• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Heather Cooan logo
  • My Story
  • Recipes
  • Articles
  • Resources
  • Services
  • Success Stories
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • My Story
  • Recipes
  • Articles
  • Resources
  • Services
  • Success Stories
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • My Story
    • Recipes
    • Articles
    • Resources
    • Services
    • Success Stories
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • Vitamin A Deficiency Signs, Symptoms, and Effects
    • Wood cutting board with vitamin d written on it surrounded by salmon, mackerel, shrimp, cheese, and mushrooms.
      Vitamin D Deficiency: Signs and Symptoms
    • Guy stabilized melanoma amplified immunotherapy.
      Guy Stabilized Stage IV Melanoma Cancer
    • Melissa stabilized breast cancer and beat cachexia.
      Melissa Stabilized Metastatic Breast Cancer
    • Heather put lichen sclerosus, hashimotos, and vuvlar cancer into remission.
      Heather Achieved Remission: Vulvar Cancer, Lichen Sclerosus, Hashimotos
    • Variety of beans, grains, and fruit on a table.
      Food Sensitivity, Intolerance, or Allergy?
    • Side profile of a digital man breathing in green pollen particles on a blue and white background.
      Histamine Intolerance an Overview
    • Knife and fork with black handle sitting on a wooden cutting board surrounded by cheese, garlic, avocado, steak, salmon, tomatoes, green beans, and spices.
      The Six Stages of Ketosis
    • female compounding pharmacist holding mortar and pestle with male pharmacist in the background
      Low-Dose Naltrexone for Cancer and Autoimmune Disease
    • hand reaching for a chocolate and vanilla iced donut from a stack of colorful iced donuts with sprinkles
      How Sugar Drives Inflammation
    • Grilled T-bone steak topped with pomegranate seeds plated on a black plate with grilled fennel, a slice of brei cheese, and a side salad with fork and knife.
      Nutritional vs. Therapeutic Ketosis
    • sardines arranged in a star shape on a red plate with dried peppers and garlic
      Omega-3 Fight Cancer and Inflammation
    Home » Articles » Nutritional Therapies » Ketogenic Lifestyle

    Planning for Keto and Low-Carb Dieting

    Published: Jan 6, 2020 by Heather Cooan, MBA, NTP, FDN-P, ONC · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Planning for keto is the key to success!

    When it comes to the Ketogenic diet, your success will lie in your planning. Making sure you have the proper foods on hand when you begin your diet will go a long way toward your ongoing healing and weight loss. There are plenty of resources online for keto and low-carb recipes that you can easily take advantage of. However, at first, while you're getting the hang of things, it can be helpful to keep things super simple.

    Planning your meals and snacks will be an important part of your life when you are on this diet. That advice really goes for any diet. When you eat whatever you like, you gain weight. Your current weight and health problems are a direct result of letting your eating habits go unchecked for so long.

    As with all dietary changes, getting used to eating keto is going to take some time and adjustment. The standard American diet (SAD) relies heavily on manufactured foods full of carbohydrates and inflammatory ingredients, which are all restricted on keto. Many people grew up on carbohydrate heavy favorites like spaghetti and meatballs, lots of bread, and sugary desserts. It is going to take some effort and patience to get used to eating in an entirely new way. Even many foods that we've been historically taught to include in our diets for good health like whole grains and fruit are restricted on keto.

    Keto Substitutes

    There are a few different approaches you can take in adjusting your diet. You can find replacements for your favorite foods with “mock” carbohydrates by swapping out traditional ingredients for lower carbohydrate substitutes. For example, lasagna made with eggplant or zucchini instead of pasta is much more keto-friendly than the regular variety. Spaghetti squash noodles make a good substitute for spaghetti noodles. There are also many low-carb or carb-free replacements for bread, pasta, and just about anything else you're craving.

    This approach can get some folks into trouble since it doesn't really focus on change. There's a reason why you became unhealthy to begin with and it often goes much deeper than the food you eat. Addressing bad habits, emotional eating, and your relationship with food is critical to your long-term success. If you continue to eat junk food, keto-friendly junk food is still junk food, you may continue to have cravings and struggle with real and lasting change.

    Shop Keto Cookbooks on Amazon!

    Simplicity

    The second approach is to find out how to make new recipes that center around meats, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and other low-carb foods. There are a wide variety of meats that are acceptable on keto. If you are used to just eating ground beef or chicken on a weekly basis, you’ll be surprised by the variety of meats that are out there. Try incorporating pork, lamb, and ham into your weekly routine. You can also experiment with game fowl like Cornish hen, quail, and pheasant. If you’ve never been a fan of fish, try a different variety. Some people who don’t like trout find they have a love of salmon or other fish. Don’t forget shellfish like mussels, clams, and shrimp. These foods are all acceptable and can add variety and nutrient density to your diet.

    Quick & Easy Options

    Make sure to have some easy to prepare foods on hand for snacks and quick meals. For example, thin sliced cucumbers, radishes and celery mixed with lemon mayonnaise make a great low-carb meal or dinner salad. Fried peppers, mushrooms, and garlic served on arugula with feta cheese is another good option.

    Always keep a protein prepared in the fridge whether it's meat prepared in advance, hardboiled eggs, or cheese. Keeping grab and go options available at all times will save you when you're too tired or too hungry to make a meal. When planning for keto, this is critical!

    Research & Experiment

    Research and try out different low-carb recipes so you have a good base of knowledge of what to prepare for meals. The most important step you can take in losing weight is planning. Getting a good arsenal of easy to prepare meals will prevent you from hitting the drive-through or going to a restaurant and breaking your diet.

    If you have delicious food to look forward to every day, you’ll be less bored with your diet. Even during the initial adaptation phase, being prepared will help you stay on track. At first glance, the vegetable and meat options may seem restrictive. But this is only in comparison to what you have been used to eating. With a little planning and creativity, you can find something interesting to eat every day. Planning for keto will keep you on track!

    Ketogenic Lifestyle

    • Woman Using a Blood Glucose Ketone Meter
      The Glucose Ketone Index (GKI) Explained
    • 10 Low-Carb Power-Packed Foods
    • Low Carb Staples: Bacon
      10 Low Carb Staples You Can't Live Without
    • Ketosis Signs and Symptoms - Woman questioning am I in ketosis?
      Ketosis Signs and Symptoms - What to Expect
    7 shares
    • 4

    Reader Interactions

    Tell Me What You Think

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Heather Cooan - Nutrition Consulting, Counseling, and Education

    Hi, I'm Heather! I’m a Functional Oncology Nutritionist helping women suffering from cancer and autoimmunity take control of their care and recover their health through education, data-driven nutritional therapy, and strategic environmental and lifestyle design.

    More about me →

    HEARTY FALL RECIPES

    • Bowl of Black Bean Chili Topped with Cheese and Green Onion
      Black Bean Chili (Low-Carb, GFDF)
    • Low-carb beef stew
      Low-Carb Beef Stew (Keto, Whole30, AIP, Paleo, GFDF)
    • pumpkin sausage soup in a bowl on a fall decorated table
      Pumpkin Sausage Soup (DFGF, Whole30, AIP, Keto, Paleo)
    • cream of mushroom soup
      Cream of Mushroom Soup (Keto, DFGF, Paleo, Whole30, AIP Option)

    KETO HALLOWEEN RECIPES

    • Spider Web Taco Dip
      Low-Carb Spider Web Taco Dip (Keto, GF, Vegetarian)
    • Keto Halloween Recipes - Sausage Mummies and Pumpkin Juice
      50 Keto Halloween Recipes
    • gelatin worms spread out on tin foil
      Gelatin Worms (GFDF, Keto, Paleo, Whole30, AIP)
    • mini mummy pizzas on a plate
      Mini Mummy Pizzas (Keto, GF)

    POPULAR RECIPES

    • One dozen keto pumpkin spice muffins stacked on a green plate.
      Keto Pumpkin Spice Muffins
    • Gluten-Free Sourdough Chocolate Chunk Cookies
    • Turkey Stew
      Turkey Stew (GFDF, Keto, Paleo, AIP, Whole30, Low Iron)
    • pickle wheels - pickle, cream cheese, ham
      Pickle Wheels (Keto, GF, Low Iron)
    • Vanilla cupcakes on white wood background
      Vanilla Frosted Buttercream Cupcakes (GFDF, Keto, Low-Iron)
    • Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
      Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce (Keto, GF, Vegetarian, Low-Iron)

    LATEST ARTICLES

    • Vitamin A Deficiency Signs, Symptoms, and Effects
    • Wood cutting board with vitamin d written on it surrounded by salmon, mackerel, shrimp, cheese, and mushrooms.
      Vitamin D Deficiency: Signs and Symptoms
    • Guy stabilized melanoma amplified immunotherapy.
      Guy Stabilized Stage IV Melanoma Cancer
    • Melissa stabilized breast cancer and beat cachexia.
      Melissa Stabilized Metastatic Breast Cancer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Accessibility Policy

    Let's Connect!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Subscribe for Recipes and Updates

    My Amazon Favorites

    Work With Me

    • Oncology Nutrition Services
    • Functional Nutrition Therapy Services
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Contact Us
    • Media and Press

    Disclaimer All information on this website and in HDC Media products, services, meal plans, and content is general information. Nothing on the website or any HDC Media content is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Heather Cooan does not diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition. Nothing I share with my clients is intended to substitute for the advice, treatment, or diagnosis of a qualified licensed physician. Heather Cooan may not make any medical diagnosis or claim, nor substitute for your personal physician’s care. It is the role of Heather Cooan to partner with her clients to provide ongoing support and accountability in an opt-in model of self-care and should be done under the supervision of a licensed physician.

    Affiliate Disclosure Many outgoing links on HeatherCooan.com are affiliate links. If you purchase a product after clicking an affiliate link, I receive a small percentage of the sale for referring you, at no extra cost to you. HDC Media is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

    Copyright © 2023 Functional Oncology Nutritionist - Heather Cooan

    We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

    You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in .

    Heather Cooan
    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

    If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.