How To Know If You Are In Ketosis

Hey guys! Welcome back to Simply Fat Fueled!

What is ketosis?

When you are on a keto diet, ketosis is a normal process your body goes through when switching metabolism from burning carbs as energy to burning fat as energy. As part of this process, your body produces ketones. Without getting too scientific, ketones are a result of your body breaking down fat as energy when your carb intake is really low. Getting to a state of ketosis and producing ketones is the goal when starting a keto diet - this let's you know that you are doing the diet correctly and are on your way to being a fat burning machine! 

What are some signs that you are in ketosis? 

• Appetite suppression
• Increased focus
• Increased energy
• Decreased brain fog
• Digestive issues (I experienced minor issues that lasted a day or two)
• Weight loss
• Insomnia (I had some trouble sleeping but never felt tired)
• Bad breath (try some sugar-free gum)
• Temporary decrease in strength (this lasted about a week for me)
• Increased ketones in blood and urine

How do you measure ketone levels?

The most accurate way to test your ketone level is with a blood glucose meter or a breath meter. However, the meter plus test strips can be somewhat pricey and it is not necessary to run out and buy one of these if you are on a budget.

A cheaper alternative test is using ketone urine strips which are only a couple bucks for 50 strips. The downside is that these aren't very accurate for various reasons and can throw off a false negative messing with your head and leaving you questioning the diet. If your test comes back negative and you have multiple symptoms listed above, test again in a few hours or the next day. I've noticed that if I'm well hydrated it can dilute the test and show up negative. My point is, don't let test strips discourage you. On the positive side, if the test strip turns any shade of pink, you are producing ketones and are in ketosis.👍👊

Below are my stats for the week. Weight remained the same from last week but I lost a little from my waist and hips so I'll take it! There are so many factors that play a part when it comes to weight loss and I encourage you to measure changes in other ways. Document body measurements like I am currently doing or take before and after pictures. Just because the scale doesn't move doesn't mean changes aren't happening.

**Keep calm and keto on**

Stats on Day 1		Stats on Day 21
Height	5'7"	Height	5'7"
Weight	151 lbs	Weight	148.7 lbs
Body Fat %	34%	Body Fat %	33%
Waist	32.5 inches	Waist	32 inches
Hips	40.5 inches	Hips	39 inches
Chest	35.5 inches	Chest	35 inches
Thighs	23 inches	Thighs	23 inches

Stay tuned for my next blog: Workouts on a keto diet

Thanks for visiting and be sure to subscribe for future posts!

Recipe: Chocolate Keto Coffee

Welcome to Simply Fat Fueled!

I start every morning with a large cup of chocolate keto coffee. There is truly no better way to start the day than sipping on a warm, creamy cup of coffee. So what is keto coffee? Keto coffee is a delicious and crazy concoction using butter, heavy whipping cream and coconut oil (or MCT oil). Why put all this stuff in your coffee? Great question! The one thing that many people struggle with is getting enough fat and this keto coffee recipe is loaded with 30 grams of healthy fats. So this is a great way to boost energy and brain focus first thing in the morning.

How do I make this?! Well here are the ingredients you'll need:

• 16 oz brewed coffee of your choice
• 1Tbsp butter
• 1Tbsp coconut oil
• 1Tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 Scoop low-carb chocolate flavored protein powder 

Brew a fresh pot of coffee.

While the coffee is brewing, place the butter, coconut oil, heavy whipping cream and protein powder in a blender.

Once the coffee is finished brewing, pour 16oz (2 cups) of coffee into the blender. A blender or some kind of electric mixer is recommended because fat doesn't generally mix well by hand.

Blend until butter and coconut oil is completely melted and well mixed. 

 

Pour your keto coffee into your favorite cup or travel mug. ENJOY!!!

NUTRITION (per 16 oz)
Search "Simply Fat Fueled - Chocolate Keto Coffee" on MyFitnessPal
Calories: 334 cals
Fat: 30.5 g
Carbs: 2.5 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 12.5 g
NET CARBS: 1.5 g  

Thanks for visiting and be sure to subscribe for future keto friendly recipes!

How Much Fat Should You Eat on a Ketogenic Diet

Welcome to Simply Fat Fueled!

Week 2: Eating enough fat

Hey guys! So this week I made a fatal error - one that I'm sure every newbie to the keto diet has done and why so many give up. When starting the keto diet, the key thing in my opinion is to make sure you are eating enough fat. I was pretty busy this week and didn't track my food or pay attention to the amount of fat I was eating. For 2 days I was lethargic and couldn't focus. I went back and entered my meals for the days that I missed and come to find out I was not eating enough fat. To feel great and be successful on the keto diet you should aim to eat 70-80% of your calories from fat - the amount of fat varies from person to person depending on the amount of calories you are eating. I know for me, because I eat on average 1,700 calories/day, I need to eat around 150 grams of fat/day. The easiest way to calculate how much fat to eat (at least in the beginning) is to track your food/calories on MyFitnessPal.com (follow me @ SimplyFatFueled86).

Why is healthy fat so important on a keto diet?

If you have been on a high-carb diet for most of your life, your body is conditioned to using carbs as energy. Switching to a keto diet trains your body to use fat as it's primary source of energy. However, this switch doesn't happen over night. Your body needs time to adapt and during this time it is important to feed your body the energy source you want it to use. Once you are adapted to using fat as energy, you will efficiently tap into your stored body fat as fuel - ultimately burning body fat and losing weight. So what are the best foods to eat that are healthy and high in fat? Great question!

Healthy Fat Options:

• Eggs
• Oils (Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, MCT Oil).  Avoid vegetable oils.
• Fatty Fish - Salmon is a great source. I enjoy canned tuna with mayo on a regular basis.
• Butter
• Nuts and Seeds (almonds, macadamia, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.). Check the label on your favorite nut/seed and make sure to fit the net carbs into your carb total. Nuts like pistachios and cashews are higher in net carbs.
• Avocados
• Cheese
• Full fat yogurt 
• Full fat cottage cheese
• Fatty cuts of meat (steaks, ground beef, chicken thighs, bacon, etc.)

High Fat Meal/Snack Ideas:

• Bacon and eggs is a popular meal choice on the Keto diet. Just 2 eggs has 10 grams of fat and 2 slices of bacon has 7 grams of fat. With 17 total grams of fat, bacon and eggs are a perfect Keto meal. Cook the eggs in the left over bacon grease for an even higher fat intake.

• Almonds with a cheese stick is one of my go to snacks. An ounce of almonds has 14 grams of fat and a cheddar cheese stick has 9 grams of fat. This snack has a whopping 23 grams of fat!

• Taco salad with 3 oz ground beef (16 grams of fat), 1 oz full fat sour cream (6 grams of fat), 2 oz cheese (9 grams of fat) and 2 oz guacamole (8 grams of fat). This meal comes in at 39 total grams of fat!!!

• Fat bombs are also a good high fat snack choice.  Try my Chocolate Peanut Butter Fat Bomb Recipe which have 12.5 grams of fat per serving.

There you have it guys - some healthy fat options and meal/snack ideas. I hope you find this information helpful. If there is anything you want to know more about, be sure to leave your questions in the comment section below.

Here are my body changes for week 2. I had about a 2 lb weight drop from last week, 3 lbs total; body fat % dropped 1%; waist is 1/4" small and lost 1" from hips. The 1" loss from my hips is probably water and inflammation reduction. 

Stats on Day 1		Stats on Day 14
Height	5'7"	Height	5'7"
Weight	151 lbs	Weight	148.7 lbs
Body Fat %	34%	Body Fat %	33%
Waist	32.5 inches	Waist	32.25 inches
Hips	40.5 inches	Hips	39.5 inches
Chest	35.5 inches	Chest	35 inches
Thighs	23 inches	Thighs	23 inches

Stay tuned for my next blog: Are you in ketosis?

Thanks for visiting and be sure to subscribe! 

Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Fat Bomb

Welcome to Simply Fat Fueled!

What are Fat Bombs?

Great question! Before I discovered fat bombs, I struggled to eat enough fat, as a lot of people do. Fat bombs are generally small treats loaded with healthy fats to give you a burst of energy and are also one of the easiest ways to make sure you eat enough fat. I often make several variations on Sunday nights and have them conveniently stashed in the fridge/freezer when I need them throughout the week. Plus they are DELICIOUS and completely guilt free! The chocolate peanut butter fat bombs in this recipe are my favorite. Confession: I'm addicted to anything with chocolate and peanut butter!

Here are the ingredients you'll need (makes 12 fat bombs):

6 Tbsp (84 grams) Coconut Oil
4 Tbsp (20 grams) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
8 Tbsp (128 grams) Peanut Butter
2 Stevia Packets

Put all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.

Place bowl with ingredients in the microwave for about 1 minute. Coconut oil and peanut butter should be mostly melted.

Stir ingredients until coconut oil and peanut butter are completely melted and mixed well.

Spoon evenly into a 12 cup muffin tin and place muffin tin in the freeze for about an hour. After the fat bombs have set, use a butter knife around the side of the cup to remove the fat bombs. No need to muscle as these will pop right out. A silicon muffin tin can be used as well but make sure to place the silicon tin on a baking sheet. This will keep the silicon from folding and moving on your way to the fridge.

ENJOY! Try not to eat all of them in one serving. Store in the fridge for a soft, creamy, milk chocolate-like texture. These can also be stored in the freezer for a much harder (still delicious), texture.

NUTRITION (per fat bomb - recipe makes 12 servings)
Search "Simply Fat Fueled - Chocolate Peanut Butter Fat Bomb" on MyFitnessPal
Calories: 127 cals
Fat: 12.5 g
Carbs: 3.7 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 2.5 g
NET CARBS: 2.7 g  

Thanks for visiting and be sure to subscribe for future keto friendly recipes!

How to Survive the Keto Flu

Welcome to Simply Fat Fueled!

Week 1 - The Keto Flu

I'm not going to lie - the worst part of the keto diet is the keto flu. But have no fear, it only lasts a few days. And no, the keto flu is not the actual flu. The keto flu usually hits on day 2 or 3 as your body burns through the last of your glycogen (carb) stores. The side effects of this process mimic flu-like symptoms. I've heard of a lucky few who don't experience any symptoms of the keto flu - congrats if you fall into this category! And then there are people like me who have the keto flu for a week or more. The first day or two of the keto flu are the worst but the symptoms fade after a few days. I experienced headaches, mild dizziness, and lack of energy.

Aim to eat a lot of fat - this is your energy source now! I eat upwards of 200 grams of fat per day which seems like a lot but is necessary to feel energetic and productive. I find that if I don't make a conscience effort to eat a ton of fat, especially in the beginning, I have some serious brain fog and overall lack of energy. 

Also make sure to increase your salt intake. For every gram of carbohydrate that your body stores, it holds on to roughly 2.7 grams of water. So when you cut carbs out of your diet, your body will naturally release all the excess water that is stored, flushing out your electrolytes with it. 

How did I cope? I gave myself permission to lay in bed and binge watch Netflex while eating my "go to" keto comfort foods! So what did I eat and drink during this week that helped me survive the keto flu?

1- Water. Aim to drink at least 64 oz. I know, that's a lot! As I mentioned above, your body is releasing excess water which will leave you feeling dehydrated and lethargic if that water is not replenished. So plan on several bathroom breaks cause you will peeing like a race horse. I treated myself to flavored seltzer water. There is something comforting about the carbonation in seltzer water and the bubbles make me happy.

2. Keto coffee - oh keto coffee, my love 😍.  If you've never heard of or tried keto coffee, I highly recommend it!  Keto coffee is a crazy concoction of coconut oil (can also be made with MCT oil), butter and heavy whipping cream. Sounds crazy, I know.  Why drink this stuff?  Well, it's simple really...you are training your body to burn fat for energy so you need to provide your body with a lot of it!  Extra bonus - the fat in the coconut or MCT oil will give you a burst of energy and because there are a lot of calories in this coffee, you will feel full for hours.

3. Turkey, provolone, salami, mayo "wrap" with a side of pickles. YUM! Make sure to use real mayo...not the light or reduced fat stuff. Remember, this is a high fat diet and the more fat you eat, the better you'll feel! Why pickles? Pickles are high in sodium (remember your salt intake) and low in carbs - they also add a little crunch to the meal.

4. Chocolate, peanut butter fat bomb. These are made with unsweetened cocoa powder, peanut butter, coconut oil and stevia.  I'll do a separate recipe blog on how to make these delicious treats. They are truly a guilt free snack loaded with fat to give you an extra burst of energy. Anything with chocolate and peanut butter is comforting and I'm all about comfort during the keto flu!

5. Beef or chicken broth. I sip on beef or chicken broth a couple times a day, especially during the keto flu. Remember your salt intake? This is a great way to get a little extra salt. Plus broths are comforting when your not feeling well!

6. Peanuts and string cheese. Peanuts aren't the best nut to eat on the diet because they have more carbs than others but that's what I had in the house so I fit them in to my total carb intake. Check the labels of your favorite nut and make sure to fit it into your carb total - beware of cashews and pistachios - these have a large carb count and have bit me in the past. 

That wraps up my top keto comfort foods during the keto flu. Stay strong this week and power through the discomfort because amazing changes are waiting on the other side.

Here are my body stats for this week. There wasn't much change in terms of weight lost but I'm okay with that. There was a little decrease in inches around my hips and chest but I attribute that to water loss.

Stats on Day 1		Stats on Day 7
Height	5'7"	Height	5'7"
Weight	151 lbs	Weight	150 lbs
Body Fat %	34%	Body Fat %	34%
Waist	32.5 inches	Waist	32.5 inches
Hips	40.5 inches	Hips	40 inches
Chest	35.5 inches	Chest	35 inches
Thighs	23 inches	Thighs	23 inches

Stay tuned for my next blog: Increasing Fat Intake

Leave any questions in the comments below and I'll either answer directly or incorporate your question in a future blog post. 

Thanks for visiting and be sure to subscribe! 

Keto Diet - Intro

Welcome to Simply Fat Fueled!

Simply said: The Ketogenic Diet is a low-carb high-fat diet. What does that mean? It means you can lose weight without starving yourself and use your own body fat as energy (hence "fat fueled").  

If you're like me, you've done the research, tried to wrap your head around it all, and have more questions than answers...How many carbs can I eat? What do I set my macros at? What are macros? How much fat do I have to eat? Do I need carbs for energy? On and on and on....and trust me, I know how difficult it can in the beginning. 

I first discovered the Keto diet about 2 years ago and spent the next several months researching the "correct" way to do the diet - without actually starting the diet! I was afraid of the amount of fat I needed to eat. Confused by macros. Worried about the infamous keto flu and come to find out...I was over-thinking the entire process! I wish I had just started the diet and worked out the kinks along the way. The reality is, you're going to make mistakes.  Especially in the beginning. So the best advice I can give someone thinking about starting the keto diet is to just START! 

I fell of the wagon for the holidays and restarted the diet this past week so the entire beginner experience is fresh in my mind. My goal is to document my experience along with what I'm eating from week to week and answer some of those lingering questions along the way. Full disclosure - I hate cooking! So don't expect to see fancy meals but I will document what I eat. I'm also tracking body weight, body fat percentage and body measurements each week and will share those with you guys as well. I'm tracking my food on MyFitnessPal (find me at SimplyFatFueled) and setting my macros at 75-80% Fat; 15-20% Protein and 5-10% Carbs - I'll go into more detail on macros and how to set your macros on MyFitnessPal in a later blog. I'm aiming to reach 20% body fat and will be tracking my body fat percentage using the super accurate **sarcasm** Fitbit Aria. The Aria does give you a rough estimate of your body fat percentage but I've literally seen the body fat percentage fluctuate an entire percent within minutes of stepping on the scale. If you don't have an Aria (or other brand of scale that gives a body fat %), no worries! You can do a simple google search for body fat percentage and there are several images that show a body type and what the body fat percentage looks like. When comparing, I clearly fit within the 30-35% image. So the Aria isn't that far off.

Below are my current body stats at Day 1:

Height: 5'7"
Starting Weight: 151 lbs
Body Fat %: 34%
Waist: 32.5 inches
Hips: 40.5 inches
Chest: 35.5 inches
Thighs: 23 inches  

Stay tuned for my next blog: The Keto Flu

Leave any questions in the comments below and I'll either answer directly or incorporate your question in a future blog post. 

Thanks for visiting and be sure to subscribe!