I call this site “Life after Carbs” because, of course, there were carbs in my diet at one time — bucket-loads of carbs, for years on end — and I’m sure that’s true for everyone reading this. In our culture, and in the vast majority of cultures around the world, you don’t start out eating a low-carb diet. Even the Inuit have flour and sugar, and diabetes and heart-disease.
Like most Americans of my generation, I once believed that carbs were my friend and that saturated fat was my enemy. It was a mind-set deeply held.
I remember an Easter Sunday early in our marriage. Anita and I were living in southern Indiana while I was in graduate school. We didn’t have time to drive home to Michigan for the holiday, so Anita set about cooking a special dinner for the two of us. The main dishes were to be leg-of-lamb and garlic-cheese scalloped potatoes.
The scalloped potatoes nearly end our marriage.
I observed that the ingredients included heavy cream and cheddar cheese, and suggested helpfully that 1% milk could be used instead of cream and the amount of cheese could be reduced. I was looking to reduce the fat. When Anita refused to alter the recipe, I got angry. At some point, I said, “What are you trying to do? Kill me with all that fat?”
(I may have left a word or two out of that quote. I like to run a clean blog.)
Anita has never forgotten this incident. Therefore, neither have I. Of course, the great irony is that I was concerned then about the cream and the cheese, and now it is the potatoes that I avoid.
No, “concerned” is not a strong enough word. I was terrified of the cream and cheese. I was convinced they were going to kill me.
What a way to ruin those healthy, innocent, starch-laden potatoes!
It took a long time for me to change that mind-set. At least I am free of it now.
If only the country were.
Even though I have been LCing for nearly three years, my family still thinks I am some kind of a kook cuz I don’t participate in 99% of the social get-togethers. I no longer smoke, never have liked alcohol, and now that I don’t eat sugar/flour/grains/potatoes etc., there is really no point in attending. Don’t feel like sitting in a corner drinking water…………………………….
Well, there’s always Deviled Eggs! I used to avoid those, thinking that eggs and mayo were bad. Now I look for them at parties! But I understand your point. It’s not that low-carbers can’t party, but it helps if people meet them half-way.
For sure! I did try attending a Thanksgiving Dinner a year or two ago. Sugar, sugar everywhere! After checking out the available munchies, I ended up with a piece of dry, over roasted turkey breast. And ice water, a few celery sticks, a carrot stick or two. Just not worth it! I love deviled eggs as well, and keep them in my fridge quite often as a snack. And turkey pepperoni with shredded cheddar melted on top. Yum!
Our parties have become all about the food and not about the people. How many diabetics and others who need to eat a certain way for medical reasons have done the “I really shouldn’t but I will just to be social” dance. Fix yourself a nice meal before the party and have a snack waiting for when you get home, sip your ice water and enjoy the company. If someone’s offended because you don’t eat their pie, that’s their problem.