When starting a keto journey, it might feel overwhelming to keep your social life and accept invitations from your friends or family. There is obviously the famous question But what do you eat then ? Don’t you feel frustrated not to eat pasta or potatoes anymore ? as if life was so miserable without a slice of bread. I will not debate on that but still, I rarely heard anyone asking a vegan whether or not he/she is happy with his/her food choice and what he/she eats.
I would like to give you a few tips on how to conciliate your ketogenic lifestyle and your social life. Those tips have worked so far for me !
Ask about the menu
Most of the time, you will see that there will be options compatible with keto. Also, do not hesitate to bring some extras for you if you feel the need (olives, nuts, cheese…) to avoid rushing on the chips at the aperitif. Furthermore, you can even propose to bring one dish or a desert. It will be the occasion to make people discover your recipes, and show them that this is not frustrating at all. Personally, I like to bake cookies using keto-chocolate. And again, most of the time, they are surprised to find that there is no carbs in it and that it is delicious
Eat a snack before you go
If you fear to be hungry and eating carbs to feel satiated, eat a snack before going to the event. That can be a keto-bar (the ones from Go-Keto are really delicious), chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs, a bulletproof coffee with MCT Powder…whatever might help you feel satiated enough.
Allow yourself one glass of alcohol if you want to
Alcohol is not the best friend for people on a keto journey. But I am part of the one who believes that it never hurts to have one glass occasionally as long as it is in moderation. Red wines, whisky, gin, rum etc… are good choices to make if you feel like sharing a glass with your friends – but don’t drink the whole bottle. Or you can just ask for water with a slice of lemon.
Sharing is caring
A friend or family reunion is also a good opportunity to explain your lifestyle. However, I would advise never to justify yourself over it because it can be a long-lasting debate. But they might be interested in your approach and even want to know more about…
Of course, do not forget to enjoy those gatherings and do not put pressure on yourself. This is not speed race, this is a marathon. Sometimes you will even maybe get out off the road but and at the end, you know how to get back into your routine.
Written by: Mélanie Simon
