Summer is here! And for many of us, especially those of us who live in rural-ish areas, that means a trip to the county fair.

Ah, yes, the county fair, home of deep-fried Snickers bars, corn dogs, elephant ears, and so, so much more. Too many folks simply assume that “It wouldn’t be the fair without !” and give themselves permission to gobble every carb in sight, many of them deep-fried in questionable oils, for the duration.

I will, therefore, start by denying that “special occasions” give you a pass nutritionally. Your body neither knows nor cares that you’re at the fair; your blood sugar and inflammation levels will rise as high as the fireworks. Yes, I think that an occasional indulgence can work for some people.

But once you give yourself a pass for one special occasion, it’s amazing how many special occasions appear. “I can have one slice of cake on my birthday” becomes “I have to have cake because it’s my kid’s birthday,” then “It was Sheila’s birthday at the office, and everyone was eating cake, so. . .” In the same way, “It wouldn’t be the fair without cotton candy!” starts to bleed over into, “We’re at the shore for the weekend, I have to have frozen custard!” and “The Robertsons brought such a pretty red-white-and-blue cake to the Fourth of July barbecue, it would be rude not to have some.” Next thing you know, you’re indulging for International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Also, some people can, indeed, have a modest indulgence and be right back on track with the next meal. I do this maybe three times a year with potato chips at a party, potato chips being my personal kryptonite. But many of us are addicted, whether to sugar, to wheat (William Davis, MD opened my eyes to the opioid-like addiction wheat can cause), or to carbs in general. I cannot count the times people have told me that they’d been doing great, lost a ton of weight, made huge strides in their health and energy, and were not even having cravings, until they decided, “I’m on vacation!” or “It’s Christmas!” or whatever other occasion they thought merited a “treat”, only to be sucked right back under. I hear from them ten months and forty pounds later. You must be ruthlessly honest with yourself.

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Find Hundreds of Articles and Delicious and Easy-to-Make Low-Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender

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Seared Rib Eye with Gorgonzola Basil Butter Recipe

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https://www.carbsmart.com/podcast-13-stay-low-carb-at-your-county-fair.html

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Welcome to another three-question interview from CarbSmart. I’m Dana Carpenter, your trusted guide to everything low-carb. In these interviews, I ask a professional whose job, in some way, involves carbohydrate restriction, three-questions, and of course, listen to their answers.

In Episode 12 of the CarbSmart Podcast, I am interviewing Christine Moore, a functional nutritional therapy practitioner. Having talked to registered dietitians who embrace carbohydrate restriction about the fact that food corporations are a major source of funding, or college dietetics programs and the effect that has on what they are taught and what they are permitted to say to their clients.

A Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP) is a professional who uses a holistic, foundational approach to nutrition to help individuals achieve optimal health. FNTPs focus on bio-individuality, recognizing that each person has unique nutritional needs. They emphasize nutrient-dense, whole foods and support overall wellness through dietary and lifestyle changes.

FNTPs assess clients’ health through detailed consultations, dietary evaluations, and functional assessments. They develop personalized nutrition plans tailored to the individual’s specific needs. These plans often include dietary modifications, lifestyle changes, and targeted supplementation. FNTPs educate clients on the importance of nutrient-dense foods and how to implement these changes in their daily lives.

For individuals with diabetes or those struggling with weight management, FNTPs can offer significant support:

1 Diabetes Management

2. Weight Loss

3. Holistic Support

Website

https://CarbSmart.com

Find Hundreds of Articles and Delicious and Easy-to-Make Low-Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender

https://www.carbsmart.com/author/dana

Featured Recipe

Keto Low-Carb Cajun Chicken Packets Recipe

https://www.carbsmart.com/keto-low-carb-cajun-chicken-packets-recipe.html

Show Notes

https://www.carbsmart.com/podcast-12-3-question-interview-with-christine-moore.html

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28 years ago, I had a friend / massage client, my first career was as a massage therapist, whose husband ran a business as a jobber, buying out overstock and stuff from businesses that were closing down, and then selling it to places like Big Lots and Dollar Tree. I was at their house one day, giving Anna a massage, when her husband offered me a five pound bucket of cookies from a lot he'd just purchased.

I said, no thanks, I don't eat sugar or flour. He said, what? You don't have any fun anymore. It took every ounce of self-restraint. I had not to respond. I prefer sex. Thanks. I was reminded of this a while back when I was driving behind a Frito-Lay delivery truck beneath the Frito-Lay logo was the slogan.

Good fun.

Not an hour later watching Law and Order reruns, I saw an ad for blue bunny twist cones. Their slogan was. We make fun! And who hasn't heard of fun sized candy bars? We are surrounded by friends, acquaintances, and businesses who equate junk food With fun, and who do not hesitate to tell us so.

Have you turned down cake at a birthday party recently? Now I can do this without pushback, because I have a reputation as a hardcore nutcase low carber. No one expects me to eat cake, not at a birthday party, not at a wedding, not at any celebration. Fortunately, I also have a reputation for sprightly conversation, a sense of humor, the ability to tell a story entertainingly, and to listen to the stories of others, and a readiness to dance my butt off.

My friends have figured out that I am fun. My oddball diet, notwithstanding. But if you have not been doing this for nigh on 29 years, and made writing about it your career, chances are good that someone, somewhere, sometime, will try to convince you that passing up the junk food makes you a buzzkill. This is where I usually go into my suggestions regarding how to derail such pressure tactics, but I'll save that for another time.

Instead, I found myself thinking about how we came to equate junk food with fun, to the point where many people cannot imagine, say, enjoying an awesome movie, unless they also have a big bucket of popcorn or a bag of chips. How did this happen? For most of human history, I have a few ideas. First, for most of human history, sweets were expensive and hard to come by.

Website

https://CarbSmart.com

Find Hundreds of Articles and Delicious and Easy-to-Make Low-Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender

https://www.carbsmart.com/author/dana

Featured Recipe

Low-Carb Coconut Scotchies Recipe

https://www.carbsmart.com/low-carb-coconut-scotchies-recipe.html

Show Notes

https://www.carbsmart.com/podcast-11-why-do-we-equate-junk-food-with-fun.html

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.