Keto comfort foods with Maria Emmerich

Maria Emmerich is a wellness expert and best-selling author of The Ketogenic Cookbook. In her new book, Keto Comfort Foods, she shares comfort food recipes and tips for those following a ketogenic diet.

Maria explains that we are often told that it’s wrong to see food as pleasurable, yet eating nourishing foods should excite us. One way to incorporate a sweet taste in your recipes without using traditional sweeteners is by using Stevia Glycerite. This can be found at any health foods store. Stevia Glycerite is thick like honey and is a great substitute for the sweet flavor that you lack in the keto diet. Best of all, it won’t spike your blood sugar.

Maria also discusses the difference between good fats and bad fats. We are often told that saturated fats are bad, yet they serve an important role in our body, such as making our healthy hormones. Saturated fats are heat-stable and come from nature. The main type of fat to avoid is the trans fats.

Maria also explains how to find good, healthy eggs. She recommends not focusing solely on the color of the egg, as brown eggs are not always better. The term “cage-free” means that the hens are not in cages, but they may be in barns and not ever see the light of day. Consider purchasing locally sourced eggs where you know what the chickens are being fed and how they are being raised.

Maria’s favorite recipes from the book include Bananas Foster for Two, Deconstructed Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza, Pizza Waffles, Chicken Parmesan Mini Meatloaf, and BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich.

To connect with Maria or to learn more about Keto Comfort Foods, visit http://www.mariamindbodyhealth.com, her Facebook Page Keto Adapted, or on Instagram @MariaEmmerich.

 

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Keto tastes great with Maria Emmerich

11 Ketogenic Training Tips

A ketogenic diet can impact how you train, when you train, and the type of training you’re doing. Ketogenic training will be safer and more effective if you follow these tips:

1. Keep carbs below 20 grams – Even though you’re training hard, keep your carbs low, ideally under 20 grams.
2. Testing – You will be able to feel when you are in ketosis, but it’s still a good idea to test your ketones through your urine, blood, or breath. For long-term use, invest in a monitor and strips.
3. Timing – Evaluate the timing of when you eat and work out to see what works best for you.
4. Carb withdrawal – When first trying to get into ketosis, your energy levels may be low. At the outset, consider doing mild activities instead of an intense workout.
5. Stay hydrated – Everyone needs to stay hydrated, but those in ketosis may need to drink more water in because of not eating as many vegetables and fruit.
6. Sodium – If you’re watching your diet, you may not be getting as much sodium as you need. Add a sea salt or natural salt to your diet.
7. Potassium – This helps maintain moisture in your organs and muscles. Consider a supplement if you’re not getting enough from food.
8. Magnesium – Again, if you’re not eating enough fruits and vegetables, you may need a magnesium supplement.
9. Protein – Find the right balance of protein for you. Avoid consuming excess protein, as your body can turn it into blood sugar, which may push you out of ketosis.
10. Quality – Ensure you are consuming quality fats and getting good nutrition.
11. Eat when you’re hungry – Ketosis will change your appetite and you will feel sustained for long periods of time without eating.

By following these helpful hints, you can get the best possible results through your personal training while in ketosis.

 

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The scoop on ketosis with Jimmy Moore

Ketogenic diet for weight loss

My weight loss while on a ketogenic diet[/caption]

In this episode, I discuss how I used the ketogenic diet for weight loss.  Ketosis is a physical phenomenon, where your body adapts to using fat for energy instead of sugar. Susan, who you met on episode 142, joined me on this conversation so she can ask questions as I went.  I switched my eating to allow me to go into ketosis so I could drop some weight I'd gained over the past few months.

To get into ketosis, you lower your carbohydrates (carbs) to 20 grams or less and you increase your fat to make up the calories. You'll keep your protein moderate to ensure it doesn't spike your blood sugar.

In ketosis, your body burns the fat and produces ketones.  These ketones can be used by the brain as fuel.  In fact, most of the science on ketosis shows that the brain favors ketones.   I know I feel better when I'm in ketosis.

Concerns with Ketosis

• Ketoacidosis – This is a dangerous condition that is typically limited to type I diabetics. In this condition, your ketone level gets dangerously high and the blood sugar is also high.  This is a very rare condition and not something you'll
• Compliance – The ketogenic diet is difficult.  It is not easy to go from being a sugar burner to a fat burner.  Staying at 20 grams of carbs per day is very limiting.  Fortunately, once you're in ketosis, you may be able to ratchet up your carb intake.
• Carb withdrawal/Keto flu – During the transition, you'll likely have some fatigue, effectively feeling like you have the flu.
• Medications – If you're a diabetic and take meds to help manage your blood sugar, you should talk to your doctor.  You'll have to monitor yourself very closely.  The ketogenic diet can be an effective way to reverse diabetes.

Ketogenic Diet Tools

You should be able to feel that you're in ketosis, but there are tools to measure ketones.  To be in nutritional ketosis you will have a ketone reading of 0.5 – 7:0.  You can measure ketones three ways:

• Keto-sticks are a cost effective way to measure the ketone bodies in your urine.  However, once you get fat adapted, you won't be excreting ketones, and they will stop working.  This makes them great for showing that you're in ketosis when you first start.
• The Precision Plus with ketone strips can measure the ketones in your blood.  This is the most accurate way to determine when you're in ketosis.
• The Ketonix is a tool you can use to measure ketones in your breath.  This is a pain and mess free way to do the measurement.  I haven't seen any science to prove this tool is as accurate as the blood.

Other Considerations for the Ketogenic Diet

• Tweak your protein intake based on your exercise intensity.
• Make sure you're getting enough sodium and potassium.  With a ketogenic diet, you'll lose water weight and with that some electrolytes.
• You'll likely lose some water weight early in the ketogenic diet.
• There are extraneous sources of ketones that you can take to increase the ketones.  These can help when you need more energy.
• Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCT), which is processed from coconut oil.  Because of the nature of this oil, it increased your ketone level quickly.  Just make sure you ease into using it as it can cause diarrhea.

Whether you choose to use ketosis as a way to lose weight, now you understand what it is when you hear someone talking about it.  More and more people are trying ketosis.

If you have any questions about the ketogenic diet, feel free to comment on this post.

Have a happy and healthy day!

Allan

Below are the links I mentioned in the podcast.

Keto-stix

Precision Plus with Keto Strips

Ketonix

Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore

The scoop on ketosis with Jimmy Moore

 

The scoop on ketosis with Jimmy Moore

Today we have an energetic discussion with Jimmy Moore, author of Keto Clarity. This is the second part of my earlier interview (Episode 18) with Jimmy.   In this episode, we will focus on the concept of nutritional ketosis as an important tool for fat loss.

Jimmy Moore is best known for his “Livin’ LaVida Low-Carb” blog and podcast.   In 2004, at 32 years of age and 410 pounds, Jimmy made the decision to take off the weight that was literally killing him. The time had come for a radical lifestyle change.   A year later, he had lost 180 pounds and shrunk his waistline by 20 inches. This phenomenal weight loss enabled him to come off prescription drugs for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and respiratory problems. This dramatic change sparked his dedication to helping others find the information they need to make the kind of lifestyle changes he has made.

Jimmy discussed ketosis as the process for letting your body become a fat burning machine rather than a sugar burning machine.   When you eat a lot of carbohydrates, your body is a sugar burner. In ketosis, you shift the body from a sugar burner over to a fat burner.   Choosing high quality sources of carbohydrates, such as non-starchy vegetables and green, leafy vegetables and some berries is part of the process. It is a balancing act, though, as too much protein will also inhibit the body’s ability to get into a ketogenic state.

Along with his blog and podcasts, Jimmy Moore is also the author of The Ketogenic Cookbook, Keto Clarity and Cholesterol Clarity. Learn more about ketosis, Jimmy Moore and his work at www.livinlavidalowcarb.com.

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Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music