5 Strategies To Stay On Track With Keto In Summer

The Challenges of Summer!

I am sure some of you have wondered how to stay on track with Keto in Summertime.

All  those tomatoes and zucchini, those giant watermelons, those ripe peaches and nectarines….Then the parties, the BBQs, the ice cream socials!

Seems like you could never succeed with your Keto plan in such a mine filed of temptations.

Summer is actually a great tie for Keto, like any other time, but we can use some little strategies to make staying on track even easier.

1. Stay Hydrated!

Lots of times cravings and hunger are nothing but a symptom of dehydration and lack of electrolytes. Make sure you drink plenty of water through the day, about half your body weight in ounces is the minimum you should drink, I would double that in hot days where you spend lots of time outdoors.

So if you are 120lb = 60 Oz of water in a day =  That is about 8 glasses of  ounces of water!

Good choices for drinks are water with a pinch of Sea Salt , iced herbal teas, or the occasional flavored sparkling water (with no sweetener!!)

I also use Peppermint Spirits a lot: a drop or two in your glass of water for a fresh minty flavor with no sugar and no guilt. It is actually a medicinal and helps the digestion!

PS I also got myself a cool glass bottle (like this one) to take with me everywhere!

2. Start a workout routine

After exercising your huger levels subside and your cravings disappear. And guess what? Even if you had a bit more carbs, working out will burn that sugar up right away, so you can stay in ketosis and stay on the plan.

The best form of exercise for me is High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT. It is quick but intense, so it does not put extra stress on those burned out adrenals, like long duration cardio, but it is still very effective. It also maximizes the benefit of sensitizing your muscles to insulin, which is a crucial element to lowering blood sugars!

Another benefit of HIIT is that it takes very little time. I work out 30 min every other day, including warm up and cool down. On my days off from HIIT, I go for walks, swim, do yoga.

My favorite program is Metabolic Aftershock It is a very well designed HIIT workout for almost every level of fitness (beginners included! I am not much beyond that level!)  and it tones your body with visible results!

3. Be Prepared to Party!

You will have lots of parties and social occasions for fun this Summer! So don’t feel like you have to say no just because of your Keto way of life, just be prepared!

If you are the hostess of course it all will be much easier. I have a Pinterest board just for Keto Party Foods! That should help you plan!

If you are invited to a party, bring a bag of pork rinds you can use as chips, so you can at least have the dip, they are fantastic with guacamole! You can grab a bag at any gas  stations, so no big prep required!

You should also plan to bring your own booze so you can drink right for Keto. A small bottle of good vodka, a bottle of good Cocktail Bitters, and some sparkling water is all you need to make a fancy cocktail! No Sugar, no juice, no crappy ingredients! Please do drink responsibly!!

4. Be prepared to cheat!

What?! Really?? Cheat?!

Well it might happen that you are in situations where cheating on the keto plan is kind of unavoidable or just happens. So be ready to minimize the losses!

I would NEVER pick gluten for cheating, as it just takes too long to get it out of your system! Same for dairy if you are Keto Paleo!

If you are going to cheat I would do it with some good seasonal fruit, or a gluten free baked good. It might be high in carbs, but the carbs can easily be burnt, especially with some good ole HIIT! Carbs and sugar are not good but will not do lasting damage, unless you are fructose intolerant! So the next day just plan to get back on your eating plan, maybe have a bit more exercise and you will be back into ketosis in no time!

5. Be prepared so you do NOT cheat!

Having an occasional treat is totally ok on a Keto lifestyle, when the treat is a Keto treat! Well, and there are only too many options of those around to choose from, so you should never feel like you have to grab candy from the grocery store.

For example: Here is one of my reader’s favorite recipes, that could be easily made in to a frozen bar for summer! Coconut Chocolate Bars.

Or here is a fabulous roundup of low carb ice cream recipes!!

I really hope these little ideas can help you have a wonderful time and stay on track with Keto in Summer!