Grandma on the Go: How Convenient Meals Help Me Keep Up With My Grandsons

I've been on and off keto for almost ten years. I've lost weight and gained it back several times.

This time, I'm doing things differently – and getting a little "dirty" in the process.

What is Keto?

Keto is a way of eating with very few carbs.

When your body doesn't have enough carbs to use for energy, your liver starts turning fat into something called ketones.

Your body uses these ketones for energy instead. This is called ketosis, and it helps you burn stored fat.

My Up and Down Journey

Maybe you know how this feels. You're doing great with healthy eating. You're losing weight and feeling awesome... and then BOOM!

Something in your life gets hard and you lose focus on your goals.

That's what happened to me in 2021.

The Last Time I Slipped Up

During COVID, it was easy to make fresh keto meals at home. I got down to 172 pounds!

I had:

• Quick 30-minute recipes

• Time each day to cook

• A roommate to share meals with

• Homemade bone broth every morning

• A daily workout routine

But when I went back to the office after COVID, everything felt hard. I don't know if it was my age or just the whole world feeling sluggish after the pandemic, but I couldn't stick to my keto plan.

Around the same time, I welcomed twin grandbabies who took up my weekends. Then my roommate moved out, so I was cooking just for myself.

I lost most of my healthy habits in late 2021 and beyond.

Enough is Enough

On September 3, 2024, I weighed 217 pounds.

That's right - I gained 45 pounds in three years. And I was a mess.

Maybe you have some of these problems too:

• Getting out of breath when climbing stairs

• Planning fewer trips up and down stairs

• Aching knees

• Back pain when sitting

• Trouble getting comfortable to sleep

• Waking up several times at night

• Feeling tired and grumpy from poor sleep

Worst of all? I couldn't play with my three-year-old grandsons the way I always dreamed I would. If they ran ahead of me in public, I couldn't catch them to keep them safe.

I had to take back control.

What Makes Keto "Dirty"?

Keto simply means eating few enough carbs that your body starts burning fat.

Many keto fans talk about "CLEAN" vs. "DIRTY" keto.

After all, you could eat bacon and cheese all day without any veggies and still be in ketosis. That can't be right, can it?

Some keto coaches say you should make the best food choices—grass-fed beef, wild-caught salmon, organic broccoli—and call this "clean" keto.

People who are less picky about their food choices are doing what they call "dirty" keto.

The Truth About Convenience

Like many people on keto today, I wanted convenient foods that fit my eating plan. But restaurants don't have many keto options. You end up with very few choices.

I struggled to make clean choices when life was screaming, "fast and cheap!"

My Biggest Challenge

Many nights I didn't have the energy to cook full meals from scratch just for myself.

I might start the week with good plans, but then not follow through.

Maybe I didn't prep meals over the weekend—I was spending time with my grandbabies—and then I'd have two problems:

1. Raw food in the fridge

2. No prepared lunches

Some nights, I worked late or ran errands after work, and I'd head home hungry with no patience to start cooking.

I live near an Indian restaurant and pass many burger, pizza, and sub shops on my way home.

When I'm tired and hungry, it's hard to cook a meal that takes 30 minutes. It’s easy to stop for takeout.

The few keto-friendly restaurant options got boring and didn't include enough veggies.

I needed something easy that had variety and vegetables to keep my commitment to a keto lifestyle.

Factor to the Rescue

I did some research and found that Factor meal delivery service offers keto meals.

I used to think Factor was too expensive. But when I compared it to what I spent at restaurants, it was a no-brainer.

About $94 for six Factor meals was much better than the $150 I spent the week before on eating out.

Is Factor "Dirty" Keto?

Some coaches might say Factor is "dirty" keto.

Factor doesn't promise that all their food is free-range, grass-fed, wild-caught, or organic. If they did, their prices would probably be much higher.

To be honest, the food I buy at the grocery store often isn't free-range, grass-fed, wild-caught, or organic either. By those standards, I'm always doing "dirty" keto.

And yes, Factor meals are processed food. They won't pass everyone's purity test.

Factor Keeps Me on Track

None of that matters to me. Factor has given me my health back.

I credit Factor for making it easy, convenient, and tasty enough to stay committed to my goals for the past eight months.

I'm also spending less on food now than I was a year ago.

Most importantly, I've lost all 45 pounds I gained and plan to keep going down to 137 pounds.

Why Factor Works for Me

2-Minute Solution

Factor meals are refrigerated, not frozen, and heat up in two minutes in the microwave.

Getting takeout always takes longer unless you're feeding a lot of people.

Even when I'm tired and hungry, I can't argue with that logic.

Veggie Variety

Factor meals include different vegetables.

As a single person, buying several different veggies means some go bad before I can use them.

Factor offers several choices each week like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, green beans, and spinach.

Portion Control

Overeating is one of the biggest challenges on any diet, even keto.

Factor's pre-portioned meals take the guesswork out of serving sizes, making it impossible to eat too much.

Plenty of Fish & Seafood Options

I try to eat fish or seafood at least four times per week.

Factor makes that easy with tasty salmon and shrimp meals.

Fantastic Flavors

Factor meals taste amazing. And because everything is fresh, the texture is great.

I tried shrimp for my first meal. I was worried that shrimp microwaved for two minutes would be either undercooked or rubbery. I was wrong! The shrimp had just the right firmness.

Here are a few of my current favorite meals:

• Herb-Crusted Chicken with Mashed Cauliflower & Toasted Almond Green Beans

• Herbed Ricotta and Beef Ragu with Zucchini Noodles

• Peruvian Shrimp & Red Pepper Cauli "Grits" with Broccoli

• Pesto Salmon with Creamed Spinach & Green Beans

Don't those sound yummy? They taste as good as they sound!

Still Requires Commitment

Factor meals can't do all the work.

Other things that help me:

• My food journal keeps me honest about temptations and slip-ups. It also shows my wins. I haven't had a sub in over eight months!

• The "My Body, My Rules" saying helps me turn down carb-heavy foods. You don't have to say it out loud. Just think it when someone pushes food on you: My Body, My Rules.

• My daily workout helps burn more fat.

• Looking back at my journal helps me fix problems and learn from mistakes.

You Don't Need to Be Keto to Enjoy Factor

Factor has meals for different diets beyond keto, including: calorie smart, carb conscious, fiber filled, and protein plus.

They usually have two vegan and two vegetarian options each week.

"Dirty" Keto? Maybe I Am

I'm okay with the "dirty keto" label. I know I could make better choices, and maybe someday I will.

As someone who talks about keto to others, I felt it would be dishonest to hide that I use Factor meals to make my keto life easier and more successful.

So now you know my "dirty" keto secret.

If you're struggling to make better choices, remember that you won't always make the perfect choice, but every step forward matters.

> Save $150 on Factor <

If you think Factor meals could help you with your eating goals, you can visit the link above to get $150 off your first few weeks. This is an affiliate link and I may be compensated if you make a purchase.

The best diet is the one you can stick with long-term, whether it's "clean" or "dirty" keto. For me, Factor has been the key to maintaining my keto lifestyle without feeling deprived or overwhelmed.

Keeping Keto