Is High Fat The New Black?

I think it’s pretty well established that the Western World has kind of stuffed up in terms of diet over the last 40 years. We have unprecedented access to technology and information, but little knowledge. How have we ended up with a society that is not only fat, but suffering from a whole range of new mental, physical and behavioural issues? Were we wrong about high fat diets being the devil?

Is the answer to our problem as simple as eating more fat?

The chorus of doctors, nutritionists and scientists (that is, people who know more than me about this topic), denouncing low-fat diets is growing by the day. I decided the best way for me to decide if a high fat diet was right for me was to give it a go. 
There’s a new “HFLC” (high fat, low carb) diet out almost every week. I decided to follow the guidelines of Dave Asprey’s Bulletproof Diet for a few reasons. Firstly, I’ve been a bit of a fan of Bulletproof Coffee for a while now and have been listening to the back-catalogue of Bulletproof Radio on a daily basis.

Something about Dave’s approach resonates with me, particularly his focus on the impact the correct diet can have on your mind. Losing weight isn’t an issue for me. I’ve entered figure competitions and work as a personal trainer, so strict diets and exercise aren’t an issue for me. They are also a method that works for me to change my body, which unfortunately is not the case for everyone.

Getting Smarter

My primary concern is sharpening my focus, any weight loss associated with a diet is a bonus. As a former smart-girl well aware I’ve lost my edge, I became interested (obsessed) with getting it back. I like the scientific approach Dave takes, and that he has developed “upgraded” products to assist in the whole Bulletproof process. The diet focuses on a couple of main things; firstly, reducing toxins that we inadvertently ingest with everyday food and getting your body in to mild ketosis.

There’s a whole bunch of science-y stuff to do with ketones, but basically it’s when your body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose (from carbs). Usually you need to be on a super low carb diet to get into nutritional ketosis (something that probably feels like starving). Dave has come up with a few hacks (special oils) that push you into ketosis more easily.
Two weeks in and so far I’m feeling great. I’m finding a writing flow that has been eluding me for months, and I’m generally feeling more switched on. I’m also sleeping better (plus making a conscious effort to prioritise sleep, something I tend to forget). The best way to become a true biohacker is just to jump right in.
I don’t believe one diet, one lifestyle or one supplement works for everybody. That’s like saying one hairstyle suits us all, and not even Donald Trump can make that fluffy mop work, so imagine if we all tried it!

Six months later…

Update: I’ve learnt so much more about high fat and low carb since writing this. This is definitely the right thing for me to be doing at this stage of my life. I’ve relaxed some of the Bulletproof principles, deciding that I’m not as sensitive to certain toxins as Dave is. I’ve modified my diet to find what works for me, which includes intermittent fasting. I’ll always be grateful for finding the Bulletproof Diet and starting the HFLC journey.