Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies – Impatient People Approved

Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies – Impatient People Approved

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Before I started the Keto diet, I never really cared for “sweets”. Once I started to get deeper into the keto diet, I began to crave everything that had sugar. One thing that I crave the most is chocolate chip cookies. Super weird because I am not a fan of cookies and I am not a fan of chocolate. I tried so many chocolate chip cookie recipes and they all were bland and meh.

I love to cook. I am not so much into baking because I really don’t have the patience for measuring. I don’t like to “cream” sugar and butter or beat egg whites until they are fluffy. That shit takes so much time.

Good news for my fellow impatient keto people- I have created a recipe that requires only putting the ingredients in a bowl and mixing for a minute! NO CREAMING. NO FLUFFING.

Here is the recipe:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put all ingredients in a large mixing bowl:
1 and 1/3 cup of blanched/superfine almond flour (I used Walmart’s brand)
1/3 cup of granulated Swerve sugar replacement
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup salted butter (softened)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
MIX until everything is evenly incorporated.
FOLD in 1/3 cup Lily’s baking chocolate chips
Roll into 16 cookie balls
*This dough is sticky- so keep your hands wet while rolling the dough*
Bake 15-20 minutes.

I tried to get the macros for these cookies, but none of the nutrition generators would take my measurements/brands that I used. I did the math by hand and these cookies have about 1-1.5g of carbs each.

How to be Successful on Keto

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Starting a diet is hard and can be extremely overwhelming. I personally believe that having a plan is the best way to go about ANY diet. I have put together some tips on how to be successful on the Keto diet. I think my tips could be applied to any diet. 🙂

Research

I researched the Keto diet for 3 months before I started. I took my time and really learned how the diet works. Researching really helped me feel more prepared. Not only did I feel prepared, I had a clear understanding on the science behind it. I have been on the Keto diet for well over a year, and there are times when I still feel the need to research more.

Read Labels

I thought the Keto diet was going to be a breeze! You know, just don’t eat bread, pasta, and potatoes. HA! I wish it were that easy! I about died a million times when I saw how many carbs were in a jar of pasta sauce! AND THE SUGAR. Whoa. So many hidden carbs and sugars in a lot of stuff! It took me about a month to catch on and remember how many carbs each item had in it. Now I am expert. Need cream cheese? No biggie, buy Philadelphia Cream Cheese over store brand because it has 1/2 the amount of carbs. If someone asks me how many carbs are in a certain item, I can almost guarantee I will know what’s in it.

Read the labels!
LABEL TIP: Carbs – Fiber = Net Carbs
LABEL TIP #2: Carbs – Fiber – Sugar Alcohols = Net Carbs

Be Mentally Prepared for Cravings and Withdrawals

The first 2 weeks, for me personally, were the hardest. I thought I wouldn’t crave anything but pasta and bread because I was never a huge sweet lover. Day 3, you would’ve thought I only ate sweets my entire life. I only craved sweets. I wanted a Busken Doughnut and cheesecake (I WAS EATING CREAM CHEESE AND PRETENDING IT WAS CHEESECAKE… this was before I started recipe hunting).

Keto Flu is the real deal. Not for EVERYONE. I went through the keto flu, but my sister who just recently joined the Keto train did not. Sugar withdrawals sucked ass, but once that was over (took me about 2-3 days) I felt like I was on cloud 9.

The cravings will subside over time (I still get my cravings) and the withdrawals will stop. Once the first two weeks are over, you are headed for the gold!

Find Recipes

I fucking love Pinterest. I have found SO many recipes that actually are amazing and creative. Shark week is here and I have been craving brownies. I went on Pinterest and found a chocolate chip/brownie marbled dessert. Lord have mercy on my carb craving soul. I nuked it in the microwave and poured some unsweetened almond milk over it. SBJ- It was divine.

But anyways, finding recipes will make the Keto journey so much easier. Most recipes will even show you the macros for each serving. I printed so many recipes that were outstanding that I started keep them in sheet protectors/binder.

Meal Prep

Yes. Meal prep. If you want to be successful, I highly recommend meal prepping. I meal prep every Sunday morning. I prepare lunches, dinners, and snacks for the whole week. I find it so much easier to stay on track because I always have a KETO APPROVED meal ready. I am never tempted to go out to eat.

Meal prepping does take time, but it’s something that I honestly feel is a priority.

Drink Plenty of Water

Stay hydrated! Push for that gallon of water everyday! A lot of Keto dishes call for a lot of salt (go back to step one and research 🙂 ), so you need to make sure you drink water. Not a few sips. But a good amount of water.

Find a Support Group/Friend

Yes, this is important. Especially in the beginning. I found joining a few different Keto Facebook Groups really helped in the beginning. It’s nice to be able to connect with people that are doing the same/or similar lifestyle change as you.

Always Consult With Your Doctor

Please. Talk to your doctor to see if this diet/liestyle change is okay for your current state of health. My doctor told me she had her concerns for me personally, and I did not listen. I kinda trusted my own gut and trusted my google doctor status.

Just Show Up

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Have you ever been so tired that you just wanted to stay in bed? Have you ever just wanted that extra hour of sleep? Have you ever said “I’ll go to the gym starting tomorrow” or “I’ll eat better tomorrow, just one more day”? And those “tomorrows” just never seem to come?

I know I have. Life gets hard and stressful. When my alarm went off at 4:30 this morning for the gym, I wanted to go back to bed. I’m not going to lie and act like I was all “rise and shine”.. Negative. I laid there for like 10 minutes talking myself into getting my ass out of bed. The 15 minute drive to the gym consisted of me cussing myself out and telling myself that I could’ve slept in.

Once I got into the gym, I quickly let those negative feelings go. I was so in tuned to my workout. I felt strong. I felt empowered. Hell yeah, I was exhausted. BUT I SHOWED UP. That’s what it takes! JUST SHOW THE FUCK UP!

If you have goals, show up. Show up mentally. Show up physically. Complain on the way to wherever your going- get the shit out of your system. Just take the steps to get closer to your goal. And most of those steps are just showing up repeatedly.

Practice showing up for yourself.

EVERY! SINGLE! DAY!

Keto Changed My Life. Mentally and Physically.

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Like I have talked about in previous posts, I have always struggled with being overweight. I struggled with PCOS and mental health issues for a very long time. When I started the ketogenic diet, my life started to change. My life started to change in ways that I didn’t know were possible.

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was about 18 years old. A friend of mine in cosmetology school told me that she thought I had PCOS because I was losing hair and carried my weight in my stomach area. So I made an appointment with an endocrinologist and he ordered an ultrasound. The ultrasound was the absolute worst experience. I couldn’t use the restroom from the time I woke up until after the ultrasound. The ultrasound was scheduled for 11am and I didn’t get taken back until almost 2pm. I sat in the waiting area and all I could do was cry because of the pain. I had the ultrasound done and, sure as shit, I had tiny little cysts in both ovaries. Blood work also confirmed that my hormones were completely whacked out. I began taking Metformin to treat the PCOS. If you have never had to take Metformin, God blessed you. It is awful. The side affects are horrendous; upset stomach, the shits all day, stomach cramps, etc. I honestly thought I was going to have to live like that for the rest of my life. (I know- other people deal with worse shit, but what can I say, I am human)

Not only was I diagnosed with PCOS, but I was diagnosed with PTSD, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. I tried 4 different medications that treated depression. Nothing worked. I tried 2 different medications for bipolar disorder. Nothing worked. I felt trapped in my mind. I would be so happy and energetic (manic) but then days later I wouldn’t even have the strength to get out of bed. I felt that I was on a never ending roller coaster. My relationships were strained. I was slacking on work. It was hard. I felt like giving up.

While experimenting with the medications prescribed by the doctor, I started to go to the gym and diet. At the time my diet was strictly calorie counting. It was hard for me to count calories, and when I would have a cheat day, I probably ate enough for the entire week- IN ! ONE ! DAY! I was on the diet roller coaster for about a year and then I just got fed up with living the way I was. I would work so hard and then fall off – *presses repeat button*

One day I literally made a promise to myself, out loud, and promised that I was going to get healthy. At that point, I had been going on 3 months of research on the Ketogenic diet. The day I started living the Ketogenic lifestyle is the day my life changed. It took time, but I had all the time in the world.

Once I got the hang of eating low carb, I really started making the gym a priority. I started off doing a shit ton of cardio and light weights and now I focus more on weightlifting vs cardio. With changing my diet and going to the gym, I am COMPLETELY off all medications for my mental health issues. Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely not “cured”, but it’s manageable. When I feel anxious or depressed, I get my ass to the gym. After I workout, even if the workout session is complete crap, I still feel good about myself.

My doctor was really iffy about me starting the high fat/low carb diet because I was pre-diabetic and just had a shit ton of health issues. 6 months after being on STRICT keto, I was no longer pre-diabetic. MY DOCTOR WAS FLOORED AT MY BLOOD RESULTS. About 8 months on STRICT keto, I went to my lady doctor and had blood work done and an ultrasound… see where I am going with this? I NO LONGER HAVE PCOS. That’s right, I completely reversed my PCOS. No more cysts. My hormones were balanced. I have regular periods! (Periods suck) Studies have shown that the ketogenic diet can reverse diabetes and reverse PCOS.

The picture on the left is the day I started the gym. At 258lbs,

SW: 258LBS, CW: 173LBS, GW: 160LBS —–> ALL KETO AND EXERCISE

Shifting

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I am sure most people have those wonderful memories as a child. I know I do. I am also sure that most people have parts of their childhood that weren’t so great, and for some reason, those memories stick. But how do we overcome those memories? How can we grow from those memories.

I remember being a child and playing street hockey, riding my bike, playing sports, going on family vacations, etc. I am forever grateful for those experiences and I am blessed to have a family that wanted to create memories.

But like I said, there are memories that harder to shake. I remember being a chunky kid. I remember thinking of food from the time I opened my eyes until I closed my eyes. I am 28 years old and I still struggle with my body and I still worry about impressing my family when it comes to many things in my life (my diet, school, etc).

I was a couple weeks shy of receiving my First Communion and someone who was (and still is) very special to me made a comment that I replay over in my head. All the kids got an ice cream sandwich, and when I didn’t get one, I begged for one. I was a child. That person looked at me and said, “No, you need to be able to fit into your dress!” My world shattered over an ice cream sandwich. So I just sat there feeling pretty shitty about myself and watched all the other kids devour their ice cream sandwiches.

The same person (years later) made another comment. My momma went through a long phase of making homemade bread, and dear sweet baby Jesus, it was good. Well that very special person in my life said “You don’t need that. You’ll get more fat.” Alright. Okay. Once again I was sitting there devastated and confused.

How do those memories affect me now? When someone gives me a compliment, I don’t believe them. When I bust my ass in the gym and look in the mirror, I pick out areas that I want to change. I feel that I need validation from family and friends.

Lately I feel as if I am shifting. I saw a quote earlier about shifting and it really hit me in all the feels. It hit me and I correlated it to many aspects of my life.

I am starting to no longer care what others think of me. I am starting to compare myself to who I was yesterday, instead of other people. I work hard and it makes me feel good. I feel empowered by every decision I make to make myself grow as an individual. I am no longer setting myself on fire to keep other people warm. I distance myself from those who drain me mentally. I love certain people from a distance.

I am simply shifting.

Weight Issues from Childhood-Now.

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We all have to somewhere.

I have always had weight problems, even as a young child. I remember being “bigger” than other kids, but very athletic. I had no problem playing outside from sun up to sun down. My eating habits developed when I was fairly young. I remember my mom driving me to school and I would be thinking about what was going to be served for lunch and what my mom was going to make for dinner. I don’t know if I really ever knew what a “kids meal” was because I always got the adult sized meals. I found a comfort in food. I remember eating and eating until I had a stomach ache.

Between 6th-8th grade I got very serious about playing volleyball and I had to be in good shape to play at all day tournaments. I became borderline obsessed with losing weight and working out the summer going into freshman year. I would go to the pool with friends and eat ice and pickles for lunch and then go home and eat an apple and a small amount of peanut butter. I was so excited about being “skinny”. When I would lay down, my hip bones would pop out. When I would bend over, my spine would stick out. I made the high school volleyball team and my struggle with eating continued.

Towards the end of volleyball season (freshman year), I went up for a hit and came down on my knee wrong. I had to have surgery and that’s when my overeating problems came back. I had nothing to fall back on. I couldn’t play volleyball and I worked so hard to make the team. Between my sophomore year and the summer before junior year, I gained weight. I was able to play volleyball my junior and senior year and I trimmed down a little bit.

Between 18 and 25, I gained so much weight. I developed a lot of health issues. I was diagnosed with PCOS, depression, anxiety, and I was also pre-diabetic. I hated myself. I hated that I let myself get unhealthy. I remember going to the doctor and reading the scale…….. I was 258lbs. I WAS 258LBS AND PRE-DIABETIC. I cried.

I tried to diet and exercise, but I wasn’t fully committed to it yet. I lost some weight and then felt good so I fell back into my old eating habits. But then one day I looked at myself in the mirror and said out loud “I promise I am going to get where I want to be.” A year and some months later, I am down 85lbs. I am no longer pre-diabetic, I reversed my PCOS, I feel great mentally, and like how I physically am looking. The Ketogenic diet works for me. I don’t have to count calories. I can eat when I am hungry. I am also not going to lie to anyone either; it’s fucking hard. I STILL crave re fried beans, brownies (I don’t even like brownies), buttered toast with jelly, biscuits and gravy. BUT- I want to be HEALTHY before I want any of those things. (That goodness that there are a ton of recipes that really help those cravings.) There’s days where I dread going to the gym. But I get there. Even if it’s not the “best” workout, I still get there and I still do something.

I got started by getting rid of excuses. I got started by promising myself that I would reach every goal I have for myself. I got started from rooting love for myself and letting it bloom.