Keto Archives - Susie Pea's

April 14, 2019April 14, 2019

The Ultimate Guide to Staying KETO on Road Trips

I am just about to celebrate my 1 year Ketoversary (it’s a thing). WOOT – WOOT!! I have learned so much in this year about myself and how food affects me. It was hard in the beginning, and I still have times that are rough. But I now have great tricks and tips to help me stay Keto strong by eating keto-friendly foods always.

When I first began My Keto Journey, I spent a lot of time researching exactly WHAT I needed to eat. It was so confusing. Everyone would give you just a pinch of what you could eat, but not what a full day looked like. They all preached that each one of us are walking a different journey, and we have to find what works for us. OKAY. But HOW??

Share The Love

I decided then and there, that if I ever figured it out, I was going to pass on my knowledge. If it works for you, then I have done my job. I am not a nutritionist or doctor. Nor am I an expert. I just know what worked for me. I wanted to share that with anyone that has questions of their own and want to start doing KETO. Use it as a guide and if it works, great. If not, at least you have a starting point and can tweak your own way of eating.

One of the tricks that I learned this past year eating Keto is how to eat Keto-friendly when on a road trip. Jason and I drive back and forth to the lake all of them time. Since hubs is stopping for drive thru food and gas station treats, I had to find what I could eat that wouldn’t throw me out of ketosis.

Real Life Research!

First of all, know this about me… I had a paper route for 8 years – AS AN ADULT. It was THEE most fun, crazy, tiring, ridiculous, job that I have ever had. I could write a book – or a post! I must say that I miss my route, and would do it again in a heartbeat – if Jason would let me.

The reason for telling you this is to say, I KNOW WHERE ALL OF THE LATE NIGHT DEALS AND BEST FOOD IN EVERY GAS STATION IN ST.LOUIS AND SURROUNDING AREAS ARE. When you have a route for 8 years, 365 days a year, all hours of the night, you sometimes eat to stay awake.

I would grab a bag of M&M’s and eat one per mile. I would ritually put it in my mouth, suck the candy shell until it was ever so thin, pop the shell with my teeth, and eat the chocolate inside. (Got the visual? Try it sometime. ;)) This took exactly one mile and believe it or not, helped me stay awake. Being so mindful probably saved my life a few times! Hmmmm, I wonder if this has anything to do with my eating habits, bingeing disorder, and weight problems?

How to Keep it Low Carb

snackle box that is keto friendly full of snacks that you can eat on keto — Snackle Box

Back to gas station food. Not all gas stations are alike and be thankful for that. Most of the food is terrible which always allows for poor choices. But for convenience purposes on road trips, unless you pack your own Snackle Box, you probably will be stopping for a bite to eat, gas, or restroom breaks. So here are a few Keto options when on road trips.

Gas Station Keto-friendly Food

Jerky
Almonds or Keto-friendly nuts
Beef & Cheese Sticks
Pepperoni Cheese sticks
Cheese sticks/ Cheese cubes
Hard boiled Eggs
Cheesewiches (Salami/pepperoni in between 2 pieces of cheese)
Pickles
Hotdog (no bun)
Quest Bar (warm up out of wrapper for 12 seconds – thanks Kayla!)
Pork Rinds
Water
Diet Soda (but contain sweeteners that may cause you to crave sweets)
Sparkling water (always check sweeteners on can)

Drive-thru Keto-friendly Food

Making your own food at home is always the way to go when you are on the Ketogenic Diet. Then you know EXACTLY what is going into your food. But when you are traveling and out and about, sometimes Fast Food is the only option.

No worries though, because you can find a keto-friendly food at almost any fast food place out there. Just remember – no bun, no ketchup, and NO FRIES!

Choosing fast food that fits into your low-carb diet can be a challenge. This is especially true when the diet is carb restricted. Having a list of Keto-friendly fast food options can help you stay in ketosis and keep your carbs low.

Mc Donald’s

egg rounds, sausage, and cheese (order an extra patty and use as bun)
egg folds, sausage and cheese (ditto)
quarter pounder with cheese, no bun, no ketchup. add bacon and mayo
double cheeseburger, no bun, no ketchup.
artesian grilled chicken sandwich, no bun.
grilled chicken salad, bring your own dressing or order a ranch dipping cup.

Taco Bell

power bowl, no rice or beans, extra chicken, lettuce, and avocado ranch sauce. (MY FAVORITE)

Burger King

double quarter burger, no bun, no ketchup
whopper, no bun, no ketchup

Kentucky Fried Chicken

Grilled Drumstick
Original Fried Drumstick

Wendy’s

Baconator, no bun, no ketchup

Sonic

chili cheese dog with no buns or beans

Jimmy John’s

“unwich” with any sandwich option. (It is wrapped in lettuce).

Chipotle

Steak Salad (Romain Lettuce, Steak, Tomatillo-Green Chili Salsa, Sour Cream, Cheese)
Burrito Bowl (Chicken, Fajita Vegetables, Romain Lettuce, Sour Cream, Cheese)

I hope these ideas will come in handy on your next road trip. Stay Keto strong and happy Keto-ing!! ~Susie Peas.

March 23, 2019March 24, 2019

Keto Snackle Box

Worried when you are heading out the door and you know that you may not make it back home in time for your next meal? I got you covered! This little treat box filled with Keto friendly snacks will make sure that you stay on track with your Keto way of eating.

Looks yummy, doesn’t it! Perfect for trips to the park, doctor visits, running errands all day.

All you need is a plastic tackle box (I found mine in the fishing/sporting goods section at Walmart) and some snacks cut to fit into your little compartments. Mine is small – about 6x4x1, so it fits perfectly inside my small crossover bag. This is ideal to keep my hands free while I run around town.

This size fits right inside my small crossover.

Snackle Box Ideas

Here are some Keto friendly low carb snack ideas to put into your Snackle Box. Some of the items you may have to cut into smaller pieces when prepping your box.

baby bels
olives
almonds
pepperoni slices
cheese cubes
pistachios
beef sticks
smokies
berries
bacon chips
turkey cubes
salami roll ups
pickle slices
cucumbers
pepper slices
hard boiled eggs

I love this little Snackle Box so much, that I have extras for my grandbabies for when we head out the door to the zoo, or a play date. Theirs are a little bigger but fit great in the diaper bag/backpacks. Check out their Snackle Boxes here.

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February 14, 2019March 9, 2019

My Journey with Keto – Finding Myself

Susie Pea

Food has been an accurate representation of me it feels like for my whole life. I celebrate with food. I use food when I am stressed. When I am sad I eat. When I am happy, I eat some more. I love food. And I hate food. I have issues with food. Therefore I am out of control. I can’t do this to my family, my body, my self anymore! And so my JOURNEY begins.

Struggling

At 50 years old, I topped the scale at 220 pounds. I couldn’t believe it. I was unhappy with myself. So unhappy that I ate even more to try and make myself happy. I was struggling. I was depressed.

It was a hard year for me. I lost my home of 23 years to a devastating flood. My dad was dying. My children had married and moved out or went away to college. Jason and I were empty nesters. Everything that I loved, my dad, my home, my children were all slipping away. All reasons for me to allow my bingeing life style to take hold.

Bingeing

I didn’t know what a binge eater was. When my doctor diagnosed me, I thought she was crazy. I disagreed with her. A binge eater? I wasn’t hiding it – I thought. I ate when I wanted to, which was all the time, and didn’t care if anyone saw me. But, maybe I did eat a little more when no one was around. That was because no one was around, not because I was hiding it, right? (10 Signs of Emotional Eating.)

Even though I disagreed with my doctor about my eating disorder, I knew that I needed to lose weight. She told me at that same visit that I was obese, borderline morbid obese. I let her know that no one has ever said that to me before. I was shocked that she did. Denial. – She was right. I was bingeing. I was out of control and my health was paying for it. Read my post Bingeing – The Struggle is Real here.

Starving

Back on the yo-yo diet, I worked HARD to control my eating. I was literally starving myself. I even passed out at a public event and went to the hospital by ambulance. Dehydrated. What was I doing to myself? This could not be the answer.

I lost 20 pounds in 2 1/2 years. During that time, we lost my dad. And I lost what little unhealthy control I had. I began to binge. My weight began to come back.

Keto Journey!

In April 2018 something clicked. No more gaining. I could barely fit into my jeans. Unhappy again. This crazy new KETO way of eating looked too good to be true. There were tons of pictures of people dropping weight and fast. Something had to be done. I had to try.

I began following some Keto dieters on Instagram and tried to eat what they were eating. It was hard though, because everyone was saying that the Keto journey is different for everyone. Find your own macros. Intermittent fast. Do this. Don’t do that. I was scouring YouTube channels and social media for information. I searched for recipes on Pinterest. In the end I just kind of winged it. Even with all of my confusion – it was working! I was doing something right.

Month after month, the weight was coming off. As the pounds were dropping, I realized that being in control of what I was putting into my body made me happy. Being in control of my way of eating made me feel good inside. Therefore, I kept going. In just 8 months on Keto I lost 60 pounds (80 pounds total – WOW!!). My bingeing is under control. I no longer feel that I am starving or dieting. I have a new view of eating. It is a lifestyle that I choose for myself. A lifestyle that is easy and sustainable. I feel amazing. My energy level is way up. I am strong.

Somewhere Along the Way I Found Myself

Something else happened along the way. I found myself. I have learned that I am a better wife, mom, daughter, sister, grandma, and friend when I put my health and happiness higher up there on my list of important things. Taking care of myself allows me to take better care of others. I am truly the best me that I can be. I am enjoying growing ‘old’ on this journey. These are the good old days! ~Susie Pea

Find my recipe on Banana Walnut Egg Loaf here. And Keto Cake & Cake Pops here.

Hey friends! With so much information out there flying around about the KETO way of eating, I wanted to help make it easier by offering you my Free Keto Menu Week 1. This will show you what I eat in a typical week for Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner and include snack ideas. Keto Menu Week 2. Keto Menu Week 3. Keto Diet Don’ts. Happy keto-ing!

February 2, 2019April 20, 2019

Keto Easter Brunch Ideas

All through my life, holidays and family get togethers were the perfect reason for me to over indulge. So many dishes and treats made by the people that love you most, how could I say no to just a “little” taste of EVERYTHING? So being the trooper that I am, I tried more than just a little taste and my weight showed it.

In April 2018 I decided to stop the craziness and get my weight and lifestyle under control. (see My Keto Journey – Finding Myself here.)No more little tastes of everything. Even though it was made with love, I knew that it wasn’t good for me.

Believe me, it was hard to say no to a piece of birthday cake or Thanksgiving pie. But even one bite of sugary sweet goodness and I was sunk. I had to want to be better for me. I had to make it stop.

It was either give up family get togethers or learn to handle them. My family means the world to me so I decided to make a plan on how I would make it through holidays, parties, and Sunday family dinners. (Check out my Ultimate Scavenger Hunt for Kids – a variation on the Easter Egg hunt).

After a lot of research and a readiness to lose that unhealthy weight, I found KETO. If you want to learn about my Keto journey, check it out here. Since starting a Ketogenic way of eating, I have lost almost 60 pounds! I haven’t missed any holidays or family meals. I learned how to make the menu work for me.

With Easter coming up, I decided to put together some Easter Brunch ideas that are low carb and Keto friendly. I plan to take one or two of these yummy dishes as my contribution to the Easter celebration.

Banana Nut Egg loaf

This is a great version of @ketosami.am’s Egg Loaf. This one is made with walnuts and banana extract (because banana’s are not keto). It tastes very close to Banana Nut Bread, but isn’t a bread at all. Even the non-keto diner will not be able to pass this one up. You can find my recipe for Banana Nut Egg Loaf here.

Crust less Spinach Quiche

Here is a Crust less Spinach Quiche recipe from @thelittlepine. It is so cheesy and savory. I have made it several times and my family love it just as much as I do. It is every bit as delicious as the original without the carb filled crust. No crust equals more cheese and that is a win in my cook book of love!

Blueberry Egg loaf Muffins

Here is another variation on the egg loaf. The blueberries are the perfect amount of pleasantness for your sweet tooth and this brunch idea. I like to sprinkle the top with cinnamon and a drop of sugar free syrup. You can find my recipe for Blueberry Egg Loaf Muffins here.

Low Carb Carrot Cake

What is an Easter meal without the carrot cake? This low carb carrot cake is so moist and delicious, no one will guess that it is gluten free and sugar free. It is surprisingly easy to make and presents like you were in the kitchen all day. You know, one of those recipes where you throw flour on your face and shake up your hair so everyone thinks you worked harder than you did. You will love this brunch idea of a Low carb Carrot Cake recipe from @Wholesomeyum.

Easy Ham & Cheese Rolls

@sweetcsloves has a phenomenal recipe Easy Ham and Cheese Rolls. It has all the salty, savory, cheesy goodness that as a keto connoisseur, I am looking for. Plus, this one is filled with ham and makes for a filling brunch treat. You can substitute bacon or sausage for the ham if you prefer.

And of course, bacon and eggs should grace the Easter brunch table too. With so many KETO options this year, I know that I will have a guilt free celebration with my family. I’m getting hungry just imagining how great these Easter brunch ideas are going to be!

What are some of your favorite Keto friendly brunch recipes. Let me know in the comments below. I hope you have a great Easter! – Susie Pea

Hey friends! There is so much information out there flying around about the KETO way of eating, I wanted to help make it easier by offering you my Keto Menu Week 1. This will show you what I eat in a typical week for Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner and includes snack ideas. Look for more menus coming soon. Happy Keto-ing!