I am not an idiot when it comes to dieting but I am a bit overwhelmed and try too hard to be a perfectionist at this stuff. I think I got the what to eat, what not to eat part down. I still need to print some recipes and get the short hand of it all. I am researching monitors and wondering if it is really worth the cost etc. I saw that people really suggest THE KETONIAN PRO KIT and then after 50 days I will just need to order more strips. Thoughts on this? What is the best snack or something on the run. I work and travel a lot and while I can probably navigate planes, meals, hotels⌠it is when I donât have time to eat and usually reach for a Quest protein bar (which I also sub for breakfast a lot) that I am a bit worried. Nuts? Also since I have simplified my breakfasts to a Quest bar, is there a good replacement shake or something? I hear a lot of people fast until lunch⌠ugh so overwhelming. But if I can do HCG, I should be able to do this!
Thanks in advance!
Completely Overwhelmed!
Yes, it can be overwhelming at first, but yes, you can do this!
I would give up the Quest bars for breakfast⌠I think those should only be used for âemergenciesâ or once in a while, not a regular part of your diet.
For quick breakfast, how about a bullet-proof coffee? Or hard boiled eggs? Or make-ahead of time breakfast muffins - I havenât made them but there are recipes out there.
One step at a time, one day at a time⌠youâll learn more and more every day.
Sue
Although I have been eating Very Low carb, aka Ketogenic, for seven years, I am new to this forum. Amy Berger just posted what I think is a wonderful answer to being overwhelmed, though I donât know what the other âoldiesâ here will think of it. But I followed Dr Westmanâs No Sugar, No Starch Diet. Thatâs really all you need to know to start. https://www.dietdoctor.com/se/wp-content/2014/10/no_sugar_no_starch_diet.pdf
The tweaking can come later. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2017/12/start-with-atkins.html
I have blood glucose meters because I used to check my levels often, but Iâve never bothered buying the ketone strips for it. I use urine strips in the very beginning to see if Iâm in ketosis, and then I switch to using my cheap breath meter. After a while, you can just tell when youâre in ketosis or not.
Sue
^^^ This is very sound advise! And I just wanted to say how proud I am of how far youâve come in such a short time, Sue! 
What an asset to the community, well done! 
Just concentrate on keeping your carbs below 20g a day and have some extra fat if you get hungry. Once you get fat adapted, you arenât going to be focusing on the next meal and IF will become second nature to you. It does get easier, I promise! As for meters, I use the Freestyle Optium Neo. It was not that expensive and the BG strips are reasonable. The Ketone strips can be a little pricey (about 1.70 usd) if you get them in bulk. I pay for them using our HSA account so itâs not as painful. LOL Good luck on your journey and youâve landed in a great spot if/when you need help or a cheering section!
Awwwww, thanks, Sophie! I love being here, and I try to read, absorb and learn all I can every chance I get. Glad to share some of what Iâve learned.
Happy New Year!
Sue
Donât be overwhelmed. Forget about doing it right, there is no right way or wrong way. There is only the way that works for you. If measuring BG or tracking macros makes your anxious, donât do it. You can always change your mind later down the road.
Meal prep doesnât have to be complicated:
Pick a meat.
Pick a veggie.
Add a fat.
Examples:
Tuna salad- tuna, onion, celery, mayo, mustard
Eggs- scrambled with bacon, mushrooms and cheese
Ribeye- with creamed spinach
Pack and go meals:
Deviled eggs
Green salads
Canned/packaged meats (ie. sardines, chicken, crab) and an avocado or olives
The best keto snak/quick meal are beef jerky/beefstick and cheese 
You can try a Cheap Breathalyzer I think it would work better for your purpose 
âMay the Force (fat adaption) be with youâ
IF/EF Keto WOE is Self-Discovery 
Good luck and much success in your journey in IF/EF Keto WOE 
Once youâre well into sticking to strict keto for a while, it is likely youâll be forgetting that word, mostly because of the aggressive hunger suppressing effects of ketosis.
Keto-mojo? I have that. The strips are $50 for a 50 pack but you donât need to test every day. If you test once or twice a week, a 50 pack can last you six months to a year.
And if the test strips are like mine, paper with what looks like a patch of thicker paper at the test tip, then you can cut them in half, or thirds. Unless those are the type that go in a meter, then never mind.
I ended up finding (I think!!!) all the needed items off eBay to do ketone blood analysis. Fingers crossed!
I have been keto for three months now and have never tested. I have gone completely off of how I feel. Itâs totally doable.