Strong Search Engine Action Indicates Resurgence Of Interest In Low-Carb

If you pick up your local newspaper or watch the news on television, it's almost hard to imagine why anyone would still be on the Atkins or low-carb diet anymore. We have witnessed an unprecedented all-out war on the low-carb lifestyle like nothing else in the history of the media over the past couple of years. If it was up to them, low-carb would have been gone a long time ago.

But thankfully there are many of us who are still losing and maintaining our weight by livin' la vida low-carb and serve as examples that low-carb is indeed alive and well in 2006. Because of the tens of millions of us (which is even more than the number of people who will watch American Idol in 2006!) who keep doing the low-carb lifestyle because it works so well, there is a newfound resurgence of interest in the low-carb lifestyle. Hmmmm.

What is my evidence for this you might ask? Just check out what people are typing into the various search engines these days. Whether it is Google, Yahoo, MSN, Dogpile, or any of the other popular search engines on the Internet today, people are still typing in terms such as "low carb," "Atkins diet," and other phrases looking for information on low-carb living.

Invariably, many of these terms have brought people looking for information to my blog where I have written nearly 600 posts since I started writing here in April 2005. I am a big believer in educating the public about the low-carb lifestyle and I am happy to be an outlet for good information to help people make good decisions about healthy choices for themselves and their families.

Over this past week, I decided to gather just a sampling of some of the keywords and phrases that people have used to find "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." Some of them are self-explanatory, but others will make you laugh out loud wondering how in the world they ever ended up here. Regardless of HOW they got here, I'm just glad that they got exposed to a little truth about low-carb for a change.

Here are the top 10 searches from this week and my response to each:

1. Is low-carb enough for flat stomach

LOL! I loved this one. It's funny how people are so desperate to find some "magic" method for losing weight that they'll just ask the Internet and hope to find the answer. The fact is that livin' la vida low-carb will help you burn stored body fat in the abdomen better than a low-fat diet. When I began my low-carb lifestyle, my overall body fat was about 50%. Now it's just 11%! Low-carb burns lot of fat and will make you skinny. But if you had as much weight to lose as I did, going from a 62 inch waist down to a 38 will leave you with a lot of loose, hanging skin. Dr. Phil, can you call me?! Please?! :)

2. low carb raisins

THEY DON'T EXIST! Just one cup of raisins have a whopping 110g of net carbs that will do you no good when you are livin' la vida low-carb. Instead of raisins, why don't you enjoy a bowl of fresh, delicious, and nutritious blueberries for a low-carb alternative. In fact, I melted some of my favorite low-carb chocolate bars in the microwave today and stirred in some frozen blueberries with whipped cream for a refreshing and delectable low-carb dessert. These are better than raisins any day!

3. can you eat peanuts & nuts on Atkins

You bet your sweet bippy you can! Nuts are an excellent low-carb food that can and should be eaten often for the good fats they provide. Unlike low-fat diet which restrict you from enjoying this tasty and healthy snack, nuts complement your Atkins/low-carb diet with a satifying way to ward off your hunger and add a little crunch to your meals. I personally enjoy peanuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, and cashews. In fact, the GoLower bars that I recommend are packed with lots of nuts and seeds to provide you with the fiber and nutrients you can enjoy while on the low-carb lifestyle.

4. 10 best low-carb breakfasts

TEN?! Really? This one was funny, but I'm sure I could come up with 10 good ones if I thought long and hard about it. But how about if I share just a few of my favorites. Eggs are always a great way to start the day and will keep you fuller longer. Also there are great-tasting protein bars and shakes from a variety of companies these days. You can get these from your choice of low-carb retailers. Of course, breakfast meats such as sausage, bacon and ham are also good choices. I'll even have some string cheese when I am in a bind for a quick meal on the go for breakfast. Regardless of what you choose to eat for breakfast, just don't SKIP breakfast because a recent study has shown you are more likely to become obese if you do! Yikes! How would you like that omelette? :)

5. low-carb meats and vegetables

Low-carb meats? Gee, that one's easy. Just about every meat contains ZERO CARBS including steak, hamburger, chicken, turkey, fish, etc. Just read the nutritional label to make sure they don't throw in any unnecessary hidden sugars, especially in processed meats. Better yet, just buy your meats from the deli and meat department and you won't have to worry about it! As for low-carb veggies, try cauliflower, green beens, avocados, salads, greens, peppers, onions, and so many more. Actually, a recent survey of active low-carbers found that their vegetable consumption DOUBLED when they started livin' la vida low-carb. That pretty much goes against everything you've ever heard from the media about low-carb living, doesn't it? That's why I share the truth here at my blog.

6. Why do I feel awful when I eat carbs

Why indeed? That's the proverbial question that launched most of us into the low-carb lifestyle and we've never looked back. Basically, when you consume high amounts of carbs (I used to eat over 1,000g of carbohydrates every single DAY!), your body is always looking for the next sugar rush. Just like a cocaine addict, you become addicted to sugar and you have to keep feeding that addiction to maintain your "high." The rollercoaster ride of rising and falling blood sugar levels is leveled out when you start livin' la vida low-carb. Thankfully I was able to overcome my sugar addiction and my life has seen unbelievable improvement ever since. Remember this: sugar, white flour, and starchy foods all turn into sugar in the body when they are consumed. You body needs these foods about as much as it needs cocaine. End of discussion.

7. low-carb workout routine

Yeah! I'm so glad that this person recognizes that an effective low-carb program incorporates a healthy workout routine, too! WOO HOO! That's so awesome to me. Exercising while on your low-carb plan can lower your total cholesterol, lengthen your life span, and help you burn lots and lots of stored fat. I usually get in about a 45-minute daily cardio workout on the treadmill or elliptical machine and a recent study found that getting a 30-minute workout each day will keep your heart strong and healthy. Getting involved in local exercise and weight loss programs will get you started on the right foot.

8. low-carb potatoes

I get this one a lot. I guess people start to miss their spuds when they are livin' la vida low-carb. Not me. Ever since I discovered faux-mashed potatoes made with cauliflower, I've never EVER wanted potatoes again. It's just not worth putting my body through the pain of weight gain again. Scientists have attempted to make a low-carb potato, but it seems most people on low-carb have realized eating this food is detrimental to the cause. That's why the potato industry has been in decline in recent years and has resorted to creating cutesy little characters to attract attention to their product. No matter how much you dress them up, potatoes are bad news when you are livin' la vida low-carb. Don't eat them!

9. low-carb frustration

This one was not all that uncommon as some people who are livin' la vida low-carb can get frustrated by a variety of reasons. Most of the time, it has to do with somebody who claims to be doing Atkins or low-carb, but have never read any book on how to do it. If that's you and you've simply cut back on your carbs, then I have some advice for you: READ A LOW-CARB BOOK! Might I suggest Jonny Bowden's "Living the Low-Carb Life" if you're not sure which plan you want to do. Jonny did his research on the various low-carb programs and can help you tailor the plan that suits you best. Following a specific program by the book will keep you from becoming frustrated and provide you with what to do if that happens.

10. How many carb can you have in one day

I laughed at this one, too, because the answer will vary from person to person. If you are on the Induction phase of most low-carb programs, then generally you eat around 20g net carbs the first two weeks. Thereafter, your carb intake increases slowly to see your carb tolerance level for weight loss. For me, it was around 30-35g daily when I was losing weight and today it's about 100-125g daily now that I am maintaining. Everyone is different, so find what YOUR carb tolerance level is by slowing eating 5-10g more each week until you notice your weight loss stall or gain. Then back off 5-10g carbs to find what you need to lose weight. It's an individual thing that you must find, but let's just say you don't need to eat excessive amounts of sweets, junk food, and sugary sodas every single day like I did when I weighed 410 pounds!

That's just a quick glance at some of the search engine action that has brought a whole lotta people to my blog in the past week. While I realize January is a popular month for weight loss interest in general, I am encouraged to see so many people who are STILL interested in low-carb. What that means is that people KNOW this way of eating works and is simply ignoring all the doomsday reports that flood the media.

Do you get the sense that there has been a resurgence of interest in low-carb lately? If the traffic I'm getting at my blog is any indication, then the answer to that question is OH YEAH! You gotta love it!