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Top 8 Banting Excuses & What You Should Do About Them

It never ceases to amaze me the excuses people come up with for not embarking on a Low Carb High Fat diet.  They watch the documentaries … or read the articles … they know they need to cut out sugar and up their healthy fats … but the excuses keep them from taking that leap.

So here are some common excuses and the answer to them:

1. Banting is SOOOOO expensive!
   UTTER nonsense.  You shop for less junk you don’t need and you eat less so although the odd thing like almond flour or coconut oil is a little more than the regular alternatives, overall your grocery bill will drop!  For more info on what to buy to stock your kitchen and not break the bank, see my Weekly Banting Shopping List.
2. But my Cholesterol level will go through the roof!
   More nonsense!  Although initially you can expect the overall Cholesterol count to increase, this will drop off after about 3 months AND the profile of your triglycerides, HDL and LDL will improve drastically (this is of far more value than your total cholesterol count!)!  AND do some googling – you will find that all the latest research shows that cholesterol is not a risk for heart disease and in fact we’re doing ourselves damage by getting cholesterol too low!
3. But what will I feed my husband and/or children?
   This is the most nonsensical to me.  So let me get this right.  Your husband is going to turn his nose up at delicious home cooked meals?  Sorry – I don’t buy that!  If you’re a woman, here’s a little news flash … your husband may be the head of the household but you’re the neck that turns him in the direction you want him to look!  Your husband will follow your lead and your children will follow the lead of mom and dad!  Also, men generally want a happy woman in the house … they will do whatever it takes to keep a happy wife and a happy life, so stop using this as an excuse immediately – it’s an insult to you as a woman!
4. But we eat out/entertain a lot and there are no healthy options!
   WOW!  Really?  Do you only ever go to MacDonalds or what?  Every restaurant has salad, every restaurant has some sort of vegetable, creamy sauces and meat generally abound.  How hard is it really to make a healthy choice?  I don’t ever have a problem even at Italian Restaurants!  I generally have a starter antipasti platter of cheeses, meats and olives and then choose protein and veg for mains … not terribly hard at all!  And even functions – there’s always some Low Carb High Fat friendly option … meatballs … chicken wings … crudités with mayo … cheese … cold meats.  Just because they also have sliders and gourmet hot dogs doesn’t mean you actually HAVE to eat those.  There’s no rule to say you have to try one of everything!  And if you are going to a function where you are SERIOUSLY concerned about the food, have a bullet proof coffee before you go, or some nuts, or cheese, or half an avo, so you are relaxed and know you don’t have to eat and you can just snack on whatever is good and not get hungry.  Honestly one of the things I love most about the Banting Lifestyle is that I CAN go out and generally find something I can eat that’s LCHF friendly.  Other diets and eating plans I’ve tried in the past made this not an option and difficult to eat out.  And as for entertaining – well we entertain a lot and big – average 20 people at a time. We make banting food and people LOVE it.  We made potjie once and bought a ton of normal rolls for the non banters and made some Oopsie Rolls for the banters and low and behold the Oopsie rolls got finished and we were left with a lot of normal rolls we donated to our local beggars!  We take banting salads to braais made with zucchini, bacon, feta, tomatoes, etc. and they get devoured!  Banting food is absolutely delicious – so don’t let a little entertaining stop you from eating healthy!  And don’t lie to yourself and tell yourself there’s no healthy choice on that menu!
5. But what will we eat without bread/pasta?
   This question absolutely astounds me.  Are we so out of touch with real food that the absence of bread or pasta or potato stumps us as to what to cook?  Sadly the answer for some is “yes”!  You will eat a portion of fatty protein, and some vegetables made with healthy fats.  You know, real food, for real people, cooked in a real simple way.  For more ideas go to our recipe section.
6. But I’m addicted to sugar!
   All the more reason to quit.  It is as addictive as cocaine.  There’s only one way to get off it, stop immediately!  If you must, use and alternative like Xylitol or Erythritol or Stevia, but if this keeps you craving sweet stuff, cut it all out!  Just like an alcoholic can’t even have that one beer … you shouldn’t have that one sweetener!  Get support from a supportive friend or do daily research to keep you motivated on the journey.  It will be hard initially but your body will get over the craving and once you up your fat the desire will go away as well.
7. But I don’t have time to prepare my food!
   I actually find we spend less time preparing and cooking than we did before starting Low Carb High Fat.  When I think back to how long it took to cook potatoes, pasta or rice … it feels like such a job!  If we’re in a hurry and need a quick weekday dinner, we simply pan fry a couple of Pork Rashers in butter / coconut oil and microwave some pumpkin, cauliflower, broccoli or gem squash until cooked and mash/toss with loads of butter.  This takes about 10 minutes start to finish!  Delicious fast food that’s healthy – it’s a no brainer!
8. But my Doctor told me it’s bad!
   Unfortunately not all doctors keep abreast of research and findings.  In the 1950’s many Doctors endorsed smoking for cigarette companies even though studies had proven it causes cancer!  Learn something from that and check out the research yourself.  When a doctor tells you you need to eat sugar and carbs and eat low fat … ask them for the proof.  You might be surprised at their answer.  They may be telling you that because it’s what they were told and they took that at face value and have never actually done any research or looked at the studies themselves.  Your doctor is not responsible for your body or your health – they don’t have to live in it, you do!  Take some responsibility.

When is the ideal time to start Banting – YESTERDAY!  “Monday” or “Tomorrow” never gets here!