Staying Keto on Vacation

So many diets allow cheat days or cheat meals. The keto diet is not really one of those. You are either in ketosis and burning ketones or you are not. Coming out of ketosis and then trying to get back into ketosis can send a person right back to the days of the “keto flu” where they might experience headaches, nausea, extreme tiredness, and other unpleasant feelings. For me, each time I would take a vacation week off of keto, I would easily gain 8-10 pounds. I’ve been on three trips since starting back on 100% keto again. I easily stayed keto in Las Vegas. I ate wonderful meals consisting of things like cheese omelets with avocado, salmon, crab-stuffed trout, sautéed spinach, steamed broccoli, and Caesar salad. When I visited the beach I ate things like: grilled salmon and shrimp, buffalo burgers with cheese, avocado, and bacon, lovely gourmet cheeses, omelets, creamed spinach, crab, and a low carb peanut butter pie I made while I was there. On my trip to Disney World, I struggled the most to find Keto friendly foods. I did a lot of intermittent fasting through the day. We ate sausage without all the toppings in Animal Kingdom. We had the ribs twice in  Animal Kingdom. I would eat cheese back in the hotel. I also brought almonds and Keto bars as well. I had fish and steamed broccoli at the Skipper Canteen restaurant in Magic Kingdom. I bought Babybel cheese and boiled eggs at the Contemporary Hotel. We also had a lovely charcuterie tray at the airport.  I didn’t go off the diet even though it was pretty hard to find Keto friendly meals in Orlando.

I hope that this post gives those on a Keto diet encouragement that even on vacation, you can still stick to the plan. I guarantee that you’ll be glad you did!

Road Trip Snacks {keto/low carb}

17C4D61A-6C9A-46E9-956F-F9D2EC7E1313On our drive to Hilton Head, I pack snacks for every person. The kids get things like Chex Mix, Fruit by the Foot, chips, Zone bars, peanut butter or cheese crackers, and basically things that are full of carbs. I don’t eat any of those things so I need to figure out what I might want to munch on for the trip. This time around, I packed jars of sugar free pickles, Keto Bars, almonds, and cheese bars. Keto and low carb snacks are much easier to find now, but consideration for how they travel and how your body responds to them must be given. If you’re on a low carb or Keto diet it is still possible to stay in ketosis while on vacation, but it does take a little more planning.1A7AFCE9-E60F-49E4-A949-CFEB3F8324BF.jpeg

Chella D {Hilton Head}

Everyone in my family loves a good deal. My daughters are very into fashion, but they always want a unique look. Whenever we visit Hilton Head in South Carolina we stop at Chella D. This consignment shop is a favorite and a much anticipated stop for our family. We love the ladies who own and run it. Donna and Carol are pure delights! If I lived in Hilton Head, I know I would be a regular. When a regular customer comes in they all talk and laugh and truly care about what’s going on with one another. Even though we only stop in once or twice a year, we are remembered and appreciated. This shop isn’t just a fun little shop, it’s full of treasures. Think Lilly Pulitzer, Gucci, Kate Spade, Armani, Versace, Jimmy Choo, and much more. We always leave with things we love and things we get for a bargain. If you make a trip to Hilton Head, plan a stop at Chella D. 6CA6B357-1972-4B96-8547-CC96E7766FD9.jpeg

Kitchen Essential {Air Fryer}

Many kitchen appliances are a waste of money. An air fryer is not. We bought one for Christmas, and I use it every day! I use it to “fry” French fries or heat up leftovers. I make avocado fries with it at least three times a week. I have made the best keto fried chicken of my life! Almost daily, I take a low carb tortilla and spray it with olive oil, sprinkle a little bit of sea salt on top and put it in the air fryer for about 3 minutes. It makes a beautiful tortilla bowl. I break it apart and use it as chips to eat my guacamole or cheese.

The air fryer is easy to clean too. All that it takes is letting it cool, using hot water and Dawn, wipe out, rinse, and you are done. We have the Phillips XL. I can’t imagine that anything smaller would be good enough for a family. It’s not huge, but it does take up about as much space as a Kitchen Aid mixer.

 

airfryer

Photo Credit: Phillips

 

 

I hope to share a few recipes soon! If this is a purchase you’ve been considering I say go for it!