Today I want to share my transition from "Strict Keto"  to "Flexible Keto".

I will be approaching my 4th year of keto way of eating in September. From the beginning I was very strict (No sweeteners, no legumes, no treats and all the obvious non-keto food etc plus monitor my daily carb under 20g with very high fat on my daily meals) because my health was in a very bad shape.

After visiting a health professional he recommended me to try out Paleo/Keto. 2 months later my health improved significantly and I finally feel more human! I had energy without relying on caffeine and did not fall sick every week (yup I used to be sick every week)

My first year of keto life, I was very cautious with everything I ate. Eating out was a rare option because we all know how much hidden sugar and carbs could be in the food. Fast forward to today, I am still very mindful of ingredients. I keep my net carb under 50g a day most of the time, on special occasions I will allow myself to go over more but not out of control.

I have decided to share my keto life with you because, while you are focusing how you look physically (I understand many of you are trying to lose weight by choosing keto way of eating) but what about your mental health? Do you feel restricted? Do you feel stress after you had some not so keto food? Yes being in ketosis could assist you in burning fats, but at the end of the day you need to be on a calorie deficit to lose weight. Personally I have strict no's to some food because I know my body won't like them. However everyone's is different. You need to find a keto way of eating that will benefit you both physically and mentally.

Whatever diet/way of eating you choose, if it works better when you slightly amend your plan/food, go ahead, as long as it works for you! While you are watching what you eat, also remember to stay active. It is a package deal in which you will get the best results when you do both. I rarely say keto is a diet because I don't see it that way. I truly enjoy the food and for me the word "Diet" usually stands for a temporary solution and I have been on it for almost 4 years and still enjoying it. If someone around you wants to start a healthy lifestyle, dropped all the bad habits and nourish your body with good food, then be there to support them, not picking them apart and make them feel unmotivated.

I have put two photos as a comparison- One is when I was very strict (3 years ago) to flexible Keto which I have been on for a year (photo was taken by 3 months ago). Yes I can see I maybe slightly bigger but my head space is definitely feeling more enjoyable and relax. I am turning 42 in a few months. I have decided to being nice to myself, still nourish my body with good food majority of the time to keep the body functioning but also allow myself to be a little naughty here and there🤪🤪😝😝

In the past years, we have seen more and more versions of "Keto Way Of Eating".

To be clear, there isn't a right or wrong version. As long as it helps and achieves what your goal is and not upsetting your body, then it is what you should stick to.

For myself and Keto Direct, we base it on the original version of Keto way of eating. We minimize/eliminate the intake of certain food groups that may cause inflammation.
We avoid- Grains, legumes, sugar, fruits(Except berries) and starch. We focus on whole foods, protein, good fats and vegetables. This version of Keto way of eating you can find from many reliable sources.

However, since everyone's body and goals are different, more different versions of "Keto way of eating" has become a controversial topic.

I personally do not represent any particular way of Keto eating, I will support all types of healthy eating ways. As long as your body likes it, your mind likes it, you are achieving your goals, then why need to care what version?

For myself, since my body is very sensitive to certain foods (I have PCOS and a sensitive stomach), therefore I am much stricter with my list of food . But, this doesn't mean I won't enjoy some potatoes,an apple, a slice of bread here and there. I follow Keto 80% of the time, so if I eat an apple occasionally is not going kill me. Don't make your Keto life feel like you are restricting yourself, that is not the aim.

In saying this, if I have a high sugar piece of cake then I can get very sick. Because my body is not used to it anymore. Once your body is used to have certain food as fuel, any other type of food you eat your body will usually react to them (Making you feel uncomfortable/unwell).

At the end of the day, find the right version of "Keto way of eating" depends on you. My aim is not about staying in ketosis, but to fuel my body with good food, which includes good fat, whole foods, low carb, plenty of vegetables for good health. Happy Ketoing! Be kind and supportive to one another❤

**All statements are opinion only, please consult your health professionals before starting any type of diets. **

Be kind and sensible with what you say to others ❤

What other people see and comment-

"Wow, you have gained lot of weight!"

I want to share this, especially to mothers. We all understand how much we want to get back to our pre-baby bodies, and poor or badly timed comments from others could easily bring us down. Our hormones is doing most of the talking after giving birth. I been there, twice, went through all sort of Cristisim/comments from - Strangers, family, mothers who have kids; and they should know better.

Listen to this, you are trying the best you can to run the family, feed the little ones, yet you still need to deal with all the crap that comes your way.

Trust me, it is not freaking worth your time to take any of this pointless and insensitive comments to heart when they simply just look at you and start judging your appearance and ignore what you are dealing with.

The reality-
What she is dealing with-(Then)
-Lack of sleep
-Hormone imbalance
-PCOS
-She had her first child at 32, her body takes longer to recover
-She had cesarean, she couldn't exercise right away after operation
-Stress
-Breastfeeding
-Depression
-Push herself to exercise with hectic routine and collapse numerous of times
-Tried all sorts of diet and aim to get back to her pre-baby weight as quick as possible, and not enjoying the food
-Constantly comparing herself to everyone


Now-
-She realized it will take time to lose the weight that she gained throughout the pregnancy
-She understand hormone will take time to settle after breastfeeding, the hard work and payoff is just underneath.
-She is just a normal mother who gave birth to her beautiful child, she has no personal trainer, nutritionist, helper like celebrities, so she is dealing with what she can
-Weight loss doesn't happen overnight, it will take time, just like how you gained them
-No matter what diet you are trying, the only way it can work is by sticking to it, and not rushing for result, most importantly, ON A CALORIE DEFICIT
-She focuses on herself, only compare herself to herself
-She find a way of eating she enjoy, being realistic and is beneficial for her health

Most importantly, she take zero 💩💩💩 about  people who want to make her feel less of herself🙌

You got this mummies. You know this is only temporary, if you are eating right, stay active, on a calorie deficit, and choose good habits, the weight of the world will come off❤