Will I Ever Eat Carbohydrates Again?

Well, never say never, right? But on this particular instance, I will say NEVER to certain foods.

Among foods that I will NEVER eat again are sugary/salty processed carbohydrates like cereals, granola, potato chips, any kind of junk food, chocolate bars, soft drinks, smoothies etc. This list is not exhaustive.

What about my favorite carbs like rice, noodles, pasta, breads and pastries? I might, but it will be on a rare occasion. I won't eat them everyday or every other day or even every week. Once a month, maybe?

Truth be told, I have not had any cravings for the foods that I used to enjoy. Even when I walked into a bakery (on purpose) and took a few deep breaths and admired the goods. I remember how they taste, yes, they still smell good, but I had no desire for them.

The point of the carnivore way is eating is the elimination of all other food like carbohydrates (this includes sugars and most starchy vegetable and fruits), seed oils, vegetable oils and all other macro nutrients (which may cause health issues) except for meat and other animal products (like butter, cheese, ghee, animal fats, eggs etc).

It has been slightly more than 4 months now and after the health benefits that I experienced, I now understand how carbohydrates (and all those junky bad foods) can be detrimental to our health. 

I know some of you think I am being ridiculous. After all, you have been eating carbohydrates and all the other types of food all your life, and yet you don't have any problems with your health. Well, good for you, you are very fortunate.

In fact all this time when I was on a regular diet (even on a balanced diet with foods that I thought were health promoting like overnight oats hah..hah..), I thought that I was a relatively healthy person.

I could never maintain my weight, I would do restrictions and then I would binge and put it all back on. I would have mood fluctuations, can't concentrate and feel depressed and anxious when faced with deadlines and urgent tasks. I also get upset very easily.

I had never felt joy and happiness like I am feeling right now. Any joy and happiness back then was never consistent, it would often be overshadowed and interspersed by low feeling or poor mood on a regular basis.

I am now a different person, my mood is stable, I am calm, I no longer experience depression or anxiety. The mental clarity and focus that I now have is the best gift I have ever given myself.  My energy level is also at a level I never experienced before. I feel so alive and awake!

Not only that, I achieved my ideal body composition, more lean muscle mass compared to fat, two weeks before my birthday. Since 2020, that was my target for 09/2020 (nope, never happened) and 09/2021 (again elek). Lost 12 lbs and 4 inches off my waist and I am confident that this time around I can maintain my physique.

So how do I know carbohydrates/food additives etc are the culprit (or in other words toxic for me)?

Well, three months after eliminating all other foods and feeling so good, I did an experiment. I had to know how I would react just in case if I am in a situation where I am confronted with such foods say, during social situations (think Chinese New Year 2023).

To test for one week is too long, so I chose only 3 days and for one meal only. So that the damage (if any) is minimal. For 3 consecutive days, I ate regular food for lunch (carnivore for dinner). This was how it went.

Day 1

Remember this? It was lunch at Seoul Classic. This is the most benign/safest meal I had. The carbohydrate is the lowest compared to my other two meals. To prevent/reduce insulin spike, I ate the meat first followed by the side dishes and then rice.

After the meal, I felt a slight drop in energy and my head was slightly fuzzy. Nothing too bad though it was significant enough to make a noticeable impression.

Day 2

Ah. Nasi Lemak Tanglin, so much flavors and excitement. Yes, I was excited to eat nasi lemak again.  Halfway through the meal, I was bloated. When I left the restaurant, my energy level dropped to the ground.

I was so tired and I felt like lying down on the pavement. I also felt like 100 ping pong balls were bouncing off in my head. My mind was foggy and unfocused. It was quite alarming.

When I reached my office, a client dropped by and gave me instructions for a company transaction. It wasn't even a complicated job and yet I immediately felt anxiety and slight depression. That was really bad.

Day 3

You would think that after 2 days of experiencing negative effects, I would stop right? No. This is the sort of person that I am. If I say 3 days, I mean 3 days.

My lunch at Menya Hanabi probably had the worst outcome, no fault of the restaurant.  I was bloated, severely fatigued and if I felt as if 100 ping pong balls were bouncing off in my head the day before, this time it was like 1,000 ping pong balls were bouncing madly in my head. 

After experiencing the devastating effects of regular food, I really do not want to go through that again. 

There are two ways of looking at this :

1. I have become super sensitive (in the past I was slowly "poisoned" and did not feel the effects); or

2. The food that I ate are toxic (to me. And this is my opinion)

You might say, why on earth do you want to cut out normal food and then become so sensitive and not be able to enjoy your favorite foods again? 

Well, simply because I don't want to feel lousy like I did in my past life. It is so not worth it just for a few moments of pleasure and a lifetime of sub-optimal health. I now have new favorite foods in the form of delicious meats and egg.

It is a fact that carbohydrates cause inflammation and it can affect brain health. 

Yes, it is difficult for you to understand why I am doing this and I don't expect you to. I am not one to vilify and criticize other people's nutritional choices (even if I think that it is bad for them). All I ask for is for you to respect my choice. I am well informed and I do not take my decision to become carnivore lightly. 

So while the rest of you choose to enjoy a spot of wanton mee or char koay teow or nasi lemak every now and then, I shall refrain especially when I now understand The Randle Cycle and why I put on so much weight when eating carbs mixed with fats.

So please ya, no birthday cake for me.