What’s to Eat?

The simplest distillation of ZC is the following mantra:

Eat meat. Drink water.

Simple, no?

There’s plenty of nuance.

Eat meat when you are hungry until you are not. Learn to listen to your body’s hunger and satiety signals. When you are hungry, eat. No planned periods of intermittent fasting (IF) are required.

Meat is everything animal, including seafood and dairy. Try to ensure you eat enough fat to feel satiated. The calories you’re not ingesting from carbohydrates are replaced by calories from fat. Eating lean cuts of meat exclusively can be unhealthy if there is not enough fat in the diet. Look up “rabbit starvation” in Wikipedia to see what that’s all about.

Since the idea of this WoE is to avoid carbs, seasonings are minimal. Sweet sauces and marinades aren’t encouraged either. Got something savoury? No problem. I use a dry rub on my ribs, salt and pepper on my steaks, and Frank’s Hot Sauce with my hamburger patties.

Drink water when you’re thirsty. Tea and coffee is permissible, but not optimal. Dairy’s not considered optimal either, largely because a lot of people can’t handle it, and many dairy products have a lot of lactose which can impact blood sugar levels. Cheeses are generally okay, but liquid dairy is more limited. I use whipping cream in my coffee instead of table cream, when it’s available.

The way I eat ZC doesn’t have much variation, but I don’t find it boring. Eating this way has redefined my relationship with food. It’s for fuel, not for fun.

I used to be an emotional eater. On this WoE, I have largely dispensed with that. My sweet tooth is gone. My carb cravings are gone. It’s freeing, and I appreciate that.

Onward.