Vivica Menegaz - The Everything Big Book of Fat Bombs: 200 Irresistible Low-carb, High-fat Recipes for Weight Loss the Ketogenic Way

Dear Reader, Two years ago I had a very rude awakening. It was the first time I measured my glucose levels, and I found out I was prediabetic. At the age of forty-five I had been a nutritionist for five years and was eating what I thought was the healthiest diet on the planet: all organic, local, home-cooked, and Paleo foods. But something was not right... I was gaining weight. I was always hungry.

I had joint and lower-back pain. Something had to change. That is when I discovered the ketogenic diet. When designing my first ketogenic diet course for my patients, I started to feel the benefits of eating this way and completely fell in love with the keto lifestyle. Not only was I able to lose about fifteen pounds in three months (and I kept the weight off for the last three years!), I also since then reverted my prediabetes to normal blood sugar levels and I reset my insulin resistance so I can tolerate more carbs. But that is not my favorite part of the diet.

The variety and quality of the food you get to eat on a ketogenic lifestyle is my favorite part. No other way of eating promotes bacon, butter, and coconut oil. We all know that fat gives food its flavor, and since the keto diet focuses on consuming lots of fats, you know youll be enjoying lots of great flavor too. Fat bombs are a strategic invention to help you succeed with your keto lifestyle. They are an easy way to introduce more healthy fats into your day, which can be a daunting task, especially if you have been eating a low-fat diet for a long time! In this book I have tried to bring the humble fat bomb up to the status of culinary genre so that you can benefit from a variety of flavors and ingredients, and stay motivated with keto! Vivica Menegaz, CTWFN

Avon, Massachusetts Copyright 2016 Simon and Schuster All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything Series Book. Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Media, Inc. Published by Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc. 57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322. U.S.A. www.adamsmedia.com Contains material adapted from The Everything Guide to the Ketogenic Diet by Lindsay Boyers, copyright 2015 Simon and Schuster, ISBN 10: 1-4405-8691-8, ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-8691-0.

ISBN 10: 1-4405-9675-1 ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-9675-9 eISBN 10: 1-4405-9676-X eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-9676-6 The information in this book should not be used for diagnosing or treating any health problem. Not all diet and exercise plans suit everyone. You should always consult a trained medical professional before starting a diet, taking any form of medication, or embarking on any fitness or weight-training program. The author and publisher disclaim any liability arising directly or indirectly from the use of this book. Always follow safety and commonsense cooking protocol while using kitchen utensils, operating ovens and stoves, and handling uncooked food. If children are assisting in the preparation of any recipe, they should always be supervised by an adult.

Cover photos by Vivica Menegaz. Nutritional statistics by Nicole Cormier, RD, LDN. I would like to dedicate this book to all the people who supported me in my journey to become a nutritionist. My parents, and my first mentor, Deborah Penner. Also my deep gratitude goes to my assistant Patty Woods, who made it possible for this book to become a reality.

I would like to acknowledge Hillary Thompson for her support and guidance with the production of the book.

I would also like to say thank you to all my patients and readers, whose constant feedback helped create better and better recipes for healing.

The ketogenic diet, despite being around for decades, has gained plenty of popularity recently. This is no surprise, considering the benefits of this diet reach far beyond its original medical goal of seizure control. Created in the 1920s to control epileptic seizures in young children, this diet helped children manage symptoms and cope with seizures. Once antiseizure drugs were invented, however, the diet fell off the medical map. Body builders later rediscovered the ketogenic diet and began using it to achieve remarkably lean body composition before competitions.

One of the main benefits of burning ketones for energy is that they are a highly stable and long-lasting energy source, like a smooth freeway, unlike the crazy energy rollercoaster ride of a glucose-fueled diet. When eating a ketogenic diet, blood sugars gradually stabilize, so hunger quickly subsides, mood brightens, and energy improves. The almost complete absence of hunger pangs makes this way of eating ideal if youre looking to lose weight. Using fat as the primary fuel source enables the body to easily access stored fat reserves and use them for fuel with great efficiency. Those who follow a true ketogenic diet often lose weight rapidly because of this. Fat burning increases and stabilizes energy.

The brain loves ketones; they are like high-octane gasoline for brain functions, eliminating brain fog and sharpening cognitive functions. That is why this diet works as an ideal prevention for cognitive dysfunctions like Alzheimers disease. Another major benefit of this diet is the reduction of inflammation in the body, resulting in a substantial reduction of pain and other unpleasant symptoms. Starting a keto lifestyle might seem challenging, especially when youre not used to eating fat. It doesnt help that doctors and the media have told people for years that fat is the enemy, while in truth, the real enemy is the consumption of high levels of sugar and carbs. Once people have a mindset shift back to the appreciation of healthy fats, they will realize that this diet is really based on flavor and pleasure, not deprivation and sacrifice, like most low-fat diets.

Fat bombs definitively belong in the category of fun, pleasurable foods. Fat bombs were created as a high-fat, no-carbohydrate snack designed to increase the amount of good fats in a keto diet. In this book, the humble fat bomb is elevated to its own culinary genre, transcending the definition of a snack and becoming a meal itself. Savory fat bombs are the best ally to keep pesky sugar cravings under control, and sweet fat bombs will indulge the senses and anchor blood sugars to a steady low number! Some of the fat bombs are really a small meal in themselves, designed to accommodate the demands of busy lifestyles. They can be made ahead of time and are easily stored in the refrigerator for few days. Sweet fat bombs double as great desserts for family and friends, or good healthy snacks for kids.

And many of the recipes in this book are dairy-free to accommodate Keto Paleo and Paleo readers. Avoiding dairy is important when you have food sensitivities, so your body can start the process of healing. Now everyone can enjoy the benefits of this way of eating and stay away from highly processed and sugary foods. Using fat bombs will enable you to stay true to a ketogenic way of life. The fat bomb is truly the secret weapon every healthy eater should have in his or her arsenal to eat clean, stay full, and feel absolutely satisfied instead of deprived.

Your body is highly intelligent.