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? 😭), 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.
Jen says
I’ve been receiving your newsletters, and whatever you do, I’m hanging in here. Your recipes are so creative and so doable and you’re not always posting just recipes that promote one or another product. I feel you must have a very generous heart to make sooo many delish recipes available online at no cost to us. Thank you!
What a dream come true to have purchased a huge old home to put your creative energy into. (Maybe you’ll post some pics of what you’re up to there as well.) I have reno’d many places but always just condos as I cannot afford a house. Our govt. in Canada now is very destructive and so many people are wishing they could move to the US or elsewhere.
Your flower garden looks amazing.. so very lovely. 🧡
Rhonda says
I’ve followed you for years. As I got older and I was faced with some unique health challenges, your site, your encouragement, your recipes helped me get to a very healthy weight, and maintain it for many years. My health has improved dramatically, and I’ve even gotten the hubby to go “sort of” keto. He’ll love the high protein options and I’ll modify as necessary, as we’ve done for years now. Thank you for all of your effort in keeping us healthy. Good luck on your new venture.
Gina C says
I was so glad to see you have expanded to high protein meals. My doctor and nutritionist switch me to high protein eating from keto.
You were one of the first keto websites I embraced.
Keep up the great work, I will be watching.
rochelle fitzpatrick says
Oh, my!! I didn’t discover you until the pandemic. You are my number 1 go-to for low carb. Every recipe we’ve tried has been well received!! My husband found out his A1C was an astounding 11.9 during the pandemic and I became hell bent and glory bound he wouldn’t live his life dependent on needle sticks, metformin and ozempic, the entire pharmaceutical drug dependency thing. I also looked at the ADA guidelines and decided it, too, is controlled by the pharmaceuticals-&200-300 carbs a day!!! Insanity at its finest!! Grrr…
We’re not true keto but we’re definitely watching carbs and eating more healthy fats. He’s down to a 6.2 and not owned by the D.O.T. (he owns his own rig and the DOT owns diabetics) Our Dr says he’s doing something right. Thank you!!! THANK! YOU!!!
Colleen says
Hi Melissa, I have followed you for years and have one of your cookbooks. You do you, and I will still use the old keto recipes and will enjoy seeing what else you come up with!
Kim Martin says
Melissa
I meant to respond when you first sent this, but time got away from me. I support your choice to venture into other nutritional profiles. I came here when I was Keto, but I haven’t been strictly Keto for a long time. Most people agree that a person who knows how to cook can take a recipe and modify it to suit their preferences. So that’s what I’ve been doing with your recipes, or using those ideas to create my own. After a lot of reading and research, I have moved towards cooking with real food rather than trying to make a knock off of anything. I can say that I will probably never be a vegan, but I am trying to work in a more plant based diet with the colors of the rainbow and beans, lentils etc., along with healthy fats and proteins. And as I get older, I am trying to find ways to add more protein into my diet. So I look forward to seeing your new recipes that include more protein along with other healthy ingredients…which seem hopefully to be moving to more of a Mediterranean diet!
Debbie says
As a Type 1 diabetic I need low carb recipes, so I will be using your older recipes. I have your books and enjoy then immensely. I understand where you are coming from and going to, Will continue to enjoy your blog but will probably not use the new recipes if they are even moderate carb as they are to high for me.
Patricia Jones says
Hi Debbie – I’m a type 1 diabetic too and love the low carb keto lifestyle . I find it natural and healthy for me.
Jay says
Keep up the good work! I’m less keto than I used to be but still paying attention and very much lower fat and protein oriented.
Please provide as many turkey recipes as you can, For some Parkinson’s related conditions turkey is the only meat you can have and there are so few turkey recipes out there.
Thank you and your flowers look beautiful!
Yvonne says
Hi Melissa,
Do what works for you. I will keep following you wherever you go (even to hell and back :-)). And for what it’s worth…for years I combine keto (extra proteïn) with low carb (extra proteïn) and some form of binge eating when there is a need for it. And it works fine for me. Also ..everyone can create low-carb versions of high(er) carb recipes. I can..just be creative.
Love from the Low lands….Hugs from this Dutchy
Yvon
Mellissa Sevigny says
Shhhhhh….don’t tell the others….. 🙊
Lori gentile says
You ROCK! I get it if you need to switch gears but thank you!!! I have been solid keto for eight and a half years and it freed me from fat girl jail and I couldn’t have made it without you! And now that Nature’s Own Breads and Smuckers have come on board, I am eating (in my hubbys words) like a normal person, I feel like, with the right Chef, we Keri’s can do anything, we need you! There are so many more keto options, I keep looking for the right chef for the future. You,Girl, are it! Come home to us. We need you and we love you!!!! I will buy you every cookbook you offer. Please use Smuckers and invent a peach cobbler and if you ever invent a croissant, I might go to heaven. Hugs and Thank yous!!