PHOTOGRAPHS: LIZA VAN DEVENTER, ANÈL VAN DER MERWE, SUPPLIED
The low-carb lifestyle has a very broad base, which includes- among others! – Zero Carb (only fatty meats, eggs, and
water), Keto (Ketogenic: very low carb, very high fat), LCHF
(low carb, healthy fat), Paleo (eating as our ancestors did
before agriculture) and Atkins (some processed foods,
grains, dairy).
These various ways of eating are all slightly different from
one another: some include dairy, others don’t. Some allow
a little honey or fruit, others don’t. Some allow occasional
low-carb grains, others don’t – and so on.
Many low-carb believers actually cycle between one or
two of the above: if they reach a plateau in their weight loss,
for instance, they might eat Keto or Zero Carb for a while
before reverting to the one they find easiest to sustain; or if
they’re training for a marathon they might eat more or fewer
carbs for a while, depending on their preference.
Although even within each of these ways of eating there
will be variations, they fit broadly under the low-carb umbrella
because the basic unifying factors are the same: eating
whole, real foods (i.e. unprocessed), forgoing sugar, eating
only nutrient-dense carbohydrates (in varying quantities),
sleeping as much as your body needs and reducing your
stress levels.
And, of course, they are all fundamentally about getting
your health back, sleeping better, losing excess weight and
increasing your energy levels.
The one that is gaining most traction internationally is
Paleo, which is generally low-to-medium carb.
These are very broad strokes, but the main difference
between Paleo and regular low-carb eating is that all dairy
other than butter is discouraged, and more veggies and
fruits are allowed. Interestingly, we’ve found, over the years,
that dairy can be a stumbling block in terms of both health
and weight loss, particularly for women. And we suspect
that many of you are finding the same thing. Which is why,
for the first time, we’re including Paleo recipes in this issue,
along with our regular selection of gorgeous low-carb fare.
Let us know what you think, and what works best for
you: we’re all different, and it might not be exactly the
same as what works for your partner or your friend.
After all, the most important part of the low-carb lifestyle
is learning to know yourself, really listening to what your
own body needs and making the best choices you can
based on that information.
And while you’re doing all that, please don’t forget to
have a very happy Christmas and relaxing holidays!
The LOSE IT teamNUTRITIONAL
THERAPIST
SALLY-ANN CREED
is the foremost and
most experienced
LCHF practitioner
in South Africa.DR GERHARD
SCHOONBEE, GP,
has over 40 years of
medical experience,
and personal
experience of living the
LCHF lifestyle. He also
has a deep scientific
and medical interest
in the subject.BLOG AUTHOR
NICKY PERKS
(WWW.PRIMALPERKS.
COM) is also the co-
founder of Banting
Buddies, which offers
personalised coaching
to those wanting
to lose weight and
get healthy.Our experts
Please share your success stories, recipes, Banting
restaurant reviews, tips, questions and concerns with
us via [email protected], @loseitmag (Twitter and
Instagram) and facebook.com/Loseitmag. We look
forward to hearing your insights and experiences!Let’s do this!
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