The Saddest Diet Ever & The Happier Alternative
Does anyone else get really sad when thinking about or actually trying to cut back on carbs? While celebrating Mother’s Day, I mentioned to my daughter that I was thinking about trying the Keto diet again and she protested, asking “Why would you want to live a life without carbs?” Then we went out for some homemade ice cream at our favorite Portland food truck in Sellwood, and we were happy again.
In the past, whenever I went on the Keto diet I lost my craving for carbs and was able to control my hunger. But it was never sustainable in the long run for me. I would end up bingeing on carbs while on a high fat diet. NOT a good combination. Sometimes a girl just has to have a homemade, warm blueberry scone, right? Well, with the Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) diet, I can curb the carbs but still have that occasional scone and lose weight.
So many of us are doing the right thing: eating “healthy” foods within our calorie limits and getting lots of exercise, but we still can’t lose weight. Or worse, continue to gain weight. And our doctors blame us for the problem. “If only you’d push away from the table sooner. If only you had more self-control and self-discipline.” For those of us who can’t lose weight despite “doing everything right” the LCHF diet may be the best way to lose weight without having constant hunger and cravings as we reduce abdominal fat and lower our risk for diabetes. LCHF recommends keeping net carbohydrates between 50-100 grams a day. This eating plan, sometimes called the Banting diet, recommends unprocessed foods such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, avocado and low carbohydrate vegetables. Keep your net carb intake low by avoiding sugar, processed foods, bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes, for example.
This way of eating can be much more sustainable and enjoyable because it allows us to indulge in some carbs, keeping those foods that feed the soul, while preventing us from going totally overboard. Even better, is that LCHF can be adjusted to meet the needs of the individual body, rather than having a blanket recommendation for every person. Everyone responds differently, so if you are not losing weight at 100 grams of carbohydrates, for example, consider lowering it in increments of 10 grams until you begin to lose weight.
This way of eating is not a diet. LCHF is meant to be a permanent lifestyle change for those of us who gain weight easily or cannot lose weight despite staying within the calorie recommendations. This diet is not meant for pregnant or breastfeeding women
If you are like me and have tried everything under the sun to maintain a healthy weight, I urge you to make the change to LCHF and see how it transforms your body, improve your energy, while giving you the freedom to enjoy those small indulgences. After all, why would you want to live a life without carbs?
https://www.nature.com/articles/ejcn2013116
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324957
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lchf-diet-plan-and-menu