Pork kebab

Kebab, salad & tzatziki

We are currently holidaying on the beautiful island of Crete, Greece, and are one week into a 2-week holiday. The weather and hospitality are excellent. We decided to go self-catering so as to be able to retain full control of our diet and so far, from an LCHF perspective, Greece has not disappointed. 

It has been many years since I was last here, pre-LCHF, and so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Last year we were in Turkey (non-self-catering) which was somewhat challenging from an LCHF perspective, mainly due to a lack of pork products. Turkey has some excellent alternative meats such as lamb but they are served very “dry” with little or no fat, and lots of pita bread!  This left me feeling hungry a lot of the time, even after meals. However, here on Crete, there is an abundant selection of supermarkets, stocked with fresh, local produce, including plenty of pork-based products, in particular a great range of locally produced sausages and, of course, probably the best olives/virgin olive oil in the world! Olives are to the mediterranean what fish and animal fats are to the rest of the world, with a beautiful balance of omega 3 essential fatty acids. 

The key when travelling is to stick to the basics at all times:

• Eggs: Just about anywhere you go, you can always find eggs.  Poached, fried, boiled, in an ommellette or devilled, eggs have everything you need in terms of fat and protein. When all else fails, the humble egg is your friend!
• Just because you are on holiday, don’t disrespect your daily carb intake. If you do, chances are you’ll return home heavier than when you left!
• Source local, fresh products high in fat and ONLY eat when hungry. In hotter climes you will probably be eating less anyway. 
• In hotter climes, maintain plasma volume (salt intake) and stay hydrated using buoillon, sports drink tabs, or simple salt water. 

Above all, enjoy your LCHF holiday! 

Stay hydrated!