Ever since I received the iPad Pro and Apple pen, I have left my MacBook Air to collect dust. The iPad Pro has streamlined my work performance and decluttered my work bag so much, I swear my back pain came from carrying around 15lbs+ of paperwork everyday too.
I also discovered “digital planning” and OMG, where has this been all of my life? Being able to create custom inserts, with folders, and endless amounts of digital notebooks has been life changing. The Apple Pen also allows me to still get the traditional feeling of writing (that I love) but also has an endless amount of pen styles, highlighters, colors etc all in one.
After geeking about it hardcore on our IG stories we had tons of DM’s requesting more info so here are all my favs…
You definitely do not need to get 256gb but I wanted to make sure I had enough space for all of my files. If you need more storage you can also pay a monthly subscription to apple to keep everything on a cloud.
This keyboard was just released this year and it’s amazing. If you’re looking to replace your laptop, this is key because it also has a trackpad and the functions we love with a traditional mac keyboard. I love the simplicity of it and it’s very sturdy.
again…WHERE…HAS…THIS…BEEN…all my life? Lol i’m a planner addict but I was just wasting so much paper. Usually I would buy a few planners a year or create my own printables because I had different needs. The customization with digital planners is literally endless and way more efficient. I’m able to use ONE digital planner for every aspect of my life.
Of course now that my eyes are opened to a whole new world I found my next addiction…DIGITAL STICKERS. Adding a cute post it or bullet points just makes your day a little bit more fun 🙂
If you’re reading this right now, there’s a chance your most recent carb intake was a little more lit than you were expecting. Maybe you ate some carbs, all of the carbs, or too much low carb stuff that ended up being a ton of carbs. Regardless of the reason, you’re here, and you’re wanting to get back into ketosis…like ASAP.
While we are not nutritionists or physicians, we have been eating a ketogenic diet for years now so our lifestyle has it’s super ultra low carb days and some high days that warrant us to need to reset how we’re eating to feel good again. Most of the time when we carb up, the next day isn’t so bad. It’s after we have a little too many benders on the carb train that our bodies start to reject the extra junk and we feel it in our faces, bodies, and just overall. Chances are you are feeling and looking fluffier due to water weight. You did not just undo weeks-months-years of progress in just a few days.
We’ve done a lot of resets – water fasts, OMAD, 16:8, 18:6, eggfasts, carnivore, zero carb week, ketones, and we will truthfully say they have all helped us drop the excess water weight – some easier others. However, out of all of the resets that we’ve done, none have been easier or more enjoyable than a clean 20g TOTAL reboot. The reason why a 20g TOTAL carb reboot works for us is because it goes back to the fundamentals of a ketogenic diet. Low carb, high fat, and focusing on trying to nourish our bodies with the good stuff. The other resets we have done have more restrictions and by day two or three we are coming off a carb high and act HANGRY and all sorts of cray cray. The 20g TOTAL reboot revolves around the idea that you should try to keep your carb count at 20g total or under. That means you do not rely on processed or packaged foods to subtract fiber from your carb count. You simple just eat to fit the 20g total carbs. If you’re feeling the least bit confused, consider this analogy. You have $20 to spend a day on food. Choose wisely. Do you. spend it on vending machine or gas station snacks throughout the day? Or do you strategize and buy foods that will keep you fuller longer? We do a strict 20g total carb reboot for 5 days and then loosen the reigns as we get back into ketosis and start incorporating more fruits, veggies, and the “dirty” (packaged, processed, etc) stuff to continue our lifestyle.
Here are 7 tips and tricks to get back into ketosis. As a reminder, please do not consider the following medical advice – rather, opinions on what has worked for us.
Eat 20g total carbs or fewer each day.
Total carbs means you do not subtract fiber – so you should be leaning on ultra low carbs such as meats, poultry, eggs, cheese, and greens. Remember, sweeteners like monkfruit sweetener still have high carb carbs (before you subtract the sugar alcohol) so if you must sweeten anything – like coffee, use stevia – as its truly zero carb. We’ve started a #20gtotalreboot hashtag on Instagram with a ton of recipes & inspo for you.
Keep it Simple
Y’all should know by now that we are extra – like super extra. We once packed a keto burger with edible gold foil because we had it on hand. You do not have to do that in this case. When you’re trying to get back into ketosis, keep it simple and stick to whole, unprocessed foods as much as you’re able. This will give your body what it needs to continue to heal. Do not over think it. An easy way to think about it is go for the foods that don’t have an ingredient list. You can still season your food – we never said it had to bland.
Drink water and then more water.
We cannot stress how important drinking water is on a ketogenic diet. You would think that drinking a lot of water would over-bloat you, but it helps push the toxins out. Something important to remember is to increase your electrolyte intake as you increase your water and decrease your carbs. Your body will be pushing out the bad stuff but it will also flush out essential minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Pink salt is also a really easy ingredient to sprinkle into your water or add to your meals and it can do wonders.
Move your body. Especially before you eat for the day.
If you’re not already doing so – try starting with 30 mins of physical activity prior to eating in order to facilitate the depletion of glycogen stores. Go for a walk, bike ride, or follow along your favorite YouTube workout video.
Dabble into Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting can be a great tool on your journey back into ketosis. When you fast, your maintains its energy balance by shifting its fuel source from carbs to fats. Think of it as an additional jumpstart to get you back into ketosis.
Increase your healthy fat intake, but watch your calories if you’re trying to lose weight.
Replace the loss of carbohydrates with an increase in healthful fats. Some fats that a person can eat include:
This will help you feel satiated longer but can also boost your ketone level to get you back into ketosis faster.
Be kind to yourself and remind yourself that keto is a lifestyle.
If you’re committed to a ketogenic way of eating for life, just remember there may be some days you go off plan and that it’s okay. Don’t be hard on yourself if you get kicked out ketosis. Sometimes we get kicked out even when our carbs are low – (ingredients matter). Give yourself some grace and know this is a marathon to better health, not a sprint!
SPRING HAS SPRUNG KETO BAES! This challenge will run from MARCH 29TH TO FRIDAY APRIL 2ND and will focus on total grams of carbs, upping your step game, and being better with your water intake. Use the hashtag #ketospringcleaning to follow along with other keto baes this week. As a reminder, please consult with your health care provider when you make changes to your diet. We are not nutrition or medical professionals and any suggestions should be taken as opinions.
The guidelines are simple:
Stick to 20g TOTAL carbs or fewer. That means DO NOT SUBTRACT ANY FIBER to get to 20g of total carbs. This also means you will be depending on very low carb foods to get you through the week instead of many processed foods with added fiber or sugar alcohols. This is a great way to refocus your low carb intake and challenge yourself to eat more unprocessed, whole foods.
Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity. Yes, we understand that many of you can barely fit 15 minutes your daily routines between your jobs, families, activities, and general schedule. However, there are many opportunities you can take to fit physical activities, like take the stairs at work, taking a walk during your breaks, parking further away from the entrances if businesses, etc. If you want to achieve something, you’ll make it work.
Try to be consistent with your hydration patterns by hitting at least 100oz of water each day of the challenge. Water is so beneficial on ANY diet, but it’s super helpful when you’re entering a deeper state of ketosis. Your coffee and electrolytes count as water too.
We will support you throughout the week by answering your questions and documenting what we do ourselves to reset for the spring. Follow us on Instagram to watch for story updates, meal ideas, and live q&a sessions.
Before you start, take pictures, measurements, and weigh yourself. This will show you how small changes can make a difference. Make sure you plan ahead by making sure you have plenty of food and ingredient options that will nourish you this week and keep you satiated. Do not plan to wing it the morning of Day 1.
If you need a little TLC because you are new to keto or have never tracked total carbs, here is a sample meal plan with product links to get you through the week. Please note that these are suggestions and you can customize them to ensure success with your reset. If you need more meal ideas, search the #20gtotalreboot hashtag on Instagram to see past meals we have eaten during this type of reset.
We only share products/services that we love. This post contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission for purchases made through our links.
Keto 5 Day Meal Plan
To help get you started, here is a sample ketogenic diet meal plan:
Pro tips: -skip breakfast if you are not hungry -season your food with zero carb seasonings -mix and match meals you like and don’t eat meals with foods you do not like -drink a lot of water throughout the day
W T F happened to Summer 2020?! With the official start of Fall commencing on Sept 22, we thought it would be fun to jump start the new season with a keto based health and wellness reset week starting on Monday, Sept 21st. This challenge will run from Sept 21- Sept 25th and will focus on total grams of carbs, upping your step game, and being better with your water intake.
The guidelines are simple:
Stick to 20g TOTAL carbs or fewer. That means DO NOT SUBTRACT ANY FIBER to get to 20g of total carbs. This also means you will be depending on very low carb foods to get you through the week instead of many processed foods with added fiber or sugar alcohols. This is a great way to refocus your low carb intake and challenge yourself to eat more unprocessed, whole foods.
Aim for 10K steps a day. Yes, we understand that many of you can barely fit 3K steps into your daily routines between your jobs, families, activities, and general schedule. However, there are many opportunities you can take to fit steps in, like take the stairs at work, taking a walk during your breaks, parking further away from the entrances if businesses, etc. If you want to achieve something, you’ll make it work.
Try to be consistent with your hydration patterns by hitting 100oz of water each day of the challenge. Water is so beneficial on ANY diet, but it’s super helpful when you’re entering a deeper state of ketosis. Your coffee and electrolytes count as water too.
We will support you throughout the week by answering your questions and documenting what we do ourselves to reset for the Fall. Follow us on Instagram to watch for story updates, meal ideas, and live q&a sessions.
Before you start, take pictures, measurements, and weigh yourself. This will show you how small changes can make a difference. Make sure you plan ahead by making sure you have plenty of food and ingredient options that will nourish you this week and keep you satiated. Do not plan to wing it the morning of Day 1.
If you need a little TLC because you are new to keto or have never tracked total carbs, here is a sample meal plan with product links to get you through the week. Please note that these are suggestions and you can customize them to ensure success with your reset. If you need more meal ideas, search the #20gtotalreboot hashtag on Instagram to see past meals we have eaten during this type of reset.
We only share products/services that we love. This post contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission for purchases made through our links.
Keto 5 Day Meal Plan
To help get you started, here is a sample ketogenic diet meal plan:
Pro tips: -skip breakfast if you are not hungry -season your food with zero carb seasonings -mix and match meals you like and don’t eat meals with foods you do not like -drink a lot of water throughout the day
We have a lot of people inquiring about our skincare routine and complimenting on our skin (thank you🥰) so I thought it be easier to have everything I use in one post.
I use to have 1000 products in my routine thinking it will guarantee good skin but once I paid attention to the quality of ingredients I eliminated all of the unnecessary steps. I also was applying things in the wrong order…oops but hey, my failures are learning lessons for your success.
Here is a nice diagram I found online on the basic steps on how to layer your products and what you need.
Hudabeauty.com
I try to be consistent with both AM/PM routines but ya know my laziness gets the best of me sometimes. If I happen to fall asleep in my makeup (huge NO-NO) I would add double cleansing in the morning.
If I followed my own directions the night before then this is my daily AM skincare routine:
1. Cleanse/Rinse: I have dry skin so I do not use a cleanser in the morning. I wish I knew this tip sooner because I was essentially drying out my skin more by cleansing in AM/PM. Now, I gently rinse with warm water and pat dry.
2. Toner: I like to be efficient and having multi use products. Discovering Laneige Cream Skin toner was a dream come true. I apply the toner on a cotton pad and wipe my face down. This feels amazing on the skin and doesn’t feel like I’m stripping my skin.
4. Serums: Vitamin C is a must have ingredient in any serum you use. It helps with uneven skin tone, rough texture, fine lines, scars, and just gives you a GLOWWWW. I’m on my second bottle of La Roche-Posay Vitamin C Face Serum
5. Eye Cream: This step is also unnecessary if you use a good moisturizer but because my skin is dryer than the desert I like applying eye cream during the day. I gently pat in Kiehl’s Avocado Eye treatment under my eyes, on my eyelids, and on my laugh lines. You just need a tiny amount (I use too much but enjoy it lol) and applying this gives my Vitamin C serum time to soak in.
6. Moisturizer: My moisturizer graveyard is ridiculous and shameful. I have purchased and tried out so many before I found my go-to ride or dies. I want something that gives me a hydrating glow, but not too glow-y that I look sweaty. Something that is richer in texture but doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. Thank you psoriasis for making me become a picky bish lol. My ride or dies for the past 2 years: Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream and La Mer Moisturizing Soft Cream
7. SPF!!!!!!!! If I could only choose one morning skincare product it would be SPF. Without using SPF the rest of the products are pointless. You need SPF even if you’re driving to the store quick. Get into the habit of applying SPF in the morning like how you brush your teeth. SPF is essential to protect your skin, prevent wrinkles, sun damage, etc. We are spending all of this time and money on skincare products but if you don’t wear SPF you are just wasting your efforts.
I had a hard time finding SPF products that wouldn’t irritate my psoriasis on my face, even the “sensitive” ones would sting my skin. It has also been hard finding a sunscreen that didn’t effect my makeup foundation color. Currently, i’m on my third bottle of Krave Beauty- The Beet Shield and never looked back. I love how it moisturizes the skin, truly is undetectable, and DOESN’T STING. I apply a generous amount to my face and use what I have leftover in my palm to rub in my neck, chest and hands. For my no makeup days I also love Glowscreen Sunscreen to protect my skin and give me that fresh faced look .
8. Bonus: Ever pray for thick hair but got it on your face instead? Dats meeeee. Once a week I shave my face (weird, I know) and exfoliate my face and body. I use this Women’s Disposable Razor to shave my hairy face, but this helps brighten up my complexion and remove texture to keep my makeup looking smooth. I use to wax my face but it was ummmmm painful. Shaving is painless, cost effective and way easier.
If you’re like me who cries at every 1inch hair trim then you know the feeling when you brush your hair and find it shedding CLUMPS. Once I noticed my hair wouldn’t stop shedding I immediately dove into the internet and found a hair routine to stick to.
Below is a list of items and tips I’ve been using to help me achieve the locks of my dreams:
1. Supplements!
Viviscal and Collagen has been my go to on tackling my hair shedding and promoting hair growth. You can find them
Working in the restaurant industry I would leave with an aroma of oil and grease…LOL so the thought of not washing my hair daily use to freak me out. Turns out its best to NOT wash your hair daily so that your scalp is not stripped from natural oils. Luckily, I do not work in the Resturant industry anymore and feel comfortable on stretching out my washes. I noticed my hair felt more soft and not as brittle as before.
3. THE “BRUSH”
Ok, I’m boujee and I know it. I’m the type that needs all the bells and whistles when I’m laser focused on something. The coveted Mason Pearson hair brush is meant to stimulate circulation, bring blood flow to the scalp, and in turn promote healthy hair growth. Does it work? Not sure yet, but it feels oh so goooooood and makes me want to take care of my hair. The average price for this brush is around $250 but we found an amazing dupe for $40 Here
Whether you’re at the office or working from home, boredom eating is something that can go from a bad habit to affecting your overall well-being. This is something we both know we struggle with, especially nowadays with the current world situation happening around us (um, coronavirus and the social distancing). To us, boredom eating goes beyond us feeling like there’s nothing to do. It’s a coping mechanism we use to deal with our stress and anxiety – to help us distract ourselves from thoughts or triggers buzzing around us.
This article is in no way written to discourage anyone from eating, rather, help some of you break the cycle, especially during these trying times. Our motto has always been “eat when hungry, stop when full”. In our personal experiences, we have found 90% of the time we think we are hungry, we’re actually not. We are not healthcare or nutrition experts, so please consider the following opinions, not professional advice.
Here are some tactics we have and will continue to use to beat this bad behavior:
Drink water. There is a difference between being thirsty and being hungry. How do we know? We’ve practiced intermittent fasting and regularly egg fast – and most of the time, a tall glass of water does the trick. Have a glass, wait a few minutes, and then re-evaluate your hunger.
Go for a walk. It doesn’t have to be a long one, but getting up to move can help distract you, burn calories, and get you some fresh air that you body would appreciate. If you can’t get outside, a few laps around your home or office can get your blood flowing, and likely, your hunger or boredom at bay.
Brush your teeth. It’s hard to chow down on on some pork rinds or candy right after you’ve brushed your pearly whites with some minty toothpaste. You will feel your need to snack decrease, trust us.
Clean the space around you or organize the apps and/or emails/texts/notifications on your phone. You will stay busy and forget about that pint of ice cream or bag of salty snacks.
Phone a friend – cause that’s what they are for, right? Having a support buddy or family member is good for so many reasons – and this is one of the times having someone to call or text can help you talk through anything you’re feeling or just chat about the latest celebrity to be revealed on The Masked Singer. Whatever the topic is – it will help pass the time you’re trying to kill.
Ok, here’s the deal…before going back on Keto, I swear I never craved sweets. Every now and then I’d eat a snickers or a kit kat bar but never had the urge to go out of my way for some candy. Now? It’s like I’m a hunting dog on a mission to find every sugar free option on the market!
The standard sugar free candies that come to mind when I crave them are the popular maltitol based options. Maltitol is a sugar alcohol that is common in sugar free candies such as Werthers Caramels, Sugar Free Reeses, and Sugar Free Russell Stovers. These candies can typically be found next to the regular candy at the grocery store or in the diabetic care area of pharmacies/drug stores. Target and Walmart both carry them regularly.
So what’s the deal with Maltitol? The body does not absorb Sugar Alcohols the same way that it does sugar, but there are still some carbs in the candies. A lot of people who follow the keto diet do not like to eat foods with Maltitol because it’s not a sweetener that is found naturally. Others choose not to eat these because of the um…laxative effect if you have too many. For me, having one or two pieces will not make me feel sick or kick me out of ketosis. Sometimes, a girl just wants a sugar free gummy bear or Twizzlers! I will choose a more keto-friendly alternative if it’s available, but I do have a stash of candies with maltitol in my pantry to keep in the sweets rotation. Here is an article, of thousands, that spills the tea on Maltitol: https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/is-maltitol-safe#2
Now, there are other sugar free candies that are sweetened with naturally occurring sweeteners such as monk fruit or Stevia and these can usually be found in the health food section of most grocery stores. The only drawback to these candies are that they can be very expensive. Luckily, these items often go on sale or there are coupons available to reduce the cost. Some of my favorites are the Lilly’s Milk Chocolate Bars and Smart Sweets Gummies. Whole Foods, GNC, and large grocery chains will typically carry these items. Stay tuned for some upcoming grocery hauls that include different candies we’ve picked up!
We had heard about Intermittent Fasting (IF) prior to starting Keto but hadn’t started practicing it until January. There are many types of intermittent fasting, but the one we decided to go with was 16:8–which is where you fast for 16 hours and eat during an 8 hour window. We chose this approach because we both have day jobs that keep us busy, so fasting through the morning is never a problem.
Typical fasting hours will be from 6pm-10am but we have adjusted based on the day or week as needed. Weekends are usually fast free, but we start back up again Sunday evening.
What have we gained from Intermittent Fasting?
Mental clarity
Reduced appetites
More energy
Feeling full sooner
Though the weight hasn’t just fallen off like we would have hoped, we haven’t had large weight gain if we go off plan or have higher carb days, so in a way, IF is helping us manage our weight. @Fastingnews on Instagram is a really good resource when it comes to all things fasting. We refer to this account when we want to learn more about the different options and benefits. We also watch a lot of YouTube videos and research articles online.
Tools we use:
Zero app (screenshots below) – this helps us track when we fast and allows us to take notes on how we feel (as needed). We are data people so this is really helpful when we need to refer back in time.
Electrolyte supplements: we recently started adding Ultima all natural electrolytes to our water (think a natural powdered Gatorade with stevia)
Multivitamin – to help full the gaps where we might be missing essential nutrients.
Large water bottle: we each have a 1.5 gallon water bottle that we carry around to help us get our desired water goal in every day.
Something to note is that there are days our bodies tell us to eat, because it needs to be nourished, so WE EAT. We listen to our bodies and feed it when it is telling us to eat. This is something important to consider if you are new to Intermittent fasting–our best advice is “don’t over do it, take baby steps, and listen to your body.”
This topic is literally the most asked about topic that slides into our direct messages on Instagram. We personally consider total carbs and do not subtract fiber or sugar alcohols to track net carbs. Why? Because net carbs give us too much wiggle room to eat processed foods filled with extra fiber.
Imagine eating 2 slices of zero net carb bread that’s actually 24g total carbs — that’s just one meal so the carbs will eventually add up throughout the day and you end up woth 60-70g total carbs and likely kicked out of ketosis. When we limit our carbs to 20g total carbs, it makes us tighten our food choices because we have to focus on proteins, greens, and berries. We like to eat until we feel satiated and we are never satiated with protein bars or other grab and go type keto snacks – which are usually 15-25g total carbs. The best way to know how many total carbs you can eat without getting kicked out of ketosis is to simply test yourself at different total carb counts.
The majority of people we talk to use net carbs to guide their eating. It’s important to know how to calculate net carbs when you are first starting keto. You always want to subtract any fiber or sugar alcohols. Something to note is that if there is allulose, the FDA requires companies to label it as sugar – so read ingredients closely so you can calculate net carbs accurately.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if it seems too good to be true, it’s cause it is. Case in point the three bean medley from Target, Shiitake Mushroom crisps from Costco, and even the Great Value Organic Peanut Butter. The Target and Costco items had international label translation issues which made the net carbs look much lower than they actually are. The Great Value Peanut Butter has an updated label showing a higher carb count on the new label.
If calculating net carbs is overwhelming to you when you are first starting keto, use an app like Carb Manager, which will do the work for you. After several weeks of carb counting, you will get the hang of it and it will be like second nature to you.
