Sticky Bun Cake

I have been in love with these Cinnamon Bun Muffins since the day I discovered them a couple years ago. I have made them countless times to rave reviews. Over time, I've tweaked the recipe several different ways but often following mostly as-is, using maple syrup and no nuts to make a straight-up cinnamon bun taste sensation. Lately, since I'm doing my Keto experiment, I have been playing around with using only just enough caloric sweetener to get the flavor profile, while filling out the sweetness with either Swerve or Stevia. Cute man hates this but tolerates it in some recipes but not others. When making this one, he did not notice so score one for the home team! All in all, the fewer baked things I eat, the better for my fat loss goals, but I enjoy being able to live a little without completely blowing it.

As for the caloric sweeteners, after reading about the GAPS Diet, I'm doing my best to avoid maple syrup in favor of honey. It has to do with the former being a disaccharide made out of two bonded sugar molecules, which are harder to digest, thus making it further down the digestive process to then be food for the "bad" bacteria in our guts (aka nasty beasties). Honey is considered a monosaccharide, which digests more quickly and is bio-available to us as opposed to the nasty beasties. This doesn't make 100% sense to me, because doesn't honey have both fructose and glucose aka two different sugars? Maybe they're not bonded or something; I don't really know and can't seem to find a satisfactory explanation anywhere. So, if you understand, please explain it to me. I am missing my maple syrup like crazy!

Moving on... I knew honey tasted differently, but I'm finding that it's usually not the flavor profile I'm looking for. As a result,I started looking for things in which I would purposely use honey... When I looked at this recipe again, I realized I could use the honey option and add pecans for more of a sticky bun as opposed to cinnamon bun flavor. I also adjusted it to be a cake, not muffins and changed the liquid measurements to compensate for not using the full amount of honey. I normally don't reprint others' recipes unless there is a significant change. I think I've met that threshold here, but please visit the original recipe for more inspiration and to support the author's work. I've also reviewed her cookbook on the Paleo Parents' site.  

Here is how it shaped up for me:

Sticky Bun Cake

Makes 8 servings

For the Cake

1/2 cup of coconut flour

1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

1/4 cup of Swerve (can use 1 teaspoon of Stevia)

4 eggs

3/4 cup canned coconut milk

For the Sticky Topping

2 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter (can use ghee or coconut oil)

4 tablespoons of honey

1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 cup of chopped pecans

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix all the cake's dry ingredients together.
• Add the egg and coconut milk, mixing to combine.
• Pour into a greased baking pan (like from this set or an 8 inch round)
• For the topping, melt butter in a 2 cup glass measuring cup in the microwave or on the stove.
• Add remaining ingredients and stir.
• Pour over the cake batter and swirl the surface with a knife.
• Pop the cake into the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a knife comes out cleanly when you poke it.
• Let cool a bit (if you can) and enjoy :)
• To store, you can leave it out, covered, at room temperature for a few days or put it in the fridge to extend it to a week (I hear, but never experienced it lasting that long!

Healthy Amelia

Loving Leftovers

I know I've mentioned this a bunch of times already, but I am really having fun with my Spiral Slicer. As a result, I've been noodling up a bunch of zucchini each week and then mixing and matching them with Italian, Asian, and other miscellaneous types of sauces with various veggies and proteins. I have yet to get bored! 

Between all the noodling and my other cooking exploits, my fridge has been quite stocked lately. I've taken to using these BPA-free, freezer-safe containers in addition to my regular Rubbermaid Set (although, if I were to buy these again now, I'd go with the glass version). I keep a little Sharpie and these awesome Post-it Label Pads in a drawer in the kitchen so I can easily mark the food and date on each container. This cuts way down on the mystery food phenomenon in which the food just sits there and I'm never sure if it's still good. There's something about these bright cheery labels identifying the contents that makes me actually eat pretty much everything before it goes bad. It takes just an extra few seconds to mark the container and it's working like a charm. 

At the risk of looking like a crazy person, here is a shot of my fridge from a little while ago. It's almost empty now, due to having gobbled these contents! 

Thanksgiving Planning (Keto and Paleo Friendly)

Holiday planning when eating differently from most folks can be a challenge. However, I choose not to think that way. I, quite humbly, believe myself to be an excellent cook and only make and share items that I know almost anybody would like, regardless of dietary preferences. In other words, I refuse to serve stuff that I think of as "good for gluten free". 

I'm also over the idea of "treating" myself with foods that make me feel like crap. For better or for worse, I've become adept enough to make extremely tasty things that don't hurt me. That's what I consider a treat. If, like me, you are shooting for a Keto lifestyle, be careful with the cookie recipes. They DO contain maple syrup so they need to be limited. Just a little PSA. Also, if you can handle a few off-plan adventures of the more standard variety, more power to you. My way isn't the right way, just the right way for me.

Many foods are naturally gluten free so making them tasty isn't especially challenging (think, the turkey or sweet potatoes or green beans -- see, it's not that hard!) I've also amassed a recipe arsenal of delicious gluten free baked goodies that seam to please everybody. I dare you to find someone who doesn't swoon for the Food Lovers' Chocolate Chip Cookies. Definitely not "good for gluten free". They always disappear fast at parties (and not just the Paleo Potlucks)!

This year, we are teaming up with our delightful neighbors for a combined Thanksgiving with a smattering of friends and family. We wound up enjoying a double feast last year by having a second meal on Black Friday with them. This year, we're just combining on the actual day for full effect. As a result, we haven't worked out the details yet. I have no idea what others plan to bring yet. Last year, the neighbors made a Turducken. Perhaps that'll happen again? If not, I can roast a Turkey like nobody's business so I didn't even bother with a recipe below. Those recipes can be found anywhere. Alton Brown's Brined Turkey is awesome sauce.

In the meantime, me being me, I've been trolling the internet for new and fun recipes plus reinvented old standbys to have at the ready, should they fit into the larger scheme of things. I've also found a few things that maybe wouldn't be necessarily right for the main meal, but will be awesome to complement the leftovers. Here's what I've got!

• First up is Stephanie O-Dea's Green Bean Casserole and Savory Sweet Potato Bake -- I would use my dual crockpots for this. Perfect if we wind up going over to the neighbor's for the actual meal.


• What's Thanksgiving without Stuffing? I have not actually tried this one out yet, but it look's incredible: Paleo Parents's Pork Stuffing Casserole from Beyond Bacon. I am loving that you don't have to first bake a loaf of bread. This is ingenious, time saving, and tasty-looking to the extreme! Triple Treat! This is happening no matter what. If others want to bring regular stuffing, that's cool. But I NEED this. 


• And what's stuffing without cranberry sauce? I did this sugar-free one last year and no one was the wiser! Totally going there again: Healthy Living How To's Cranberry Sauce. 


• The magic sauce that brings it all together has to be the gravy. I'm going to use Mama and Baby Love's Gravy (one of several holiday recipes listed in that post). I'm thinking of getting this mini slow cooker to keep it warm (it would also be fab to have for fondue. Just saying...)


• Last but not least, The Food Lovers' Pumpkin Cookies are always a fall hit. And they're easy.


• I'm thinking that the Stuffing Meatballs from Practical Paleo and My Heart Beets' Thanksgiving Bread would be fun to go with leftovers. Those two things layered with a bit of turkey with cranberry sauce on the side? Yes, please. This may actually happen in advance of Thanksgiving. What can I say, I'm excited! 

Gingerbread Pear Cake from Paleo Sweets and Treats

If you're in the US, what do you have planned for the big Turkey Day? And if not, what are some of your favorite holiday recipes? 

Feeling Hopeful (Keto Update)

I go back and forth on this whole fat loss thing. On the one hand, I want to feel good in my skin as I am and on the other, I want to care about myself enough to put in the effort needed to be my Best Self. I don't equate thinner with better, but being 50 lbs over my happy-weight is not optimal by any stretch. 

In my mind's eye, I don't picture myself thin when I think about that Best Self. I see myself moving effortlessly and gracefully without being encumbered by excess that I don't need. I look strong and capable, toned and solid.

I know that numbers on a scale aren't a particularly great way to judge progress but I've been at this long enough to have a rough idea of how they match up to how *I* feel at a given weight, if that makes sense. If I had to put a number on my goal, it would be about 180 lbs., a size 12 for me. It also happens to be the weight I achieved when Cute Man and I got together ten whole years ago (eep!) I don't think that's a coincidence, since I felt my absolute best at that time. Sure, I didn't get there in the most healthy way (marathon training + Jenny Craig = unsustainable weight loss) but I know that it's a place where I feel good. I am hoping that if I put the work in to get there in a healthy way, it's a place that I could not just get to for what felt like a moment, but stay in the ballpark for life. 

This is all to say: I'm not asking for the moon, people.

And today, I feel hopeful, like this isn't all just a pipe dream and I can actually DO this. I felt inspired to get on the scale and I'm down another 2.5 lbs. in the last couple weeks. The grand total, according to MyFitnesspal.com is 7 lbs. lost in 9 weeks (I was off in my estimation of how long I've officially been at this in an earlier post).

I never hardly ever feel resentful or annoyed with the WAY I eat (low carb Paleo, avoiding grains, etc) but I do oftentimes chafe at the whole counting business. It's a kind of annoying neurotic thing to do! But, it's helping me. It's making me more aware of my choices and is helping me hit a very mild calorie restriction target that allows me to eat plenty and lose weight at at slow, yet consistent pace. I'm pretty confident that I am able to maintain my weight without counting (as long as I don't again fall prey to too many treats, etc.) but to lose, I need to be accountable. And that's OK. 

In terms of the specifics, I've changed my calorie target to shoot for a 15% calorie deficit each day and I'm not counting any activity calories. For me, that turns out to be about 1800 a day, which is very comfortable (I had been trying for 1600 then adding in any activity calories but that was stressing me out a bit). I'm still staying under 50 total carbs a day (about 25-40 net). It's feeling good and no lie, seeing a lower number on the scale DID make my day. Old patterns are hard to break.

But for now, I'll take it. I'm making progress and feeling at peace with the method and work involved. In the grand cost/benefit analysis of life, it's a pretty good deal all around. 

Healthy Identity (Keto Update)

My (awesome) workplace is hosting an active week right now and today we had a discussion about overcoming barriers to making a healthier lifestyle a reality. While participating, I got to thinking (and sharing) about my general attitude towards health and wellness.

One of the biggest things that came to mind was how I choose to think about healthy behaviors. It's not something I "have" to do, not even a choice, really. Over the past few years, I've solidified my feelings about food and movement into a very important part of my identity. Just look at how I chose to name my blog: Healthy Amelia. It's how I am -- not even who I would like to be or plan to be. It's who I am. I am Healthy Amelia. It doesn't mean that I'm perfect or even that I'm where I'd like to be, but it's still who I am.

I have managed to embrace the process instead of focusing on the outcome. The latter brings nothing but frustration, in my experience. I regress from time to time, lamenting that I'm not "there" yet. "There" is always a moving target, though, so putting my attention on that is futile. Coming back to a love of the process and joy in taking the very best care of myself, regardless of outcome, makes this whole endeavor not only easier, but more worthwhile and enjoyable.

I'm not exactly sure when this shift happened but I'm grateful it did.

Noodle Obsession (Keto Update)

I am officially obsessed with making noodles with my spiral slicer and the website dedicated to all things spiralized: Inspiralized.com. This egg drop soup variation is my latest recreation and it is so delicious. Making it with homemade beef broth really made it sing. I've also been having fun just putting tomato sauce on zucchini noodles with the odd meatball and/or Parmesan cheese. I've also whipped up some macadamia nut pesto, which is amazing on zucchini noodles.

I've tried my hand at veggie based noodles before with a Julienne Peeler but my new gadget is definitely superior in every way. It's faster, easier, and the noodles are much more appealing. It's hard to describe, but the effect is a more round, spaghetti-like noodle that tastes a lot better and produces a great texture. I also like that it wastes far less of the vegetable, particularly when using zucchini.

I've also had luck with yellow squash (almost the same as zucchini) and carrots. The carrots require a little more pressure but they come out wonderfully. I've put the carrot noodles in a pan with butter and sage for some amazing noodles and even put them in with eggs for an easy omelet. I put off getting a spiral slicerfor a long time, thinking it's a useless gadget, but now I am so happy I changed my mind!

So far, I've only been using the spaghetti-like blade. I will see if the others are just as good. The best news is incorporating all of these vegetable-based noodles into my diet has really helped up my daily veggie quotient. The result: lower carb and calorie counts on my daily totals on My Fitness Pal! Win/win, if you ask me.

How do YOU like your veggie noodles? 

Tricky Thoughts about Treats

I am sitting near my front door in between trick or treaters. I am not eating even one piece of Halloween candy. I'm not smug about it. Rather, I'm wary. It's often when I make it through a time of great temptation that I wind up with a backlash shortly thereafter. It's almost like rewarding myself for being "good". But I know there's not really any good or bad. It just is. I remind myself... Halloween candy is not special. It's just abundant. This stuff exists at anytime so I don't have to fear that I'm missing something. 

Still, a little bowl with a tablespoon each of nut butter and dark chocolate chips comforts me as I sit next to a huge bowl of tiny individually wrapped confections. Now, some Gingerbread Tea. I can do this. 

Making Peace (Keto Update)

I’ve been at this for about two months so far. I’ve lost a total of 4.5 pounds. I lost the first 3 in the first two weeks and the last 1.5 in the time since. I’ve been struggling to keep my calories in range and took a few days off from tracking at all, which coincided with me baking a bunch of Grain-free (but not sugar-free due to maple syrup) cookies for sale at the Artist Market that took place last Saturday. I had about a week of consistent daily cookie-eating. At first, I was shoe-horning them into my day, displacing more nutritious food. Then, I “took a break” from counting…

That being said, I’m over it. For the most part, I do better without any type of baking. It seems to be a trigger for me. I’m not saying I won’t do it at all – in fact, I have a few things planned for this weekend’s birthday party for Cute Man – but I’ll stick to using Swerve and/or Stevia. But after that, I’m going to ease up on those types of things. There is no scenario in which having that stuff every day is a good idea. With a calorie limit, I need to focus on getting nutrient dense food into myself. 

I hate to admit how hard this is for me! I have not kicked the habit of rewarding and soothing myself with food. I go back and forth about whether that should even be goal. Is that so terrible? Can I find a way to allow for such things without undermining my goals? This is the never-ending question for me. I’ve tried The Whole 30. Talk about panic! A whole month without anything faintly resembling a treat was instructive, but ultimately painful. Is it worth the effort? Ultimately, I think not. In the big cost/benefit analysis of my life, I don’t want to choose a path that feels anything like deprivation. I have not been bad, I don’t deserve to be punished.

The beauty of the low carb and/or Paleo lifestyle has always been about abundance for me. I could do it because it felt good, right, and the trade-offs seemed worth it. When it “worked” without any counting, I felt like I’d won the lottery. Now that I seem to need the structure of counting calories and carbs, I’m rebelling a little. The way I’m thinking about it is this: I could go on not counting and just doing my best to keep my carbs low and probably maintain my weight. I could go super strict Paleo (no treats at all) and lose, albeit slowly, or, I can keep on course with my current plan which is to count, but allow some treats in a way that fits into my daily count. Really, it comes down to the treats. I admit it. Saving room for some nut butter and a few chocolate chips at the end of the day is what I’m talking about. So silly. So important. To me.

As a result, I choose option #3. I’ll count. I have to let go of the last of my internal resistance – resistance to counting, resistance to the idea of losing weight at all. Wanting to release this excess fat is not about hating my current body, but loving it enough to give it what it needs to feel safe enough to let go of the extra padding. These blocks are holding me back from getting where I want to be. I’m letting them go. Right now. I deserve to be successful and I can do this. And I will. Starting right now.

Back in Keto-land

For the past 6 weeks, I’ve been back at it – low-carb style. I never abandoned low carb, but I did lapse into some bad habits that were undermining my progress. I also let rumblings in the Paleo community tempt me into the “safe starch” realm. I have no doubt that many folks do better with some more carbs in their life, I’m just not one of them. Sadly, I fear I’ve pretty much already ingested all the carbs I can handle! I cannot deny that the lower I keep my carbs, the better I feel. 

I am keeping my activity in line with my eating style and avoiding anything that depends too heavily on tapping into glycogen (glucose stores). I’m focusing on walking a lot more (low and slow), yoga (also pretty low and slow), and short but intense cardio (intervals) and resistance training (lifting). The former are good for general health and some minor fat burning and the latter create a good hormonal response that triggers muscle building – more lean tissue means higher metabolic rate. All of it is either fun or short enough to make it hard to talk myself out of doing. And, the leg presses are doing some wonderful things to my butt. Just ask Cute Man…

I feel strongly that for most people, a general Atkins-style low carb or Paleo lifestyle can (and possibly should) be done without counting a darn thing. Once you take out the “food without brakes” as described by the Whole 9 folks, it does pretty much fall into place. This has worked for me in the past. However, I have been struggling for close to two years now and winging it is simply not working for me. I find too many ways to undermine my plan – whether it’s Paleo treats or simply too much food or some combination, it’s just not working.

As a result, I’ve been using My Fitness Pal again to put some structure into my day. I have a calorie target, but if I am truly still hungry, I do go over it without freaking out. For the most part, it tends to average out over the course of a week, which is great to see. Check out this post about how to configure My Fitness Pal for ketogenic diets (you have to tinker). My main goal is to stay under 50 carbs a day; ideally, I stay under 50 total carbs, but as long as I’m under 50 net carbs (which subtracts out fiber), the day is a success in my book. I’m also working on titrating down my protein a bit. I want to eat enough to fulfill my needs, but not leave much over for my body to produce glucose with the excess (gluconeogenesis). As a result, the vast majority of calories are coming from fat (about 70%!) You’d think that would involve mainlining butter, but it really doesn’t. I’ve found the high water/fiber of veggies (low calorie/high volume) plus fat (high calorie low volume) is a winning combination. Add in tons of homemade bone broth and you’re in business. If you’re interested in what all I’m doing, you can find me on My Fitness Pal – SammyDs.

I have to say that it truly feels good to be feeling good again! My mind is clear, I have more energy, and my PMS and other hormonal symptoms are calming back down. I have to remember to listen to my own body first and foremost. It is so easy to be swayed by messages that my addict’s mind loves to hear. Any excuse to give into the addiction and I’m there. That all being said, I am not living a bland life. Contrary to what many Paleo purists would advocate, I do think that life is just better with some sort of treats involved! I either have small amounts of dark chocolate or whip up some sort of baked treat (gasp!) I’ve been experimenting with sweeteners like Swerveand Steviaand am enjoying having a few things I can make and enjoy within this lifestyle. My absolute favorite find is this Nutella Swirl Tea Loaf. Seriously. So. Good. Keeping track of my carbs and calories helps me keep the portions sensible. So far, this strategy is working for me. I’m following a mentality much more in line with Maria Emmerich and Vanessa Romero as opposed to a strictly Paleo one. I’m finding the balance refreshing and it’s fabulous to see the scale moving downward, to feel my clothes getting looser, and to be getting compliments again (oh, the vanity!)

Ketosis - An Experiment (the power of a pound)

I am still loving this experiment, but the honeymoon period is definitely over. The tracking is extremely valuable to me and is showing me all sorts of interesting things. In the last two weeks, I’ve found myself eating more towards the top of my 1900 calorie/day guideline, while previously, the totals were much lower. I also have been bleeding over my 48 total carb gram limit (never more than 75, though). That being said, I do not feel like things are going badly. On the contrary, I am pleased with my progress and totally OK with being flexible about it. Since my last update, I’ve dropped another pound, bringing the total to 3.2 for this experiment (down 49 total). Each one of those suckers is hard won, I tell you. But progress is progress and it is such a thrill to see those darn numbers going down again.


I will be redoubling my efforts to keep the carbs under 48 each day. I think it’s a good discipline and recognize that I need the structure to keep myself in check. Having stable blood sugar (and no dependence on caffeine) is such a gift. It is so wonderful to wake up and not feel like crap until getting a cup of coffee in me. I sometimes miss that jolt of energy I’d get from coffee, but I’d trade that any day for this steady energy level.

The lack of crazy cravings is also a plus. I have continued to play around with different treat recipes and have had success with that. Some of my recent faves are my version of these coconut flour based cinnamon bun muffins, a vanilla version of this coconut milk based frozen custard recipe, and homemade chocolates made with Upgraded Chocolate Powder and Cocoa Butter, sweetened with Stevia. That last one is a bit of an issue, though. I’ve noticed that I get a mild headache after eating the chocolate. Such a bummer. I had noticed it with regular dark chocolate, too, and was in serious denial about it. I won’t say that I’m done eating chocolate – for the love of everything holy – you cannot take my chocolate. First the sugar, then the coffee. Where does it end, people? But I digress. If it’s truly giving me headaches, I’ll just have to keep it to a minimum.

I’ve mostly been eating an incarnation of my Sausage, Egg, and Spinach Bake for breakfast, but did go for a smoothie this morning that I made from unsweetened almond milk, a handful of frozen spinach, and two scoops of Primal Fuel. I’d been off the protein powders for quite some time, preferring to get my nutrients from “real food”. But, I was in a rush this morning and it hit the spot. It was delicious (you can’t taste the spinach) and got me to 20 grams of protein in under a minute. It’s certainly shy of my 30 gram goal, but better than a bagel :)

So all in all, I'm just chugging along. It's become routine to track my food and I'm so surprised that I don't mind it at all. I kind of enjoy it in a weird way and it gives me a sense of control in this ultimately uncontrollable process. Slow and steady wins the race! So that's me, winning, one hard-fought pound at a time.

Ketosis, an experiment (week 2 results)

I decided to get on the scale today to check my progress after two weeks. My clothes are feeling looser and I just feel less bloated overall. I don’t know what I expected, but I am determined to be thrilled by any movement in that arena. I know the scale is not everything, but I can’t help wanting to see it go down. And it did! The first weeks of this experiment resulted in 2.6 lbs lost. That brings my overall weight loss to the 48 lb. mark, just three pounds shy of my all-time low of 51 lbs. down that I hit last February. I feel like I am back in control of this process and I know just what to do to keep things going.


Keeping my daily total carbs to below 50 grams is both easier and more difficult that I thought. I really thought that I had been doing that previously just by not eating any overt processed carbs or even fruit. I knew (in theory) that nuts can add carbs and just overall calories, but I never really let that sink in and always ate them freely. Now that I’m counting everything, I recognize how “expensive” they are both in terms of carbs and calories. It is extremely easy to pack them away adding way more to my daily tally than I would like. The couple of times I’ve had some recently, I’ve been shocked at how little an ounce truly is and to see what happened to my daily tracker when I ate much more than that. I’ve also been surprised to see that I can’t eat massive quantities of veggies, either, although I feel less in need of the bulk they used to provide in my diet. With adequate fat, I just don’t seem to crave that volume.

Basically, it comes down to awareness. I thought I had a good grip on what was going on in my diet in an intuitive sense. But not until I put it down in black and white did I realize just what was happening. Now that I’m aware, it’s not a hardship to keep the amount of nuts low or to keep an eye on eating too many veggies. How insane(ly awesome) is it that I cut the amount of Brussels sprouts down and just added more ghee to them last night? Sounds crazy, but it kept my carb tally in line and helped me get closer to my goal for fat (I was STILL several hundred calories under my total for the day!).

I pretty much wind up bumping up against my carb ceiling of 48 grams each day. I never realized just how many random carbs are in things, which add up quite quickly. I’m working on getting my protein up to at least 90 grams a day (more concerned with the minimum than the maximum) – 30 grams at each meal is the goal, as I discussed in the last post. Breakfast is still the toughest, but I’m doing it, with the help of MANY eggs. I used to think I was “good” on protein and even suspected I might be eating too much. Boy, was I wrong! As usual, eating the fat in my diet is fun but I only use what tastes good and ads flavor. No need to gob it on. As a result, I’m always way under the goal amount, which is fine. I’m happy to supply plenty of saturated fat out of my own reserves, thank-you-very-much! This has kept my daily calorie counts 100-350 under my target of 1900. I’m not doing this to deprive myself, it’s just what happens when I hit my carb total and I’m full for the day. I theoretically could eat some more fat bombs or something, but usually have no desire for more. It seems I could “always” eat more of something like nuts or some other carb containing snack, but with the carbs gone, I’m set for the day. It’s really liberating!

This change is not only about jump starting fat loss, but about feeling better as well. I’m glad I used this past three-day weekend to get off of coffee again. Just like when detoxing from lots of carbs, it takes me 3 days of feeling kinda crappy to come out the other side feeling great. This time was no different. I slept a ton over the weekend and just generally took it easy. I dealt with a few cranky moments and slight headaches, but nothing horrendous. I just felt a little run down. But, just like clockwork, I woke up today (day 4) and I feel terrific. No fogginess or lead in my bones urging me to hit the coffee pot for some relief. I have no doubt that many people enjoy coffee with no ill-effects, but I’m just not one of them. I cannot help but become dependent and a little strung out, even on only two cups a day. I feel much better and on an even keel when I eliminate it from my diet. I’m sure I’ll “treat myself” to a decaf now and then, but there’s no reason to keep it as a daily part of my life.

So, there you have it. Two weeks down and no sign of turning back. The cravings are gone and I'm feeling so good, I can't even imagine stopping any time soon.

Ketosis - an experiment (high protein breakfast recipe)

Since starting this ketosis experiment, I’ve been a bit unsure about the amount of protein to eat. On the one hand, I was inspired to try this out because of Jimmy Moore’s recent posts about nutritional ketosis. He’s going extremely low carb and keeping his protein pretty low, too. I think he’s doing something like 85% fat. I know I wasn’t going to emulate that, but to simply keep my carbs under 50 grams total per day. My original breakdown had me eating a pretty large whack of fat and not a whole lot of protein. I had some good advice from my friend Jen, who urged me to up that to make sure I’m sparing muscle as I lose fat. I was still holding on to the fear that maybe too much protein would convert to glucose and knock me out of ketosis. The jury is still out on that one and it doesn’t look like it is probably the big deal I thought it was. Also, I just wasn’t naturally gravitating to eating as much protein as I thought anyway.


Still kind of confused, I listened to a podcast about protein (great timing – thanks Jimmy!) The expert on there recommended eating a minimum of 30 g of protein per meal for everybody. He said it didn’t much matter how big you are or what gender because that amount is has more to do with blood volume than body mass, which doesn’t vary that much across people. So interesting and so not what I thought. He did not think that the calculations based on body size were necessary. That minimum was good for all, although people who work out a lot would need more for repair. Listening to him speak, it made a great deal of sense so I’m going to try this. It happens to work well within the macronutrient amounts/percentages I’ve been using as my goals – Carbs: 48g/10%; Fat: 114g/70%; Protein: 95g/20% (this is within the framework of a 1900 calorie max, which I rarely even approach, by the way – it’s been in the 1550-1750 range).

The goals are great, but I’m usually short of this on my protein – a bit at lunch and definitely at breakfast. Dinner usually comes close to or hits the mark of 30 grams at a meal. As a result, I’m going to change things up a bit more, focusing first on breakfast. The first step is to stop with the Bulletproof Coffee in the morning. I’ve been getting a bit of protein in with it, but nowhere near the 30 gram level. I’m going to switch to a protein centered breakfast and build the other components around getting 30 grams in during that meal. I have a feeling that this change alone will put me on the right path. I’m also looking forward to stopping the caffeine again. I’m just not feeling all that great lately and I think it’s the caffeine, as much as I hate to admit it. How many times I need to go down this road in order to learn this lesson I’ll never know. Progress not perfection, I guess! A long holiday weekend is the best time to let it naturally get out of my system when I can sleep in and rest as much as I want.

30 grams of protein during the first meal of the day will be a challenge for me. It is not natural for me to eat that much in the morning, period. But I think it’s worth a try, so I’m going for it. To make sure it happens during the first week, I’m going to make the following recipe that I will make in a casserole pan and cut into six pretty large portions. It’s going to be A LOT of food for me, but we’ll see how it goes. I’ll put the nutrient breakdown below as well so you can see how it fits into the context of my overall eating plan.

Sausage, Egg, and Spinach Bake
Serves 6
Each serving contains: 393 calories, 4g carbs, 29g fat, 30g protein

12oz loose breakfast sausage (US Wellness Meats)
1 onion, coarsely chopped (I used red)
2 cups frozen spinach
18 large eggs
Salt, pepper, seasonings to taste (I used a mixed seasoning from Trader Joe’s plus sea salt)
1 tablespoon butter or ghee


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown up the sausage in a large oven-proof casserole pan on medium heat, breaking up the pieces as you sauté. When cooked through, empty the sausage into a large mixing bowl. Using the same pan, now greased from the sausage, add in the chopped onion. When the onions become translucent, add the frozen spinach and cook, stirring often, until thawed and most of the excess water has evaporated. Empty the contents of the pan once again into the mixing bowl. Let the contents of the bowl cool a bit for 5 minutes or so to prevent the eggs from starting to cook right there in the bowl. Use the cooling time to add the salt and spices of choice to the mixture as well as to add butter or ghee to the casserole pan you used to cook the sausage and veggies, using the residual heat to melt the fat and a pastry brush to coat the sides a bit (or grease a casserole dish, if your pan is too small).

Once cooled, push the contents of the bowl to one side and add the eggs on the other side (this just makes it easier to whisk the eggs). Whisk the eggs until fluffy and then incorporate the rest of the mixture before pouring the whole bowlful back into the casserole pan or into the greased casserole dish. Place the pan/dish in the oven and bake until solid, about 30 minutes. The eggs may puff up a bit, but will go back down when you take it out of the oven. Cut into 6 evenly sized pieces and enjoy your 30 grams of protein for breakfast!

Ketosis - an Experiment (treat edition)

You'd think that keeping total carbs below 50 grams would completely nix the idea of treats. But where there's a will, there's a way! For the most part, I do shy away from sugar based as well as artificial sweeteners. But I've come to realize that a little can go a long way and that having a bit of a treat to look forward to does have a positive psychological benefit. I mostly use Stevia to satisfy the sweet taste, but will also sometimes add a very small quantity of maple syrup, honey, or even regular sugar to things to give them a more authentic taste, without adding significant carbs (under 5g per serving does not bother me or spike cravings).

I should also mention that I've decided to stay mostly dairy free (except butter and ghee). As exciting as it was to think about eating cheese and heavy cream again, I realized that I'm better off without it and don't really miss it right now. I still deal with seasonal allergies which is a sign that my gut is still not completely healed. I suspect my inconsistency with dairy may be playing a part.

So far, I've come up with several treats that I've been enjoying all the while staying comfortably in ketosis. The first is this amazing recipe for Caramelized Coconut Chips from Melissa Joulwan. It is incredibly simple, fast, and more delicious than it has any right to be. Seriously, folks. I am addicted. It has the slightly crunchy appeal of popcorn with the additional saving grace of being super filling. I make it by the half cup and that is perfect for satisfying the snack monster without derailing my experiment. Win-win!

Second up is a crustless key lime pie recipe that I made in tiny 4oz jars subbing a dropperful of stevia for the honey. The dominant tart taste from the freshly squeezed key limes really made this turn out great even with only using the stevia.

My next attempt was chocolate mouse. I did use a tablespoon of maple syrup in edition to a few drops of stevia, to give it a more decadent taste. Keeping the portion small kept the amount of actual sugar eaten per sitting quite negligible. I made half the recipe linked above, and split it into 3 little jars. Using the top layer of cream from regular full fat coconut milk really makes this taste rich and the portion size turned out to be just right. I love how real, healthy fat like that in coconut, is so satisfying and self limiting. It's truly impossible for me to eat too much - a few bites and I've had enough. It's amazing! Another plus is that it really did take less than 5 minutes.

Another good one that hits the chocolate spot is the fat bomb. I'm still perfecting this one - I keep forgetting to add a bit of salt since I use unsalted ghee instead of the salted butter called for. I think that will round out the flavor. I am really looking forward to my new chocolate powder, cocoa butter, and vanilla I ordered. I am imagining all sorts of yumminess I can create with those! If I'm going to be this low carb, some quality ingredients DO make a big difference.

Last but not least, I made some homemade jello using Great Lakes Gelatin and brewed herbal tea, sweetened with a little stevia. Since the ingredients are all carb free and almost calorie free no less, I made these in larger jars. I made two each of orange and apple flavored teas. I'm always looking to get more gelatin in for joint health and gut healing, so this is a big win for me.

My first week of intentionally eating a ketogenic diet has been much easier and less stressful then I would have imagined. I think the transition was helped by the fact that I was really only going from a low carb (75-150 grams per day) diet to a very low carb diet (under 50 grams). Not being completely dependent on sugar to begin with made a big difference. However, as small a change as this may seem, I think it's a critical one for me. Keeping carbs at this level has completely evened out and stabilized my appetite as well as gotten rid of the intrusive cravings. Though by no means an "easy" lifestyle, it does feel sustainable for no other reason than it keeps food more in its rightful place instead of dominating my thoughts and life to a large extent as in the past. I am still the foodie I've always been, loving to cook, try new things, and share my creations with others. But I'm starting to feel more focused about it now that I feel like I'm running the show instead of my cravings.

Ketosis - An Experient (update #1)

I’m in to my second day of the Ketosis Experiment and I’m loving it so far! I went in to it shooting for 5% carbs, 20% protein, and a whopping 75% fat. It is fascinating (to my nerdy brain!) to look at how it all shakes out on My Fitness Pal. You’d think that eating 75% fat would mean eating spoonfuls of mayo or something, but it’s not like that at all. Since fat is so much more calorie-dense it doesn’t take much to keep those numbers high. It’s mostly just using it liberally, but not superfluously.


I’ve found that keeping carbs to 5% is really tough, even with limiting things to the regular low carb freebies of veggies, lime juice, etc. As a result, I’ve rebalanced to 10% carbs (48 grams), 15% protein (71 grams), and 75% (158 grams) fat. That ratio keeps me just under the ketosis threshold of 50 total carb grams a day (generally speaking - it can vary), so I think that will work for my purposes. Especially considering some of that total will be fiber, since I’m going off of total carb grams, not “net” carbs (which subtracts out the fiber and sometimes sugar alcohols).

Another surprising thing is that I thought I would have to consciously cut back on the protein, thinking that might be the problem all along. Eating too much can lead to converting some of it to glucose… But no – the last couple of days have landed me at about 15% with just a “normal” amount of it for me. I really thought I was eating much more. I guess a lot of my protein sources come packaged quite nicely with a whack of fat, so that it has less actual protein grams than I thought. Think eggs, bacon, sausage, salami… Or chicken salad made with homemade mayo. But I digress…

Seeing a couple days of info is making me think that the issue is either too many sneaky carbs (I had let many more “treats” into my life lately) or just too many darn calories, although I’m loathe to go THERE. It’s probably a combination of the two. It kind of makes sense, though. When I was heavier, I burned more in general, and now that I’m 45 pounds down, my requirement has gone down. If my intake hasn’t changed, what previously allowed me to slowly lose, is now the amount to maintain. My hope was that I’d naturally adjust via my appetite, but maybe not. But without any data from before, it’s hard to know if my intake has changed at all.

That being said, I’m wary of paying much attention to calories. I do not want to wind up on the disordered train to crazy-town with all this stuff. So, for now, I’m keeping my calorie “goal” the amount the program claims will allow me to lose a half of a pound a week. I’m not putting in any exercise or anything that would offset that number. I’m just leaving it there and alone as a tool that frames the information I’m really after – the macro-nutrient ratios and absolute amounts in grams of each of them. I’m not necessarily going to hit that “goal” every day and I’m trying to ignore it as a ceiling as well. However, I do hate seeing myself go over (a hold-over from previous dieting attempts) so if I need to, I’ll just raise it. I don’t expect that to be an issue, though. I’m probably eating the most that I can expect to over these first few days while I’m getting the last of the excess carbs out of my system and transitioning to a bona-fide fat burning beast. Once that happens, I expect my appetite to naturally go down a bit. But, we’ll see. I feel strongly that I should not feel deprived when making the transition to very low carb. It’s hard enough as it is… I really don’t want to send those “restriction” signals to my brain in any way. That is a sure way to derail this process.

So for now, I’m shooting to keep my intake just shy of my regular needs and I’m not going to worry about exercising for the calorie burning effect. Instead, I’ll keep up with my yoga (2x), high intensity interval training (1x), tai chi (1x), and walking (daily) for the positive psychological and hormonal effects.

I know I’m only a couple of days in to this, but I’m feeling really great about the experiment. Seeing exactly where I’m at nutritionally has been eye-opening already and I can’t wait to see what else I’ll learn, not to mention that I’m hopeful that these changes will lead to getting the fat loss going again.