All of us have heard SO MUCH about all the different kinds of diets – pescatarian, vegan, low carb, keto, atkins, paleo etc. And yes, I am very sure that at some point in time, we have attempted one of these diets and found ourselves recoil from the sheer shock of what a cheat day can do. For me, I have always tried to stay low-carb, and what that means for me is about one bowl of rice a day. There was a period of time (about 3 months?) where I was really strict about my diet and ate only steamed chicken and broccoli with no seasoning. While sticking with diets such as these can reveal quick weight-loss results, how sustainable are they really? Moreover, I felt like I was not getting much nutrients in at all and my tummy was mostly feeling gassy and uncomfortable.
When the festive period came, I let it all go.
I was still rather carb aware of the food I was taking in, but the sweet treats were what really got me! The pastries and breads were the worst, and I craved for them every single day. It didn’t help that I was also going through quite a difficult period in life and I rationalized my indulgence in emotional eating. Very quickly, I piled on the pounds and was feeling terrible, and extremely fluffy. Despite being a very active person, I was just not as lean as before.
It was a lifestyle that he passionately believed in and advocated.
That’s when an encounter with Mark reignited, and I was immediately blown away by the knowledge he shared about being low-carb/on a keto diet. To Mark, it was not merely a fad that people do to lose weight. In fact, your low carb/keto journey might be easily derailed if that was your main purpose. It was a lifestyle that he passionately believed in and advocated because of the health benefits he has experienced (and seen others experience).
Ben Banter’s Website
it’s not just sugar and processed food but all grains, starchy vegetables and most fruit.
With a family history in diabetes, I am aware of how a large proportion of the world is actually susceptible to insulin resistance because of the food choices we make. Despite that, many just seem to ignore the fact that making changes in their diets could be the key to removing dependence on drugs that manage our illnesses. In short, people who have developed insulin resistance are intolerant of carbohydrates. The most shocking part, is that it’s not just sugar and processed food but all grains, starchy vegetables and most fruit. *why fruits why, sobs*
The first step to success is to UNDERSTAND YOUR WHY.
Ask yourself some serious questions before you embark on a lifestyle change. You want this switch to be something that you advocate so passionately (just like Mark) for, and not because it is a fad or a shortcut to ‘success’. Only when you truly understand your WHY will you then be able to sustain and therefore reap the benefits of a lifestyle change.
These are some of the questions I ask myself to make sure I am making this a LIFESTYLE I want:
- Why am you choosing to go low-carb, and potentially on a keto diet?
- Why is this a sustainable lifestyle that you strive to achieve?
- Are you prepared to consistently take food options which might differ from your friends?
- Will this new lifestyle require a change in your daily habits? How are you going to address this?
- Are you prepared to leave food on your plate when restaurant portions are huge? Especially in our local context where we are always told “don’t waste food ah!”
Until then, “keto does it butter” will still be the low-carb conversation that I have with myself and others before I make a decision. What about you? <3
TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE – My ‘Low Carb Living’ Exposure
Find out what benefits a low-carb/carb-aware lifestyle will bring you!
Check out my IF (Intermittent Fasting) experience and how it weaves in with a low-carb/keto lifestyle!
