One Year Low Carb

February 11, 2012 was when I discovered that the way I was eating was likely killing me.

I'm probably more susceptible than most to a high-complex-carb diet, but that's what I was eating. I called it vegetarian, but it was more like "lots of bread and pasta, with some veggies thrown in for good measure".

A large part of my diet was breakfast cereal (Multi-grain Cheerios, oatmeal, all the "healthy" stuff) and bread (Silver Hills sprouted grain mostly), potatoes almost every day and orange juice to start my mornings.

The new diet/lifestyle throws all the old conventions on their head. Fat is good, protein is good, processed food (including bread and anything made out of grain) is bad, sugar is bad.

I've lost 15 pounds and have been easily able to keep it off (I'm never hungry). I'm eating all the foods I used to avoid - meat mostly (even bacon). I am not eating bread or processed food of any kind. I haven't had a bowl of breakfast cereal in a year, and I think I've had four slices of Silver Hills bread in the last 365 days.

What I've learned about the "vegetarian/carb" eating over the last year has made me really angry. I thought I was doing well the whole time - exactly as the nutritionists tell us to - but I think it's likely the source of all my trouble (heart bypass surgery and a stroke).

The difference? Other than the weight, nothing I can really tell. Only that I'm confident that this style of eating is healthier. It could be healthier still (cut back on the cheese, yogurt, and apples), but I'm 85% of the way there - so good enough.

A typical day now looks something like this:

• Breakfast - Shake/smoothie made up of avocado, spinach, berries, protein powder, coconut milk, banana. 3 cups of coffee.
• Lunch - Apple, cheese, almonds.
• Dinner - Meat of some kind (steak/fish/chicken), sweet potato, broccoli, salad (spinach/tomato/avocado).
• Snack - Yogurt (super high fat, super low sugar, Greek style), frozen blueberries, walnuts.

I'm never hungry, and I eat as much as I want. I call it kind of a quasi-Paleo/slow-carb/archivore diet - made especially for me....