Diet-Blog Features Livin' La Vida Low-Carb

My blog was honored to be profiled by the popular Diet-Blog

Well, what do you know? Interest in what I am doing here at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog has spread across the Internet to other diet and weight loss web sites. One of the more well-known ones is the Diet-Blog.

A couple of weeks ago, Jim Foster from the aforementioned web site asked me if he could interview me for a story about my blog and, of course, I was very happy to oblige his request. The result was a fantastic piece that I invite you to read in its entirety by clicking here.

But here's a sneek peek in case you haven't seen it yet:

"He's provocative, brash, and outspoken. Jimmy Moore doesn't just promote low carb diets - he shouts it from the rooftops. No surprise considering he lost over 180 pounds following the Atkins diet. He makes no apologies for his low carb lifestyle - despite popular media attempting to erase the term 'low-carb' from the popular vernacular."

Foster asked me questions about why I started my blog, how much time I invest in my blog, why I have such strong opinions about the low-carb lifestyle, whether I intend to eat this way for the rest of my life, if I think everyone should eat low-carb, and where I see the future of low-carb going. You know me, I'm not gonna mince words and I tell it to you straight.

I appreciate Foster giving me this opportunity to share my story and encourage you to check out his blog for some really fascinating posts on the subjects of diet, weight loss, and health.

Will you do me a favor and send a special THANK YOU message to Jim Foster for conducting this interview with me? You are the greatest readers in the whole world and I want him to hear from many of you if you consider yourself a regular reader of my blog. That would mean so much to me and I'm sure to Jim, too!

With all the focus on suppressing information about livin' la vida low-carb in the media, Foster made an intriguing and accurate observation about what I am doing with my blog.

"Congratulations Jimmy Moore for continuing to stimulate and provoke discussion about different nutritional approaches - in spite of the directions that the marketing moguls of popular media decide to take us."

That's what we're trying to do here at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog. And we won't be stopping anytime soon either!

Shirataki Contest Narrowed Down To Five

Whew, this has been one busy weekend with all the book reviews PLUS cooking up these wonderful shirataki recipes that many of you entered in the "Livin' La Vida Shirataki Recipe Contest." Kudos to each of you who entered a recipe and THANK YOU for sharing your talented cooking skills with me.

After wading through all these recipes, I have now narrowed it down to FIVE LUCKY FINALISTS whose recipes you will get to see over the next week. I personally made each of these recipes this weekend and took a picture of the final product for you to see what it looks like. Also, I wil share with you my thoughts about how they tasted and looked as well as other comments regarding the cooking experience with the recipes.

One thing is for certain -- cooking with Konjac shirataki noodles is a LOT of fun! I encourage you to try these recipes for yourself and watch your family go wild over them, too!

A special THANK YOU to my friends at Low Carb Connoisseur for providing the Konjac shirataki noodles for me to make these recipes and for providing so many of you with your own personal stash of shirataki. Elaine would be happy to take care of you if you want to stock up on Konjac shirataki to make these recipes, too! Tell her Jimmy "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man" Moore said hello! :)

After each of the five finalists in the recipe contest are posted, then you will be able to vote for the one you think is the best overall Konjac shirataki recipe by visiting LowCarbNewsline.com and participating in the poll. You may want to go there now and register so you'll be ready to vote starting this Friday, May 5, 2006. Voting will continue through Thursday May 11, 2006 with the GRAND PRIZE WINNER OF A 90-DAY SUPPLY OF KONJAC SHIRATAKI will be announced along with the three runner-up winners each receiving a 7-day supply.

GOOD LUCK to everyone in the contest and ENJOY these awesome recipes that I hope you like as much as Christine and I did. My wife said she could get used to me cooking like this ALL the time. And with Konjac shirataki, I CAN! :D

5-1-06 UPDATE: Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Of the five finalists in the shirataki recipe contest only ONE of them has meat in the recipe! BUT I THOUGHT LOW-CARB EATING WAS ALL ABOUT MEAT?!?!?! Wrong-o! Sorry to disappoint all you vegetarians with a blinded agenda. Ha!

Possibilities Are Endless With 'A Life Unburdened'

Richard Morris says life is worth so much more living healthy

There's a new superstar in the realm of healthy low-carb living that I'd like to introduce you to because you're gonna be hearing a lot more from this man in the coming years. His name is Richard Morris.

I had the distinct pleasure of conducting a rather candid interview with Richard a couple of weeks ago, but have now grown to respect and appreciate him so much more ever since I read his book called A Life Unburdened: Getting Over Weight and Getting On With My Life.

To describe Morris' dramatic change as simply an inspiring weight loss story is simply missing the point altogether because it is so much more than that. While this former 400+ pounder was in a place that I know about all too well, Morris was able to pull himself out of that certain-death situation to now become a notorious fighter for healthy living, an encourager for all who desire weight loss, but most of all, a better husband and man than he's ever been before.

In the introduction to his book, Morris asks the question, "Is today the day I die?" As harrowing and morbid as that may sound to the average person, it is the reality for people who weigh more than 100 pounds overweight from what is considered "normal." That was Morris' reality just as it is for two out of every three people in America today. But rather than cheer you on with phrases like "If I can do it, you can too," he believes finding lasting weight loss comes from a much deeper place than that from a psychological standpoint.

It wasn't until Morris exclaimed to his wife one day "I want my life back" before he realized just how far down he had allowed himself to get. But on that fateful day in June 2003, Morris and his wife Mary started a journey that would take them places they never thought possible -- permanent, healthy weight loss and vastly improved health along with a newfound sense of purpose and meaning in their lives to share with others this wonderful gift they had been given.

I couldn't help but be reminded of my own weight loss journey while reading Morris' book. It was as if he was talking about ME as much as he was himself when he discussed what "A Day in the Life Of a Fat Man" was like. It's scary to think about it now, but it's always good to remember where you were so you never go there again.

As Morris recounts how he became morbidly obese throughout the years despite his "endless search for the perfect diet" (and he did just about every diet known to mankind!), you see how his mindset changed and he stopped believing everything he had been told about what a good, healthy diet should be. It was at this epiphany in his life that he realized there were possibilities for him that he never knew before to radically change his life forever.

Now, he is an outspoken critic of those entities which stand in the way of helping people overcome their obesity, improve their health, and get their own lives back, including government health officials, the medical profession, the pharmaceutical industry, the food manufacturers, the radical food police, the weight loss industry, and even you and me! When all is said and done, the real responsibility for obesity falls on the individual who needs to lose weight, Morris concludes.

Morris says people need to start making better choices for themselves and stop relying on what society wants them to do. This includes ending our obsession with being so heavily influenced by what marketing executives want us to be excited about regarding the foods we eat and to stop assuming the foods you buy in your local supermarket are necessarily good for you no matter what the health claims on the packaging say. This book will open your eyes to some startling and sometimes disturbing information that Morris believes is vital to understanding how to eat better than you ever have before.

In the process of learning all of this, Morris discovered that this "diet" he embarked on was actually helping him "remake" himself on every level of his life. That morning exercise routine that he once dreaded so much at the beginning of his journey is now a rejuvenating experience that he approaches with an expectant attitude. And despite hitting his "low point" during his weight loss phase because of a bag of potato chips, Morris pressed on to now see and enjoy the permanent lifestyle changes that have taken root in him.

As you read through A Life Unburdened, you will learn so much about the kinds of foods you are putting in your mouth as Morris teaches you not only how and what to eat, but why you need to eat such foods as raw dairy, pastured eggs, soups and broth, fresh produce, fermented foods, and home-cooked foods ("The biggest lie the food industry has fed to the American public is the lie that we are all too busy to cook").

To counter his day in the life of a fat man chapter, Morris includes "A Day in the Life Of a Fit Man" in the back of his book and the difference is unbelievable. You'll never believe this is the same man you read about at the beginning, but it is.

In the last couple of chapters, Morris shares what you can do to change your life just like he did by providing you with specific steps for doing it. They aren't easy, but can and should be done. The choice is up to you whether you are ready to make the lasting commitment to change or if you will keep letting yourself get bigger and bigger until something tragic happens. Don't let that happen to YOU! Victory is in your grasp. It's time to reach for it...before it's too late!

You can e-mail Richard Morris at feedback@breadandmoney.com and learn more about him by visiting his web site at BreadAndMoney.com.

Hallelujah, But I'm Not A Vegetarian

The Hallelujah Diet may not be making God very happy

As a Christian who in very interested in the subject of diet, nutrition and weight loss, I was excited to hear about a book written by a pastor named George H. Malkmus that was allegedly based on Scripture verses from the Bible called The Hallelujah Diet.

My first exposure to this holy diet plan was when the former minister of music at my church lost a significant amount of weight on it several years back. He was already a big man at 6'7" tall, but The Hallelujah Diet helped him trim down by an incredible 75 pounds. The results of this way of eating for him were just undeniable and he was one of the strongest proponents for this way of eating you'll ever meet. But there's more to share about what happened next for him in just a moment.

Malkmus is well-known within Christian circles for his frequent appearances on radio and television and in publishing a health newsletter that is read by hundreds of thousands of people each month. In addition, he travels all around the country talking about health and nutrition in seminars held mostly in churches and local venues.

His message: God ordained the way we should eat and it includes consuming living and organic foods, implementing better lifestyle choices, and getting our lives in accordance with what the Lord wants for us.

This all sounds good on the surface and certainly Malkmus is a strong believer in the Lord and in the health principles he is teaching people about their diet. But that "optimal health you were meant to have" according to Malkmus is predicated on eating lots and lots of living and organic foods which in and of itself is not a bad thing. However, when it is to the exclusion of foods such as meat (described as "dead animal products" which Malkmus believes "is more harmful to our health" than any other food) and other "deadly" foods, Malkmus reveals that his motive is less spiritual than it is in promoting veganism and the vegetarian lifestyle.

With that said, though, I give credence to Malkmus for acknowledging the harmful effects of excessive preservatives in foods, white sugar (which he says "contributes to an obese society, contributing to epidemic rates of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and a long list of emotional problems"), prescription medications, white flour (which makes "the most wonderful paste"), and caffeine. That is why Malmus highly recommends people eat more raw foods to have their bodies work the way God intended.

Sprinkled throughout the book are various success stories from people who have been on The Hallelujah Diet in an effort to legitimize that it really is working for real people. I'm sure it is, but the jury is out on the so-called 85:15 rule, where 85 percent of food consumed should be raw and a mere 15 percent is cooked foods.

Wanna see what you get to eat in a typical day on The Hallelujah Diet? Try this on for size.

BREAKFAST: One serving of BarleyMax powder to cleanse the system.
MID-MORNING SNACK: 8-oz glass of vegetable juice with flax seed.
LUNCH: More BarleyMax with raw veggies and fruit.
MID-AFTERNOON SNACK: 8-oz glass of vegetable juice with trail mix.
DINNER: Another BarleyMax serving with non-head lettuce and pasta.
DESSERT: Juicy fresh fruit or organic apple juice.
EVENING SNACK: Homemade organic recipes from the book.

Doesn't this just sound so yummy to your tummy? NOT!

While I can certainly appreciate a pastor trying to help people eat better than they ever have before to preserve the temple of the Holy Spirit which is our bodies, I cannot for the life of me understand how Malkmus believes his nutritional approach is the one and only way that God would have people to lose weight and get healthy. With all due respect to my fellow brother in Christ, he is just plain wrong in his conclusions about weight loss and diet for ALL people. There is no one God-endorsed diet plan out there and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.

When I weighed 410 pounds just two years ago, there is no way I could have ever been able to do The Hallelujah Diet because it was more of what I had heard my entire life about getting my weight under control -- eat better, stop eating junk food, move your body, YADDA YADDA YADDA! Those statements ring so hollow and I heard them again and again as I read The Hallelujah Diet book.

But now that I found a healthy way to eat and control my weight through the incredibly healthy low-carb lifestyle, my life has been radically changed for the better -- over 180 pounds gone forever! Is God mad at me for losing weight and keeping it off this way, Rev. Malkmus? I sure don't think so. He is probably happy to see me finally find a way to control my cravings, enjoy the foods that He created for me to eat, and now serving as someone who can inspire and encourage others who need to lose weight, too.

Remember that minister of music I told you about who had lost weight being an enthusiastic follower of The Hallelujah Diet. Well, apparently he got tired of having to avoid social events at church where there was food that was totally off-limits to him for his diet. Not only has he gained back all of that weight he lost, but he now weighs more than he did before he went on the diet. It's sad to see that happen to this great man of God, but unfortunately it was predictable in my opinion.

Some people can only keep up that way of eating for a short period of time before they go completely nuts! While Malkmus believes in his diet, I don't think there's anything shameful about a Christian choosing to follow another diet plan instead. Perhaps people who have tried and failed on The Hallelujah Diet should try the low-carb lifestyle instead. I know that will be a hard transition, especially since Malkmus often references such radical vegetarian activists such as Dr. Joel Fuhrman, T. Colin Campbell from The China Study, and other various anti-dairy, anti-meat web sites in the appendix to his book. But you can do it and God will help you just as He helped me.

Permanent weight loss is definitely within your grasp and I pray that God will reveal to you what will work best for your body. After you lose the weight for good you can shout HALLELUJAH for the blessings that God has bestowed upon you for lasting weight loss and improved health like you've never seen before. It CAN happen if you believe that God can still perform miracles -- he did it for me thanks to livin' la vida low-carb and I'll never be the same again! And he'll MAKE IT HAPPEN for you as well.

A 'Big Book' That's Big On Low-Carb

The Big Book Of Low-Carb is a book ready-made for low-carbers

Low-carb living need not be boring or even arduous when you know that there are virtually millions of ways to combine various ingredients to present the ultimate in low-carb dining. The opportunities are endless and can even be fun when you learn to start cooking this way all the time as part of your healthy lifestyle. Regardless of which low-carb plan you are following, there's a recipe for you to make and enjoy in The Big Book Of Low-Carb.

That's what co-authors Kitty Broihier, a registered dietician, and Kimberly Mayone, a recipe development consultant, wanted to acheive in this book of theirs. Loading it up with 250 recipes that are easy-to-make as well as entertaining to make and eat. The Big Book Of Low-Carb will certainly change the way you think about low-carb.

Broihier and Mayone admit up front that they wanted to offer a wide variety of options for low-carbers on every level from the "newbie" all the way to the "old pro" veterans who have been eating this way for years. The Big Book Of Low-Carb delivers with exquisite dishes that will get you out of your "low-carb rut" and will instead "keep you noshing happily on your low-carb program" forever.

Before you get to experience their amazing recipes, Broihier and Mayone provide some low-carb "basics" to help get you started off on the right foot. These helpful tips are there to give you guidance that could prove crucial as you prepare to become the king or queen of your low-carb cooking domain. Don't just foolishly skip over this part of the book because there are some really good techniques that frankly I hadn't even thought about before.

The authors also explain the definition of some popular low-carb cooking lingo that some people may not be aware of such as "resting foods," "net carbs," and the various kinds of portions. If you're gonna make these fine recipes, then you had better know what the authors are talking about ahead of time.

If your kitchen lacks the necessary tools to work with, then you might find yourself in a pinch when the book asks you to grate, whisk, or roll something. Not to worry because they help you out by sharing with you all the equipment and tools you will need to make these delighful recipes.

More importantly, they also explain what the basic foods are that you will want to keep on hand to make your low-carb cooking experience the best it can possibly be, including specific pantry items, refrigerated items, produce, meat and other necessary low-carb recipe essentials. Never start a recipe without knowing you have these items on hand. What a travesty that would be! :)

For all you cooking novices out there, The Big Book Of Low-Carb also includes a tutorial on various techniques that will help you along as you make these recipes. This section can also serve as a refresher course for you veterans who may not remember what it means to shock your vegetables, parboil your sausages, or zest those citrus fruits.

Once you start cooking, though, you'll feel right at home with these recipes and will soon make them a regular part of your favorite family times together. Whether it is breakfast, lunch, dinner, side dishes, salads, grilling, desserts and even beverages, The Big Book Of Low-Carb has it all for you and so much more.

I was really impressed with the layout of the book with the recipes all-encompassed on one page each with a creative description featuring specific hints for that recipe, a clear listing of the ingredients in red alongside the directions, as well as the complete nutritional content and serving size of the recipes at the bottom of the page.

However, except for the front cover of the book, there are no pictures of the finished recipes for you to see what your masterpiece low-carb creations will look like. But that just means you will be in for a BIG surprise (and a good one at that!) when you see how these recipes turn out. That's the fun part about making recipes like these and you should look forward to making each of these recipes for yourself. Don't be afraid to try a recipe you've never done before because Broihier and Mayone make it so simple for you to look like you've cooked this way for years.

The Big Book Of Low-Carb is one of those rare books that people who are genuinely livin' la vida low-carb NEED to have in their kitchen. My philosophy is this: you can NEVER have too many low-carb recipes! ENJOY!

If This Is How I 'Eat To Live,' Then Kill Me Now

Eat To Live is yet another anti-meat propaganda book

Weight loss is such a touchy subject in this country which is why we Americans think we need to try diet after diet thinking somehow we are missing something about health and nutrition. As obesity continues to grow into a bigger and bigger problem (quite literally, in fact!), we are being simultaneously inundated with books featuring diet programs designed to help shed the pounds.

Eat To Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman is another one of the thousands of weight loss plans out there on bookshelves today. But will it work for you?

As someone who has lost nearly 200 pounds, I understand the desperate feeling that people have when it comes to the idea of losing weight forever. You feel so hopeless and helpless thinking you will be stuck being fat for the rest of your life. It's a sickening feeling that can haunt you as you cry out for help in every direction to see if anyone will throw you a float to keep you from drowning in the sea of obesity. Is anyone listening?!?!

While I fully support the idea that people find a nutritional approach that works for them, apply it exactly as it is outlined by the author of that program, and then implement it for the rest of their lives, I cannot help but urge people to beware of the Eat To Live diet plan because it certainly doesn't seem to have your health in mind. After reading through this diet book, the only conclusion I can draw is that Dr. Fuhrman is yet another stealth vegetarian who is attempting to spread his anti-meat agenda to the whole world by disguising it as a healthy "nutrient-dense" way of eating. Don't you just wish people would be honest about what they are doing instead of resorting to such pretenses?

Don't get me wrong, you CAN probably lose weight by applying the principles of this book just like you will very likely lose weight on virtually any diet plan out there. But where the Eat To Live diet breaks down is the fact that it is just another one of those low-fat, low-calorie, portion-controlled diet that hasn't worked for so many of us already despite being highly recommended by our government and health officials for the past three decades! Why are they STILL promoting low-fat despite the fact that obesity is getting worse? That sounds like the classic definition of insanity if you ask me!

Dr. Fuhrman describes his Eat To Live principles as "revolutionary" because they will bring about "fast and sustained weight loss" to the tune of "20 lbs or more in 6 weeks." WOW, that's quite a claim. And I have no doubt that the weight loss can and will happen if people follow this low-fat, mostly vegetarian plan. But then what? How do you keep that weight off forever? Do you keep on eating rabbit food for the rest of your life? Is that what you want and expect from a healthy eating plan?

Well, not me! When I weighed over 400 pounds, I never really thought much about food except to stuff it in my mouth as fast as I could so the next bite of high-sugar, carb-loaded food would be able to get in there. It's pathetic to think about how I used to eat, but too many people have chosen to eat to pleasure themselves with food which leads to obesity, disease and even death. Thankfully I have now found a healthy eating approach that helped me lose weight, improve my health and avoid certain death. I most certainly eat to live a long and healthy life because I'm livin' la vida low-carb.

However, I'll give you just one guess to figure out which nutritional approach Dr. Fuhrman chooses to put in his crosshairs in his Eat To Live book.

Low-fat? No.

Low-calorie? Nope.

Portion control? Uh uh.

The one diet plan that he describes as the "dangerous weight loss scheme" is none other than low-carb.

The Atkins diet, Zone diet, and Protein Power diet are all specifically named by Dr. Fuhrman in a chapter called "Are You Dying To Lose Weight?" In that chapter, he criticizes these programs as anti-establishment and giving people false hope about finding a way to lose weight because they include too many delicious foods containing higher amounts of fat than he would recommend. Awww, is somebody jealous that he can't eat this way, too? Poor baby!

Regarding the Atkins diet, Dr. Fuhrman claims it is leading to higher rates of cancer and other diseases despite the weight loss because followers avoid eating fruits and vegetables. Does this man even know what he's talking about? Apparently not since you get to eat LOTS of fruits and vegetables as well as other nutrient-dense foods on Atkins. What a dope!

Next he targets Dr. Barry Sears' The Zone diet calling it "the danger zone" because Dr. Fuhrman thinks Dr. Sears puts too much emphasis on how carbohydrates are leading to obesity rather than fat. In a word, Dr. Fuhrman -- WRONG! Americans ARE eating too many carbs in the form of sugar, white flour, processed foods, and starchy foods. This overconsumption of unhealthy foods is making obesity much worse than it needs to be and I think Dr. Sears has nailed this problem. Anyone who denies this obvious contributor to the obesity problem is apparently too blinded by their own agenda. Is that you, Dr. Fuhrman?

To his credit, Dr. Fuhrman also criticizes Weight Watchers, Lean Cuisine, and Jenny Craig for not being low enough in fat to make a real difference in weight loss although they offer smaller portions than what the Standard American Diet (SAD) entails. He said Americans have become way too accustomed to having the foods they want to eat and then still expect to lose weight. He describes this expectation as unreasonable and concluded that people should start eating more vegetables, beans and fresh fruits immediately while eliminating virtually everything else from their diet.

"Any other program is an insult to your intelligence," Dr. Fuhrman boasts.

Oh really! I think it is insulting to MY intelligence to have you lecture me about what is the right diet plan for me to follow, Dr. Fuhrman. I tried eating like you prescribed in Eat To Live and it just about drove me crazy in 1999. Sure, I lost weight and lots of it, too (170 pounds in fact!), but most people can only keep up that way of eating for just so long before they get so incredibly frustrated with it that they finally throw their hands up in the air and give up. I was too hungry, irritable, and experience such wild mood swings to notice I was skinnier. Hmmm, low-fat weight loss or sanity? I'll choose sanity!

That's why the low-carb lifestyle has been so effective for people like me who can't stand being hungry when we are losing weight like we did on those thousands of low-fat diets we have been on. Eating lots of healthy greens, fresh foods, antioxidant-rich berries, protein-packed nuts, and even delicious cuts of meat not only helps us with weight loss, but also keeps the weight off forever (2 years and counting for me!) while experiencing miraculous improvements in our health. Low-carb was a godsend to me and nobody will ever convince me otherwise.

Can Dr. Furhman's diet plan work for you? Perhaps. But if this was the way I would have to Eat To Live for the rest of my life, then I say kill me now to put me out of my misery! The good news is there are better ways than this.

5-1-06 UPDATE: Dr. Joel Fuhrman responded to my review of his book today.

Jimmy-

Thanks for reading my book, and I'm glad that you were able to lose so much weight eating similar to the way I recommend in my Eat To Live book.

It seems that we do not disagree about everything. We both agree about the benefits of healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes, and seeds etc (by the way I have nothing against health fats in avocado and raw nuts and seeds). We both agree that there are health benefits to minimizing processed foods, sugar, and white flour.

We even agree that including some meat isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just a question of how much.

A lot of "experts" have found that there is great profit in advocating a high meat diet-style in recent years, and there has been a lot of pressure to develop research to support the idea that it is safe for your long-term health. But the evidence is overwhelming (and countless respected researchers agree on this point) is clear that getting the vast majority of your calories from meat has lots of negative long-term effects.

Some people may simply want to eat a lot of meat--and that's fine! It's a personal choice, and I hope you will choose to eat in a way that makes you happy. We are all different, and we all make different choices about how we want to live. I think that's a good thing. But as we make those choices--especially important choices that affect our long-term health--we should do so with the best information possible. For example, I know some people choose to smoke. Severe as the health risks of that decision might be, as long as they have good information and know about the risks they're taking; of course that's their personal choice. But to smoke, or to eat lots of meat and cheese, with the idea that it's good for your health? That's just not working with the best available information, and it would be a real shame for a person to lose years of life to decision making based on fraudulent health claims and from people promoting bad information like that.

I have no specific political or social agenda, but I am a physician who wants each person to make responsible decisions based on the best evidence. I do not offer nutritional advice to please the animal rights advocates. In fact, they refuse to mention my work in their publications because I allow the consumption of animal products in my books and at drfuhrman.com and include them in some of my recipes. But, I do have a mission to spread a message that nutritional excellence can defeat heart disease and win the war against cancer. So I object to the false health claims regarding high protein diets, not to your freedom to eat any way you choose. And, for many people (I realize not you) who decide to "heart-attack-proof" their body and want to lose weight in the healthiest way possible and learn how to make a diet low in animal products taste great and eat as much food as they desire, while living into their nineties without the fear of heart disease, stroke or an premature death from cancer, I urge them to come to diseaseproof.com (or read Eat To Live) and read more about the science and logic of this diet-style.

-Joel Fuhrman, MD

Well, at least he was cordial in his reply to me even if I'm not buying his explanation. Thoughts anyone?

6-29-2006 UPDATE: Well, here's at least one other blogger who agrees with my book review.

Aussie Low-Carb Diet Is 'Total' Package

The Total Wellbeing Diet which took Australia by storm comes to U.S.

When a senior dietician and nutrition research scientist working for the government in Australia set out to discover an eating plan that would not only satisfy the need for weight loss, but do it in the most effective manner possible, little did she know her ideas would become a bestselling book that would light a fire under the overweight and obese in that country and around the world.

But that's exactly what happened to Dr. Manny Noakes from the CSIRO Human Nutrition in Australia when she put in literally hours upon hours of study on the effects of foods, diets, supplements and prescription drugs on both metabolism and health. The results of that research would later become a runaway bestselling book entitled The Total Wellbeing Diet (it even beat out Harry Potter in sales, which is no small task!).

Co-written by Dr. Peter Clifton, another nutrition scientist from CSIRO and a practicing endocrinologist, this book curiously avoids using the term "low-carb" to describe itself in favor of the much more chic "low-calorie, high-protein, low-fat" diet. But once you look closely at the plan, you immediately notice that the principles of livin' la vida low-carb are definitely still there.

The central focus of The Total Wellbeing Diet is on something called satiety, that all-important feeling of fullness that keeps your hunger and diet-busting cravings at bay. The high amounts of protein included in this plan safeguard you from ever being dissatisfied with the diet because of hunger. The program is designed specifically to combat this major problem that too often causes people to fail when they are trying to lose weight.

Additionally, when you are on The Total Wellbeing Diet, you have surprising flexibility to eat out and still stay on the diet. Dr. Noakes provides specific tools in the book to help you keep track of your progress while watching your weight melt away like butter in a frying pan!

Oh yeah, don't think you're getting out of exercising with The Total Wellbeing Diet either! Ha! But Dr. Noakes understands that it takes an incremental approach for any workout routine to become a habit that you will WANT to do. Before long, you'll be an exercising machine and nobody will be able to stop you. You big stud!

The Total Wellbeing Diet includes a 12-week menu plan to help people who need specific direction about what, how much, and when they need to eat. It would be next to impossible for you to follow this plan for three months and NOT see a difference if you stick with it as prescribed by Dr. Noakes. Go ahead, give it a try and don't be surprised when it WORKS!

Also, for all you cooking wonks out there, you will be pleased to know that half of the book is, in essence, a cookbook with over 100 simple low-carb recipes utilizing mostly Mediterranean and Asian foods that will satisfy your tastebuds with great-tasting food while helping you become that slim and trim person you desire to be.

My favorite part of the book is all of the vibrant and colorful pictures of happy and healthy people as well as delicious-looking foods. This is a book you could cozy up to while sitting in the hot tub refreshing yourself from that exhausting walk on the treadmill. Allow the very clear message of The Total Wellbeing Diet soak into the very fiber of your being and radically change your life in a positive way that will make heads turn. It can happen if you devote yourself 100% to this!

I do have a few points of contention about this book, though. Dr. Noakes recommends people drink about 2 glasses of wine each week, although I would never do that because I do not drink alcohol even in moderation. She also focuses heavily on the message of eating low-fat along with the low-carb, high-protein diet and that can lead to some problems if fat is reduced too much from the diet. Also, I find it curious that "low-carb" was nixed from any mention on the book cover and in the marketing pieces about the book, but "low-fat" was used instead to make it allegedly "nutritionally balanced."

Well, if it's truly low-fat, or 15-20 percent of calories from fat, then how can it be "balanced?" The Total Wellbeing Diet sounds a lot like a mix between The South Beach and The Zone diets, both of which are well-known to low-carb consumers as effective ways to lose weight and keep it off. They may avoid using the "low-carb" label with this book, but it is DEFINITELY low-carb!

At any rate, Dr. Noakes and Dr. Clifton must be doing something right if the so-called health "experts" are heavily criticizing them and their diet plan for being "unbalanced." Oh, that's just too funny because that is one area that the authors went out of their way to insure. The Total Wellbeing Diet is not only balanced, but is also a healthy, effective way to lose weight and put a dent in this current obesity epidemic we are facing.

For that reason I cannot help but praise this book which yet again proves the low-carb lifestyle is still very much alive and well in 2006! Those of us who cherish this way of eating because it has already helped us overcome our weight problem (I lost 180 pounds on it and have kept it off for two years so far!) rejoice that millions more will be exposed to the solid principles of livin' la vida low-carb and take back control of their weight, too! A special THANKS to Dr. Noakes and Dr. Clifton for sharing The Total Wellbeing Diet with us and bringing it to America. I look forward to hearing about all the incredible weight loss success stories that come out of this miraculous plan of yours.

'The Hamptons Diet Cookbook' Is An Excellent Source For Healthy Low-Carb Recipes

The Hamptons Diet Cookbook has recipes for every low-carber

How DO the rich and famous always seem to stay so thin and healthy? With the exception of maybe Danny DeVito and Rodney Dangerfield, can you think of very many movie stars who are overweight or obese? Probably not. That's because they have found the secret to eating better quality foods that not only satisfy their tastebuds, but also their nutritional needs.

Dr. Fred Pescatore first introduced his healthy weight loss principles in his groundbreaking 2004 bestselling book called The Hamptons Diet with Hollywood hotties Sara Jessica Parker and Renée Zellweger among its most ardent followers.

But now, by popular demand, Dr. Pescatore is back with a hot new book full of over 200 mouthwatering and flavorfully unique recipes called The Hamptons Diet Cookbook. While you may not be rich and famous, he shows you how you can eat like one with Mediterranean-styled cooking assistance from renowned chef Jeff Harter.

Once you try many of these recipes, you'll forget you're actually on a diet! That is the beauty of finding a low-carb program like The Hamptons Diet -- IT TASTES SO GOOD YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IT CAN HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT.

But it does. With countless numbers of people using this nutritional approach to lose weight in 2006, despite what the naysayers in the media and those pesky low-fat lovin' health "experts" say, the fact remains that this way of eating has worked and STILL continues to work to help people lose weight and keep it off for good. I lost over 180 pounds thanks to a healthy low-carb eating plan and you can too!

As a strong proponent of eating more organic whole foods as well as liberal amounts of macadamia nut oil, Dr. Pescatore wants the average, everyday person to look at food in an entirely different manner than they ever have before. Pay attention to the kind of carbohydrates that you are putting in your mouth and stick with the healthful slow-release ones as well as foods that are balanced according to the glycemic index and the glycemic load. The recipes in The Hamptons Diet Cookbook provide you with this balance.

Just in case you didn't get his original book, Dr. Pescatore provides an abridged version of The Hamptons Diet plan at the front of his new book to catch you up to speed, including explaining the various food pyramids that you will want to know about when you are on his diet. Trust me, throw out everything you thought you knew about diet and nutrition and keep your mind open to the greater possibilities that await you in this book.

There's even one chapter that explains what kind of kitchen appliances and tools you will need to start eating healthier. Hey, if you're gonna make the commitment to lose weight and keep it off, then what better way than to start anew than to literally clean house?! You'll also enjoy the convenient grocery shopping lists that Dr. Pescatore provides to keep you focused on what you need to do to get with the plan and make it happen for yourself.

The recipes in The Hamptons Diet Cookbook cover breakfast ("the most important meal of the day"), lunch (something light, nothing fancy), and dinner ("one of the most enjoyable and entertaining parts of the day"). Additionally, there are great side dishes and salads to combat boredom on the plan even if you can't make it look very good (Dr. Pescatore wrote that "the hardest thing for me is to get a salad to look pretty"). I can relate, but who cares when the taste is...mmmmmm!

For those of you who want to entertain guests and dazzle them with your low-carb cooking prowess, Dr. Pescatore presents a series of popular party recipes that will have them raving! Interestingly, you would think these recipes would need to be fancy-schmancy, but actually many of them are quite simple. The point is, Dr. Pescatore explains, to have fun with your life and stop worrying about food so much. It's time to eat better and be merry -- The Hamptons Diet way!

But what would a cookbook be without a few wonderfully tantalizing desserts?! However (and I LOVE this!), Dr. Pescatore makes it very clear up front what you won't see in his recipe book: "Sugar won't be used in any of these dessert recipes." EXCELLENT! That's just the way we like it when we are livin' la vida low-carb. A superb dissertation on what is acceptable as an alternative to sugar is included at the beginning of the dessert chapter to help you make the right choices about what you should use, including a list of the "healthy sweeteners" (Stevia, Xylitol), ones where the "jury is still out" (Splenda, maltitol), and finally the ones you really should "avoid" (hint: Nutrasweet didn't do so well).

At the back of the book, Dr. Pescatore includes in the appendix an amazing resource guide to help you find some of the ingredients that may be hard for you to find in your area. He earnestly wants to see you succeed at his plan and literally thought of everything for people who read The Hamptons Diet Cookbook.

Regardless of which low-carb plan you have been on, whether it's Atkins, South Beach, Protein Power, or The Zone, The Hamptons Diet Cookbook will give you even more succulent and tasty recipes your are sure to love and enjoy with your family. Eating healthy never tasted so good! That's the miracle of low-carb living. THANKS, Dr. Pescatore for continuing to be a champion of this amazingly miraculous way of eating!

Absence Of Weight Loss On Low-Carb Should Make You Suspicious

One of my readers shared an unbelievable personal story with me today about an experience she had while livin' la vida low-carb that I thought was important enough to share with you.

In 2004 she lost 45 pounds on the Atkins diet and moved into maintenance phase after she hit her goal with only the occasional moments when she "indulged," or what I would describe as "controlled cheating." Even still, she was a dedicated low-carber avoiding "white" foods and kept her weight off for a year and a half.

However, last year she noticed her weight starting to climb ever so slightly. This weight gain is a natural part of low-carb that almost all of us who have lost weight on low-carb have gone through and certainly isn't a time to panic.

She did what every good low-carb veteran does when the scale goes up: dropped back down to the Induction phase of 20g carbs daily. While she lost a few of the pounds she had gained when she did this, the weight loss just suddenly stopped and plateaued for several months. But then something very peculiar happened -- SHE STARTED GAINING WEIGHT DESPITE STILL BEING ON LOW-CARB!

While she had endured weight loss stalls during her initial weight loss in 2004 and realized that she just needed to persevere on her low-carb plan, this time was baffling because the weight wouldn't stop going up despite cutting her portions, eating only 1200-1600 calories per day along with 40-60g net carbs daily, and getting in her exercise. What in the world was happening to her?!

Before long, nearly all of the weight she had lost was right back on her in almost no time at all. She lamented having an "apple" shape to her body, although she had always previously been a "pear" shape when she was overweight before. However, my reader then noticed something about her abdomen a couple of months ago that she didn't realize -- it had gotten noticably firm and painful when you touched it.

At first, she just thought it was the fat she had gained and described herself as "looking like a beach ball." Despite the obvious weight gain, she remained committed to livin' la vida low-carb regardless being the trooper in this ordeal to the very end. While her stomach remained bloated, har and sore, other parts of her body lost inches, including her buttocks, thighs, face, and arms. This is strange, she thought.

It wasn't until her back pain grew worse and she became short of breath that she decided to go see her doctor about this. Visits to the chiropractor and asthma doctor did nothing to help her problems. However, last week when she went to visit her family physician about her situation, she said she looked like she was "7 months pregnant" and was a little "embarrassed" that she hadn't come to see him prior to this.

When he saw her, the doctor said he wanted to take a CT scan of her belly and wouldn't you know it, they found something. What did they find? How about a 10-inch in diameter mass on her right ovary, very likely a cyst, that will be removed through a surgical procedure in early May. My reader said her doctor believes this is why she gained weight over the past year and because it is so dense and hard, there is likely a lot of fluid built up in the abdomen that needs to be released, too.

You wanna know what's funny? Rather than being concerned about this big mass in her stomach, she said the first thing that came to her mind was "I'm glad it wasn't fat!" She responded to her first thought with the phrase, "How sick is that?" LOL!

The moral of this story, according to my reader, is that livin' la vida low-carb works and "if it isn't working for you and you are sticking to it like glue, then get your butt to a doctor and get checked out," especially you women who need to have annual checkups "down there." My reader had skipped a couple of years and look what happened to her.

Although her doctor supports her low-carb lifestyle, my reader said this experience makes her "feel like a fool for waiting so long to check it out" and says she is "scared about what faces me." Always the optimist, she said she is glad to "finally have affirmation that my 'thin' clothes will fit me once again."

That's a great perspective to have. Please pray for this reader as she goes to the doctor on Friday to find out when her surgery will take place. Perhaps there are others of you who have seen success on low-carb and then suddenly notice weight gain even while sticking with the plan -- DON'T DELAY...GET CHECKED OUT!!! THANK YOU to my brave reader for sharing her story so that others can benefit from her experience.

Gotta a story to share about your low-carb life? Send it to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Feel free to comment on this reader's situation by clicking on the comments link below.

A 40-Year-Old Stud's Workout Diary

A co-worker sent this to me today and I thought it was PERFECT for my blog. You're gonna LOVE this, I was laughing so hard at this it made me cry because of how true it really is! ENJOY!!! :D

This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get into a regular workout routine.

MY WORKOUT DIARY

SUNDAY

Dear Diary:

For my fortieth birthday this year, my wife (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me. Although I am still in great shape since playing on my college football team 25 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try. I called the club and made my reservation with a personal trainer named Belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swimwear. My wife seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

MONDAY:

Dear Diary:

Started my day at 6:00am.

Tough to get out of bed, but it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me. She was something of a Greek goddess -- with blonde hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!!!!

She took my pulse after 5 minutes on the treadmill. She was alarmed that my pulse was so fast, but I attributed it to standing next to her in her Lycra aerobics outfit. I enjoyed watching the skilful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today.

Very inspiring, Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around.

This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!

TUESDAY:

Dear Diary:

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air, and then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT!! It's a whole new life for me.

WEDNESDAY:

Dear Diary:

The only way I can brush my teeth is by lying on the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot. Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered the other club members.

Her voice is a little too perky for early in the morning and when she scolds, she gets this nasally whines that is VERY annoying.

My chest hurts when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other unpleasant stuff too.

THURSDAY:

Dear Diary:

Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late; it took me that long to tie my shoes. Belinda took me to workout with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid in the men's room. She sent Lars to find me, then, as punishment, put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank.

FRIDAY:

Dear Diary:

I hate that wench Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic little cheerleading wench. If there were a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it. Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the *&%#&* barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.

The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

SATURDAY:

Dear Diary:

Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing her made me want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.

SUNDAY:

Dear Diary:

I'm having the church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year, my wife (the other wench), will choose a gift for me that is fun -- like a root canal or a vasectomy.

ROTFL!!!!

Way To Go, Adro, Australia's 'Biggest Loser'

CONGRATULATIONS to Adro Sarnelli, Australia's "Biggest Loser"

After months of hard work and commitment to personal weight loss, it paid off big time for Adriano "Adro" Sarnelli who was just named the winner of the first ever series of the hit NBC television show "The Biggest Loser Australia."

The 26-year old Adro lost an amazing 51.3 kilos overall, 37.58 percent of his starting weight in just four months, during the competition to edge out his fellow finalists. It was a shock to the mechanic who proclaimed on stage after being told he was the winner "this is unreal."

He credited his success to his neverending commitment to exercise four hours per day with his personal trainer Ray Kelly along with a high-protein, low-carb lifestyle (hey, how about that?!). Because he lost more weight as a percentage than anyone else, Adro pocketed a cool $200,000 as well as a home fitness gym to help him keep that amazing physique of his in tip-top shape.




In addition to winning "The Biggest Loser," Adro got another surprise after the show aired -- his wife Samantha announced she is expecting their second child! Describing her husband as "sex on a stick," Samantha said she is so proud of the man Adro has become and now she "can't keep my hands off him."

ENJOY IT, Adro! My wife says the same thing...right Christine? Right? LOL!

Just as I have noted previously about my own weight loss success, it's hard to see yourself as anything but the morbidly obese person you have been your entire life.

"I still don't see myself as a skinny guy but I am working on it," he admitted. "It takes a lot longer for my head to get around than my body to get around. The mind is a pretty powerful thing."

Oh, you're just getting started on it, too, Adro! The good thing is that it gets easier over time, but I wonder if people like us EVER completely feel like we are that thin person we always dream of becoming even while everyone around us seems to think so. Strange and ironic dichotomy, isn't it?



When asked his thoughts about "The Biggest Loser" trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, Adro was honest.

"I had my differences with them ... but I absolutely love them," he said. "Without them I would never have done this."

Yeah, I'm sure you hated them when you first started because it's hard as you know what to "move your butt" as fellow "Biggest Loser Australia" contestant David Hilyander would say. But eventually it gets easier and you start to CRAVE that exercise. FOUR HOURS A DAY, huh Adro! That makes me look like a lazy slob with my measly little one hour daily. Hee hee!

What's Adro going to use the money he won on? He says he wants to purchase a new home and even open a chain of weight-loss centers called "The New Me" (based on his personal motivating mantra) to help others in this obesity battle.

"We are going to open up health centres basically for overweight and obese people," he explained. "It will be a goal driven weight loss support centre."

WOW, what a way to take the message of healthy living to the people that need it. That's why I started my blog to help encourage and educate others to do something about THEIR weight like I did. Adro is taking his passion and desire to see others succeed at weight loss to another level and should be congratulated for caring enough about his fellow Australians to do that.

Be sure to visit AdroHealth.com to keep tabs on the progress that Adro is making in this new chapter in his life. You can e-mail Adro at adro@adrohealth.com to share your congratulatory message to him. Let him know "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man" Jimmy Moore, a fellow "big loser," sent you and how proud you are of him for being a champion for all of us who are livin' la vida low-carb. :)

For the first go round of "The Biggest Loser" in Australia, it did incredibly well in the ratings -- an average of 1.2 million viewers per episode! Because of this, they are already preparing for a second installment of the series to be aired next year.

Applications are already being accepted for "The Biggest Loser Australia" 2 to be aired in early 2007. For all you Aussies who think you can handle the rigors of the show, just click here to learn how YOU can be considered for next season. GOOD LUCK!

I didn't personally get to see any of the episodes from "The Biggest Loser Australia," but I would still LOVE to. Anyone in Australia who happened to record the episodes either on VHS or DVD and would be willing to mail me a copy of the shows can contact me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

If you're having withdrawals from "The Biggest Loser Australia," then there's one more chance to catch some bonus footage this weekened when Network Ten airs a special called "The Secrets of The Biggest Loser" on Sunday night at 8:30pm.