If my blog could talk, the above passage is what it would say. And I can't blame it for being pissed. I totally ignored it for the last 9 weeks or so. I would love to give the obligatory "life got in the way" spiel, but we all know that's not true. I guess it comes down to I like doing other things more than I like writing. I would say I'm probably better at writing assignments for school or work than I am in writing hilarious (albeit unfocused) tidbits of literary gold. Oh well, at least I'm not a ditch-digger.
Another thing that I am not, is one of those people who don't care about what they eat. After 40+ years, I think I've had enough of that. Now, I am in no way considered a health nut, not even close. I am, by government standards, obese. However, thanks to the internet, I am now only Class I obese, down from Class III in 2011. I still need to lose about another 20lbs and I'll drop down into the Overweight category.
How did the internet help? It helped me find the tools to accomplish what I was beginning to feel like was a lost cause. I stumbled upon a website (Reddit, maybe you've heard of it?) that has a forum dedicated to low-carb dieting. Now I know, many of you just shuddered when you read that last sentence (assuming I have readers). Low carb, high fat (LCHF) diets are nothing new, but they are starting to gain popularity recently.
There has been some negative association with this method, mainly due to the Atkins corporation. Dr. Atkins was the guy who came up with the idea to mass-market the diet, and when he died, the company he left behind kind of got away from the basics. They just treated it like a money-making machine, and forgot about helping people at the basic level. There has been some attempts lately to revamp Atkins, but so far it hasn't made any major headway.
The thing is, there are many doctors and scientists today who are turning their focus on LCHF. I am not going to turn this post into advertisements for them; any of you reading this can obviously google things on your own. These proponents are fighting an uphill battle vs. the long held notion (and government backing) that a low fat diet is the key to losing weight. If that was the case, why is obesity such a rampant problem? They've been shoving low fat down our throats for 30+ years, and we've gotten fatter & fatter. Something is not kosher.
Anyway, I've had really great results in the last 7 1/2 months since starting LCHF. 84 lbs and counting. That number is about twice as high compared to any results I've had on low fat diets I've tried in the past. One reason for that is that I've been on LCHF for twice as long as any other diet I've attempted. Usually at the 3 or 4 month mark, I'd fall off the wagon and return to old habits. Why did I do that, if I had great results? The reason is that eating carbs make you crave carbs. When you do low fat, you are eating tons of carbs. It is self-defeating.
Reddit forums are run by their users, so there is no one in charge; only people sharing information that helps all achieve their goals. It really is a testament to what people can do when they come together. Nobody is selling anything. It's just a hivemind for all things LCHF. There is a primer/FAQs on how to start, as well as 27,000 friendly, supportive folks who can answer most questions you may have.
Restoring the noble pyramid's good name, courtesty of redditor subignition.
If you're familiar with what LCHF entails, you'll know that it is comprised mainly of green leafy vegetables, meat, eggs, cheese and lots of full-fat products. Much of it the USDA has been telling us to avoid for the last 40 years or so. Well [expletive deleted] the USDA and their agenda. They have been doing a disservice to the citizens of the U.S. because they are serving big business first. Companies that make sugary food have money and influence, and the USDA serves their interests. The whole thing is really akin to an oil company putting the kibosh on anyone who creates a car that runs on water. They crush the little guy, to keep the profits high. This is not to say the U.S. is the only country that has this problem. Much of the world does something similar.
If you're still with me at this point, your brain is probably trying to retrieve information about LCHF diets right now. The results it's returning is likely to include something like this: THIS DIET IS UNSAFE! OH MY GOD, WHAT ABOUT CHOLESTEROL?!? DO YOU WANT TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK? I thank you for your concern, but there is growing research that finds cholesterol in itself is not bad for you. Salt either. The reason we have been taught those things is due to faulty research in the 60s that got adopted by the government, and it became law.
Okay okay, enough ranting for today. Just do yourself a favor and check out Reddit. Yes, there is more than one way to lose weight. And plenty of skinny people eat carb-rich diets. I'm just saying, for those of you who've failed by following The Man's diet, it's time to try something new. It worked for me, it could work for you.
