Should I Count Calories on Keto?

Posted on February 8, 2021February 8, 2021 by Lesleigh

Keto has a reputation of being the diet of bacon and butter- which seems too good to be true! But a quick browse through almost any keto Facebook group and you can see it’s saturated with people who “just eat keto” and the weight just falls off! But if you dig deeper there are the other posts… people who lose but then plateau or can’t seem to lose pound– or worse, they start gaining weight! The huge differences in their keto experiences begs the question: Do you need to count calories on keto? Or not? Read More

To figure out the answer to this question, it is important to understand the basics, so let’s start there.

What Is Keto

Keto is a way of eating that restricts carbohydrate intake. Instead, keto focuses on protein, healthy fats, non-starchy veggies, and full-fat dairy. The goal of the keto diet is to maintain ketosis, a state in which your body is burning fat for fuel.

Why People Count Calories

Typically, people tracking calorie intake and being mindful of physical activity are looking to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.

The basic formula of calorie counting is simple, add calories in through food, subtract calories out through exercise. For those interested in weight loss, the goal is to burn more calories than you eat. Doing so creates a calorie deficit, which results in burning energy stores aka body fat.

How (and WHY) to Calculate Calories

The first step to count calories on keto is to know how many calories you need! Use an online calculator (you can find my favorite here) to determine how many calories your body requires to operate. The calculator takes into account your height, weight, activity levels, and goals in order to determine the correct number for you. If you find it a struggle to limit your calorie consumption you can always increase your activity, which will allow you more calories.

Calories & Keto

Regardless of your activity level or the diet you follow, you must be at a calorie deficit to lose weight. Therefore, if you are following the keto diet and consuming too many calories, you will not see results.

That doesn’t mean you aren’t in ketosis- remember ketosis is a state of burning fat as fuel! So your body is in ketosis and you are getting the health benefits of the Keto Lifestyle. However, your body is burning fat from the food you are eating instead of from the fat stored on your body. So if you aren’t losing weight on keto or have lost weight but stalled, counting calories could be the key to meeting your goals.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to re-calculate your calorie requirements as you lose! Taking the time to re-calculate ensures you continue to stay at a deficit and lessen your chances of plateauing.

So Does Counting Calories on Keto Help?

The decision to count or not really depends on you and your goals. If you are already at a healthy weight and just want to reap the health benefits of the keto lifestyle, you likely won’t need to count calories. If you aren’t seeing your weight loss goals realized, you would likely benefit from counting calories.

Quick Ways to Add Self-Care to your Busy Day | GoodLifeDoneRight.com

Quick Ways to Add Self-Care into a Busy Day

Posted on February 4, 2021February 4, 2021 by Lesleigh

If you’re like most people, you’re pretty busy. You’re already juggling your kids, spouse, friendships and a to-do list that is, no doubt, as long as your arm. You’re running in every direction at once. How in the world are you supposed to fit self-care into a day like that?

Thankfully, it’s easier than you think. Try these quick ways to add self-care into your busy day. Read More

Ask Some Important Questions

Where do YOU fit into your day? Self-care isn’t always about over-indulging yourself. Truly, at its core, self-care is more practical than you might think. You start by asking yourself what you need right now. Meeting these basic needs should be at the center of self-care.

Make a Self-care Plan

Self-care is never going to just happen. Unless you are intentional, you will never make time for it. By making use of your calendar and scheduling time for yourself you are more likely to succeed in meeting your basic needs. Start small by building in the habits which will help you the most. You can begin by adding in regular exercise date several days a week, or by making a meal plan to help you eat healthier. As you achieve one goal, add in another. The key is not to overwhelm yourself all at once.

Figure Out What Comes First

How are you when it comes to priorities? If you’re like most moms, it is far too easy to spend your entire day putting out “fires”. It’s essential that you take some time to figure out the difference between important and urgent, as it pertains to you.

When things come up that are important and not urgent, add them to your schedule. This is often completing paperwork, when a family member asks you to do something or running an errand.

To-dos that are urgent and but not important to you, personally, can be shortcutted or delegated for someone else to do. More often than not these are the “forgotten” things- Like having to bring a dozen cupcakes to the class party tomorrow! If the deadline is too soon to add it to your to-do list, buy the cupcakes and, if your child is older, consider making them pay the difference.

Ultimately, things that come up during the day should not interrupt your scheduled self-care unless something urgent AND important to you arises.

Learning to Say “No” IS Self-Care!

You should never feel like you have to say “yes” to everything. Sometimes the best form of self-care is learning how to say “no.” By setting solid boundaries, you protect yourself from activities that will only leave you drained and give you no benefit at all.

Do the Small Stuff

We think the little things don’t matter, but they do. By ensuring you take care of the basics such as making sure you get enough sleep, practicing good hygiene, eating right, and exercising, you will keep your body in tiptop form. These things also have a solid impact on your mental health.

Putting Self-Care into Action

When we get busy, we tend to forget all of these things so easily. When you’re making an effort to take care of yourself, you have to be intentional in what you do. Remembering these quick tips will go a long way toward keeping you healthy and happy no matter how busy you get.

5 Easy Steps To Boost Your Motivation

Posted on February 3, 2021February 4, 2021 by Lesleigh

It is no secret that sticking to your resolutions can be tough. Honestly, it’s tough effectively making ANY significant changes to your life! Motivation is the one variable that allows you to push yourself when those around you give up. That’s why knowing your motivation– YOUR WHY– is so important.

Maybe you’re currently experiencing a motivation dry spell or maybe you’ve never had success with self-driven goals. Either way, I’m here to help you. Read More

Here are 5 helpful steps to level up your overall motivation and drive to achieve the goals you have set for yourself! These aren’t in any particular order but I recommend you give each one a shot!

Know Your Why

While it may seem obvious, knowing your reasoning and passion behind anything you pursue is critical. When you first set out on a goal or achievement, your “why” for doing so typically starts out pretty clear. However, somewhere in the grind of working towards this goal, this foundation can quickly become forgotten.

Make no mistake; any time you are tirelessly working towards something worthwhile there WILL be days in which you feel less motivated. Reminding yourself WHY you started in the first place will help you get back up and keep pushing when obstacles arise.

Know Your Direction

Extreme motivation has a tendency to cause one to put their head down and work like a maniac. While there are times that this laser-focused mindset is beneficial, big goals rarely consist of point A and point B.

For this reason, it is important to have a general outline in mind of each specific step towards your destination. So yes, keeping your nose to the grindstone is a must. However, look up every now and then! Make sure you are adjusting and ready to begin the next phase of your plan for success.

Allow Small Victories

As you pursue your goals, take some time to reward yourself when you accomplish one of the (often many) small steps to get there. Of course, you don’t want to rest too long in these small moments of accomplishment. Too long a lull can lead you to settle for less than what you want. But overall, no matter how much motivation you have towards a goal, failing to enjoy small successes along the way a sure-fire way to run out of gas before you get there.

You Versus You, Not You Versus Them

Here is something almost all of us need to hear: Your goals are YOUR goals. Letting other people’s pursuits dictate what you strive for is a slippery slope. After all, you will never find the motivation required to achieve anything great without a personal conviction to do so. At the end of the day, work toward YOUR goals and only compare yourself to the person you were the day before.

Balancing Motivation

The big goal or achievement you are after, whether it is career-minded, athletic, or personally oriented, likely involves only one facet of your life. Of course, it is inevitable that much of your motivation and energy is going to be focused on that goal! At the same time, it is important to know that the rest of your life is not going to stop.

Balance is the key. You don’t want to ruin that moment when you accomplish your goal by looking around and realizing you have neglected every other facet of your life and who you are. Don’t let the rest of your life fall to the wayside while you chase one dream!

Self-improvement is tough but always worth the work!

I hope using these tips you are able to improve your motivation and drive to achieve the goals you have set for yourself!

I would love to hear if you have other tips or even your favorite rewards you use along the way.

Keto & Cholesterol | GoodLifeDoneRight.com

Keto & Cholesterol: The Good, The Bad & The Bottom Line

Posted on January 11, 2021March 11, 2021 by Lesleigh

One of the most common debates among dieticians is the role that fats play in a healthy diet. The Standard American Diet has fats used sparingly, with grains, fruits, and veggies making up the bulk of nutritional intake. However, many who follow these guidelines find themself struggling to maintain a healthy weight and health ailments, especially high cholesterol. Keto and healthy cholesterol don’t seem to go together, but keto really can help! I know it doesn’t make sense that a diet focused on fat would improve cholesterol. So what should you take into account if you have cholesterol issues and are considering keto? Let’s take a look. Read More

How Keto Diets Work

The Keto diet restricts carb intake. This prompts a metabolic process known as ketosis. In ketosis, the body begins to burn fat for fuel instead of glucose (aka dietary carbs).

The keto way of eating is fat-rich but also primarily focused on healthy, unprocessed fats. So how does all this play into cholesterol?

What The Studies Show on Keto & Cholesterol

There have been many studies that a ketogenic diet has desirable effects on diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome and that eating a low-carb diet is more effective in lowering bad HDL cholesterol than diets that are moderate in carbs.

While some studies have shown diets high in saturated fat raise cholesterol, these studies are generally short in duration. Some as little as a few weeks! Additionally, few of these studies restrict carb consumption. So yes, on a diet high in carbs AND saturated fats, you can expect to see an increase in bad cholesterol!

However, several long-term studies have shown no association between saturated fat and high blood cholesterol levels when restricting carbohydrates.

The first-ever Bayesian study (a summary of data from several studies) of the effects of diet on weight loss was compiled in 2015. It evaluated data from 17 trials of 1,797 obese and overweight people. The evaluation found greater weight loss and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease risk in subjects who ate low carb versus low fat.

One review of 23 reports from low carb diet trials determined that eating low carb decreased body weight, body mass, triglycerides, the “bad” LDL– and more! All the while having no negative effect on the “good” HDL cholesterol.

So, How Does Keto Help Cholesterol?

Simply put, inflammation caused by carbohydrate consumption is believed to affect vessel walls. This inflammation doesn’t allow consumed fats to be absorbed by the body. The keto diet reduces inflammation. Once the vessel walls are clear of inflammation, fats in the bloodstream are properly absorbed and cholesterol is reduced!

Now, this reduction of inflammation is a process that doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, it can take several weeks, months even, depending on the unique operation of your body. Unfortunately, during those initial weeks, many people will see their cholesterol raise as the keto diet increases their fat consumption but the inflammation hasn’t yet cleared from the vessel walls. All too often this leads to people abandoning the keto diet fearing that they will make their cholesterol worse.

If this happens to you, don’t panic! Instead, keep in mind all the research we outlined above! The Keto way of life leads to:

Significant weight loss and reduced body mass index
Significant improvements in several heart disease risk factors: lower level of triglycerides, healthier blood pressure
Improved fasting glucose
Reduced risk for metabolic syndrome, which is a risk factor for heart disease
Decreased levels of visceral fat
Improvements in the good HDL cholesterol levels

Other Key Considerations

Keep in mind, the keto way of eating does not advocate trans fats- also known as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or hydrogenated vegetable oil. These are the worst fats contributing to an increased risk for heart disease.

Trans fats are typically found in foods not prepared at home, such as fast foods, sweets, baked goods, processed food products, cookies, crackers, and vegetable shortenings. Honestly, you won’t find these items promoted on any reputable low-carb plan.

Keto & Cholesterol: The Bottom Line

As you can see, the scientific research shows some significant evidence that low carb is actually better than low fat in reducing markers and risk factors for heart disease, including in regards to the lipid profile. So what do you do now?

If you suffer from heart disease or high cholesterol your first step should be to find a keto-friendly doctor, nutritionist, or dietician to help guide you and monitor your medications on your low carb journey. However, if you are taking preventative measures there should be no issue with starting the keto diet immediately!

5 Amazing (and Simple) Tips for Winning at Your New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on December 29, 2020December 29, 2020 by Lesleigh

The beginning of a new year means many Americans will set New Year’s resolutions and vow to transform one thing or another to better their lives.

New Year’s resolutions usually fall under these 4 popular categories:

This is understandable because these are really important factors of a happy life! However, fast forward 6 months later a staggering, 60% will have completely abandon their resolutions.

But following through on your resolutions can be done.

Here are 5 Amazing (AND simple) Tips for Success with your New Year’s Resolution Read More

1. Pinpoint your Motivation

There are 2 types of motivation:

Intrinsic – This means you are more easily self-motivated. For example, in a gym scenario, you prefer going by yourself because you take satisfaction in how you feel afterward.

Extrinsic – This means your behavior is driven by external rewards. For example, using the same gym scenario, you work harder when there’s a competition or reward system in place.

It may take some trial and error, but figure out what your motivation type is. Once you do that you can use proper motivations to create situations that make you excited to accomplish even more!

2. Have a Plan in Place

Setting your New Year resolutions is always easier said than done. However, it’s the steps you take to reach that goal that’s the tricky part. If you want to stick to your resolutions, it’s wise to break each step down into smaller goals, if possible, to make them more manageable.

Moreover, each time you achieve one, you should reward yourself, and feel proud of what you’ve accomplished! Positive reinforcement is crucial to help guide you as you push toward your goal and commit to your responsibilities.

One way to keep everything in check is to plan out your resolutions using SMART goal setting:

Specific. Having a specific end result prevents you from making excuses.
Measurable. Evaluating your progress will give your motivation a boost.
Achievable. You can set daily goals as a building block to bigger goals.
Relevant. Otherwise, if it’s not relevant, why bother?
Time-bound. Goals need to have a defined end date.

3. Be Honest with yourself

Using the SMART goal planning will help you be honest with what you can accomplish. The more realistic your resolutions, the more likely you’ll see them through. If your goal for the New Year is to exercise more, then start small. Instead of planning an hour-long 5-day workout week, go for 20 minutes 3 days a week then increase gradually.

You’ll find that, as with all goals, as soon as you start seeing what you’ve accomplished, you’ll be pumped to do even more. However, it’s crucial that you stay away from the “all-or-nothing” approach. Doing something, even if it’s a small piece of what you’d originally planned, is much better and more productive than doing nothing at all.

Moreover, it’s equally important to not have too many resolutions up in the air at once. Make a list, prioritize them, and go from there. Once you feel the first one’s in the bag, go for the second, and so on. Focusing on one goal at a time will channel your energy and efforts there, helping you reach your target faster.

4. Hope for the Best; Plan for the Worst

Having a positive mindset is key when working on your New Year’s resolutions, but let’s be honest; every plan is bound for failure if you’re not careful! Be smart! Anticipate these obstacles so that when they do appear, you’ll be prepared.

Keeping with the gym scenario, if you get bored when you exercise, choose upbeat playlist that’ll get you revved up. Or you can workout at home, saving the most recent episodes of your favorite TV shows for motivation. If your motivation method is extrinsic, recruit a friend as a workout buddy for some friendly competition.

The idea is to nip it in the bud before the obstacles become stronger than your willpower so that you can overcome any obstacle that comes between you and your goal.

5. Be accountable for Your Actions

Accountability means you’re taking responsibility for the choices you’re making. This may seem easy to do at work when you have a deadline and a boss reinforcing it. However, it may not seem as easy when you’re home alone and skip out on cooking a healthy meal, and order take-out instead.

If you are more extrinsic you can enlist the help of a friend or join a support group or even simply post a photo of your home-cooked meal on social media. For self-motivated types, you can keep a log or a journal or even just hang a calendar on your wall with progress notes. Doing so will help you keep tabs on how far you’ve gotten and what still lies ahead.

Won and Done

Keeping your New Year’s resolutions can seem scary at first. However, with these 5 steps, you can do anything you put your mind to. Moreover, once you accomplish your first resolution, you’ll find that it’s not only beneficial, it’s fun as well!

7 Things To Do On Sunday to Get Ahead of Your Week

Posted on February 20, 2019December 26, 2020 by Lesleigh

Does the phrase “A Case of the Mondays” define your week, regardless of the actual day? Do you struggle through the day to day, perpetually two steps behind? Or find that life it is happening to you or even just around you? Let me tell you, I have been there! And I know how to keep myself from winding up there! These things to do on Sunday, things I actually do myself, to both prepare and recharge for each new week!

Without a doubt, taking a bit of time to strategize and prepare for the week keeps you in control of your time and up to speed with the world around you. These things to do on Sunday will nicely wrap up the weekend, get you some downtime with your husband and let you head into the week organized, refreshed, and recharged. So what do I call this miraculous blueprint for an amazing week? Read More

Our Sunday Strategy Meeting

I know the title sounds super business-y and official. It wasn’t intentional. Honestly, it’s just how we started referring to the meeting because we laid out our plan, aka strategy, for the next week. The Sunday Strategy Meeting covers 7 things to do on Sunday– let’s just go ahead and dig right in!

1. Take a Look Ahead at the Week

Review upcoming to-dos, activities & appointments for yourself, your husband and your kids…. and write them down. It doesn’t matter if you track your to-dos and calendar digitally or with good ol’ paper and pen. What’s important is to get it down where you will see it daily.

For my calendar, I use a combination of both. I put all appointments straight into my Google calendar. I like having my calendar at my fingertips everywhere I go without having to carry a bulky planner. One of my “to dos” on Sunday Strategy nights is to copy my calendar into my A5 Binder Planner. For me, there is something about pen and paper that commits information to memory. Additionally, I use my Binder Planner throughout the week for my meal plan, shopping list, and to-dos. So most days it sits open on our kitchen island, easily visible.

The central position that my Binder Planner holds in our home makes it the obvious place to keep my to-do list as well. When setting my to-dos on Sundays I don’t just list them, I prioritize them. This ensures the “needs” get done ahead of the “wants”. I use 4 categories: Must Do, Should Do, Would Like To Do, and To-Do for Next Week. I start with the Must Do items and don’t move on to the next category until everything has been resolved. There are a lot of apps that will digitize to-dos for you, I just prefer paper and pencil for the joy of crossing off items when they are complete- LOL!

Ultimately what system you use: digital, paper, bullet journal, whiteboard, wall calendar– is completely up to you. Just make sure you set them or review them in your Sunday Strategy meetups and that they are somewhere you will see them.

2. Check Accounts/Cash Envelopes

Depending on how your budget is set up you may not need to do this weekly– but if the previous week was just one of those weeks where everyone needed money for something, taking a minute to check on your financial situation is a good idea.

Plus, now that you’ve reviewed your upcoming week, it is a good time to see if you have any financial commitments in the upcoming week. In our cash envelopes, I paperclip and mark with a post-it any funds already “claimed” for an expense so we don’t accidentally spend the money!

3. Update Your Goals

I’d be willing to bet most of us set goals or resolutions of some sort at the beginning of the year. However, for many these well-intentioned goals are a distant memory by Valentine’s Day. Given that sad fact, I make sure to update my goals weekly to keep the same from happening to me! Tracking what I have accomplished, no matter how small, and mapping my next actions holds me accountable and keeps my goals in motion.

Of course, setting SMART goals helps. If you haven’t set any goals yet do it NOW!! Working toward and accomplishing goals will help you realize and live out your purpose. Don’t worry, you’re never too late to start and there are no “wrong” goals!

4. Check for Birthdays

Speaking of goals, one of mine this year is to be more intentional with people I love. We actually started in December, sending out Christmas cards for the first time ever! My husband and I sat down and made a list of our immediate family members and close friends– we didn’t include extended family because we didn’t want to overwhelm ourselves in our first year-lol!

Since our goal was to be intentional, not just to send Christmas cards, we also committed to sending everyone a birthday card. To make this go smoothly I selected a card for everyone at the beginning of the year and marked their birthdays on my calendar. When we see their birthday approaching we pull out their card, sign it and send it on its way!!

Now obviously you may not have the same goals but I imagine there are a few people you might like to send a birthday card to now and then. Plus checking for birthdays gives you a chance to pick up gifts and cards for any parties you or your kiddos have been invited to in advance. I promise you, come party day, having a patiently selected, wrapped, and ready-to-go gift is so much better than rushing through Target right before the party! (I can’t be the only one who has done this, right?? LOL!) And don’t forget to earmark the funds for the gift in your budget!

5. Meal Prep

If you aren’t already doing meal planning you definitely should– but this is more of the “next step”. After all, the best-laid plans are all for nothing if you don’t use them. All you need to do is take a look at your activities for the week and roughly hash out what meals you will have which nights.

This will make dinner a breeze, especially on nights when there are activities. (I recommend fast or crockpot meals for those nights!) We stick to our meal plan pretty religiously so I will pull meats to be defrosted down to the fridge. If I’m really feeling gung-ho about it I’ll go ahead and chop veggies, rice cauliflower, or dice meats as needed. I PROMISE you this level of prep rarely happens around here… but it is a huge help when it does.

Don’t forget about breakfast!

I prefer my kids to have a hot breakfast but they are no stranger to cold cereal. In fact. they love it… which is super frustrating, especially as cold cereal always leaves them starving by mid-morning. Prepping breakfast on Sunday makes getting a hot breakfast in front of them so much easier! It might be something as simple as scrambling some eggs and cooking up a tray of bacon or sausage to be reheated throughout the week. Don’t think that means boring breakfast! We love using eggs and bacon or sausage for breakfast sandwichs or burritos or smothered in cheese with avocado and salsa for a southwest breakfast melt.

Of all the things to do on Sunday night to meal prep is not one you will want to skip!

6. Pack Your Bags

Whether you carry a purse, backpack or have made room for everything in a diaper bag one of my “MUST” things to do on Sunday night is cleaning out, organizing, and repacking our bags bag. I toss trash, sort receipts and make sure I have my wallet, scratch paper, a pen, a few simple beauty products, and napkins in my purse. In my son’s diaper bag I carry a small first aid kit, cups for the kids, and of course diapers, wipes, snacks, and a few small toys.

It only takes a few minutes but those are a few minutes I simply don’t have on my way out the door during the week! It is such a relief to know it’s DONE!

7 Don’t Forget Your Spouse!!

I’ve been doing Sunday Strategy sessions solo for some time now. It has done wonders for my personal productivity and making sure stuff doesn’t fall through the cracks. But my husband and I were lacking communication of our plans with each other. This occasionally led snafus of varying severity. We needed to be better about our communication!

A few months back we started doing our Sunday Strategy sessions together, covering aaaaall the stuff above. It really was a game changer- they not only improved our communication but fortified our sense of togetherness. Which makes sense!! Think about it: Successful companies have staff meetings for a reason! Communication is key in long term success. Sitting down face to face with your spouse weekly knocks that communication wide open!

Baby Steps

Plus, having Sunday Strategy sessions with your husband is a great baby step to family meetings! We like to wrap up our Sunday Strategy sessions with a bit of Sunday Funday– basically a home date night! We might play cards, a board game, light a fire in the fire pit or just snuggle up on the couch for a movie. It might not seem like much, but between his classes, my business, both of our volunteer obligations, three kids, and in case that wasn’t enough; he is a total morning person and I am an extreme night owl! If we aren’t intentional with making time for our marriage it just doesn’t happen!

More Things To Do On Sunday?

I hope this list works as well for you as it has for us. Even if you don’t do all of them focusing on one or two will give your week a boost. Do you have some great productivity tips that set you up for a successful week? Share them in the comments below!

Keto Chorizo N' Papas | GoodLifeDoneRight.com

5 Ingredient Keto Chorizo N’ Papas

Posted on February 15, 2019July 29, 2020 by Lesleigh

Keto Chorizo N’ Papas is a weekend staple in our home. Minimal ingredients. Effortless prep. All the rich flavors of traditional Mexican Chorizo and Papas brightened with creamy cheese, fresh herbs, and without the massive carb count! It’s even great to serve to non-keto guests! All in all, it’s easy to see why it is a favorite! Read More

Thank Goodness I Got Married!

As much as I love Keto Chorizo now I almost hate to admit that I never had Chorizo N’ Papas at all until I met my husband’s family. Once I had it though… game over. I had to get the recipe!

Looking for a recipe I found that what my husband called Chorizo N’ Papas was known by many different names- Chorizo N’ Papas, Papas con Chorizo, even Mexican Seasoned Sausage and Potatoes! And each recipe is as different as the person making it. Thusly, I started with his family’s recipe and over the years of making Chorizo N’ Papas in our own home, I have added my own touches, perfecting it to our tastes.

Becoming Keto Chorizo

When we began our Keto lifestyle in 2017 the recipe evolved again to become this, Keto Chorizo N’ Papas. Not only is it our favorite keto breakfast but it truly is our go-to dish when we have houseguests. So far none of them have a clue they’re eating radishes instead of potatoes! (Though they might now that I’ve made this post- lol!)

Do you have non-keto recipes you miss?

Imagining life without our favorite breakfast forced my hand to make our Keto Chorizo N’ Papas– I hope you love it as much as we do! What non-keto recipe are you missing? Let me know in the comments below, I would love to try to Keto-fy it for you!

Keto Chorizo & "Papas"

Yield: 4 servings

Minimal ingredients and effortless prep. All the rich flavors of traditional Chorizo and Papas brightened with creamy cheese, fresh herbs, and without the massive carb count! All in all, this a favorite at our home!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Avocado Oil
1 c (4 oz) Onion, diced
20 oz Radishes, thinly sliced
1 c water, divided
1 lb Mexican Chorizo
8 oz Cheddar OR Your Favorite Cheese (it will change the macros but you could use pepper jack, gouda or even cojita!)
1/2 c (.3 oz) Loose Leaf Cilantro, chopped (optional)
To serve: 4 large Eggs and/or your favorite low carb tortillas

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350.
Heat avocado oil over medium high heat in oven safe pan*. Add onion and radishes. Saute until the onions start to sweat, stirring frequently. Add enough water to barely cover the bottom of your pan then cover to steam.
Brown, stirring to just enough to avoid burning and adding water as needed, until radishes are softened.
Stir in Mexican chorizo, breaking it up thoroughly.
Spread chorizo mixture evenly across the bottom of your pan.
Bake 12-15 minutes until chorizo is cooked through.
Meanwhile, cook your eggs as preferred.
Remove chorizo from oven, add cheese across top and return to over until cheese is melted.
Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired, and serve with eggs or in your favorite low carb tortillas.

Notes

*If you don't have an oven safe pan you can transfer the chorizo to a casserole dish or baking sheet in step 5.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 509Total Fat: 40.8gSaturated Fat: 20.4gTrans Fat: .7gUnsaturated Fat: 00gCholesterol: 147.8mgSodium: 939.1mgCarbohydrates: 10.4gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 23.9g

Optional ingredients are not included in nutritional information. Nutritional information isn't always accurate due to variations in ingredients- Such as the chorizo. I encourage you to calculate your own nutritional information to ensure accuracy for your macros.

Big Keto Haul with Biweekly Grocery Shopping | GoodLifeDoneRight.com

Biweekly Grocery Shopping = Big Keto Haul

Posted on February 13, 2019July 29, 2020 by Lesleigh

One of my best and most favorite productivity habits I’ve developed recently is doing our grocery shopping biweekly. It’s been so awesome I actually postponed the post I had for this week to share it with you today. PLUS I’ve included a great CHEAT SHEET of our keto essentials that shows EXACTLY how we kept our budget last month under $500 for a family of 5!

When I first set out to meal plan and grocery shop 2 weeks at a time I’m not going to lie, the idea was fairly overwhelming. However, with two small children constantly in tow, venturing out to the grocery store on a weekly basis was maddening. All 3 of us came home exhausted and ill-tempered. It often put a big grey cloud over the remainder of my day. I knew I had to grocery shop but I felt there had to be a better way! Read More

Family Friendly Keto Cheat Sheet Download

Benefits of Grocery Shopping Biweekly

Now that I grocery shop every two weeks I feel like we literally have a vacation from that stress. Even on the days that I do shop, it’s not the day ruining event it was before. I don’t know why, exactly. Best I can figure, knowing that I won’t have to do it again for a whole two weeks keeps my spirits high.

In addition, it frees up huge amounts of time. Every other week I’m able to use the time that I would have spent meal planning and shopping with my kids doing fun stuff instead, like visiting the children’s’ museum.

Grocery Shopping bi-weekly also saves us money! Even though our budget is tight, impulse purchases still happen–especially because I have 2 small ones in tow. With biweekly shopping, I am able to save money simply because we are in the store less often! (I could probably save even more if I were to utilize services like grocery pickup. However, I have found some of the non-list items I pick up are things that should have been on my list! If you are a better list maker, use grocery pickup to optimize savings.)

Making Peace with Missing Out

Anyone who knows me knows I am frugal. Naturally, one of my biggest fears was that I would miss out on great deals on the weeks I’m not shopping! Truth be told, I might be. And that’s ok.

Time itself has value, but it’s not necessarily monetary. The time I save with biweekly grocery shopping combined with the stress relieved has more value then the money I would have possibly saved by continuing weekly shopping.

I’ve found the best way to avoid the stress of the deals I am missing is to avoid looking at the circulars altogether on off weeks. I can’t miss what I don’t know, right?!?

Planning a Big Grocery Shopping Haul

I do shop the circulars for the week that I am grocery shopping. Shopping sales allows us to keep our budget for our family of 5 under $600 for the month. Shoot, we cleared last month at just under $500! That’s with John and I eating Clean Keto!

We have 4 grocery stores with ads in our area: Fry’s, Safeway, Sprouts, and Bashas. Of course, there is also Walmart. Our high standard of eating, when applied to our budget, requires me to shop sales at more than one store… Especially as Walmart no longer price matches.

It’s not uncommon for Walmart’s store brand to be less expensive than a name brand on sale somewhere else. I keep an up-to-date “low price list” of what we normally pay in my planner. This gives me an easy way to determine if whatever is on sale is a better deal. One area that I save the most money with sales is fresh meat and produce.

Properly Storing for Freshness

Obviously, if you’re buying groceries to last a 2-week stretch keeping everything fresh and safe to eat is a must! I have 3 key tips for maintaining freshness:

Firstly, I freeze the meats intended for week 2. Sometimes I buy meats in bulk to take advantage of great deals. I repackage these large packages into meal-sized servings, which is usually #1.5 for our family.
Condense packaging on freezer storage items, if possible. We remove outer boxes in favor of bags. Then we puncture the bags to release air so items can be stacked and packed in more efficiently. Many of you may be hesitant to do this, as storing open packages can cause freezer burn. Keep in mind, though, if you adhere to your meal plan, all foods will be used within two weeks. It is unlikely that freezer burn would form in such a short period of time.
Fragile veggies and fresh herbs like asparagus, romaine, and cilantro get their ends trimmed and put into water before going into the fridge, much like a florist does fresh flowers. This keeps them crisp and super fresh! Just make sure to keep where they are unlikely to be spilled and change the water every few days.
We go through a good amount of eggs and like a variety of cheeses. Open cheeses go in the lunchmeat drawer. Additional cheeses in the back of the fridge. I also store my stock of eggs in the back of the fridge. The open carton stays easily accessible on the top shelf.
Use common sense. When it comes to dairy, eggs or other refrigerated products I haven’t had problems with things being safe to eat, even after their “expiration” date. That being said, if something smells or tastes “off” don’t eat it, expired or not. And trust me, if you’ve sipped bad cream, YOU KNOW.

Final Tips

Before you head out on your own massive biweekly keto grocery shopping trip here are a few final things to keep in mind:

Allow yourself time.

Don’t be in a rush! Looking for great prices, planning out two weeks worth of meals, and actually doing the shopping itself; the process behind planning a grocery shopping trip of this magnitude can take a good bit of time. Especially in the beginning. But with practice, it does get quicker and easier!

Not everything is suitable for biweekly grocery shopping.

We might make a quick run to the store on the non-shopping weeks for milk and highly perishable foods like bananas. If I had a larger freezer I would stock milk, unfortunately, I don’t. As it is, I also never know how much milk my kids will use in a two week period. Sometimes it’s barely one. Others they push 3 gallons. Same with bananas, sometimes they want a banana daily, other times, not at all for several days. With that level of unpredictability and my hate of waste, stocking these things doesn’t make sense for us.

Learn to keep stock of your household.

When shopping weekly, running out of household products is rarely a big deal, you’re headed to the store in a few days anyway. However, once you discover the joy and freedom of not having to go the store weekly you won’t want to revert. Renewing stock of household products, like to toilet paper, cleaning products and toiletries BEFORE actually running out is the key. I keep an extra of all our household items in stock. When that extra item goes into use, it goes on the list. If you wait until it is out it is too late, a trip to the store will likely be needed.

Change your mindset.

When you are grocery shopping on a biweekly basis there are few things you need to mentally prepare for. The big one for me was the total at the register. Of course, grocery shopping to cover a longer period of time will cost more. That’s pretty obvious. However, spending that amount of money in one day of shopping can still be offsetting at first!
Additionally, you need to keep in mind that you are buying food in quantities and the condition to last 2 weeks. This means if you usually go through 1 package of ham in a week you need to buy 2. If you buy foods like avocados or strawberries and intend them to last the 2 weeks, not only do you need to buy more than you usually would, but also buy some less ripe than you would for immediate use.

Prepare your kitchen to handle a big grocery shopping haul!

A huge mistake I very nearly made when starting off biweekly grocery shopping was with my fridge. There was barely enough room for all the groceries I had brought home!!! I planned on repackaging the meat to freeze the next day, so we put a chair in front of the fridge to ensure it would stay tightly sealed overnight. If it had popped open half a month’s worth of food would have been lost! The time and cost of replacing that loss would have likely cost my sanity as well- lol! So make sure your fridge is pretty empty before setting out on your grocery shopping excursions!

You’re all set to shop!!

I’m so excited I’ve been able to share my biweekly grocery shopping method with you! I hope it is as awesome for you as it has been for me. As I mentioned I love being frugal! Comment below if you if you have any money saving tips to add. And of course, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to post them as well, I’m happy to answer them!

Keto Thai Chicken Lettuce Wrap | GoodLifeDoneRight.com

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Posted on February 9, 2019July 29, 2020 by Lesleigh

Anyone who thinks keto is all beef, bacon, and cheese needs to check out this recipe. Fresh, crisp, and full of flavor, these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps will show you keto living doesn’t mean sacrificing your palate!

Firstly, it is tough to eat Asian cuisine while on keto. So many of the dishes have hidden carbs and non-keto ingredients! MSG to enhance flavors. Sugar, honey, and thickeners in sauces. Meats lightly dusted with flour or cornstarch before stir-frying– not to mention the non-keto oils so many restaurants use for the frying itself- it’s a keto minefield! But don’t worry, I can’t live without Asian food which means you don’t have to! Read More

Lucky for us and our Thai food cravings, the ingredients of Asian dishes, like the ones in these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, are easily found in your local grocery store and a breeze to prepare!

Restaurant Quality; DIY Budget

Looking to make these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps a little more budget-friendly? You can easily grind your own chicken. You don’t even need to own a meat grinder! It’s easy to do using a food chopper like this one. It doesn’t have to be this one but I like it because it rotates as it chops instead of just going up and down in the same place.

All you need to do is simply dice the raw chicken then, divide it into 4 small piles. Using a food chopper, mince the chicken. While mincing, occasionally lift the chopper and fold the chicken circle in half to ensure the chicken is getting cut all the way through.

I really hope this recipe fulfills all your Thai food cravings!

Make sure you Pin it to save for later and of course share it on Facebook so all your friends can enjoy it, too.

Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups

Yield: 4 servings- 2 lettuce wraps per serving

All the flavors of Thai food. All the benefits of Keto! That's what I call a win-win!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 lb Chicken, ground
1 tsp Ground Ginger
2 tsp Granulated Garlic
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
3 Tbsp Gluten Free Soy Sauce
1/4 tsp Xantham Gum
1/2 C (2.5 oz) Water Chestnuts, chopped
1/2 C (1.5 oz) Green Onions, chopped
1/4 C (1.4 oz) Peanuts*
8 Lettuce Leaves, I used romaine
Lime Juice, fresh or bottled
Chili Garlic Paste (optional)

Instructions

Heat sesame oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken, ginger, garlic, and red pepper until no pink is visible on chicken but not cooked though. Stir in soy sauce and xantham gum. Cook until chicken is cooked through and liquid is reduced. Add water chestnuts, green onion, and peanuts. Heat through. Serve in lettuce leaves topped with a spritz of lime juice and topped with chili garlic paste.

Notes

*Peanuts are a legume therefore not a clean keto ingredient. They don't bother me in moderation and should be fine for you, too. If you are susceptible to inflammation peanuts may not be advisable for you, feel free to omit them or swap for a keto friendly nut.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 4oz
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 263Total Fat: 11.5gSaturated Fat: 1.8gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 1207mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 3gSugar: 0gProtein: 31g

Nutritional information isn't always accurate due to variations in ingredients. Such as the cut of chicken used for the ground chicken in this recipe. I encourage you to calculate your own nutritional information to ensure accuracy for your macros.

Help! I Miss Carbs! Overcoming your Carb Addiction | GoodLifeDoneRight.com

Help! I Miss Carbs: How To Overcome Your Carb Addiction

Posted on February 6, 2019February 6, 2021 by Lesleigh

Carb addiction, more commonly known as sugar addiction, is a very real thing. Deciding to cut out your favorite carbs may seem impossible- I mean, research shows all addictions, whether they be carb or more serious drug addictions, trigger the pleasure and reward centers in the brain, leaving you constantly seeking your next “high” or feel-good moment.

So how do you cut out sweets and starchy goodies from our diet? Check out the tips below to stop missing those carbs, and overcome your addiction! Read More

Get Ahead of Hunger

Many keto newbies try to jump in with both feet starting fasting at the same time as keto. However, those struggling with carb addiction may find this drastically increases cravings! Eating small, frequent meals in those first couple weeks will help curb carb addiction fueled cravings, cued by hunger. When you do eat, make sure the meal is rich in protein and quality fat. Both are very filling and will help shut down your desires for sweets and starches.

That being said, eating frequently may cause you to (or make you feel like you are) consuming too many calories. It’s ok. Keep in mind you will only need to this for the first week or so. After you get into ketosis your blood sugar regulates. This helps to naturally curb your cravings and appetite. Soon you will be able to easily reduce how often you’re eating as well as your calorie intake.

Keep Yourself Busy

Truth time- did you gain an extra 10 (or more!) pounds during quarantine? I promise you aren’t the only one! Being home all the time without things to occupy your time paves the way for overeating.

Binging on carbs offers a short time fix for feelings of boredom. Keeping yourself engaged in activities will help distract your mind from useless snacking.

Do something to take up your time: take up (or restart) a hobby, call a friend, read a book, take a walk- anything to keep you from wandering into the kitchen!

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Know what is absolutely jaw-dropping? A study revealed that cravings are not necessarily a result of hunger, but rather your mood! If you’ve ever watched a show like the biggest loser, you’ll find it surprisingly common that emotional well-being is often the trigger that starts a cascade of weight gain.

Commonly known as emotional or stress eating, this overeating is often tied to a period of grief, being bullied or abused, lack of friends, a stressful event/time of life, or even a mental health issue.

Carb addiction means food does improve your mood, albeit for a very short period of time. However, giving in to those carb cravings often just leads to further negative feelings and self-talk.

Of course, you can’t always control the parts of your life that cause emotional stress. What you CAN control is your reaction to this stress. Instead of eating, reach out to a friend, go do something you enjoy, join a support group or enlist in the help of a licensed therapist.

When You’re Ready, Find Replacements

For those whose carb addiction centers around starchy foods like potatoes and rice, you can start searching for your favorite substitute from day one of keto. Easy replacements to try are: cheese crisps for chips, radishes or cauliflower for potato or spiralized veggies or konjac noodles as a replacement for pasta.

Unfortunately, for those with a sweet tooth, I RARELY recommend keto sweets in your first 30 days– Just to clarify, I’m not talking about a bit of stevia in your coffee, that’s absolutely fine! I’m talking about keto desserts and fat bombs. Your goal is to break your carb addiction and change your way of eating- NOT simply quiet those cravings with calorie-dense replacement! The good news is, once that addiction is broken you can happily start trying all the yummy keto-friendly desserts!

Regardless of whether you are replacing sweet or salty carbs make sure you are enjoying your new-found treats in moderation. Overeating in any fashion, even keto friendly foods, is not good for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Freedom From Carb Addiction

All in all, the key to getting over carb addiction is surviving the first two weeks. Before you know it your carby favorites will be a distant memory– especially when you begin to see the wonderful results from your keto lifestyle!