Falalalala, it's the holidays! In this episode we cover healthy substitutions for holiday recipes, lower calorie spirits and follow up with questions from our keto episode.
After our Keto Conversation episode with John Gorman and Andy Frisella, the questions came flooding in! Here were a few of those questions:
Q: I have type 1 diabetes. Can I do the ketogenic diet?
A: The answer is talk to your endocrinologist first! There are people with type 1 diabetes who do ketogenic diets. The worry people have is will I go into diabetic ketoacidosis if I do this? The answer is being in “ketosis’ on a ketogenic diet is different than diabetic ketoacidosis in which blood sugar is very high as well as high levels of ketones in the blood (higher than in a “ketosis diet”), however the risks of problems on a ketogenic diet for someone with type 1 diabetes are greater than someone who does not have diabetes. Questions to talk to your endo about:
- What to do for a low blood sugar on keto?
- Is a reduced carb diet a better option for long term?
- Should I check my blood sugars differently than I do now?
- Can you prescribe me a meter that tests blood sugar and ketones? (like Nova Max)
Q: How often should I test my ketone level?
A: This is really up to you. Avoid checking ketone levels for a couple of hours following a workout as the level will not be accurate.
Q: How do I calculate my macronutrients for keto?
A: 1) Determine how many calories you are currently eating in a day. Complete a 3 to 5 day calorie count using My Fitness Pal.
2) Use a scale with the body fat percent feature or a hand held body fat analyzer (some gyms will have these, just takes a minute to do) to find your body fat percentage.
3) For your keto macros:
Your protein target will be 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass (determined by % body fat. Ex: 200 lb person is 35% body fat. Lean body mass is 130 lbs, so eat 130 grams protein per day).
Your carbohydrate target will be 30 grams or less/day mostly from fiber, trace carbs- total don’t look at net as you get started, just total.
The rest of your calories will come from fat. If you find your average intake now is 1800 calories, subtract the carb and protein calories from the total to find fat grams.
Example for someone eating 1800 calories and 130 lbs lean body mass:
Current intake 1800 calories.
Subtract 130 grams x 4 calories/gram for protein = 520
Subtract 30 grams x 4 calories/gram for carbs= 120
1800-520-120= 1160/9 cals/gram for fat = 128 grams fat per day
So 1800 calories, 130 grams protein, 30 grams carb, 128 grams fat
4) There are reasons to avoid a ketogenic diet and here are just a few. If you have any of the following conditions, avoid a ketogenic diet, and always talk to your doctor before starting a ketogenic diet! Avoid keto diets if you have kidney disease, pancreatic disease like pancreatitis, gall bladder has been removed, congestive heart failure or fat metabolism issues like sphincter of oddi dysfunction.
Moving on from keto, try these healthy recipe substitutions to make your holidays healthier:
Substitute protein powder for half of the flour in cookies (like these Peppermint Protein Sugar Cookies from Emily's website Fit Home and Health)
Use unsweetened applesauce for oil or butter to save fat and calories in baked goods
For keto use cream cheese, stevia, cocoa powder and heavy cream in dessert recipes
Use less butter in the potatoes and add in low fat buttermilk and garlic for flavor
Try slow cooker green beans with tomatoes and bacon (a little goes a long way!) instead of green bean casserole.
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of bacon grease to mashed potatoes instead of butter for flavor. You won't need nearly as much bacon grease as you do butter to get a great flavor.
Try half and half mashed sweet potatoes with mashed butternut squash. You can buy butternut squash fresh in the produce section or look for it frozen, cubed or mashed. Butternut squash is sweet tasting like sweet potatoes but is lower in carbohydrates.
Add cinnamon and honey to sweet potatoes instead of the classic candied sweet potatoes that are loaded in marshmallows
The holidays tend to be spirited, meaning alcohol might be flowing! If you want to avoid drinking but enjoy the merriment, try these options:
Club soda or La Croix to sip on, it’s bubbly and calorie free.
Bloody mary fans can drink Zing Zang without adding vodka for a pretty low cal drink.
Carbonated, sparkling water like Sparkling Ice
Remember that non-alcoholic beers and wines are still a source of calories.
If you do plan to drink alcohol, try lower calorie alcoholic options:
Vodka with club soda (95 calories in 1 shot vodka)
Hard alcohol like tequila with water or on the rocks
Rum and diet coke (same calories as vodka shot)
Gin and diet tonic
Light beers (about 100 calories per 12 oz)
Wine (90-130 calories per 5 oz)
If you’re feeling fancy, try club soda with flavored vodka and a splash of juice or lime juice or one of these recipes
We wish you a very happy holiday! Eat well, be well and spread the love!
#ketogenic #weightloss #holidays #fitness #nutrition #cooking #recipes