The COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on every aspect of human life. With the directives enforcing self-isolation and social distancing, it’s almost impossible to carry out regular grocery shopping.

Plus, grocery stores are running out of stock because of panic buying. This is a burdensome situation for everyone but especially if you are on the ketogenic diet.

Maintaining your health and wellness goals using the keto diet in the COVID-19 era is challenging.  Despite the current difficulties, there are ways that you can maintain your diet while in quarantine.

Reminding yourself of the benefits of the keto diet is a brilliant way to keep your eyes on the prize and avoid getting discouraged in times like this.

Tips on maintaining a Keto Diet in Quarantine

Plan Ahead

The key to succeeding with your diet during quarantine is proper planning. The whole idea of having a big keto diet plan may seem overwhelming but break up the plan into smaller segments to make it look less intimidating.

The first aspect of your planning is your grocery list. Getting your shopping list ready ahead of time will help ensure that you don’t forget any food item you’ll need for your diet. It is easier to forget a lot of items if you make the list just before you go shopping.

Another aspect that you need to plan on is your meals. Have a meal plan for each week. This will guide your shopping list and also discipline your eating habits. If you leave your meals to chance, you’ll likely cut corners during the week.

Stock up your Pantry and Freezer with Long-lasting Food

Because of the uncertainty regarding when things will get back to normal, when you go to the grocery stores focus more on getting food items with long shelf lives. You may need to adjust your diet to accommodate some of these foods and eliminate some easily perishable food items from the diet.

Stock up your freezer as well with long-lasting keto-friendly vegetables such as cabbage, eggplant, cauliflower, and spaghetti squash. Fill your shelf and pantry with pork rinds, coconut milk, coconut oil,  low carb protein powder, sesame seeds, walnuts, chia seeds, hazelnuts, canned fish, dried meat and jerky. Also, stock up spices like ginger, turmeric, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, etc.

Stock up on Protein Powder and Keto-Fat Bombs

Protein powders are a great way to get extra protein in baked goods. Baking for Keto dieting is a little tricky as you learn to use flour alternatives like coconut flour and almond flour. You can substitute about 1/4 of the flour substitute with protein powder. An excellent example of a great protein powder is Hydrolyzed Collagen.

You will also need keto fat bombs such as MCT oil. MCT oil (medium chain triglycerides) is vital for keto dieters – stock up so you never run out during this period. Same applies to sunflower oil because it contains anti-inflammatory fat. Just make sure you get expeller-pressed sunflower oil to avoid the toxins associated with regular oil processing. You can take keto bombs with plain water, smoothies, and shakes. Adding more fat to your meal makes them more filling and helps you to conserve your available food stock.

Electrolyte supplements are a must-have, and they help in preventing symptoms of keto flu such as muscle cramping and fatigue. Coconut water is an excellent natural source for electrolytes.

Try Unique Spice Combinations and New Cooking Methods

If you have a few ingredients at home, instead of constantly repeating the same food in the same old way, transform your meals with unique spice combinations. Therefore, stock up on lots of spices and sauces like coconut aminos, and Frank’s Red Hot sauce.

Also, try out unorthodox ways of preparing each meal and experiment. If your favorite meat is out of stock both at home and in the grocery stores, for example, try out different available meat options.

Experimenting with different spices and cooking methods will help you stick to your diet and also kill boredom.

Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is crucial for a Keto diet even during the quarantine. Though your routines have changed, you still need a lot of liquids like tea or water. Coffee, soda, and sugary juice drinks don’t count towards a daily water intake goal.

Always keep a water bottle with you at home just as you would do if you were in the office. If you get bored with water, you can flavor your water with keto-friendly fruits and veggies like raspberries and mint. A few slices of cucumber with a sprig of mint is a wonderful, refreshing combination.

Make Stuff like Cheese and Yogurt at Home

The quarantine period is an excellent time to try out some DIY recipes. Learning how to make them will save you the stress of having to alter your menu due to the lack of availability of these items in the stores.

Dairy products like cheese and yogurt are easy to make and do not need lots of ingredients.

Make Big Batches and Serve Smaller Portions

Making your meal in big batches will save you the pains of having to always cook or brainstorm over what to make next. Instead of always cooking fresh meals, you will have options that only require warming in the microwave.

Also, reduce waste by saving vegetable scraps and meat bones. You can use these in making stock later. Try keeping the leafy parts of celery, onion skins, carrot tops and more in a container in the freezer for makeing stock.

Don’t Forget Self Care

Amid this global frenzy, don’t forget to take care of yourself – if you don’t, no one will. Self-care will help reduce stress and put you at ease during these exasperating times.

Deliberately make a self-care schedule and set out time every day to unwind and pamper your body and mind. You can meditate, listen to calm music, do a face mask or face scrub, take a warm bath, exercise regularly, or diffuse essential oils in your room to help you relax.

Conclusion

As hard as these times may appear, you need to do all it takes to maintain a healthy life. The changes to our daily routines due to the quarantine should not discourage you, but rather motivate you to take your diet to the next level of commitment and dedication.

If you follow the tips given in this article, you’ll discover that dieting during quarantine is not as hard as you think it is.

Have you been dieting this period? Let us know what you have been doing and how the experience has been so far.