Finding The Path, Keto Tips and Tricks

We carried our shoes over our heads as we forded the waist deep water. The murky current fought our footing on the muddy river bottom.

Upon reaching the other side we replaced our shoes and took stock of our surroundings. The canyon we sought was nowhere in sight. We oriented the terrain to the map and concluded it must be east.

I love Utah, mostly because I love backpacking. The downside is that the high mountains have snow in late June and then it returns in September. It is a tragically short season. I was forced to find low altitude alternatives for backpacking. This lead me to my discovery of the Little Grand Canyon.

The San Rafael Swell this is a gem of desert beauty. The Swell is over 2,000 square miles (making it bigger than the Rhode Island the smallest US state, and almost the size of Delaware, the runner up.) Goblin valley is perhaps the most famous location in the Swell, fortunately its neighbor the Little Grand Canyon is kept quiet.

Because of the somewhat hush hush nature of the canyon there are no standard or groomed trails to follow. Upon my first trip to the area I had to rely on map skills. An assortment of game and cattle trails along with undefined terrain make it a bit tricky to get into this canyon.

Yet we stuck with the resource we had and moved on. Soon the landscape began to change. Slowly we were able to identify more points from the map, we were honing in on the correct direction. Then we found ourselves in the canyon itself. Now it was very easy to stay the path, the canyon walls were corralling us deeper.

We crossed the San Rafael river dozens of times and after ten miles we had earned a beautiful vista.

Keto is eating minimal carbs, adequate protein for your body, and as much fat as you want. Figuring out Keto is like finding your way into the Little Grand Canyon. You have some resources to begin with. It can be hard to figure it out but after you get there it is easy to keep in Ketosis.

Here is what I have learned about getting into Keto and staying there. Or, better yet...

Crazy Quinn's Keto-tips

1- The Keto Ratios

You want to keep your fat high. Typically I try and eat foods that have twice as much fat as protein. The problem with too much protein is that your body can identify it as a food source and drop you out of Keto to digest it. So as a rule I never eat protein or carbohydrates (low carb vegetables) on an empty stomach. I get a good helping of fat and then eat the other meal items.

Tracking your food in the beginning can be very helpful. If you want numbers I have would give you the following:

1) One gram protein per kilo of body-weight each day.
2) No more than 50 carbs. Less is better.
3) Eat fat as much as you need to fill up.

2- Don't Fear the Fat

"Fat is the food of Lucifer himself. If you eat fat then you will be fat. It will stop your heart. It will make you lethargic. It is bad!" - Anonymous Critic

Fat has a bad reputation. If you need to get some fat quickly and your option is a bar of butter, you will have an aversion to taking a bite out of it. You need to move past that, and embrace the fat as your new dietary staple. Get in there and let the physical and mental benefits prove my point.

3- The Keto Food Groups

The following are common foods we eat to meet our needs. We use these as ingredients and we eat them on their own, depending on the situation. This list is not the "only allowed foods" this list is to give you an idea of things we eat.

The fatty group:

• Olive Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Butter
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• Mayo

The meaty group:

• Bacon
• Sausage
• Ground Beef
• Chicken Thighs

"Why didn't you just say beef, pork, and poultry? That would have been simpler." - Anonymous Critic

I mean exactly those kinds of meat, higher fat options. You can eat lean meats from these sources, yet it doesn't help you keep your high fat ratio in your diet and it can over-do your protein intake.

The veggie group:

• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Zucchini
• Spinach
• Celery

"That's not all? You missed a lot. How about potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, and beans?" - Anonymous Critic

Whoa whoa whoa guy, those are high carbohydrate options. That is a NO-GO with Keto. I have a little mnemonic for you:

Carbs = Crazy

4- The Three Keto-amigos 

Amigo Uno

There are some things you need in your diet when doing Keto. The first are the pair of Magnesium and Potassium. I do well at 300-400 mg of Potassium each day. About the same of Magnesium. You will need to hone in on what you need. If your Potassium is low you will get muscle cramps. If your Magnesium is low you will get constipation. (Be careful overdoing Magnesium, you may have to spend some time with your toilet. I warned you.)

Amigo Dos

My Drill Sergeant was a medical genius, he introduced me to the second amigo. No matter what I or my battle buddies told him was wrong he could fix it.

"My head hurts."
"I smashed my foot."
"I miss my family."
"I have a temperature."
"This isn't fair."

He wasn't a medic or a doctor, but he should have been. He had the answer, the same one each time:

"SHUT UP, DRINK WATER!"

I tell you medical genius, it fixed everything.

Amigo Tres

The last thing you add is pro-biotics. I personally love sauerkraut and kimchi. I ferment it myself. Don't worry if you don't like that stuff there are plenty of pro-biotic supplements out there. Find one, take it daily.

5- Keto on a Budget

If you are on a budget then you should check out this section. If you are not on a budget, then you should go start one now.

In Keto your staple is fat. Not all fats are equal to your wallet. Some are cheaper than others. I calculated which fats are cheapest per gram of fat the winners are:

1st Mayo
2nd Butter
3rd Olive Oil
4th Coconut Oil

6- You Get Bacon Every Day, Celebrate!

There are tons of delicious meals you can make in Keto, a simple google search will yield hundreds of results. Some favorites in our family are Parmesan Crust Pizza, Cauliflower Rice Sushi, Alfredo, Cheesecake, and much more. Focus on the delicious foods available to you. Do not dwell on the carb based treats that keep you sick.

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I hope that the things I have learned help you on your Keto path. If you have questions drop them in the comments and I will do my best to help.

Be sure to check out my journey from sickness to health.

#health #healing #recovery #mentalhealth #keto #tips #tricks #hacks #lifehacks