Julianne C. Pratt - Simple Keto Recipes: A practical approach to healthy living and weight loss

Simple Keto Recipes

A Practical Approach to Healthy Living and Weight Loss

Julianne C. Pratt

INTRODUCTION

Everything You Need To Know About Ketosis

I m so happy youve decided to explore the ketogenic way of eating with me.

Following a keto diet has helped so many people. The keto diet is a super-low- carbohydrate diet that includes a high level of healthy fats and a moderate level of protein.

My journey with low-carbohydrate eating began just when I was nearing adulthood, at the recommendation of a doctor I was seeing for acupuncture. When I was 21years old, I was diagnosed with two autoimmune disorders: psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis. I was looking for ways to alleviate pain and inflammation, and the doctor recommended that I cut sugar out of my diet. This was the first time I had thought about the connection between food and autoimmune disorders.

I followed his advice, started on a low-carb diet, cut out sugar, and saw relief within weeks. I noticed a definite decrease in the inflammation in my joints as well as in my skin, which had been angry and red. This started me on a path of discovery, learning more about how my body reacts to various foods and finally finding an eating plan that could help me feel like my best self.

For many years I followed a mostly low-carbohydrate eating plan, but I also went through periods where I fell off the wagon. Then, a few years ago, I started having more autoimmune issues again. My doctors thought perhaps I had Crohns disease, but they werent sure. After many tests and not a lot of answers, I decided to go back to experimenting with food to see if I could help heal myself. I started by eating high-quality foods (organic, grass-fed, etc.) but with gluten-free carbs. I saw some improvement with my issues, but I just felt sluggish, and after six months of following that plan, I had gained weight thanks to those tasty gluten-free treats that are so readily available these days.

Then I came across the ketogenic diet. At first, it seemed like the induction phase to the Atkins diet, but I liked the idea of eating real foods, lower in protein, with a focus on healthy fats. I had never heard of keto at the time, and like many people, I felt a little confused and overwhelmed by the new keto terms. What on Earth is ketosis? What is a macro, and how do I measure it? But I decided to try the keto diet, and I am so glad I did.

Immediately I loved the challenge of creating keto-friendly meals that were quick and easy, and also delicious. I am a single mom, and I work full time. I also have an extremely busy teenage daughter, so I like to keep recipes (and everything else in my life) as simple as humanly possible. In my experience, you do not need a lot of exotic ingredients and a cup- board full of special oils to whip up amazing keto meals.

The recipes in this book will help satisfy cravings you will have for those high-carb favorites you used to eat pre-keto. Having those cravings is super normal. Most people have eaten a high-carbohydrate diet their entire lives, so it is definitely an adjustment to go keto.

But I encourage you to stick with it.

My recipes have made my life easier. For this book, I created as many recipes as I could that can be made in 30 minutes or less. Who has the time these days to spend hours preparing a meal? The recipes are full of flavor and healthy fats. Youll be cooking with natural, wholesome ingredients that are easy to find and that are affordable.

There is no need to go to five different grocery stores just to hunt down a bunch of unfamiliar ingredients. My recipes make keto easy!

Come along with me as I guide you on your keto journey. I know you can do it. Im excited to show you all the super-delicious ways you can make my easy, 5-ingredient, keto-friendly recipes. Let's start cooking!

How does keto diet work?

S tarting a new eating plan can be overwhelming. I know when I first started researching the ketogenic diet online, the materials available were confusing, and I felt like I was back in science class. But at its core, keto is focused on eating a diet full of healthy fats, mixed with proteins and very few carbs. Ideally, the carbs you do eat will come mainly from vegetables.

Your body will switch from burning sugar and carbs for energy to burning fat/ketones for energy. This process is called ketosis, and it puts you in the optimal state for burning body fat and losing weight. But weight loss is not the only benefit to the keto plan. Mental clarity, reduced inflammation, and increased energy are just some of the other benefits.

When you are first beginning the keto diet, you may find yourself eating more to feel full.

But quickly, as you become keto-adapted, you will find that you are often not hungry at mealtime. It is important to learn to listen to your body, and if you are not hungry, you dont need to eat. I continuously remind myself of this lesson. When I am at work, I often feel like I need to eat at noon when everyone goes to lunch. However, on the weekends, without such a schedule, I can often go until 2 or 3 p.m. before eating. Allow your body to guide you, but always make sure you are drinking plenty of water and getting the proper intake of electrolytes.

The benefits of a ketogenic diet are vast, and each person has their own reason for embarking on a keto journey. For me, I was focused on reducing inflammation in my body.

Removing sugar, which is extremely inflammatory, and carbohydrates has been life changing. Enabling your body to be in nutritional ketosis can be helpful for conditions such as obesity, epilepsy, neurological conditions, and more. Being a fat burner instead of a sugar burner may also boost your longevity. It seems like every week there are new studies supporting the keto lifestyle.

When starting a ketogenic diet, you may encounter new terms and have some questions: What is ketosis?