It?s not easy losing weight, it takes a lot of hard work, discipline and motivation to keep going. Your body goes through a lot and there are good days and bad days.
Some days you may feel as though there is no point because you just don?t see the results you want.
Working out is great for your health and losing weight?however when you want to lose weight, most of that is going to come from the kitchen. Yes, your daily diet is very important when it comes to weight loss, the food you consume is going to help you out the most.
When it comes to the foods you are eating, if you really want a lot of weight loss, you are going to need to significantly cut your carb consumption. Carbs are eventually going to get stored in your body as fat if you are unable to burn them off in a specific amount of time.
You can try something that is called the ketogenic diet. This diet will help you cut the carbs and shed fat from your body.
For some, I know how difficult it can be to cut some foods out of your diet. That is why it?s important to know what some substitutes for certain foods are.
If you are able to know about some substitutes, then you?ll be able to make numerous recipes that are going to help you lose weight. It may even seem as though you haven?t changed your diet at all.
Related: How to do Keto on a Budget
Cauliflower Rice for Rice
Rice is great staple food that can go with every meal or dish. It was one of the main foods I missed when I went on the keto diet.
As a mom I love rice because it?s relatively easy to cook and when it?s teamed with another dish it can get you and the family full in a hurry.
So what?s the downside?
It will start adding weight to your body.
Rice has about 45 grams of carbs per cup. Cauliflower rice has around 2.5 grams of net carbs per cup. The difference is clear.
If you want something that is going to be similar to rice, then cauliflower rice is your option
The taste and look are pretty similar to rice. However the only difference is the texture, as cauliflower rice is known to have a slighter harder and firmer texture than regular cooked rice.
Cauliflower rice is always going to be the healthier option for you.
So how do you make Cauliflower rice?
Using a food processor, cut into small pieces and use the grater attachment to grate the cauliflower into “rice.”
An optional step is to transfer the rice to a clean paper towel and press to remove any excess moisture, which can make your dish soggy.
Bulletproof Coffee for Coffee
Coffee by itself isn?t bad when you are following a keto diet. It becomes bad, depending on what you decide to add to your coffee.
The additives are what makes a regular cup of coffee go from keto friendly to having all your carbs for the week in one cup.
If you aren?t one to drink black coffee, you need to have bulletproof coffee.
At its most basic, bulletproof coffee is coffee blended with fats to make a frothy, satisfying drink. Because you?re whipping the ingredients together in a blender, rather than just stirring with a spoon, the drink gets foamy and the fats incorporate with the coffee to cut the acidity and bitterness for a richer taste.
Related: 10 Proven benefits of coffee
Portobello Mushrooms for Burger Buns
Anyone that loves a good burger may struggle when it comes to the keto diet. A burger just doesn?t really feel like a burger without the bun, right?
Wrong!
When it comes to a low carb diet, Portobello mushrooms make a great substitute for burger buns.
They are the right size for the burger and also have a soft texture, will give you the same consistency as a regular bun.
This is one of my favourite ways to eat a burger with no carbs, I don?t miss the burger bun at all.
Related: 7 Day Vegetarian Keto Meal Plan
zucchini noodles zoodles
Zoodles are simply zucchini that have been spiralized into noodles. Dob?t like zucchini? No problem. You can select any one of your favorite low carb vegetable, insert into a spiralizer and rotate until noodles come out the other side.
Allow to rest the zoodles on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Zucchini is filled with water, so the paper towel ensures you?re not left with soggy pasta.
Once zoodles are cooked they lose their fibrous texture, and absorb the pasta sauce and all its flavor. You might find zoodles preferable to other pasta alternatives because they tastes like whatever sauce you pair with it.
To make zoodles, all you need is one to two zucchini and a spiralizer. If you don?t own one, you can find a spiralizer for less than $30 on Amazon
mashed cauliflower for mashed potato
One of the best low carb substitutes you can make for mashed potatoes is mashed cauliflower.
As a busy mom, firstly I love that it is so easy to make, I don?t need to peel any potatoes, which can take so long!
Secondly, the total cook time for the cauliflower is less than the potatoes as well. It?s just an overall easier thing to make when you compare the two together.
When made the right way, I guarantee that you will not be able to tell the difference between mashed potatoes and mashed cauliflower. They taste that good.
Our top tips to making cauliflower mash
Get rid of all the stem: for the right texture, You only want the florets. No stems! The stems will result in a more grainy texture, so leave those out.
Moisture: squeeze all the moisture out of the cauliflower. Keto cauliflower mashed potatoes will be much better if you do!
Cook the cauliflower through: cook the cauliflower until it?s extremely soft. The softer it is, the smoother and creamier your result will be.
Related: 12 Easy Keto Crockpot Recipes
You May Enjoy: 7 Day Keto Meal Plan
Lettuce leaves FOR tortillas
Tortillas are always great when you want something like a burrito, taco o fajita wrap. However tortillas have about 95 grams of carbs?in one serving!
For any low carb diet, including keto that is way too high, so what is the alternative?
Lettuce leaves!
They may not taste like tortillas, however compared to a tortilla they only have about 1 gram of carbs?it?s a no brainer which option I would choose.
The leaves add support and structure to your filling, and a nice flavor to your dish.
TURN Desserts into FAT BOMBS
If you follow my blog you know, that I have a sweet tooth, I would prefer eating a box of chocolates than dinner, or go through junk in front of the television after dinner!
So when I decided to go a ketogenic diet, I struggled initially to give up that sugar, I was an addict.
Untill I discovered fat bombs.
So what are fat bombs?
Think of them like energy balls, but instead of being made with things like oats or dried fruit, they’re made almost exclusively from high-fat, low-carb ingredients. Think coconut, unsweetened chocolate, nuts and nut butters, and avocado.
You May Also Like: 11 Easy Keto Desserts
Almond Milk for WHOLE Milk
Whole milk has over 11 grams of carbs in a cup. So if you like your lattes it?s going to make staying on the keto diet difficult, as you will have to limit your meals for the rest of the day.
A low carb substitute for whole milk is almond milk which has about 2 grams of carbs per serving.
If you love the thick creamy texture of whole milk, drinking almond milk is definitely going to be very different for you. Pouring a glass of almond milk and drinking it straight up isn?t something I would recommend because it?s just not the same as whole milk.
The best thing to do is add it to any smoothies or protein shakes throughout your day.
Besides its low carb content, you can even make it almond milk yourself. It is simple and cheaper to make and will save you going to the store every few days.
PARMESAN INSTEAD OF BREAD CRUMBS
You can?t go wrong when you use Parmesan as a substitute for breadcrumbs. It?s delicious and instantly enhances the flavor of any dish. It also sticks well and is high in fat and low in carbs, which makes it the perfect keto food.
Try using a butter and Parmesan coating to fry your favorite meats in. The cheese will brown up beautifully to give your meat a crisp and crunchy finish that won?t disappoint.
You can also get creative and combine your Parmesan with other ingredients, herbs and spices. Parmesan would go exceptionally well with almond crumbs or flour to give your foods a nutty and cheese crunch.
Related: Best Keto Low Carb Bread Recipes that will make you Forget Carbs
Have a Try
The low carb substitutes above are all great and can be used at any point during a low carb diet.
Having these alternatives in mind is great because it allows you to see that there are options out there for you, especially if you are struggling. There are options for almost anything you want to have. The taste and textures may be slightly different, but you have to remember that your overall health is going to be much better than it already is.
