After a long day of control and restraint, always ensure that you have dinner in peace. Finish your household work, feed the kids, and then serve yourself. Choose the most peaceful corner of your home and enjoy your meal. As a rule, I always try to wind up dinner before 9 pm. The body then gets enough time to digest the food, and you don’t feel bloated right before going to bed.
Before I actually come to the dinner, I first want to talk about evening keto snacks. After a long day at work, most of us have a habit of snacking in the evening. In India, we are used to hogging on bowls full of namkeen, pakoras and other sinful delights in the evening. My friend, you will have to forego all of them, at least for a few months.
Instead, pour yourself a glass of soya or almond milk and drink it, imagining whatever food you’re missing eating the most. You cannot have normal milk as it is high in lactose and carbs.
You will be thrown out of ketosis, on including dairy in their diet. If you have a really stressful lifestyle and are still willing to go on Keto, I would strongly suggest that you supplement the diet with a good quality multi-vitamin. I for one have a multi-vitamin and a fish-oil supplement every day, to tackle the high fat levels in the diet.
On a Keto diet sugar is not allowed, you can instead use any artificial or natural sweetener but sparingly. I use Sugarfree drops and Stevia tabs to sweeten coffee and other drinks. The critical word here is ‘sparingly’, believe me it is of great help. How can one be expected to drink sugarless drinks overnight?
I also have some great news to share with you, to help with the sugar cravings. There will be times when your brain cells will create such a craving for something sweet, that it will drive you crazy. At that time, keep a bottle of Coke Zero handy.
I know it is not a healthy choice, but at that time when you are on the verge of breaking down, it is a life saviour. But don’t get addicted to it, and blame me later. Please remember that all kinds of juices are not allowed as they are very high in sugar.
Green tea can be incorporated in the gaps between meals. I had never had one before this diet, and surprisingly it comes very handy whenever I start thinking of food. Please stay away from all energy bars that claim to be high-protein in the departmental store.
Develop a habit of reading the ingredients of whatever goes into your mouth. When you are working so hard to get fit, you wouldn’t want ignorance to spoil the party for you.
Would you ?
If you are used to snacking in between meals, then please continue to do so, but adapt the Keto way for it now. You can have quite a few types of nuts on this diet. Peanuts, almonds, and walnuts can be safely eaten on this diet. Avoid cashew nuts, pistachios and raisins as they are very high in carbs and sugars.
I have been having walnuts and almonds from day one. I keep peanuts for the evening snacks or the period between lunch and snacks. And very soon you will get used to it too. On some days, you can serve yourself a bowl of hung yogurt and add salt and pepper or a few drops of sweetener to it.
On a Keto diet, you are not allowed to have most fruits as they are high in sugar content. Surprised ? Well, I have been telling you from day one that this is a miracle cure, never heard of before. The only two fruits that are available in India and can be eaten in moderation are strawberries and kiwis. And both these fruits can be added to yogurt to make a wonderful dessert.
Coming to dinner, the options are more or less similar to lunch and breakfast. I would say choose according to your mood. Have scrambled egg on someday and grill yourself a piece of chicken on the weekends, when you have time. Since breakfast and lunch will be hurried affairs, enjoy your dinner in leisure.
Ensure that the food is hot, pick your favourite plate. The portion might be less, but the effort behind it will make it worthwhile. From my experience, I can tell you that it is a good idea to eat different dinners every day, to avoid boredom. And on days when you are in the mood to think about Keto, just have some boiled eggs and the veggies that you had cooked for your family. Avoid the potatoes and the roti and the rice.
In my next post, we will discuss the symptoms of your body going into Ketosis and how soon you should get on that weighing scale. Like any other diet, take one day at a time. On this weekend when you have time, open your cupboard and take out that old pair of jeans that you had kept right at the back, hoping that one day you will fit into it.
Let me tell you, that time is not far when you will be able to snugly fit into it.
Keep the faith.