A day out in London...

And I found a South African shop, bought loads of biltong (dried meat), a traditional snack from home. Lots of fat and protein. Can't get a better LCHF snack than that. AND the kids love it too!

So what do they offer for kids on board the flight to London. A kids box sounds like an alternative. NOT!

It only had candy, where is the food part here? But for 'adults' there are various alternatives as salmon sallad or chicken sallad...

Which works for kids too!

My 7 year old went with me to my crossfit class today! She is so good, plays in the rings or sits and draws while I train.

Today she drew me. Gave me the picture and said: "Mommy you are so strong"... I melted!

You just have to love the picture she drew... My sweetheart...

Ben & Jerrys have a new ice cream out, adapted to us in the nordic countries.

SWEET cream Ice Cream, chocolate cookie pieces, chocolatey peace signs (?) & chocolate fudge swirl. This is Nordic? Sounds more American to me!

Nordic would be more 'vanilla snow flakes, butter buttons and coffee beans'.

Although ice cream is a part of the past, I prefer to do my own with heavy cream (whipped), raspberries, vanilla, coconut and egg yolk! Very fresh, very nice and pretty Nordic!

I only make low carb high fat food at home. My 7 yr old loves it. I fried minced organic meat in lots of coconut oil, spices, onion, leek, and cream... Served with tomatoes (her favorite) and broccoli with melted butter over!

One happy and full child! :)

John Briffa and I connected immediately. I got myself a new friend, a really awesome friend! He also reminds me so much of my brother in SA, quite scary resemblance in fact, and at the same time a reassuring feeling.

John Briffa is a practising doctor in London, UK, and author to several books....

This is what you can read about Dr. John Briffa on his website 'drbriffa':

"Dr Briffa is a former columnist for the Daily Mail and the Observer, and former contributing editor for Men's Health magazine. He has contributed to over dozens of newspaper and magazine titles internationally, and is a previous recipient of the Health Journalist of the Year award in the UK. He has been listed by Tatler magazine as one of the UK's leading doctors, and has twice been on the judging panel of the prestigious Prince of Wales Integrated Health Awards."

About his lecture....

I loved the way Briffa started his talk.

He started by saying that he is English, not Australian nor South African. He is not married, but is not single – he has a girlfriend since some years back. He is an Aries....

"People often wonder about things like this, and have many questions in their heads so I want to clear all of that up right from the beginning, just in case you are all wondering..."

John Briffa is a medical dr. who got sidetracked into nutrition through personal health issues. He continued to say that he does not know if USA have the same problems as the UK with junk foods like: pizza; beer; KFC; smoking; sodas; etc...

When he changed his own diet he then got interested in nutrition. He did not know that there was a thing called nutrition, he had only spent many years in medical school and there he learnt nothing about the subject.

He was a diet doctor helping people without really knowing how to help them. He made it his mission to understand why people were yoyo dieting and which results they obtained.

People can take control over the weight so much more easily than what they have been taught through the' traditional' way of eating, by eliminating carbs and adding fat.

John Briffa does not call the diet by any specific name, why bother to eat low carb/lchf/paleo.

"Something that is low carb does not really mean that it's ok to eat it. Like perhaps the carpet on the floor. The carpet is low in fat too, AND high in fiber, as is potatoes... And also dog shit, and even more, dog shit is also low in cholesterol AND it's fresh!" These things are low in carbs, but not edible!

What happens when people go on a low fat diet? Not much! Actually something does happen – they gain weight actually.

There was in fact a study done on this, but the study was withdrawn without being published (?)!

We should forget about calories. Forget them! FORGET!!!

Is a calorie a calorie?

Plenty of studies show that low carb diets don't have positive affects. But these studies are very short studies. So they have given up before the positive effects have been established...

Imagine that a calorie is a calorie... IF that was true. Then people cannot afford to get hungry. You then exert your will power, and land up feeling more bad about yourself than you did prior.

Instead a high fat diet is like a bear hibernating, you don't get hungry!

It's not that diets don't work, they fundamentally cannot work!!!

John Briffa says he is positive to anything that is better than what the person was eating before, but he does not use branding (naming the diets as lche, paleo, atkins, low carb, etc...)

He also briefly mentions exercise and whether that works, or more, what does work? Resistance exercise helps as it is strengthening and toning, but it's not necessary for weight loss.

John brings up the American 'my plate' which all are recommended to follow in USA!

He showed slides with how the myplate looks today, and how he would like to see it change...

'Myplate' does not work for me, it's not working for anybody actually!

I also must just add, that on the last day of the cruise we had a question panel for all the lecturers... Briffa was asked:

"How do you as a dr. handle collegues that are critical towards you for treating patients with a low carb diet?"

Briffa has a standard answer which is as follows:

"Sir, I am afraid you have mistaken me for someone that gives a shit about what you think!"

It's not only table sugar and syrups... Look out for the hidden sugars that you find in breads for e.g.

Take the time, and watch this - then spread it!

The youth in America are suffering from obesity and diabetes, it's worse than what medical experts earlier have thought. Obesity rates in children is climbing as is Type 2 diabetes!

The disease progresses more rapidly in children than in adults and is more difficutl to treat.

Obesity-Linked Diabetes in Children Resists Treatment

A study with 699 children between the ages of 10 - 17 was done during a period of 4 years. Researches were shocked at how poorly the oral drugs performed on these children compared to how they perfom on adults.

Results of the study can be read here: The New England Journal of Medicine.

I somehow feel enraged when reading this! What is happening out there? What part of this do people not understand! What is the (simple) cause, and what (simple) measures can we do to avoid Type 2 diabetes from staying on the increase?

Type 2 diabetes in children is increasing and creeping down in the ages, there are chilrden that are getting Type 2 diabetes, and they are 10 year olds???

The way too high carbohydrate and low fat diets has been going on for too long! And the diabetic children are given the same diet to eat! No wonder it's impossible to control their blood sugar levels.

Type 2 diabetes is only reversable with low carb eating and increasing the intake of fats (not margarines). Due to the crazy fear of fat, the high carb eating industry has exploded instead, at the same pace, Type 2 diabetes is also exploding!

Let's make a change!

Dr. Eric Westman is a researcher, a medical weight loss dr. and author of the book: "New Atkins for a New You".

He tells us that he was trained to giving pills for ills, but now he rather removes the pills and instead prescribes low carb eating.

Essential nutrients you have to eat, but carbohydrates the body can make by itself – so we don't need to eat them! (Important words these...)

Calories in and calories out, Eric Westman says: 'Let's put them to rest!' BUT if you don't talk about calories, dietitians would not have any jobs.'

Counting calories is not helpful when eating a low carb diet.

You don't need to talk about/restrict calories to get people to loose weight, you just need to restrict the carbs.

Eric Westman speaks of the myths around low carb eating. For instance those that eat low carb increase their protein intake. BUT as long as people increase their fat intake their protein consumption will more than likely stay the same as before.

Another myth was that of the brain needing carbs in order to function. He continues to say that this is however true, BUT we do not need to EAT these carbs! Our liver produces carbs (glucose) for the brain automatically. The brain needs100g – 140g carbohydrates (glucose) and our liver does this per automatic, our liver produces over 250g glucose so our brain gets exactly the amount it needs...

Eric talks also about ketogenic diet and the roles of ketones.

Eric Westman is a researcher and from what I can tell, he likes to see evidence for different statements being made. Having that said, it does not mean that if there is no study – it can't be true. He asked the audience how many believe they get hungry from carbs. A large (all?) amount of people put up their hands. So experience and anecdotes are also important. So is it true?

Another example he used was that of a lady at the check out counter at the store that wanted to warn him about all the eggs he was buying. She had said he should be wary of all those eggs as his cholesterol would go up. To this Westman answered 'Don't worry I am a dr.' The person was not reassured.

This due to what 'people' through the years, media and bad 'research' have been taught (brain washed?)!

He gives hands on tips about what choices people can do to easily follow ketogenic diet by eating a maximum of 20 g carbohydrates per day.

In his tips he does use fast foods, with this Eric Westman means that the majority, at least a very huge amount of Americans do eat fast foods, and that changing their eating habits to ketogenic diet / low carb will not stop them from eating fast foods. Therefore it is better to give advice and tips which the general American can follow and adapt to his or her lifestyle.

I like the way he thinks and really listens and follows the individual person and their needs.

Eric Westman also brought up the increasing popularity of LCHF in Sweden. He showed a slide with a picture of google search on diets.

He concluded his lecture with: 'How can we fix all this? Dr's need to firstly start prescribing a good diet (low carb) BEFORE prescribing medication.

The last slide shows facts about low carb, high fat diets. When reading these positive and simple steps, it's difficult to understand who would not want to try out low carb eating!

I sat next to Eric Westman during a few of the dinners on board the ship. He is a very easy going, funny and interesting man. We spoke about food, health, teenagers, sweetners (will get back to that conversation - a very interesting one) and life in general.

Good morning! Just landed in Stockholm after an awesome trip to the Caribbean where I met so many new and wonderful people.

Morning here and midnight in my mind and body! But on low carb there is endless energy!

The breakfast on the flight was, however, very sad! Bread, jam and fruit! Oh well, I did eat the butter though. Will get something to eat on the way home. A 3 hour drive is awaiting us!

Hope you all have a good day!

In Sweden the closest thing is peanut butter - not the best choice! Here I found almond butter! Had to buy a jar (heavy!) to take home. I love to have a spoon before or after a tough workout.

I have also previously found maccadamianut butter - that was the best! So filling...

I know, there are quite a lot of carbs in these 'butters' but I use them when working out, and in food dishes and give to my kids. The 'butters' are also high in protein and very high in fat - which means they are very filling!

Today it's the simpler of breakfasts! We have some food left in our fridge so we might as well eat that...

Two boiled eggs, two cheese sticks and some coffee with (heavy) cream.

Good going here... Soon we will be checking out of our hotel, leaving the island and moving into the city, Houston. There we will be meeting the whole Low Carb group - can't wait!

Out on a pier we found this lovely restaurant... We sat above the waves of the sea and felt the wam evening breeze through our hair.

I ordered grilled shrimps with veg and coleslaw (which was way too sweet) and extra butter. Mayonnaise stood already on the table. *LIKE*!

The food was great. I left the carrots on my plate, I avoid all veg grown underground as they are quite high in carbs.

We had a lovely evening!

Thanks Daniel for taking out mom to dinner.

<3 <3 <3

I have to share this with you. It's very funny, but also a bit scary.

Daniel and I were at a fast food restaurant to buy something to drink. I asked for sparkling water to drink. The waitress asked what that was? So I tried with synonyms: Bubbled water, carbonized water, soda water... Ah soda water she knew. Phew!

Then she pointed to the soda machines and said over there, that is all soda water. We have sprite, coke, fanta... Whereas I said that I wanted water with no suger. She replied that there is no water with no sugar, all their water has sugar!(?) Oh boy! :) Here we are all starting to laugh. It was a very comical situation...

So I said I could just have som plain water:

She: "You want WATER, water to drink, just water?"

So as we were leaving she called me and said she remembered a button on the soda machine from many years back, that she hears should be water!

Today's lunch was at the harbour side in Galveston. Lots of nice restaurants to choose from here! We found our way to Joe's!

I ordered grilled snapper, broccoli and coleslaw. Most of the fish/food here was in a bread batter, but it was not a problem to grill my fish for me. Very fleixible staff!

I asked for some extra butter which was quickly brought to your table. The waitor tipped med about squeezing lime into the butter first. This I did and it was really truly good! Can warmly recommend this!

I just love these, cheese sticks! Such a great snack, easy to take with, easy to eat. No mess, no fuss!

So a few cheese sticks, some strawberries and a beach towel - that got us fixed for the afternoon. We skipped lunch after our filling breakfast, so this was just perfect.

We will be going out for dinner later!

We went in search of breakfast. But that was not so hard. Breakfast is served all over the place! Like that!

We landed up at a fastfood diner. Mainly hamburgers on the menu, but also a few breakfast alternatives. One was scrambled eggs with baconbits and melted cheese. Perfect! Thank you!

I was pretty happy when I heard that breakfast was included in the room. But when we arrived in the breakfast room this morning, we could just turn around and leave. :(

There was nothing that was even close to low carb! 4 Waffle irons, litres of syrup, cereals, muffins, danish pastries, bagels, jam and fruit yoghurt!

My first thougth was syrap - sugar, sugar, sugar! A lot of it!

But the one syrup was: SUGARFREE (?)

And the other one was: REDUCED CALORIE SYRUP (?)

My opinion is rather to remove the syrups than trying to substitute them with an as bad alternativ!

Other eats on the buffé were:

At this stage we were pretty hungry actually. At La Guardia there was a food court of restaurants. Different restaurants all around, and tables in the middle. Donuts, prezles, pizzas and Chinese food. Chinese seemed the best option here!

I asked which meals were with no sugar, and the reply I got was none. All meals have sugar, it tastes better then, the waitress explained!

She did say there was a hamburger place farther along, so off we went in that direction! In search of a good low carb burger!

The service, I must say, is always good in the States! They want to serve, and to please the customer. Never a problem, everything is possible!

So my burger without bread and fries but with bacon, cheese and extra majonaise and toppings (mushrooms, lettuce, onion) was no problem at all!

It tasted soooo good and was really filling!

When we landed in New York there just happened to be a Starbuchs right outsidet the customs control. Lucky me! :)

I asked if they had cream for my coffee, and the waitress asked if I meant 'half & half', some kind of cream and low fat milk blend. I assured I would like real cram, pouring cream, whipping cream that is runny, heavy cream. I tried all explanations I could think of! Heavy cream worked!

The poor waitress was in shock, confusion! Did I really mean heavy cream? In my coffee? HEAVY cream? Are you sure? She kept shaking her head in disbelief! :) This was quite a laugh actually!

She even tried to tell me that I should rather have whipped cream, as then one needs less amount, and all that fat is just sooo bad for me! :)

A Swedish couple behind me in the line, asked if I ought LCHF! Quite funny... Anyway I got the heavy cream and my coffee was soooo good, especially after that long flight!

A very long trip! Including delayed flight... So in total I have been going for 30 hours! Don't think I would manage that (this well) if I was eating carbs!!!

But the trip went pretty well!

In flight breafast was a pityful episode! A paket of crisps, a chocolate biscuit/cookie and a tortillawrap with melted cheese and rice (?) filling. Urgh!

This is when my boiled eggs came in handy!

There is definately a revolution going on! LCHF is spreading, growing and increasing worldwide!

Here is a South  African blogger that has discovered the wonders of eating more fat and less carbs. Erlier her motto was: "Fat was the enemy, carbs your friend..." But not anymore!

Dieting has been a lifestyle, a constant loosing battle of hunger, cravings and failure. Time and time again, month after month, year after year. Until she finally gave up! Until now!

Now she sees not only possibilities, but also results and at the same time eats good food that is filling. At the samte time her environment are raising their eyebrows and questioning her choices.

This is a good and inspiring read!

Reading through Cosmopolitan I came across this:

"FAST FACT

Need energy? Don't reach for biscuits - go for a boiled egg or protein bar. Protein activates the cells that keep us awake - not carbs."

Love it that good and healthy tips are popping up here and there!

Eggs are mini health bombs. They contain everything you need, bar vitamin C!

So eat eggs, as many as you want, it's best for your body and your health!

I had a pork chop left over from our braai, fried an egg, added some cheese and voila - LCHF breakfast! :)

I have had a very hectic autumn. Amongst all the things I have been occupied with I have written a cook book: Lchf for the whole family!

It is now ready for prublishing. Very exciting and the book is truly stunning! Amazing photo's by an excellent photographer.

Hopefully it will come out in English too! Let's hope...

1 avocado

200 ml creme fraiche

salt and peppar

Mash all together and enjoy with any meal or on it's own as a snack. Yumminess guaranteed!

I was lucky enough to see this whole lecture live in LA during the Ancestral Health Symposium 2011.

There were a few of us from Scandinavia participating, amongst who Ronnie Mathisen from www.lchfliv.com did some of the filming.  He is even in the lecture in boxer shorts - also well worth seeing!!!

Andreas has put together a very good video of his lecture and I warmly recommend you to see it!

I was home a bit late today! So quick and easy supper was of interest!

An omelette filled with philadelphia cheese, parsley and fresh mushrooms, on top: two blobs of butter!

I have been asked to write the recipes for a LCHF workout book! It is great fun but truly lots of work! Way more than I thought it would be.  All ingrediens must be in weight and I have to work out how much protein, fat and carbs in every meal and at the end of the day. 

This is a great challange... Deadline is near so I a working hard! :)

I really enjoy my coffee, a few times every day... Thought I would find out how many carbs I am consuming!

I tested one mug of instant coffee with cream and one mug of filter coffee with cream. 

The results are quite interesting! 

I just realized that I consume quite a lot of carbs by drinking instant coffee!

My conclusion is to cut out instant coffee and cut down on filter coffee!

I have 4 weeks of holiday now! Lovely! But I do have some work to do too! I am writing all the recipes to a workout book! Such fun but quite a bit of work!

All recipes must state amount of carbs, protein and fat in each... And the total for a day. 

A challange! I love a good challange!  So here I sit and work a bit, but still enjoying summer...

The Norwegian low carb blogger, Ronnie W Mathisen is visiting! We shared a lovely LCHF dinner and did a lot, LOT of low carb (high fat) talking!

Great hearing about LCHF in Norway and about new ideas and how to venture forward!

Here, lavkarboliv.com, you can see Ronnies blog!  Even if you don't understand much of it, just go in and see his awesome transformation from 110kg to 78! It's a big WOW!

AND next year you will get to meet him in person on the Low carb cruise! :)

Just want to wish you a very good day! Wednesday, a day to enjoy! Use it wisely, start planning for the weekend and don't give in to any sweet urges or nibbling attacks! If they do arise, it's more than likely due to lack of fat during your previous meal!!!

Eat lots of fat at every meal! It helps...

I am part-owner of a private Montessori school and every summer at our summer party us teachers always get a present from all the parents.

This year we received a pretty flower in a lovely pot and to this chocolates, EXCEPT me, I got a bag of organic nuts! Now isn't that nice? I was truly chuffed and happy! So considerat of them as they know how I have struggled with my weight and that I eat LCHF! I work with wonderful people!

2 organic eggs

2 TBSP heavy cream

1 TBSP butter or coconut oil

1 TBSP butter 'On Top'

Mix together the eggs and cream.  Melt butter/oil in a frying pan.  Fry the omelett as a pancake.  Flip over and fry other sida.  Add the last spoon of butter on top just before eating! It's very nice and will keep you full for a long time!

Fried fresh fish in butter with salt & pepper! Added then heavy cream in the pan after frying the fish and then I had a great gravy!  To this mashed creamy broccoli, (boiled in cream then mashed).

Very yum and very nice outside in the sunshine after a day of gardening and weeding!

Hope you are enjoying your Saturday too!?

I just love salmon! And eating outside on a lovely summers evening only adds more flavor! ;)

I patted fresh herbs all around the fish: parsley; koriander; chives.  Then lots of butter on the 'barbeque' and there we go.  That's not enough though!  On top of the salmon is of course an extra click, actually two, of butter. Yum!

I was busy at my cottage, cleaning, cutting the lawn, potting plants, generally just busy.  Then my mom comes with yummi LCHF lunch! Chicken and bacon casserole and creamy mushrooms, to this baked veg and sallad.  It was so good.

And my mothers day present brought tears to both our eyes.... I put the computer on and played the music.  Mom, me (and mother-in-law) got tickets to see Soweto Gospel Choir in our hometown, Karlstad, in October!

They are so amazing and it has been a dream of mine for ages, to see them live in concert.

Feels like home... :) When we saw the clip on youtube from SA, we both felt it in our hearts - that's still where our heart is!

Here is a preview:

1. Do you want personal coaching about LCHF diet?
2. Do you have questions about LCHF?
3. Do you want feedback on what you are eating?
4. Do you want tips, ideas and encouragement?
5. Do you want to get started with LCHF?
6. Do you want to have the possibility to mail me about LCHF during one week about your eating habits, LCHF and diet questions?

Then you can choose to participate in the LCHF-coaching competition!

All info is on the lifezone facebook.com/1lifezone page! 

To participate you have to:

1. 'Like' the Lifezone page on fb.
2. Press the button 'I am attending'
3. Invite your friends to like and attend.

This is a fun idea that I got from a friend! A good way to reach more people and help someone out there who would like to learn even more!

If you are partaking, best of luck! See you on fb soon then ;)

One of the, if not the, largest chain of gyms in Sweden could be interested in having me as a LCHF health coach!

Yesterday we had a meeting to talk about the possibilites.  They were very open minded about the idea, and want to offer their customers variation.  There is already a dietician there.  I would work through my own company, but they are able to offer their clients opportunities to talk about LCHF and I can help more people.  

Good idea, and very exciting! :)

Here's hoping.... 

Then I go for a 100% cocoa chocolate. I don't think any of my friends enjoy it! But for me it works just fine.  A small, tiny piece and it's enough! AND my craving for chocolate is gone! Does not happen so often, but every now and then on an odd occasion! Usually after an evening of berries in my life! :)

This evening I had a barbeque with my teenagers... A great evening, good LCHF food and sunshine.

Steak, lime and chili butter, lime mushrooms and broccoli mash!

A nice family dinner on a Saturday evening! I loved it.  Usually they are all busy with friends! So this was luxury! :)

New ideas, new research, new book, new (Eng) website, big effort and lots of care! Andreas 'dietdoctor.com' does it again!

Together with his computer brother, Andreas has a new page on his website.  Here you can see all the popular blogs that are in Eng, see when they are updated and what each update is about (headings).

This is awesome and helps me save time by not having to click through all favorite pages looking for updates.  Now they are all in one place and I can see the updates instantly!

Enjoy it....

www.dietdoctor.com/new 

Thanx doc, for all your effort and care.  Let's change the world ;)

Weekend difficulties:

• Friday evening snacks - chips, popcorn, salty nuts, alcohol.
• Sweets for the kids, temptation.
• Fast foods / junk food - easy, quick, effortless.
• Afternoon coffee or tea with friends.
• Dinners.
• Sunday lunch and coffee with family.

I doubt it!!!

BUT have you seen a fat dog, cat or hamster? Too many times, right?

That's because animals out in the wild eat what they are designed to eat.  Natural food does not make them fat! But pets, they get to eat all our foods, and special pet foods with grains and starch!

Very easy isn't it? I am not saying we should eat the same as wild animals, but that we should eat what our bodies are made for eating. Natural foods!

This is so good, says it all!

'Do I look brain dead to you' mohaaaa! Or 'Do you think I am hiding my body fat from you?'

Watch, enjoy, laugh, live LCHF and get healthy!

Here in Sweden, cream is cream and milk is milk.  It took quite a (long) while before realizing that in the USA.  There cream is milk and milk is milk - at least when it comes to the white liquid I wanted in my coffee.  Half and half, was also a name.  

Then I found out that I had to ask for HEAVY cream, not full fat cream, pure cream, 40% cream, pouring cream, whipping cream that is runny or any other names I used to attempt to be understood what I really wanted - without being brought milk or half and half ! :)

Anyway, now I am enjoying a cup of coffee with proper cream! :) *Me like*... It's enough with just that during the afternoon, fills me and I can easily wait till dinner then before eating. 

Yesterday was day 2 of our LCHF course for diabetics.  24 hours on LCHF foods in other words.  Lunch was salmon with ginger and garlic, a vegetable bake with cream (heavy) and cheese and mashed creamy broccoli.  Of course a blob of butter, flavored with fresh lime and chili.

I had a great Zumba class, for 1,5 hours! The energi was awesome, the people really gave it all and we had a blast!

When I came home my teenagers had made sausage (95% meat) and mashed creamed broccoli.  *Happy mommy*! Note the extra butter on the broccoli, THAT's what makes me full and gives energy! ;)