What Happened When Mommy Tried the Keto Diet . . .

I want to share a little snippet into the beginning of my journey to become the best version of myself with help from the keto diet. This year, my resolution was mainly to not to get pregnant again. (LOL) My babies are EVERYTHING, but two kids in diapers is not cheap! On a more basic note, I wanted to lose weight and get in shape! Isn’t everyone on the same page here? I’ve put on quite a few pounds since having my son, and I am extremely uncomfortable in my body. Everything jiggles, some things sag, and honestly? I don’t love what I see in the mirror. I’m also not entirely proud of the lifestyle I’m portraying for my little humans. 

If those aren’t enough  reasons to get into shape, crying into a tub of ice cream because your jeans ripped (at KROGER) should get things moving. Also, I cant afford a whole new wardrobe. (Diapers are expensive, remember?) So Mama needs to make the old jeans work.

I have tried (and failed at) a few different diets. I’ve even subscribed to one or two workout apps but ended up spending $10.99 monthly for a sad reminder of what I should have been doing instead of catching up on what’s going on in RIVERDALE. It’s tough to get anything done with two little ones, a household that ideally should be clean, and a part time job. (Even if it is working from home.) Any free time I get, I typically use to watch Ellen videos on youtube. So, you know, I stay busy.

On one thrilling evening, while watching Jersey Shore family reunion. My husband and I learned a little bit about the Keto diet. This wasn’t the first time I’d heard of it, but it was the first time I was tempted to do some research. I’m basic…what can I say? If it worked for Vinny it could work for us right? RIGHT.

So, like I do with ever other major decision I make in my life. I dove into Instagram and browsed the 4 MILLION #ketodiet posts. The stories were LEGIT inspiring. Every other person had a jaw dropping before and after photo and a tear jerking story to go with it. I was hooked. I immediately went to my other most trusted source, Pinterest, to see what I was looking at with recipes and food prep. I couldn’t believe the things I was seeing. A diet that allows me to eat almost all my favorite foods bacon, cheese, and steak. 

The keto or ketogenic diet is all about eating very low carb, high (good) fat diet. Think olive oil and avocados. Many tell you its really more of a lifestyle. You have to really commit in order to see results. From what I’ve experienced so far its been worth it.     

I miss rice SO much. 

How it works: Replacing carbs with GOOD fats puts your body into Ketosis. Once this happens your body becomes a fat burning machine. It also promises more energy and a clearer mind. The biggest down side to this are the temptations! My husband and I are all in with this diet but for obvious reasons my kids are not. My two year old is still eating all five food groups at almost every meal (I said almost friends.), and my baby boy is starting to try EVERYTHING. As many of you can attest crackers are a real crowd pleaser at any age but specifically 10 months.

Side note: My daughter is also getting a bunch other treats because we are potty training and bribes are not beneath me…. 

 In the first week we both lost an average of 8 pounds. After a lot of research we learned this is basically all water weight, but seeing immediate results is really gratifying! The first 10 days  are focused mainly on getting into Ketosis. Once that happens the real weight loss should start. Finding weekly meal prep guides that include shopping lists makes it so much easier to stay on track. Its also a lot of fun making new things that I would have never normally given a chance. 

My instant pot is truly the greatest friend I’ve ever known.

It has definitely been easy to find meals that are both keto and family friendly. But there has been more than a few nights that the kids got frozen pizza and we were scrambling to find something within the keto guidlines.  The temptations are always hardest to resist when we don’t have something planned. Before we would order pizza or grab fast food! I miss the easiness of that more than I want to admit.

So obviously for us meal prepping is one of the most important parts of sticking to the diet. Without at least an idea of what’s on the menu throughout the day it can be easy to fall into those old habits. The best resource (outside of the internet) we found is The Complete Ketogenic Diet For Beginners by Amy Ramos. It breaks everything down and has a two week meal plan with a shopping list! (I got my copy at Target ). But there are tons of free resources to get you started if you don’t feel like spending money.

Another big part of my own personal weight loss plan is exercise. I used to have a job that involved being on my feet most of day. After that I was a SAHM for a little bit, then became pregnant with a 9 pound 7 ounce bouncing baby boy.  My pregnancy with him was some of the laziest I had ever been in my whole life. Hence the reason for all this effort. Exercise used to be so important to me, but priorities changed. Now, I am making a conscious effort to put it back on my list of musts everyday.

LIST:

• I must remember to be grateful for things I have in my life.
• I must spend quality time with my husband.
• I must take a shower and wash my hair.
• I must get dressed even if I’m not leaving the house.
• I must not let my 2 year to watch TV for hours.
• And now I must exercise. 

This is a VERY small example of my daily routine, but its some of the most important, and mainly the things I need to be reminded of most.

Being on the Keto diet has made it easier to prioritize exercise because I really do have so much more energy. I wake up less groggy and don’t feel the need for a nap at 1:30pm.

We also joined a gym with classes galore and some very intimidating machines.  I try to go to yoga twice a a week and I have even tried a couple HIIT classes. Let me tell you this… Its still annoying getting myself up and into the gym most days. But the feeling I get when its over is worth it.  I have even used my own child as a medicine ball to make sure I stay on track. (You can see what I mean here) 

This whole diet/exercise thing isn’t only helping change my body, it’s also doing wonders for my mental health.  Getting a break from everything to focus on bettering me is worth the 2 months I haven’t tasted the deliciousness that is Ramen noodles.

 Find something that inspires you enough to donate all the bread to a homeless shelter or simply add a 15 minute workout to your day. The keto diet has given me the jump start I needed but it definitely isn’t for everyone. Whatever you’re thinking about doing remember the end goal, which is being happy and healthy. This is the best thing you can do for yourself, and if that isn’t enough its 100% the best thing you can do for your family.

Here’s a little before an after shot on the progress I’ve made in just a few weeks! 

(If you’re on your own Keto journey, please send me your recipes!)

There are so many ways to make yourself feel good inside and out. I would love to hear about what keeps you a happy and healthy parent. Let me know in the comments!