I confess: I jumped on the “Keto” bandwagon recently, and then promptly fell off it again after a couple of months. I say “confess” as after reading Tara Brunet’s article on current diet trends (page 57), looking at “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” I have to admit I feel a bit as if I got sucked in by all the hype. Everywhere I turned was Keto this and that, and the shining promise of quick weight loss without feeling deprived.
That being said, and setting aside the fact that this way of eating wasn’t sustainable long-term (a week’s visit with my sister and too much of eating out derailed me), I do feel like it was a success for me, in a lot of ways, and was a step (albeit perhaps not a strong one) on the journey towards ultimately leading a more healthful life.
So what is a diet, really? At its core, and to be successful, it probably should be a complete lifestyle change. You see, I have never naturally – pardon the pun – been a healthy eater. I will always reach for the unhealthy option, and my favourite food is french fries.
But enough with the confessions. A lifestyle overhaul is what keto was for me. Yes there was the painful keeping track of carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein, but there were also the benefits of vastly more energy, and with it the urge to exercise; glowing skin; feeling fantastic and simply knowing that I was taking good care of my body.
And with the bounty surrounding us on the fields of the Saanich Peninsula and featured in this month’s Seaside, it’s hard to argue that this lifestyle isn’t easily attainable. Solara Goldwynn of Hatchet & Seed (“From Foodie Fad to Cultural Norm,” page 10) turned a passion for farm and field to table into a business that converts landscapes into edible ecosystems.
Of course you’ve seen our gorgeous cover. What a harvest there! Laura Waters, cover stylist and founder of Snowdon House Gourmet & Gifts, finds the inspiration for the array of products she creates in a love for cooking and gardening and all things local.
Farm stands, markets, the orange of pumpkins in a fall field …truly, a healthful eater’s paradise.
Editor’s note: in the August issue column Deb’s Day Out, we incorrectly used the term “faire de camping.” The correct French expression is “faire du camping.”
In the July issue feature “Syrian Refugee Families on the Saanich Peninsula,” the email address for Tricia Kearns should have been tktw4551@gmail.com.
