Life After Carbs

A real person eating (mostly) real food

A basic LCHF breakfast: dairy, berries, and nuts

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I don't eat a lot of dairy on my low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) diet, but when I do, it usually takes one of three forms: heavy cream in my coffee, shredded cheese in a recipe or on a salad, or yogurt. Of those forms, cream is the only dairy I ingest on an every day basis. I love freshly brewed coffee with a dollop of rich, organic heavy cream mixed in. (Heavy cream gets almost all of its calories from fat.) As you may have guessed, I'm not lactose-intolerant, and I'm also not a follower of … [Read more...]

My LCHF week in review: June 14 – June 20

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Starting weight = 219.6 lbs. Ending weight = 219.2 lbs. If I round my starting and ending weights off to the nearest pound, then I could say that I lost one pound this past week. But being honest, I have to say I ended the week on the same plateau that I began it. My percent of calories from fat (71%) was closer to where I want it to be, and my average net carbs per day of 38 grams was OK. I ate more than usual. My average calories per day were nearly 200 more than the previous week, and … [Read more...]

Low carb blueberry pancakes revisited

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I made -- and enjoyed -- these almond/ coconut flour blueberry pancakes for breakfast today, attempting to improve the recipe I posted a couple months ago. The basic ingredients remained the same: two tablespoons of coconut flour, six tablespoons of almond flour, and two whole eggs. I used vanilla and cinnamon as before, and of course some fresh blueberries. However, this time I used four tablespoons of water (a quarter-cup) instead of just two tablespoons, and I also added Stevia to the … [Read more...]

My LCHF week in review: June 7 – June 13

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Starting weight = 221.6 lbs. Ending weight = 219.6 lbs. Since the end of April, my weight has been stuck around 220 pounds, going up a little one week and down a little the next. This week, the direction is downward. I lost two pounds. But although I edged up to 219 pounds nearly a month ago, I've yet to fall below that mark. In short, I've been on a diet plateau. Probably everyone who tries to lose weight has to cross one or two plateaus along the way. Maybe more. It can be frustrating. … [Read more...]

It’s time to fix the dietary guidelines

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"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is age-old advice that's hard to argue with. The problem is, people often disagree about whether a thing is broken or not. That's the case with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, first foisted on American citizens by their federal government in 1980, and since revised every five years. This year will see the release of the next revision. But will it be a fix? Many see the Dietary Guidelines as seriously flawed and in need of fixing. I'm in that camp -- no … [Read more...]

My LCHF week in review: May 31 – June 6

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Starting weight = 219.4 lbs. Ending weight = 221.6 lbs. I'm writing this report a day later than usual because we are just returned from the lake -- Higgins Lake in northern Lower Michigan, to be exact. Around here, the common thing to say is that you were "up north" for the weekend. I'm not sure how far north you need to drive to be "up north," but Higgins Lake is far enough. It's only 100 miles south of the Straits of Mackinaw. … [Read more...]

The need for carb-free beverages — and friendship

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Saturday Short Takes "Low-carb beer lures young men," Adrian Thomas, The Shout. "Low-carb beer finds unlikely niche," James Atkinson, Australian Brew News. According to an industry study, low-carb beer now accounts for nearly 25% of beer consumption in Australia, compared to just 3% in 2006. However, it isn't clear that low-carb dieting is the reason. The largest group of low-carb beer drinkers in Australia are males aged 24 years and younger. Typically, men in that age group aren't as … [Read more...]

Salad is better with eggs

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Obviously, eggs add protein, fat, nutrients and taste -- plus a dash of contrasting color -- to a green salad, but it turns out they do even more than that. According to a new clinical study, whole eggs on a salad also help people better absorb the nutrients from the raw veggies. Salad is better with eggs. The study from Purdue University found that the lipids in the eggs -- that is, the fatty acids -- increased the absorption of the carotenoids from a variety of vegetables. While the fats in … [Read more...]

My LCHF week in review: May 24 – May 30

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Starting weight = 220.4 lbs. Ending weight = 219.4 lbs. It was a reasonable LCHF week for me. I lost a pound, even though my average daily calorie count was higher than the previous week when I gained a pound. My average daily calories weren't just slightly higher, either. The numbers were 1,805 vs. 1,673 -- or +132 (8%) per day. My activity level didn't change. So much for calories in / calories out (at least for this guy and this week). (I admit my activity level needs to increase, but not … [Read more...]

Shoddy reporting on the diet science beat

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Saturday Short Takes When it comes to reporting on the latest diet science news, it's hard to know who to trust. Reporters covering the diet science beat seldom display much in the way of scientific acumen or plain curiosity. Their editors don't seem to care as long as they can illustrate the stories with close-ups of pretty girls putting things in their mouths. 1. The Great Chocolate Con Can eating dark chocolate every day help help you lose weight? Yes, according to a study published … [Read more...]