Keto for the Holidays

Following a keto diet plan can be very challenging especially during the holiday season. However, the same common sense principals may be used to the keto approach as with other nutritional approaches during the season. Just accept the notion that you may occasionally exceed your daily carb quota. Don't despair the following are some steps that may help you keep things in check.

Be sure to top up on extra non-starch veggies. Non-starch veggies may be consumed in larger amounts in the keto, or in almost any diet. Non-starch veggies are super rich in many vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, phytochemicals, carotenoids, and fibers. I like to call these foods volumetric superstars. Meaning that they help to fill you up and curb your appetite while providing a plethora of nutrition.

So on the dinner plate, or the lunch plate or any snacks, be sure to load up your plate of veggies like kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, cucumber, bell peppers, or celery. These guys are great for helping you feel a sense of satiety, to help curb your appetite during the holidays.

Oh ya, don't forget the fat calories, be sure to use liberal amounts of keto fats as dressings or sauces for the veggie dishes. I like the healthier varieties such as extra virgin olive oil, avocados, and coconut oil. The olive oil and the avocados offer extra anti-inflammatory benefits.

Be sure to include as always your fair helpings of meats, fish or poultry. This is a time to especially include plenty of cold water fish for the extra levels of active omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. These omega 3 guys help to potentiate oxidation of fats in your body, thus, supporting a leaner body weight and helping to offset the extra calories from holiday eating.

Wild salmon, is one of my favorites since it is also a well known holiday food that provides omega 3's and rich levels of astaxanthin, a brilliant orange carotenoid that offers many health benefits ranging from brain health to cardiovascular health.

When opting for some sweeter food options, keep things in perspective and aim for berries, lower in glycemic response, they are still the best available options for keto followers. You may be a little more flexible than usual, but it's the holidays so that is to be expected. At least you will lessen the damage since the berries are some of the better fruits for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.

A healthy holiday treat may be as simple as having some cheese such as Swiss cheese with some blackberries, or blueberries; or some high quality unsweetened Greek yogurt with berries and some coconut, with a touch of stevia and some cinnamon for great taste. You can still have some indulgences while keeping things relatively keto.

Another easy and convenient keto indulgence for the season could be some cut up chocolate fudge keto bars. There are many of these options available at your local grocer or even larger retail outlets. Be sure to look at options that provide up to 70-75% of calories from healthy fats, 20% calories from protein and a low net carb count (ideally 3 grams or less/bar). Also, if you could find ones that use either erythritol, and or stevia as a sweetener that would be ideal.

So as is the case with most holiday season dieters, it can pose a daunting challenge to stay on task. However, be flexible and keep things in perspective. Expect days of extra carbs coming into the mix, but if you try your best to at least keep those carbs as healthy as can be, keeping them healthy glycemic, then you will limit things from getting way off course.

Enjoy the holidays, enjoy the keto lifestyle, but be practical, and make sensible choices. Don't be hard on your self for being flexible, understand that nutrition should be practical, and sometimes some momentary setbacks are opportunities to enjoy life while keeping focus on your long term keto goals.