Inspiration: 25kg Down And Happier Than Ever!

Debi Malherbe’s six-year low-carb journey set her free from a lifetime of calorie counting and food weighing. These days, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and whipping up delicious meals with her favourite LCHF ingredients.

- Ashleigh Roman

Before her low-carb journey took off, Debi Malherbe recalls a frustrating number of failed attempts at losing weight. From Weigh-Less to Weight Watchers and Slender Wonder, Debi had tried them all. ‘It was always a system where you count points and weigh out your food, and it was absolutely soul-destroying for me. It just became too much. I lost a bit of weight, but it wasn’t sustainable. Some plans allowed about 100g of chicken, a tomato and one shake in a day, so it felt like starvation.’

When her aunt and uncle started following a low-carb lifestyle, Debi noticed the results almost immediately. ‘They bought [The Real Meal Revolution] and they were slimming down pretty quickly. Then my husband started as well, and he lost about 10kg. I was really impressed and I remember thinking, “It’s only three lists, how difficult can it be?” So I decided to jump in and give it a try.’

Before she discovered the low-carb way of eating, Debi’s relationship with food had always been fraught. ‘I think I was just always very aware of weight and I was always surrounded by the mindset where counting your calories is what you did. As a family we just love food, and every occasion is centred on eating and being merry. I think somewhere along the way I also developed a very bad body image.’

Every failed attempt at losing weight would send Debi into a downward spiral of binge eating. Her bouts of emotional eating eventually prompted her to see a psychologist. ‘I would just eat and there was no full-stop. I didn’t