Low Carb Diet

Just this week, I finished a month on a new diet.  Well, it was more than a new diet, really.  It was more of a lifestyle change.  My weight hasn't been a problem for a long time.  This one was more complicated than that.

Let me back up a bit.  You may know the story--my dad had his first heart attack when I was 5.  I've spent my life in fear of the same and have exercised and eaten "right" ever since because of that.

Lately, I've been trying to be more proactive about my health.  I've seen my primary care physician, my cardiologist, my gastroenterologist, and my physical therapist.  I've consulted with a sports performance physician, a nutritionist, and a health coach.

The result was that I needed to make some changes. 

I gave up caffeine.  I know that doesn't sound like much but for me it was huge.  I start my day with a cup of coffee.  Strong coffee.  The stronger the better. 

It's a good thing that my friends over at Vienna Coffee Company make a tasty cup of decaf otherwise I would be stuck to stuff that doesn't have a lot of taste but is merely hot.

And I've switched to a low carbohydrate diet. Now this might not sound like much either but I have been a carb animal for most of my life. 

Breakfast?  Carbs.  Always.  Carbs on carbs.  Lunch?  More carbs.  I love bread, desserts, potatoes, and rice. 

Since age 5, when my dad had that first heart attack, I've followed a low fat diet.  Skim milk, nothing 

fried, no eggs, infrequent red meat.  And lots of carbs.

Medical science now tells us that we may have been wrong about it all.  That the low fat/high carb diet may not yield the results that we sought.  That high carbs may contribute to heart disease and 

good fats may help prevent it.

The bottom line is that I was consuming too many carbs and that it was bad for me.  It may not be the same for you.  You need to seek that piece of medical advice for yourself. 

But for me, things have changed.  For the past month, I have minimized my carbohydrate intake.  No potatoes, no rice, no desserts.  No dairy, no legumes.  None.  Not even my beloved Frito's.

Mostly cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, green leafy vegetables.  For a month, I've eaten at least a salad every day.  And lots of lean meat and eggs. 

I spend a lot more time in shopping and food prep.  I have always read labels but now look for carb grams instead of fat grams . To say this is a huge emotional leap for me is putting it mildly.  Suddenly, fats (good fats) are good for me.

It's been hard, especially on the bike. As I reset my system to burn fat (which all of us have plenty of) from burning carbs (which we need to constantly ingest), I was sluggish and more than once got dropped in a group bike ride.  A month in, it has gotten better.  I'm not there yet but I'm getting there.

For the next few weeks, I will gradually increase my intake of good carbs, avoiding simple sugars and refined flour.

None of this has been easy but I am convinced that it will help me be healthier and live longer.