Glycemic Index and Atkins Diets Are Kissing Cousins

Much fanfare has been made about the so-called revolutionary new diet plan known as the glycemic index (GI) in recent months as the media is falling all over themselves to point out the fact that it has usurped the popularity of what they like to describe as the "controversial Atkins diet."

But stories like this one prove that they are either stupid or ignorant about what the glycemic index is.

The story declares that the GI diet has "boosted sales of berries" among other foods in the UK. Yet strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and more are all completely acceptable and even encouraged for people who are livin' la vida low-carb. While the story also mentions bananas as a great GI food, these are NOT good for your low-carb lifestyle.

Interesting, the GI diet is described in this article as "choosing low carbohydrate foods and lean meats ... fruit, whole-grain bread and vegetables are good, while white rolls, pasta and crisps are bad."

Uh, guess what? That's exactly what livin' la vida low-carb is about, too. While the media is trying its darndest to make the Atkins diet disappear into oblivion, the fact remains that all of these "new and improved" versions are nothing more than kissing cousins of the low-carb lifestyle that we low-carbers love and enjoy.

A lot of my readers follow a GI diet and proudly do so as a member of the low-carb community. It's like my South Beach diet friends who eat more carbs than I do, but they are also members of this low-carb community, too.

If we counted all the people who are eating a controlled-carb, high-protein, low-sugar eating plan, then the numbers would be shocking to a lot of people. I dare say one-third of people are on some form of low-carb program, whether it is Atkins, South Beach, GI diet or some other program. The fact is that they work!

I think the common thread we see in all of these low-carb programs is an emphasis on cutting out the sugar from our foods. I've said it many times, but sugar, in the form of table sugar and high fructuse corn syrup, is directly responsible for the obesity problem we are experiencing right now in the United States.

Until something is done to control the 146 pounds of sugar we are stuffing down our throats on average year after year, we will not see an improvement in the obesity rates and associated health problems and costs that come with the extra weight. All the while the low-carb solution is completely ignored. What is it going to take to get people to wake up to the fact that they are harming themselves by not doing something about their weight?

I don't care how you do it, but you ought to care enough about yourself that you are willing to do whatever you can to lose weight. For me, low-carb was the answer. It may not be for you, but you have to do something. Your future is at stake and, frankly, the future of the United States of America could be adversely affected if obesity continues to have a stronghold on our healthcare system. It's just such a shame when a proven weight loss method in low-carb is staring us in the face and all the media and government want to do is scare people away from it. Ugh!

Healthy Low-Carb Choices Abound At Popular Restaurants

"Diet Detective" Charles Platkin

This Winston-Salem Journal column from nutrition and public health advocate Charles Stuart Platkin underlines the challenge low-carbers face when trying to explain to others about healthy eating options when dining out at their favorite restaurants. I've written about this subject previously at this blog. But Platkin gives some very bad advice about what foods to order at several popular restaurants.

Platkin cites a recent National Restaurant Association survey that finds the average American goes out to eat 290 times a year. That's about 4-5 times a week that people dine at a restaurant which means people who are livin' la vida low-carb need to know what they can order to stay on the plan. Unfortunately, Platkin does not help with his suggestion of "a few healthier choices and tips" when dining out.

TGI Friday's

Beginning with TGI Friday's, Platkin recommends a chicken, salmon, chicken salad, and grouper dish which are all relatively low in fat and calories. But with side items such as rice, beans, veggies, and baked potatoes, these will quickly add up the carb totals of these meals.

The meats are fine as long as you watch out for hidden sugars in sauces and toppings, but you really ought to order green beans, cauliflower, or a fresh garden salad with full-fat Ranch dressing for your sides. It will help you stay on your low-carb lifestyle.

Of course, Platkin warns people to stay away from the "Atkins menu items and salads" because they "may be over 700 calories with dressing." Calories, schmalories! Eat up and by all means put lots of cheese on top of your meats and salads since it is low in carbohydrates. Predictably, Platkins advises against doing this.

Outback Steakhouse

At the Outback Steakhouse, Platkin promotes the shrimp, chicken or steak griller with "no butter or glaze," a baked potato with ketchup (EWW!) and absolutely "no butter or sour cream," and a house salad without croutons or cheese topped with low-fat (YUCK!) salad dressing. Okay, can I gag now?

If you're gonna eat grilled shrimp, chicken or steak, then load that bad boy up on butter when it's cooked! There's no other way to eat it when you're on low-carb. Skip the baked potato with ketchup because both are loaded with carbs anyway. Instead, get the house salad without croutons and with EXTRA cheese along with full-fat Ranch dressing.

He also recommends the Chicken or Shrimp on the Barbie again "without butter" with a baked or sweet potato and a house salad. Again, cook it with LOTS of butter, skip the potato, and build yourself a great house salad with cheese, bacon and full-fat Ranch dressing. As for a dipping sauce for your shrimp, try mustard or mayon instead of cocktail or barbecue sauces which are loaded with sugar.

Platkin says to "get used to saying 'no butter, please!'," but I say tell them to double the amount of butter they use please! Butter has ZERO carbs and you should savor every bite without any guilt whatsoever.

Chili's

At Chili's restaurant, Platkin recommends anything on the low-calorie Guiltless Grill menu, which includes such carb-loaded dishes such as rice, corn on the cob, steamed vegetables, black beans, and tomato basil pasta without cheese. Tsk, tsk! You can choose much better foods to eat than those which will quickly derail your low-carb plan. Order the meats and enjoy a cool salad to temper the spicy flavor of the foods at this restaurant.

Applebee's

When you go to Applebee's, Platkin is completely in awe of the much-heralded low-fat/low-calorie Weight Watchers menu that recently debuted there with "better cooking techniques and healthier ingredients." The entrees on this menu may be low in fat and calories, but they include dishes with a lot of hidden sugars, including Teriyaki (sugar) Shrimp Skewers with rice pilaf and vegetables and Grilled Tilapia with mango (sugar) salsa. Interestingly, Platkin says to "steer clear of the Bleu Cheese Sirloin," but that's one I would HIGHLY recommend to someone following a low-carb lifestyle. Enjoy a great salad with it for a perfect meal.

Red Lobster

Finally, at Red Lobster, Platkin points people to their LightHouse menu where they can eat their lobster with cocktail sauce instead of butter to "save calories." Oh please! Dip that thing in gobs and gobs of butter like it was meant to be enjoyed and stop worrying about the calories! The same goes for the shrimp and crab legs. Enjoy these ZERO carb foods with ZERO carb butter!

I don't fault Platkin for espousing his low-fat/low-calorie montra because that's all he's ever known as a trained expert in nutrition. He even wrote a book called The Automatic Diet which calls for a portion-controlled, low-fat, low-calorie approach to weight loss. Ho-hum! Can't they come up with ANYTHING different?

I know! They can start livin' la vida low-carb and offer people a real way to find lasting, permanent and deliciously satifying weight loss. You can write the "Diet Detective" himself at info@thedietdetective.com.

07/02/2005 UPDATE: Well check out this little temper tantrum response I got from Mr. Diet Detective himself, Charles Platkin over at CommonVoice.com after reading my blog entry from Thursday entitled "Healthy Low-Carb Choices Abound At Popular Restaurants":

Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy,

Criticizing the book The Automatic Diet, that you probably didn’t read (or if you did, you didn’t get it, b/c it’s NOT about low cal, low fat anything), talking about weight loss and pushing a low carb diet, high fat diet when 98 percent of those that do it fail long term. Come on now. Shame on you. My recommendations are NOT low fat or low carb—they’re both ridiculous b/c diets DON'T WORK, if they did we would all be thin—right? If any of those diets worked why would we as a nation be getting fatter and fatter (or you dispute the figures as well).

I believe in a concept called CALORIE BARGAINS---basically finding foods that you typically eat, and replacing them for lower calorie foods (that you can live with forever—making small changes). As someone who lost 50 pounds and kept it off for more than 10 years I would challenge most of your comments. What you’re saying is more nonsense that confuses an already confused public. The only long term research on weight control—long term—shows that YOU ARE FLAT out wrong. So, do you’re homework, before you have readers even more confused—AND MUCH FATTER.

Whew! I think Platkin needs to take a valium or something before his insides implode on him! LOL! Seriously, can you believe this guy is actually PAID to write columns on the issue of health and fitness? He bemoans any criticism of his book (although the crux of my concern was with his specific article on dining out) while lambasting low-carb as a failure.

Interestingly, he quotes that 98 percent of people who are livin' la vida low-carb fail to stay on it long-term. But I contend that is about the percentage of people who fail on a low-fat/low-calorie diet because it is not sustainable. I agree with him that "diets" don't work, but lifestyle changes such as low-carb can and do work. How else could I keep off the 180 pounds I lost in 2004?

Although he claims his philosophy is not about low-fat or low-calorie, he even admits that his "calorie bargains" mumbo jumbo is predicated on finding foods you like that are portion-controlled and lower in calories than other foods you may want to eat. How is this NOT a low-calorie diet, Mr. Platkin? You may say otherwise, but you are just a part of the low-calorie crowd that will never accept any weight loss plan that goes against what you believe is the only way to lose weight.

People who are livin' la vida low-carb do not count calories, fat grams or measure our foods. We just eat good, wholesome, and delicious controlled-carb foods that satisfy our appetites and our taste buds. While I applaud you on your 50-pound weight loss and for keeping it off since 1995, I would hope you would also recognize my 180-pound weight loss success and wish me the best as I continue my low-carb lifestyle to keep it off for the rest of my life.

I have said it many times that I believe people who are overweight or obese need to find SOMETHING to do about their weight problem. Whether it is your approach or mine, it's important that people have all the options to consider and not just one. Your way may be compelling to some while low-carb may be just the thing for someone else. But too often we have seen low-carb shoved into the corner like an unwanted stepchild in the weight debate and that's just wrong.

I will not stop my own personal crusade to tell the whole world about livin' la vida low-carb because I am a man whose life was transformed for the better because of it. I now have the privilege of telling everyone I know that this may be the solution they have been looking for regarding weight loss their entire lives. There is no confusion about what I have to say, Mr. Platkin. I simply offer my own story as personal evidence that this way of eating works and works well.

One more thing: Don't lecture me on doing my homework regarding weight loss. After trying and failing on more diets like yours than I care to remember, I was finally able to educate myself about the effective low-carb plan and lose weight for myself. It's the only thing that has ever worked for me to not only lose weight, but keep it off for good.

If people want to read your book and follow what you have to say, then good for them. But I have just as much a right as citizen of the United States of America to tell my story of hope and success for people struggling with their weight. And neither you nor any of your low-fat/low-calorie/portion-control supporters can silence me in the land of the free and the home of the brave!

I appreciate your feedback, Mr. Platkin, but make sure you take your medicine next time before ranting and raving about what I have written. In due time, you'll see how wrong you are about low-carb.

How about we all start educating Mr. Diet Detective Charles Platkin about low-carb by sending him e-mail to info@thedietdetective.com? I'm sure he'll appreciate hearing from people who have lost weight on low-carb and kept it off for many years. Let's open his eyes to this fact so he'll hear the message loud and clear!

Sugar-Free Candy Companies Need A Wake-Up Call

A new report released today by a consumer market research company named Packaged Facts shows the impact livin' la vida low-carb has had on the candy market since 2000.

The improvements being made in artificial sweeteners in recent years has contributed to this increase in sales, the report states. Whereas poor-tasting products have traditionally dominated sugar-free candies in the past, the new products that have been sold to consumers recently offer a better choice of flavors, texture, and overall appearance which resonates with the diabetic and low-carb consumer.

From 2000 to 2004, the sales of sugar-free candies quadrupled while new reduced-sugar products introduced to the marketplace have tripled.

Many of these products, especially soft drinks, are sweetened with products such as saccharin (Sweet 'N Low), sucralose (Splenda), aspartame (Nutrasweet) and acesulfame-K (ACE-K). Others are sweetened with sugar alcohols like maltitol and lactitol which have been well-documented to cause gastric distress in many consumers.

People who are livin' la vida low-carb are well aware that they need to stay away from sugar alcohols, although it is almost impossible to avoid them altogether. Russell Stover exclusively uses maltitol in their low-carb and sugar-free products and have established themselves as the far and away leader in the diet candy market.

But they are going to have to make a hard decision very soon about the future of their products as people like myself cannot handle the side effects that come with maltitol. I LOVE what Russell Stover has to offer, but there are better sweeteners, such as erithrytol, which are just as effective and do not cause the problems that maltitol does. Maybe companies like Russell Stover need a wake-up call from people to realize they need to change sweeteners. Why not express your concerns to them directly?

Erythritol is currently found in Z-Carb chocolate bars and even in the one-carb version of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. The sooner companies realize that we need erithyritol in our sugar-free candies, the more successful their business will be over the long term.

But apparently that is not a concern to the big candy companies right now because business is booming. Is it going to take an overwhelming outcry from earnest low-carb and diabetic consumers to convince them that we want and need them to change their sweetener? This is the exact same dilemma that the soda companies had to contend with before finally giving us what we wanted this year.

Acquisitions Editor for Packaged Facts Don Montuori states the "low-carb craze revved up and perhaps overheated the [diet candy] market" over the past few years, but he believes it will long outlast any diet plan out there today.

He's got to be kidding. Is he so delusional to think that sugar-free products would be selling as well as they are right now if it wasn't for low-carb? He even admits the impact low-carb consumers have had on the market, but thinks it will be sustained without the help of low-sugar dieters. Yeeeeaaaaaaahhhhh. Riiiigggght. Take away low-carbers and your market is diabetics only, buddy. Try keeping up with your sales quotas then and we'll see how long you stay in business!

Montuori acknowledged the "positive consumer recognition" of Splenda as opposed to the tanking public opinion of Nutrasweet. But even products that carry the Splenda logo need to be carry examined to make sure they don't have those nasty sugar alcohols in them that I mentioned earlier. It's a little bait and switch tactic I've noticed companies like to implore. They blare on the front of the product "SWEETENED WITH SPLENDA," but then don't tell you the primary sweetener is maltitol. You don't notice it until you stomach starts getting knots in it several minutes after eating one of these innocent-looking products! BIG mistake!

Russell Stover owns 37 percent of the sales of diet candy, followed by Hershey at 14 percent, Atkins Nutritionals at 12 percent, and Kraft at 9 percent. Overall sales of diet candy in 2004 reached a mind-boggling $495 million! That's nowhere near the sales of sugar-filled candy, but the tremendous rate of growth of this market proves there is a strong consumer demand out there for quality candies for people watching their sugar intake.

One final thought: If you want a copy of this 100-page report on diet candy, it's gonna cost you almost $2000. At that price, it should be made of sugar-free chocolate! Read a page, eat a page, read a page, eat a page. Yummy! Just make sure it has erithyritol in it, okay? :-)

I Saw A Billboard Ad Driving Down The Road...

for KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce that caught my attention and here's what it said:

Broccoli would taste a lot better if it were made of meat.

AMEN, BROTHER! Now if they'd just make a sugar-free version of their sauce, we'd be in business. :-)

Study: Low-Carb Has Metabolic Advantage Over Low-Fat Diets

A new research study from Australian scientists found that high-protein, low-carb weight loss methods provide greater nutritional and metabolic advantages than a high-carbohydrate diet such as low-fat or low-calorie.

The results of this breakthrough study is sure to provide a real boost to those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb and may inspire more people to try this healthy and extremely effective alternative to the failed low-carb/low-calorie diets.

The study was published in the June 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and was conducted by researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.

A group of 100 overweight women between the ages of 40 to 58 years old with a body mass index (BMI) between 28 and 38 were involved in the 90-day study. The participants were split into two groups and observed simultaneously: one ate a high-protein diet and the other consumed a high-carbohydrate diet.

Interestingly, both groups had similar weight loss and lowered their cholesterol numbers among other health benefits. However, those who were on a high-protein, low-carb way of eating lost more fat mass than those on a high-carb diet. Additionally, vitamin B-12 rose by 9 percent on the high-protein, low-carb plan and actually DECREASED by 13 percent for those on a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet.

Those of us who have been enjoying the clear metabolic advantage of the low-carb lifestyle already knew this, though. It's amazing how scientific research is so far behind what are already known facts about eating low-carb. But take heart my fellow low-carbers because these kind of studies make us look smarter and smarter about our lifestyle choice being the safe, healthy and effective program that we know it to be.

PC Version Of Atkins Carb Counter Software Now Available

Last month I told you about the new Atkins Carb Counter software for your PDA. Now they have released a PC desktop version of the software for your Windows application.

It retails for $39.99 and features all of the great applications of the PDA version all from the convenience of your personal computer. This product is brought to you by Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. as a companion tool for your low-carb lifestyle.

This product can make it a lot easier to start livin' la vida low-carb. Where was all this stuff when I was losing weight on Atkins?! :-)

Rising Obesity Costs Warrant A Serious Look At The Low-Carb Answer

This Reuters story about the rising costs of obesity is further evidence that a serious examination of the low-carb alternative to the failed low-fat diets we have been forced to endure for the past few decades.

A study released on Monday in the Health Affairs journal said obesity-related private spending healthcare costs have ballooned to ten times what they were in the late 1980s. The jump from $3.6 billion in 1987 to $36.5 billion in 2002 represented more than a 9.5 percent spike in the percent of health spending according to the study.

Obesity is linked to such illnesses as diabetes and heart disease. With obesity in the United States expected to reach 100 percent by 2058, now is the time for serious discussion of low-carb as a viable option for dealing with this grave problem. Healthcare costs and premature deaths will only continue as this solution to the obesity epidemic continues to be ignored.

The study looked at 28,000 privately insured Americans from across the entire socioeconomic spectrum. The rising number of obese people in America, which currently stands at 60 million according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has caused health care costs to skyrocket.

Other conditions besides diabetes and heart disease which are worsened by obesity include arthritis, asthma, and back pain. The researchers who analyzed the data from this study state that the root problem of obesity must be dealt with to lower the cost of healthcare and to prevent diseases associated with carrying around excessive weight.

"We're going to have to tackle this they way we did smoking - with a variety of big strategies," a doctor in the Reuters story said.

What that means is we need to take this role very seriously. We need to think outside the box and come up with strategies that will treat the problem of obesity head-on.

The low-carb lifestyle has changed my life since I was able to lose 180 pounds on it in 2004. A national public forum should be created that educates people about the healthy and easy alternative this way of eating offers people who are obese. As a former 410-pounder, I don't know what I would have done without low-carb. It's time we give people the information they need to make the right choice for themselves about how to deal with their obesity problem.

I feel so strongly about this issue that I am contemplating writing a book about it as well. First things first, though, I need to finish the one about my weight loss success. When are we going to wake up and realize there's an answer to the obesity problem staring us right in the face?!

Hilarious New Ad Exposes Sugar's Dirty Little Secret

Do you need a good laugh on a Monday that will also encourage you as you attempt to do this low-carb thing for another day? Check out "The Bittersweet Truth: Sugar's Shocking Secrets...REVEALED!"

This new ad for Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. products has some interesting information that many people in the general public may not even realize.

Did you know most so-called energy bars are so full of sugar that they you might as well eat a glazed doughnut instead?!

What about the fact that the average American consumes 53 teaspoons of added sugars (in the form of table sugar and the dangerously unhealthy high fructose corn syrup) PER DAY for a total of 146 POUNDS of sugar annually? WOWsers!

Why would a workout enthusiast load up on a sugary-protein bar before hitting the gym when it will merely sabotage his routine?

There are plenty of delicious low-carb alternatives available for people to savor and enjoy while they are livin' la vida low-carb. All you have to do is read the labels and you'll know which ones are good for you and which ones are not.

Who Says You Can't Splurge On Low-Carb?

This Associated Press story about a Valentine, Nebraska man who has lost 573 pounds over the past year through gastric bypass surgery hits on something that I believe needs to be addressed within the context of livin' la vida low-carb.

Patrick Deuel tipped the scales at 1,072 pounds in June 2004 and decided to do something drastic to help him get his life back. He was basically an invalid who obviously had heart trouble, full-blown diabetes, and needed oxygen to breathe. This guy was a ticking timebomb just waiting to explode to an early death.

He chose to have gastric bypass surgery and implement exercise for the first time ever to help him lose the weight and is impressed that he can finally feel his ribs for the first time in a quarter century! That's a big deal to someone who has never been able to do that. I had a similar feeling the first time I could see my rib cage in the mirror after losing my 180 pounds. It's these little things that keep you going on your weight loss efforts.

As a spokesman in the obesity debate now, Deuel said something that the author of the story decided to use as a jab against low-carb programs such as Atkins.

It seems that Deuel has not completely given up on junk food that he enjoys to eat and which contributed to his gargantuan appearance before losing weight. The story states that Deuel "doesn't believe in total deprivation" and "defiantly refuses to consider any foods taboo."

"If you have a craving and don't take care of it, it's going to grow and grow and grow and it's going to make you do something stupid - binge," he says.

These "binge" moments for Deuel happen twice a month and have helped him get through his weight loss without the temptation to fall off the wagon.

"I've lost 102 pounds in 70 days, eating what I wanted," he says. "Tell me it doesn't work ... For me, the easiest way to stay on my diet and not go absolutely crazy to is eat [to satisfy the craving], get that out of the way and get back on the program."

The author of this article said the "Atkins and South Beach faithful might shudder" at this notion. But not me.

This may come as a shock to a lot of my low-carb friends because I have not seen it in any books nor has it been recommended by anyone in the low-carb community. But one thing that has helped me persevere through the weight loss and even the weight maintenance of my low-carb lifestyle are planned binges. You might call them my "splurge" meals.

Most people don't ever plan their "splurge," they just go all out when temptation hits them and eat to their heart's content. That's not what I'm referring to.

Instead, I have a date circled on my calendar that I have predetermined is my time to eat and enjoy whatever I want to eat for one meal. Just ONE meal is all this is good for! Whether it is pizza, Mexican, Italian or whatever floats your boat, you can eat all you want of whatever you are craving the most until you get your craving fulfilled.

But then you get back on the program. Immediately and no further "splurge" until the next time. When I was losing weight, I did this about every 6-8 weeks. It kept me going when temptation would be at its strongest because I could look at the calendar and see I had a meal coming up for me to enjoy the foods I couldn't have. It took away that excuse that I'm "depriving myself."

Even now that I am simply maintaining my weight, I still have a planned "splurge" about once every couple of weeks or so with my wife. I have been known to eat as many as 30 slices of pizza during my splurge meal. GASP! I know I just caused some of my low-carb friends to fall out of their seats. But it's true. It's what I do to allow myself the opportunity to eat foods that I cannot normally have while still enjoying the benefits of lost weight and improved health.

"An occasional indiscretion is OK," a doctor in the story says. "Every once in a while you have to have a piece of chocolate, providing you're not carrying the bag around all the time."

That's my philosophy exactly. But you have to realize that these "splurge" meals WILL DEFINITELY kick you out of ketosis for several days and your weight may not go down very quickly. However, I have been fortunate enough to be able to lose any extra weight that I put on because of this "splurge" meal within less than a week of doing it. If I don't need to "splurge," then I don't. But it's nice to know I can use this method from time to time to satisfy my cravings.

Keep in mind that this "splurge" meal plan may not be ideal for everyone. But it worked for me. You may not need to do this and be thankful if that is you. But this could be the key ingredient that some of you have been looking for to help you be successful as you are livin' la vida low-carb.

But please be careful not to rationalize this method when you see a box of doughnuts at work and tell yourself that THIS will be your "splurge" meal. It doesn't work that way. Plan it well in advance, look forward to it to avoid temptation, do it enjoying every single bite and then get back on the plan as soon as possible. It's that simple and it worked for me. Hopefully, it will work for you, too!

Priest Says Low-Carb Good For Body And Soul

The good news about low-carb has unusually penetrated the media this week with various positive stories about livin' la vida low-carb.

This New York state-based Journal News story about a Roman Catholic priest named Rev. Clement J. Machado who has been on a low-carb lifestyle for the past two year to keep his physical body in good health.

Purchasing such delicacies as low-carb pasta and high-protein dishes at a local health food store, Rev. Machado said he was pleased to find the low-carb approach to eating because it "helps me live a healthier lifestyle."

He quickly added: "God wants things that are conducive to good health."

You tell 'em, Rev.! How can the media be critical of a priest promoting the virtues of the low-carb lifestyle as a healthy eating plan? I believe strongly that God wants us to take care of the temple (our body) that he has entrusted to us by keeping it as fit as we possibly can. Rev. Machado realizes that and is leading by example.

Interestingly, Rev. Machado got started on a low-carb plan in 2003 because he wanted to have more energy, lose weight and ward off the diabetes that is prevalent in his family.

It is certainly good for doing all three of those things. I have experienced them myself and can relate well with Rev. Machado's reasons for starting low-carb.

Enjoying steak and shrimp with low-carb rolls as a meal, Rev. Machado credits being able to find succulent low-carb foods from his local health food store.

I don't have a health food store in my area that provides good low-carb products. However, I have been able to find a host of excellent low-carb foods such as apple spice cake, lemon pie, peanut butter cookies, ZERO-carb bagels and breads and much, much more at a great online low-carb store called Kick The Carbz.

Oh my gosh, if you haven't tried some of the foods offered by my friend Linda at her Ohio-based store, then you are really missing out on an entire part of livin' la vida low-carb that can make this journey a whole lot easier on you! I wish I had found these products sooner!

Subtitled "Low Carb Heaven," the KickTheCarbz.com web site is stocked full of so many delicious foods, you'll have a tough time figuring out which ones to choose. Their slogan states, "We Make Low-Carb Taste Great... So You Can Look And Feel Great... Now You Can Live Your Low-Carb Life With Style!"

It really is nice to have a wide selection of great low-carb products available at your fingertips. You will be completely amazed by the quality and unbelievable taste that these products have to offer. I have tried many of them myself and can personally testify that KickTheCarbz.com only stocks the best-tasting foods for your low-carb lifestyle. I promise you will not be disappointed!

As for Rev. Machado, he is telling everyone he knows why he's livin' la vida low-carb. He said it has improved his spiritual walk with God as well.

You heard it here first, folks! The low-carb lifestyle is good for your body AND your soul! :-)

The Final FFF Winner Is...

We have our final winner in the "Freebie Friday Frenzy" giveaway contest. It's Kurt L. from Orange, California! WOO HOO!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, Kurt! Upon hearing he had won the drawing for the free GoLower coconut nut bars on Friday, Kurt wrote me back stating that he "just started reading your blog recently and appreciate the encouragement I get from it to eat low-carb. Keep up the good work."

No, thank you, Kurt. You and the thousands of others who have visited Livin' La Vida Low-Carb since I launched just two months ago have made this web site a lot bigger success than I could have ever imagined.

Did you know we have had 15,000 visits at this blog in about 8 weeks? WOW! That just boggles my mind to think about it and we are attracting new visitors every single day by providing a place where low-carb followers can find solace from the savagery of life. It can get tough out there feeling all alone in this, but YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Millions of us are here cheering you on to the victory we know you can attain in your weight loss. That's what livin' la vida low-carb is all about!

Last Day To Enter FFF Contest Is Today

If you want to be entered into the FINAL drawing of the "Freebie Friday Frenzy" contest, then you need to enter TODAY by clicking here. The winner will be announced on Saturday and the contest will conclude.

I appreciate Kevin at GoLower for providing his excellent nut bars for the prize winners and to everyone who entered the contest.

148-Pound Low-Carb Weight Loss Success Story Epitomizes 'Lifestyle Change'

I just love finding stories of people who have been successful livin' la vida low-carb because their success can and will motivate others to finally begin a low-carb lifestyle for themselves. No doubt that's exactly what Karen Kimball is hoping will happen with this WBRZ News 2 story from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Karen once tipped the scales at a hefty 274 pounds back in 1998. Just like me, she decided enough was enough with her unhealthy lifestyle choices that were ruining her physically and started livin' la vida low-carb beginning on March 1, 1998. Since then, she has lost 148 pounds and has maintained this weight loss for over five years! WOW! She has lost 54 percent of her starting weight (to give you perspective on this, I have ONLY lost 44 percent of my body weight!) and is sticking with it permanently. You go Karen!!!

"I've always been a large person. Even in my childhood, I was large," she said. "I often say that I was born at 175 pounds!"

I can certainly relate to that. It's funny how people who have struggled with their weight since childhood all seem to have the same perspective regarding weight problems. We think we were born this way because it's all we've ever known. We have tried anything and everything to lose weight and nothing has ever worked for us before we finally found the low-carb solution. Karen and I have been fortunate enough to find this lifestyle change before it was too late. I'm sure she would agree with me that telling as many people as possible about this amazingly healthy and delicious weight loss and weight maintenance plan is a passion she has now. It's hard not to tell others about something so miraculous in your life.

If you think everything was peaches and cream (metaphorically speaking, of course!) for Karen during her weight loss, then think again. She went through a divorce while this was happening, but exclaimed she has "never looked back."

One astute observation Karen has made is that "anybody can lose weight on any diet." It's true. I have made similar statements about weight loss and tell people to do whatever it is that they feel like they can do and continue to do. But Karen said people need to "change the lifestyle that put [the extra weight] on you in the first place."

"It has to come from inside you," she explained. "You have to do it for you, or you'll put it back on."

She's exactly right! That's what I tell people who ask my advice about what to do regarding weight loss. The biggest thing I tell them is to make up your mind right now that this is what you WANT to do and then DO IT! There are no excuses in the world that can derail you from your weight loss goals if you make up your mind once and for all that this is what you want to do. If you reach the point where you realize that you have to do this or something bad might happen to your health, then you have the right mindset to make a real lifestyle change.

After yo-yoing on many diets throughout the years, Karen started reading up on various low-carb programs and noticed they all had a common thread that recommended eliminating sugary foods from your diet. That low-sugar, low-carb way of eating has served her well ever since. She also eats brown rice, sweet potatoes and whole wheat pastas. However, Karen has wisely given up supposedly healthy, but very high-sugar foods such as bananas, raisins and carrots.

Another creative thing that Karen does that I tell people all the time to do is be prepared with low-carb foods so you don't put yourself in a situation where you cannot eat anything because all of the choices are loaded with carbs. She keep a jar of nuts with her at all times (so do it!) and she will bring her own whole-wheat bun to a restaurant to use when she orders a hamburger. Now I've never done that because I'm just so used to eating it bunless now, but that's a great idea. The point is to be ready with your own food if you know you will be dining out or visiting friends for dinner.

I just LOVE what she does with dill pickles. She buys a big jar of them, rinses them in water and places them in a mixture of vinegar and Equal (I would recommend Splenda, but to each his own!) for delicious sweet pickles. In fact, a Splenda-sweetened version of pickles is on store shelves today. Karen strongly supports Splenda (as do I!) and calls it a "miracle for dieters."

This is a lady after my own heart. She also scoffs at the notion that she needs to limit her fat intake, although she will opt for a lower fat product in recipes if she decides to make a low-carb dish. She uses low-fat cheese (EWWW!) in her chicken enchiladas along with whole-wheat tortilla. I would not opt for lower fat products because fat is the fuel that drives your low-carb weight loss. I say get the full-fat version of low-carb foods and enjoy every last bite!

I was surprised to read that Karen eats a lot of fruit, namely apples because they "satisfied" her and "curbed the appetite." But apples are not good for you to eat in excess, she is quick to note, and should be limited. Instead, eat strawberries, blueberries or raspberries with whipped cream and/or sugar-free chocolate. Yummy!

Karen shares my concern about what we are teaching future generations about healthy eating by "feeding them fast foods."

"Everything we give them is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Once we introduce them to all that sugar, it's very hard to take it away from them, Kimball remarked. "I think the FDA should limit the amount of sugar in foods. With health care costs and medical costs on teh rise, we have a national problem. Food is required for our needs -- if it's not healthful [like sugar], it shouldn't be on the market."

Whammo-bammo again, Karen!!! The addiction to sugar is as strong as any drug or alcohol addiction. We have rehab clinics for people with those addictions while the sugar addiction get completely ignored. And to think the President of the Corn Refiners Association is promoting HFCS as a healthy product for consumption. No wonder our kids getting obese at astronomical rates!

Suggesting mandatory nutrition education beginning in kindergarten through high school, Karen said there needs to be more "focus on nutrition." As an avid cook since home economics class in high school, she has learned to adapt her old recipes into low-carb masterpieces by tweaking just a few of the ingredients.

Another thing me and Karen have in common are the frequent double-takes we get from people who haven't seen us since we've lost weight. I love this little surprise as much as the old friend or family member. In fact, I'm going to visit my family in Tennessee next month and they haven't seen me since I was 410 pounds! I literally cannot wait to see the look on my dad's face when he sees how skinny I've gotten!

As a 30-year veteran of the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, Karen fondly remembers preparing and cooking lunches for her co-workers after work each day. This lady's a real saint!

Last month, Karen tied the knot with her husband Mark Kimball and she is already giving him advice about how to keep his weight in check. With retirement approaching, she is hoping to go on the speaking circuit and might possibly write a book entitled "Fat Girls Do Get A Second Chance." Oh, that trumps "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" any day, Karen! LOL!

The article ends with Karen's world-famous sugar-free strawberry pie and chicken enchiladas. I am so glad I found out about Karen Kimball today. There are a lot more people like Karen and I who are happily livin' la vida low-carb in the real world despite the constant negativity that pervades through much of the media and misinformed public. I'd love to meet Karen someday and give her a big ole hug for carrying the torch of low-carb proudly. She is a true hero in my book! Can you tell I like this lady?! :-)

Karen, if you find this story and would like to comment, please send me an e-mail. I would LOVE to hear from you!

Krispy Kreme In Trouble Because Of Low-Carb?

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. has decided to axe six company executives because of the lack of sales of the worst possible food you could eat on low-carb. Inside shenanigans at the doughnut giant are currently under investigation and the future prospects of a once thriving American business are now in question.

Additionally, this Bloomberg news story notes that sugar production is expected to drop from 19.7 million tons annually to just 12 million tons by 2012, a 40 percent drop over the next seven years.

What's going on here? The once-heralded doughnut and sugar companies have seen the handwriting on the wall as the demand for their products has diminished. As more and more people are become conscious of the sugar they are putting in their mouths as a result of following and succeeding on a low-carb lifestyle, the ripple effect it is having on companies whose products are packed with sugar are beginning to feel the squeeze.

All I can say is, WELL IT'S ABOUT TIME! While people who are low-carbing it are clamoring for alternatives that they can eat, most have probably resigned to the fact that is not going to happen until major changes in thinking regarding sugar are made at these companies. Maybe they need to be shaken by the loss of sales so they will begin to take people who are livin' la vida low-carb more seriously. If we were any other segment of the population they would be falling all over themselves to provide products that we want and enjoy rather than this garbage they call low-carb (11 g of carbs for one brownie is NOT low-carb!). Will they ever get it?

As for sugar, I wrote about how harmful it is to your weight loss and health goals in this article. I have said it until I'm blue in the face, but I'll keep on saying it. Studies need to be conducted on the negative effect sugar is having on our health and well-being. Obesity will not be tackled unless all the facts are on the table.

Do we need to see a total meltdown of all the sugar-dependent companies like Krispy Kreme before we realize what a menace sugar really is? This is going to upset a lot of corporate executives at junk food companies, but they need to wake up to the reality that their products are driving the obesity numbers so much higher and higher that it is now being predicted that we will have a 100 percent obesity rate by 2058.

Stop making excuses and start realizing the time is NOW to look at how sugar is destroying us from the inside out!

Study: More Athletes Choose Low-Carb To Maximize Workout

More athletes have chosen to follow a low-carb lifestyle to preserve lean body mass and improve body composition to maximize their workout performance, according to a new survey presented at the 2nd Annual International Society of Sports Nutrition Conference and Expo in New Orleans, Lousiana this past weekend.

The research revealed on June 16-18 from this not-for-profit academic society dedicated solely to sports nutrition blows a huge hole in the age old myth that claims you need to load up on carbs to achieve a high-energy workout. In fact, what the study found was that just the opposite is true for many athletes now.

The survey was conducted at the 26th Annual Broad Street Run that took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 1. Participants in the 10-mile competitive race were asked a variety of questions about their training schedule regarding their specific fitness and nutrition methods. The study results have sent shockwaves through the health and fitness industry.

Close to one-third of the respondents who had 10 or more pounds to lose said they are livin' la vida low-carb to lose weight rather than following the traditional low-fat/low-calorie diets that have been implored by the experts for managing weight. Interestingly, the vast majority of people who began a low-carb program said this way of eating provided them with enormous success in their weight loss and athletic performance goals.

I have found this to be true in my own workout and nutritional experience. Since I first started a low-carb lifestyle on January 1, 2004, I have lost 180 pounds in all. But more importantly, I have totally changed my body from a fat blob of body mass into a muscularly-toned and physically fit one. I'm no Arnold Schwarzeneggar, but my body looks a lot better now than it did a year and a half ago! I credit my workout routine and low-carb for helping me reach this point in my physiological turnaround.

Eight-time Ironman competitor and Medical Director for Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. Dr. Stuart Trager responded to the findings of this survey by highly recommending that more athletes begin to realize the tremendous benefits of making smarter choices regarding their carbohydrate intake.

While many of them have traditionally eaten such products as a PowerBar before workouts, recent research by the Stone Foundation for Sports Medicine and Arthritis Research actually found these to be no better for an athletic performance boost than a sugary food product like a Pop-Tart, Trager explained! In fact, the research concluded that it did not matter what food the athlete consumed to provide fuel for their body before and during a workout. Instead, athletes should concentrate on finding foods that are high in protein and fiber and without added sugars as part of their general nutritional approach to generate the best benefits to their workouts.

"An energy bar high in sugars may fuel many during a workout, but active people rarely spend all their time training," says Dr. Trager. "To truly manage weight, improve body composition and preserve lean muscle mass, athletes must concentrate on their nutrition choices for the other 22 hours in a day. Too many active people are sabotaging their workout results in their day-to-day life by eating energy bars packed with sugars."

In fact, research in the past few years has shown livin' la vida low-carb is an excellent workout companion.

In the January 2002 edition of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, researchers found that athletes who control their carbohydrate intake were better able to maintain their endurance performance as a result of a higher level of fat burning during rest and exercise. And in the July 2002 edition of Nutrition & Metabolism, a controlled-carb approach to eating was found to produce better fat loss and preservation of lean body mass than a low-calorie diet program.

As more and more evidence like this is published, people will realize that the low-carb lifestyle is not only healthy, but necessary for even the most intense workout fanatics and those who need to be. If I can go from flab to svelte, then anyone can!

Low-Carb News & Discussion Web Site Is Coming Soon

Hey there, ho there, hee there all you low-carberists out there! It's "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man" here to tell you about an exciting development coming in July.

In conjunction with our friends at CommonVoice.com, we are set to bring you similarly-styled page featuring low-carb news, commentary and public discussion of the issues involving health, nutrition and fitness focused on the theme of the low-carb lifestyle.

Sounds good, doesn't it? We will have 8 independent writers rip-roaring-ready-to-go with original columns each and every week to provide you with ideas and issues regarding livin' la vida low-carb. You will have the wonderful opportunity to give these articles a thumbs up or thumbs down (depending on how much you liked or disliked the article) as well as provide any feedback about these columns in a special "Forum" section.

But that's not your only role in this new web site. You will also get to choose the headlines that get posted there. How many low-carb web sites give you complete control over what gets posted? I think we know the answer to that question.

If you see a headline that deals with the low-carb lifestyle and believe it needs to be discussed, then there is a "Headline Submission" link on this new web site that will allow you to do just that. Then, after you've posted the headline you can post any comments you have about what the article said. It's as easy as that!

Other features of the web site will include a "Blog Pot" for all you low-carbers with a blog out there (like me!), poll questions (again with input and suggestions from readers), a site directory (to share with the whole world about your low-carb lifestyle web site) and a whole lot more! You are gonna LOVE this web site, I promise.

This will be THE place to come for low-carb news and opinions! I am so excited to share this with you in just a few weeks so you can begin experiencing this fresh, new journey to further spread the healthy message of livin' la vida low-carb to the entire world. Stay tuned for details in the coming weeks about the URL of this new web site which I think you are going to like.

In the meantime, feel free to visit here to get a feel for the various features you will be able to enjoy at the new low-carb news and discussion web site. While you are there, feel free to comment on any of the articles or headlines posted there (you will need to do a simple and quick registration to be able to do that) and then let me know what you think.

The Looney Low-Carb World According To Mike

Meet Mikey Tsai, reluctant low-carber!

A friend of mine told me about this hilarious editorial from a man who started a low-carb diet recently that I thought you would enjoy.

In a rather cynical look at the low-carb approach to weight loss, Honolulu Advertiser staff writer Michael Tsai whimsically talks about livin' la vida low-carb as if it's the worst thing you can do to lose weight.

Describing himself as a "carboholic" (yeah, weren't we all before we started low-carb?!), Tsai whimsically said he would have a tough time avoiding "all that fat-building goodness" in the form of pasta, mashed potatoes, stuffing and more. Apparently Mike has no idea that there are very delicious versions of all kinds of foods people think are taboo on a low-carb lifestyle. There are low-carb and no-carb versions of pasta (have you tried Dreamfields brand yet? WOW!), bread (check out the incredible-tasting ZERO CARB breads at KicktheCarbz.com, and many other delightful foods to savor and enjoy on your low-carb lifestyle. You can even substitute cauliflower for potatoes to make remarkable mashed "potato" dish. Add butter, garlic salt and cheese for a delicious side dish even your non-low-carb friends will clamor for!

Our buddy Mike apparently chose the South Beach Diet, which has the most restrictive Induction phase of all the low-carb programs out there today. After three weeks on this plan, Mike says it (and I quote) "sucks, sucks, sucks." LOL! I've been there, felt that before, too! But the good news is it doesn't stay that way. If you can endure through a little hardship at the beginning, the promised land of weight loss heaven will quickly come into view. I detail my struggle with the first few weeks and what I did to endure in my upcoming book. It's hard, but it is something that you must do if you ever want to rid yourself of those extra pounds you so desperately want to shed.

But poor Mike characterizes his low-carb lifestyle as "nonsense" and blames his older brother for getting him into this mess when he stepped on a scale and weighed a "disgusting" 182 pounds. Mike must be about 4 feet tall if he thinks that makes him overweight! I would look sick if I weighed that LITTLE! It just goes to show you that weight loss goals vary widely from person to person. In fact, you could say I LOST MIKE during my weight loss on Atkins! Hee hee! You're not so big anymore, my friend.

Desiring to return to the physical specimen he was in high school, Mike said he contemplated Atkins, but was "worried that an exploding heart might hurt my overall health." Alright now, Mikey! Watch it with the insults on my favorite weight loss method there. There's a lot of misinformation being spread about the Atkins diet that you could stand to come read my blog every once in a while to further educate yourself about the truth that has avoided reaching your eyeballs thus far. I promise not to bite ... too hard! You are low-carb, aren't you?

Thrilled by the prospect of still getting to eat meat, Mike made the prophetic statement, "Cow without carb is like TV without sound. You might get the gist, but why bother?" Mikey, Mikey, Mikey. Hey little buddy, why don't you grill up a couple of fat, juicy half-pound hamburgers, load it up with as much bacon as you want, and melt your favorite cheese on top! Then dunk each and every bite of this savory morsels of beefy goodness in your choice of mayonaisse or mustard for a delight so incredible you'll forget about ever eating it on a bun again!

Unfortunately, Mike quickly tires of eating meat (there are a lot of other options on low-carb, you know!) and said he is in a "persistent vegetarian state" eating raw vegetables and not getting enough calories for "proper brain function." If you reach this point, Mike, it's time to EAT. I have a friend who asked me for help on her low-carb lifestyle and she always complained about how hungry she was. My answer to her (and to you, too!) is EAT, EAT, EAT! There's no reason whatsoever that you should ever allow yourself to go hungry. NEVER! If you get hungry while livin' la vida low-carb, then you're not eating enough. Gasp! That's one thing you'll never hear about a low-fat/low-calorie diet!

The saga of Mike continues as he has visions of carbohydrate-filled foods dancing in his head while he sleeps. And despite his moaning and groaning about the difficulties of the low-carb lifestyle, Mike said his "pants got looser" and actually lost 11 pounds in the first two weeks of doing it. That's an astounding SIX PERCENT weight loss of his initial body weight. WOW! I'd say it's working very, very well, don't you think, Mike?

Mike explains his "dilemma" by wondering out loud if he should "stick with a diet that, dang it, seems to work ... or fall off the wagon and embrace my inner musubi?"

I don't know what an "inner musubi" is, but I know that livin' la vida low-carb is the way to lose weight and keep it off. Maybe with a little encouragement, Mike will decide to make this his permanent lifestyle choice. How about sending him a quick note to let him know you're rooting for him? Tell him "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man" (that's me!) sent ya!

06/23/2005 UPDATE: Guess who caught wind of this blog post? It's none other than Mike Tsai himself. Check out how successful he has been livin' la vida low-carb so far.

Hi Jimmy,

A buddy of mine forwarded a link to your "Livin' La Vida Low Carb" site and I just wanted to drop you a line to say I enjoyed your response to my most recent "About Men" column. As I'm sure you know, the column was meant to be a humorous take on my recent (and ongoing) experience with the South Beach Diet and so not every quip is meant to be taken literally.

I should probably fill you in on my "182. Disgusting." comment. The paragraph that followed, and which was edited out for space, explained that I'd been an active marathon and ultramarathon runner for 10 years before a minor knee injury, my wedding, and a return to grad school nudged me over to the sidelines. In the two years since, I've put on more than 25 pounds by maintaining my high-carb diet without keeping up my level of activity. (I'm 5-foot-8, so those extra pounds were pretty noticeable).

The diet has worked out well so far, and as of today I'm down to 167 (have also started running, swimming and biking again and I'm cutting down on the heavy weightlifting). I've tried quite a few low-carb recipes with mixed results. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so the sugar limitations haven't been much of a problem, but I've yet to find a suitable alternative to crusty baguettes or home-fried potatoes.

Anyway, keep up the nice work with your articles and congratulations on the strides you've made in losing, from what I've read, the weight equivalent of my entire body!

Best,

Michael Tsai
Staff Writer
The Honolulu Advertiser

Isn't that amazing? Here's a former guy who was a marathon runner in high school trying to get back in shape and what is he choosing? Livin' la vida low-carb! WOO HOO! He's lost 15 pounds already and is getting his body back to the healthy way it used to be. CONGRATULATIONS Mike and come join us from time to time at this blog. I like the way he writes (makes me jealous he's so good!). :-)

Atkins Best Weight Loss Method Despite Alleged Health Concerns

British health experts are scratching their heads over the latest research they have conducted on the various weight loss methods available for people to do today. It seems the much-maligned Atkins diet is the best of the bunch and that has health officials in a tizzy right now. You gotta love it!

This icWales story chronicles the findings they found observing several popular diets, including Atkins, Weight Watchers and Slim-Fast. Whether they want to admit it or not, Atkins was actually found to be the most effective means for weight loss.

Surprise, surprise, surprise! For those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb, we already knew that fact, though. While the media loves to hyperbolize the alleged dangers to your health posed by the low-carb lifestyle, the truth is that it really works. I'm living proof of it with my 180-pound weight loss and many of my readers can testify to this fact as well.

A group of dietitians (uh oh, not THEM again! LOL!) in the UK are still scratching their heads over the results of their televised research trial of 300 people on various diets. Much to their dismay, Atkins followers had the quickest initial weight loss (which they admit is a very important "motivating" factor especially when you have a lot of weight to lose) and on average lost 11 percent of their intial body weight after six months. Weight Watchers came in second with 10 percent weight loss and Slim-Fast was dead last with 8 percent.

Considering the recent Consumer Reports comparison of various diet plans was so critical of the Atkins plan, this latest research is further proof that actually shows it to be more effective than it is being given credit for.

Despite alleged health concerns that are so quickly discussed regarding Atkins, the researchers begrudgingly admitted that there are "no harmful short-term side-effects" from low-carb programs. Duh! I could have told you that. Unless you call lowered cholesterol and blood pressure "harmful" side effects. Hee hee!

But these experts from the British Dietetic Association are still very reluctant to publicly endorse the Atkins lifestyle because the jury is still out on the long-term effects of this way of eating.

"We don't know the long-term effects of restricting carbohydrates and the impact of a relatively low-fibre intake," remarked Dr. Helen Truby, a senior lecturer in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Surrey, who was involved in the BBC's Diet Trials series. "We also don't know what impact a fairly acidic diet, like Atkins, will have on bone health."

Restricting carbs produces weight loss in most people if they follow what Dr. Robert Atkins prescribes in his book. Additionally, if Dr. Truby would have read the Atkins New Diet Revolution book then she would know that he highly recommends people on a low-carb lifestyle eat lots of fiber in their diet. I sure do! I probably eat at least 35-50 grams per day. That's one way to make sure your body stays cleansed, don't you think?!

As for other effects on your body from doing Atkins, long-term studies can and should be conducted to either substantiate or dismiss these as fact or fiction. I have my own opinion about them and I can provide my own anectoctal evidence that there is no harm with low-carb. But let's get the studies going and end this madness over how unhealthy low-carb supposedly is. I am confident the results will validate it as safe and effective.

Truby concludes that people who follow the Atkins diet actually reduce their calories. This is not necessarily true, but it could be a natural progression that happens as you lose weight and your caloric needs change.

HFCS Not 'Mischaracterized,' But Nailed

Why does Audrae Erickson claim HFCS is good for you?

Guess who's unhappy with what I'm writing about sugar and its unhealthy subsidiary product high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) at this blog? It's none other than the President of the Corn Refiners Association named Audrae Erickson.

In a terse response to my article entitled "Diet Soda Study Results Are Absolutely Preposterous," Erickson claims that I "mischaracterized" HFCS as a "unique contributor to obesity." I had previously mentioned HFCS by name in only one other article I wrote at this blog. However, since Erickson has chosen to address the subject of HFCS, let's take a closer look at this villain to your health and waistline.

Erickson describes HFCS as "a natural, home-grown sweetener from U.S. corn fields."

Is that glowing, sentimental description of HFCS supposed to make people forget about how harmful it is for them to consume it? Sugar is sugar no matter what you call it. And HFCS is a potent sugar that is literally catastrophic to anyone who is trying to lose or maintain their weight. Why would anyone suggest otherwise?

Erickson asserted that scientific experts have found that HFCS is "not a unique contributor to obesity." But there are plenty of other studies that have found just the opposite to be true. I invite you to visit my friend Regina Wilshire's blog to get further educated about these new research findings. She'll be happy to share with you the very clear link that has been found between sugar in the form of HFCS and obesity.

But Erickson shocked me the most when she actually had the gall to claim that HFCS "has been proven beneficial to consumers through its use in many foods and beverages, including several products that are specifically made for people trying to control their weight."

Are you kidding me? Is Erickson actually suggesting that HFCS is good for you? The mere fact that it is found in foods and beverages does not necessarily mean it is not going to have an effect on your weight and health. That's like saying the alcohol found in beer is good for your because it is so prevalent in adult beverages. Just because it's in there doesn't mean you body needs it.

As for HFCS being included in products made for people trying to control their weight, that's not surprising since low-fat foods are generally loaded with sugar and/or HFCS. While this sweetener may not have any fat, HFCS is certainly not healthy. Anyone following a low-carb lifestyle knows to avoid this hidden sugar at all costs because it is nothing more than pure, unadulterated sugar!

Characterizing HFCS as "safe," Erickson said it's just as good as table sugar and honey. Is that supposed to make HFCS look better?! My contention is that those sugars are not good for you either! Sugar in ANY form can cause you to rapidly gain weight in excessive amounts.

But HFCS is a lot different than plain sugar. Actually, it is a highly refined, artificially-made product that transforms cornstarch into a sweet, thick and clear liquid that is sweeter than sugar and prevents the body from burning stored fat. Yikes! Not good when you are livin' la vida low-carb!

HFCS replaced sugar during the 1970's because it is cheaper to produce and the obesity problem has gotten progressively worse ever since. Americans consume more than 63 pounds each of HFCS annually today compared with just a half pound in 1970. Fifty-five percent of sweeteners used today are made from corn.

So the next time someone heralds the healthiness of HFCS, just remember it is a dangerous sugar that should be avoided if we are ever going to get this obesity problem under control. But we're glad to see the big boys are watching, though!

06/20/2005 UPDATE: I got the following e-mail from one of my faithful readers today in response to this article.

Hi Jimmy,

I just read your blog posting regarding Audrea Erickson's reply to your previous posting about HFCS. I nearly choked when she stated that it's "a natural, home-grown sweetener from U.S. corn fields." Natural?!! Far from it, considering the processing that HFCS goes through when manufactured. Here are some links regarding HFCS, one about the manufacturing process and the other about the effects that it has on heath:

http://www.westonaprice.org/motherlinda/cornsyrup.html

http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/highfructose.html

I quit eating sugar about 1 ½ years ago when I realized that Type II diabetes runs in my mom's side of the family after my mom was diagnosed with it. Fortunately, she had a doctor that advocated a low-carb diet for her to control it (which she has, and has lost about 30 lbs, too.) While I do not follow a particular low carb diet since I do not need to loose weight (I avoid sugar, grains and starchy foods and eat primarily meat, veggies, nuts and some fruits and dairy such as cheese), I have lost 10 lbs, gained a ton of energy (for years I complained to my doctor about fatigue and she want to put me on anti-depressants even though I knew I wasn't depressed) and most wonderful of all, my Irritable Bowel Syndrome which had plagued me for over 20 years literally disappeared overnight when I quit eating grains. My resolve to stick with this way of life is always strengthened when I read about people such as yourself, who have literally transformed their lives with a LC lifestyle. And I really do appreciate your dedication to tearing down the myths and fighting all the misconceptions out there regarding what Living La Vida Low-Carb is all about. Keep up the good fight!

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your encouraging words and for sharing your story of success with me today. You really made my day!

Mocking The Obesity Problem Does Nothing To Solve It

This op-ed piece from Ellen Goodman at the International Herald Tribune unnecessarily mocks the problem of obesity by sending the message that being overweight is not a big deal to be concerned with. But this "I-just-don't-care-anymore" kind of thinking is exactly what got us into the problem of obesity in the first place.

Goodman wrote her piece in response to the recent news from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control that some have interpreted as saying that it's okay to be fat and it's unhealthy to be thin. For some fact-filled sanity on this subject, check out what Jonny Bowden wrote at his blog about this.

"It turns out that those with an extra bit of padding actually have a lower risk of premature death than those without it. More to the (mischievous) point, the very thin have a greater risk than those designated normal."

Who in their right mind thinks carrying around unnecessary weight is better for you than not having that weight? The physiological strain you put on your body when you are overweight or obese is overwhelming. Relieving the body of this strain will only improve your health and help you live a long and enjoyable life. Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is a fool.

"The news from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control was greeted in America with the sort of public glee usually reserved for the collapse of a self-righteous fitness guru preferably while taping a public service ad on the health benefits of exercise."

Okay, that's not funny at all. Is Goodman suggesting we all go out and scarf down a bunch of Big Macs and fries to celebrate this "new" finding? Oi! This kind of public mocking of obesity does nothing to solve it. We need real solutions, not vile sarcasm from some op-ed journalist.

Goodman complained that the supposed back-and-forth conclusions about obesity from the science community is making her head spin.

"On one side are those who believe that extra weight is truly bad for you but medicine is getting better at treating it. They regard the overweight as if they were irresponsible drivers protected by seat belts. On the other side are scientists who speculate that having more bulk may help you through the sick bed when you are older. They are the heroes of all those who dearly love the idea that living longer is the best revenge."

As we learned in Adam Wilk's novel Diet King (if you haven't read it yet, get your copy by clicking here), you have to reach a point where you stop worrying about (or obsessing with) your weight that you feel like you have to try every diet known to man.

The important thing to remember is to do what you know you can do to get your weight under control. You don't have to look like a supermodel to be healthy, but you shouldn't look like Michael Moore either! Doing the low-carb lifestyle can keep you from losing your mind while helping you lose weight. It's a real solution to the obesity problem.

"'The Atkins Diet' has finally gone the way of Dr. Atkins," Goodman gloated.

Besides the lack of taste by dishonoring a great man who has passed away, Goodman has no idea what she is talking about. If low-carb is dead, then explain this and this. No, Ms. Goodman, livin' la vida low-carb is alive and kicking! We low-carbers are on the cutting edge of the debate over obesity. It will take years of educating people about what low-carb can do for people suffering from being overweight and obese, but we will not stop until everyone knows the truth about low-carb.

Why Was Coca-Cola Zero Created?

What's behind Coca-Cola Zero?

My wife and I were walking through Wal-mart this week and came across a peculiar looking new soft drink. It caught my attention intially because the packaging was the most horrid-looking black and white image I had ever seen for a soda (and that includes generic brands!). But you can imagine my surprise when I saw the name of the product: Coca-Cola Zero!

Coca-Cola makes this? What WERE they thinking with this packaging? And Zero what? Caffeine? Calories? Taste? At first I thought it might be a repackaging of an existing Coca-Cola product. I picked up the 2-liter bottle and looked at the ingredients and nutritional information. I immediately noticed it had aspartame and realized this was yet another diet soda. But it was peculiar because the word "diet" doesn't appear on the label anywhere!

The nutrition label confirmed my suspicions by revealing this new soda has zero calories and zero carbs. So what's the point? My first thought was, "Is this a repackaging of Diet Coke?" But in comparing the ingredients, I noticed that Coca-Cola Zero has another sweetener called ACE-K in it. That sweetener may sound familiar because it is the same one Coca-Cola used for their new Diet Coke with Splenda which recently hit store shelves. This was different, but why did they make this product?

I bought a bottle of Coca-Cola Zero as well as a bottle of Diet Coke with Splenda to conduct a taste test with my wife. As someone who does not drink diet soda regularly, she usually has an honest opinion about how diet things taste. But even she could not tell a big difference between Coca-Cola Zero and Diet Coke with Splenda.

Basically, the only difference between the two was one has Splenda and the other has aspartame. I was thrilled when I heard Coke was making a diet version of their soda with Splenda, but this new Coca-Cola Zero has me suspicious. Are they TRYING to kill sales of Diet Coke with Splenda by marketing another product that is coincidentally similar in nature? What better way to thumb their noses at those of us who begged for them to make a Splenda version of their soft drink?

Why else would they release THIS diet soda so soon after Diet Coke with Splenda? I smell a rat and it points back to a meeting room at the headquarters of Coca-Cola.

Coca-Cola's response to the release of Coca-Cola Zero is "everybody chill," their youthful slogan to reach a new market of consumers who are not currently buying any diet sodas. I guess you could applaud Coca-Cola for creating a product that will appeal to non-diet soda drinkers with its taste while cutting out the sugar. That is admirable of them, but couldn't they have done the same with the Splenda-flavored Diet Coke?

Maybe Coca-Cola thought they HAD to market these products separately so the Splenda fans would know their needs are being met and the youth who are targeted for the new version felt a connection with it. I still think it's oversaturating the market with products that are virtually alike. Don't believe me? How about conducting a taste test with youth who buy Coca-Cola Zero like I did with my wife? I bet they won't be able to tell the difference. But Splenda is better for them than aspartame.

Coca-Cola is stoked about their new soda reaching a fresh market of young consumers.

"When we created Coca-Cola Zero, we put together the only things that matter -- real Coca-Cola taste and zero calories," said Katie Bayne, Coca-Cola North America, in a release. "Coca-Cola Zero is for people who want great Coca-Cola taste, zero calories, and a new brand they can call their own."

We'll see if they (referring to the youth) call it their own or if they'll keep buying regular Coke. As someone who does not drink sugary soda anymore, I can't tell that a soft drink is diet. I ask my wife to sip my drink when we go out to eat if I think it tastes too sweet. She can usually tell almost immediately that it is diet. Even she commented that Coca-Cola Zero had the wang of a diet soda. Are young people gonna switch to this product and buy into the marketing gimmick? I don't think so.

Of course, PepsiCo did the same thing when they released their one-calorie soft drink called Pepsi One. Interestingly, though, that product is made with Splenda and ACE-K.

Be looking for the ad campaign for Coca-Cola Zero to start this week.

"Coca-Cola Zero's personality will be different than any of our other brands, and our marketing will reflect that with some fresh ideas we haven't tried before," said Christine Holland, director of marketing, Coca-Cola Zero.

Are they gonna have smiling teeny-boppers and college students dancing around holding a Coca-Cola Zero in their hands? Just how much "different" can they get and since when do we care about a soda's "personality?" Sheeez! These marketing people get so excited about the strangest things.

Coca-Cola maintains Coca-Cola Zero will have "no impact" on the sale of Diet Coke, the #1 diet soft drink in the United States because it will have a different target audience.

"The launch of Coca-Cola Zero continues our commitment to expand the leading trademark in the world, Coca-Cola, to bring people the best products to fit their needs," Bayne added.

I'll give them that, it will certainly expand Coca-Cola's presence in the marketplace. But at what price? Will consumers scratch their heads at all the varieties and switch to another brand?

"We work hard to minimize that by making sure all of our brands have distinct graphics and marketing," Coke spokesman Scott Williamson said.

While that may sound like a good answer for the board meeting at Coca-Cola, I still believe customers will be so overwhelmed by the glut of products that they will stick with what they know. And maybe that's what Coca-Cola was hoping for from the start!

Why Low-Fat, Low-Calorie Diets Fail And Low-Carb Succeeds

I was browsing around the Internet the other day and came across an article about why low-fat/low-calorie/portion-controlled diets do not produce permanent weight loss. It strengthens the argument that people should be livin' la vida low-carb.

Just as I have stated for many times in this forum, the article notes that the low-fat/low-calorie diet has been shoved down our throats for nearly three decades and has not been successful. The article outlines two reasons why these diets have failed.

"The first is physical. The diet is predicated on the theory that reducing calories will translate into a corresponding weight loss. How many times have you read that if you would just reduce your caloric intake by 3,500 a week, you could lose a pound a week? Does it work? It will work for just about everyone for a short period but the human body is just too intelligent for this easy plan to work for long."

Therein lies the problem with low-fat/low-calories diets. It DOES work, but only for the people who are willing to put up with feeling hungry ALL THE TIME and don't mind eating terrible-tasting foods. I lost 170 pounds on a low-fat diet in 1999, but I literally could not continue to eat that way for the rest of my life. I was starving for food! That was not a healthy way to live, regardless of the weight loss I had achieved.

"Think about this: the body wants to preserve life at all costs. Pretty neat when you think about it – a built in regulating system designed to look after your best interests. However, while that built in system was invaluable for preserving the human species during extended periods of famine, it can work against us now living in modern society."

Oooh, this article has hit on something I had never thought about before. Because you deprive your body of food when you are starving yourself on low-fat/low-calorie diets, your body goes into survival mode and holds on to every bite of food it can get not knowing if it will get enough food to give you the energy you need.

While low-fat/low-calorie dieters are proud of the fact they count each and every fat gram and calorie in specific portions for their meals, they may not even realize how much they are confusing their own body with how they eat. No wonder people who get off low-fat/low-calories diets rapidly gain back their weight and then some?! That's exactly what happened to me in 1999 until I started a low-carb lifestyle in 2004.

"Food is plentiful here in the US. The vast majority of us never worry about having enough to eat. Life is good! But when you are trying to lose weight you may occasionally overeat, the self-preservation factor just turns into a fat preservation factor. The less you eat, the lower your body sets it’s metabolic furnace. Thus if you indulge, what the body now considers excess calories turns into fat. Ugh!"

That's my point exactly regarding most diets in America. You just don't get enough food. There is scientific evidence that proves your body will desperately hold on to stored fat when you are on low-fat diet. If you goal is to shed that fat from your body, then low-fat/low-calorie diets won't do it for you.

The article accurately cites the fact that no "direct correlation" has ever been shown between cutting calories and weight loss. NONE!

However, there is a study from a Canadian university on caloric intake that shows calories are not as important in weight management as once thought.

"In a groundbreaking study, twelve sets of male twins were overfed 1000 calories a day for 84 days. If the direct correlation between weight and calories existed, the extra 84,000 calories should have caused all the men to gain 24 pounds. That didn’t happen. Some gained as little as 9.5 lbs and others as much as 29.0 lbs. Why the enormous difference? Metabolism! The one element that did show to affect the results was whether the men were fat burners or fat storers when beginning the study."

That's why you need to get your body into fat BURNING mode. It is essential for weight loss and weight maintenance. Guess which diet does this? Low-fat? Are you kidding? Low-calorie? NOT! It's livin' la vida low-carb of course!

"Think about the vicious cycle you start when you go on a low calorie diet. The less you eat, the less your body needs to get by (notice I didn’t say feel great) so you either stall out eventually, or you give up."

Yikes! Why would anyone ever want to do a low-fat/low-calorie diet. No matter how much it is repackaged and allegedly improved, it's still always going to be a failed permanent weight loss approach. ALWAYS!

This brings me to the second shortcoming. Low calorie diets are hard psychologically! It’s darn hard to continually give up all the foods you love. No more potato chips, no French fries, no doughnuts or whatever your particular comfort food is. WOW that’s hard. This alone makes diet of this type nearly impossible to stick with over an extended period of time.

It's funny how people think low-carb is hard because you supposedly deprive your body of foods you love. While it is a challenge for some to give up these vices, it's not nearly as difficult as what you give up on low-fat/low-calorie diets. With low-carb you have CHOICES, but those diets leave you no choices at all. That can certainly work on your mind (i.e. what the heck am I doing this to myself for?) and will derail your weight loss efforts. The low-carb lifestyle is different because you will enjoy lots of great-tasting foods and never feel deprived.

The article concludes that most government guidelines for protein intake are severely lacking for a healthy body.

"It's just enough to prevent sickness or death. I don't know about you but I want more than just enough to physically get by. I want enough to grow or at least preserve my muscle mass. I want enough to retain youthful skin and thick hair as I age."

Amen, brother! I think I'll celebrate that fact with a big, juicy steak today!

"The other problem limiting protein and fat on a low calorie diet causes is to have you turn to carbohydrates for the vast majority of our daily food intake. Excessive carbohydrate intake can cause your system work harder to control blood sugar levels by producing unnaturally high levels of insulin. Insulin is a fat storing hormone. Compound this problem with the likelihood that those carbohydrates are refined, the sugar spikes will go higher, faster and more and more insulin is produced to control it."

Do I even need to comment on what overconsuming carbohydrates does to your body? I think we all know the answer to that question. That's why we chose to limit our carb intake so we can improve our health and maintain our weight at the proper level.

"So when you subject yourself to a very low calorie diet, your metabolism slows, your muscle mass declines and you never get to have another piece of cake. Why low calorie diets are doomed to fail you seems obvious doesn't it?"

Indeed it does. But it shouldn't be the only way recommended for people to lose weight. Low-carb succeeds because it offers people who have tried and failed on low-fat/low-calorie diets to get a taste of better living. They can enjoy a much wider selection of foods they can enjoy and feel satisfied with. It really is a lifestyle change that people can make and feel good about. I have been livin' la vida low-carb since January 2004 and wouldn't have it any other way!

And The Winner Of The First FFF Drawing Is...

CAROL A. from San Jose, California!!! (Applause please)

CONGRATULATIONS, Carol. You are the first official winner of the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" contest we have dubbed "Freebie Friday Frenzy."

Carol opted for the raspberry flavor (that's my favorite!) of the GoLower bars. She will be able to sink her teeth into an entire box of 16 of these bars by this time next week. Well, hopefully not all 16 at the SAME TIME! Talk about loading up on your fiber! LOL!

If you didn't win, then don't fret. We will have more drawings coming up over the next few weeks for your chance to win the GoLower bars as well. I'm also talking with some other low-carb vendors about offering more prizes to you in the coming months. YAHOO! Interested businesses may contact me for details of the promotion by clicking here.

Remember, if you have already entered, then you do not need to do so again. But if you haven't entered LLL yet, then it's super easy. Click here to learn the 411 about your chance to win some great low-carb prizes!

Again, CONGRATULATIONS to CAROL A. from SAN JOSE (hey, that rhymed!).

First 'Freebie Friday Frenzy' Drawing is TODAY

We are so excited about our very first drawing in the "Freebie Friday Frenzy" contest today. If you haven't entered yet, you still have time to get in today's drawing.

Please go read the rules and then send your name, address, city, state, zip code, e-mail address and the flavor of Go Lower bars requested to this e-mail address.

Come back to "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" on Saturday to find out who the winner of the first drawing is. THANK YOU to everyone who has entered so far and don't worry if you don't win today's drawing. We will be having many more in the coming weeks on Fridays and your name is already entered into those drawings to win! GOOD LUCK to everyone who entered.

Not entered into FFF yet? Well, what are you waiting for? Click here for more info.

Nuts Are A Healthy Snack For Low-Carb, But Not For Low-Fat Diets

It seems our friends in the UK really like their nuts! Could it be all those people who are livin' la vida low-carb?!

With British companies like GoLower appealing to the nut-lovers in that country and trying to break into the U.S. market with their incredible-tasting nut bars, the appeal of nuts has never been higher than it is right now, according to new statistics in this Scotsman.com story.

In order to "embrace a healthier lifestyle," Britains have been buying up and consuming nuts, nuts and more nuts! Sales of nuts have soared by 600 percent in just the past year according to online British supermarket giant Tesco.

The fact that nuts are selling so well kinda flies in the face of the low-fat diet advocates. Because nuts are loaded with fat, they have been falsely labeled "unhealthy" by those who believe fat is bad for you.

But people who are enjoying a low-carb lifestyle know how important nuts are in a healthy eating plan because they are loaded with good fats and very low in carbs. I have personally consumed my fair share of almonds, macadamia nuts, peanuts, and cashews over the past year or so. I didn't used to be a big fan of nuts, but I've grown to appreciate these natural delights even more since I started livin' la vida low-carb.

Demand for nuts has grown by 81 percent since this time last summer. Low-carb and the glycemic index plans are credited with creating this demand.

The nut buyer for Tesco said diets that encourage nut consumption make nut products "extremely trendy and appear on many people's diet plans.”

The story rightfully notes that "nuts are good for you" because they "contain vitamin E, folic acid which aids energy release from foods and minerals such as zinc that strengthen the immune system."

Borrowing from the popular milk slogan, "Nuts they do a body good!"

Loaded with protein, good fats and essential amino acids, the story said nuts can help prevent heart disease and breast cancer.

But I thought the Atkins diet was supposed to cause those things to happen! That's what people always say about low-carb programs. You can't get these healthy benefits from a low-fat diet because nuts are forbidden.

I really liked this quote: “Nuts are Atkins-diet friendly because they’re low in carbohydrates and they are also low GI foods – but then all protein foods are, like meat, eggs and fish. Nuts are a very good natural source of vitamins and minerals. The fat in nuts is unsaturated so it’s a healthy kind of fat. The fact that sales are up in nuts is great news for nutrition.”

WOO HOO! Somebody actually gets it! When you break it down, foods like nuts, eggs and fish are what the body was made to eat. All of these foods are part of a healthy low-carb lifestyle, too!

Even the British Nutrition Foundation hails nuts because they "promote a feeling of being satisfied and, therefore, potentially prevent weight gain.”

That's what the fat in the foods you eat on low-carb do for you. You don't get hungry and you tame your appetite while losing lots and lots of weight. It doesn't make sense to nutritionists, but it does work. Look at me 180 pounds later!

Here are some health benefits from eating various nuts:

ALMONDS - Reduces cholesterol levels and lowers the risk of heart disease
BRAZILS - Fights diseases and high in protein
CASHEWS - High protein and vitamin A content
CHESTNUTS - Low-fat and low-protein (not recommended on low-carb)
HAZELNUTS - Low-fat (also not recommended on low-carb)
PEANUTS - High-protein and contains vitamins B and E
PINE NUTS - Highest protein of all the nuts
WALNUTS - Great amount of phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin E
MACADAMIA - Best-tasting nuts and are very low in carbs

So go nutty! They're legal on low-carb. Poor low-fatters. LOL!