All About the Keto lifestyle

So how many carbs is low carb? How many carbs you eat in a day will depend on your goal. But whatever your goal, this is a list of things you can avoid or have minimal amounts of to insure success!!

• Fruit
• Wheat
• Sugar
• Grains
• Pasta
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Beans
• Starches
• Cow's milk 
• Sweet potatoes
• Corn
• Peas
• Potatoes
• Carrots - can be used in moderation just don’t go over board. They are full of starches and not recommended

 If you aren’t getting the adequate amount of water it can be bad for your kidneys Make sure to drink half your body weight in oz of water a day. This applies for all forms of keto. But if we are not taking in electrolytes our bodies will have a hard time absorbing the water.  Some good forms of electrolytes are:  

• Powerade zero
• Pickle juice
• Pink Himalayan salt added to your food

 The keto diet is restrictive in the way that there are a few food groups you are canceling out. BUT there is also so much you can eat, and this is the very reason many people have success with this diet.Here's a long list of foods you can happily enjoy

• Beef- Ground beef, Steak, Ribs, and Roasts
• Pork- Chops, Ribs, BACON, Loins, sausage
• Chicken/Turkey- Thighs w/skin or wings are the best because breasts are high in protein. However, you CAN eat breasts, just have to eat more fat to compensate.
• Fish- Tuna, Salmon, Cod, Haddock, etc.
• Shrimp/Lobster- Go crazy, use lots of butter!
• Pepperoni
• Mozzarella & Cheddar- Buy in bulk, they freeze well and are insanely versatile!
• Colby jack, pepper jack, Monterrey jack
• Taco style, Mexican style
• Parmesan, Asiago
• Ricotta- Freezes well, very versatile
• Cottage cheese- Good to throw in your lunch with berries, usually around 4-8g of Carbs per serving
• Cream Cheese- Freezes very well, this is one of the things that I always glance at whenever I go to the store, and always buy a bunch of if it's under 75 cents per 8oz.
• Leafy greens- Spinach, Spring mix, Kale, Romaine
• Zucchini- Great for a noodle substitute!
• Avocado- Awesome source of natural fat!
• Eggplant
• Brussels sprouts
• Tomato
• Spaghetti Squash- Versatile, makes a great spaghetti substitute and is even great for making hash browns!!
• Cucumber
• Peppers- Jalapeño, banana, green/red/yellow/ orange bell
• Broccoli- Great with cheese, steamed or just raw!
• Asparagus- Awesome roasted or sautéed with bacon and garlic!
• Cauliflower- AWESOME potato substitute!!
• Celery- Great with cream cheese or all natural peanut butter!
• Cabbage
• Pickles (Read nutrition labels, watch for sugar and carbs)
• Olives
• Green beans- Awesome sautéed in bacon grease with garlic, (watch portion size, though).
• Onions- Red, yellow: use somewhat sparingly, to taste
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Lemon/Limes- Adds great flavor!
• Nuts (grams of Carbs per 100 grams, or 3.5 oz)
• Pecans/ Brazil (4g)
• Macadamia (5g)
• Hazelnut/Walnut/Peanut (7g)
• Pine (9g)
• Almond (10g)
• Pistachio (18g)
• Cashew (27g)
• Coconut Oil
• Butter: Kerry Gold is best but just make sure it's REAL butter and not a spread or margarine
• Olive Oil
• Vinaigrette
• Hollandaise
• Bacon/sausage grease
• MCT oil- easily ordered online/in specialty stores
• Ranch, Blue cheese, Cesar, Thousand Island, Balsamic- Watch carbs/ sugar, but there's tons of brands, so you can find one you love!
• Mayo- Natural/organic is best, but I use Hellmann's all the time.
• Aioli
• Heinz "NO SUGAR ADDED" Ketchup or sugar free ketchup
• G. Hughes brand sugar free BBQ sauce
• Yellow/Spicy Brown Mustard
• Soy sauce
• Hot sauce
• Heavy Whipping Cream (HWC)
• Broths/Stocks: Stay away from reduced fat. Bone broth is awesome!
• Pepperoni
• Slim Jims/jerky (watch carbs)
• Homemade cheese its/ tortilla chips
• Cheese
• Pork rinds (0 carbs, very versatile. Can be used as breading, nacho substitute or even sprinkled with cinnamon & stevia and eaten like cereal with Almond milk and tastes like cinnamon toast crunch!)