I’ve been eating a LOW Carbohydrate, HIGH Fat, Moderate Protein Paleo diet these days, its called Nutritional Ketosis.  This is day 49.  At first I was seeing amazing results…Like OMG!!  I get to eat all these Full Fat foods and I’m killing it on the scale!  AND, I have zero cravings…finally, Nirvana!  My skin feels tighter, I see more definition around my muscles, not sure I can get any more energized, and a can tell the difference between mind hunger and belly hunger.

Restrictive diets have never worked for me (or most people for that matter).  When I say restrictive I mean calorie deficit, not  not eating foods that are “bad” or not aloud on “whatever” diet you’re following.  Being full on rich whole foods is very liberating. You aren’t watching the clock to feed or yawning into your key board.   Jimmy Moore said in a recent podcast that, “High fat diets lead to mood stabilization and brain clarity”.  It’s so true and amazing how energy in the brain is such a powerful driver in your day to day, not blood sugar from carbohydrates as once believed.  The book that got me going in this direction is Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore.  Cholesterol Clarity  is another nutritional game changer.

So…then I read a book that says “add back in carbs” every 7ish days or 21 days if you are metabolically challenged, it’s called The Carb Nite Solution And even though I felt like “ya know, I don’t really want to” (stray from my Keto Diet) I did it any way.  ” If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”  did not go off in my head, and  my Carb Nite did not go well.  It opened up a crap storm of cravings, reminiscent of my binge eating in the past.  But!  I did learn a great deal about my body and the roll carbohydrates play in the way that I feel, and look on a daily basis.  For example, processed Carbo-HYDRATES cause your body to store fluids, like 1 part carb to 3 parts water!  You begin to see yourself as fatter(over night).  Your blood sugar and Insulin levels are all over the board, so you CRAVE more of the same.   It is a constant battle between  your brain, your hormones and your mouth!   I think I will take Bacon, fried in butter, on top of a grass fed burger patty, covered in guacamole with Brussels spouts stir fried in the bacon grease, thank you very much!

So back I go to strict Keto, but then here comes an event I need to attend…= Booze.  Okay ,No problem, back on track the next day. I got this…after all this is a “lifestyle”  NOT a diet.   Several days later, another Carb diversion..UGH!  Is this my life now…one phobia for another?

So days, days, days, go by and I’m doing great, but then I was finding it hard to keep my menu low protein.  I learned that protein in excess of 120gram a day turns to blood sugar through a process called Gluconeogenesis..Yikes!!!  So now my dilemma is adding back in diary (butter, for example, is all fat, no carbs, no protein) to my other wise dairy free life.  And, again, I don’t want to!  I know for me, and 75% of the population,  have issue with diary in one form or another.  What do I mean by issue?  Gas, bloating, burping, indigestion, cramping, skin irritation, IBS, etc,… the list goes on and on.  Besides the cave man not eating dairy, dairy keeps you bloated, it makes you fat and keeps you craving more of the same.

So, I did add Grass fed butter into my menu, no problem, and that was yummo!  Okay, maybe a hard cheese…and I find one that was high fat and low protein(which is hard to find), perfect! (I feel guilt and shame.)  Then Cream cheese, oh my god this is sacrilege!   The cream cheese is  just gross to me now, so that only lasted 1 day.  Heavy Cream?  Sour Cream?  These could be a possibilities, because neither contain lactose(sugar) or casein(which I’ve learned is just as destructive as gluten if you have issue).  Well, my body must have been out on a smoke break as the dairy brigaded made its way through, so it was relatively undetected.  Day two?  Not so much…It was like A scene from Bridesmaids!  Colon gurgling, the color draining from my face , and sheer panic as I determined my nearest exit strategy…It was almost “happening!”  So, I’m going to keep the grass fed butter, ditch the others and embrace my Primal(Paleo that says yes to dairy)/Whole food label and just monitor my self for changes in how I look, feel, and perform.

Typical lunch togo:  Organic Chicken thigh, skin on bone in.  2 slice Bacon.   11/2 cup Veg.  2 pats Kerry Gold Butter with garlic and chives.  1 Avocado.  2 tbsp Organic Salsa.  Eating a meal this big may only be one of two meals, not three.

Stay tuned as my Keto ups and downs continue.  It is definitely a pleasurable eating journey.

Here is a great podacst featuring Jimmy Moore.  I find myself chasing all podcasts  featuring Jimmy Moore, talking about Nutritional Ketosis and his book.  Every different episode I find a new “Ah Ha” moment.