In my last article, I discussed how *unhealthy* I ate back at school and how bad I felt, both mentally and physically. Which is why I started the keto diet after a few days of research! I was 6 days in when I wrote my previous article and now I am on day 45. I said I have never felt better about myself in my life, and that still holds true now.
Over the past few weeks on keto I have found myself cooking more and being more creative with the foods I can eat. I will admit I have had a few cheat meals (about 3, which isn’t bad), but after a while you stop craving carbohydrates: pasta, bread, pizza, mac n cheese etc. So instead of “giving up” how good I feel, I worked around my cravings.
First, pasta. All you need is 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, melt it, and add one egg yolk. Mix it and spread it out evenly on a pan. Then take a knife and cut spaghetti strips and put it in the refrigerator. After an hour, add to boiling water and you will have pasta without the carbs.
My second favorite meal to make has been cauliflower bacon mac and cheese. First, boil some water, add a whole head of cauliflower with some salt. Boil for 4 minutes. In a separate pan, add 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1/3 cup of heavy cream, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika. Let it melt together and then add your cauliflower. Then add two cups of cheddar cheese and some cut up bacon. Taste just like mac and cheese but a touch healthier and keto-friendly!
Lastly, sometimes I just want a sandwich. Not with lettuce, but with some bread. So, I made keto-friendly bread! In a small round bowl, add 3 tablespoons of almond flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon rosemary, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, some salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1 egg. Mix it and put it in the microwave for 90 seconds. And you will have bread with no carbs.
Another important note, without eating carbohydrates (mostly) and most sugars, you do lose out on some nutrients, so I have also changed what vitamins I take as well. It is extremely important to drink water, a lot of water, every day. So, another idea is to keep a journal of how much you are drinking (and eating) to make sure you are getting enough, which is what I have found helpful.
As of right now, I am going to keep the “diet” going, but slowly turn it into a lifestyle. I don’t think this is something anyone should be eating long term, yet it is a healthy way to kickstart a healthier lifestyle and relationship in general with food. I have learned healthier options to foods and snacks I have always loved, and I will slowly begin to eat more carbohydrates and sugars, but still limit myself with them. I really don’t find myself craving them as I used to, and I will be careful on my intake, as I don’t ever want to go back to feeling how I did before I started this journey.
Overall, I highly recommend trying this out to see if it can help you in any way like it has for me, both with my physical and mental health.