How much time do you devote to your “keto commitments”?

#1

I am fascinated by how people make time for healthy habits and routines in their daily lives. I was very struck by how blogger Debras Just Maintaining https://justmaintaining.wordpress.com/2010/09/ talks about weight maintenance after a major, transformative weight loss requiring a lifelong weekly effort (once you combine food prep and exercise) equivalent to a part-time job. It’s worth noting that I don’t know what she eats, I don’t think it is keto though. At the moment food prep is the most time-consuming part of my “keto routine” - maybe 5 hours a week? (A 3 hr block on the weekend of bulk prep, then maybe 30mins a few nights or mornings per week) Plus an hour grocery shopping, and an hour looking at recipes/pantry/fridge, deciding what to cook and making a shopping list. So maybe 7 hours all up, at most?

My current exercise is not a special workout, it’s just walking the dog which I do anyway for say 30-60min a day most days. I guess I could add another few hours a week (probably way more! Eek) reading about keto online and writing or reading in these forums. Plus maybe an hour total of tracking time per week, when I’m using a tracking app.

So I’m curious to know - How many hours do you spend on the things that help you stay keto? Why and what are they? Do you consider keto something akin to a “hobby”, or is it just a WOE? Do you ever feel like you should be spending less time on any of this? I am really curious to know how others feel about these questions, and your thoughts on the amount of time keto occupies in your thoughts and your schedule, relative to other things in your life. Sometimes I feel like I am bordering on slightly obsessive about certain aspects of this process, but then again I am aware that focus and commitment are essential in order to make it work. Your thoughts??

(Gregory - You can teach an old dog new tricks.) #2

I would hesitate to guess how much time I spend in the grocery store since adapting a Keto/leaning toward carnivore WOE…
Definitely less than before, because I don’t spend any time in the central isles except as a shortcut to the meat and dairy. I know what I want and where it is, so I get it and go.

I don’t care for recipes. I cook single ingredient foods with some spices and that’s it.

My exercise is mostly long brisk walks, 40 - 60 minutes.

I spend a little bit of time using Cronometer to track my macros and nutrients out of curiosity, but there are days when I don’t bother.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m an accidental keto’er. I just adapted a way of eating that seems to have led here.

#3

I enjoy cooking and always used an hour or so to unwind in the evening while cooking. I actually use less time for it now. I ended up buying some new small appliances that really speed things up. A processor that also slices and chops veggies and shreds cheese (in need to use sheep and goat cheese due to lactose intolerance and got tired of grating it and the cleanup), a waffle maker for chaffles, an instapot for soups, stews, broth, and all sorts of things. Most things take just minutes to cook in there. Also a large countertop grill because it makes grilling really fast too. So I spent a bunch of money, but those are things I would appreciate no matter what I am eating, Keto just gave me a good excuse to splurge there. I buy meat in bulk from two online outlets. I don’t track any nutrients, I eyeball it and I know when I have my limit of carbs. Overall, I spend less time on food now than I used to.

(Jack Bennett) #4

One question that comes up is how much keto activity is extra or “marginal” and how much is stuff that you would be doing anyway in one form or another?

For example, if your food prep takes X hours per week, are you reckoning it relative to buying Hot Pockets and getting take out fast food, or relative to making “healthy” non-keto meals? It probably takes longer than pre-made junk food, but no more than any other form of food prep from scratch.

My sense is that maintenance takes some time per week, but once you’re in a groove, you don’t need to think as hard about it, and you learn a variety of shortcuts and habits.

My lunch prep for the week probably takes 40-60 minutes but it’s a pretty simple recipe. Other cooking, especially on the weekend, probably takes another hour or two. I eat pretty simple stuff.

#5

I need time to buy food and prepare food, eat, washing dishes… I need that time on every diet but it’s significantly less on keto but especially on carnivore…
Shopping is great, so many stuff I don’t need :smiley: It was a relief when I went low-carb and stopped eating most processed items but it’s a whole new world now that I do carnivore whenever I have enough meat to do so (but if I don’t, I still don’t go back to eating vegetables. those are time consuming, not satiating little devils, keeping me from losing any fat on keto. because of their carb content. I am bad with “much” carbs and vegetables on keto, that’s a lot for me).

If I am hungry, I fry some eggs or ham or something, we make big stews, they aren’t very time consuming. But it’s a hobby too, I like cooking and baking, I just don’t want to spend even more hours per day on them. Simple dishes take lots of time too, counting everything and it’s very hard to make a food more interesting and tasty to me as fried eggs and ham… Sometimes I need some variety but if I am just hungry, that’s easy. As long as I have meat and eggs.

I am very inactive now but I always did little exercise, 1-2 hour walks (sometimes 4-8 but it’s in the past and it was rare, of course. I need walking, it’s easier than not walking, actually so if I am inactive, that’s a very bad sign, I am not a fully living being then), some cycling, I did weightlifting but only for some months, I really need to start it again…
I need exercise to feel alive, to have any energy (I never had really much)… It has nothing to do with keto.

I don’t think maintaining my weight will require any effort from my part, actually. I am not slim yet but I know myself, my stubborn body and my lucky genetics. I should exercise (it never was needed for fat-loss or maintenance this far but definitely helps) but not because of my weight. I should eat well but not because of my weight and I couldn’t do high-carb if I wanted (and I want to do extreme low-carb, being a hedonist who feels best there). Things are connected. I never did anything for maintaining my weight, much more to lose (usually in vain) but I eat like this and exercise some for different goals as well.

Ohj I am addicted to everything food too so it’s more like 7 hours per day for me, I just hope not every day… It’s quite scary. This forum, recipes, eating, ideas for the next meal or day, tracking, taking notes, eating again and changing the previous two, doing the dishes (I need to count the time but it seems hours a day. it’s less but it seems like so. for two people who eat somewhat simple and reuse lots of plates and glasses, pans and molds)… And eating. That easily takes 1-2 hour per meal (if I keep my carbs low, it’s only true for my family lunch though, we talk and laugh at cats and whatnot. 1 hour is fine for that, I don’t mind it) . Making tea…
But I don’t have numbers. It’s a lot but it’s way more if I raise my carbs. Way. More. Like, another 1 hour long meal in desperate hunger. Or two. Not always but carbs really mess with me.

I better go before I realize I’ve been writing this single comment since 2 hours…

(Gregory - You can teach an old dog new tricks.) #6

P.S/

I forgot to mention:
I spend a lot less time worrying about my health…:grin:

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #7

What ‘keto commitments’? I buy food; I prepare it; I eat it. Same as before keto, only different food.

(back and doublin' down) #8

I’ve moved from WOE to WOL because most aspects of my life are affected by my decision to eat keto and fast. I probably spend less time now shopping and prepping food because I keep it really simple most of the time. Quick for me now is to heat up some brats in the microwave and while they are heating, cut up some cheese.

I do spend more time on here, because staying in these forums keeps my thought process and willpower going. I listen to podcasts every morning getting ready for work, and on the weekend mornings when I’m cleaning or doing stuff around the house, and when I’m driving. I’d say 75% of those are keto in theme. I’ve been giving particular attention to the Low Carb MD podcast. Between these forums and podcasts, I spend about 15 hours a week or more feasting on all sorts of nutrition and behavioral change information. Then again, I use that same information in my work.

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #9

DH and I both eat this way, so we have some go to meals. We are much better organized with our grocery shopping now days. Probably cut that in half. I spend that extra time, here and on DietDoctor.com along with a couple of threads over on MFP, I am the monitor of one over there and comonitor on a 2nd one. I listen to podcasts instead of snacking mid afternoons now. It is a WOL for me. I don’t want to put on the weight again and I want my DH’s diabetes to be controlled through our walking, yoga, dancing, and WOE.

I do look for new ketoed recipes and have started making ketoes breads and fat bombs, but those are pretty quick and easy. We don’t go out to eat much any more, if we do it is for breakfast once a week, maybe dinner once a month. So we have that time back as well.