THE low carb community had its 3rd Northern Mindanao Lowcarb Conference at Rosario Pavilion, Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro on January 24, 2026. It served as a refresher course for the long-term lowcarber and a shocking revelation for the new recruit.
Why shocking? If it was the first time for the new recruit to learn that carbohydrates are non-essential, he could have decided right there and then that he’d never survive with the lowcarb diet. He’d immediately say goodbye to the conference and then binge on ice cream, cake, soda, French fries, cookies, biscuits, chocolates, candy, chao fan, cereal, bread, fruits, fruit juices, dried fruits, fruit salad, nuts, potato chips, corn chips, banana chips, banana cue, banana turon, boiled banana, ginanggang, nilusak, kakanin, camote, cassava, kiping, milk tea, halo-halo, and all other yummy carb goodies people rely on to sate cravings.
Lowcarb can be the most difficult diet but its healing perks have convinced me to practice it, anyway. Lowcarber for almost four years now. But indulging in high-carb since December. Thus, the need for a refresher, and thanks so much to the lowcarb conference for providing that.
But then, the morning after, I and my gym buddies went to Dahilayan, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon for the joint birthday travel for the January celebrants that included me, and there I was eating the bun of the Del Monte Clubhouse burger for breakfast, and the pastas and cakes at Ricardo’s by Cucina Higala for lunch. Why oh why. Should have stuck with the beef patty and the beef and pork dishes only. Tsk tsk.
My face shows it all: eye bags, bloated upper eyelids, wider nose, puffiness, no thanks to the carbs I’ve eaten and perhaps the veggie oils that were used in cooking them. I look like I cried the whole night. I look tired.
Or the tiredness could be due to the business permit renewal and the value-added tax. Yes, on the first month of each year in Pinas, it’s already taxes, taxes, and taxes, and that’s up to April when the income tax becomes due. The taxes then go to flood control projects and ghost projects. Yay.
If a Pinoy like me can stop eating rice while surrounded by rice-eating Pinoys, I guess government officials and contractors can also stop grafting and corrupting even if surrounded by corrupt officials.
Eating rice is a hard habit to break. And stealing from the national treasury can also be a hard habit to break once government officials and contractors become used to their newly found luxurious lifestyle.
Not eating carbs is easier compared to not stealing from the national treasury since the former is for health (which is wealth), while the latter is for wealth only — not for health. Thus, the lowcarb community can thrive, but honesty as the government’s best policy will never thrive.
Despite the new inverted Food Pyramid that the U.S. is now adopting as its dietary guidelines, with carbs at the bottom as the smallest portion, and proteins and fats on top as the bulk of the diet, some lowcarb doctors and coaches are expecting the transition from high-carb to lowcarb to take at least 30 years. Meaning, it won’t happen overnight. Much like success — overnight success is a misnomer.
