For something to be sustainable it means, it has to be maintained at a certain rate or level or able to be upheld.  Way too many people comment on my lifestyle and as if programmed say, “It is not sustainable in the long run.”  I am going to tell you how wrong these people are.  I am going to defend my lifestyle and give you the knowledge I have acquired so that you can make this lifestyle sustainable for you as well.

There are many different ways people do the keto diet.  I do not agree or promote some of them.  I do wonder how nay-sayers can make such a statement.  How can a lifestyle that promotes whole, organic, unprocessed, non-inflammatory foods not be sustainable or good for you?  Is it that they are uneducated about keto?  They read and see so many people do it in an unhealthy way? Or, society has programmed them to believe this.

The basic premise of keto is to fuel your body on fat so it burns fat.  This will put your body into a state of ketosis.  Can this be done by eating globs of butter in your coffee and bacon with every meal?  The answer is yes.  Should you?  NO!!!!  On a ketogenic diet your macro intake should be: 70-80% fat, 10-25% protein and 5% carbohydrate while staying 20g or under.  When your body is constantly burning fat, you feel more satiated for longer periods of time.

Some people chose to count every morsel of food that goes into their mouths.  There are plenty of apps to help you if this is the route you are going.  In the beginning I feel this is the best way to learn.  Reprogramming your mind to see and eat differently is a difficult task.  If there are resources out there to help why not utilize them?  Keto has become so popular all you have to do is spend some time on Google to be on your way.

When I first began to follow a ketogenic lifestyle I was on my app constantly.  I would enter everything so I always knew where I was in my day with my macros.  Adapting to this way of eating was very easy for me.  I have celiac disease, so cutting out a few more inflammatory foods was not an issue.  The obstacle I encountered was being a vegetarian.  I am not saying you can’t do this and still be a vegetarian.  I am saying it was becoming very difficult for me.

My hair started to fall out.  If you look at photos of me you can see I have long hair that I love!  I was freaked out!  I went to the nutrition store and they recommended I start putting collagen in my coffee.  It had no taste so I did it.  After a few weeks, I noticed two things, 1.  No more hair loss and 2.  I wanted a steak.  Like I really, really wanted a steak!  How could that be after 18 years of being a vegetarian?  I fought it for a few months.

When the desire didn’t go away and I started to read up on food cravings I found that the collagen I was consuming was from grass fed cows.  HELLO!!!! I was getting animal protein without knowing it and my body wanted more.  I always believe you should listen to your body so I did.  We went out to a great steakhouse and that steak was heaven!  I haven’t looked back.

Over the past 20 months I have evolved eating keto into a lifestyle that works best for me.  You have to have balance and keep yourself happy or no lifestyle will work for you.  Life changes every day and so should we.  There are days I am super strict keto police, lazy keto days and every now and then a little dirty keto.

Strict keto is when you stick 100% to your macros.  You count and log them so you always know exactly where you stand.  You do not eat any inflammatory or processed foods.  Lazy keto is a more holistic approach.  It does not involve any counting, you eat when you are hungry getting in as much fat as possible and the smallest amount of carbs to maintain ketosis.  Dirty keto is staying within your macros, but eating processed foods and foods that may cause an inflammatory response.

I eat very clean during the week.  A sample day for me looks like this:
A cup of organic black coffee when I wake up
Midmorning I have 2 hard boiled eggs
Lunch is usually a salad with protein, cheese, nuts, vegetables and full fat dressing
Midafternoon snack varies from full fat Greek yogurt with ProGranola, BHU Bar, Lily’s Chocolate, Smart Sweets Gummies and a few more tasty treats!
Dinner always consists of a protein and 2 vegetables.  I usually roast or saute my vegetables in Avocado oil.  I use a pretty hearty amount.  I love Avocado oil because it has a very high smoke point.
I need something sweet to end my evening and for my body to know it is shutting down for the night.  I love Enlightened Keto Ice Cream, berries with whipped cream or some sort of keto cookie.

The only changes I make to my way of eating on the weekends are; I absolutely indulge in a few cocktails or glasses of wine and on occasion may have sushi with rice or Indian food (my favorite!!). I have found a small amount of rice does not create a negative reaction on my body.  On the occasion I eat rice the small amount does not take me out of ketosis. 

I do not like to use the word diet.  I never have.  I usually say lifestyle, but have recently heard a new word I have decided to embrace, “LIVET.”  On a recent episode of “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman”, Kanye West used the word livet.  He explained that the Rasta’s do not use any words with the word die in them.  I loved this!  So, I follow a ketogenic livet or lifestyle.

Now that I have explained to you how keto stops inflammatory response, burns fat, gives you energy and promotes healthy eating, is the not sustainable comment even valid?  I welcome comments and questions regarding keto.  Please feel free to email me at trainerturco@gmail.com