The popular LCHF/Banting way of eating advocated by Professor Tim Noakes has gained great momentum amongst South Africans in recent months, and shows no signs of slowing down. We’ve had the prof in our studio chatting about his book, The Real Meal Revolution and the principles that come with this way of living and eating. Many are quick to join the revolution but experience a few slip-ups along the way.
Here are some common mistakes that prevent Banters from getting the best out the LCHF regime.
Failing to plan ahead
This might seem obvious but eating LCHF requires a lot of planning – it’s not always easy to pop to your nearest café during lunch and quickly pick up something that’s easy and convenient (sandwiches and muffins are now a thing of the past) and many food establishments are very limited when it comes to low carb convenience food, so it’s up to you to plan ahead and prep your meals for the day if you are not going to be at home.
Pre-boil 1 or 2 eggs and take them to work for breakfast, make a big dinner and save some for the next day’s lunch or always make sure you have a small bag of nuts or biltong in your bag if you are always on-the-go with little time to spare. All this will prevent you from falling into the trap of choosing something (anything!) to eat out of sheer desperation.
Eating the wrong fats
In the Real Meal Revolution book, Tim Noakes and his team of authors say that it is best to eliminate polyunsaturated vegetables oils from your food as they are not able to be metabolised by humans. This means that frying your food in sunflower or canola oil is a no-no. Stick to monounsaturated fats like olive oil and avocado oil and fat from meat and fish. These, prof Noakes says – are what work best for the human body.
Overdoing the fruit
Fructose – a sugar that’s found in fruit and honey, is seen as high carb and therefore not good for those following the LCHF way of eating. Stay clear of high sugar fruits like grapes, bananas and mangoes as well as concentrated dried fruits like raisins. Berries and apples are relatively low carb but should be eaten in moderation.
Drinking alcohol high in carbohydrates
A lot of people don’t consider the impact of what type of beverages they drink. While dry white wine and pure spirits have been given the OK by Prof. Noakes, he warns that those who are Banting should not sip on sugary cocktails, beer and ciders.
Eating as a matter of habit
We are generally conditioned to consume 3 meals a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, when eating LCHF, your body should feel satisfied with your high fat meals and you will be less likely to get as hungry as you used to.
The authors of the Real Meal Revolution say that you should gauge this and don’t over-eat because the clock says it’s “lunch-time” when you are still full from breakfast. If you are satisfied, forget about your next meal until you are physically hungry again. This will ensure that a) you don’t eat for the sake of eating and b) that you ultimately enjoy your food.
Click here to find our top low carb high fat recipes.