Some recipe ideas that I have been having… and what it’s been like to try this out for a few months..

Recipe ideas first..

BREAKFASTS

Yoghurt bowl
Ingredients:

1 serving coconut yoghurt (Coconut Collaborative)

Fresh raspberries

Peanut butter

Dessicated coconut

Pumpkin seeds

Macadamia nuts

Cashew nuts

Decaf coffee sweetened with pure stevia & topped with frothed unsweetened soy milk

BREAKFAST 2

Silken tofu pudding bowl
Ingredients:

1 block silken tofu

2tbsp chia seeds

1/4 can coconut milk

Handful frozen strawberries, blackberries and raspberries

Sprinkle of dessicated coconut

Sprinkle of macadamia nuts

Cocoa keto cookie (recipe to follow)

Decaf coffee sweetened with pure stevia & topped with frothed unsweetened soy milk

LUNCH

Tofu & asparagus
Ingredients:

1 block tofu, grilled

1 portion asparagus spears

Cucumber

Avocado

Pumpkin seeds

Cashew-based vegan cheese

DINNER

Tofu & aubergine satay
Ingredients:

1 block smoked tofu, grilled

1 portion broccoli

1 aubergine (eggplant), sliced and grilled

Peanut butter

1/2 can coconut milk

Rice vinegar

Soy sauce

Pinch of chilli flakes

TO SERVE:

1tsp sesame seeds

1tsp crispy chilli in oil

Side of kimchi

So how have I found this?

I have personally found it to be a very positive way of eating, many people like to say that you are cutting out too many good nutrients, however my body did not feel depleted and I found I was eating healthier than I was before, as I made sure to get lots of protein and veggies in with cutting out sugar.

CUTTING OUT SUGAR! This is honestly the revelation, it is soo deeply good for my body to not have sugar, and the less I had the less I wanted, I felt full all the time due to the fats and protein intake. Where as before I would get really hungry and have energy crashes in the day, with this way of eating my energy was steady all through the day, I felt full of energy. This did feel quite stimulating at times as you cross over to ketosis and your body adjusts to this it can be quite an activating time. And I think for people in withdrawal and experiencing prescribed harm, it could be too overwhelming for the body depending where you are at.

For me still tapering Mirtazapine I was concerned about my sleep as I get lower, and doing something activating like this, is that a good idea? However I felt as my sleep had been steady as I tapered that my body was in a good place to do this diet. And I slept really well!

My poos were rather strange smelling and that can happen to many people the veto poo.. is odd? Also the lack of fruits, sometimes I just wanted a fruit salad, however not eating so much fruit made me pee less, or so I think. It could also be having less sugars and carbs, as I never needed to pee on keto.

I got really toned and felt my body returning to pre Mirtazapine, actually able to build muscle and not have fatty deposits sitting under my skin. As I have gotten lower on Mirtazapine I have found that the weight has come off gradually, the turning point was getting under 2mg. Doing this diet alongside the taper has worked well I feel for decreasing the bloating.

Something I thought would potentially never happen, as when your on the medication and bloated all the time its hard to believe you can return.

The best part of this though is how I have felt on this so energised and full of life. It lifted my mood and I felt full of creative energy. I have struggled to keep it up if I go away or I am in a place where I cannot get kept food, which is pretty much every cafe or restaurant. It is a lot of preparing meals and not eating out.. ever.

I am now going for a diet where it’s largely keto with some days if I am to go out to eat that I just find the best option I can, and to find keto desserts is tricky! I LOVE CAKE! So I would say taking the time to make your own keto cakes is important so you dont get too tempted.

I think though restricting can feel like a bore, and often leads to wanting more, therefore it’s a balance, I will allow myself the odd cake, and find healthy options. As there are really yummy cakes that are not full of sugar!

With love

Emma