Keeping it real

I’ve labelled this blog ‘Keeping it real’, because although I am a passionate advocate for the low carb lifestyle, and truly believe that this should not be treated as a ‘diet’ but as a lifestyle choice, it is important for people to realise that you can go low carb and enjoy life as much if not more then you ever have.

If I had been told when I first embarked on the low carb  ‘diet’ that I could not eat my favourite carb laden foods or drink alcohol ever again, I would never have considered doing it.  Neither would I have believed that I would still be following the low carb lifestyle two years later. In my head, I was on a ‘diet’ and as soon as I had lost the 8 kgs I needed to lose, I would return to my old habits and all would be good with the world.

Luckily for me the impact that this lifestyle had on me was so profound and unexpected, returning to my old habits was out of the question. Yes I lost weight and have kept it off, however it was what I like to call the ‘by-products’ of the low carb lifestyle that had the most impact. These ‘by-products’ include (but are not limited to):

• Greatly increased and consistent energy levels throughout the day
• No more mood swings; I manage stress a lot more effectively
• No cravings for sweet food. I no longer seek out sweet options, I have broken the sugar habit
• No more 4.00pm munchies that you will all be familiar with. If I am hungry at this time, I am more inclined to snack on almonds, sliced avocados and tomatoes and cheese. Previously for me, potato chips, crackers, or pretty much anything I could get my hands on quickly, were my preference
• Naturally improved food choices across the day
• No more gassy rumbling stomach after meals
• No more aching joints when I wake up in the morning and the early signs of arthritis which had began to creep into my knuckles have all but disappeared

However, anyone who knows me also knows that I am no saint; I love nothing more than a glass of wine and a bowl of fries on Friday (Friesday) after work with my friends. Neither would I offend anyone who has prepared a meal for me by refusing to eat a dish specially prepared, just because I thought it contained too many carbs.  I can honestly say though that the benefits from eating predominantly low carb will prevent me from ever returning to my old eating habits. I keep to the 90/10 rule (to be honest, some weeks it might be 80/20), and ‘most’ of the time I eat very low carb.

For those of you who know it is time to start making lifestyle changes, low carb is where you will get most impact. Just give it a go, be sensible, if you waver and fall off the wagon, be resilient and get back on. And do me a favour, when you have lost some weight, got those energy levels up and are feeling great; spread the word to those around you who deserve to feel the same. You will be surprised who is taking note and how quickly it catches on. I get a lot of happiness seeing friends making positive changes to their diet; I want my friends and family to be around for a long time, but I also want that time to be productive, fulfilling, and illness free.

NOTE: I have added several recipes and tips this week to help you start out on the low carb lifestyle. Please navigate through the entire website, there may be some information here that will help or interest you. Click on “The Fat Factor” tab to get the full run down on fat from Prof Grant Schofield.