How to stay keto in lockdown for COVID19?

We all know that these times are tough and while we may want to forget all about our diet and exercise, it is possible to stay on track. Here are some tips and tricks we’ve found to do that:

 1. Keep active! One of the best ways to stay on top of your mood and your diet is to get moving. Whether it’s a short walk, an intense run or a YouTube workout video from your favourite trainers, any of these will get your blood pumping and your body moving and will help you get those endorphins running.

Sometimes it can be hard to get back into working out after a long break from exercise. You might be living in a small space, and maybe feel self-conscious exercising in front of other people in your home. We chosen these three easy, and simple low impact workouts to try, as a way back into exercising:

This 20 minute low impact workout (no jumping needed!) 

This 30 minute workout for total beginners

This 30 minute HIIT workout- no jumping and no equipment needed 

 2. Keep those keto snacks easy and accessible. Some simple snacks include:

• 30g of almonds

• Our brownies are great keto snacks

• Celery and almond butter - 2 sticks with a tablespoon of your favourite nut butter

• Olives - olives are a perfect salty snack for those cravings

• Bullet proof coffee - MCT oil and your favourite milk make a perfect fuel for your morning

3. Meal prepping is also super important, keeping meal times easy and the whole week can be prepared in one day. By making a meal plan and sticking to a few favourite meals that you really enjoy, the whole week can be sorted with minimal effort.

4. Stock up that pantry. While stores are struggling to keep up with demand, online retailers still hold stock for keto pantry staples like almond and coconut flour as well as butters, ghee and erythritol and other snacks so you can easily make some staple keto recipes.

5. Don’t forget those fluids, drinking water is extremely important and one of the first things we tend to forget about in times of stress. But keep track of how much you’re drinking. A standard guide is between 2-3 litres for females and 2.5-3.5 for males, depending on exercise.

Tip: always add a little Himalayan salt for added electrolytes.

6. Take care of yourself, cortisol (our main stress hormone) can cause weight gain so in stressful times, like now, we need to take note of any major stressors. Some research shows that abdominal based fat induced by cortisol levels causes specific chemical changes that can lead to a lower metabolism and cravings for sugary snacks, possibly leading to even more weight gain.

5 minutes deep breathing or meditation can help to reduce cortisol levels

Even some self care - a bath, a face mask even a camomile tea, anything you enjoy can help break up the day and let you focus on something else.

7.Take up a new hobby. Get into reading! There’s so many great free books and one of the main causes of excess snacking is boredom and so finding a task that you enjoy can help to lower boredom during those peak snacking times. Other hobbies include gardening, knitting, baking or learning a new language, even playing a new video game. There are so many free resources at the moment to keep your mind off your cravings.

8. Remember to get your vitamins (especially vitamin D) - Keep taking your supplements throughout this period, whether you’re on keto or not it will make sure you’re still getting all your vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Spend some time outside (with SPF) to soak up that natural vitamin D.

9. When cravings strike: set a timer for 10 minutes on your phone. If you’re still craving it then reach for your favourite keto snack but chances are that 10 minute alarm will reset your brain and you will no longer want the food you were craving.

Finally,

10. It’s okay if you’ve fallen off the keto wagon over this period of lockdown. It is stressful for everyone and it can be so hard to put a routine back together. So don’t be hard on yourself and try to make good choices for you.

We hope you found this post helpful and let’s start a conversation in the comments. What do you like to do to stay on keto in quarantine?

Stay safe

Basma