For the summer season, a lot of my clients are asking how they could manage to stay in ketosis when they step out of the comfort of their home. And obviously they are kind of right: what if you go camping and you don’t have a fridge to keep your butter? What if you go hiking and you don’t want to carry a heavy glass jar of fat bombs in your backpack?
Here are a few suggestions of things you could use, and that always does the trick for me!
- Pack your bag with very fatty proteins: dried sausages, duck/pork rillettes, or pork rinds will be a perfect snack when you’re hiking all day! You could also bring some tins of cod liver, or sardines if you enjoy them.
- Choose solid fats: my favourite fat when I travel is raw cacao butter. First, because I think that’s delicious and second because it doesn’t melt easily when it’s warm outside. You can eat it right away when you’re on the go, or let it melt in your tea at the airport, or even cook fat bombs with it. Be aware that, at some point, they could end up melting when the weather is too hot, but they are still the most resistant and the most useful.
- If you are traveling in the summer in very warm countries, you can also use fat powders. Butter powder or MCT powder are very useful for that matter. You can easily travel and have them in your backpack, use them in a hot drink to have your macros in check, or just for a boost of energy.
- Salty Macadamia Nuts! Macadamia nuts are the only nuts that are so low in phytic acid (so they won’t damage your gut lining) AND really low in Omega-6, and that’s why they are considered the best choice as far as nuts are concerned. I always advise my clients to store them in a jar with himalayan salt, which has the double advantage of being absolutely delicious and helping you with your daily sodium intake.
- Nori snacks: little nori snacks are really good because they are packed with electrolytes, especially potassium (which is not easy to get on keto) and iodin. In the summer, you lose more water by sweating more, and so you also lose your electrolyte. You may not want to bring tons of supplements with you, but smart choices like nori could be of great help to keep your electrolytes in balance
- Bring some salt! As I said, you will sweat more and lose fluids, like your sodium and your magnesium. It’s so important to keep your electrolytes in balance! It’s almost as important as the intake of food! Bring with you some amount of himalayan salt that you could melt in your water when you hike, or sprinkle on your nuts and foods. And for the same reason, don’t forget to bring your magnesium too!
- Enjoy your keto-bar. When your friends are gonna eat their sandwiches or treats, you may feel frustrated, or you may just want to eat something quick and tasty. And you don’t have to ruin your macros with it. Especially when you’re being active all day, in the wood, at the beach, in the mountain, keto-bars could be of great help! The Go-Keto bars have pretty good macros.
- If you’re going to stay in a hotel, try and bring a small kettle. It has always been so useful for me. Every time I couldn’t buy or eat anything because it was too early, or too late, or too carbs-loaded, my kettle saved the day. I always bring herbal teas, a kettle and a mug, I make myself a tea and load it with MCT powder, cacao butter or ghee, and that’s my meal!
- Don’t forget your eye masks and ear plugs ! Your sleep is your number one asset to stay in deep ketosis. And nothing is more annoying than not being able to sleep because someone is snoring in the next tent, or because there’s too much light outside. Sleep masks and earplugs are easy to carry in your bag, and they are so valuable!
- Use your fat both ways. Another reason why I love cacao butter is because I can eat it, but also use it on my skin. Cacao butter bars are easy to use, and stay your skin hydrated and soft at the end of a long hiking day. And the same goes with coconut oil!
Of course, don’t forget to enjoy every minute of your holiday ! You’re on ketosis, you’re producing a lot of GABA, you’re chilling more, enjoying more, and you can always run your own restaurant of body fat if nothing else is available!