Food is Fuel, Why I Don't Diet, and Why I'm No Longer "Keto"

"I could never do that diet. I like sweets too much." I can't tell you how many times I have heard that or a similar sentiment when people notice I am not eating a sugary dessert or bread. I usually say something about how it was hard at first, but that I got used to it. What I really want to say is that I am not on a diet. I don't believe in dieting, and have never been on a diet (well, except for Whole30, which was an elimination diet, but I don't think that counts). Dieting means restriction and deprivation, but there's none of that when eating low carb high fat. You see, diet technically means a way of eating. Consider for example a gluten-free diet. Would you say that someone who has eliminated gluten due to Celiac Disease is on a diet? Unfortunately, the weight-loss industry has taken that word and used it to mean a temporary, drastically restrictive way to eat to lose weight. I have changed my diet to be more healthy, but I am not "on a diet" in the sense that people use the phrase today. In fact, I recently came to the realization that I need to stop calling myself keto, not only because I neither track macros nor carb grams but more importantly, because I am not how I eat.

I am Kaylyn, a follower of Jesus. That's where my identity lies, not in what I do or don't eat. So even though I love keto and low carb recipes, I don't define myself as any particular diet anymore.

Okay, now that I've gotten that definition issue out of the way and eliminated my "diet identity", let me clarify that the way I eat now is actually more nutritious than how I used to eat. I eat more vegetables now than I did when I was eating whatever I wanted. I eat more healthy fats and am not hungry every 2 or 3 hours like I used to be. When people ask "Can you have [fill in the blank with carby item] on your diet?", I sometimes just say no and change the subject. But really, I can have whatever I want. I don't have any food allergies. But with a history of insulin resistance, which is basically carbohydrate intolerance, I choose to eat in a way that is consistent with long-term health and gives me the fuel I need to feel great. I remember the last time I had a sugary dessert, I felt almost instant brain fog, my heart was racing, and I wish I had a way to test my blood sugar at the time, because I'm sure it was higher than normal. Now, I am not saying I will never eat sugar again, but it would have to be a really special occasion and I would have to content myself with a small enough amount to not feel sick and ruin the rest of my day. Being present and having fun at social gatherings is important to me, and I have come to realize that eating sugar and starchy carbs is not conducive to that kind of energy for me, even if it means skipping the bun with my burger at a BBQ or saying no thank you to the birthday cake. I don't view it as deprivation, but rather as making healthier choices. I don't really "miss" eating sugar.

Now, if I were on a diet, I would be saying "I can't have that because it's not on my diet". Instead, I can say "I would rather not have that, because it will make me feel sick. I was a hardcore sugar addict back in the day, ironically ignoring just how gross I felt after eating a DQ Blizzard or a piece of cheesecake. But enough time away from my former habits has made me realize how those things never gave me nourishment or proper fuel. I'm content now with my bunless burgers, low carb pizza, berries and whipping cream, and super dark chocolate. Food is fuel, and while it can definitely be pleasurable, that is not the first order of business when choosing what to eat. I choose to eat what gives me energy and mental clarity, while still tasting good. For me, that is high fat, moderate protein, and plenty of vegetables for carbs. No sugar, no grains, but no deprivation either. I don't diet, I'm not keto, I just prefer to eat the foods that fuel my body the best and keep me the healthiest. I encourage others to eat more healthfully, especially by giving up processed sugar, but it's not my place to tell you what to eat. Let me know if you want some health coaching, because I am more than willing to help you out!

Pass the butter, please! I'm not on a diet!

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