IF a city government official says that traffic is a sign of progress, leaving a bookstore without buying a book is a sign of progress for the bookworm.
And that bookworm is me. I think it was last year when I realized I had already read all the books that I need. But I still bought Mike Moreno’s “The 17 Day Diet” because 17 is my favorite number.
Moreno advised that those 17 days should have vegetables, fruits, and lean meat. The carnivore diet means the fatter the meat, the better. And no vegetables and fruits, please. In other words, the 17-day diet is not for me but I’m still keeping the book because of the 17 in its title. Much like I’m keeping all the Carrie Fisher books because they’re by Carrie Fisher. Hmmm. It’s not the same, eh?
Lately, though, I noticed I’ve been emotional-eating again.
I can always continue my fasting window when there’s no carnivore food. I’d just drink water. But that will be boring. Ho-hum. So, I morph into a taste-tester trying whatever food is available, and it’s usually high-carb.
Returning to high-carb is definitely not a sign of progress for the carnivore. The morning after, the blues are occupying my mind again, and I have to drag myself to the gym with the hope the workouts will banish the blues to Siberia.
It’s my mental health that gets the brunt of a high-carb indulgence nowadays, with the hypertension and allergies able to cope with the diet regression for a while. I could already sense something’s amiss the moment I wake up. Instead of the yay that the carnivore diet always delivers, I get the ayay — no rise and shine, I just want to stay in bed and sleep the whole day.
The next time I see high-carb food, I should remember what it does to my mental health which should have a major part now in my deep why.
At the gym, there is no other choice but to make the most of my time there. I had already lost weight before I joined the gym in February 2024. In 2021, it was the no-red-meat diet. In 2022, the low-carb diet. I lost a total of 50 pounds within two years. Now, I’m back to the body weight I had when I was in my 20s. Therefore, I’m not at the gym for weight loss. I’m there to improve my strength and my health.
The exercise that works for you is the perfect adjunct to the diet that works for you. To each his own in both departments. Don’t compare yourself with anyone otherwise there’s a huge chance you’ll only be frustrated and disappointed.
“Abs are made in the kitchen,” as the idiom goes, emphasizing the importance of the diet that works for you. It’s 80 percent food and 20 percent exercise. In the low-carb community, some low-carb dieters even say that it’s 99 percent food and one percent exercise. So, don’t blame the gym if you’re not losing weight.
