Was your 2018 New Year’s resolution to lose weight? Did you try a dietary change for a week and then went back to old eating habits? I am guilty of that, too. This summer I decided to make a lifestyle change that made me rethink my relationship with food and exercise.

I was introduced to the keto diet this summer after looking on the internet for sustainable diets. The keto diet, also similar to the Atkins diet or low-carb diet, became a fad during the 90s because of its requirement to eat high-fat foods like cheese and bacon yet still allow for weight loss.

The keto diet has grabbed the attention of reality television celebrity Kourtney Kardashian, vegans and vegetarians. The perk of the diet is that people are able to lose weight and indulge in high-fat foods while removing carbohydrates and sugars from their diet. This means that tropical fruits, fruit juices, dried fruits and fruit syrups are off the menu. Instead, low-carb fruits under the berry family, melons, coconut and avocados are labeled keto-friendly.

Foods in high carbs make our bodies produce glucose, an energy source, and insulin, a hormone that regulates glucose in the blood. Glucose is the main energy source in our body and is used first as a source of energy, but too much is stored as fat. When the body has low carbs, the body starts using ketones a byproduct that breaks down fat as the main source of energy.

The body then enters a state of ketosis when keto levels are higher in the blood, which can happen through fasting or dieting and can take a day or a week, depending on the method. The keto diet is used to treat epilepsy and help with weight loss, and it is recommended for type 2 diabetes.

Keto has made me rethink the way I see food and has worked for me because I already enjoy the foods that I can have and because I already do not consume as many artificial sugars or starch. By following #ketomeals and #ketoapproved on Instagram and watching Keto Connect on YouTube, I have found a keto community to help me sustain keto as a lifestyle. On top of keto, I have developed a better workout routine and do not extensively work out my body as I did in the past. From time to time, I do indulge in bread and pasta, but I do not stress myself out because of this — after all, we are human.

Now, after four months of going keto, I have developed my own recipes that are keto-approved and that I can modify depending on my cravings. Below is what I eat during a day of keto:

Marilu Bedolla / Daily Nexus

Breakfast: POACHED EGGS WITH AN AVO-TOMATO SALAD

Servings: 1

Start to finish: 25 minutes

1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar

2 large eggs

2 slices of Trader Joe’s uncured turkey bacon

½ of an avocado

1 medium-sized tomato

½ of a serrano pepper

½ of a lemon

1 tsp. of garlic salt

In a small pot, bring water and apple cider vinegar to a simmer. Once bubbles start forming around the pot, break an egg. Once the water is boiling, lower the heat and let the egg cook for 3 more minutes. Remove and set aside the egg and repeat the process for the second egg.

Cook the turkey bacon in a skillet over medium heat until each side browns evenly. Set aside.

Chop avocado and tomato to cubed slices. Cut the serrano pepper into thin slices. In a bowl, mix the avocado, tomatoes and serrano pepper. Squeeze lemon and sprinkle garlic salt on top of the salad.

Dress a large-plate turkey bacon and both eggs on top of the salad. Serve imminently.

Variation:

1 Trident Seafood Alaskan Salmon Burger or grilled chicken can be used instead of a poached egg.

Marilu Bedolla / Daily Nexus

Lunch: SALMON BURGER SALAD

Servings: 1-2

Start to finish: 25 minutes

1 Trident Seafood Alaskan Salmon Burger

2 cups spinach

1 cup kale

⅓ cup toasted slivered almonds

⅓ of a medium avocado

½ cup tomato

½ cucumber

¼ cup plain goat cheese

Dressing:

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. red chili pepper flakes

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook each side of the salmon burger for 5 minutes. Once ready, remove and let it cool for about 3 minutes. Cut in half.

On a large plate, start placing the spinach on the bottom, layer slices of avocado slices on top, then add the cubed tomatoes. Add slices of cucumbers and macadamia nuts.

Place the salmon burger slices on top of the salad. Stir the dressing ingredients and drizzle over the salad. Sprinkle red chili pepper flakes for heat. Eat imminently.

Variation:

A poached egg or no protein can substitute the salmon burger.

Marilu Bedolla / Daily Nexus

Dinner: LEMON ROASTED BROCCOLI AND CHICKEN

Servings: 1

Start to finish: 35 minutes

3 oz. skinless and boneless chicken breast

⅓ medium-sized onion

3 cups broccoli

1 lemon

½ tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. black ground pepper

1 tsp. red chili pepper flakes

1 tsp. olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, marinate the chicken breast with lemon, black pepper and red chili pepper flakes.

Cut the broccoli head into smaller pieces. Season with garlic salt, lemon juice and grounded black pepper. Slice onion rings and set aside.

Oil the bottom of a medium-sized pan and place the chicken breast on top. Make three slices on top of the chicken. Next to the chicken, about 1 inch apart, mix the broccoli and onion rings and spread evenly throughout the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove pan and let it cool for 3 minutes before transferring to a plate. Garnish the plate with a lemon and serve.

Variation:

1 Trident Seafood Alaskan Salmon Burger may replace the chicken breast.

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist nor am I trying to be. I am also not promoting thin as a beauty standard; this is just an article sharing my experience with keto. Consult a doctor before thinking of going keto or trying it.

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