Spartanburg Journal: Mr. Moore is fat no more

March 17, 2006 issue of The Spartanburg Journal features my story

It's here! Just as I promised earlier this week, another local newspaper has written a story about my 180-pound weight loss success story. While there are a few glitches in the story here and there, the overall theme is still there.

For those of you who found my blog today after reading about it in Spartanburg, SC, WELCOME to the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog. I hope you can stick around a while and read more about what I am doing to help encourage, educate and even entertain a little bit using the subject of dieting, weight loss, nutrition, health, exercise, and, of course, low-carb! ENJOY!

The following article is reprinted verbatim from the March 17, 2006 issue of The Spartanburg Journal (and I've included links to related blog posts I have previously written where appropriate):

"Mr. Moore is fat no more"
by Gary Henderson
Staff writer, The Spartanburg Journal

When the scales hit 410 pounds, Jimmy Moore decided it was time to push away from the dinner table sooner.

Moore knew he was facing a fight he'd lost many times before.

"I've probably lost and regained a thousand pounds in my life," Moore, 34, said. "In 1999 I went on a low-fat diet and lost 170 pounds. I gained it back in four months."

Moore said there were events and warnings he could no longer overlook.

"It's not just a moment, it's a series of moments you have in your life that you say, 'It's time,'" Moore said.

The scale shock was the last in a list of Moore's moments that included his doctor's prescription for a medicine to help him breathe. He was already taking drugs to lower his blood pressure and cholesterol.

Doctors had told him he was closing in on a major heart attack. And there was the moment when Moore was substitute teaching a 6th grade class.

"I was writing something on the board," Moore said. "This boy said, 'Mr. Moore is fat.' I turned around and started to laugh with the class, to keep from crying."

Moore decided on New Year's Day 2004 he was going to do something about the problem that had plagued him all his life. He was going to lose the weight, and this time, he'd keep it off.

And so he has.

Moore lost 180 pounds in one year. He no longer has to purchase size 5XL shirts, size 62 pants or size 58 suits.

"My shoe size went down, too," Moore said. "I had to buy all new clothes, including underwear."

Moore said he tenaciously followed a low-carbohydrate plan, and as he began to lose weight, he increased exercise. About every six to eight weeks, Moore would reward himself with a meal that consisted of anything he wanted to eat, regardless of nutritional values.

Today Moore, who's 6'3" tall, weights 225 pounds, trimmer than he's ever been.



And he no longer needs the medicines that helped him breathe and that kept his blood pressure and cholesterol at safe levels.

"I'd lost nearly 100 pounds before people started noticing it," Moore said.

"I get a lot of reinforcement from people when they tell me how good I look," Moore said. "What? Did I not look good before?"

Mark Knipfer, Moore's family doctor, said the biggest obstacle for most people is making the decision to lose weight.

"It's definitely made a difference in his health," Knipfer said. "He's done what most people can't do without surgery."

Knipfer said losing weight is mentally good for people because they feel a sense of accomplishment. Further, it helps reduce the risk of diabetes, Knipfer said.

When Moore stepped to the diet plate, he already had one strike against him.

"My family has always been big," Moore said.

But Moore acknowledges that the reasons for some of his weight gain had to fall on his shoulders.

"I'd go to McDonald's when they had that 49 cents special on hamburgers and buy 10," Moore said. "Then I'd down them with sweet Coke."

On any given day, it was not unusual for Moore to consume 16 Coca-Colas.

"When you're that big, to cover up that pain, you eat," Moore said. "You feel there's no way out."



He said before the weight loss he couldn't walk one block. Now he works out at the YMCA.

Moore, a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin, also has a master's degree in public administration from Regent University in Virginia.

He works with customer relations in Denny's restaurants' corporate headquarters.

Moore's wife, Christine Moore, said she was like an accountability partner.

"When I felt he was going to slip, I gave him a kick in the rear," Mrs. Moore said. "I'm so proud of him."

Mrs. Moore said her husband has always been optimistic.

"Now he's more confident," Moore said. "He's able to do things he couldn't. He plays basketball and volleyball along with his regular exercise at the Y."

Moore detailed his weight loss in "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb - My Journey From Flabby Fat To Sensationally Skinny In One Year," a self-published book that has sold more than 1,000 copies on Amazon.com.

The book was reviewed favorably by Jonny Bowden, a certified nutritionist and author of "Living the Low-Carb Life: Choosing the Diet That's Right For You" and Jacqueline A. Eberstein, a registered nurse and director of nutrition information for Atkins Health & Medical Information Services.

Moore's website, http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com/ receives up to 1,500 visits each day. He's received e-mails from people all over the United States and from foreign countries.

"I've always been outgoing, but I'm more comfortable," Moore said. "With people, I'm more apt to start a conversation."

Contact Gary Henderson at 864-266-3324 or ghenderson@thespartanburgjournal.com.

PLEASE send Gary a personal THANK YOU e-mail on my behalf for an EXCELLENT article! It takes a lot of guts in this day and age of frequent low-carb bashing to write a positive story about someone who was successful at low-carb weight loss. I would be so grateful for any kind words you could pass along to him. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!