It’s a tangly sentiment that often derails others, ‘I would eat that’ or ‘I eat that and it doesn’t affect me’
Problem is, we’re all different. What causes a blood glucose spike and insulin response in you would have approximately a 30% variance between what would cause that same effect in me and so on. That makes the whole sentiment surrounding ‘I would eat that’ not such a good thing to say to others who are trying to be healthier.
Honestly, it’s hard enough to get in touch with our own body and what effects it. How can you possibly predict what will happen to somebody else? It’s just not fair. Recognizing that we are all different (even in this) is so important when attempting to assist others.
My belief in this sentiment was recently challenged. I’m glad it happened to me and not somebody who was brand new and starting off. I had to the tools already established to stand up for myself and know I wasn’t getting sound advice. It is concerning though, that a person who works in a health store would take this approach. Let me explain why.
I go into a branded health store. I’m looking for particular product. What I was looking for is not a real part of the story, only to know I was looking a clean version. Most are known to have sucralose which I don’t consume as it’s not keto. Sucralose is chlorinated/burnt sugar.
In the store, I ask for the product taking care to define my needs ‘…but I’m clean keto and I don’t eat sucralose.’ The salesperson directs me to the proper aisle
She immediately launches into ‘You can have sucralose when you’re on keto’
Me: ‘I’m clean keto, I don’t eat that’
Her: ‘I’m keto too. I ‘eats’ food with sucralose all the time and it doesn’t affect me at all’
And she keeps pushing….
Most of our followers will know what came out of my mouth next…
“We all keto differently, and that’s fine, but if a customer tells you that they don’t eat something. They don’t eat that. Full stop. You HAVE to respect what the other person is saying to you.
That might be true that this item doesn’t affect you, but that’s not my keto.”
Better advice? Get in tune with your body and just don’t blindly follow advice. Use common sense. Realize that sometimes people sell, not because it’s the best choice for you, the customer, and instead because they will profit from that choice. ‘Buy my product.’ ‘Make the sale.’
You really need to listen to your own body. If you listen carefully, your body will tell you what it wants and needs; When it’s hungry or thirsty. When it likes or doesn’t like something.
Simple tools like a food journal/tracker whether digital or just an old fashioned piece of paper help to identify things that cause belly bloat or upset.
When supplying information, we choose an information-based approach and not a personal account.
~‘This food item is known to cause…’
~‘Soy is inflammatory and….’
~‘Starches are like super sugar and…’
It’s all about the facts of what the food can do and not how it affect us personally. We supply the information, then the person gets to do their own research. Then choose how this works in their own world, in YOUR way of eating and in your life.
We try to steer clear of the type of advice like
‘I ate that and it didn’t affect my ketosis’ for a couple of reasons;
1- you could trigger somebody else to eat somethings they shouldn’t
2- we’re all different so what affects you may not affect me.
3- we think people come to us (or health stores) to learn Keto, not to learn to cheat. Unfortunately we all already know how to do that all too well.
Are we telling you what to eat in any way? Nope. It’s totally up to you how you eat. However it’s up to us what you post within our walls. Outside is your business. Inside, ours
Are we the Keto police? Nope! We don’t care what you eat in any way.
Do we make judgements about what you eat? Nope. We don’t care if you’re low carb, dirty Keto, or not even Keto at all.
If your keto version is different and not clean keto, that’s fine. By all means, enjoy your choice. But please don’t cry that keto doesn’t work when you’re belly is bloated, your skin is broken out and you’re gaining weight. That all happened because of the choices you made…not because of keto.
I’ll talk keto to whoever wants to listen, all the live long day, but only if you’re interested. I promise I’m not gonna try to convert you and I’ll ask the same of you.
My version of Keto is my choice, it has to be my personal version of keto. Oh, and no sucralose please. It’s really not keto.
That’s it for this time! Thanks for joining me for another East Coast Keto Life Lesson. There’s still a lot to learn and we’re glad you’re along for the ride!
Keep Keto-ing with one foot in front of the other. Keto seconds lead to keto moments, Keto moments lead to keto days. Keto days will take you on a successful keto journey life time. We’ll meet you THERE!!
Bobbi and Geoff
