Steak, Cottage Cheese, Caprese Salad and... Lime Jello

Okay, I admit it... I have just rediscovered lime jello. Sugar Free Lime Jello. Sounds disgusting, doesn't it? It was refreshing and light and only 10 calories... It reminded me of recovering from a tonsillectomy when I was 7, appendicitis when I was 9 and being hit by a car when I was 8... The hospital must be horrible when lime jello is your best memory. Yikes! Anyway, steak and caprese salad tonight for dinner. The steak was bigger than my head but delicious! Never eat ANYTHING bigger than your head... 

Shrimp Drive By...

Not a lot of time tonight... Spiralized again with shrimp this time. Been reading a lot about good and bad about this meal plan. Have appointment with doc tomorrow and am going to ask her to check everything to make sure we're on track. 

Lemon Garlic Shrimp & Spiralized Zucchinni

Happy Memorial Day... Lovely Day, Lovely Meal

Had a very quiet relaxing day.... took the pup to he dog park (here he is after he conquered the other dogs), watched Frasier, and had a lovely meal. The day was beautiful and the weather was perfect. Thought about my dad today. He taught 18 years olds to fly million dollar airplanes during WWII and yet couldn't teach me to drive. He paid for driving lessons... I guess teaching one teenage girl to drive a car is different than teaching a teenage boy to fly a plane. Who knew? LOL 

Breakfast: 4 oz steak, 2 eggs scrambled, 1/2 cup 4% cottage cheese, 1 cup coffee, 1 tbsp heavy cream - 4 Carb - 44 Fat

Lunch: Shrimp Egg Foo Young, Keto Chinese Brown Sauce (recipe below), 1/2 cup avocado, 1/2 cup tomato, 1/2 cup cucumber, 2 tbsp Brianna's Vinagrette - 14 Carbs - 42 Fat

Dinner: Cheesy Chicken Cutlets with Ham and Hollandaise, (use hollandaise instead of jam), 4 oz spiralized zucchini, sauteed in butter with garlic and bacon - 7 Carbs - 27 Fat

Snacks: 1 oz hard salami with 2 Laughing Cow Asiago Cheeses, 1 cup sugar free jello with 1 oz whipped heavy cream with Stevia sweetener - 5 Carbs - 19 Fat

Calories: 1762 - Carbs: 30 - Fat: 131
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Chinese Keto Brown Sauce ala Mimi

2 tsp, soy
4 tbsp, Cream, fluid, heavy whipping
2 clove, Garlic, raw
1 tsp, Spices, ginger, ground
0.50 stick, Butter - Salted

Melt butter and saute garlic until tender. Add soy sauce and spices and mix well. Add heavy cream and stir until reduces to the required consistency. 

One of my Favorites... Egg Foo Yung

Of all foods throughout the world, I have one that I would search the halls of hell to find... the elusive egg foo young. When I was a kid, we would go to this very old, very interesting Chinese restaurant in old town Portland called Hung Far Loo. It was one of my father's favorite places and there I discovered the most amazing dish I had ever tasted. Over the years, it has disappeared from menus around Portland ~sigh~ and with the exception of Happy Fortune on Barbur Blvd, and Chins Kitchen in N. Portland, I haven't found others. I'm sure they are out there, but it used to be a staple in all Chinese restaurants. Thinking I would have to miss it forever when I went on this plan, I found his amazing Keto Egg Foo Young recipe on Food Network. Anyway, it was absolutely delicious and we are definitely going to do it again. Enjoy! 

Breakfast: 2 egg white omelette with 1/4 avocado, 1/4 tomato, 1 oz cheddar cheese, 2 pieces of bacon, 2 tsp of sour cream, hollandaise sauce, 2 cups coffee with 2 tbsp heavy cream - 6 carbs - 36 fat

Lunch: Keto Caesar Salad - 1 Carb - 16 Fat

Dinner: Shrimp Egg Foo Young, Keto Chinese Brown Sauce (recipe below), Napa cabbage with Brianna's Vinagrette

Snacks: 1 oz hard salami with 1/4 cup cream cheese

Calories: 1380 - Carbs: 19 - Fat: 110
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Chinese Keto Brown Sauce ala Mimi

2 tsp, soy
4 tbsp, Cream, fluid, heavy whipping
2 clove, Garlic, raw
1 tsp, Spices, ginger, ground
0.50 stick, Butter - Salted

Melt butter and saute garlic until tender. Add soy sauce and spices and mix well. Add heavy cream and stir until reduces to the required consistency. 

Spiralizer... Just what I need; more gadgets...

So, I broke down and bought a spiralizer and what fun it was to use. Here's Matt opening "his" present:

We made spiraled zucchini sauteed in butter and olive oil with garlic and bacon. It was amazing! Went really well with the chicken we made. It's been really fun to plan and cook together and we're BOTH eating better. And, I actually look forward to my meals now. Anyway, we'll be "spiraling" meals again over the next few weeks. 

Breakfast: 2 egg omelette with 2 pieces of bacon and 1 oz of cream cheese, 1 tsp butter, 1 cup coffee w/1 tbsp heavy cream - 3 Carbs - 22 Fat

Lunch:  Shrimp Scampi (grilled in butter, lemon and garlic), 1/2 tomato, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 cucumber salad with Brianna's Vinaigrette - 12 carbs - 11 fat 

Dinner: Rosemary Lemon Chicken Breasts (without the potatoes), Spiralized 1/2 Zucchini sauteed in butter, olive oil, bacon and garlic -  Carbs - 10 carbs - 30 fat

Snacks: 6 mini pickles, 3.2 oz Hillshire Farms Smoked Chicken and Garlic Sausage - 8 Carbs - 13 Fat

Calories: 1144 - Carbs: 34 - Fat: 77

TOOLS: MY FITNESS PAL - FITBIT

Sometimes simple is so satisfying...

I had hamburger patties with cottage cheese tonight and it was like stepping back into the past. My brother Michael, who passed several years ago, introduced me to the gourmet desire for cottage cheese and meat. He used to put cottage cheese on steak when I was little and I wanted to be just like him, so I got hooked too... every time I have it, Michael drifts into my memory. I miss him so much. ~sigh~ Anyway, nothing spectacular... just something simple, savory and satisfying. 

Also, I got a great tip sheet from Low Carb So Simple by signing up for their newsletter. They have lots of great recipes made from real food. 

Breakfast: 2 egg omelette with 2 pieces of bacon and 1 oz of cream cheese, 1 tsp butter, 1 cup coffee w/1 tbsp heavy cream - 3 Carbs - 22 Fat

Lunch:  Keto Caesar Salad, 1 small tomato - 1 Carb - 22 Fat

Dinner: 2 Hamburger Patties, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 avocado/1/2 cucumber/1/2 tomato salad with 2 tbsp Brianna's Vinaigrette - 10 carbs - 52 fat

Snacks: 1 cups sugar free gelatin & 2 tbsp heavy cream - 6 baby pickles - 2 oz Hillshire Farms Smoked Chicken and Garlic Sausage - 5 Carbs - 12 Fat

Calories: 1547 - Carbs: 23 - Fat: 108

TOOLS: MY FITNESS PAL - FITBIT

Caesar Salad, Grilled Chicken & Parmesan... Wonderful salad!

One of the amazing things that has happened with this change to my life is my vision... three weeks ago, I woke up, put on my glasses and couldn't see a damn thing! It freaked me out so I went into the ophthalmologist right away. When she came back with my results she said something I had never heard before. "It's not your eyes, it's your glasses. You now have 20/20 vision at long distances." This would be he first time in my life.. I've worn glasses for nearsightedness since I was a teenager.  I've NEVER been able to see without my glasses to drive... hey, I have to get my license changed! Anyway, doc says it has something to do with my change in diet; when you get your sugar down, it can affect the lenses. Today she said they were still good, so hopefully this will last... if not, at least I had good vision for a while. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! 

Tonight I came home to an amazing Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken... it was delicious! 

Breakfast: 2 fried eggs, 1 oz of pancetta,  2 slices tomato, hollandaise sauce, 1 tsp butter, 1 cup coffee w/1 tbsp heavy cream - 3 Carbs - 46 Fat

Lunch:  3 oz sliced ham, 2 Laughing Cow Asiago cheese, slices tomato, 2 oz mozzarella cheese, basil leaves, 2 tbsp Brianna's Vinaigrette - 15 carbs - 26 fat

Dinner: Keto Caesar Salad - 1 Carb - 22 Fat

Snacks: 1 cups sugar free gelatin & 2 tbsp heavy cream - 6 baby pickles - 1 oz cream cheese & 2 oz sliced ham - 9 Carbs - 9 Fat

Calories: 1384 - Carbs: 28 - Fat: 103

TOOLS: MY FITNESS PAL - FITBIT

Matt's Marvelous Meatloaf... and other keto kicks...

Found this amazing page on Yummly with lots of spiralizer dishes. We don't have a spiralizer (sp?) but I may just go out and buy one now. They run about $35-40 for the electric ones and less for the hand cranked ones. Any ideas? 

Meatloaf is one of my husband's best dishes and since we've used the recipe below, I can eat it with abandon (well, with careful abandon). The recipe uses ground pork rinds (Chicharron) instead of bread crumbs (not sure what we're going to do with all the bread crumbs left over in the freezer!), which gives it an amazing flavor. I can even use ketchup on it (within reason). Our loaf pans recently bit the dust, so I convinced Matt to just form a loaf by hand and bake it on a cookie sheet and voila! Isn't it lovely. 

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs, 2 pieces of bacon,  1/2 avocado, 1 tsp butter, 1 cup coffee w/3 teaspoons creamer - 10 Carbs - 30 Fat

Lunch:  2 Johnsonville Brats, baked, 2 tsp yellow mustard, 1/2 cup sauerkraut - 9 Carbs - 42 Fat

Dinner: 3 oz Keto Meatloaf (recipe below), 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 cup Mimi's Coleslaw (recipe below) - 6 Carbs - 27 Fat

Snacks: 1 cups sugar free gelatin & 2 tbsp heavy cream - 4 Carbs - 6 Fat

Calories: 1399 - Carbs: 29 - Fat: 112

TOOLS: MY FITNESS PAL - FITBIT

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KETO MEATLOAF RECIPE (Serves 4) 
1/2 lbs Ground Pork & 1/2 lbs Ground Beef (80/20%)
3/4 Cup Ground Pork Rinds
1/2 Cup Diced Yellow Onions
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Sea Salt
Dash Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
Mix all ingredients until well blended. Form loaf on a cookie sheet or baking dish and cook at 350 for 40-45 minutes

MIMI'S COLESLAW (Serves 4)  
1/2 Head Cabbage, Very Finely Diced
4-5 Scrapes from an onion cut in half
4 tbsp Mayo
1 tsp Heavy Cream
Salt & Pepper
Dash Paprika (Optional)
Finely chop cabbage and place in large bowl. With a teaspoon, scrape about 4-5 times across an onion cut in half into the cabbage. Place mayo, heavy cream and seasonings in small seal-able container and shake vigorously until well blended. Pour over cabbage mixture and blend well. Serve cold. 

Duh! ~head smack~

So, I've been on this silly diet for three weeks now, and while my sugar levels have taken a dive, I haven't been really losing much weight... turns out I'm eating too much fat! Yikes! So now I have to adjust a few things. Bye bye big boatloads of bacon and butter, hello chicken and olive oil. ~sigh~ 104 grams of fat per day, 25 grams of carbs and 114 grams of protein, less any adjustments my exercise throws in... Had to do some quick recalculations for today, but I made it... Here is a great article on weight plateaus and stalled weight loss I received in my in-box today. 

Breakfast: 1.5 fried eggs, 2 pieces of bacon,  2 slices tomato, 1 tsp butter, hollandaise sauce, 1 cup coffee w/1 tbsp heavy cream - 3 Carbs

Lunch:  1 fried chicken thigh with skin & seasonings (in olive oil), caprese salad (2 tomato slices, 2 oz or mozzarella (soft), 4 basil leaves, olive oil & balsamic vinegar dressing (1 tsp each), salt & pepper) - 4 carbs

Dinner: Johnsonville Brats (1 link), baked, 2 tsp yellow mustard, 1/2 cup sauerkraut, 1 cup baked cauliflower, 2 pats butter

Snacks: 2 cups sugar free gelatin & 2 tbsp heavy cream

Calories: 1173 - Carbs: 24 - Fat: 88

TOOLS: MY FITNESS PAL - FITBIT

Twofer!

Forgot to do yesterday's post... we went to see Deadpool 2, which was very funny (but not as good as the first one) and I got distracted... We tried our hand at keto fish & "chips" and they turned out better than we expected; first time using almond flour and you have to be careful. It turns into goo rather quickly when mixed with eggs, so fast and furious when making this dish! Great news; my blood sugar levels have been so low this last week and a half, I think I can drop one of my injections. I've been steadily below 110, which is a first for me; I actually hit 94 the other day! Hasn't happened in 15 years! Anyway... enjoy the recipes! M;o)

SUNDAY:

Breakfast: 2 egg white omelette with 1/4 avocado, 1 tsp grated Parmesan, 3 grape tomatoes cut in half, .5 tbsp sour cream, fresh dill and basil, 2 coffee w/heavy cream - 6 Carbs

Lunch: Shrimp salad, 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 tomato, 1/2 avocado salad with Brianna's Vinaigrette - 15 Carbs

Dinner: Keto Fish & "Chips" (deep fried cauliflower with egg wash & almond flour), .5 cup 4% Cottage Cheese, keto tartar sauce (Serves 4 - 4 tbsp mayo, 1/4 cup dill relish, juice from 1/4 fresh lemon juice) - 10 Carbs

Snacks: Hard salami and cream cheese - Sugar-Free Jello & Heavy Cream - 2 Carbs

Calories: 1571 - Carbs: 33
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MONDAY:

Breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled, 4 pieces of bacon,  hollandaise sauce, 1 cup coffee w/1 tbsp heavy cream - 6 Carbs

Lunch:  Keto Fish, 1 cup 4% Cottage Cheese, keto tartar sauce (mayo, dill relish, fresh lemon juice), 3 slices of tomato - 10 Carbs

Dinner: Taco Salad (Note: we use Taco Bell seasoning packets instead of making our own - they are amazing!), we also left out the chipotle, green peppers, jalapenos (I hate peppers) and substituted sour cream and mild salsa for the ranch dressing... we like this MUCH better - 6 carbs

Snacks: 6 baby pickles - Chicken

Calories: 1797 - Carbs: 24

TOOLS: MY FITNESS PAL - FITBIT

New Links: 
Food Network - Low Carb & Loving It Recipes
Ketogenic Diet FAQ
Keto Recipes for Beginners (Facebook)

Beef & Mushrooms Ala Keto... and Lunch @ The Lobster...

Went to Red Lobster today, but it took me forever to order... not a whole lot of choices but shellfish is always amazing. Three kinds of shrimp, a lovely salad (from which I had to extract croutons and carrots - thank god Matt loves extra food) and soda with lemon, which was the highlight of lunch. I've been looking for something to drink without sugar or sugar substitute and this seems to be the winner. I do like Sparkling Ice (which is delicious and no carbs) but I have to take it easy on the sugar subs. I guess they can affect your liver as well... ~sigh~ Anyway, beef champignon tonight for dinner, which was delicious. Walked over 12000 steps today, lost another pound and had the lowest blood sugar I've had in years, so I guess it's all worth it. 

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs, 1/2 avocado, 3 pieces of crispy bacon, 2 coffee w/heavy cream - 9 Carbs
Lunch: Shrimp scampi, mini lobster tail, green salad and champagne vinaigrette -  9 carbs
Dinner: Beef champignon, tomato/avocado/cucumber salad (1 cup) - 17 Carbs
Snacks: Hard salami and cream cheese - 1 Carb

Calories: 1089 - Carbs: 33
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Beef Champignon (Serves 4)
1 lbs steak cut into 1" cubes
1 Shallot roughly cut
2 cloves garlic, diced
4 cups large mushrooms - Crimini - cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 Cup Burgundy (or other dark wine)
1/2 tbsp Anchovy Paste
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp butter
Olive Oil
1/8 cup cream cheese (Optional - if needed to thicken sauce)

In dutch oven, heat up olive oil and brown beef until dark on all sides. Add salt & pepper. Pull out meat from pot and set aside. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in hot pan, put in shallots and garlic in and saute until tender. Deglaze pan with wine. Add Anchovy paste and mix well. Add rest of butter and put in mushrooms to saute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add heavy cream and stir until well blended. Add meat back in and cook until sauce thickens to wanted consistency. For your non-Keto family, serve over rice. For you enjoy right out of the pot. 

Baring the Shoulder of My Soul...

I am not one to bare my soul... hell, I don't even talk to my self about feelings (that's private)! But I woke up at 4am this morning and had an epiphany; I've been dealing with my diabetes by mostly ignoring it. Not that I haven't taken my pills and shots religiously, but testing? Only when I knew someone was going to check... cheating? Often and extraordinarily! So what's motivating me now to do this? You mean besides the doctor telling me that I was going to die young if I didn't cut it out? It's hardly the first time one of those guys said that... No, it was the thought of my granddaughter going down the aisle without her Grandma there---got more than a few years before that happens and my son and daughter-in-law would kill me again, if I miss it. I've been lucky; both feet are intact, both kidneys function (mostly), the nerve pain is still bearable, and I can see out of all my eyes. I really do want to get better; problem is, I feel that it should justifiably just...well, happen. You know what I mean? But it won't. ~sigh~ I just need to quit being lazy! Since laziness motivates damn near everything I do, that's going to be tough... You've never seen a person work so hard to get to that blissful state of slug at the end of the day. But I know I can do it.

Anyway, thanks for letting me share... like I said, I don't bare my soul often, just expose the shoulder a bit. M;o)

Breakfast: 2 Egg White Omelette with 1/4 tomato, 1/4 avocado, 1/2 large mushroom, 1 tsp Parmesan, hollandaise sauce, 1 coffee w/heavy cream - 8 Carbs

Lunch: 4 oz. salmon, hollandaise sauce, 4 ounces stir fried veggies - 11 Carbs

Dinner: Rosemary Chicken Thighs (without the potatoes), Mimi's Coleslaw (recipe below): 10 Carbs

Snacks: 4 small celery sticks and 2 Laughing Cow Creamy Asiago cheese, 1 cup sugar free jello & 1 tbsp heavy cream - 7 Carbs

Calories: 1089 - Carbs: 33

TOOLS: MY FITNESS PAL - FITBIT
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Mimi's Coleslaw (Mom's Recipe)
1/2 Head of Cabbage (finely chopped)
About 4-5 scrapes from 1/2 of an onion
About 2 tbsp of mayo
Dash of heavy cream
Pinch salt & pepper
Dash paprika (Optional)

Fine chop cabbage and put in bowl. Using a tsp spoon, scrape 1/2 an onion about 4-5 times over the cabbage. Put mayo, cream, salt & pepper in a small air tight container and shake until very well blended. Pour mixture over cabbage and toss until well coated. Sprinkle paprika over the top.

Teriyaki Stir Fry... Veggies, veggies and more veggies... plus links galour!

May 17, 2018

Breakfast: 2 Fried Eggs, 2 slices tomato, 2 slices of ham, hollandaise sauce, 1 pat butter, 2 coffees w/creamer - 7 Carbs

Lunch: (3) Low Carb Keto Meatballs, keto marinara sauce, shredded Parmesan cheese, chopped oregano and dill, 5 mushrooms, 1/2 avocado & 1/2 tomato salad with Brianna's Vinaigrette Dressing - 11 Carbs

Dinner: Mimi's Keto Stir Fry: 10 Carbs (recipe below)

Snacks: 2 wedges Laughing Cow Creamy Asiago and 1 slice of ham

Calories: 1242 - Carbs: 29

TOOLS: MY FITNESS PAL - FITBIT

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What the Experts Say: Thought I'd throw out some sites that review the Keto plan... Since it was my cardiologist who recommended it and my kidney doctor who okay'd it, I'm working on making sure I do it right. The most important thing I've learned is: MAKE SURE YOU CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE YOU GO ON THE KETO PLAN. It can drastically drop your blood sugar and people with Type I Diabetes should not follow it. Below is a list of places to visit for info on the keto plan from a medical viewpoint:

The Diabetes Council
Harvard - Is Ketogenic Diet Good for you? 

Healthline: Keto Diet
Today Article: Is the Keto Diet Right for You?
Keto Rate Blog: Is the Keto Diet Safe?

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I've run into a few newsletters I can share about meal planning, general info and some helpful tips for Keto (list below). Some are great, some are greatish and some are great-like. Anyway, all are free and have info for us novice Ketotites. If you have any to share, please comment with the links. Matt has mastered the art of stir-fry (the trick is not to overcook the veggies) and does it even better than I do. Kudos for a marvelous feast without the carbs. 

https://ketodietapp.com/Blog 

https://usa.yourketo.diet/ (this one costs and I bought it - some good recipes, but not a lot of "regular" food)

https://www.lowcarbmaven.com/ 

https://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/ 

https://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/easy-keto-marinara-sauce-low-carb-gluten-free/ (Great Marinara Recipe - We made up jars ahead of time)

https://www.yummly.com/ (put "Keto" in the search)

Stay tuned... more to come... 😁

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Mimi's Teriyaki Stir Fry - Keto

Servings 4 - Calories per serving 167 - Carbs per serving - 10

1 container (16 oz ea.) Teriyaki Pork Loin 

At the end of cooking, mix meat with 0.50 cup store bought Teriyaki Sauce (Stir fry separate from veggies and set aside)

Stir Fry Veggies in 1 tbsp Olive Oil until just tender (in clean wok):
0.25 cup chopped Carrots, raw
0.50 cup Steamed Snow Peas
0.50 cup chopped Celery, raw -
0.50 cup, chopped Cabbage, raw
0.25 Cup, Chopped Shallots
0.50 cup, chopped Onions, raw -
0.50 cup Cauliflower
5 large mushrooms

Put in bowl - top with meat mixture

Lovely Meatballs...Yum

May 16, 2017

Breakfast: 2 Fried Eggs, 2 slices tomato, 2 slices of ham, hollandaise sauce, 1 pat butter, coffee w/heavy cream - 7 Carbs

Lunch: Chicken Parm, 1/2 cup 4% cottage cheese - 8 Carbs

Dinner: (2) Low Carb Keto Meatballs, (5) large mushrooms sauteed in butter, keto marinara sauce, shredded Parmesan cheese, chopped oregano and dill

Snack: Hard sausage slices and Asiago creamy cheese - 6 carbs

Tried my hand at this hollandaise sauce last night and had it for breakfast this morning; tasty! It was the poached eggs that kicked my ass...yikes! Fried eggs are just as good, right? 

Adventures in Keto Eats

When my doctor told me that I was essentially allergic to carbohydrates and suggested I start the Keto diet, I was stumped. Are you kidding me? No more fruit? No more potatoes? OMG, NO MORE CHOCOLATE???? How was I going to survive? The research began...

My poor husband, who does all the dinner cooking, had to shift gears... and fast! 30 grams of carbs per day (about as much as 2 pieces of toast). But bless his heart, Matt took it in stride... We decided to chronicle our adventure and see where it leads us. 

Here we'll share recipes and meal plans from day to day (as I have time), a few laughs, and maybe some hope. Let the Keto begin...

First, here's the cook...cute, huh? And me...

Enjoy...

WHAT IS KETO? As a diabetic, I haven't been able to get my blood sugar under control. Hopefully, this food plan will help me go into what is called "ketosis," which makes the liver process fat and not store it (like carbs do). Anyway, there are probably thousands of articles about it, so just suffice it to say, we're hoping that it will lower my glucose levels and maybe lose a few pounds. 

WHAT CAN I EAT? Meat, fish, eggs, "above" ground veggies, full fat dairy, and certain fats; avocados, olive oil, nuts, butter.

WHAT CAN'T I EAT? Everything else ~sigh~

PERCENTAGES PER DAY? Fat 72% - Carbs 5% - Protein 23%

TOOLS? MyFitnessPal Food Diary & Fitbit 

EXERCISE? 10,000 Steps per Day