Similar to many, I carry extra weight in my midsection. Despite my Herculean efforts to crunch, plank, and cardio-blast away my excess abdominal fat, my belly remains. I like to refer to it as carrying a little extra love, at least on the days when I’m not being too hard on myself. Because let’s be real: Even when we do our best to love every curve and imperfection—they are great, and they do make us unique—some days those wobbly spots can feel like a real drag.
Everyone has a trouble section, and my stomach is mine. It’s something I’ve been insecure about since my childhood, and I’m still haunted by memories of sporting an oversize t-shirt at the beach when I wasn’t feeling brave enough to rock a bikini—which was always. That feeling has persisted, and even at 30 years old, an age I’ve dedicated to acceptance and self-love, I still have moments when I dread donning anything snug in the waist, let alone a bikini.
A Little Diet-Obsessed
It should come as no surprise that I’ve tried every trick in the book when it comes to whittling my middle and finding those flat abs. From rigorous workout regimens to all kinds of cleanses to pretty much every diet I’ve heard of… you name it, I’ve dabbled in it. These fat-burning tactics ranged from unsustainable and unsupported to simple and healthy(ish), but one trend lingered: eating low-carb.
A low-carb diet has many science-supported benefits and is often touted as one of most effective ways to minimize abdominal fat. Time and again, as I eagerly flipped through magazine pages and succumbed to ab-tastic clickbait—”You’ll never believe what this celebrity cut out for her best body EVER!”—I came to the same conclusion: Low-carb was the answer.
Like many failed dieters, I’ve started more diets than I can count. Atkins, Paleo, Whole30… While none are completely carb free, they do eliminate grains and legumes, two major—and arguably healthy—sources of carbohydrates. The Atkins diet even regulates servings of fruits and vegetables (also healthy carbs), as do some Paleo philosophies.
I was intrigued, intoxicated even, by the success stories about changing to a low-carb diet. It’s no wonder that even after multiple failures, I always went back for more. What’s not to love about the prospect of higher energy, greater mental clarity, and more confidence (which for me, would undoubtedly come from…
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