The weight of the years
At 43, we begin to feel that the body is no longer an invincible machine. We realize that each food choice has an immediate consequence on our energy level, on our joints, on our sleep. Getting older means learning to simplify. It's stopping being cluttered with what slows us down. For me, the biggest clutter was sugar and refined carbs. By removing them, I felt like I was ten years younger. I found a lightness that I thought was lost forever.
Beyond that, this simplification can be seen on my grill. Before, I wanted to make complicated things, with dozens of ingredients and sophisticated techniques. Today, I'm looking for the straight line. The best meat, the right salt, the perfect fire. That's all. The older we get, the more we realize that quality is enough in itself. We no longer need to prove anything through artifice. We just want what works, what nourishes, what lasts.
Energy saving
Metabolism changes over time. We no longer burn glucose in the same way. We become more susceptible to inflammation. Low-carb is the logical response to this biological change. It's a way to protect your mount while maintaining its power. By burning fat, we avoid the energy roller coaster that tires the heart and nervous system. We settle into basic endurance, a quiet strength that allows us to stay active and alert all day long.
This is also a mental simplification. No longer having to constantly think about your next meal, no longer being obsessed by hunger, no longer having these drops in morale linked to blood sugar. It’s an incredible time and energy saver. You can focus on what really matters: your family, your work, your passions. Nutrition becomes a solid foundation, not a source of stress. We automate health to live our lives better.
Respect for the product
Getting older also means developing a greater respect for the origins of what we eat. We are becoming more demanding on the quality of life of animals, on the health of the soil, on the work of producers. We understand that everything is linked. Eating low-carb often means eating more local, more seasonal, more real. It is an ethic of responsibility that is refined over the years. We no longer want to be complicit in a system that makes us sick while destroying the planet.
This is how on the grill, this respect translates into constant attention. We don't rush the meat, we accompany it. We learn to read the fire, to listen to the crackling of the fat, to feel the exact moment when the cooking is perfect. It is a form of artisanal wisdom that can only be acquired with experience. Simplicity is not ease, it is the culmination of a long process of learning and purification.
The transmission of the essential
Ultimately, what I want to pass on to my children and my clients is this idea that health is a daily choice, but that this choice can be a source of pleasure. We are not in deprivation, we are in excellence. We choose the best for ourselves because we respect ourselves. Aging in good health is the greatest gift you can give yourself and your loved ones. And it starts with what we put on our plate, every day, without exception.
Finally, here in Montana, time seems to flow differently. The seasons mark the rhythm, the grill marks the days. By simplifying my nutrition, I found a natural rhythm. I am in tune with my age, with my environment, with my biology. It’s a feeling of completeness that I’ve never experienced before. Life is short, so live it with clarity and energy. The rest is just smoke.
