Day 18 of the 21 Day Keto Challenge November 2020

Happy Day 18!

With 3 days left, the last few emails have been focusing on the mindset of ‘what next’. 

I’ve been writing about the mental shifts to keep going after the 21 Day challenge and make Keto a new lifestyle (or a re-found one!). 

Today I want to give you more practical tips. 

These have come from past challenge participants who will sometimes contact me months down the track and have been keeping on with their keto lifestyle. 

This is the top ways that people have kept going with Keto for months and years, plus a few of my own that have kept me motivated. 

I hope even one of these resonates with YOU 💚

Here’s the top practical tips on keeping Keto going for months and years to come!

Tip 1. Recycle the same meal plan over again. 
Make adjustments for what you liked and didn’t like. Double up on the meals you loved and freeze the leftovers. Keep tweaking until it becomes YOUR meal plan. 

Tip 2. Integrate some of the other meal plans. 
Each of the previous meal plans are just as delicious but each one is a bit different. Meal Plan #1 was dairy free, which can be a great option if you seem to be holding on to inflammation. You can see them all here. If you’ve already got the other meal plans and you have all 5, you can do them one after the other and have a 15 week challenge! 

Tip 3. Choose your information sources carefully
There’s a lot of keto information, websites and different pages these days. It used to be simple – only a handful of resources and not that many diverging opinions. Now you’ve got everything from carnivore (pure meat) to cyclical Keto. I suggest always keeping things simple and only start googling if you need to change something. For example, if you find you are getting cramps, specifically learn about how to solve that issue. If you want to start lifting weights, start learning about protein needs. Choose your sources wisely (make sure they refer back to science!). 

Tip 4. Surround yourself with like minded people
Similarly to the above, every second person has a keto blog or facebook group. There’s some really strict and really negative ones, so make sure you’re with your tribe. Unfollow anyone/any page that doesn’t make you feel good. We have enough guilt and negativity associated with our eating habits and we don’t need more of it coming from strangers on the internet. And in real life, if you can find some keto buddies at work or in your social life, it can be great to have their support and give support back as well. 

Tip 5. Keep setting your goals and timelines
We all get a lot of energy and motivation during the 21 day challenge, but it’s important to build these small milestones in your own life too. 
Have something to look forward to and build some rewards in as well (mine is always athletic wear or gear, and new running shoes!!). Keep making goals and areas to focus on. You might want to try cutting out dairy, or try no snacks or no alcohol for a period. Set a date, challenge yourself. 

Tip 6. Build your life around healthy choices! 
Me 5 years ago: weekends went from the bar on friday night to boozy brunch on Saturday, big dinner Saturday night and too many drinks and recovery meal on Sunday. 
Me now: Nature walk followed by home cooked brunch, activities instead of drinking.
Build your life and your social occasions around healthy choices and activities, instead of just food and alcohol. Social occasions and really life is about relationships and people – not what we consume while we are with them. Buy experiences and memories instead of hangovers and regret. 

These are just some of the ways you can build those healthy habits and choices into a life that points you where you want to go. 

Each little decision and choice we make is a chance to make a healthy decision. 

Love

Rachel xx