Ola mi amigos!

Finallyyyyyy! I've discovered enough healthy snacks and desserts that I tasted myself to make a list of junk-free treats! Perfect for us who are doing our best to live a life free from sugar and carbs! WOOOHOOOO!

I am so excited to share and write this! I can't believe this day has come! (There aren't really a lot of options for us keto-freaks, hence the enthusiasm. LOL.)

Ever since I started living high fat and low carb, I've been constantly on the hunt for keto-friendly treats for days when I'm too lazy to make my own. There were times in the past when I won't be able to resist the urge for junk food, but I'd always end up having stomach issues and migraines. SO NOT WORTH IT.

Today, it's been 2 months of strictly living keto again and I'm feeling better than ever! WOOT! I also only eat twice a day (lunch and dinner) as I am doing intermittent fasting everyday, so I eat these snacks before or after my meal. My coach Chad of Primed For Your Life said it's best to incorporate "snacking" with your meals. Besides, if you're living a high fat and low carb lifestyle, you'll always be full so there's really no need to eat every few hours, even for a little snack.

Please note that you can't indulge on some of these treats every single day just because it's junk-free, sugar-free, or keto-friendly. The point of keto is to get rid of sweet cravings so make sure the desserts and non-vegan food items on this list are pursued for what they are: TREATS. Like I said, I only run to these alternatives on the few occasions that I feel snack-y. In my personal opinion, it is still best to make and cook your own food so you know exactly what goes in it. 😊

Okay, enough rambling. Let's get to it! Here's the list of my favorite go-to ketogenic-friendly snacks that can easily be bought from a store—or online!


Kale Chips



A little expensive, but curbs my cravings for potato chips! Didn't know I liked nutritional yeast until I tasted Take Root's kale chips smothered with it!
Favorite flavors: Vegan Cheeze and Sour Kream 
Price: P220 for a 60-gram pack
Available in: takeroot.ph


Dr. Zevia Soda


Healthiest soda that ever existed. Sweetened with pure liquid stevia with no hidden maltodextrin! Maltodextrin is an artificial sweetener usually mixed with powdered stevia. It has a higher glycemic index than table sugar! Watch out for this ingredient in "sugar-free" products!
Favorite flavors: Ginger Ale, Ginger Root Beer. (Didn't like Strawberry and Lemon at all. I have yet to try Cola and Grape!)
Price: P69 per can
Available in: Healthy Options


Cheese


Please note that you must stay away from "processed cheddar cheese flavored slices." Just because it looks like a slice of cheese doesn't mean it's the real deal! Another way the food industry deceives the masses. KALOKA! It's a general rule of thumb that hard cheeses are lower in carbs—Grana Padano, Raclette, Manchego, and Parmesan are a few examples. Soft cheeses are okay too, just make sure to include the carb count in your allowed daily limit.
Favorite Types: Havarti, Camembert, Fresh Parmesan, Manchego, and Raclette. (I usually pick European brands or get from Rustan's deli section.)
Price: Depends on quantity and type of cheese
Available in: Most supermarkets and deli stores like Sänti's and Bacchus 


Cold Cuts


Perfect when I'm PMSing because I always crave for salty food!
Favorite Types: Spicy Salami, Prosciutto, and Jamon Serrano never fail to satisfy!
Price: Depends on quantity and kind of ham
Available in: Most supermarkets and deli stores like Sänti's and Bacchus 


Salted Duck Eggs


Obviously I have a weakness for salty stuvvs. LOL. I love the organic ones with really oily yolk, as oily as a pubescent kid's face. (EW LOL)
Favorite Type: Organic (Definitely NOT the red-shelled ones)
Price: P15++ per piece depending on size and brand
Available in: All supermarkets, wet markets (palengke), and organic markets


Daboy Chicharon 


If I'm craving for something crunchy and fatty, this is what I get my hands on! I usually prefer the mahangin chicharon over this, but there are days when I just need some o' dat back fat goodness. LOL! Perfect with spicy tuba vinegar! YUMMMMZ! (This is probably fried in vegetable oil that is loaded with trans fats, so I leave it up to your discernment whether to snack on this on not. If you do, please eat on very few occasions and in small amounts!)
Price: P180 per pack
Available in: Order through Daboy dealers (LOL seriously)! Look for them on OLX or ask me!



R. Lapid's Chicharon


This. This!!! R. Lapid's cocktail chicharon has become my replacement for corn chips when I make guac or nachos. Love this so much! It's so good dipped on some sour cream too! It's the vessel for all dips! LOL. It's also free from trans-fats which makes it the better choice of pork rind snack.
Price: Around P160 for the big pack
Available in: R. Lapid's stores


Seaweed


Olives


A jar of green olives is a staple in my home. I love pairing it with cold cuts and cheese or cooking with it!
Favorite Brand: Molinera (because it's cheap. LOL)
Price: P200++ for the biggest jar (depends on which supermarket you buy)
Available in: All supermarkets (I get mine from Pioneer Center)


Raw Whole Almonds


I love nuts. I used to eat peanuts (boiled or sun dried!) all the time until Chad corrected me and said peanuts aren't nuts, they're legumes. Since then, I only consumed almonds. Other nuts are okay too, but I find it hard to control myself specially with pistachios! Almonds the best for me, but still has to be consumed in small amounts as it can easily add to my allowed net carbs per day.
Favorite Brand: Heritage (only because it's the cheapest I could find!)
Price: P400-500 (depends on which supermarket you buy) for 500 grams
Available in: All supermarkets (I get mine from Pioneer Center)


Bucheron

This just bursts with umami goodness in your mouth. If you're wondering what bucheron is, it's chicken craw. It's like a part of their esophagus if I'm not mistaken. Weird, but this stuff is wildly good and packed with protein. It tastes like meaty potato chips. I LOVE IT. (This is probably fried in vegetable oil that is loaded with trans fats, so I leave it up to your discernment whether to snack on this on not. If you do, please eat on very few occasions and in small amounts!)
Favorite Brand: Rosalie's Spicy Bucheron
Price: P150 (small) and P250-P300 (large)


Baked Goodies by Patricia Noel


Patricia makes the best keto and paleo treats ever. AND I MEAN EVER!!! I'm so glad she exists! She only uses 70% dark chocolate in all her baked goods, so it's really low in sugar which is acceptable to some keto-erts (almost sugar-free!). For her flour, she only uses homemade coconut flour or almond flour. The best part? It's really gooooood, not like those "healthy" treats that taste like cardboard. LOL.
Favorite: Everything she bakes is goooooood, it's hard to pick just one! I LOVE ALL OF THEM!
Price: P1,100 for the cake (8 inches in diameter); P70 each muffin (minimum order of 12 pieces); P60 for the chocolate chip cookie (minimum order of 10 pieces).
Available per order: Contact Patricia via mobile 0917 630 4486


Sugar-free Brazo De Mercedes


When my mom sent me a photo of this sugar-free dessert via Telegram from La Brazorria De Lasevil, I just drooled. But before I fantasized about this eggy goodness in my mouth, I had to ask what sweetener they use since some artificial sweeteners can still spike blood sugar. Apparently they use isomalt, which has a glucose index (GI) of 2, which makes it perfect for me and diabetics. As for the dairy used in the yolk, they only use butter. IT'S PERFECT. However, please note that isomalt must be consumed is little doses (as a treat) since it can have laxative effects if taken in moderate to large amounts. Besides, one slice is all you need to get high on sweetness!
Favorite Type: Brazo De Oscar (this is what they call their sugar-free Brazo De Mercedes)
Price: P500 (half roll) and P850 (full roll)
Available in: La Brazorria De Lasevil store branches in Ayala The 30th and SM Aura


No Sugar Added Ice Cream


Aaaaah. Arce Dairy LITE saves the day. It took a long time for me to find the perfect sugar-free ice cream for the same reasons that not all artificial sweeteners are the same. I was so happy when I found out that they use sugar alcohol xylitol, which has a very low GI of 2. It must be said that "no sugar added" and "sugar-free" are NOT the same thing. No sugar added means other ingredients used may have a slight sugar content in it, and for this case, Arce Dairy can't claim that their lite ice cream is sugar free since they use (Carabao) milk which has lactose in it. Sugar-free means there is 0 sugar in it, but doesn't always mean it's healthy, as the food industry has concocted non-sugar sweeteners that actually have a higher GI than sugar itself.
Favorite Flavors: Cappuccino, Mantecado, and Cheese
Price: P105 per scoop, P200++ for a pint, P600++ for half a gallon
Available in: Arce Dairy stores and most supermarkets 

Another brand that offers no sugar added ice cream is Fruits in Ice Cream (FIC). They use aspartame as their sweetener. Though there have been different opinions on aspartame as an acceptable sweeter, I think there's no harm in consuming if you only do it once in a blue moon. If you do decide to get ice cream from FIC, I suggest to get either Cafe Latte or Vanilla only, as the other flavors may have a significant amount of sugar in it from fruits or chocolate ingredients (Mangoes and Cream, Belgian Chocolate, and Choco Marble).


Low Glycemic Chocolate Bar


Fifty 50 is the best sugar-free chocolate I've ever tasted. It's very creamy, and sweetener used are isomalt and sucralose (NOT Splenda), both low glycemic sugar alcohols. 1 whole bar has 14 squares, and 7 squares equate to 1 serving. Note that 1 serving is equivalent to a total of 18 net carbs, so when I do eat this to curb chocolate cravings, I only eat 2 squares—approximately 5 net carbs already. Takes a fifth of my allowed 25 grams a day, but it's pretty worth it (specially when I'm PMSing)!
Favorite Brand: Fifty 50's Milk Chocolate Bar
Price: P245 each
Available in: Healthy Options


And there you have it! I hope this list helps you make better choices in picking snacks and desserts. Please note that chicharon and bucheron may not be exactly healthy if you're not living a high fat and low carb lifestyle. If you find keto-friendly desserts or snacks, please tell me about it! I love discovering new brands and products that make my lifestyle a more convenient for the lazy days. 😊

Answer this question:

In this particular video ad, what is Kenny Rogers selling?

A. Garlic Butter Roast Chicken (Product)
B. Solenn Heussaff (Endorser)
C. Fitness
D. Sex

And the correct answer is, letter D, sex.

Now before you say what an overreacting Christian feminist I am, please allow me to unpack each answer and explain why I believe, as a media literacy advocate, that Kenny Rogers is selling sex, instead of all the other options mentioned.

❌ A. Chicken 

To the unknowing consumer, of course it's just automatic to assume Kenny Rogers is selling chicken in their new commercial. Besides, isn't Kenny Rogers the name that made roasted chicken famous? (I mean, apart from country records? LOL.) But, here's what I noticed. Something was lacking if indeed chicken is the product being sold here. Where are the food "porn" shots of that perfectly seasoned chicken skin, fresh off the rotisserie? Where's the zoomed in shot of chicken meat being sliced to reveal that juicy, flavorful meat? WHERE ARE THE MONEY SHOTS OF THE DARN ROASTED CHICKEN???

Well, you don't see it because it's not what the video is trying to sell.


❌ B. Solenn Heussaff

Assessing the true message of this ad in my mind, I asked myself: If it's not chicken they're selling, then maybe it's their brand endorser, Solenn. But as I continued to analyze the video, the more it revealed to me that NOPE! It's also not Solenn. Here's why. If they were truly banking on Solenn Heussaff and using her to sell the chicken, they wouldn't have depicted her as this hot chick (pun intended) eating their chicken like she was having passionate sex on the brink of an orgasm. They would have made the video in a way that Solenn's personality shines through—her kakengkoyan, her realness, her personality. In short, they would've showcased her personhood—what makes Solenn distinctly Solenn.


❌ C. Fitness

A clear advertisement from Kenny Rogers selling FITNESS through their food products.

I've seen billboards of Kenny Rogers, and as a receiver of their ad's messages, I hear them loud and clear when they say they're a healthy brand. Kenny Rogers is indeed a wiser fast food option for people who are pursuing wellness, as compared to eating chicken from other chains like say, Jollibee, McDonald's, or KFC. And looking at the kinds of food they offer, they're not lying IF you know what items to order off their menu. From the perspective of someone on a high fat and low carb lifestyle, of course I'd tell you to skip the muffins, fruits (fructose = sugar), mac and cheese (and all the other carbo sides for that matter), gravy (has flour), and salad dressings laden with sugar. Roasted chicken is healthy paired with greens and salads. So like what I mentioned, if you do know what to order, getting a meal from Kenny Rogers can be gains for your health. Now, going back to my point (apologies for digressing). What I really want to say here is fitness isn't what's being sold in this particular advertisement. If this was the case, then the video would've highlighted or connected anything that shouts FITNESS through eating right.

You could argue that showing off the fit body of Solenn—as this video kept zooming in on her body parts—can be connected to fitness, and I won't say you're completely wrong. However, in that argument, fitness is only secondary to the main message of the ad. With how concise mainstream media has to be to communicate what they're marketing effectively, they should've been more clear and blatant about the fitness message. Besides, as evident in this Kenny Rogers ad (above) with athletes as their endorsers from years back, they do know how to promote their products through fitness.


✔ D. Sex

Like I said, brands are very meticulous with the message of their advertisements and this is why they have total control of what their endorser's image will convey. If you study advertisements closely, you will notice that companies usually make their brand colors visible through their endorser's clothing. If the brand is targeting a younger market, they get a young celebrity that appeals to this specific market. If it's a product for mothers, they get a mother to represent their business. If they have a tag line, they make sure their endorser says this over and over again for easy recall or they create a catchy jingle out of it.

That being said, let's break this steamy video down. First of all, Solenn is wearing a very skimpy outfit, (akin to Beyonce's vibe in her music video, Crazy In Love, which is about a woman obsessing over her male lover to the point of insanity). Cropped white tank plus short shorts combo. On top of that, they made her wear a belly button ring. It is a fact that an outfit communicates a message to the world. This is why uniforms are important, and why certain gatherings require a specific kind of ensemble for its attendees. So now I ask, who is she speaking to while wearing this kind of outfit? Do you think it's her mother? Her brother? Her girlfriends? Women? Of course not. To put it bluntly and simply, her vibe as depicted through her outfit, is talking to men.




Now, the setting. She is filmed in a studio with a dim background, with nothing else to distract you from. It sort of sets that mood of intimacy. This insists on getting your full and undivided attention as you watch the video. Let's move on to her body language. The video starts off with Solenn licking her lips, then she proceeds to eat the roasted chicken with no utensils, just her bare hands. This alone wants to set the tone of sensuality. As she pulls the chicken leg to dip it in the gravy, her breasts act a background for the scene. I can go on and on to prove how her body language screams F*CK ME!, but I'm sure that's been well established at this point. The entire video goes on with her eating the garlic butter chicken like she's having sex, with shots of her bending over, eating the chicken from above her head (somewhat similar to porn scenes of a woman giving oral sex), and other unnatural and unrealistic movements that no other woman on this planet has ever done while eating a piece of chicken.

The summation of all the factors in this video reveals what is truly being sold: SEX.

Not chicken, not fitness, and not Solenn. The advertisers behind Kenny Rogers merely used her body as an object of sexual desire, which gives me the impression that this video would have still successfully sent the sex message across even if they used any other hot, over-sexualized female celebrity in the country, like Ellen Adarna or Kim Domingo.

And what's even more disappointing about all this is that Kenny Rogers claims to be a family-friendly restaurant, and yet I've just seen this hyper-sexualized video playing on loop outside their restaurant last Saturday in PowerPlant Mall.

Now, why am I spending my valuable time to break down the message of this ad?

Because I am grieved and angered at how cheap the majority of the advertising industry have portrayed our bodies as women. They degrade our womanhood, crumple it up, force it in a box, and label it BEAUTY and SEX—as if that's all there is to every single one of us. From petrol to electric fan to canned tuna, it's always the half naked body of a female that is plastered next to a product while posing seductively—emphasizing all the more that women are nothing but sexual objects ready to be conquered and dominated.

Is there no other way to sell things these days other than using a woman's body as a commodity? Other than making her act like a hyper-sexualized piece of meat to garner hits and likes? I don't think so. If only advertisers exert more effort and not choose the easy and "guaranteed" tactic of "sex sells," there are so many other ways to creatively execute an ad campaign.


Some alternatives:

• Best of both worlds: Highlight the functional benefit of the product being GARLIC BUTTER flavor AND ROASTED CHICKEN in one dish. If the brand truly believes in their product, then they can easily use its functional attributes: the roast chicken's taste, nutritional benefits, and value for money. If this was the route they took, then there wouldn't have been a need to symbolize how "yummy" their chicken is with a half naked woman, over-sexualizing and objectifying herself. 
• Demystify a Garlic Butter Roast Chicken: Show uniqueness by breaking away from the traditional ways of seasoning a roast chicken; that other savory flavors can be used aside from the usual salt and pepper combination. They could've revealed more of the whole chicken in the video, and not the body of their endorser.

I am passionately compelled to speak up against this sort of ads, as this perpetuates the message that women are mere objects, and never subjects. Solenn here is stripped away of her humanity and personhood, and is portrayed doing something as mundane as eating (eating!!! I mean, come on, seriously guys) for the visual and sexual pleasure of the male gaze.

And we like to comfort ourselves by singing along with Beyoncè when she said girls run the world?

What a delusion.

Ads like this one greatly affect how women perceive themselves. It contributes to the conditioning that the value of women is ultimately based on how attractive they look to the male gaze, and their sexual functions.

"Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only most relations between men and women but also the relation of women to themselves. The surveyor of woman in herself is male: the surveyed female. Thus she turns herself into an object—and most particularly an object of vision: just a sight."

—John Berger

As long as the media keeps celebrating girls who look like goddesses but have zero respect for others *cough*GeorginaWilsonAndPosse*cough*, as long as we edify women for having beautifully curated Instagram feeds but do nothing for the betterment of our world and the flourishing of our society, and as long as no one speaks out, then we continue to uphold the standards of beauty far above our characters. No wonder our society is slowly dwindling away in terms of morality, decency, and values. Every day, we are being sold the lie that all of these things that make up our core can take a backseat as long as our bodies, our looks, and our possessions are visually tantalizing. And the sad reality is, many are buying.

If this resonates with you, please share this article. As consumers, we can do something when advertisers and companies send us demeaning messages. We don't have to keep taking the hit. If we do, then just imagine the future our daughters and sons will live in. If we raise awareness and speak up against the hyper-sexualized representation of genders (Kenny Rogers also launched another "BTS" video where Solenn's husband, Nico Bolzico, objectifies himself too), then maybe this can make them think twice about the messages they convey to us before publishing any of their ads.

I've become a coward.

What happened to me?

I got lost in the midst of it all.

Where did my voice go?

All of a sudden there was this pause—a doubt, a fear, a back and forth of sureness and irresolution—that always ended at keeping my mouth closed the moment I wanted to say something relevant.

I suddenly felt caught in between two things: wanting to speak the truth as a media literacy advocate and wanting to belong in the media industry.

But no one can serve two masters at once. It's impossible to be friends with the mainstream media while raising awareness about the messages they send and how it negatively affects our society.

Something's gotta give.

For a brief period of time, my priorities got muddled and somehow, I got persuaded that my ultimate purpose is to look good on Instagram, to sexualize myself while (ironically) screaming "WOMEN EMPOWERMENT!" and to make sure I was visible enough to get invited to all these lavish media events that gathered famous people together.

At the stillness of it all, when the shoots were over and my Instagram's notification ceased to alert with new followers... While I rested in my own existence... I started to question myself. What were my reasons for doing what I didn't want to do, and for not doing what I wanted to do?

I wanted to be accepted, and remain accepted.

But then I asked myself again. By who? By people who only knew 2 things about me—my name and what I do? Who did I want acceptance from, really? People who only acknowledged me with feigned hi's and besos the moment they felt I was "famous" enough and on the same "level" as them?

I guess I'm not as good and deep and mature as I'd like to think I am.

Because apparently, the free tickets, the exclusive access, and the sponsorships all toyed with my head. My deceitful heart eventually turned to it as a shallow source of ego boost. I enjoyed feeling good about the idea that perhaps, "I made it" since I'm rubbing elbows with esteemed people with big names. It gave me some sort of validation, and like a drug, I soon kept craving for that jolt of self-importance that exclusive invites and VIP treatments sparked.

How superficial of me. This isn't who I am.

Or at least this isn't the kind of person I want to be.

I.
AM.
DONE.

I am done pretending I'm fine with petty conversations about who's dating who, who's sleeping with who, and who bought the latest designer shoes.

I am done pretending to believe that this hyper-sexualized road where body positivity is going is indeed truly body positive. I admit that I jumped the bandwagon of the sexualized portrayal of plus size models not so long ago, and it is something I deeply regret today.

I am done pretending I have nothing to say about magazines, commercials, TV and radio shows that really only perpetuate the objectification of women.

To know my best angle in photos, curate my Instagram feed, and be an "online influencer" (of consumerism) is not why I am here. This is not my calling.

And instead of wanting to be accepted for all the wrong reasons, it's time I accept myself completely and what I am set to do.

Now that I see it for what it is—now that I am back in harmony with my inner self—I realize that I fell into the pressure of keeping up with all the others. In feed aesthetic, in likes, in followers.

This is why I obsessed with getting that perfect #ootd shot to the point of having my twin sister take a million photos of me in the middle of a backdrop-worthy street (my pose needs to be on point while staging it to look as natural as possible; my face and hair have to look great, there shouldn't be someone in the background, and my outfit has to be stiff and wrinkle-free). This is why I forced myself to go to certain events that I wasn't really keen on for the sake of attendance, since all the "Insta-famous" personalities will be present. I wanted to show everyone I was included—that I was "worthy" just like all of them. This is why I found myself riding the trend of this so-called brand of body positivity, which is really nothing but plus size women objectifying themselves, selling sex to the male gaze, just so we can push our online magazine mainstream.

The more I preoccupied myself with things that did not feel true to my soul, things that I felt were not adding value to my life, the more I lost my voice. The more the passion in my heart slowly fizzled out.

And for this, I am sincerely and genuinely sorry. To myself and to everyone.

I became apprehensive to speak my truths as I put on this mask of an acceptable, likable, version of myself.

I became reluctant to make a stand because I got scared of who I might offend when I expose the harmful and often dumb messages communicated by the (mainstream) media. I got scared of losing the privileges, the VIP invites, and the prestige of being a guest writer for mainstream publications.

NOT ANYMORE.

I can't do this anymore.

I cannot stay inauthentic to myself and to everyone around me in exchange of being well-liked and hater-free.

Because even if other people remained liking me, I was beginning to hate me.

It was a cheap trade off that I do not deserve.

I need to free myself from this bondage of pleasing people.

I know what needs to be done, and this time, it will be done (LORD, HAAAAALP!). My soul is dying to speak up against women's issues (even if it means calling out my fellow sisters too), and stand up to the degrading, sex-centric ideals that the mainstream media is shoving down everyone's throats. It's turning everyone into zombies who don't dare question anything.

I just cannot sit down and watch everyone be deceived by their definitions of manhood and womanhood. It is affecting all of us and it is shaping our culture and society today.

I can't do this anymore. It is destroying me.

It is killing my soul.

Am I saying that I'm personally blacklisting myself from media industry?

OF COURSE NOT.

All I'm saying is from here on out, everything else is taking a backseat as I live out my true purpose and calling. I'm still part of the media industry, and I will use this as leverage to wake people up. I'm still going to attend events, but only those I deem beneficial to my time and my brand. I am NOT taking myself out of the industry that provides and brings food to our table, BUT I will not water down my beliefs and what I stand for just for the sake of getting features. I am ridding myself of this great fear of living out my true calling just so I do not step on other people's toes.

I am still going to pursue my modeling career because I believe representation matters. But I am ready to refuse projects and shoots that will only portray me like I am some piece of meat. I no longer want to add to the millions of images that represent women as a sexual object, sending this (body) message loud and clear to the male audience: "I'm ready to have sex with you, I am yours for the taking!" (Just look at the majority of mainstream ads today. Read the poses, the body language, and the facial expressions of the female models. What is the message they're communicating?)

My purpose as I pass through this earth is to use my voice to speak the Truth in a world full of lies.

I just really, truly, and sincerely—with every fiber of my being—want to talk about relevant issues (nothing concerning the Kardashians) and start conversations that truly matter with my sphere of influence. I want to provoke thought and make everyone see that there is more to women than showing off their boobs and butts while wearing the "F*ck me!" gaze. I want to draw the line between true empowerment and self-objectification. (If you study the relationship of SUBJECT vs. OBJECT, the object will always be subordinate to its subject, because it is just always waiting to be acted upon. The subject is always the doer. Will share more data and studies on this soon!)

I want to help men realize they are not the hyper-masculine, sex-crazed maniacs that majority of the mainstream media persuades them they are.

I want to set women free from the sexy lie that's been embedded in our culture. I want to show them a liberating way to live, one that doesn't involve constant body monitoring and the fixation to attract boys. I want to redefine womanhood according to God's truths and standards. I want to teach them that CHARACTER still matters, even if the world shows otherwise. I want them to grow up knowing their inherent value, and realizing that their capabilities are far greater than learning how to contour and wear false eyelashes. I want them to know that there are other options of women they can look up to, not just these sex symbols the media celebrates for showing off their butt implants and lip fillers.

I need to speak the Truth louder and bolder because it will never be handed out freely by the world. It will never be televised to enlighten everyone.

The Truth is to be sought out, and I know deep in my heart, mind, and soul that I am called to help bring the Truth to light. This doesn't mean I won't sound offensive at times, because the Truth can sound like hate to those who hate the Truth—but I will do my best with God's guidance to speak in Love and Compassion.

I'd rather be hated by some and live out my purpose than die a thousand deaths before I rest in my grave for being a coward.

I did keto primarily for the health benefits over the weight-loss, so I didn’t have the mindset of committing to it only until I “see results.” I was willing to give the ketogenic “diet” a shot as a true lifestyle change, and not just a short-program to get a “summer body.” I entered the gates of a high-fat low-carb lifestyle with all abandon of my sugar and carb consumption. I dove right in without setting a due date when I'd stop keto and go back to eating rice and breads. I was already feeling unwell in my body. I knew what I ate was a big factor that contributed to it, and I needed to do something about it.



Of course adjusting to anything new, whether it be new surroundings, a new job, or in my case, a new lifestyle, is guaranteed to have challenges. From feeding my body sugar and carbs my entire life, switching to a high-fat low-carb lifestyle was tough.





C H A L L E N G E S // D I F F I C U L T I E S

• Keto Flu: This is the phase where I was experiencing headache, fatigue, and diarrhea just to name a few symptoms. This is completely normal and part of the process of getting keto-adapted. I must say, this is one the biggest challenges I had to power through as I transitioned and adjusted to the keto lifestyle.
• Weighing everything I ate and logging it on My Fitness Pal: I bought a food scale and literally had to force myself to weigh everything I ate and cooked. On top of that, I had to make sure I logged everything on My Fitness Pal app—and I mean everything. At first this felt like a tedious task, but eventually I got used to it until it became second-nature to me. In all honesty, I used to think people who did this was just way too obsessed with their diet, but I realized that though others may be doing this as a means of restriction for weight-loss, my reasons are quite far from it. I needed to make sure I hit my macros daily (70% fat - 25% protein -5% carbs) and measuring everything was the only way to do it. 
• Finding low carb and sugar-free options: Whenever I find recipes for mouth-watering keto dishes, I always get surprised seeing low carb tortillas or stevia-sweetened chocolates in the ingredients list. Unfortunately, we don’t have similar choices here in the Philippines. The only common options we have are between full-fat and low-fat which sucks. I think this is part of the food industry's programming for us to keep vilifying fat and keep picking low-fat food products, which by the way, are loaded with sugar. (READ THE LABELS!!!) *sigh* The only way for me to enjoy really good food (even sugar-free desserts!) while staying within my allowed net carbs for the day is to make everything from scratch.
• Ditching food events: Around 3 months into strict keto, there was one instance when Danah and I were invited to a food crawl. When we got there, I told myself maybe 1 bite of the carbo or sugary dish they served wouldn’t hurt. WRONG! The following day I couldn’t get out of bed due a tummy ache and a fever, and I knew it was my body’s reaction to the mac and cheese nachos (I KNOW RIGHT, CARB OVERLOAD) plus the breaded chicken wings I ate from the event. Apparently, my body has become intolerant to glucose, hence feeling sick when fed it. Lesson learned—there is no point for me in joining a food crawl event because I'm there to taste what they serve, not pick whatever is just keto-friendly. Unless I get invited to a restaurant that serves meats and salads that are keto-friendly and have the freedom to write it from that angle, then I’d rather not go and look like an annoying picky eater.
• Watching people eat sugar and carbs: The world didn’t care if I was on the brink of an emotional breakdown due to the adjustment period of quitting sugar and carbs, and watching them enjoy a slice of Sbarro deep dish pizza or a Krispy Kreme doughnut made things worse! I had to remind myself the reasons why I eliminated sugar and carbs from my life, and it made me hold on to doing keto. I had to keep telling myself that what I'm doing is not a form of deprivation or torture (like how a lot of people view it) because I am actually gaining health benefits from it, far more than the shallow reason of merely losing weight. Eating high-fat and low-carb is healing my body and pushing me closer towards the path of total wellness.
• Getting used to taking coconut oil: In order to hit my fat macros, there were days when I had to take coconut oil by the tablespoons—sometimes I needed a lot that I just poured it in a shot glass. It’s just gross to actually drink coconut oil, but hey, I needed to hit my macros for keto to work.
• Explaining keto to folks on the traditional high-carb diet: Whenever I turned down rice, breads, and pastas but ask for a plate of steak with extra butter on it, I got weird looks from friends and family. “No sugar and carbs but all that fat?!” was a common thing to hear. Of course, I had to patiently explain the main lessons I’ve learned from Fed Up and That Sugar Film. I also reminded myself that I didn't need to convince anyone to believe me. I know what I was getting myself into and I had to accept that not everyone will understand right away, specially with how the mainstream media shoves down the "balanced diet + overexercising" formula of health down our throats.
• Putting my foot down when friends and family offer sugar and carbs: I get it, when you’re eating something really delicious, you want others to experience the same pleasure in your tastebuds. This is always the case when I’m out with my mom—she orders dessert, takes a bite, lights up with excitement and hurriedly offers me a bite. I say no, she says "you can always start tomorrow!" LOL. I must admit, there were times when I’d give in to my mom and other people to be polite (also when it’s a friend’s mom who cooked the dish!), but I only end up hating myself because I’d get a massive migraine or stomach issue after a few minutes. This day, I’ve learned to just politely say no with conviction and explain that I’m intolerant to all kinds of sugar and processed carbs. 
• Not exercising as often as I thought I should: I learned from my wellness coach, Chad Davis, that exercising isn't really the main key to wellness. He even says it's overrated! The main factors to wellness are what you eat, getting sunshine, getting enough sleep and other principles that I am not allowed to disclose anymore. (You'll have to contact Chad to know the other secrets to wellness that he taught me! 😁) I was shocked at first, because I've always thought that a healthy diet must always be hand in hand with regular workout, but according to him, this isn't necessarily always the case. My research also backed up what Chad told me. Overdoing your workout could even be harmful to your body, as rest is essential for the muscles to grow and for the exercise to take effect. I used to think that 3 times a week is the MINIMUM, but I later on learned that working out (preferably high intensity interval training) only twice a week AT MOST is recommended when you're on the keto diet. NOTE: I am not saying this should be the case for everyone. The frequency of your workout and the type of workout you do also depends on the macros you consume. I'm just talking strictly about my what is recommended for my body according to my research and my coach.
• Learned to drink whiskey: For the record, I rarely drink anymore. But when I do, my choice of drink is whiskey. On the rocks, with a splash of water. It's one of the keto-approved liquors that's 0 carb and 0 sugar (among vodka, gin, and tequila) that doesn't make me act like a fool or give me a terrible headache unlike vodka or tequila. (Besides, graduate na ako sa vodka and tequila days ko. LOL!) There are certain wines and beers that are acceptable and low-carb, but I didn't want to worry about counting and including my drinks in my allowed net carbs per day.

S T U M B L I N G  B L O C K S 

I started doing strict keto around August 2016, and I really surprised myself after going 4-months strong with no sugar and no carbs. I didn't cheat, not even once! I never thought I'd be able to last that long, and I was beginning to feel invincible. At this point, I'm unstoppable! I thought to myself. However, pride does come before the fall. LOL. When Christmas came, I started justifying that it's a reason to celebrate ~with sugar and carbs~, so why not indulge a little. Our family spent Christmas eve at The Manor Hotel in Baguio, and what truly called out to me during our buffet dinner was the puto bumbong station. I kept passing by it and smelling it, and at some point, I just gave in. I got myself 2 pieces of that rich, purple, kakanin goodness, topped with loads of butter, shaved coconut meat, and a little sprinkle of muscovado sugar. DAMN. It felt good in my mouth. I was in kakanin heaven, and because I haven't learned from my past mistakes, I told myself a little bit of giving in wouldn't do me any harm.




The next day, I had a terrible migraine with matching stomach constipation. I knew it's from that sinful puto bumbong. However, I didn't let my tastebuds stop ruling over me after that. I convinced myself cheating once a month is okay, and a headache is not all that bad when you've enjoyed sweets or carby goodies in exchange for it. So come 2017, I became more lenient to the "occasional" indulgences. I loved Family Mart's soft serve, and I made it my PMS treat. Told myself I'd only allow it once a month when it's that time of the month, but lo and behold, I was on an ice cream run every two weeks not long after. Soon enough, it became every week. I got so hooked that I'd Uber from my place to the nearest Family Mart just to get a fix. LOL. I was starting to lose control. There were also times when I'd be so emotional on my PMS that I wouldn't even think about the aftermath—I'd just dial the hotline for Jollibee or KFC or Shakey's and order myself chicken and fries and/or a thin crust pizza. (DAMN YOU, FAST FOOOOOOOOOOD!) Since I'd crossed over to consuming fast food again, I told myself I might as well have a giga serving of Potato Corner's sour cream and spicy barbecue fries at some point too.

Stumbling once and justifying my cheating just snowballed into consuming all the things I wasn't supposed to. Tsk.

I never really completely let go of the keto warrior in me to the point of eating carbs and sugar everyday. Since I was intolerant, I suffered terrible consequences. Every time I ate fast food, I had indigestion to the point of vomiting to feel better. If I didn't puke it out, I'd get fever. It was terrible. I had intense migraines, stomach issues, and mood swings. I knew at this point that letting myself have cheat meals (even if it's just once in a while) meant increasing my cravings for more sugary and carbo food. I just couldn't control it and I had to stop as soon as possible.




I also had to accept that I'm really the "go hard or go home" type of person. Either I'm all in or I'm not. I knew in my heart and mind that it was time to get back on the keto train and quit looking back. Besides, it's not like the keto life is restrictive. It's truly all about perspective. It dawned on me that living high-fat and low-carb is not a sad and limiting life. I just had to exert effort and stop being lazy in making and preparing my own food. If I really wanted desserts or "bread", there were a lot of keto-friendly alternatives. It's as simple as that—although it's not always easy. This lifestyle made me become responsible to woman up and be a better and more creative cook, and just stop eating what isn't good for me and whine about getting sick afterwards.

Last month (June 2017), I dusted myself off, got out of the cheating cycle, and started again. I prayed for God to strengthen me too, as I really wanted to take this high-fat low-carb lifestyle seriously. There were a few minor slips in the beginning after I recommitted, but I can truthfully say that today, I am strong in the midst of temptations. I no longer feel jealous and antsy whenever someone eats sugary treats in front of me. I can even hang out inside Krispy Kreme and have a staring contest with all the doughnuts! LOL. I rewatched my favorite documentary, Fed Up, to reiterate why I am doing this.





I've learned so much in my season of cheating. I've learned that I need to get rid of my "minsan lang naman" mentality because really, gaano ba kadalas ang minsan? LOL! But seriously. This is just not helpful for me, specially as someone with an addictive personality. The cheating only becomes a trigger to want more. From cheating once a month to going on binges once or twice a week, I'd rather not be triggered and give a flat out N to the O every time there are sugary and carbo temptations.

As I keep pressing on in this journey, it's starting to become engrained in my head that saying "pass" to sugar and carbs doesn't mean I'm missing out on anything. It doesn't mean I'm kawawa or on the losing side of a gastronomical treat when all my friends and family are eating a decadent chocolate cake and I'm not.

Saying no actually means gaining something, and to me, it's health, wellness, energy, and productivity. 

I love the keto life, and I pray everyday that I never slip back to my old ways!

May God help me and sustain me! WOOHOOO!

Hey bbys!

I know I promised a lot of you blogs/vlogs on my wellness and fitness journey (I even remember opening a direct message with a tone of annoyance from a follower demanding for the posts, LOL!), but I've been so busy and/or lazy and fickle-minded. I couldn't decide whether to film it or write it! I actually have a pending project in my iMovie because I filmed a vlog about this, but while editing it felt like I was saying so much in the video that my thoughts were just all over the place. So here I am, finally decided that I might as well just write this very essential post down: the long overdue blog sharing the beginning of my ketogenic/high-fat low carb lifestyle.


I quit sugar and carbs almost a year ago, around August in 2016. Before starting, I was at my heaviest weight. I was around 220 pounds and wearing a UK size 16. Now, to be very clear, I didn't do it because I wanted to lose weight. You've seen me model in my lingerie and be my same old ~bold and fearless~ self even at my biggest. I was even rocking my red hair then! I was far from feeling insecure. I just want to make it very clear that it wasn't because I felt ugly or "too big" or whatever.

I was actually starting to feel uncomfortable in my body, functionally. I was always lethargic, I got exhausted easily, and I was just mostly unproductive. I tried working out at the gym with a personal trainer while subscribing to calorie-counted meal deliveries, but it felt like torture. I wasn't looking forward to hitting the gym or eating the packed meals. Getting active and eating, the two things that are supposed to be enjoyable to make you want to keep doing it, became such a chore to me. I found myself always cancelling with my trainer and throwing out leftovers from the delivered meals because I just found it too bland and gross. In three words: NOT. FOR. ME.


I've heard about the ketogenic diet from a good girl friend while we were on a beach trip in Zambales. She was telling me that it was the best "diet" (I hate how this word has two different meanings!) she ever did because she got to enjoy bacon, steaks, cheeses, and butter while on it. (She fell back into consuming sugar and carbs and is struggling to get back to keto.) While hearing this, I got really confused. LIKE, REALLY??? THIS IS A "DIET"??? Won't you die from a heart attack? And to unintentionally add to my confusion, she also reiterated the health benefits she gained on it—the increased energy, focus, and productivity. (Side note: she also dropped 20 pounds during the first 3 months.) HINDI KO MA-GETS. I kept bugging her about my doubts like a broken record because it just seemed like a big, fat, joke (pun intended). I mean, all my life I've been told that eating less, exercising more—and most of all—avoiding fat was THE WAY to health and wellness. And then here's the ketogenic diet being presented to me which is so counter-intuitive. It's basically EATING FATTY FOOD and getting healthy on it.

I started reading about it when I got back from that trip. When I'm interested in something, I really do my research and geek out on it. I watched YouTube videos and read up on articles and forums about the ketogenic diet. I came across so many testimonials from people swearing by it, saying it's the easiest diet they ever did and how it turned into a lifestyle they won't ever stop living.

SO MANY THINGS TO LEARN AND UNLEARN ABOUT HEALTHY EATING!!!

I was 90% convinced from all the information I discovered, and watching the eye-opening documentary, Fed Up (it's also on Netflix) just sealed the deal for me. It gave me a whole new perspective on health and wellness, and told me the truth about the political side of the food industry. It was then that I realized the food industry DOES NOT CARE ABOUT OUR WELL-BEING AND OUR HEALTH, and felt so angry from all the years of deception. It was pretty much all I needed to be so determined to quit sugar and carbs. In a fortunate turn of events, a friend who's a fitness enthusiast randomly messaged me preaching about keto, asking if I'd be game to participate in his ketogenic coaching program for free. And that was it. I jumped in the bandwagon and gave this high-fat low-carb way of eating a shot.

Despite feeling very motivated to start keto, it didn't change the fact that quitting sugar and carbs is one of the hardest tasks I put upon myself as I transitioned to a new lifestyle. I mean, come on. I'm the biggest sugar addict I know. I could eat 4 Krispy Kreme doughnuts in one sitting. I can eat spoonfuls of Nutella until my throat hurt when I'm PMS-ing. I loooooove chocolates and ice cream and all kinds of desserts. They've given me comfort at some low points in my life. This has got to be one of the hardest things I've ever done. Waaaaaay harder than quitting drugs, to be honest. (Sugar is 8x more addictive than cocaine, so I guess this makes perfect sense. Watch the documentary That Sugar Film too!)

BUT, to feel and see the benefits of keto, I had to do what I had to do. Without knowing how I'd survive, I completely let go sugar and carbs like a nasty old ex and told myself there is no turning back!

Past life as a sugar and carb addict!

Prior to starting, I learned to read labels. I learned that 4 grams of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon, and knowing this truly shocked me as to how much sugar are in our every day food. Even ones that are marketed as healthy or have the word "fit" or "organic" on it! I also got an idea of the different names these food companies cunningly replace the word sugar with. The moment I saw any of it as a listed ingredient, I didn't buy it. There is just so much hidden sugars in food you'd never assume to have that an unaware person can easily surpass the daily allowance of 4-6 teaspoons a day.

After knowing the truth that fat isn't bad and sugar is the real culprit and enemy here, I became a sugar nazi. If there was even as little as 2 grams of sugar in a food product, I ditched it. I was sick of feeling tired all the time and knowing that my body wasn't living up to its full potential. I wanted to have a healthier body from the inside out, and during day 1 of living a keto lifestyle, I just went berserk in my kitchen. I threw out everything that had sugar in it—from ketchups, to salad dressings, to canned food, to "healthy sugar" (no such thing) like muscovado and coco sugar.  I even sold my Hurom juicer because that machine basically extracts all the sugar from fruits in the form of juice while removing all the good fiber in it. It's crazy how for the longest time I believed that juicing is healthy and beneficial! Of course, I also got rid of everything that's processed carbs—breads, pancake mix, pasta, breadings, cornstarch, and instant sauces (curries and gravies) to name a few.

Obviously, I was serious about this pursuit, and I knew if I had any food to cheat with in the condo, I was only setting myself up to fail.

I then replaced all the sugary and carby foods in my kitchen with some keto necessities. These became my new obsession and food staples—avocados, eggs, butter, uncured bacon, stevia (as my new sweetener), heavy cream (for my coffee), cream cheese, cheeses, sour cream, meats, and lots and lots of greens. For snacks, I stocked up on almonds and chicharon!

Danah and I, during the first few weeks of adapting to keto

The first two weeks were the hardest. I had chronic headache, I felt over fatigued and feverish. I had such terrible mood swings that Danah and I felt like we were always on the verge of killing each other. We were always so short-tempered and snapping at each other over the pettiest and most random things! LOL. This might sound really bad—well, it was really bad—but this is normal and part of the adjustment process. These symptoms are some of what makes the "keto flu" and how it manifests varies from person to person. This happens because the body doesn't know where to get energy since it's used to burning glucose (from sugar and carbs), then all of a sudden it's nowhere to be found. This is the process of keto adaptation, and although it's hell, it's worth persevering for. Once my body got used to this lifestyle, all the symptoms were gone for good!

Here's my version of the keto flu, and again I want to reiterate that THESE ARE ALL NORMAL AND TEMPORARY as my body was still adjusting to using fat as its main energy source.

• Chronic headache: lasted for about 2-3 weeks. I used magnesium citrate to help relieve this.
• Over fatigue and feeling weak: lasted for about 3-4 weeks. I just had to endure this and made sure I wasn't exercising, going out, or doing too much activities.
• Feverish: happened a few times over the course of the first month. I just slept this off and made sure I drank lots of water.
• Mood swings: my head always hurt, I removed a sugar and carbs from my life (a source of comfort). I felt exhausted all the time and it wasn't easy adjusting. I became very irritable and short-tempered.
• Heart palpitations: this one comes and goes, but it happened quite often. This caused a lot sleepless nights for me during the first month.
• Diarrhea: Okay, this might be TMI and a bit gross, but this must be discussed. I had the keto diarrhea for 2 WHOLE MONTHS, and that shit stank so baaaaad. This is also normal, as I was doing an overhaul on my diet and my digestive system wasn't used to dealing with too much fat. I just had to sit this one out (literally, on the toilet. LOL) and patiently wait until my bowel movement went back to normal. And it did, once I was keto-adapted.
• Oily skin + acne: lasted for about 3-4 weeks. My skin became very oily because of all the fat I was consuming. My chin and my forehead had some pimples, but I promise you, it went away after a month. In fact, my skin didn't just clear up—it actually became more radiant, more supple, and more youthful, over all!

Now for the awesome part. Here are the reasons why the hellish phase of keto adaptation were very much worth it. The lasting benefits of keto!

• Sugar cravings decreased drastically after resisting all forms of sugar for the first 2-3 weeks. My cravings only came once a month, before that time of the month (if you know what I'm sayin') and I was able to resist temptations (until Christmas of 2016. LOL. Will share more on this soon.)
• Tastebuds became very sensitive to anything and everything sweet—which is a signal for me to not eat whatever it was because it only meant it had some sort of sugar in it).
• Increased energy = increased productivity.  2 weeks into keto and I noticed feeling very awake and almost kind of wired (at times). If you've tried doing extacy, I'd say the feeling is similar before the peak and even during the peak. I kid you not. (READ: I am not advocating for the drug, I am obviously advocating for keto so you won't even have the need to use drugs to feel pumped up and energetic!) It's just an insane boost of energy that will keep you alert and productive through the day. This will eventually subside once you're keto adapted. The energetic feeling will not be as overpowering anymore. It becomes consistent without palpitations and feeling like you're high on drugs or caffeine. LOL.
• Mental clarity. Haven't experienced this in a long time. I was scatter-brained pre-keto life (I still am, but not as much as before!). Now, my thoughts are clearer. I became more self-aware. 
• Goodbye, naps! I usually needed to take naps in the afternoon, hoping it would give me more energy to last throughout the day. After keto adaptation, because of increased energy, I no longer have to take naps midday. 
• Sleeping hours became stable and consistent. Pre-keto life, I was an over sleeper. I'd sleep really late, usually around 1 or 2 am, get 9-11 hours of sleep, and wake up at 11am or later. Of course I'd wake up groggy and feel that way all day, which I guess contributed to the sluggishness and wanting to nap more. It was a horrible cycle, but it all changed after keto. My body also started waking up early in the morning, at around 8-8:30 am consistently. Sleeping early is very important. I am not sure if this was directly caused by keto, but in my experience, my body longed for rest earlier than the usual after midnight hours.
• Never "hangry" again! Fat keeps you full and it suppresses appetite. When I consumed sugar and carbs, I would get crazy hunger pangs as a signal from my body to eat my next meal. My hunger affected my mood and even my attitude. Now, I only get a mild headache as a signal to refuel with food. My mood doesn't swing from opposite ends anymore because hunger doesn't affect it anymore. I also only eat two full meals a day with no snacking in between as I've leveled up my keto game by doing intermittent fasting (IF). READ: IF is the second phase after doing keto for quite awhile, so don't do keto plus IF all at once. I'll discuss this more in my future posts.
• Real-time signal of fullness. You know why people say it takes 15-20 minutes to feel that you're full, that's why you need to eat sloooooow? It's because it's the truth about eating carbs. People who consume carbs on a regular basis are more prone to overeat during meals, because they don't sense that they're satiated right away—then all of a sudden, BOOM! It hits them that they're not just full, they overate. Well, this is not the case with eating fat. Fat makes you feel full as you eat, making it easy to stop once you've had your fill. 
• Regular period. At my heaviest weight, my period became irregular. Danah also had irregular period cycles due to PCOS, but 2 weeks in the keto life, Aunt Ruby was back for her monthly visit. The same happened to me! WOOHOO REGULAR PERIODS! Well, not really woohoo!, but still, WOOHOO because it's a sign of a healthy reproductive system! 
• Heartburn and acid reflux vanished! Gosh, writing this down, I can't believe my body was tolerating all these health problems! I used to rely on antacid (Tums) whenever I had digestive problems. It's crazy how the solution of most doctors when you have health issues is to prescribe medicine, instead of eliminating the causes of the sickness in the first place! Oh wait, how many billions does the pharma industry annually earn again? 
• Super duper fast weight-loss WITHOUT working out. This is intentionally last on this list because as proven by my previous points, it's not the most amazing benefit of doing keto—at least not to me. Sure, a high-fat and low-carb diet is undeniably a fast and effective weight-loss tool, but I just don't want to highlight this out of all the other amazing benefits I've written. I think I dropped 2 sizes smaller during the first 4 months of doing *strict* keto.