Q. If People don’t you know, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Dat Keto Lady: My name is Christy, better known these days as “Dat Keto Lady.” I am 39 years old, and I was born, raised, and currently live in the New Orleans area.

Q. What made you start living a keto lifestyle and how long have you been doing it?

Dat Keto Lady: I began researching the low-carb lifestyle, and that led me to keto.  I was overweight and knew I needed to find something that would be sustainable.  Once I started living a ketogenic lifestyle, I loved that I no longer needed to deprive myself in order to lose weight and be healthy.

Q. How much weight have you lost? Does your weight fluctuate or is it consistent?

Dat Keto Lady: I have taken off 47 pounds over the course of a year.  Yes, my weight fluctuates in the 5 pound range.  I’m okay with that, because it’s normal for our bodies to do that depending on water retention, the amount of sleep we get, and hormones that also play a role.

Q. What is one thing you would tell someone who is starting a Keto diet?

Dat Keto Lady: Do your research!  There is not a one size fits all approach for anything in life, and that also applies to keto.  Get online and find out what foods are keto friendly, look up recipes, figure out what staple ingredients you need to have on hand when cooking.  No one can do this for you. You have to do it.  The second thing that I would tell them is that your journey will not be perfect in the beginning, and that’s okay.  You’ll get the hang of it!

Q. Your cookbook has been really well received. How long did it take you to make and what was the biggest challenge in creating it?

Dat Keto Lady: The cookbook was a labor of love, and I’m so happy that I did it. I am thankful to the keto community for receiving it so well!  I took me several months to figure out what recipes I wanted to put in it, test them all out, and MEASURE EVERYTHING.  That was a big one for me!  As a cook by nature, I’ve always just “eyeballed” seasonings, etc.  Sounds crazy, but that’s how I’ve always done it. So, having to track exact measurements and document that was challenging.

Q. What is the easiest way to get a copy of your book?

Dat Keto Lady: My cookbook is available on datketolady.com.  It has 63 recipes in it, and it is $12.

Q. What is one thing you’re afraid of?

Dat Keto Lady: One thing that I’m afraid of is making my children resent the ketogenic lifestyle.  As a mom, I want to see my children live their healthiest life, but at the same time I have to give them some room for making their own food choices.  I never want them to feel like the way that I choose to eat is the only way, and that if they don’t mirror me, they are failing.

Q. What’s one weird fact that most people don’t know?

Dat Keto Lady: I’m generally a pleasant person.  However, if I don’t get enough rest…I can be a monster! Ha!

Q. You’re always cooking amazing dishes. Do you calculate out the macros and portion sizes for each one or do you just estimate those because of your experience?

Dat Keto Lady: I have never been one to track macros meticulously.  I typically look at the macros, as a whole, for the meal that I’m cooking and divide it out by the amount of servings it makes. I take a super lazy approach to the keto lifestyle.

Q. My kids are really picky eaters, Does everyone in your family follow a Keto lifestyle or is it a struggle?

Dat Keto Lady: My husband and I are keto.  The kids are not strictly keto.  With that being said, I do not usually make special provisions to accommodate them when I’m cooking a meal for the family.  They eat what I make, and they usually don’t complain.  I’m thankful for that!

Q. Do you ever cheat and have a carb day?

Dat Keto Lady: Not anymore.  When I began dabbling with keto in March 2017, I had cheat days once a week.  It wasn’t until a year later that I cut that out.  I finally realized that it just wasn’t worth it.  On those cheat days, I always felt terrible, both physically and mentally.  I have not had anything that wasn’t keto-friendly in well over a year, and I can honestly say that I’ve never felt better.

Q. If you could have one high-carb treat what would it be?

Dat Keto Lady: Well, I can have whatever I want.  I choose not to.  But if I were to have a high-carb treat, it would probably be a hot fudge sundae made with Blue Bell ice cream.  Thank goodness we have so may keto friendly ice cream options available.  They have saved the day for me on more than one occasion!

Q. Do you have any shopping tips for buying Keto food?

Dat Keto Lady: Absolutely!  Always read the list of ingredients.  There are so many foods that you might assume are keto friendly, and some are even labeled as such, but when you take a closer look you’ll see it’s pumped up with sugar and nasty additives, etc.  Also, you don’t have to buy the most expensive options out there.  I find a lot of great keto items at Walmart, Great Value brand.  So, keto doesn’t have to break the bank.

Q. What is your one must-have item in your kitchen?

Dat Keto Lady: My most favorite tool in the kitchen is my immersion blender.  I use it all the time since I make my salad dressings, and it’s great for so many other things as well, like making your own crushed pork rinds, etc.

Below is a recipe she shared with us from her cookbook.

Breakfast Sandwich

Macros per serving: Calories: 532 | Fat: 47g | Carbs: 5g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 25g

Ingredients

• 1TBS butter, softened or melted
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 TBS sugar-free syrup (I use
  Carey’s)
• 2 TBS almond flour
• 1 egg, fried
• 1 sausage patty, cooked
• 1 slice of cheese (I love Havarti)
• 1 slice bacon (optional)

Preparation

1. Place butter, egg, baking powder,
   syrup, and almond flour in a
   ramekin, or mug and stir well to
   combine ingredients.
2. Microwave for 90 seconds.
3. After it’s cooked, slice the “bread” in
   half to make a top & bottom portion
   of the sandwich.
4. In a skillet, toast each side of the
   bread.
5. Cook egg & sausage as well, and
   assemble the sandwich.