Keto in Quebec...

After 75 weeks of keto, it gets easier everyday...even on vacation!  I took my sweet mama and 19 year old son to Quebec a couple of weeks ago and aside from a few bites, here and there...I managed to stay keto.  Yes, yes....I realize even a bite can throw you out of ketosis so let's just say that I didn't completely 'abandon ship' and eat everything in site.  I made great choices along the way and had fun without completely 'carbin' out'.

Walked the Aquarium du Quebec

Brunch at the Hotel Frontenac....yes, I had a bite of several desserts!

Before I started this journey, I would have gone nuts and eaten everything I possibly could.  Don't get me wrong, I could easily do that now as well.....I just 'choose not to'.  WOW....that sounds so sensible and easy but that's not how it used to be.  It's taken me quite awhile to get to the 'sensible phase' of this journey.  There are so many times I just wanna go nuts and devour everything but I'm able to talk myself down and make good choices.  Who'da thunk I could ever have that much discipline....?  I literally amaze myself at times, lol!  Honestly, I think  the main reason is that I've tried so hard to get to this point and I'm just not willing to fail after all this hard work.  I choose to be comfortable in my clothes and confident with how I look instead of gorging myself...... been there done that.  I 'choose my hard' and it's much more hard to be fat than it is to make good choices and be happy.  Yep....I got this,

We took a fun dinner cruise with live entertainment

The streets of Petite Champlain

Carriage ride around Old Quebec

Many steps along Avenue Cartier

That feeling when everything you try on is goin home...

Up until the other day, my shopping for clothes was at an all time low.  Even after losing 40+ pounds it was so difficult to go into a store and shop.  I had total 'fear of not fitting' issues and would literally be overwhelmed.  Inevitably, I would leave with a new black shirt and call it a day. Well, you can only have so many black shirts so on Sunday, I decided to hit Loft.  I am a huge fan of Ann Taylor and Loft....they sell pants that will actually fit me 'length wise' and I don't have to hem them.  At 5'3"ish and too heavy in the tummy and seat, pants are tough to find that fit.

I walked in the store and a really nice girl asked what I was looking for and I just let her size me up and gather clothes...clothes I would ordinarily not even think about.  She left me in the dressing room and the magic began, everything fit!  There were a few things I didn't like but EVERYTHING fit and if you've been shopping, overweight, you know what I mean.  It was so exciting...smaller sizes, different looks.....such an amazing day.  I've now crossed the 'fear of not fitting' border and will be more adventurous on my next shopping spree.  Thanks to the folks at Loft, couldn't have been nicer and more help.  Still left with a black shirt......some habits are hard to break.

Sometimes you just need something sweet....

Bear with me while I try to post more often.  It's not so much that I'm busy, I just forget!  I'm in week 72 of my Keto journey and have lost a total of 46.2 pounds.....hooray!!!  This Keto lifestyle has literally become just that, a 'lifetyle' and I am militant about staying Keto but every once in awhile, ya gotta have something sweet.  SO....when you do, here's a great idea.  I call them my Cinnamon & Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Pinwheels and they are D-Lish!  Enjoy.

These Pinwheels are great right out of the oven or cold from the fridge. I like them without the drizzle but the boys like them, with. 

Start off by making a double batch of Fathead dough. You microwave 3.5 cups of grated mozzarella cheese and 4 tbsp of cream cheese. To this mixture add 1.5 cups of almond flour, 1/4 cup Erythritol and 2 eggs. With damp hands work this into a ball of dough. Place on parchment paper and pat it out into a circle. Place another parchment paper over the dough and work with your palms and fingers to form a rectangle with the dough or you could use a rolling pin. Spread 6 oz of cream cheese (you may want to warm in microwave or use room temperature) over the entire dough. Microwave together another 1/4 cup Erythritol , 1/2 cup of butter and 2 tbsp of cinnamon and pour over the cream cheese spread, evenly. Sprinkle some sugar free chocolate chips over the dough as well. Using the parchment paper to help lift the dough, very carefully roll up the rectangle to make a long log and stick it in the freezer for about 45 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and cut slices (I got 50). Place the slices on a cookie sheet with parchment paper and cook for 12-14 minutes at 375....or golden brown. The drizzle is 4 oz of melted cream cheese, 2 tbsp of Erythritol and 1 tsp of vanilla. I used a piping bag but a baggy would work, as well. I also sprinkled just a tiny bit of Erythritol on top of each one. Absolutely delicious!!