I hear so many people say, “Oh, I could never give up bread”. . . or “Oh, I could never give up sugar” . . . or fruit, or carbs, or chips, etc. etc. etc.
Sigh. Yes, I know. It’s hard to think about never eating a beloved food again. But what if you have to choose between bread and keeping your feet? What if it’s sugar or size 24 pants? What if it’s fruit or painful joints that ache and make life miserable? It’s harder to romanticize the carbs when we hold them responsible for what they’re causing in our lives.
If you’re saying, “oh I could never” when it comes to going low carb or keto, I do understand. When I first started, I thought I’d be lucky to lose 20 pounds and then I was planning to go back to eating exactly what I had been eating before. Keto was just another diet to me at that time. So if that’s where you start, then okay. Let’s go with that.
But along the way, something can happen. You can experience more weight loss than you ever dreamed possible. You might feel mentally clearer and you might lose that joint pain. Your blood sugars might go down to the normal range and your blood pressure could stabilize. You might be able to get off medications that you thought you’d be taking for the rest of your life. It might be hard to keep pants that fit in your closet because you keep shrinking.
Last night I went to dinner with friends. I had a beautiful blackened steak salad that filled me up while I caught up with my friends. It was a lovely evening. And then I saw desert being served a few tables over. A fleeting thought of “oh, wonder what’s on the desert menu?” And then, I refocused on my friends, on the state of my then-full belly, and on how everything was right in the world. And that’s the key: not dwelling on what I can’t have. Focusing on what I do have, what I can have, on all the good things going on in my life.
So how to do you get to the point where you’re willing to give up bread?
- Don’t think about giving something up for the long-haul, especially at first.
- Think about what you can have. I can have meats, cheese, butter, I can have beautiful salads with blue cheese dressing. Find foods that you love that are low carb keto and turn your mind towards them.
- If you’re bored, find a new recipe. If it’s a holiday or birthday, find keto food options and make sure you have something good to eat.
- Hang out with people who are doing what you want to do. Find them on Facebook and check in with them every day. They’ll give you info and cheer you on. There’s no need to do this alone.
- Think about where you’re going. What would you love? What if it’s really possible to get there? What if it’s easier than you ever thought it might be? If you did believe that you could get there, what might you do today that would move you closer to your goal?
- Once you’ve gotten started, notice the benefits you’re experiencing rather than what you’re “giving up”. Think about how your clothes fit. Compare your measurements. Make a before & after collage. Even after the first few days, you’ll notice a difference in your face.
- Collect inspirational quotes and put them up where you can see them frequently. This is about changing your mindset: letting go of things that haven’t been working for you in your life and making new habits.
- Learn more about low carb keto living. Watch videos, read articles and books. As we solidify our understanding of how the toxin known as sugar effects the body, it’s easier to turn towards low-carb, high-healthy-fat, whole food options.
And then one of these days, you’ll hear someone say, “Oh I could never give up xyz”. And you’ll think, “well, yes you really could. If you knew how much better you’d feel and how much good food you could eat, you’d even be happy giving that up.”
Yes, I gave up bread. And I gave up joint pain and 78 pounds. I’d say that’s a good deal. If you’re unhappy with your weight and wondering if low carb keto way of eating might help you, I hope you’ll join me. If I can do this, you can do this!
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