Can you take the keto diet on a camping trip kayaking?

When I started looking for a kayak I didn’t think the keto diet would be something I would be writing about today. Since starting the keto diet I have lost about 40 pounds. I plan to continue this on my next camping trip the will include kayaking down the Saint Johns River.

Planning a camping trip that includes keto diet food. Have meats, and produce is a good selection to get start planning for your trip.

How will you store your food when kayak camping?

I have cooler like yeti and coleman but you might be asking what do I take with you in a kayak to keep things cold and dry. Using the compartments in the in the kayak is the way to go. If you can’t fit it in or on the kayak you leave it. Here are some thoughts from a website:

“Hatches are a great place to store gear without cluttering the deck of your kayak. You can utilize the hull of your kayak to store items that you won’t need during your paddle (sleeping bag, tent, cookware, etc.).

There are options for bags designed to fit in the hatch if you choose to use the space to store smaller items. Using a hatch bag will prevent those smaller items from rolling around and getting lost in the hull of your kayak.” https://www.austinkayak.com/blog/2017/10/how-to-pack-for-kayak-camping-trips/

What does the keto diet include?

The ketogenic diet is a lifestyle where the body stays in a state of ketosis, which is similar to three days, or more, of fasting. Essentially, the goal is to keep a certain ratio of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

70 percent calories fat
25 percent calories protein
5 percent calories carbohydrates

For fat and protein calories, the numbers can sway a little, but the number of carbohydrates must stay at 5 percent, or under 20-25 grams. This macronutrient ratio will pushed your body out of glucose and force it to produce ketones.

History of Ketosis

The ketogenic diet originally began to help treat epileptic children, and while it mimics a Paleo or Atkins diet, there are differences to consider. While it seems like all the rage today, it actually began in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

What does the keto diet exclude?

Sugar is the first area to consider when consider foods not to eat. “Glucose is the direct opposite of ketones and the two can’t co-exist. If there’s excess glucose in the bloodstream, then the body will definitely not be in a state of nutritional ketosis.

NO grains – even whole meal (wheat, rye, oats, corn, barley, millet, bulgur, sorghum, rice, amaranth, buckwheat, sprouted grains), and anything that’s made out of grains, such as pasta, pizza, cookies, crackers, cake. No bun, please (but a pun).
NO sugar – sweets, ice cream, pudding, chocolate, high fructose corn syrup, etc. Read the labels, as sugar hides in all shape and form.
NO legumes – beans, lentils, soy etc. There are also other reasons for doing so. Lectins aren’t good for consumption in large quantities.
NO fruit – fructose is also sugar. Don’t eat apples, bananas, pears, oranges, pineapples, grapes, mangos. Avoid fruit juices and also dried fruit, like dates, raisins. Lemons, limes and berries are allowed because they’re mostly fiber.
NO artificial sweeteners – Splenda, Equal, sweeteners containing Aspartame, Acesulfame, Sucralose, Saccharin, etc. Despite their non-caloric content, they can still spike your blood sugar and insulin, which creates a placebo effect.
NO high carb alcohol – beer, sweet wine, mojitos, Piña carboladas, ciders, long drinks or any other type of cocktails. They’re all full of sugar. If you’re going to drink then stick to clean spirits, such as vodka and gin.” http://siimland.com/what-not-to-eat-on-keto/

Is Fish included in the keto diet?

When fishing on a camping trip you can have fish and it cook it over a open fire or a coleman grill. I enjoy cooking my fish with lemon and add seasoning as needed. Here is a good recipe for cooking a fish for dinner or lunch:

EASY FOIL PACKET TILAPIA & VEGETABLES

INGREDIENTS:
4 tilapia fish filets (or any white fish)
2 Green Peppers, sliced
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 Zucchini, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
Lemon & herb seasoning
Tin Foil
Butter

DIRECTIONS:
If frozen thaw tilapia according to package directions. Slice the green pepper, zucchini and lemon. Tear off two pieces of tin foil that will be big enough to wrap the meal. Lay them on top of each other, shiny side down. Take a small amount of butter and grease the tin foil where you will be laying the fish.

Lay the fish in the middle of your tin foil, sprinkle with lemon & herb seasoning. Pile a quarter of the green peppers, zucchini and mushrooms on to the fish in the middle of the tin foil. Take 2 lemon slices and squeeze over the meat and vegetables. Bring the ends of the foil together and seal shut. Do this for the rest of the fish filets.

BAKING: Pre-heat the over to 425 degrees, place the foil packets on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. The vegetables will be steamed and soft and the fish flaky. Let cool and serve.

GRILL: Place the foil packets on a hot grill and close lid. Grill for 15 minutes. The vegetables will be steamed and the fish flaky. Let cool and serve.

CAMPFIRE: Make sure to use heavy-duty aluminum foil, place the foil packets in the hot coals and let cook for 15 minutes. The vegetables will be steamed and the fish flaky. Let cool and serve.

Easy-Foil-Packet-Fish-Recipe-Tilapia-Vegetables campfire kayaksboats

The “Short & Essential” Keto Diet Food List

Basically, keto friendly foods include most meats, most vegetables, most seafood, and healthy fats.

More specifically, you can eat all the foods listed below. In fact, you could probably use this as a short and easy keto shopping list…

Non-Starchy Vegetables
Berries
Meats
Limes and lemons
Nut butters and nut milks
Bone broth
Tea
Mustards

Organ Meats
Peas and green beans
Gelatin
Vinegars
Shellfish and other seafood
Nuts and Seeds
Herbs and Spices
Stevia

Healthy Fats (e.g., ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, etc.)
Fish
Avocado
Olives
Coffee
Coconut
Eggs

The above is from the link below:

Keto Food List: 221 Keto Diet Foods (+ Keto Cheat Sheet)

What Kind Of Equipment Should I Take With Me?

Drysuit
Limepress
Dutch Oven/Outback Oven
Spray cover
Rodeo Rescue Kit
Tarp
Another Tarp
Barrel Pack

“Drysuit: For years, I wore wind pants and fleece and a rain suit exclusively on these trips. On a challenging day of whitewater, a drysuit gives you an extra margin of safety and comfort if you capsize or if you’re doing a rescue. Also, for those cold and wet days, a drysuit or paddling suit keeps you warmer and more comfortable than a rain suit. There have been days when I’ve worn it from leaving the tent in the morning until turning in at night.

Lime press: Eat, sleep and travel is all you need to worry about out there so make the most of each of those activities. Unless you’ve got a lot of portages and weight or space is a concern, plan a tasty and nutritious menu. You’ll have lots of time to prepare almost anything that you can prepare at home. The lime press is essential to prevent scurvy (and prepare a proper margarita).

Dutch oven / Outback oven: Baking really adds variety to your menu. Cinnamon buns, muffins, cakes, Lasagna, and even yeast bread are easy and welcome additions to your menu. There are several baking methods. When cooking on a fire, I prefer the Dutch oven but, a reflector or box oven provide similar results. With a stove that has good simmering heat control, the Outback oven is lightweight and compact and allows you to bake in a shallow pan.

Spray cover: I like the kind with a raised hoop to deflect water in front of each paddler’s open cockpit area so you can get in and out easily without having a dangerous drawstring around your waist. You can roll part of it back in warmer weather but a lot of people like it for rainy or cold days.

Rodeo rescue kit: If you’re using spray covers, this is the best way to rescue a capsized canoe. Clip onto the overturned canoe with a couple or 3 throw bags clipped together, paddle to shore downstream and pendulum the boat to shore. The throw bags are not attached to the rescue canoe for safety reasons but you can hold the bag under your knee if you end up towing a canoe with it. As with any rescue technique practice, understand it before using it.

Tarp: Get the one with reinforced loops at the corners and sides and a pocket for a pole in the center, it should be 15′ x 15′ if travelling in the U.S. and 4 meters x 4 meters if travelling anywhere else in the world. It offers a comfortable kitchen and living room for the outdoors. It’s a wind break, a sunshade, a great vantage point for rainstorms and a sail on a windy day. Setting it up is a hobby unto itself. A couple of people can have it set up in a few minutes. Double that time with a couple more people helping.

Another tarp: For more than 6 people I’ve started taking a second tarp. The setup time is about the same. Clip the 2 tarps together along one side, and it provides a kitchen area and a dining and living room.

Barrel pack: The barrel packOpens a New Window. is a real game changer for wilderness tripping. It is a completely sealable, 60 liter plastic barrel with a carrying harness. The advantage over a large dry bag or an old school canvas Duluth pack packed with dry bags is that the barrel pack is quick to access, completely waterproof and crush proof and makes a great chair to sit on.” https://www.adventuresportsnetwork.com/sport/paddle-sports/canoe-kayak/top-10-pieces-of-gear-for-a-river-canoe-trip/

I would suggest some other things well?

KITCHEN – Campfire Cooking

Food; (packed in durable vinyl drybags)
White-Gas Stove w/ Fuel, Priming Alchohol, Lighters; (approximately one ounce of fuel needed per meal)
Cookware w/ Handle
Can Opener
Eatware: Bowl, Mug, Dining Utensils
Foil Lunch Pouch for Cold Foods
Coffee Filter
Salt & Pepper
Water: Filter, Bottles, Jugs (personal & community), Extra Caps
Dish Soap w/ Scrubby, Pot Scraper
Hand Sanitizer
Kitchen Knife
Small Dish Towel
Firestarting Sticks, Matches, Lighter
Ziplock Heavy-duty Freezer Bags for Trash, 1-gal