Keto Flu Blues

Saturday April 8th

When you first start the ketogenic diet there this thing that nearly everyone goes through called Keto Flu. It happens sometime during the first 3 weeks and is the point at which your body has run out of readily available carbs to burn and must now convert to burning fat. For some it's a miserable period for others they barely notice.
Last week in Seattle I ate all kinds of yummy, carby stuff that's why I had to do the Recovery Plan, to get my body back to using fats for energy. Today is the fourth day into my Recovery Plan and I've got Keto Flu. It's both a good and bad thing. It's bad because I'm craving carbs, the quicker the better! Donuts, cake, breads, sweets, you name it I'm wanting it and bad. Because my body has run out of those quick fuels that it's been burning I feel tired, unmotivated and headachy on top of craving carbs. The good part is that if I can ride this through without eating carbs I will soon be back in ketosis. My energy will go up, my thinking will clear, I won't be so tired and grouchy and those cravings will be much easier to ignore.

On the running front, I haven't run since Wednesday and really should get out there and do a mile. But, that's hard to do when you feel lethargic, unmotivated and tired. There are two highly logical arguments rumbling around in my thoughts.

Argument One: Running while injured or sick is not good. Give yourself a break and when you go out to run again you'll enjoy it more and gain better benefits.
Argument Two: Get off your lazy butt and run! You aren't really sick so it doesn't count. Stop making excuses and go run.

Which one would you go with? How about if I compromise and do a 2 or 3 mile walk?

The Next Day - Sunday April 9th

I started this post yesterday but, didn't put it up so, I'll add a little more then share it. Today I woke up and felt much better! On top of going through Keto Flu I forgot to mention that my sleep schedule has been crazy. Coming home from Seattle we caught the 6:00 am flight which means we had to wake up at 3:00 am to return the rental car and get to the airport. I still hadn't recovered from the trip when I had to wake up at 2:00 am Friday morning in order to volunteer at the start line for James' Ragnar team. Needless to say yesterday was a wash after all that.

Today I seem to be back in the game! I went out for a run, did a mile and a half and could have done more! However, James and I stopped for breakfast and running is harder with a full belly.

My run stats for today:

Shoes - New Balance 1080 Fresh Foam
Intervals - 1:30 running 1:00 walking for 8 intervals which equals about a mile and a half.
Pace - 13:36 minutes per mile (a new record for me!)

Some days are harder than others if you're having a hard day hang in there and try again tomorrow!

Seattle Recovery Plan

We are back from Washington and it's time to get the Recovery Plan under way. I spent March 31st thru April 3rd with my husband and son visiting my daughter, Hanna, and her boyfriend in Newcastle, Washington (just 20 minutes southeast of Seattle). We had a terrific time with lots of wonderful food adventures including a celebratory cupcake from Common Ground in Renton (my birthday is coming up); handmade Turkish Delight and fresh hot mini doughnuts from Pike Place Market and amazing Nepalese food at Anapurna in Capitol Hill. We also took hikes, walked city streets and shopped.

Yesterday morning we arrived home around 9:00am. I had a good stiff BPC for breakfast (at 3:30 am); I brought keto snacks on the plane; I had bone broth with butter and ham for lunch but, I was not perfectly keto. We still have a few pieces of Turkish Delight left which I indulged in and I could not resist using the Smoked Honey I got at Pike Place for my old (pre-keto) Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs recipe for dinner. The honey thighs were paired with shredded brussel sprouts and bacon, dinner was fabulous!

Today, I am officially on the Seattle Recovery Plan. Another delicious BPC got me up out of bed. What's BPC? Bullet Proof Coffee! Coffee with butter or coconut oil added and often times half and half or, even better, heavy whipping cream. Here's my recipe for today's BPC made in my 10 oz French Press.



2 tbsp of fresh ground Costa Rican Tarrazu from World Market
1 tbsp of salted butter
3 tbsp of half and half
1 1/2 tsp of Swerve sugar substitute
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Brew the coffee. Mix the Swerve, butter and half & half in a 12 oz mug and microwave for about 45 seconds or until the butter is melted. Add the brewed coffee, cinnamon and vanilla extract to the mug, stir and enjoy!

Of course, you can make adjustments to suit your taste.

Lunch was formed spontaneously while putting together tonight's dinner which is Lamb Stew.

I seared the lamb chunks in my square cast iron pan with coconut oil and put that in the crock pot. To the same pan I added more coconut oil and one chopped onion letting it cook until there was a nice brown edge and the onion was softened, I added that to the crock pot but, left a couple tablespoons of onion in the pan.
Now comes the lunch part! To the same hot pan I added a cup and a half of chicken broth and about 3 tablespoons of Shiraz wine to deglaze the pan and get all the lamb bits off the bottom. I added two tablespoons of butter some salt and pepper and let it all cook until the butter melted. I poured that into the Sally mug that Hanna painted for me and am sipping on that while I write this. YUM!

Dinner tonight will be that Lamb Stew which is in the crock pot now, and I hope to get in some time to make these Keto Macaroon Fatbombs from The Nourished Caveman.

Update: The Lamb Stew was delicious! I made some Fathead dough Garlic Parmesan Knots from All Day I Dream About Food to go with it and we had granola with half & half for dessert.

Rules For My 48th Year

It's April 2017 and I'm about to celebrate the completion of my 47th trip around the sun which means I'll be on the journey through my 48th rotation. So far I've had a life rich and full of love, adventure and learning. I'd like to keep that river flowing. I'm a creature of restless habits, I need novelty to keep me entertained and moving forward. I blame this trait for my lack of a particular "passion". You know, the "follow your passion" kind of passion. I've had many passions but, they've all been temporary for one reason or another. Which means, I've tried a bunch of stuff but, I'm not particularly skilled in any one thing. Rules For My 48th Year is probably about my 48th attempt at some form of keeping a journal or regular writing. I keep hoping it'll stick.