My low-carb and keto journey and turning it into a business idea!

Heidi here! I'd like to share my personal low-carb journey with your guys.

In a nutshell, I’ve struggled to maintain my weight since I can remember. I yo-yo from slim to overweight and I’m very much an all or nothing person. If I was being ‘good’ and had 1 biscuit, I’d eat the whole pack and the diet was ruined! I avoided fats for many years and then a very good friend of mine opened my eyes to the keto way of eating, and I thought, ok, let’s give it a try.

If at first you don't succeed...

This was around 2 years ago, and I’ll admit, I lasted 8 weeks. I just ate lots of greasy fats and didn’t enjoy it, as I love variety and to feel like I’m eating clean. Fast forward to the start of lockdown # 1, feeling bloated, no clothes fitting without that dreaded pinch and I thought, I need to get back in control and feel positive again.  I knew that sugar and gluten affected my mental and gut-health, so I started keto again. This time though, I followed a much more varied eating plan, as I had spent the last 2 years reading and researching products that were low-carb and keto just as a hobby. I’m a geek in a supermarket, especially the USA ones, what can I say! It helped that my hubby-to-be also joined me on this new lifestyle, and slowly but surely, I noticed my belt notches getting smaller.

I haven’t weighted myself in over 10 years, but that’s another story! We also started the Couch to 5 K challenge and 12 months in, I’ve definitely lost weight, my clothes fit better, even baggy which I love, but most importantly, I’ve found a lifestyle that allows me to feel like I’m eating normal, no restrictions. My friends will tell you that I’m a lover of cakes, I blame my Austrian mum, but you can make great low-carb cakes that taste amazing! It’s given me a tool to help minimise that dreaded yo-yo of weight loss and gain, and it has helped me keep my positive outlook in check.

Start my own low carb company you say?

Lockdown #1 gave me the time and the inspiration I needed to go for it and start my own company. I love great health brands, shiny packaging and helping people.  I saw a gap in the market for an online low carb platform that offers lifestyle solutions. For me, living low carb isn’t just about losing another kilo or finding the next new low carb snack. It’s about understanding the huge impact ingredients can have on our wellbeing without us even knowing, and how our lifestyle can greatly benefit from living low-carb.  WE ARE LOW CARB was born, and I can’t wait to help people feel in control of their eating again, lose weight but most importantly, join our community to understand how living low-carb can be a lifestyle for good. WE ARE LOW CARB is an online retail and lifestyle platform where you can find brands you will love and trust, as well as expert and friendly advice on how to start living low-carb.

What lifestyle changes can you make that will make you feel better?

Sleep, exercise, gut-health and food all play a key part in forming a low carb lifestyle, and we are here to help you every step of the way.

Keto - don’t run from the fats!

If there is one top-tip I can give all newbies who have decided they want to try keto or low-carb, it would be to run towards the fats!

Now I know this will feel completely alien, and you’ll be thinking, oh my god, I’m never going to lose weight eating like this. Believe me though when I tell you, you must trust the process. You have to re-wire probably years of thinking that fats are bad for you. It’s the fats that will keep you feeling full for longer and make you less likely to crave sugar and reach for the biscuit tin. Some nice double cream whipped up with some sugar free vanilla sweetener, 2 tablespoons
of full fat Greek yogurt and some sugar free jelly will make a great sweet treat and you’ll be amazed by how little you’ll eat as its satisfying! That’s the full fat for you!

MCT oil or powder in your favourite drink or smoothie in the morning will keep you going, provide fuel for the brain and give you that clean energy to power through the day without those horrible afternoon slumps! Drizzle some really nice olive oil over your salad or poached eggs, use butter to sauté your veggies in and add that cream to your scrambled eggs – you just watch the fat drop off your waist.

My advice, if you are trying to decide between that piece of chicken breast or that nice gooey looking slice of camembert, have the one you fancy the most! The camembert will keep you feeling fuller for longer though and in my opinion is so much more moreish!