Part 3 of An Easy Way to Control Your Autoimmune Disease
Part 3 of An Easy Way to Control Your Autoimmune Disease
So, you’re ready to make a 30 day commitment of trying a whole new way of eating. What now? Get your tools ready.
1. Document your progress. You can journal on your computer or just grab a spiral notebook. You’ll want to keep track of how you FEEL each day. Maybe several times a day. Some folks like to take before and after pictures. If you have skin issues, I’d say this is a must! You may think you’ll remember exactly how you felt on day one when you get to day 30, but it won’t be very accurate.
2. Download the free version of MyFitnessPal. For the first 30 days (at least), you’ll want to record EVERY bit you eat and drink. I know this sounds annoying, but the carbs can really sneak up on you. A bite here and a bite there can sabotage your effort to reach ketosis. You also want to be eating enough fat. After a whole lifetime of being told to stay away from fat, this can be a problem for many. IGNORE THE CALORIES! You’ll be eating as much as you want during the first 30 days. The only thing you need to watch is that you’re getting enough fat and keeping your carbohydrates as low as possible. I recommend 20 grams of carbs per day for the first 2 weeks, then just slightly more (maybe 25) for the next two weeks. You can find out how many grams of fat, protein, and carbohydrates you should eat on this keto macros calculator.
3. Go to your local pharmacy and ask for ketone strips or order them off Amazon (Ketone Strips). Starting day two you’ll want to pee on a strip twice a day. Generally first thing in the morning (after fasting all night), then some time later in the day. If you’re keeping your carbs down, you should hit ketosis by day three. Some do it earlier, some later. If by day four you still haven’t changed color on the strips, you’d best be checking your journal and MyFitnessPal to see if you’re really keeping your carbs down. It’s also possible the strips are old or defective, but it’s more likely you’re over your carbohydrate allowance. Doing this part isn’t ABSOLUTELY necessary, but most people like to check and make sure they’re doing it right. I kept doing it for the first three months. The strips will also let you know if you’re too far into ketosis. That’s not all that hard to do if you work too hard (physically), get extremely stressed out, or forget to eat altogether. Just a few more carbs will keep you out of the danger zone of keto flu.
4. Clean out your refrigerator and cupboards. Hopefully anyone you’re living with plans to be supportive and work with you for 30 days. If not, make yourself a space in the fridge and cupboards that is just yours. Get rid of your trigger foods (for me it was Cheetos and anything chocolate). You may have the willpower of legend, but when you get home after a stressful day and you haven’t eaten for eight hours……….yep……you might grab those Cheetos and a beer from the back of the fridge and feel guilty about it later. Really, trust me, you won’t want those things anymore after you do this for 30 days.
5. Go grocery shopping! The outside isles of the store is where you need to be. Produce, dairy, meat, eggs. Almost all of the stuff in the middle of the store is bad for you! If you followed the links on the two previous posts and looked around those blogs you probably saw more than a few recipes. You can go to my Facebook Page to see a lot of good recipes, but click here for a low carb shopping list. You really want to keep it simple for the first 30 days. Keep away from elaborate recipes. Those can be added in later when you really know what you’re doing and have maybe become a little bored. Some ingredients are also hard to find at a typical grocery store, that’s why I love Amazon so! I get ingredients like blanched almond flour there. It’s generally cheaper too.
6. Pick a day and get started! Don’t wait until after someone’s birthday or the next holiday. Just go for it! You’re going to try your hardest to stay on the wagon for the entire 30 days, but if you fall off for a single meal, just get RIGHT BACK ON. Generally, your ketone strips will tell you that you’re back on it the very next day. Stick with it! Don’t make excuses to sabotage yourself. Don’t tell yourself that you can cheat once a week, but don’t beat yourself up and quit because of a single mistake either. This is YOUR HEALTH we’re talking about here. Get to it!
You’re going to have a lot of questions during your first 30 days. Feel free to message me or go to the many Facebook groups that support keto dieters all over the world. Many, or most, of those pages are more about people trying to lose weight than trying to control a disease. Don’t let that bother you. The information is good for the most part. The links I’ve provided are ones I’ve trusted since 2014, so click the blue links and read all you can stand! Good luck! I’m rooting for you!
Steak is great for a Ketogenic diet!
