Keeping Keto in The Family! A Personal Experience from Lotte's Parents
How cool is it when you can inspire your family to try keto out with your help and support? How much cooler is it when they decide along the way that this is the right lifestyle for them and start talking to everyone about it? Well, this is exactly what happened when Jan and Ivonne decided to give keto a chance with the support and guidance from Lotte. Up until this day (even though Lotte has moved out), they are still rocking it!
A good reason to have a chat with them about their journey to share their experiences with you. So whether you are a couple thinking of starting keto, or you would love your spouse to join your keto journey, their story will definitely inspire you!
First of all: thanks for sharing your experiences with us! When did you get started with keto and what motivated you to start (what was your goal)?
Me and my husband started with keto about over a year ago, right after Lotte started her keto journey. Our main goal was fat- and weight loss.
So why did you choose a keto eating pattern over another lifestyle?
We decided to try keto because Lotte was able to support and guide us along this journey. We didn’t feel like diving into a new lifestyle in terms of needing to read about it to understand, we wanted to try something of which we knew someone else was already benefiting from. So doing keto as a family was a great way to keep each other accountable and of course doing groceries is much easier when everyone follows the same lifestyle!
Yeey to a keto family! How was your lifestyle in terms of food and exercise before you started with keto?
We used to eat potatoes or pasta every evening and bread in the morning. We both have an active job and work / lifestyle, so we mostly didn’t add other exercise to our daily routine. However, Jan went to the gym around 2 times a week, and we both walked the dog every day.
Has this changed now that you follow this lifestyle; what physical or mental changes do you notice?
What has really changed is the fact that we are more conscious about the foods we consume. We feel fitter, more energetic, and have less need to snack in between our meals. We can easily skip meals since we don’t experience cravings or feelings of hunger anymore! Our ability to move around or exercise improved, we experience an increased stamina and endurance.
Experiencing many keto benefits, that’s awesome! What have you learned about nutrition that has really opened your eyes since you’ve started this keto journey?
In the beginning, we experienced the well-known fat phobia (feelings of being scared to eat much fat). Now, we know and realize that eating enough fats is actually extremely healthy for your mind and body. In addition, we were pretty surprised that it is so easy to stay off sugar once you decide to cut it out! We don’t miss it, since the foods you can eat on keto are all super delicious.
What do you think is the biggest challenge of this eating pattern?
Although the foods are all very tasty, we find it a challenge to bring diversity into the kitchen. We would like to alternate between recipes, but we mostly end up eating the same thing!
Has your keto approach changed over the last year, and what are your favourite foods and recipes?
In the beginning of our keto journey, we were very strict in terms of staying below 30 grams of carbs each day. If we ate carbs unintentionally, we could feel pretty frustrated haha. Once we became fat-adapted after a few months, we decided to implement a cheat meal or day so now and then without feeling guilty about that. We believe that this is what makes keto a lifestyle and not a diet; we are all human after all and sometimes we just have those cravings! As long as you make these decisions consciously. After that, we go back to keto right away since we do feel our best when we are in ketosis.
Our favourite foods are definitely cheese, avocado and meat. In terms of recipes, we love to eat keto mac & cheese. This is a dish we regularly serve our guests and so far, everyone loved it!
I am proud of you, knowing that you are still following this lifestyle although I am not around anymore! What would you like to tell people who want to start with this lifestyle, but don't know how?
This lifestyle may seem daunting since it is probably something completely unknown. Yet, it is very easy to follow and you surely feel fitter, lighter and more energized!
As you may understand, there are many advantages when your family or your partner joins your keto journey. Nevertheless, you should not try to convince them if they are not interested in joining. As long as you feel supported, you are surely to rock your health journey together!