Hi again :)

(Cathrine Helle) #1

I’ve had a long break from forums, this included, but as I recently switched to a carnivorous way of eating I felt the need to connect with some peers again :slight_smile:

This past year has been a struggle food-wise. I was doing great last summer, and had some fasting experiences that got me to a better place metabolicaly. However; the past year has been me trying to figure out how I can balance what I would like to eat with what the family would like to eat and how to deal with the numerous social situations where food is present - I’m so over it!

It just becomes too complicated for me, or too emotionally challenging. Despite having eaten less optimal for a year at different instances, I really haven’t gained a lot of weight. It’s not like I’ve been on a carb-binge or anything. But I’m tired of the stress of it. The past week I’ve been carnivor and I feel like a huge burdens lifted off my shoulders. This is soooo easy! What to have for lunch? Meat. What to have for dinner? Meat. I love meat (that of course, helps a lot).

I’m really hoping that I find this to be sustainable for the long run. I’ve not experienced any difficulty giving up vegetables at all, and no transitional difficulties. Could any of you that have stuck to this for a while please share your experience with me? Or other “newbies”, how are you getting along with ZC protocol?

(Chris) #2

14 months carnivorous here. I haven’t ever had an easier diet to stick to. Embrace the boring - if it ever does get boring, remind yourself that food is fuel, not entertainment (well, it can be, but that’s not the focus here). I really enjoy the simplicity.

What I love quite a bit is removing the decisions from my life. I have multiples of the same outfit, I wear that daily - there’s no decision there. I prep for my morning the night before - so I can grab my stuff and be out the door. Again, no decision required. It’s opened up a lot of new possibilities and thoughts that I’ve never entertained in the past.

To boot- I’m also gaining muscle on this diet moreso than ever before. Big fan of that.

(TJ Borden) #3

Welcome to the dark side. That’s what I love about carnivore. I don’t count ANYTHING. If I’m hungry, I eat. I’m liberal by carnivore standards. I pretty much eat anything animal based: meat, eggs, dairy. It makes life so much easier.

(Running from stupidity) #4

Being ADHD, I have for years tried to simplify and break things down to the least-cognitive-load option possible. I found not caring about clothes at all really helps, so I wear anything with anything else (from a very small pool of clothes, admittedly). Makes life SO much easier.

(Cathrine Helle) #5

For the time being; so do I! But I’m being realistic here - I’m at heart a people pleaser, and this creates a conflict especially when I’m at family gatherings and such. I keep telling myself over and over that I don’t owe it to anyone to compromise on what I choose to nourish my body with, but in real life I find myself questioning my choices and being afraid of being a nuisance.

I think it’s kind of in the core of my personality, and the most important thing for me now is get past this. I imagine that it will be a bit uncomfortable at first (and a lot of explaining and justification), but I also think that this way of eating is much easier for my surroundings to wrap their heads around. Earlier people found it confusing that I ate these vegetables, but not those and so on. Just meat is just - simple!

I want this too :slight_smile: I want to feel strong and robust, both physichally, mentally and emotionally. Not that I need to become a body builder, but I really want to FEEL strong. Awesome to hear you’ve noticed a difference in this after going ZC :smiley:

(Running from stupidity) #6

You need to be a complete bastard like me, and just stay home. Makes life SO much easier :slight_smile:

(Cathrine Helle) #7

I love to read that, awesome :smiley: I’ve drastically cut back on dairy, just because it’s currently not as tasty as it used to be. I also eat until I’m full, anything else is out of the question for me. Like many others that have been/are overweight I’ve definitely felt that I should stop eating before satiety, I’m NOT doing that again! It really isn’t sustainable, and it was such a freeing experience to eat as much as I liked when I started keto eight year ago.

(Cathrine Helle) #8

:rofl: I would actually like to a lot of the time, but am venturing out occasionally in consideration of my husband and children :stuck_out_tongue:

(Running from stupidity) #9

I have trained my wife well :slight_smile:

(Kerin ) #10

The social areas are filled with awkwardness. I would like to have a Taco Bell protein bowl but feel like a pain asking them to with hold the rice and beans!

(Raj Seth) #11

you’re asking them to do less work for the same money - they should thank you :grinning:

(TJ Borden) #12

Plus, it usually works to your favor. I’ve found that they often add MORE of the good stuff because it hardly looks like anything without the volume of fillers.

(Raj Seth) #13

My son came home from work at 8pm. I made him 4 1/4 pounders, fried in tallow, served with a slice of tomato, onion mayo and mustard. Inhaled. MORE of the good stuff!!!

Was the cheep 78/22 burgers too - none of that fancy sirloin 88% lean crap for us!!

(Chris) #15

By entertainment I also meant to loop in “social events”. I consider that entertainment.

(Cathrine Helle) #16

I’m really hoping my children will be tempted to adopt my low carb / keto / carnivore tendencies. They’re both overweight, but that’s really not my biggest concern. My concern is what all the carbs are doing to their cells inner workings and their organs :confused: They are too old for me to micro manage their diet, believe me, I’ve tried for years.

(Cathrine Helle) #17

I have problems with this as well. I would just leave the bun of the hamburger uneaten or something, rather than ask for a meal tailored to my needs :stuck_out_tongue: In one of the carnivore interviews I’ve listened to recently (I forget which, sorry), the person being interviewed approached the restaurant dilemma like this: “I would like a plate of meat, no sides. What can you do for me?” I thought this was a really good approach - in stead of me trying to frankenstein their menu, I’m open for their suggestions. I’m definitely trying this the next time I’m dining out :slight_smile:

(Jane ) #19

My husband and I are Keto/Low Carb but most of our kids are not. Our oldest son has one dtr with a second child on the way and their house is carb central. I dont think she gets much protein at all! Bu keep my mouth shut so that we are not the annoying grandparents. But still…

(Cathrine Helle) #20

Oh, most certainly, and them being overweight is the least of my worries. However, I AM concerned what the food their eating is doing to their overall metabolic state - there is in fact an increase in younger T2D that are linked to overconsumption of sugar and refined carbs.

They’re now 18 and 15, and at a time in their lives where they HAVE to start making their own desicions. Micromanaging them does more harm than good, and so I’m left with preparing food for them that I think are actual food, and urging them to make good choices. But it’s really difficult. What I consider good choices goes against the norm, and in school they’re taught what the health authorities preach.

As far as eating disorders are concerned, I think most people who have weight issues struggles with their relationship with food to some degree. When I aired my concern for ED with the school nurse, she said that it’s not necessarily the overweight child that develops a full blown ED. It has to do with personality, if there are other issues like depression or anxiety and a number of other factors that come in to play. I don’t think being different causes ED.

(Cathrine Helle) #21

Yeah, it’s tough! We don’t want to come off as preachy, but we do have a right to be concerned. At the end of the day, it’s their decision how they eat. All you can do is state your opinion - hopefully they’ll recognize it as being well meant :slight_smile:

(Cathrine Helle) #23

Exactly! Parenting is hard, we all want nothing but the best for our children! I think the measure of success lies in whether they enter adulthood equipped with the tools to create good lives for themselves. However, it’s not all on us as parents, it takes a village to raise a child - hopefully they’re surrounded by peers that they can shine with as well :slight_smile: