Low Carb Foods You Should Avoid on Keto

I know that when we talk about the Keto diet, we always insist that you limit your intake of carbs and increase the intake of high-fat content. Because of this reason, there is a lot of misconception where people think that every low –carb food can be used in the Keto diet.

I am afraid you might have been stuffing junk in your body all in the name of low-carbs. This can really derail your progress on Keto and limit the extent to which you lose weight. This article will look at the low carb food that you should avoid if you want to hit your goals in the Keto diet.

Sugar alcohols

Unlike what many people think, low-calorie sugar alcohols are not good to use in the Keto diet. They might seem natural but the body reacts to them differently. They are too concentrated and hence are not absorbed properly into the body.

Most of these sugars find themselves in the intestines forming clots because they were not absorbed by the body. Examples of these sugar alcohols to avoid include glycerol, isomalt, and lactitol.

Dairy products

We love products from our animals but we should take these products in moderation if we want to keep ourselves in the Ketosis state. Some of the most common dairy products that you need to avoid include milk, cheese, cream and even butter. These products contain lactose which can easily cause digestive issues. If you cannot avoid these products, just eat them in moderation.

Diet Sodas

Even though regular soda is the worst as it packs too many calories and sugars, diet soda is not healthy either. Diet soda may be sugar-free but it contains too many sweeteners which make it a candidate on things to avoid on keto. These sweeteners bring a lot of digestive issues and your metabolism will not handle them well. Avoid them completely if you can.

Processed foods

Anything that is factory-processed is probably containing something that has the potential to create havoc in your digestive system. Sometimes we might not be able to avoid everything when we go shopping but keep a look out on processed vegetable and seed oils. The most common ones include corn oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil and other vegetable oils.

One of the major reasons why you should avoid these oils mentioned here is because these oils contain unstable fats. Unstable fats are not well processed or absorbed by your metabolic system. There is a chance that they will just lie there on the intestinal walls, lumping up. The possibility of having other digestive related issues is real. Some of these oils have also been noted as having too much Omega 6 that has been linked to cases of Obesity in the USA. Some Omega is good but it becomes harmful when it is too much.

The Keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet but just because something is labeled low-calorie it does not necessarily mean it can help you achieve your goals on Keto. You have to be on the lookout so that you do not put yourself in harm’s way as you try to hit your Keto goals.

 

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5 Keto Hacks for Losing Weight

You can lose weight consistently in the Keto diet if you are serious about it. However, if you are looking to accelerate the process, there are some keto hacks for losing weight that you can apply in your life.

Keto diet is great for losing weight. However, the process takes some time and requires some level of commitment and dedication. In order to consistently lose weight on the Keto diet, you need to eat the right kind of foods. If you are looking to accelerate the process, you can try out some of these Keto hacks for losing weight.

  1. Try intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is a great way to push your body into the ketosis mood faster. Intermittent fasting implies the action of fasting at specific times during the day and eating after the time has expired. In other words, you limit the number of hours you eat and eat nothing during these hours. Then you can eat something after this period is over. The period is normally consistent and regular every day.

Intermittent fasting conditions your body to eat only when you are feeling hungry. You will be able to resist the urge to snack up calorie-packed foods and this results in losing weight faster.

  1. Create a meal plan

A meal plan is important as it will keep you on track when undergoing the Ketogenic diet. This is because you will be able to know exactly what you need to eat at any time. If you operate without a plan, it can be pretty easy to get distracted and eat food that will throw you off your ketosis.

Our minds are synchronized to follow patterns and when the pattern does not exist, we will normally start deviating to what we love. This means you will be looking to snack on your favorite foods and these foods could knock you off the Keto diet plan. A meal plan will also help you know exactly what to buy when you go shopping for food.

  1. Hydrate

If your body is in the ketosis state, you will be losing a lot of liquid during the first few days of this state. The stored water is used alongside glycogen and excess is taken out of the body through urine. Sodium salts, dissolved in the water also leave the body. Our bodies need this water and the sodium salts to keep some hormones in check and you need to keep replenishing the lost water.

Drinking an electrolyte will help restore the salts and keep everything in perspective. Water is important for metabolism as well.

  1. Get enough sleep

Sleep is important in the regulation of circadian rhythm and we should get as much sleep as possible. The metabolic process also works great when we are rested and sleeping. Remember that your body is really trying to adapt to the new foods and the metabolic process could be off. Sleep will do wonders here.

  1. Eat fat bombs

If you are in Ketosis, your body will be using fats as a source of energy after the depletion of glycogen. You need to keep providing energy to the body and this is where the fat bombs come in handy. The fats will be broken down into ketones and this will speed up the weight loss process.

 

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Fun & Fluffy Slime Recipe

It seems like slime is all the rage for kids, no matter what the age. My daughters and my son all enjoy making slime, and our favorite is this fun & fluffy slime recipe. We’ve made it a ton of times, but seems like we always need to tweak it each time; I think because its so hard to really measure the amount of glue and starch you use.

Here’s what you’ll need for the fun and fluffy slime recipe:

  • a large bowl for mixing
  • a few cups (I just use throw away)
  • a gallon of Elmer’s Glue (it’s the best value, and you’ll always have some on hand when you want to make a new slime recipe)
  • Liquid starch
  • Food coloring if you want to make colored slime (my favorite)
  • Some slime bling – this is my favorite, as it has a little bit of everything
  • Rags and/or paper towels for clean up
  • Vinegar (also helps with clean up)
  • and the secret to the ‘fluffy’ slime – extra creamy shaving cream

 

So first you’ll want to put about 2 cups of the glue in your mixing bowl. Again it doesn’t have to be perfect, because you’ll probably need to tweak it here or there to get the right consistency. Sometimes I have to add a bit more glue, sometimes I have to add a bit more starch. TIP: if it’s sticky, you need more starch!
Add about one cup of shaving cream, and mix the shaving cream and clue together. I have learned a spatula works the best. If you want color, add a *few* drops of food coloring, and add more until you get the color desired.
Stir everything together – and once its at the desired color, you will start adding the starch.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of starch to the glue/shaving cream mixture.  Be sure to stir for a few minutes to make sure its mixed well, and then start kneading it kind of like a pizza dough. Then you can knead it on parchment paper, or a glass plate.

Just remember – if the mixture is too sticky, add more starch. If its too hard, add more glue.

Add your slime bling – let sit for a few minutes – and then enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tips on Reducing Your Risk of Breast Cancer

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month I figured it might be a good time to think a little bit deeper on ways to help reduce your risk of breast cancer. Though breast cancer risk factors like family history can’t be changed, you can at least make some lifestyle changes to help lower that risk.

Breast cancer prevention starts with healthy habits – and these types of changes have been shown in studies to help decrease breast cancer risk even in high-risk women.

  • Limit Alcohol. The more you drink -the more the risk of developing breast cancer. The general consensus is to limit yourself to less than 1 drink per day. Even small amounts of alcohol can increase your risk.
  • Don’t Smoke. There is evidence suggesting a link between smoking and breast cancer risk especially in pre menopausal women.
  • Control Your Weight. Obesity increases the risk of breast cancer, especially if you gain weight later in life (especially after menopause).
  • Get Active. Physical activity is good for your general health – but also to help maintain a healthy weight (which as we mentioned above, does help prevent breast cancer). Its recommended you get at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5 days a week.
  • Breast Feed if Possible. Besides health benefits for your baby, breast feeding may play a role in breast cancer prevention.

 

Be vigilant about breast cancer detection. If you notice any changes in your breasts, such as a new lump or skin changes, consult your doctor. Also, ask your doctor when to begin mammograms and other screenings based on your personal history.

DID YOU KNOW??

  • A woman in the United States has about a 1-in-8 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer.*

  • About 40,920 women in the U.S. are expected to die in 2018 from breast cancer.

  • Breast cancer incidence and death rates generally increase with age.

  • Women and men with a family history of breast cancer, especially in a first-degree relative are at increased risk for the disease. Compared to women without a family history, risk for women with one affected first-degree female relative is 2 times higher and with more than one first-degree relative the risk is 3-4 times higher.

 

 

*https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/breast-cancer-facts-and-figures/breast-cancer-facts-and-figures-2017-2018.pdf

 

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Behind the Scenes of Dent Schoolhouse – and New Treats at Dunkin’!

Every Halloween season me and my niece Kayla search for the scariest adventures we can find!  We finally got to go to the Dent Schoolhouse last year for the first time so to get the chance to do the behind the scenes tour thanks to Dunkin’ Donuts we jumped on it! Literally! This Haunted house is not like any other!  (It was creepy even with the lights on!) It’s rumored that the old school house in actually haunted!

So the story goes that the Dent Schoolhouse was actually a real school that opened in 1894, and still has the original working school bell in the bell tower. Rumor has it that children started to go missing around the 1940’s and 1950’s! They say that Charlie the janitor at the school was the one who was responsible for the missing children. It’s been said that he had the rotting bodies of the students he had murdered stored in the basement!

We really don’t know if this is truly what happened but the school was closed down in the 1950’s and never opened again. The Boy Scouts ended up opening the school as a haunted house until the current owners transformed it into what we now know as The Dent Schoolhouse.  It’s now been a haunted attraction for over 20 years, and gets scarier every year! Everything in the schoolhouse is themed as if the schoolhouse shut down in the 1950’s and the is jam-packed full of real antiques and artifacts from that era.

The haunt is home to over 200 prop jack o’lanterns and the catacombs section of the schoolhouse is home to almost 4,000 handmade human skulls! America Haunts has ranked The Dent Schoolhouse as #3 in America for 2018

 

Be prepared for MONSTER sized spiders, a trash dump filled with human body parts and don’t forget the saw that cuts up the human flesh for the school’s sloppy joes!

The Dent Schoolhouse has over 200 employees throughout the season from costume and makeup design to GREAT actors that really know how to play the part! Thanks to The Dent Schoolhouse and Dunkin’ Donuts we got a chance to get some hands on experience with one of their make up artist and created a scary look of our own!

The Dent Schoolhouse is open Thursdays and Sundays 7:30pm – 10pm and Fridays and Saturdays 7:30pm – 12am now through November 3rd!  You can get discounted tickets for the Dent Schoolhouse at all 47 Great Cincinnati area Dunkin’ Donuts locations including the NEW Burlington, KY store that’s now open!

National Coffee day is today 9/29! Don’t forget to stop by your local Dunkin’ Donuts for a BOGO offer (Saturday 9/29/18 Only) Buy any Hot Coffee & Get One of equal or lesser value FREE!!

While you’re there make sure you get some of their AMAZING donuts! We got to decorate some donuts during our scary adventure at the Dent Schoolhouse. We also got to try their new Oreo Donuts and Oreo Hot Chocolate that comes out October 1st! It was AMAZING!

Make sure you come back to The Dent Schoolhouse in December for one weekend ONLY  (12/7 & 12/8) to celebrate Christmas at a haunted house with their “A Christmas Nightmare”.

ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO DENT BELOW! (Ends on Friday, so get your entries in!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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