Stages on the Journey

I didn't have much of a clue when I started. So I did what most of us do these days - I asked Doctor Google.

I can't remember the exact sequence of events, but within about a week of getting back from my holiday I had found the DietDoctor website and several facebook groups and other forums which support an LCHF way of eating - some specifically for people with diabetes, others more general.

I read. I learned. I asked questions.

They recommended books - I bought some of them and read them avidly.

I read about the science of ketosis, and went from thinking that it wasn't really necessary, and what I would need to do to achieve it was just too restrictive.... to understanding that there are real advantages to being keto-adapted, and that to achieve that you had to stay in ketosis for a number of weeks and months. After that, you could probably afford to come out of ketosis for brief periods without losing all the adaptations - but why would you? Maybe for Christmas.... or a family wedding.... but otherwise? Not so much.

My first attempts at LCHF cooking were a bit clunky. I shopped almost every day because I kept on thinking of new ingredients to try. Avocadoes - I had never bought one before, and it took me a while to learn how to get the stones out and skins off (easy 0 use a dessert spoon).  Coconut oil - to start with I fried EVERYTHING in either that or butter. I sometimes used too much, and the food was much too greasy.  I kept on reading that lard was a really good thing to use, but I couldn't bring myself to try it. And then I did... and if you think bacon fired in butter is delicious (which it is), bacon fried in lard is even better.  I discovered that if cabbage - which has never been my favourite vegetable - is fried in butter with some chopped-up bacon it becomes rather delicious. And that cooked chicken breast added to a salad is really tasty when sprinkled with salt, pepper and olive oil.

My eating definitely went through stages.  At first, I was still snacking quite a bit, but instead of biscuits, crisps, fruit or chocolate it was nuts, cheese or olives.  At first I ate a lot of eggs, bacon and yogurt (not all together, obviously).  I made a nut granola recipe from the Real Meal Revolution book, and ate it with Greek yogurt for breakfast on the days I wasn't eating bacon and egg. I learned to enjoy fried mushrooms.

After a month or so, the snacking started to diminish. I was feeling very satisfied at mealtimes, so ate less in between. I read that cream is preferable to milk in tea and coffee because the carb content is lower. I couldn't stomach the idea of cream in tea, but I started putting it in the two cups of coffee I have most days. And since I had cream in the fridge, I started using it in sauces when I cooked, and putting it on my berries instead of yogurt.  Now I get through an awful lot of cream, and not very much milk or yogurt any more.

I learned - quite early on, actually - that there are many flavours of LCHF, and people can be quite passionate about their particular version. I have learned to sit somewhat light to these discussions. But thanks to observing them, as well as the broad principles of eating low carb, high fat, moderate protein and minimally processed, I also avoid seed oils as much as possible, don't generally eat legumes, and think that leaning towards cream rather than milk and yogurt is probably helpful.

But no doubt next week, that may change!