August 2020 – Month in review and roundup
Over halfway through this weird year and it’s time for a roundup of what’s gone on in August 2020.
Related – Check out the previous month’s roundup for July 2020.
New articles
Summary of the articles released on addtoketo.co.uk in August 2020.
Keto Sriracha – Best low carb brands in the UK
Keto Frankfurters – More of the best low carb sausages
Keto Electrolytes – Do you need supplements on keto?
Keto products at Costa – Best low carb options
Updated articles
From time to time, articles are updated to include new product recommendations and the latest information.
Ultimate low carb keto protein chaffles
Month in review
Let’s take a look at the some of the highlights that happened this month.
Coffee, Coffee and more Coffee
Maybe it’s because the weather is starting to cool off or I just need more coffee in my life. But I’ve been drinking a lot more coffee compared to the previous couple of months.
Somehow, I managed to drink all my normal coffee beans Cafédirect Machu Picchu Organic Fairtrade Ground Arabica Coffee in the first couple of weeks, so I thought I’d mix it up a bit and try some different beans.
First off, was Lavazza Qualita Oro Coffee Beans, they’re pleasant and have a pretty balanced taste but not something I would shout about from the rooftops. However, I’d definitely buy them again (when they’re a good price).
Next up was Tesco’s House Blend, they have an OK taste, a slightly bitter undertone but perfectly drinkable. Great if you’re in a pinch and want some coffee right now (and have a Tescos near by).
Normally, I make a cafetière of coffee in the morning to drink while I’m working and while I still did that, I also used my AeroPress a lot more. It is honestly a perfect coffee maker, takes less than a minute to set up, cleanup is near-instantaneous and the brew is perfect! I also tried out the inverted AeroPress method which made for an even better experience. Well worth a try!
Lastly, I’ve also been using Hazelnut sweetener in my coffee, which has been great as a little sweet treat! A couple of drops of the Hazelnut Flavdrops from MyProtein is perfect in a cup (check out our coffee sweetener guide here).
Exercise
I finally decided to outright cancel my gym membership this month. It had been frozen throughout the height of the pandemic and payments were due to begin again this month.
Admittedly, literally the day after I cancelled the direct debit they emailed me to say that the gym is opening 24 hours for a few days a week. I almost reconsidered but didn’t. I’ll reassess the situation later in the year, especially when the days get shorter and the weather colder.
Running
In regards to running, August was a bit more relaxed than July. I didn’t manage to complete another 20km but did a few 10km runs and plenty of short 5kms.
I have no real interest in trying to perfect my time and it’s honestly remained pretty uniform over the past few months.
After researching for a new article titled what to eat before you run. I tried fasted vs. non-fasted runs. The main takeaway for me was that when having a butter coffee with some MCT oil in. I noticed increased endurance on the long runs (>8km) but otherwise running fasted for 5km was fine and I maybe even preferred it.
Shopping
I ventured into Asda for the first time in a few months and it all seemed pretty normal. I mean, yes, there were some older people congregating around the cheese aisle with their face coverings around their necks so they could talk. But that’s not particularly surprising, it’s difficult to remember where the “face” mask goes.
Anyway, I still get the bulk of my shopping delivered and even made use of Amazon’s Prime Now service. I didn’t realise that it was available in Bristol and they were doing £10 off a £50 shop, so how could I say no?
All the products are from Morrisons, so made for a welcome change and the price was reasonable, even when compared to shopping in-store. Also, it was nice to get things delivered in paper bags for a change.
As always, I have my regular Amazon Subscribe & Save subscription delivered which consisted of a few new products including Yorkshire Tea. Truly the best tea (in my humble opinion), you can forget your Tetley’s and other inferior brews.
Food
We can’t talk keto without mentioning food! Nothing too new this month, more of the same old amazing food that I’ve grown accustomed to over the years.
However, I’ve been trying to max out my caloric intake every day, as I noticed I was starting to be in a 5-700 calorie deficit for quite a few days a week. That meant more fat and especially cheese!
Chicken
This month, I’ve been eating even more chicken (than usual). I was never much of leg man but I’ve been trying out Carb Manager’s Keto Seven Spice Chicken Drumsticks recipe and it is divine!
I tend to prepare them the day before and leave them to marinate overnight and they come out perfect every time.
Juicy, well-seasoned chicken legs that are so good, that I eat 5-7 legs in a sitting. Give them a go, the ingredients list is pretty simple and readily available in most UK stores.
Loaded fries and mince
If you want a real simple dinner then you can’t go wrong with some low carb fries, mince and cheese. I’ve been stocking up on beef and turkey mince, portioning it out and storing in the freezer for when I need it.
For the fries, I like to use either celeriac, swede or courgettes. Just season them with some salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne and chives and toss in olive oil to coat. Pop them in the oven for about 35 minutes at 190c until they are slightly browned and crispy.
Add in some red onions and mushrooms for some extra taste and crunch. I also like to sprinkle on some mozzarella just before they are done so that it melts on top!
In the meantime, you can fry up some mince in a pan with some seasoning and a dash of sriracha and sugar-free tomato ketchup.
Once it’s all cooked, pile it onto a plate (or in a bowl) and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top! It’s a filling dinner and great if you haven’t eaten much in the day.
Oh and if you didn’t see Turkey Twizzlers returned to the UK, so you can relive your school lunches. You should be able to find them in Iceland. However, sadly, they are not particularly keto-friendly, each Twizzler contains around 5g of carbs.
