After a week and a bit of low-carbing, this is what we've learnt:

1. Low-carb works. We're not doing ultra-low-carb. I don't know how people do that, while still maintaining anything like a normal nutritional profile or normal budget. But we've temporarily slashed a really large amount of carbs from our diet, and things are moving in the right direction.

2. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to do it (at this level of restriction, at least) for too long.

3. Because it's hard yakka. It's not only that you have to shop very frequently, and cook and clean up three times a day (because "quick" food like sandwiches or oats-and-milk tends to be high-carb). It's also that you have to constantly calculate. You want low-carb, but you don't want low-calorie (unless you're specifically trying to lose weight). Getting that balance right is pretty tricky. (But what the calculation process does teach you is what an extraordinary amount of carbohydrate you've been eating in day-to-day life up to now...)

4. There are vast quantities of low-carb recipes available on the internet. But many of the ingredients aren't available here (or are hugely expensive), and often they require equipment that I don't have, and don't plan to acquire. (The kitchen is already way less minimalist than I'd aspired to. And I'm still aiming to add a small free-standing oven...) Given all this, creativity is definitely necessary.

5. With a little imagination, though, it's not a dull or unsatisfying way of eating. You can incorporate plenty of variety. And, given that eating more veggies is about the one piece of nutritional advice that's stayed constant over the decades, the marked increase in our vegetable intake is presumably a good thing.

6. Wine is OK (in moderation, as always).

7. If you bust out for a carb-heavy meal, you have to pay back with extra-low-carb meals for the rest of the day, so this demands a little foresight. (But you just CAN'T live in Kuching without the occasional bowl of Sarawak laksa, so that was the special treat for the beginning of Week 2. We have a favoured purveyor at Ming Hong Kee, down on Jalan Padungan, but by way of a change, this week's laksa came from Choon Hui -- as patronized by the late Anthony Bourdain. Very good it was, too).


8. Chicken portions are indispensable. They're cheap, quick to cook, and highly versatile. Just try to make sure "boneless" is really boneless... Almost as useful are eggs (for so many purposes), and tins of tuna (for salads) and sardines (for dips).

9. Beans and peas are great (providing you watch the quantities). Peanuts and peanut butter are pretty damn handy, too...

10. Dried chilies are the most wonderful things. Just infuse them in hot oil or hot water, and wait for their comforting warmth to seep beautifully into your food.


11. Sarawak black pepper pairs deliciously with so many foods: cauliflower soup, beef stir-fry, chicken with lemon and butter... Amazing stuff.

12. Investing in decent pans was a fortuitous decision (made before we knew life was going to involve so much cooking).

So, onwards and upwards...