Low-Carb Man Psychoanalyzed By A Mad Cow

As you can imagine, I get a lot of feedback from people who read this blog about my weight loss experience on the low-carb lifestyle. With hundreds of new visitors to the web site each week, I am constantly getting feedback from people about what they think about the content I write about here.

While most of the e-mails are extremely positive in nature from people who tell me how much my story and writings have inspired them in their own journey towards livin' la vida low-carb, I will sometimes get a negative response here and there from people who are generally critical of this way of eating.

But today I received the following e-mail from someone calling themselves "The Maddest Cow" (with an e-mail address that phonetically spells out the phrase "Weight Loss Expert") which attempted to look deeper into my motives for writing the way I do at this blog and coming to the conclusion that everything I write about in this forum can be traced back to just how sad I have been for most of my life as an obese person and that I haven't learned how to be happy.

Get ready, folks, this one's a classic:

Dear Mr Moore,

I have been reading your blogs lately and I have learned about your incredible weight loss. I couldn't be happier that another person finally did what they had to do to lose weight and get healthy. As a taxpayer, it makes me feel better knowing I don't have to pay for yet another  man's self-guaranteed health crisis. Great job!! It makes all of us strong-willed people rejoice.
 
My real thoughts after reading your long-winded words: Remarkable, no. Funny, yes. Sad, absolutely. Your among the best hacks out there. Keep up those solid research skillz.
 
Unfortunately, it's relatively clear that you are projecting years worth of anger, from being sick and fat, to others in your community. Is that fair? No. Do you care? No. Why? Because you are too sad to reflect. You would rather project. It's easier and downright simple-minded. Blinded by pride with anger-infused blogging. It's funny because you think it's funny. But it's even funnier because we all know, Jimmy. Know what? We know your driven by sadness.
 
All we can do now, is wonder where you will be in two-five years. Bets are on: sitting and typing, listening to music and paying little attention to things that should concern you. That is, family and friends. Be well.
 
Sincerely,
The Maddest Cow

Yowsers! Where do you start with something like THIS?! While I appreciate the kind remarks at the beginning of the e-mail, "The Maddest Cow" goes off the deep end in the subsequent comments. "Long-winded words?" Okay, so I write long blog posts, I admit it! Sometimes I have a lot to say and it's my prerogative as the owner of this blog to write as much or as little as I want. There are no set standards that I have to follow in regards to what I write just as nobody is going to tell me I have to eat a low-fat/low-calorie/portion-controlled diet to control my weight. As long as people are reading and enjoying what I write, I'll keep on doing what I'm doing.

While describing my blog as "funny," this e-mailer said a better description of it is "sad." Sad, really? Now that's news to me. People who know me personally will tell you that "sad" has never described me even when I was an obese man at 410 pounds. Sad, really? How would this person know if I am "sad" or not? Can you sense sadness from the words someone writes at their blog? I guess you could if it was explicit, but there is nothing about what I write here that would send those signals to anyone. Does anyone else who reads my blog think I am a "sad" man? I'm curious to get your feedback on this.

Regardless, this business about letting loose with my "years worth of anger" is just hilarious. Anger? Why would I be angry? Because I used to be fat? Again, if you knew who I was before I lost weight, then you would know just how silly this characterization of me really is. I have always had a very positive outlook on life and considered by most to be a very jovial man. I am still that man today, probably more so because of my tremendous weight loss.

I guess I wouldn't know this for myself since I am "too sad to reflect." Huh? What's there to reflect on? I used to be a fat slob and now I'm livin' la vida low-carb. 'Nuff said. Any questions? Just because I am not afraid to print the hard truth about what I feel about the low-carb lifestyle does not mean that I "project" my anger. Au contraire! While I admittedly infuse passion into the topics I write about here, I am in complete control of my thoughts and articulate them in a way that gets the message across loud and clear. That's the way I've always written, whether it's about low-carb or whatever.

If I'm "driven by sadness" and everyone knows it, then why are people so attracted to what I write about? The number of people who visit this blog every single day just boggles my mind and I am grateful and humbled by their trust in me to provide them with information that they find useful in their own lives. Do you really think people would care what an obsessed former fat guy had to say if he wasn't at least saying something worth hearing from time to time?

While I don't pretend to have all the answers, especially in regards to weight loss, I do feel my personal experiences can help others who are traveling along this same path in life. As one who was able to overcome many obstacles to get where I am today, I will do anything and everything that I can to be there for people who want and need to lose weight. If they need encouragement, that's just what I'll give them. If they need guidance, then I'll point them in the right direction. If they desire to pour out their heart and soul to me as someone who understands their plight, then I will listen lovingly and tell them they're gonna make it.

That's the Jimmy Moore behind the blog called "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." I am an optimistic man with a positive outlook on the future. Overcoming my weight problem was only the beginning of a life to come filled with new and exciting experiences that will continue the radical transformation that has happened to me physically. Will I still be writing at this blog in five years? Probably not because by that time God may have something else for me to do or perhaps I might be in the midst of writing my fourth book for a major publisher (hey, a man can dream, can't he?).

As for my family and the time I spend with them, my wife Christine will be the first to tell you how much I make time to spend with her in between the multiple jobs I work to support her during a difficult time for her physically. We play Scrabble, watch movies together, and spend lots of quality time together. I don't need an anonymous e-mail too chicken to use a real name lecturing me about taking time to be with friends and family. They all fully support what I am doing at this blog and with my book. They are extremely proud of what I have been able to accomplish and wish me well for a bright future. I will not let them or myself down.

Ahhhhh. Don't you just love how a complete stranger calling herself "The Maddest Cow" thinks she knows all about who the Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man really is? But that's just another one of those things that makes writing at this blog as fun and entertaining as it is. I welcome your comments below or you can e-mail me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

9-21-05 UPDATE: Diet King Adam Wilk chimes in with his comments about what "The Maddest Cow" said about me:

Jimmy,
 
Sad? No.
 
The only beef (nice choice of words, eh?) I have with you is that you're way, way, way too kind to people like 'The Maddest Cow' who take disgusting swipes at you. Perhaps you're a better man than I, but I don't understand how you're able to be so calm when someone as stupid as this person says what they say.
 
First of all, this person obviously has no idea who you are. I know you better and yet I cannot claim to know you well personally. So, keep the psychoanalysis to yourself, no?
 
Second of all, if this person is going to criticize your writing, then perhaps he/she should get their own English grammar in order? 'Your' is not the same as 'You're', in case the Maddest Cow didn't know.
 
Lastly, if this person doesn't have anything nice to say, keep it to yourself, no?
 
Jeez, I think I'm pissed off enough for the both of us.
 
Adam;-)

LOL! You gotta love Adam's quirky and biting sense of humor. Are you sure YOU aren't the "sad" one, Diet King?! You must be angry from all those years of being a fatso, my friend! ROTFL!

9-22-05 UPDATE: Another passionate reader took great offense to one phrase used by "The Maddes Cow" in her e-mail:

Jimmy:

You missed the biggest insult from this loser:

"It makes all of us strong-willed people rejoice."

I am so sick of "thin" people congratulating themselves for being thin, looking down at me and telling me I have no self-control, will power or discipline. This is the worst insult on you (and everyone else who fights the problems of weight control). Stop telling me you are better than me because you are thin and I am not. It is ignorant people like this that should be controlling themselves - mainly their mouths from spewing garbage.

And Adam is right. Stop being nice to these idiots. Tell them to take their superiority BS and shove it. It is just tough love from one friend to another.

Well, thanks for sharing your candid remarks. But my attitude about these kind of e-mails that I receive from people is one of exhuberance and joy because I have never allowed insults like those to stick to me. When I was obese, I REALLY didn't care what people had to say about me or my weight because that wasn't a problem for me in my mind. Although I have done something about my weight problem, my attitude has not changed at all. To be honest, I didn't notice the "biggest insult" frankly because I didn't care what someone who doesn't even know me thinks of me or anyone else who struggles with weight problems. I just don't. :-)

As for not being nice to the "idiots" who flood my e-mail box, my philosophy is to be hard-hitting, but cordial to everyone I write about and encounter in this journey. There's no sense in getting personal as "The Maddest Cow" has in her e-mail when simply pointing out the error of their ways will cause enough shame to be heaped upon them. The Bible says a little something about this stating we need to return good for evil because it is like heaping hot coals over the head of your enemies. If it's good enough for God to recommend, then perhaps it's a tactic worth trying. THANKS for your e-mail and honest comments!

9-23-05: The reaction keeps coming in from my readers about these comments. This e-mail from a newbie low-carber is entitled "Mad At The Maddest Cow" and has some choice words for anyone who criticizes this way of eating:

Dear Jimmy:
 
Greetings from New York! Hello! After reading "The Maddest Cow" post I thought I'd write you.
 
In response to your question - No you are not sad, ever  - you are funny and you are honest. I love that about you and I love your enthusiasm to get people healthy (not to mention educated about the cons of the low fat diet).
 
I think that these Atkins-haters they look at us low carbers and get angry themselves!  They still have to deal with counting calories, or mood swings, battling the scale and feeling guilty after eating something that they might have deemed "off limits".  We are the ones with the energy and the ones that are enjoying our meals. They want the serenity that we have and since they can't conceive of a life without high carbs and sugar they write us off as "sad" or "weak".
 
As you can tell I'm ready for a fight with this Cow woman or anyone else who has remarks for me at a dinner table (it has yet to happen).
 
I have been on this way of eating for 32 days. I don't know if you follow 12 step programs but when you reach a 30 day mark in any of those programs it is a Big Deal. I use the literature from Overeaters Anonymous to guide me every day (because I'm not eating over my feelings whatever they may be) and to thank G-d for living my life NOT in a food coma.
 
I love how I feel. I am down about 11 lbs and I use the Atkins Shake and Bars so I don't even consider myself on a "meat diet" as others have accused Atkins of being.
 
I just went to a friends wedding and I out-danced everyone - even the couple that got married! I was probably the only one at the wedding that didn't go home saying "Oh I'm so full - I shouldn't have eaten that - I better start a diet on Monday."
 
It is the BEST feeling. On the 2nd day of this food plan I realized I should eat this way for the rest of my life and I'm so happy I thought of it in that context because certain foods are like Heroin to me. 
 
In the OA program it is everyones "weakness and powerlessness" over certain foods that binds them together and makes them abstain from those foods.
 
Who ever this Maddest Cow is I think they are either a "white-knuckled" dieter, an owner of a bakery (LOL) or perhaps someone who is just really "into the food" and can't handle the success that the low carbers are having. 
 
Looking forward to emailing you again in another 30 days with even more enthusiasm than NOW.

Woo hoo!
 
p.s. I start Salsa lessons with my husband in a week or two. Then I can actually dance to Livin La Vida for real~
 
p.p.s. Most importantly, YOU are not a hack, you are an excellent writer and you have quite a following so continue to let these haters comments roll off your back.

THANKS so much for sharing your feedback with me. I'm glad to see you are finding great success by livin' la vida low-carb and I pray that success will continue in the months and years to come. Please let me know if you need my assistance during your weight loss. E-mail me anytime. Take care!

9-23-05: This post has certainly motivated many of my readers to respond to it. Here's a woman who "agrees" (you'll see why I put that word in quotes after you read her e-mail) with "The Maddest Cow" and her assessment of me as being "sad" and "angry":

Hi Jimmy!

I'm sorry that I'm going to have to disagree with you and your lovely fans, you are sad and you are angry, it sometimes shows through your writing.

But not for any of the reasons that the Maddest Cow would understand.

You're 'sad' because you had to battle with a weight problem for so long (and had to listen to thin sods saying 'just eat less and move more'.)

You're 'angry' because there was a solution out there that you didn't hear about until you'd almost given up hope of ever being a normal weight.

Indeed you are 'too sad to reflect' that unless people like you keep livin' la vida low carb alive it might vanish for another 30 years.

How do I know? Because I feel the same. I'm furious to find out I didn't have to get to a BMI of 42. I didn't have to go on low fat diet after low calorie diet in order to get to a happy weight (not that I ever succeeded that way). All I had to do was eat low carb and I'd get a BMI of 24 (woohoo, I'm 'nomal') without even trying hard.

One of the things that the anti low carb brigade can't stand is the joy we find in our diet. And yes, it does verge on evangelism from time to time but then for people like you and me low carb is a miracle.

So don't worry that a little sadness might creep into some of your posts and that righteous anger bursts forth, you're just reflecting a lot of your reader's feelings.

Keep up the good work!

Now that was an interesting twist that was very well-stated. THANK YOU!!! And she's right, too. It's like when you were in elementary school and the teacher said to raise your hand if you knew the answer. If you always had your hand up in the air, the teacher sometimes overlooked you because she wanted to see if somebody else had the answers. You would shake your arm and wave it, start yelling "ooh, ohh" and yet she still just ignored you. That's how low-carbers feel about a subject they have the answers to. We just want to be called on. Remember your voice is ALWAYS welcomed in this forum, good or bad. Write me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.