing Wonderfully!
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