Change. It Does a Body Good (v2)

When I transitioned this blog from writing about my former career to writing about my experiences with, and understanding of, the ketogenic diet, the first post was titled "Change: It Does a Body Good." I was leaving the comfort and security of the past thirty years. It was a leap of faith—a big one. Like, a humongous pole-vault into the unknown. So I decided to approach things with an optimistic attitude. 

Fortunately, the hopefulness was proved well-founded by the ensuing years. Having felt a failure for so long—a failure inside my head, not in my life—because I had been unable to lose weight. Imagine being a success in most areas, having a successful marriage, children, and career but rating oneself as a loser based on body weight.

Ha! Who am I kidding? Most of us have done that. I was among good company.

All changed when, after years of weight-loss attempts, I gave up. But I knew I was on track for a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes, and I couldn't abide the thought of having to take insulin to treat it. My search for a way to avoid led me to Dr. Eric Westman's 'white coat video.' His message rang true. It landed with me. 

From that day in 2014, I've never looked back. Now, it's time to roll with change again. In truth, my life has been about perpetual, dramatic change for all the intervening years. Weight-loss, improved body-image, regained self-confidence—not to mention that my job is now talking and writing about and making videos about the protocol. I didn't see that coming seven years ago!

So, what's changing now? Loads. Of course, we know that life is change. If we're lucky, that is. When I look back to my past and reflect on who I was, how I behaved, my reactions to the world, there is not one point-in-time in which I would want to be stuck. My life morphed, and so did I. 

Granted, some divergences from our path are more jarring than others—children coming into our lives comes to mind—but things shift all the time. Even subtle changes add up and become profound.

Where I currently find myself is in a place of contentment. Yes, that's right: peaceful happiness. To write this is nothing short of a sea change in itself. While I've had a great life, inside my brain, there seemed to be a slow simmer of anxiety and chronic depression. It wasn't every day, nor every week, or month. But one doesn't need to experience these feelings all the time to realize how debilitating they can be. What were the reasons for a high-achieving, gregarious, fortunate person to feel the weight of sub-surface dread? 

I have no real idea.

My morbid obesity was probably a contributing factor, not only because—let's face it—who wants to be morbidly obese? But I now realize that the physiology involved when I consumed carbohydrates wreaked havoc with my brain chemistry as well as that from the neck down. I made changes, and thus, I was changed.

Now the continuum is extended. Things around have seemed somewhat settled over the last couple of years, yet they are different. My days have a pleasant rhythm to them. My Lovely Mate and I, long-married, enjoy the payoff of having made it together low these forty-plus years. I'm gratified and humbled to be making a living talking with people from the far corners of the globe about regaining control of our lives and health. It's all good.

So, what should change? Nothing should, nor does it need to. But changing it is, nonetheless. The reason I wanted to re-enter my life was to re-enter my life. That may seem obvious (as well as repetitive) but many of us get so caught up in researching how to lose weight, how the diet works, what expert says what, the minutiae of the food, etc., with hopes of making our lives better and rejoining the world. The thing is, sometimes there is so much of the former that we forget about the latter. We spend more time and energy on the process and don't recognize that we can start enjoying the results.

To that end, I am expanding this blog—and my days—with life beyond keto. Note: not life after keto. There is no after keto for me. But things that interest me that energize my creative self and have nothing to do with carb-counts are taking on a greater focus. Besides writing about and creating videos about the ketogenic diet, I'll share posts about our garden and chickens. What do we eat? What I'm reading? I'll share some of my favorite things and other Behind the Scenes things. I hope you get some useful ideas from this site. I will be enjoying the process of learning how to create quality and varied content. 

Let's embrace our successes, challenges, and Life Beyond Keto. 

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Disclaimer: I’m not a medical doctor, researcher, or Ph.D., but instead, I’ve been fortunate to have had the time and resources to research the ketogenic diet, also known as LCHF (low carb/high fat). The information I share is based solely on my understanding of that research. We are all responsible for our own choices, including what we put in our mouths, and there’s no substitute for each of us checking things out ourselves. And I’m not a medical professional in any way. Go Keto With Casey is not a medical site. “Duh,” you might say. But best to make it clear to all. I welcome questions, comments, and even civil criticism. I’m still learning. So, if you have something to add, go for it. Links in this post and all others may direct you to affiliate links, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through those links. Thanks!

Meal Idea: Meatloaf

It is generally not my practice to discuss meals or recipes. Concentrating on food is, in my opinion, counterproductive to the benefits derived from following the ketogenic protocol. That is, release from the tyranny of constant and intrusive thoughts of food is liberating. Trolling the web, YouTube, websites, and cookbooks for images of, recipes for, and meal plans make food precisely what we don't want it to be: the center of our lives. "A cast-iron skillet, some reserved bacon fat, a hunk of meat, and it's dinner! Now, move on to the rest of life!"

Whenever people suggest that I write a cookbook or make cooking videos, my usual response is that it would have to be titled Casey, the Lazy Cook, Cooks Keto. I'm not an adventurous or even an interested cook. And the idea that instructions on how to cook a simple meal made me shake my head. "Who doesn't know how to roast a chicken?"

How very arrogant of me, I'm embarrassed to admit.

A friend gave me some feedback after I casually disparaged people who had to research how to make scrambled eggs. "You know, there are families who rarely have a meal that doesn't come from fast food or a convenience store. Not everyone knows how to cook, even the basics."

Color me chagrined and humbled.

Having made my resistance to food videos, posts, and recipe books clear, let me share with you an ironic twofer - a recipe and meal idea. This one comes from an off-hand comment made by My Lovely Mate a couple of months ago. He recalled how my late mother, who lived with us for about ten years, would happily prepare meals for our busy household. Both of us worked, three active children, a couple of dogs and cats, and we really appreciated her efforts. (Not only that, she'd often have a cocktail waiting for me when I came home at the end of the day. Score!)

"I miss your mother's meatloaf," he said while scrolling through news items on his iPhone. 

Note: the sAUSAGE WE USE IS BREAKFAST SAUSAGE (JIMMY DEAN BRAND, TO BE SPECIFIC) THANKS TO A READER FOR asking the question! 😉

"Uh, okay." 

I don't know that he realized he said that. It was more like a thought that slipped out without him noticing. We haven't had meatloaf since Mom lived with us.

The next day I put together a real-life, old-fashioned, home-made, rib-sticking (can I squeeze more hyphenated words into this sentence?) entrée. It is dead simple, keto-friendly (Yay! Another hyphen!), and satisfying. Meatloaf is a forgiving dish, so play around and get things to suit your taste.

I use Rao’s Marinara Sauce and a Pyrex loaf pan. But, again, work with what you have.

We get about 6 good-sized servings (it’s hyphen-city today …) The approximate per serving nutrition numbers, based on my calculations are: 340 calories; 21g protein; 37g fat; 3g carbohydrate (total, not net 😉)

One of the great things about this protocol is that the food is basic and truly simple to prepare. And the best choices are often the most economical. So, experiment. Jump in. Don’t be afraid. Grab your own cast-iron skillet (or air fryer, grill, or campfire), throw a fatty source of protein in the mix, and enjoy!

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Disclaimer: I’m not a medical doctor, researcher, or Ph.D., but instead, I’ve been fortunate to have had the time and resources to research the ketogenic diet, also known as LCHF (low carb/high fat). The information I share is based solely on my understanding of that research. We are all responsible for our own choices, including what we put in our mouths, and there’s no substitute for each of us checking things out ourselves. And I’m not a medical professional in any way. Go Keto With Casey is not a medical site. “Duh,” you might say. But best to make it clear to all. I welcome questions, comments, and even civil criticism. I’m still learning. So, if you have something to add, go for it. Links in this post and all others may direct you to affiliate links, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through those links. Thanks!

When Food Labels Lie

In our attempts to wrangle our health and happiness to a place of confidence and success, wrest control of our lives, and make better choices, we rely on supposedly trusted sources.

It is not always easy. Frankly, sometimes it's impossible.

There are certain truths that, while not necessarily self-evident, we want to believe. We like to trust that if something appears in writing, it must have been vetted, checked for accuracy, and is honest.

Ha. That's a laugh. We all know better.

The thing is, even if we tend to be skeptical by nature, our desire to believe what we want to think can over-rule questioning a statement that beggars incredulity. We may question whether two plus two equals four, but we'll accept that a food product that boasts the word "keto" on the packaging is anything other than a valid nearly zero carbohydrate cookie. Spoiler alert: it's not.

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The term keto is not regulated. Heck, it barely existed a few years ago. So, food purveyors can describe something being keto when it is, in truth, the opposite. A good rule of thumb is to assume that any item on grocery shelves that self-identifies as being "keto" isn't. Why? Because the ingredients that prepared-foods require to be shelf-stable are the opposite of low-carb/ketogenic. Think flours - even alternative ones like almond flour - are carbohydrate-dense. (You'll remember that the protocol - as I learned it and have practiced it, anyway - is to limit carb intake to 20 grams/day or fewer - total carbs, not net; if it's not on Page 4, don't eat it; don't eat if not hungry; stop eating when satiated.) Nuts are not on Page 4; ergo, flours made from nuts aren't either. Making so-called "keto" cookies is not a thing. Truly. It's like selling a vegan chicken egg. Oxymorons, all around.

The thing is, we may want there to be the mythical baked good that is not carb-based. We may also want self-cleaning houses and poop-free diapers when we raise our children. There are no such things. To believe otherwise is magical thinking in the extreme.

If we need to avoid carbs, the thing to do is to - wait for it - avoid carbs. We need to lay off cookies, cakes, granolas, ice-cream, popcorn, etc., Even if the food-seller uses large, block letters reading "KETO" on the packaging. It just isn't. Their job is to try to sell us things. Our job is not to be sold a bill of goods. We are in control of our decisions, whether we like it or not.

Take the extra few seconds required to look on the back of the packaging, realize that total carbohydrate counts per serving (and check out what the vendor measures as a serving!), and make your decision based on the numbers, not on the marketing.

Don't blame keto for what the opportunists did.

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Disclaimer: I’m not a medical doctor, researcher, or Ph.D. but rather I’ve been fortunate to have had the time and resources to research the ketogenic diet, also known as LCHF (low carb/high fat). The information I share is based solely on my understanding of that research. We are all responsible for our own choices, including what we put in our mouths and there’s no substitute for each of us checking things out ourselves. And I’m not a medical professional in any way. Go Keto With Casey is not a medical site. “Duh,” you might say. But best to make it clear to all.  I welcome questions, comments, and even civil criticism. I’m still learning. So, if you have something to add, go for it. Links in this post and all others may direct you to affiliate links, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through those links. Thanks!

If It's Time for a Change, Let's Get to It!

Change. We seem to always be on the cusp of it, or at least thinking about it - or planning on thinking about it. Let's face it; change is hard. And the most challenging aspect is starting. It feels so good to stay planted in our habits, rituals, and our ruts.

How do we commence refashioning our lives, whether what we eat, how we manage our finances, cut back on alcohol, or increase productivity? We do so, one decision at a time. 

It's natural to want to make bold plans when we embark on reworking our lives and habits. 

"I'm going to clear out that garage before the end of the month!"

"It's time I finally get down to brass tacks and lose this weight."

"I'm going to join a book club - and will read the books."

Don't play. We've all done these types of things (repeatedly) only to see our best intentions fall away while we start binge-watching Ugly Betty instead. (And who can blame us? Such a cute show!) 

GKwC 12-month Log Book

So, how do we get to where we want to be? We do so at about an inch at a time, metaphorically speaking. While we hope for and tell ourselves that dramatic change is at hand if we just buckle down and get to it, the fact is that, while buckling down is probably needed, metamorphosis tends to be subtle, gradual, and takes time. Whether it's our waistline, finances, medicine regime, good deeds done, or junk drawers tidied, it all starts with a moment. The moment leads to a decision, and the decision leads to action. This process is nothing new. It's how we've grown into the people we are now, as I type this and when you read it. One day at a time, as the saying goes.

Incremental change results not only for the habits and actions that will lead to our 'new and improved' selves but also for how we got off track in the first place. We didn't emerge from the womb with a donut in one dimpled hand and a milkshake in the other. Our less-than-awesome habits grew over time. And that is how we can change them.

So, set some goals if you like. (Heck, buy a habit-tracking journal if you like! 😉) Make the goals reasonable and scalable, as business-types would say. Try not to think in terms of losing 50 pounds by whenever. Better to work on those decisions that will help in losing weight. Then build on the success of stringing several of those better choices together. 

Remember that it is this moment over which we have control. And make no mistake, we have more power than we think. It can be easier to tell ourselves that things are just too hard or that we've fallen short too many times to put ourselves out there again. 

Tosh.

Take a moment to reflect on all the things in your life that you've experienced, endured, and survived. As we say around Go Keto with Casey, "I'm Stronger Than a Cookie." And we are. We're also mightier than the lure of buying yet another pair of shoes and tougher than a cluttered garage.  

We can make changes. Ane we can do so bit by bit. Frankly, it's about the only way possible.

So, let's get to it. We can.

Disclaimer: I’m not a medical doctor, researcher, or Ph.D. but rather I’ve been fortunate to have had the time and resources to research the ketogenic diet, also known as LCHF (low carb/high fat). The information I share is based solely on my understanding of that research. We are all responsible for our own choices, including what we put in our mouths and there’s no substitute for each of us checking things out ourselves. And I’m not a medical professional in any way. Go Keto With Casey is not a medical site. “Duh,” you might say. But best to make it clear to all.  I welcome questions, comments, and even civil criticism. I’m still learning. So, if you have something to add, go for it. Links in this post and all others may direct you to affiliate links, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through those links. Thanks!

Keto in the Time of COVID

Stress and life. The two are inextricably intertwined. This fact is nothing new. As long as humans have lived amongst each other, there have been conflicts, arguments, irritations, and pressures: stress and life. Life is, in itself, stress.

But these are different days. The year 2020 has treated many of us in the way an ill-mannered child torments a bug by concentrating rays of sunlight through a magnifying glass. 2020 is frying our brains.

What is one to do with compounding stressors? Any ordinary old year might have tossed some issues at us: job insecurity, too many bills, and too little money, the family that we have to spend more time with than we'd prefer, health concerns. But most years, one of those problems may have sprung up. But not 2020. No, 2020 has to show us what's what. Many of us have been experiencing all these troubles - and more.

Some of us have done what we've done for years when hardships cause us anxiety. We turn to food. The thing is, even in so-called regular times, eating is no solution to any problem other than hunger. In the time of COVID, the same holds.

Food - and carb-laden items, in particular - will solve none of our problems, not one of them. They never have. On the contrary, there has rarely been a more critical time to fuel ourselves with food that keeps us healthy instead of those that tend to raise our blood sugar, inflame our system, and put us at risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease. It is well-accepted that those with metabolic issues (diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure) are at higher risk of complications if one contracts COVID. The ketogenic protocol helps address all of these potential co-morbidities. Lay off the carbs, get healthier. Pretty simple, eh?

I was going to write about this topic months ago. But, truthfully, I was hesitant to add to the tsunami of articles and mentions of the nasty, hateful virus. And writing about food choices seemed somehow trite. But I've had so many inquiries about managing lock-down, stress, anxiety, and all the other gloomy feelings many are experiencing that it feels a good time to chime in.

IT’S JUST A MATTER OF LAYING OFF THE CARBS. AND WEARING A MASK. IT WON'T FIX EVERYTHING THAT’S BROKEN, BUT IT WON’T HURT.

You can read about the basics of the protocol here. The main thing is to reduce carbohydrate intake to a point where our livers stop pumping out glucose (sugar) for fuel. Our bodies then happily will then happily burn ketone bodies (fat) — this aids in many aspects of our health. Blood glucose comes down (for the record, if one takes medications for high blood sugar, reducing carbs medical supervision. The meds can become "too strong" in conjunction with carbohydrate-restriction, resulting in hypoglycemia).

Although it may seem that giving up so-called comfort foods at the very time we long for comfort is one challenge too many, this is the precise time to make a change. We must keep our defenses as robust as possible to ward off the virus's worst effects if we contract it. The difference between a mild case and a bad one can make all the difference.

The best practice is to take preventative measures to avoid the grubby invader in the first place. Here, again, simple steps are most effective: hand-washing, face coverings, giving personal space. Also, fueling ourselves with food that doesn't cause inflammation and metabolic issues helps our immune system be ready if an infection does sneak in.

That's good planning in a 'normal' time. This year amplifies things. Fortunately, 2021 is near.

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Disclaimer: I’m not a medical doctor, researcher, or Ph.D. but rather I’ve been fortunate to have had the time and resources to research the ketogenic diet, also known as LCHF (low carb/high fat). The information I share is based solely on my understanding of that research. We are all responsible for our own choices, including what we put in our mouths and there’s no substitute for each of us checking things out ourselves. And I’m not a medical professional in any way. Go Keto With Casey is not a medical site. “Duh,” you might say. But best to make it clear to all.  I welcome questions, comments, and even civil criticism. I’m still learning. So, if you have something to add, go for it. Links in this post and all others may direct you to affiliate links, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through those links. Thanks!