Bitte Björkman, 51, radiates vibrant health and energy. Switching to a low-carb diet brought dramatic results. It also inspired her to change career, so she could help others to experience the benefits of a LCHF diet to mind and body:
How long have you been eating low carb?
Eight years. I started at 74 kg (163 lbs) and lost about 15 kg (33 lbs).
Was it a smooth journey?
My weight is stable. I lived on Mallorca when I started and after losing 9-10 kg (20-22 lbs) in the first three months, I plateaued for quite a while, although I was still losing inches. Then I moved back to Sweden, and suddenly dropped 4 kg (9 lbs), just like that. I realized I had been putting pressure on myself in all kinds of ways but now my system was calm - body and mind working properly together.
How has it changed your life?
It has made an incredible difference to my physical and mental health. About 15 years ago, I suffered from severe burnout and changing what I ate helped tremendously to come back from that.
In 2008, I came across the blog of Annika Dahlqvist, the Swedish LCHF pioneer, but it took me a year to take the plunge because I was afraid of fat.
After three days, my stomach suddenly grew calm. I was used to regular migraines and suffered from sinusitis - I was a big snorer. These went too. It was like seeing the light.
I changed career, too, and became a dietary counsellor - my life is now 24/7 low carb. My friend Hanna Boethius, in Switzerland, and I started our organization and we also work with a non-profit body to spread awareness of LCHF for people with diabetes. We have Facebook groups with 15-16,000 members. And we are organizing the first European LCHF event on Mallorca later this year. To see how much it helps people is inspiring.
What has been the biggest challenge?
My husband isn't into low carb - he believes in everything in moderation. He was afraid that the fat and protein would send my cholesterol up but I promised to get regular medical checks and he can see that I'm healthier, more energetic and more beautiful than ever!
- At the beginning of your low-carb journey, read a good book. The Food Revolution by Andreas Eenfeldt MD, for example, gives you all the facts in a digestible way. It's a great one for newbies as it's best to get the basic information before you look at blogs and forums for inspiration, ideas and advice because people generally have differing views about what works.
- I changed my diet completely overnight and it wasn't difficult - I felt my body had been waiting for this kind of fuel. It was an epiphany. But you could also start by skipping bread and see how that goes for a week. If that goes OK, stop pasta and see how you feel. And so on, eliminating other carbs.
- Be prepared - bring a packed lunch to work or on a journey.
- Be patient. Don't expect to drop 5 kg (11 lbs) the first week - this isn't a quick fix, it's for life.
- If I drink regular wine I can put on 2 kg (4 lbs) of water weight overnight, but if I drink a glass or two of sparkling wine I don't retain water or feel intoxicated.
What's in your fridge?
Butter, bacon, cheese, a lot of vegetables - cabbage, onion and lettuce. And champagne... On low carb, you are easily affected by alcohol. I'm not a big drinker but I enjoy a glass or two at the weekend. I've found a perfect fizz that has less than 3 g of sugar per liter.
What's your favorite recipe?
Cabbage casserole
- 1½ kg (3.3 lbs) cabbage
- Hearty knob of butter
- 500 g (1.1 lb) ground beef
- 500 g (1.1 lb) ground pork
- 250 milliliter (1 cup) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 200 g (7oz) cream cheese
- 2 eggs
- 500 ml (2 cups) broth (any flavor you like, I use vegetable broth)
- 300 ml (1⅓ cups) gravy from the cabbage casserole
- 300 ml (1⅓ cups) cream
- 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
- salt and pepper
- (Add a little arrowroot or cream cheese if you want a thicker sauce)
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Shred the cabbage finely and fry soft in butter.
- Mix the ground meat, heavy cream, onion powder, eggs and cream cheese in a large bowl.
- When the cabbage is soft, mix it all together.
- Pour the broth in and place in the oven.
- Take the casserole out after 30 minutes and add 3 cups of the gravy to a saucepan.
- Put the cabbage casserole in the oven again, raise the heat to 225°C (450°F) and bake for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the sauce:
- Boil the gravy along with the heavy cream. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper.
- Serve with lingonberries.
How has your diet influenced your family and friends?
I cook at home and my family mostly eat like me. My youngest daughter is gluten intolerant and, when I began, I used to make Bolognese sauce with normal pasta for my husband, gluten-free for her and broccoli for myself.
What do you wish you had known when you started?
It was such a positive change in my life in every way but I wish I had known about low-carb when I was younger, when my daughters were small. I would never have given them formula or canned food - I would do so many things differently. I have never eaten better than I do now. I love my life and a lot of that has to do with my diet - having good health creates joy in your life.
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