Shari Eckstrom, the woman behind the blog Keto Foodication, is a firm believer in Keto. She has experienced firsthand the amazing benefits of eating a low carb high-fat diet. This led her to her passion to help others learn about the diet and be successful in their journey for a healthier life.
She learned about the Keto diet by accident when her co-worker shared that she was starting Keto. Shari had no idea what she was talking about and she began to research about it to educate herself. She liked what she read and started her Keto journey a week later. She has not looked back ever since.
Since starting Keto, Shari has lost 30 lbs and has dropped 2 dress sizes. Most importantly, she no longer suffers from pain in her joints and muscles which she had endured for many years. She shared, “Every morning getting out of bed was an adventure. Getting through the day without total exhaustion was rare. A few weeks after starting keto my energy levels changed and the pain began to go away. I have been on the keto diet now for 18 months and am happily pain-free.”
Shari likes quick Keto meals that she can bring along with her. These meals are helpful for her to stay on track since she is in an occupation where she works long hours. Here are her go-to Keto meals: Keto coffee in the morning is pretty standard. It keeps me going for most of the morning. For dinner, I have a chili recipe I make in an instant pot that takes only 30 minutes. It’s perfect after a long day. At work when I only have a few minutes and need a quick pick me up, I grab a nut butter. It satisfies my hunger, keeps me on track and helps me avoid the temptation of all the workplace goodies.
One of the challenges that Shari has encountered in her Keto journey is having her weight loss slow down to a crawl. She is constantly reevaluating how she does Keto to keep forward progress. “I still have a way to go to get down to my goal weight, so this can be frustrating. At these times, I remember where I’ve been and the amazing benefits I’ve already seen. This keeps me steady. Going back to the old way of eating isn’t an option for me,” she shared.
When asked what mistakes she sees other people commit while on Keto, she mentioned that the most common one is thinking that calories don’t matter. One does not have to count every calorie religiously, but should just be mindful about it. One should pay attention to how much he/she is eating if he/she wants to control her weight and lose inches.
Here are Shari’s Top 3 Tips to Keto Newbies:
- Your family and friends may think you’ve gone off the deep end. So, if you are just starting out on keto it’s important to educate yourself and find a good support system.
- Test for success. Check your ketone levels after the first week to see if you’re actually in ketosis. This allows you to tweak your carbs, readjust and know for sure you are doing things right. Don’t guess. It leads only to frustration.
- Eat nutrient-dense high fiber carbs. It’s a temptation to skip carbs altogether, but those high nutrient carbs are important to keep your body running smoothly. They're important, so don’t eliminate them from your diet.