Day 8's challenge is to Get Ready to Clean. Sure, I could write about housework (sorry guys, that will probably be tomorrow's topic!), but instead I'm going to write about eating clean.
Eating clean is one of those vague catch-all words related to diet. It's bandied about all over the internet, especially weight loss forums and Instagram. So today I'm going to write about eating clean for Keto (my style).
How do I define eating clean on Keto?
Meat (or other proteins)
Keto shouldn't be all bacon. It shouldn't be all steak either. There are a lot of good, well-priced meats that are awesome.
Ground beef should be one of your staples- it's cheap, has a great fat content and you can use it for pretty much infinite different meals. Also try: ground lamb, pork, veal, turkey and chicken.
I rate chicken thighs very highly. They are great baked, grilled (best with boneless), sliced in stirfries, amazing in curries. The meat stays nice and tender, unlike chicken breast which can easily be dry. Though you can TOTALLY eat chicken breast (and other cuts) on keto too!
Depending where you live in the world, different meat options will be cheaper- Lamb is cheap for me (hi Australians!), turkey might be cheaper if you live in the US.
Go crazy on seafood too. Fish, especially salmon, is packed with Omega-3's which are so good for you! Some shellfish can have a little carbs, but read nutritional information and keep yourself informed. if you don't like 'fishy' tasting fish, look for mild tasting fish, and add herbs and spices for flavour.
Offal is cheap EVERYWHERE! It sounds daunting, but don't be scared! It CAN taste good! Lightly fry liver with bacon and onions, add a dash of cream to pan juices to make an amazing gravy. Heart can be thinly sliced and fried quickly on high heat, and it's JUST like steak!
(If you're a vegetarian, there are plenty of protein sources for you- tempeh, tofu, Quorn, seitan, soy protein)
Vegetables
We're grown-ups. We should eat our damn vegetables. There is a HUGE variety of vegetables that are great for keto. Cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, bok choy, mushrooms, peppers, edamame, zucchini, celery, asparagus, green beans, and more leafy greens than you could shake a stick at. Don't forget tomatoes, onions and garlic- which have some carbs, but they add flavour too!
Don't like vegetables? Add flavour! Garlic or bacon to green beans, bacon to cabbage, cover your broccoli in cheese, mash your cauliflower and add tasty butter, cream and cheese! Stuff your zucchini with a variety of tasty things! There are so many ways you can make vegetables tasty.
Dairy
Sure, milk may be out. But there are other options. Cheese! So many different kinds of cheese! Heavy cream, butter, greek yogurt (check your labels), cream cheese, sour cream, mascarpone, creme fraiche, cottage cheese, even low carb ice creams.
If you're missing milk or don't eat dairy (hi Paleoers!), try almond milk or coconut milk.
Nuts
I love nuts. They make an awesome quick snack. I'm a big fan of macadamias, but almonds, brazil nuts, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts and cashews are great too. Watch your portion size though, as nuts are notoriously easy to overeat. Coconut products are VERY popular on keto too- coconut oil, especially. You can find coconut alternatives to almost EVERYTHING, which are handy if you don't do dairy.
Other stuff
I love coffee. Yay, coffee! If you don't like coffee, try tea. It's nice to have something else to drink other than water. I occasionally have an energy drink (maybe one a fortnight), and those are okay in moderation, as long as they are sugar free. I am a fan of diet sodas too, and I try to limit myself to one a day, maybe 4-5 times a week.
I am a big fan of shirataki noodles, low carb high fibre noodles- available in most supermarkets under various brand names. I also like kelp noodles, and they're technically a vegetable!
There are a lot of low carb products out there. Protein bars, shakes, candies, chocolate, sodas, desserts- the list is endless.
I try to limit myself to one of them a day, to make sure I have plenty of carbs for vegetables, and anything incidental, like spices, sauces and nuts. I have also found that limiting the sweet things I eat has stopped myself craving more sweet things. It's a great feeling to not be tempted by chocolate!
If you've gotten this far, and you're not sure what keto is, let me sum it up for you.
Keto is low carb (generally under 25g carbs), sufficient protein, and high in fat.
Want to know what that means for you? Check out the Keto Calculator.
Want to know more? Check out the links in the sidebar, or ask!
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