u/NomadNanaCan

What is your go-to meal at a restaurant? Whether it is a chain, fast food, or a specific cuisine(Chinese, Italian etc), what do you order? Do you check out the menu before you go? Is there a specific fast food "hack" that you can share? I am not shy about asking for ingredient info if details aren't available on the menu. I will ask to have something "customized" within reason.

The place I find the easiest is a steakhouse/pub style restaurant. I will usually order steak or chicken and grilled/steamed veggies or a salad.

The place I find the most difficult is Italian... because I love the bread, pasta and any kind of sauce. I usually end up ordering Chicken Masala or a Caesar salad with grilled chicken.

Is there a fast food chain that offers the best low carb/keto menu options?

Plateau, stall, stand still, hurdle, speed bump...we all experience it at some point! It is perfectly natural for you to lose weight in fits and starts. Usually, if you stick with the program, weight loss will resume.

It is also important to remember no diet can guarantee results by a certain date. There are so many factors that can impact your rate of loss...things like age, gender, hormones, body composition, stress, sleep, medications, prior dieting history, metabolism, hydration, consistency over time, activity level and degree of metabolic resistance, which can be impacted by yo-yo dieting, thyroid disorders, and insulin resistance.

The first step is to identify if you are actually experiencing a plateau - most agree a true plateau is a period of at least 4 weeks with no loss of pounds or inches, while adhering to all guidelines and while not making changes to things like activity or medication. Sometimes you can be losing fat, building muscle, without it showing up on the scale. Taking your measurements and setting goals that aren't related to the number on the scale is a great strategy as well.

There are countless reasons for your weight loss to stall. Or for those of us in maintenance, for your weight to creep up! My first step is to start tracking my food, which includes weighing and measuring. Carb creep is real! From there, I move onto my plateau-busting list and check:

• Portion sizes (weigh, measure, track)
• Hidden carbs (read labels, even those on your favourite products - ingredients can change!)
• Protein intake
• Water intake
• Sleep quality (check your sleep hygiene - consistent bedtime, limiting screens, cool/dark room)
• Stress levels (any changes in your life recently to increase your stress level?)
• Daily movement
• Workout routine (a combo of resistance/strength & cardio is ideal. Might be time to change it up!)
• Tracking consistency (our estimating abilities can change over time - weigh, measure, track every morsel!)
• Patience—plateaus are normal

Share your plateau experiences - what helped you break through?

When you started (or restarted) your plan, what did you notice that made you think "This is actually working for me"? Anything unrelated to the scale.

For me... within days, I noticed fewer cravings.

What’s that one thing you’ve learned from your own experience that nobody is going to change your mind about?

For me, it’s that low-carb convenience foods are a tool, not the enemy.

What’s yours?

Let's compare notes!

If you are running late and have no time for breakfast...what do you grab?

It is 7pm, and you are "starving" but don't feel like cooking. What is your go-to meal?

If you have 10 minutes to prepare dinner, what are you making?

You are heading out the door and realize you forgot to pack lunch. What is your backup plan?

You get a last-minute invite to go out to an Italian restaurant. What are you ordering?

I’m a Canadian expat living abroad…currently in South East Asia. iHerb is the one source for low carb/keto products I can order from regardless of which part of the world I am living. What are your favourite low carb/keto iHerb finds? I have several favourite snacks and baking ingredients I currently order, and I know I can use the search feature, but I’m basically looking for products you’ve tried and recommend.