Keto Breakfast On The Go

If you have been anywhere near the Internet in the past years, you have probably heard of the ketogenic diet or keto for short. The popular diet utilizes a high fat, low carb intake for weight loss and other health benefits. As a result of drastically reducing carbs, your body goes into ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body becomes hyper-efficient at burning fat, instead of carbs, for fuel.

It's always recommended to consult with your doctor to decide if the ketogenic diet is right for you.

Keto first originated in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy. When other efficient anti-seizure treatments were developed, the diet fell into obscurity until it reemerged in the early 2010s. It has gained in popularity ever since, being lauded for its effectiveness in weight loss, blood sugar control, blood pressure reduction and more.

How do I do keto?

The keto diet is comprised of a daily macronutrient intake ratio of 70% fats, 25% proteins, and 5% carbs. To determine how many grams of each macro you need to consume daily, you first need to determine how many calories you need or want to consume each day to reach your goals. Next, multiple your total daily calories by your macro percentages, and voila! You have your roadmap.

Practitioners of keto find maco tracking apps to be extremely helpful in adhering to the diet. MyFitness Pal, Cronometer, Foodnoms and My Plate are all popular and highly rated apps that make keeping track of your macros easy.

Changing to a keto diet results in eating 50 or fewer grams of carbs a day, an adjustment for most, as adults in the UK consume an average of between 200-300 carbs per day. Foods that contain high levels of carbs are restricted on the keto diet, including starchy vegetables like potatoes and carrots, bread, grains, legumes and carbonated drinks like soda and beer. Followers of keto will find themselves consuming foods high in protein and fats, such as salmon, avocado, cheese, eggs, meat, poultry, olive oil, coconut oil, yogurt, nuts, seeds and berries.

The amount of time it takes to achieve a state of ketosis depends on age, physical activity level and metabolism, but it's reported that it generally takes an average of 2-4 days and up to a week. If you are unsure of whether you are in ketosis, many pharmacies sell over-the-counter ketosis testing strips.

While some people practice keto long-term, Everyday Health reports that dietitians commonly recommend practicing keto for no longer than six months at a time.

Keto Breakfast

We've heard it before and it bears repeating: breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and a keto breakfast maybe even more so. A 2018 study by Harvard Medical School shows that slashing your morning intake of carbs may help you eat as much as 200 fewer calories throughout your day by keeping you fuller longer. Additionally, athletes who consume fewer carbs at breakfast were shown to have higher levels of endurance.

Studies show starting the day with intentional, healthy breakfast choices impacts our motivation to stay the course in our meal choices throughout the day. While sticking to a keto diet requires some effort, meal prepping and keeping your pantry stocked with keto products is a simple way to stay on track while on the go.

Egg dishes are a great keto breakfast item, as they are high in protein, easy to prep in batches and can be made in many different ways. Egg cups, made by whisking eggs with other keto-approved ingredients, such as ham, bacon or cheese, and backing them in a muffin tin is a simple way to make a week's worth of breakfast you can grab on your way out the door. Hardboiled eggs are an extremely efficient, low-effort option. Breakfast "sandwiches" that replace bread with sausage patties, bacon, or cloud bread are simple to prep and easy to grab.

Baked goods made with low carb, sugar-free ingredients, like almond flour, coconut flour, unsweetened apple sauce, monk fruit or stevia, are a quick keto breakfast option you can grab on the go to satisfy cravings.

Cereal, a quick breakfast staple, often falls outside of keto. Popular brands often boast less than five grams of protein per serving and between 20-30 grams of carbs. For cereal lovers, there are plenty of recipes for making your own version, or there are keto-friendly options like Surreal.

Surreal offers 15 grams of protein per serving and just 5 grams of carbs, making it an ideal (and convenient) quick keto breakfast (just be sure to pair it with low-carb, keto-friendly milk, like almond milk, cashew milk, macadamia milk, walnut milk, or coconut milk).

While meal prepping is important to be successful on keto, snack-prepping mustn't be forgotten! Having easy keto-friendly snacks to reach for when hunger hits will keep you focused and on track to hit your goals. Tossing together low-carb nuts such as almonds, Brazil nuts or pecans, with cubed cheese such as cheddar or gouda is an easy go-to. Ham and cream cheese roll-ups, guacamole and granola are other popular homemade keto snacks.

Today, there are plenty of keto options in the snack aisles, such as beef jerky, low-carb protein-packed chips, dark chocolate, pork rinds, fat bombs, you name, you can probably find a keto version of it.

Because of its low carb, high protein makeup, Surreal doesn't have to stay corraled to the breakfast table. It's a delicious low-effort snack to satisfy hunger throughout the day without worrying about exceeding your carb count. For keto followers following a fitness routine, Surreal's high-protein count makes it an ideal pre or post-workout snack, as the high protein will help your muscles rebuild from your exercise. While experts recommend consuming protein both pre and post-workout when on keto, it's advised to spread your protein intake throughout the day. Distributing protein throughout your will help you stay satiated, on track and in ketosis. Surreal is a keto-friendly, easy-on-the-go breakfast and snack that tastes delicious and supports your keto goals.