Getting Older, Getting Better:

Losing Weight and a Few Keto Pizza Recipes

One thing is for sure – if we live, we get older.  I have always said that getting older is better than the alternative.  

Something that I have been made very aware of in the last 2 years is that if we don’t take the time to take care of ourselves, we will eventually be forced to take the time.  I worked, for years, at a subpar level of health and it eventually cost me my ability to work.  I do not want that for you, or anyone else.  I urge you to take the time to listen to your body and to get the care you need, including preventative care.  

Another thing that I am sure of is that, as long as we are breathing, it’s not too late to start taking better care of ourselves.  If you’ve read my blog post about my journey towards healing, you know I’ve been working really hard since January 2022 to lose enough weight to have knee replacement surgery.  It took me a year, but I lost over 100 lbs. and I am now able to proceed with that surgery.  I’ll definitely talk more about that journey as I experience it; but right now I want to talk to you about losing 100 lbs.  

Losing 100+ Pounds

Just saying that (sometimes even just thinking it) blows my mind. I’ve been overweight most of my life and have had some moderate success in the past losing weight, I’ve never been able to remain consistent and keep the weight off.  I know what the difference has been this time, for me.  My motivation has been to live a more fulfilling life.  I was rapidly advancing towards ending up in a wheelchair and needing help with daily living.  I DID NOT WANT THAT!  I knew that I, and I alone, had the ability to do something about it.  So, I decided that I was going to do something about it.  

I have been able to do this by modifying my diet alone, as I am not able to really do any meaningful exercises (not even take a walk).  I have done what is considered dirty/lazy keto to achieve these results.  I never thought that I would even try, let alone like keto.  It always seemed too restrictive, and in a lot of ways it is.  However, there are so many delicious recipes (even for desserts), that I really don’t feel deprived.  I can honestly say I can see myself eating this way for the rest of my life.   

This is what has worked for me; and I’m happy to share tips and recipes (as well as where I got them) with you.  However, I am not saying this is the only way to lose weight.  I did have moderate success with Weight Watchers (WW) in the past as well.  I think the key for me (with both these approaches) has been accountability.  Of course WW utilizes a group type format where everyone shares their stories and encourages one another.  You also share whether or not you gained or lost weight that week in the meetings.  In doing keto, I partnered with my sisters as accountability partners.  They agreed to eat with me and support each other.  I’m very grateful for them both.  I cannot overstate the importance of having support when trying to make any big lifestyle change.  

Some of My Favorite Pizza Recipes 

Crustless Pizza

The first “keto” recipe I ever made was crustless pizza (inspired by this recipe).  I say inspired by because I did it a little bit differently and honestly do it a bit differently every time I make it.  I just added ingredients (toppings) that I like.  One of my favorite twists has been to add some sausage as well as ground beef to get a slightly different flavor.  Jennifer Banz is one of my favorite keto creators to follow.  I can honestly say I have liked every recipe of hers that I’ve tried.  I also really like her no-nonsense approach to the recipes.  

Chicken Crust

Another yummy pizza recipe is chicken pizza crust My tweak to this one is to use alfredo sauce instead of marinara, then top with cheese, fresh spinach, and red onions.  To be honest, I thought that a chicken crust pizza sounded gross, but I had vowed to be open-minded and open to trying new things, and I am so glad I did.  (note:  we use canned chicken for this)

Fat Head Dough

Even though the name was a bit strange, this is one of my absolute favorite keto pizza dough substitutes.  I don’t know who initially came up with the idea to use cheese as a base for bread, but I think they must have been a genius!  There are different variations to this recipe, including which type of flower to use (we tend to prefer coconut flour).  This basic recipe for fat head dough will get you started and you can also use this for a ton of other “bread” substitutes, or just make bread sticks with it.  Super yummy! 

Other Options

You can also buy pre-made keto pizza dough and there is always the option of using a cauliflower crust.  However, these aren’t things I’ve tried, so I can’t really recommend anything specifically.  

A quick side note, even though we love Carbquick as a biscuit substitute, we didn’t particularly care for it as a pizza crust.  You might love it though!  

But by all means, investigate!  There are so many (delicious) recipes out there and who knows, you may come up with your own.