From Low-Carb Skeptic to Keto Queen: An Interview with Amanda Hughes

⁤What happens when a self-proclaimed foodie stumbles into the world of keto? ⁤⁤If you think they'll find themselves wishing for carbs, you're wrong! ⁤⁤

Meet Amanda Hughes, the brains behind WickedStuffed.com and author of bestselling keto cookbooks that prove eating low-carb doesn't mean saying goodbye to flavor. ⁤⁤Just about fifteen years ago, she didn't know anything about low-carb eating. ⁤⁤Now, she's whipping up keto-friendly meals that could make anyone drool just by reading the recipe. ⁤

⁤Whether you're a keto newbie, you already live a keto lifestyle, or you're just someone who enjoys a good food story, this interview with Amanda is sure to leave you hungry for more.

What got you into keto in the first place?

My keto journey kicked off about 15 years ago, back when it was mostly a medical intervention for people with epilepsy. Not many people were talking about keto, and the idea was pretty simple: just keep your "net" carbohydrates (that's total carbs minus fiber) under 20 grams a day. 

It all started because of my husband, Pat. He was really into Tim Ferriss, an author who's famous for turning himself into a human guinea pig for all sorts of diets and lifestyle experiments. Tim came up with the "Slow Carb Diet" in 2010 and talked about keto in his book The 4-Hour Body. Pat was fascinated by it, and at first, I thought it sounded like a fast track to an early grave, but after a month, Pat was like a whole new person – so much energy and just... happier.

We'd tried those low-calorie diets with tons of exercise before, but they always left us feeling awful and didn't really do much for weight loss.

We'd tried those low-calorie diets with tons of exercise before, but they always left us feeling awful and didn't really do much for weight loss. So seeing such a clear difference in Pat was eye-opening. I decided to give it a shot, and the changes I saw were unexpected. My anxiety was almost completely gone, and as someone who suffers from chronic pain, I was feeling a ton of relief. The benefits were almost immediate, and I had a ton of energy. Plus, I realized I wasn't obsessing over food all day like I used to. Needless to say, I was hooked from the get-go.

How did you go from following keto to creating all these recipes?

I've always been a total food nerd and love to cook. I get bored eating the same thing over and over, so I started creating recipes right away. Back then, you couldn't find many keto recipes online, and even diabetic recipes tended to be low-calorie, which wasn't what I was after. So I had to make my own.

At first, I was just publishing them for myself, but then fairly quickly, I had tens of thousands of people visiting my site every month, then hundreds of thousands, all looking for keto recipes. 

With my background in media, I thought, "Why not make a cookbook?" So I designed one, sold it on my website for $20, then did a holiday one later. Those sold about 2,000 copies.

In 2016, a publisher reached out about writing a keto cookbook. That turned into The Wicked Good Ketogenic Diet Cookbook, which ended up being a bestseller and got picked up by Barnes & Noble. After that, things really took off. I ghostwrote about eight more cookbooks, developed hundreds of recipes for a bunch of keto magazines, and even put out a hardcover for Sam's Club. Recently, I've published two more: Wicked Good Keto Slow Cooking and The Wicked Good Keto Summer Cookbook which have full-page and full-color photos for every recipe, which is something I always wanted in my first cookbook.

What's been the toughest part of coming up with keto recipes?

Funny enough, it's the desserts. When you're on keto, you don't really crave sweets like you used to. And I'm big on using clean ingredients, so desserts are always a struggle. Whenever I worked on keto magazines, they'd always want a ton of dessert recipes, and I'd be like, "Ugh, really?" I'm more of a strawberries and homemade whipped cream kind of girl.

When you're on keto, you don't really crave sweets like you used to.

But you know what? That push led to some pretty delicious treats. I came up with this roasted strawberry sorbet that's to die for, a meyer lemon custard, a slow cooker avocado brownie, and a strawberry shortcake that's out of this world.

Have you seen any health improvements from keto? What about your readers?

I really only want to speak to my own experience, because everyone's on their own health journey. For me, the biggest perks have been the energy boost, way less anxiety, and just feeling good overall. Weight loss is great if that's what you're after, but it's good for so much more than that. 

I've gone on and off keto over the years – life happens, you know? Pregnancy, tough times where cooking feels impossible, that sort of thing. It can be hard to get back on track because bread and sugar act like a drug in my body, but I always come back to keto because of how it makes me feel.

How do you handle keto with your family, especially your kid?

That's a bit of a complicated one. My daughter had a rough start:she was born super early, less than a pound, and had a lot of health issues early on. So I'm probably a bit of a helicopter parent because of that. But here's the funny thing, she's 6 now, and she naturally gravitates towards a more keto-like diet on her own.

She's still tiny, not even on the growth chart, so I don't limit her carbs at all. She's also “neurospicy” and doesn't really prioritize food, so she actually needs to gain weight. But she loves protein, veggies, and some fruits. She'll happily munch on a fresh loaf from the farmers market, but won't touch a sandwich, burger, or even a hot dog with bread.

It actually makes school lunches a real challenge because it feels impossible to pack steak and chicken in a lunchbox for a full school day. So yes, we focus on clean, healthy foods, and she naturally leans towards a ketogenic diet, but I don't put any strict rules on her, and she doesn't really need them.

What do you hope people get out of your cookbooks?

I wrote them for people like me – folks who love food and flavor, and who won't stick to keto if all they're eating is chicken and cauliflower rice every day for work. If you enjoy cooking and need variety, if you want to feel like you're still part of the food world while doing keto, my cookbooks are for you.

You know, the "rules" of keto have gotten so complicated over the years, with keto influencers adding their own spin to get views. My cookbook macros stick to the basics, without all the extra stuff that's really meant for athletes and bodybuilders looking to get ripped. If you just love food, want to feel better, and are interested in keto as a lifestyle, you'll probably dig my approach.

Look, there's no one-size-fits-all way of eating, we're all unique. But if you're curious about keto, give it a real shot for about two weeks and see how you feel.

Any last words for folks hoping to try keto for a healthier lifestyle?

Look, there's no one-size-fits-all way of eating, we're all unique. But if you're curious about keto, give it a real shot for about two weeks and see how you feel. If it's right for you, you'll probably notice a difference in just a few days, but two weeks is when you'll be in your superhero state.

You might feel a bit off the first day or two – I call it "sugar withdrawals" – but just keep at it. I've always stuck to the old-school rule of 20 net carbs per day (that's carbs minus fiber), and it's always worked for me. The rest is just noise, in my opinion.

Remember, keto is not just about losing weight, even though it's a great way to do so. It's about feeling good. If you try it and feel great, keep at it! That's the best indicator that it's working for you. Plus, maybe it'll spark your inner chef like it did mine!

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