Sweets. To partake or not to partake?
It depends who you ask.
It depends on your keto maturity.
It depends on your goals.
Sweets and I go way back. Especially chocolate. I have had a life long love affair with chocolate. And cheesecake. If it is chocolate cheesecake we are talking epic love affair.
One thing I appreciate about keto is that there are healthy alternatives to these things. Could I live without them? Yes. Do I want to? Not particularly.
Here’s the thing though. I go through phases. Most of the time I have my mind right. Sometimes I don’t. Those times that I don’t I need people like Mr. and Mrs. Ketovangelist to set me straight. Sometimes I ignore them and do what I want anyway. Ha- not fun when I have to go back and say, “You were right.” The only thing that sucks more than telling Mr. Ketovangelist he was right, is turkey bacon. [EDITOR’S CORRECTION: Nothing sucks more than turkey bacon.]
One thing I can never forget, but sometimes get precariously close to forgetting, is that I am an addict. I can get addicted to keto desserts just as easily as I was addicted to the real thing.
I had a two month – let’s call it an “episode” last fall when I discovered this magical recipe called “Keto Fudge” – don’t ask me for the recipe – I have put it online more than once – search for it at your own risk.
I made a batch and it was wonderful. Tasted as close to real fudge as I could get. My first batch lasted a week. My second batch, less than a week. The third batch, not so much. Before I knew it I was making two and sometimes three batches of keto fudge a week. I was still losing weight so, hey, it was cool.
Until it wasn’t. I was losing my mind and obsessing over keto fudge. I was replacing meals with it. I was thinking about it when I wasn’t home. I had a problem.
I realized erythritol combined with chocolate made me crave. So, I let keto fudge go for several months. Then I discovered Stevia and tried it with Stevia. Not nearly as much fun as erythritol and consequently, not as addicting. I now make keto fudge about once a month, maybe less. I get to have some keto legal chocolate and it doesn’t send me off the rails. Problem solved.
The thing is we need to know what our limits are, what we are capable of and we need to be honest about it. There are some people who say just live a life without the sweet stuff (Mr. Ketovangelist I am looking at you) and there are people who say if it saves you from going on a binge to Baskin Robbins then have at it (Mrs. Ketovangelist – high five).
Like I said, I go through phases. I have gone months without any sweet taste and then I decide I want something. At most I do one or two keto desserts a month – meaning I make two things and it may take me a few days or a whole week to eat it all. If I feel like I am obsessing then I back off and go sweetless for a while. It’s an on and off thing for me and it works for me. Right now I am newly off sweets because I have a new goal and I believe indulging will hold me back. Will this be forever? Nope.
There are some guidelines that help me and may help you.
- If you know you have no self control when it comes to certain recipes, then quit them
- Don’t do frankenfood sweets at all
- Make keto sweets from scratch with real food ingredients.
- Do not make it a daily thing
- Newbies should avoid them all in the beginning
- Make it part of your meal
I had to quit keto fudge with erythritol. We don’t get along. I love it, and I will lose if I indulge. If you aren’t at goal then don’t do things that will keep you from it.
Ever. They are bad. Really bad. Chemicals. Evil ingredients like malitol will give you what I call “disaster pants” – trust me on this one.
‘Nuff said.
Daily is dangerous.
You want the physical cravings to go away so just remember that cravings are like stray cats, if you feed them they don’t go away. Wait until you have mastered keto and feel more in control of your food before you try to incorporate keto dessert.
Don’t snack on keto sweets and do not use them as meal replacements.
Hopefully, you take this info and trust and believe.
Or maybe you are like me.
Stubborn and you need to learn the hard way.
