UPDATE: I just want to say that I am humbled by your overwhelming support in the comments (with a few notable exceptions 😅) and I promise I will respond to them soon! Thank you so much for sticking with me on this new path! 💕
There are going to be some changes around here on I Breathe I’m Hungry, and since many of you have been here for years and years, I feel I owe you an explanation as to what and why.
When I started IBIH back in 2011, it was just a hobby and a place to connect with friends and give a home to the recipes I’d created over the years. By 2012 I had gained some followers and discovered that people were searching for low carb recipes that tasted good and helped them reach their goals – and there weren’t a lot of websites focusing on that at the time.
So I leaned into that niche and I Breathe I’m Hungry became a destination for people looking for delicious low carb, gluten free, and keto recipes. Eventually I created the free 3 Day Keto Kickstart and 12 weeks of keto menu plans – and then came the egg fast plan, the keto soup diet, and more recently the Squeaky Clean Keto plan and 30 day challenge.
I was so committed to keto recipes that I published two books on the subject – Keto for Life, and Squeaky Clean Keto, which were both well received.
Things were going great. So great that thousands of people and companies started creating keto recipes – some good, some not so much. Traffic to my website started to decline, but we were doing ok and there were plenty of people who were still coming to IBIH for keto recipes.
And then the pandemic hit.
Suddenly nobody wanted keto recipes anymore, and everyone was baking banana bread and crafting their own sourdough starters. Even my family went down the rabbit hole of baking and cooking elaborate non keto meals because what else were we going to do stuck at home for months at a time?
And so after publishing new keto recipes to the sound of crickets, I eventually put the website on autopilot and started pursuing other interests.
Since then we moved back to NY from Honduras, and bought an old 1870’s colonial estate that needed a lot of work. So we’ve been restoring that for the last 3 years, while renovating and launching 2 new short term rental properties, and more recently I’ve been building a micro flower farm on the property to sell specialty cut flowers locally here in the Hudson Valley.
It’s been very busy, but also very rewarding – and we are exhausted. Which hasn’t left a lot of time for making new recipe content here on the website.
Is I Breathe I’m Hungry Finished?
No. But…
While I want to get back to creating recipes, I honestly haven’t done keto in several years (though my closet is telling me I probably should be) and there has been a sharp decline in searches for keto recipes, so it feels like a waste of time to create more.
Also, ironically my house is huge with rooms I don’t need upstairs (and no closet space, WHY? ðŸ˜), but my kitchen is tiny, which is a constant source of frustration and has stifled my creativity and desire to work on cooking and photographing new recipes. So I need to be really inspired if I’m going to push through, and I haven’t felt inspired by keto in a long time.
In spite of those challenges, I have been feeling itchy to cook and get back to work doing what I love, and I need a direction to go in.
If you’ve been around the last few months you know that I have talked a lot about higher protein recipes, and I even started a new meal plan called Prioritizing Protein.
I also posted on social media that I was under contract with my publisher for a new high protein cookbook that was going to release in December. I am still publishing the cookbook, but I have delayed it to put my energy into rebuilding I Breathe I’m Hungry.
But what does that even look like?
Finally, She Gets to the Point
I’ve toyed with the idea of posting non keto recipes here on I Breathe I’m Hungry for years, but I’ve watched others go down that path in the past and get raked over the coals by their followers so I never did it, even when I lost my passion for keto.
Now that so many people have moved on from keto, and I have stepped away from the blog for an extended time, I’ve decided if I’m going to return and do my best work creating new recipes, then I have to do what inspires and excites me.
I also need to be posting recipes that resonate with people’s needs today, so that blog traffic will recover and I can continue to afford to put time into creating new content. Because without that income, I can’t justify the time it takes to keep working on it.
So while all of the existing keto content will stay on the website, and I will occasionally be posting new keto recipes as inspiration strikes, moving forward I Breathe I’m Hungry will no longer be primarily a keto recipe destination.
That may be tough for some of you loyal followers from the early days to accept, and please know that I don’t make this decision lightly. I have appreciated you being here and commenting and making this website and the Facebook pages into a thriving community. I hope you will stick around and see what’s next, but if IBIH is no longer for you then I totally understand.
Based on my polls and research though, many of you came for keto and kept following even though you don’t do keto anymore. You will hopefully love the new content. If you liked and trusted my keto recipes, then you will be as excited as I am that unrestricted by a need for non traditional keto ingredients, I will be able to bring delicious new recipes that are more accessible and seasonal.
That doesn’t mean I will be posting overly indulgent and unhealthy recipes here either though.
I’m currently inspired by higher protein recipes, that are moderate in carbs and fat – which is a healthy trend that I can get behind, and that many are finding a lot more sustainable than keto for the long term.
I will also be getting back to the Prioritizing Protein Meal Plans in the coming weeks, with the goal of having at least 6 weeks of meal plans available by the end of the year.
In a Nutshell aka. TLDR (too long didn’t read)
I Breathe I’m Hungry will maintain the keto and gluten free recipes and meal plans that are currently on the site, but moving forward I will be posting a variety of recipes that may or may not be keto. I am currently focused on healthy higher protein recipes that may include natural sugars, fruits, starches like potatoes and rice, and even sometimes *gasp* gluten.
Where possible, I will include modifications for those who are keeping to a low carbohydrate diet, or even gluten free or dairy free if applicable. I will also continue to provide nutrition information for the new recipes.
It will take some time to build up a catalog of the new high protein recipes, so meanwhile I will still be sharing existing keto recipes on social media and by email, so don’t be surprised if you see keto recipes still popping up.
As I release them, I will tag the new recipes and meal plans with “new” in the email title and social media description so keep an eye out for those coming soon.
If you are not already subscribed to my newsletter, now would be a great time to do so! You can find the subscribe box at the bottom of the post or on the front page of the website.
DeeDee says
Ditto all the other positive comments. After having high labs on cholesterol & triglycerides, but non-diabetic A1C levels, I had to modify to a lower healthy carb, lower healthy fat diet. Now in my sixties, I need to up my protein but keep the carbs & fat lowered. Looking forward to your new recipes!
Claudine Czerny says
You’ve been a joy to follow and I will continue to do so (and make modifications – I don’t have a choice, I’ve learned the hard way.) Your flowers are gorgeous by the way!!
Sandy Hyde says
What a shame, as a vision impaired follower I have become a trusted follower of all your Keto recipes. I now feel I will have to find someone else to trust. I have no interest in non keto recipes at all. Keto is a lifestyle not a diet!
Good luck with what you have chosen, I feel you will lose alot of followers. I will now unsubscribe
Kim says
Ultimately you have to do what inspires you!! Your recipes are great no matter what!!! Now as a side note I would really love to hear more about your other adventures like micro flowers etc!! These type of interests and Reno’s etc are very interesting 😊
Lisa McGill says
Everything evolves or it dies. Keep being you!!!! And I’m really curious about the higher protein. I love my meats and fishes! And welcome to the Hudson Valley. I’m in Orange County so looking forward to what you’re going to have in store for us locals. Hahahaha
Kathy says
I have your books, I subscribe to your blog, I am in the FB group and have done a number of your challenges. We have all evolved over the years and I have also moved on from the Keto world. Most recently, have been focusing on getting enough protein so… the timing of your announcement could not be more perfect. Thank you for everything you give to your community! Looking forward as always to your new content.
Cassandra S. says
Thank you for your honesty and integrity in sharing your heart and passion. It’s going to be great. I’ve told everyone I know about your page and the amazing thing you do to give us authentic, delicious and healthy recipes. I’ll continue to support and look forward to this new chapter.
Blessings to you and your family.
StrawberryGirl says
I’ve loved your recipes for many years and have been on and off of keto for many years, too. These days, at the age of 57 now, my priority is healthy recipes that are full of protein, non-starchy veg, some fruits and berries, healthy fats—sounds a lot like keto, but I’m not interested in KETOSIS anymore, so I’m looking more at nutrients than ketogenesis. I realize my body needs a bit more of the nutrients like the polyphenols that come from colorful plant foods along with the healthy proteins and fats. I will definitely continue following you and send you a huge THANK YOU for all the years of help, support, and inspiration you’ve given us.
Lisa says
First off, your keto recipes were always my favorite. They tasted the closest to “normal” food and you were always my go-to, so thank you for that. I am in the same boat as you, I did keto and it was great until the pandemic… I kept trying to go back but once the momentum was lost I was never able to recapture it. I’m really glad that you will be evolving and I will still be able to find amazing recipes you create and share, even without keto.
It’s your life, girl. You do you. Looking forward to your next steps!!
Linnie says
I love your site! Like others, I came for keto and stayed for low carb. Best of luck in all your endeavors, and look forward to your new recipes.
Joyce Casey says
While I am still 95% keto, I stray once in a while, so your new recipes will be a refreshing reprieve for me. I don’t do much keto baking (that’s a slippery slope for me), but I have so many of your main dishes on my meal rotation, so Prioritizing Protein is my go-to! I’ll be on the lookout for your new recipes, and if I need to, I’ll adapt to keep them within my keto range :-). Best wishes for new directions!