Carbohydrate Addicts

Dieting is a Crock of Shit!


Listen, I have to tell you that I think dieting is a crock of shit. The very word DIET sends me into paroxysms of loathing. I think of how much money I have spent on dieting aids, books by the score, internet purchases and much more. I don’t want to continue like that for one more day and I will not.

 

My interest in nutrition and weight loss started when I went vegetarian for seven years in England in the 70s. Being part of the hippie culture I learned about whole foods: sprouts, rice, and vegetables usually grown organically in the back yard of the commune or picked up at the local market. Good times. Tasty food. Lots of carbohydrates.

 

Another side of my eating was the stress of wondering when and from whence the next gig would come, and if I was going to be “thin enough” for stage. Being emotional to start with, eating has always been my go-to activity when stress appeared. But not only then. Stressed, sad, happy, delighted, confused, successful – you name the emotion – they all result in eating.

 

Of course, events along the way helped to pile on the pounds. Motorbike accident, stopped cigarettes, hysterectomy, and a back operation: they all contributed. The sad thing is that I started dieting at a weight I could only dream of achieving now. Being over 60 and having spent years battling weight gain I do not expect to become a lissom wand, ever!

 

And if truth be told, food is one of my greatest passions.

 

I have spent the last month or more rebelling against Banting and all other diets. However, I have now managed to slow the runaway train and am a tad more thoughtful about food choices once more. It has resulted in rummaging deep within me to find some answers. My own answers and my own choices.

 

So what are they?

 

The upshot of it all is that I have decided to eat from all the Banting lists. From all food sources, all categories, nothing to be left out. Even sugar. Gasp!

 

And how do I intend to lose weight? Do I want to lose weight? How healthy am I? All these questions have been roaring around my addled brain, seeking the true answers that reside in my inner being. Profound, I know…

 

Eating less will do for starters. One helping and not two. How do intend to achieve that? By eating slowly, putting my fork or spoon down between mouthfuls, basically – eating mindfully. Big words, but achievable.

 

What will I be eating? Mostly everything that is natural and not processed by man. I did say mostly. There is nothing on my AVOID list because such a list does not exist for me anymore. The Amarula Crème Brûlée I had after lunch yesterday was a true delight and I refuse to go out and deny myself something so delicious, sugar and all. Sure, I will make my own at home with xylitol, but really? To go out and have a ‘normal’ meal is a huge pleasure.

 

Through all the years of dieting, (Low carb, keto, Banting, GAPS, Protein Power, Carbohydrate Addicts Diet, Schwarzbein) – they have all contributed to a store of good knowledge about foods and nutrition in general. I know what to eat and I am sure we all know basically what to eat. I don’t touch MSG as a rule, but there are Doritos and Lays days in my life. Mostly they were eaten with great guilt in the past, but no longer. Once in a while is fine by me.

 

I eat bread. Gasp again! These days I have access to stone ground non-GMO organic flour and have great fun trying out different recipes. In the past I would probably have eaten the whole loaf in a fit of secrecy and shame, but no more of that. Delicious with grass fed butter (it always sounds strange – butter doesn’t eat grass! Yes, I know, I know…) and local organic cheeses, very yum.

 

Every one of us has things we mean to do but never get round to. Things we know are beneficial but somehow manage to elude us in our daily routines. So I am making a list of those I am endeavouring to execute, out of which I plan to make a habit.

 

Habit Challenge List

 

Borax in filtered water daily for arthritis in my broken bones. (Google it…)

 

Krill oil capsules occasionally to replace the fish I very seldom eat due to mercury scares.

 

Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in the mornings with coconut oil and salt. (This habit is already in place.)

 

Eat within an eight to ten hour window. This is intermittent fasting which I practice at least four days a week and sometimes more.

 

Sprout organic seeds and enjoy the abundance of nutrition, and one day make a sprouted seed bread, just for fun.

 

Soak oats and nuts overnight as an occasional breakfast. (Soaking breaks down the enzyme inhibitors, making the food more easily digestible. And – I like it!)

 

Eat vegetables, preferably raw but also cooked any other way. Raw blended green juices are the one thing with which I struggle, but now that I am eating off all the lists, I shall use apples and bananas to make them more palatable, together with seeds and nuts for protein.

 

Make kimchi and other fermented foods and eat regularly. The thing is to find organic cabbage. A red cabbage is growing in a pot and I am sowing more seed after the next new moon. Carrots abound in my garden and I have loads of kale, so no excuse.

 

Make yogurt more often.

 

Deep breathing daily. (I often do three mindful breaths throughout the day and also at night before I sleep.)

 

One last but most important thing of all – Love my body, fat or thin!

 

There you have it. My own lifestyle, tailored just for me.  I will let you know how it goes…

 

 

 

Banting – it’s working!!!…

 

 

I found the answer for my body. Keep the carbs under 20 and the fat percentage anywhere between 70 and 80%.

A few days ago I made fish cakes with coconut flour and that was a mistake. My weight went up instantly – about 800g. I was not pleased. So I cut carbs down to below 20 and voilà! A whole kilo gone in 4 days. Must have been water weight, but it taught me something.

The other trick is to eat a l-i-t-t-l-e supper. I had 2 boiled eggs and some mayo and that was more than enough.

Breakfast this morning was at 10:15 (I eat between 10 and noon) and I made sure it was high fat. Here it is…

This is a very South African dish – called Skilpadjies which means tortoises – with not a tortoise in sight! It comprises lamb liver minced and flavoured and made into a pattie and wrapped in caul fat and this was fried in coconut oil. The avo is full of lipase and helps to break down fat while the eggs are…well we all know eggs! Great protein and good stuff.

That will keep me satisfied for a l-o-n-g time.

Until later…

 

 

Banting Battles!…

 

Whoa! Did I get a rocket today from a Facebook Banting chap! All about enzymes. He drilled me as to why I was suggesting avocado instead of cooked vegetables for lipase content. So – just in case anyone is wondering why I suggested that, and in case you haven’t read my blog post on enzymes, I shall repeat. All enzymes are destroyed through cooking and heating. This is a fact I discovered when researching. It seems as if that is not so important to the chappie (who shall remain nameless) as he went on to give me links to enzymes. I shall repeat, picky person with harsh words…Raw Raw Raw! That is what I was trying to get through! Cooked vegetables do not contain working enzymes. And I believe in enzymes to help with our digestive process. I am not a doctor, nor a nutritionist, but I do believe in the power of raw, enzyme rich, nutrient dense foods.

 

An enzyme stays an effective enzyme if it’s raw – and the harsh person? May he be blessed with happy thoughts!

 

On with the Revolution!

 

A Happy Sunday Breakfast Dish!

 

It was Yummy. Savoury Mince with Eggs and Avo (and a tomato:)

 

I was not hungry for hours after, and eventually had a creamy coffee and 6 almonds. So far tonight I have eaten one hard boiled egg with a tablespoon of mayo. I might just have the last one in a moment…good thing I love eggs!

 

Eggzactly!

 

Love and peace…and happy Banting

 

 

 

 

 

 

Banting and Counting Carbs…

 

 

I love SparkPeople. Their nutrition tracker has been my saving grace for a while now. For instance, I had a really big breakfast this morning.

 

Beef Mince flavoured with Smoked Paprika & Turmeric, 3 Eggs, Avo & a Cherry Tomato

 

 

Spike day is my ‘up the carbs’ day. I keep my carbs at 20 per day so I reset my metabolism on the 7th day, (I call it Reward Day, since I have been so awesomely good and because I don’t want my body to think I am starving it!). I also know that when I eat more carbs on my strict days I can tend to overdo them. 6 strict days means I can play on the 7th day, and I choose to stay within Banting rules then. That is when I make my favourite coconut pancakes.

 

 Coconut Pancake with Macadamia Cream Filling

I use my SparkPeople nutritional tracker to help plan my day, even on Reward Day. I can also look back and see what I have eaten at any time. It is so helpful. Like today – I had such a big breakfast, all legal, and even with my palm size protein and green drink (which is 8 carbs) for tonight, I still have 2g left over.

 

Water has been my good companion today and I find that I am drinking quite a bit. I think this is also because protein is a diuretic and I had a fair bit yesterday. So water is my friend…I also had 2 small cups of black filter coffee with cinnamon and coconut oil…delicious.

 

Today has been an industrious one. Now for a stroll with the dogs and my own Banting Cocktail (Sparkling Water with Bitters)

 

Have an awesome evening…

 

 

Banting Snacks…

 

Banting snacks seem to be a hard one for some, so I am going to start posting mine as and when they come. Here was today’s one:

Salami and Avocado Bites

 

Pinterest is a wonderful place to go and look around. I made a couple of lists and am going to see what I can come up with to make some even more yummy ones! Watch this space…

 

Banting and Nutrition…

 

Hello again Banters all

 

Today is beautiful here in the mountains and work on preparing the horse arena is ongoing while I sit and write recipes and menus for an upcoming Banting talk. I love doing this. The recipe book is coming together really well and there are some awesome food experiments coming up. Needless to say, I am passionate about good tasty healthy nutritious food! And it has helped me lose 18kg so far!!!

 

Today’s breakfast photo is Liver and Eggs:

 

It is a simple meal but oh so tasty. The liver is cut into strips and then rolled in almond flour and fried. I served this with egg and home-cooked creamed organic spinach from the garden, and a slice of avocado. Really delicious combination.

 

That’s all for now…be back soon

 

Have a stunning day – keep on with the Revolution!

 

Following The Real Meal Revolution by Tim Noakes, Sally-Ann Creed, Jonno Proudfoot and David Grier

 

 

Banting My Way…

 

 

This morning’s breakfast was the standard Eggs, Bacon and Avo. To my horror, when I punched in my food into Spark People’s Nutrition Tracker, I had eaten all but one of my 20 carbs in that one meal! That was because I had taken the seemingly sage advice to eat a whole avo with my breakfast…at 15 carbs! I will not do that again. Half an avo is just fine for me. I will also be soaking seeds for my lipase containing sprouts today. They are so low in carbs and great for snacking straight from the fridge.

 

Dinner was a 300g T-bone steak, and a tiny bit of biltong (beef jerky) while I was cooking. And some salted butter on the tip of my finger. Love butter!

 

My thoughts on a few things: Having the same breakfast every day is as boring as bullshit. No replica foods is even more boring, especially if you are an avid cook such as I am. And a taste fiend! I LOVE different tastes. So off I went trawling the internet for keto recipes and I found masses of delicious looking dishes. I also have some good ones in the Real Meal Revolution Cookbook. After all, that is how I started this Low Carb High Fat journey.

 

Brunch with Amanda:

Bacon and Egg Scramble with Cheese Grillers, Mushrooms with Garlic and Ginger, and Guacamole

 

I have committed to doing two weeks induction (as in Atkins) with my buddy Amanda, to accompany her on the start of her LCHF/Keto journey. This is a good thing for me as I am in need of a bit of discipline right now. AND… I am already looking forward to some awesome cooking experiments to come after our Fat Burning Fortnight! Yay! Pancakes, breads and muffins, waffles…all sorts of tasty morsels. Craig from ruled.me is so prolific with wonderful keto recipes, it’s like being a kid in a candy store visiting his site!

 

But in the meantime – off to boil 6 eggs for quick snacks. Loving this healthy journey!

 

Cruising with the Revolution!

(I follow The Real Meal Revolution by Prof Tim Noakes, Sally-Ann Creed, Jono Proudfoot and David Grier)

 

 

 

 

 

Banting – Finding My Own Way…

 

This has been an interesting week.

 

Now I do not subscribe totally to anyone’s particular idea of Banting. I use however much I need, wherever it resonates with me and suits my needs, wants and desires. Yep, all those things. Needless to say, my desire is to be healthy above all. Slim is good. Health is my main priority – physically, mentally and emotionally.

 

Physically means getting good nutrients into this bod, organic where possible and more than that, out of my garden! Being fit and active is important – so that I can get around the streets of Edinburgh and Pittenweem when I visit my sis – and to be able to walk in my little forest with the dogs and to dance with my horses. As I get lighter, all this becomes easier to do. Being healthy and fit enough to live a full active life is my sincere want, need and desire.

 

Mentally? Hmmmm… Keeping my brain busy is not too difficult. It wants to explore all the time! Discovering and using knowledge is ongoing, continually. Discovering what works best for me as far as food and health is concerned takes up a fair bit of my time as well. Nutrition has long been my interest. Ideas come, get used, get discarded at times and then the chosen principles get added to my lifestyle. All in all I am a healthy fat girl. Now I am on my way to being a healthy slim girl!

 

Emotional well-being is important so I ask myself what can I do to keep my sometimes rampant emotions happy? What do I like to do? Meditation and Qi Gong for starters. And then, I love to cook. Tastes turn me on. I love to develop recipes out of whatever I have at the time, and sometimes I plan. I certainly think simple is best, but there are times when a bit of luxury and food decadence suits the moment! We are not robots and we like variety. Well I certainly do. To eat the same things every day is not how I like to live. It would be like painting the same picture every day, and now and then get let out for good behaviour to paint something new. Ugh! I am a rainbow being, as are we all. I just like to let all the colours shine! Not just pink!!!

See! That’s the emotional side :)

 

The last week has been one of those emotional ones and food, of course, has come into play. Rebellion and resistance is part of my nature and sometimes it roars to the forefront of my emotional day. I know I am not alone. There are many of us emotional peeps out there and many of us rely on food to comfort us or to assist in the rebellion of the moment. I am not saying it is right, it just is like this at times. Just is.

 

We move on.

 

So what do I do on a regular basis? What I like to do. Drink my lemon water, coconut oil and salt in the morning – I happen to love it – and then I wait until I am hungry. My natural bent, my desire, is to do intermittent fasting, which means I eat anywhere between 10 am and noon, and I eat supper anywhere between 6 and 8 pm. And supper is always small. That feels good to me, and I am the one who knows what works for me. The principles behind intermittent fasting ring very true and my body likes it. I have written about it in previous posts, so do go and have a read. LCHF/Banting/Low Carb is how I choose my food. Sometimes I deviate, but not too often. I like banting. It’s good food.

 

Recently I relinquished all my outside responsibilities and resigned from committees etc. This is because I have an art exhibition coming up in July, so I have gone into my painting cave for the next four months. However, I am also writing my little Banting Recipe Book to release at our Silver Mist Holistic and Health Fair on 11 and 12 July 2015 here in Haenertsburg. Go to the facebook page to check out what’s coming.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Silver-Mist-Holistic-and-Health-Fair/829255893767369

 

Recent Banting Food Photos

 

Shirataki Noodles with Basil & Moringa Pesto

Shirataki Noodles with Bacon & Cream Sauce

Banting Snack: Celery with Whipped Cream & Blue Cheese

 

Until the next post – keep smiling and do the healthy thing…

 

Rockin’ on – Following the Real Meal Revolution

www.realmealrevolution.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Real Foods for Spike Day…

 

 

 

Spike Day Foods – Replica Foods!

 

Now my thinking is to get away from the original baddies like pizza and pasta, muffins and focaccia, chocolate mousse and panna cotta, not to mention crème brulee, with their inflammatory ingredients. Yes I believe in getting back to basics and clean eating, simple foods, and I totally concur with the idea of a Spike Day (Re-set Metabolism Day!) or a Reward Meal or Carb Cycling, however you want to do it that suits. However, I do not subscribe to the idea of eating previously dis-empowering food just because I can…I do the 90% chocolate thing and will not go back to Cadbury’s Whole Nut. No sir. After all, I am in the business of re-training my whole system to do without glucose and rather to use my stored fat for fuel.

 

So, back to Spike Day Foods.  Spike Day is not for calorie or carb counting, it is there to be thoroughly enjoyed with no guilt! This is the day for me to have fun with food!!

 

This is the first time my sis and I have been successful at losing weight together and it is very exciting!  We love to cook and entertain. It’s in our blood, our genes…it is a passion. (That and a host of other things!) Cooking is our creative therapy in a way. It’s also our way of putting up with/knuckling down to/readjusting to our chosen lifestyle – LCHF/Banting/Ketogenic/Lowcarb. For Life!

 

Spike Day for me is to be used for recipe trials with all sorts of wonderful Banting-friendly ingredients. Spike Day for me is for delicious but legal Banting Foods. I work very hard during the week to keep my carbs low and my food really simple so why would I want to jeopardise my progress? Up the carbs and calories, yes! But not empty calories. I might just want more! Scary but true…

 

Austerity is one thing, but the Greeks showed us it’s not for everyone! I can happily be austere and rigid in my food intake for 6 days. Hey! Even take it below 20 or 10 grams! But then on the seventh day I wanna party!

 

Each week we will try out one Spike Day recipe each. A Dish to Delight. A Banting Pizza Pizzazz! Or muffins, or pasta, crackers and breads, puddings and cakes. You get the idea?  I need to try out the substitutes for some of the foods I love and miss the most. Scones, muffins, crackers and cheese, cheesecake and ice cream. As I need to wait for Spike Day to have those, I strongly believe that I should stay within Banting ingredient guidelines – and not indulge in the foods on the Red List. There are stunning low carb recipes for most if not all of my favourite foods, Banting-legal style! Replica foods. With my experiments I will make my Foodie Muse very happy:)

 

So here we go with our first Spike Day Delight! Coconut Pancakes. So good you don’t even need to put butter on them. You could also make a fresh berry jam to slather on them if you like…all Banting–legal! Here I have used macadamia nut butter and cream.

 

Coconut Pancakes with Macadamia Nut Butter Cream

Flavoured with Cinnamon, Unsweetened Cocoa and Xylitol

 

 

Ingredients

 

2 XL Eggs, beaten

1 to 2 tsp Xylitol or Stevia to taste (I used 1 heaped tsp Xylitol)

Pinch Himalayan (Pink) or Celtic Salt

½ tsp Vanilla Essence

3 to 4 Tbs Coconut Flour (I adjusted this and put in about 6 Tbs to get the thickness I like)

½ Cup Coconut Milk (I use the thick part at the top)

¼ tsp Baking Powder (I eventually put in ½ tsp)

Combine coconut flour and baking powder in a bowl

Mix all the other ingredients in another bowl

Put the two together and mix to form a smooth batter.

Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes and then stir again.

 

Now you are ready to start frying up those babies!

 

Brush a frying pan, skillet or griddle with about a tablespoon of oil, preferably coconut oil.

 

Pour or spoon the batter into the hot pan, making pancakes about 6 cm diameter. Actually, make ‘em any size you want! I have even made one big one in a pan on its own. Yum! They are fragile, so turn them gently once the underside is golden brown. Make sure the pan is always well greased so they don’t stick.

 

Macadamia Nut Butter Cream (serves 1)

1 heaped teaspoon Macadamia Nut Butter

2 Tbs Fresh Cream

Stir the two together until well combined

Add Cinnamon, unsweetened Cocoa and Xylitol to taste

 

Fill the pancake with Macadamia Nut Butter Cream, leaving a spoonful for the top. Roll up pancake and spoon the Macadamia Cream over the top. Pour a little fresh cream over and sprinkle with Cinnamon Sugar made with Xylitol and cinnamon.

 

I challenge you not to eat one until they are all cooked…

ENJOY!!!

 

Let’s get Cooking with The Revolution!

(The Real Meal Revolution by Prof Tim Noakes, Sally-Ann Creed, Jonno Proudfoot and David Grier)

 

 

Banting Big Breakfast Ideas…

 

I know it is difficult sometimes to think of things to eat for the Big Breakfast, so here are a few ideas you might like to try.

 

Bacon OR Chicken Livers OR Ox/Lamb/Calves Liver OR Pork Rashers OR Lamb Fingers OR Pickings from Bone Broth OR Steak with extra Butter. (Of course you can have any offal if you like it, brains would be good.)

Free Range Eggs OR…Well, eggs is eggs – OK, you could try ostrich or quail eggs for a change?

Avo OR Spinach, Kale, Chard (Silver beet), Beetroot leaves, Mustard Spinach, Pak Choy. Leafy things. Organic if possible. Try growing your own.

Moringa Powder to mix with your avo or greens. Or drink the capsules.

Coconut oil OR Butter, Ghee, Lard (Pork Fat) or Tallow (Beef or Lamb Fat) OR Schmaltz (Chicken Fat) OR Bacon Fat

 

There are many different ways to use these ingredients. Take livers for instance.
Chicken livers can simply be browned in butter or cooked with cream or sour cream if you are feeling luxurious. Ox/lamb or calves liver can be cut into strips and rolled in crushed almonds or almond powder, (or not!), and fried in coconut oil, butter or ghee. You could mix the cooked liver with scrambled eggs for a change. Chop bacon and do the same thing. Hey, you could even have left over fillet steak chopped up in the scrambled eggs!

 

As for the leafy things, try steaming, stir-frying, wilting, creaming, whatever, and eat them with poached eggs, fried eggs, mixed into scrambled eggs with bits of bacon, a spinach and feta filling for the omelette…get my drift?

 

Eggs I have mentioned. Fried, poached, scrambled, omelette, pizza type omelette with cheese under the grill, bacon and eggs baked in muffin tins, quiche type muffins filled with all the good stuff for breakfast on the run. If you’re not in a hurry and you have time to bake in the morning, pour melted butter over them for that extra rich flavour. Remember you can always add herbs to the quiche muffins. Oregano is particularly good.

 

I hope this helps spark some creativity in the kitchen. After all, if you think about it, breakfast is our main meal, so it should be the one that deserves the creative touch.

 

It makes me happy to cook and to develop recipes for everyone to enjoy, especially for the awesome Facebook group of which I am a part. Visit there and see what a great bunch of people they are, led by the indomitable Charles Lubbe and his very helpful team from The Big Breakfast Banting Debate.

 

Go Big Breakfast!

 

Omelette Roulade filled with Swiss Chard and Mushrooms

 

Breakfast Egg and Bacon Pizza in a Pan

 

Bacon, Eggs, Tomato, Cheese and Avo

Slow Cooked Ostrich Neck & Avocado

Crispy Bacon, Fried Eggs & Red Swiss Chard with Garlic

Pickings from the Venison and Beef Bone Broth

Green Eggs with Buttered Fillet Medallions & Heirloom Purple Tomatoes

 

Fried Eggs, Pork Rashers with Tabasco-laced Avocado

Creamy Chicken Livers with Fried Egg

 

Green Eggs, Bacon and Courgette Fritters

We’re Cooking with the Revolution!…

(The Real Meal Revolution by Tim Noakes, Sally-Ann Creed, Jonno Proudfoot and David Grier)

 

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