Keto - Friendly Breakfast Coffee

Okay disclaimer first. Anyone who objects to the use of coffee crystals, please turn away now. I will have something probably unrelated at a later time and date.
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Ingredients:

• 2 T Folgers regular coffee crystals
• 2 T heavy cream
• 1 T Hershey's cocoa powder (unsweetened)
•    stevia liquid
•    Splenda liquid
•    boiling water

Instructions:

1. Put coffee crystals and cocoa powder in a 16oz cup.
2. Pour about a half a cup of boiling water over that mixture.
3. Quickly whisk to combine and remove any lumps from the cocoa.
4. Add a small amount of cold water, to reduce the temperature of the liquid.
5. Add Stevia to taste and then a small hit of Splenda to balance and enhance the sweetness.
6. Add the cream.
7. Now all that's left to do is add boiling and coldtap water to fill the cup at your preferred temperature.

Notes:
The listed ingredients above are, obviously, my preferences, and personal recommendations. If you have different preferences, please feel free to use them instead. Just be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder.
I claim no credentials as a doctor or any other form of health professional. However, I think most people are aware by now of chocolate's mood enhancing qualities. So, hopefully, this cup of coffee will improve your day

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Keto - Friendly Bacon and Eggs

 Ingredients:

• 2 think cut bacon slices 
• 1 large egg 
• 2 T bacon fat 

Instructions:

1. Begin cooking the bacon
2. This recipe assumes two tablespoons of oil total, although it can be stretched to three. Adjust the drippings quantity as best you can and add your preferred oil to make up the difference to equal 2 tablespoons (bacon fat, butter, coconut oil &/or other), calories will vary slightly.
3. When done, remove the bacon to your serving plate and reserve the remaining oil in the pan
4. Allow the reserved oils to cool somewhat in the pan, to prevent excessively rapid cooking of the egg
5. When the oil is cool enough, crack the cold egg into the pan and whip with fork or whisk to emulsify most of the oils into the egg. Avoid adding salt. The bacon has plenty.
6. Cook as desired. I usually do mine omelette Style.
7. Serve on the plate with the bacon, pouring any remaining oils over the bacon to warm it.

Notes:

Yes, this is a fairly simple recipe. It's mostly just a twist on a basic breakfast favorite. And tweaked a bit for the ketogenic diet. Of course, you can adjust the quantities to suit your own dietary needs.
I enjoy adding a little extra virgin coconut oil, for flavor. I use the one you can get at Sam's Club.
As far as what bacon to choose; I personally prefer Wright Applewood Bacon.
Once again, I recommend MyFitnessPal (MFP) to help you balance your quantities (carbohydrates/protein/fat) and track your intake.
Be advised, extra virgin coconut oil will make the oil foam just a bit. On the other hand, butter will cause the oil, and therefore the egg, to go a little brown. Those are the only ones I've tested. Obviously, results will vary depending on what other oils you may use. Don't be afraid to experiment. That's part of the fun of cooking.

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UPDATE: 6 Months Using Fitbit Connected to MyFitnessPal

Okay, so it might actually be a little bit more than 6 months. I was looking at my previous posts yesterday and realized it was past time to do this.

For the record (and reference), I have a Charge HR. I'm given to understand it is an older model. It was bought for me, secondhand, on the internet. And while it does have some battery memory, it is still functioning pretty well.
Also, for the record, I have been using MyFitnessPall (MFP) for over a year now.

Anyway, I have some pros and cons. I'll start with the cons. Always "bad news" first:

• I do have delicate skin, so please keep that in mind when I tell you, while exercising, the silicone rubber band makes me sweat quite a lot underneath it.
• Occasionally, it needs a bit of a tweak to get it to share information properly with MFP. The apps, on my tablet, do seem to help.
• There are times when it does not properly register steps. For instance;  while going up and down stairs using the railing, and presumably while using any support (cane, staff, walker, etc.). It will also register "steps" while riding in a vehicle. It does however only take a percentage of the full mileage for the trip. I suppose it mostly balances out, since it is more active than sitting still.

And now for the pros:

• When set and connected properly, it seamlessly adds exercise to MFP. And, by association, calories burned. That is a big one. Don't let anybody tell you different. Pretty much everybody is at least a little lazy. Especially those of us who need help with exercise. It's just simple biological conservation of energy.
• It is even capable of identifying some specific exercise activities on its own, besides just steps, and registering them accordingly.
• The cons are fairly easy to work around, so don't sweat. No pun intended.

Overall, I can reasonably and honestly say that I'm pleased to be using one. It makes my exercise/diet experience simpler.

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Why Use Soap When There's Baking Soda

On account of my lack of posting for the last little while, this will be kind of a make-up. Multiple recommendations and suggestions.
So, if you've seen my labels, you already know I'm a fan of baking soda.

The other day, I decided to try something I hadn't tried before. So I don't actually wash my hair all that often. That particular day, my hair was showing the lack of washing. Normally, a brush out or even a wet brush out will do quite nicely. So for some reason, on that day I decided to do something a little more aggressive.

By good fortune, at this point, I already had a squeeze bottle meant for dying hair (almost any squeeze bottle type applicator will do here so long as it's clean). So I put in about a tablespoon, maybe a little more or less, of baking soda. Then I filled the 500ml bottle the rest of the way with somewhat hot tap water. It's pertinent to mention that, when mixed, the solution was clear.

So I got all prepared, got in the shower, and hung my hair over so I wouldn't be pouring the solution down my back and everything. Then, using the squeeze bottle, I started applying the solution more or less directly to my scalp. I massaged some, as I went. I suppose I should note that I have very long thick hair. So it took the whole bottle. Once I had emptied the bottle, I went ahead and did some further massaging to get any missed areas and to include my scalp in the treatment.

When the "water" started to run out of my hair, as I squeezed, I was a bit surprised. As previously mentioned, it was clear going in, but coming out it was quite thoroughly tinted white with oil and dead skin. And it continue to be so as I rinsed. And later, after I was done with the rest of my shower, I noticed it didn't feel much different than if I had used soap. Furthermore, my scalp was squeaky clean.

All said and done, I actually had to go ahead and use some Palmer's Olive Oil Formula {PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION} to return some of the manageability. I don't know how it will affect you but my hair gets awfully fluffy when it's that clean. And, by the way I personally prefer the Palmer's Olive Oil Formula - Gro Therapy, mostly because it smells nice. And no, they're not paying me to say that. Do be sure to follow the package directions. Doesn't take much.

During that same shower, I used straight baking soda, sprinkled on an ordinary dampened washcloth, to wash my skin. It should be mentioned here that it is wiser to do this in the shower, than in the bath. And avoid applying the baking soda directly to your delicate bits. There is a great potential to change the pH there (that includes men and women) and cause unpleasant side effects. It is absolutely fine for any external skin though. Just be sure to rinse thoroughly. You don't even need more than tepid water.

So there you go. Three tips, instead of just one. I sincerely hope you find them useful.
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Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

Okay, so maybe most everybody already knows this. But just in case, here goes.

1. Put about a tablespoon or so of baking soda in the bottom of a large saucepan. 
2. Add up to a dozen eggs, depending on the size of your pan and need (only one layer of eggs for proper cooking). 
3. Fill the pan at least half full of cold water. Be sure to cover the eggs by at least an inch.
4. Light the burner under the pan and set the kitchen timer for 20 minutes. Electric burners work differently, and I don't use one. So I'm not sure how to set for that.
5. As soon as the water comes to a full rolling boil, turn off the fire. Presumably, remove the pan entirely from an electric burner.
6. When the timer runs out, immediately pour out as much of the hot water as possible, while running cold tap water into the pan. When the water no longer feels warm, fill the pan completely with cold tap water and leave it in the sink, to cool the eggs.
7. In about 20 to 30 minutes, you can remove the cooled eggs from the water, dry and refrigerate.

* Due to some chemical reactions from the baking soda, using this method to cook your eggs will dramatically reduce the chances of getting the sulfur green ring around the yoke. It also seems to make it easier to remove the shells.

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Introducing My Own Personal New Direction

Okay, I'm going to be trying something new. I don't know how often I will be able to post, though I'll be aiming for up to daily.
Anyway, the plan is to post tips, tricks, product recommendations and recipes, for general use and enjoyment.
In future, the following link will be available, on each post, to show your appreciation for my efforts:

Thank LilMischif

I will also be taking down my GoFundMe. It seems that wasn't going to work for me.