Testing out diets and we’re clocking in (& out) on our 7th day of ketosis.
If you follow me on Instagram, then you’ve probably seen that Hamzeh and I have attempted the keto diet. It’s been exactly a whole 7 days since we started, and I figured I would give you guys the run down on how it’s going. First off, it’s absolutely NO JOKE when people say that it is a LIFESTYLE and not a diet. That could not be any more true. I first found myself wanting to try keto simply because I ate sooooo many bad things on my trip to Florida (when in Rome) and I was in the need of some kind of cleanse. Unfortunately for me, there aren’t many cleanses that are recommended for those who nurse… and I’ve come to the realization that I don’t think this “lifestyle/diet” was a good alternative either.
So let’s talk about what this diet is exactly.
+ first goal is for your body to produce ketones in the liver & then use that as energy.
+ end goal is to stay in this metabolic state (hence: ketosis) through starvation of carbs
+ low carb, high in fats
Alright so now that we got that out of the way, I can finally share my opinion on the entire thing.
I’m obviously a person of lists so how about we do pros & cons.
+ you FEEL so much better. You guys know how much this one means to me. I could care less about weight loss and I’m all about how something makes you FEEL. Being on this diet (and staying away from carbs) makes you feel so much more confident within yourself. It’s definitely an inside out type of cleanse.
+ you’re less tired. This was also a huuuuge plus for me. There’s an amino acid called tryptophan that causes sleepiness… and guess what makes those go to the brain? Yeah, you guessed it, CARBS. So no carbs = not as sleepy and I’m all for that (especially with an almost 6 month old at home).
+ you eat foods you may otherwise not have tried. If I told Hamzeh to eat cauliflower rice before this keto diet he would’ve been like SWERVE. Not kidding. The other day I made it with chicken curry and he was all like “it’s actually not bad”. I mean granted, anything at this point is good because you’re on this strict diet… but I mean don’t knock it til you try it.
+ you can eat all the CHEESE.
+ your options are extremely limited. Pretty soon we might turn into mushroom and tomato omelets, guys. It is so difficult to find something to eat for breakfast that isn’t complicated to make. And for two people who are extremely busy in the mornings, it’s not ideal to make keto pancakes out of cottage cheese (doesn’t sound too appealing anyways…)
+ you can’t eat certain vegetables. Now, if you’re a newb like me (I never, ever, diet) then this one is a tough concept to grasp. I’m already eating vegetables… and now I can’t eat them all!? It’s not even fair.
+ also fruits because their high in sugar, should be avoided. Which sucks because pre-diet I used to eat some kind of fruit to sub in for my sweet tooth….
+ you have to double up on your protein in order to feel fully satisfied.
+ for the nursing mom: it’s really difficult balancing feeling full after nursing… especially when you can’t have juice or a savory type of snack to fill the void.
So it’s safe to say that I’ve tried this diet for about a full 7 days, and there isn’t much more I can say other than KUDOSSSS to all of you who have developed this a part of your life. It is hard getting started, but I’m sure that once you get the hang of it, it’s so beneficial in the long run.
As for me, it has been so real, but I’m out. It’s time for a nice stack of pancakes.
