Month: September 2017

Ketogenic Food List and What I Buy at the Grocery Store

Let’s face it, staying on a strict elimination or healing diet can be difficult for someone who is used to eating whatever they want whenever they want. The ketogenic diet is much more disciplined and requires a bit more effort to start, stay with and see results. One of the most beneficial things that I have discovered in eating healthy was to create a list prior to going to the grocery store. A ketogenic food list keeps you in check. It keeps you focused on staying on your diet and selecting foods that will work best for your health.

This is the ketogenic diet food list that I have when I go grocery shopping. There are times when I mix it up, but these are the foods that I buy regularly.

  • 1 lb. hamburger
  • 4-5 avocados
  • bacon
  • dozen eggs
  • cheese
  • celery
  • spinach
  • broccoli
  • frozen broccoli
  • mushrooms
  • blueberries
  • coconut milk
  • unflavored gelatin
  • carrots
  • olives
  • chicken
  • canned tunafish
  • canned salmon
  • frozen peas
  • frozen spinach
  • onions
  • cream cheese
  • coconut oil

With these different ingredients, I can create dinners, breakfasts, and side dishes by mixing and matching them up. My breakfasts can range from omelets, scrambled eggs, bacon and avocado to blueberry smoothies with a coconut kefir. My ketogenic lunches usually take the form of a salad with a protein, such as deviled eggs, canned salmon or canned tuna fish. Lunches are easy and simple. Dinners are a variety of stir fry meals, hamburgers, roasts, fish and a vegetable side dish. Dessert is usually a panna cotta gelatin that is flavored with a zero carbohydrate sweetener or a few berries. [easyazon_image align=”right” height=”500″ identifier=”B071SLX9XD” locale=”US” src=”https://getfitandhealthyathome.com//wp-content/uploads/2017/09/51sQf2BjqLlL.jpg” tag=”mcurle08-20″ width=”386″]

As you get used to the ketogenic diet, you will discover that it gets easier and easier to select foods that fit into your diet. You’ll discover that you have certain preferences and can adjust the carbohydrates to allow of a piece of fruit every now and then.

The leafy greens and non-starchy vegetables are ones that you can eat freely on the ketogenic diet list. These include cucumbers, lettuce, kale, chard, endive, radicchio, kohlrabi, radishes, celery, asparagus and bamboo shoots. The avocado is one fruit that you can freely eat without too much concern.

You can drink water to your hearts content on the ketogenic diet. Due to the fact that coffee and tea are low carbohydrate, they are often consumed on the ketogenic diet. However, I personally don’t recommend drinking either. While they are low carbohydrate, the caffeine in them is somewhat dehydrating. I only drink water on my diet. However, you’ll stay in ketosis with tea and coffee.

You’ll want to eat cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, green beans and broccoli more sparingly than the greens. They do have more carbohydrates, but having a serving at a meal won’t throw your dietary plan off. Onions, mushrooms, coconut, bamboo shoots, sugar snap peas, and artichokes all have a bit more carbohydrates, so watch the portion and try not to go overboard with them. One serving per meal is probably sufficient.

You’ll want to avoid all grains, milk, tropical fruits, sweet alcoholic beverages, beer, wine, and soy products.

To start your day off with a healthy ketogenic breakfast click here 

Thanks for checking out my ketogenic diet foods list!

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Keto Breakfast Ideas To Start Your Day Off Right!

The ketogenic diet is much easier when you master breakfast! Ketogenic breakfast ideas can be a struggle for people like me who grew up eating cereal and toast for breakfast. You’re switching from carbohydrates to fats and proteins and that can be challenging. However, when you start your day out with an awesome, healthy ketogenic breakfast, you are setting yourself up for ketogenic dieting success!

 

Keto Breakfast

Here are some pictures of the breakfasts that I normally consume. Unlike some Americans, I love breakfast. I never want to skip it. It is quite possibly my favorite meal of the day!  

I tend to want to eat more, so I have created the habit of including greens in my morning meal. I usually have frozen broccoli sauteed in olive oil with some mushrooms and seasoned with salt. It is a fast way to get a tasty side dish.  Another favorite of mine is the crustless quiche! I make mine with frozen spinach, egg, mushrooms, onions and season it with salt and pepper. The great thing about the crustless quiche is that you can make it ahead of time and quickly reheat it each morning.

It was so difficult for me to give up my morning fruit, so I have been eating fruits that are lower in carbohydrates such as blueberries, strawberries and occasionally grapefruit.  Bacon and avocados are making it onto my plate more and more frequently nowadays. Who doesn’t love bacon and avocados have a nice creamy texture that contrasts with the crunchiness of the broccoli.  [easyazon_image align=”left” height=”500″ identifier=”B01MCWWWZH” locale=”US” src=”https://getfitandhealthyathome.com//wp-content/uploads/2017/09/51lItUPu3bL.jpg” tag=”mcurle08-20″ width=”333″]

It has been awhile since I have made ketogenic coconut flour pancakes, but they are heavenly!

Some people thrive on smoothies for breakfast. Kefir smoothies made with coconut milk clock in a few more carbohydrates than broccoli, but if you manage your carbohydrates well, you can still stay in ketosis. You’ll have to use berries for the smoothie or chocolate and a zero carbohydrate sweetener, but it is possible!

Once you master a few of these keto breakfast ideas, you will start to come up with variations of your own easily and effortlessly! You’ll discover that the ketogenic breakfasts will keep you full throughout the morning and as you adapt to ketosis, your need for snacks will decline. You’ll just snack for enjoyment!

 

Recipe for coconut flour pancakes:

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Mix the eggs, coconut flour and vanilla until blended smoothly. In a skillet on high heat, melt 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Place one tablespoon of the mixture in the skillet. Flip when the edges start to pull away from the pan. (About 30 seconds to 1 minute).

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If you scroll over the book covers, you can click on the link and get the smoothie and waffle recipe books from Amazon. It is an affiliate link and I may get a few pennies of commission, but that will help me keep this blog going and create more wonderful, informative posts!

 

Keto Breakfast Ideas

 

 

For more tips to getting onto the Ketogenic diet, check out My Ketogenic Diet Plan Menu

 

My Ketogenic Diet Plan Menu

The ketogenic diet is a very healing and helpful diet. My neighbor used it to eliminate his pre-diabetic condition. For many years, the ketogenic diet was the go-to solution for epilepsy. It has been helping prevent Alzheimer’s. The ketogenic diet helps people lose weight. It can also suppress appetites, decreases triglycerides, and helps to control blood sugar levels.

Getting onto the ketogenic diet requires a plan. The ketogenic diet requires you to alter your current level of carbohydrate consumption. You need to learn where your carbohydrates are coming from, plan to eat foods that will keep you in ketosis and plan to avoid foods that will take you out of ketosis.  Prepared ketogenic snack containers

My plan to getting on the ketogenic diet starts with eliminating the foods in my house that are high in carbohydrates that tempt me. Any type of sugar, chocolate or sweet treat has to get out of the house when I start ketogenic dieting or I know that I will be unsuccessful.

  1. Eliminate Temptation
  2. Create a ketogenic diet plan menu
  3. Prep meals for the week
  4. Cook 2-3 dishes to have on hand
  5. Prepare one snack to have on hand

Creating the ketogenic diet plan menu can be tough to begin with. I had to check with my diabetic sister to see how she managed a low carbohydrate lifestyle throughout her life. From a young age, she was counting carbohydrates and measuring her blood sugar. She gave me some of the best advice possible. She told me that she would keep the foods that were “free” handy and not worry about counting those. She ate foods with higher carbohydrates sparingly.

So, I focused in on the foods with 0-3 carbohydrates. These are going to be your green vegetables and meat products. Broccoli, spinach and cauliflower became staples at my meals. I cut up celery and spread cream cheese on it for snacks. Olives are low in carbohydrates and satisfy a salty craving, so I added that to my cream cheese and celery at snack time. Planning ketogenic meals becomes much easier when you figure out what you love that fits into the dietary regimen.

Vegetables with higher amounts of carbohydrates can be used sparingly in salads. These types of vegetables include peas, radishes, carrots, onions and tomatoes. They give the salad a bit more interest and flavor, but since you just need a small amount to give you flavor, you aren’t going to go overboard with the carbohydrate count.

My ketogenic diet plan looks like this:

Breakfast – eggs or bacon for protein, 1/2 avocado, broccoli and mushrooms sauteed in olive oil

Lunch – salad – salmon or tuna fish, lettuce, peas, carrots, onions, cucumber and lettuce Keep bottled salad dressing to one tablespoon or use olive oil and vinegar with some sea salt to taste. Vary the salad toppings each day for some variety and interest.

Dinner – Hamburgers without a bun topped with sauteed mushrooms and onions, steamed carrots and broccoli or spinach, Tilapia and steamed broccoli and cauliflower, chicken stir fry with broccoli, onions, carrots and mushrooms

During the week, I rotate my meats. Cooking time for a stirfry is only about 15 minutes. I can make a hamburger and steam some broccoli in 15-20 minutes. Therefore, my ketogenic diet plan and menu are very time efficient. It has also been saving me a ton of money. Prepackaged foods are expensive!

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There are lots of variations on the ketogenic diet meal plans out there! You can find many books on Amazon and discover wonderful recipes to get you into ketosis and keep you there!  

 Lunch – salad with deviled eggs