Polite 'Obese' vs. Politically Incorrect 'Fat'

Is this man "fat" or is he "obese" -- which term do YOU prefer?

This NewsBlaze story written by bariatric doctor Caroline J. Cederquist, MD (you might remember her from this blog post last year when she described the Atkins diet as "extreme" and "dangerously unhealthy") stirs up a very provocative topic of discussion about what we should call people who are carrying around a few extra pounds -- "fat" or "obese"...or something else?

Dr. Cederquist cites new research from the University of Pennsylvania that studied the exact words used by doctors when they talk to their patients about their weight problem. It zeroed in on how the decision about the terminology used to describe the condition of weighing too much can make or break a patient's receptivity to the message that they desperately need to hear the message loud and clear.

Did I ever get into trouble when I wrote a blog post entitled "Get Over It Lady, You're Fat!" about that woman last August who sued her doctor for defamation of character because he told her she needed to lose weight.

"I told a fat woman she was obese," exclaimed Dr. Terry Bennett from Rochester, New Hampshire doctor at the time. "I tried to get her attention. I told her, 'You need to get on a program, join a group of like-minded people and peel off the weight that is going to kill you."

I defended what Dr. Bennett said as her physician because it is my contention that people sometimes need to be jolted into reality about their weight by their doctors, especially if they are in denial about it. Sure, I care about people's feelings, but those won't do you any good if you're not around to have them hurt anymore!

But Dr. Cederquist admits it is such a "sensitive issue" in this day and age of political correctness. You can't call somebody "fat" because that is tantamount to calling a black person the "n" word or a gay person the "f" word. "Fat" has become taboo and is avoided like the plague.

The new word du jour for the modern "fat" person is "obese," which Dr. Cederquist says is actually "just a medical term" that any doctor would use to describe a plump patient of theirs.

"Obesity is a medical problem, a public health problem," Cederquist wrote. "It does have behavioral aspects, but as more attention and resources are devoted to considering all its aspects, we learn every day how multifaceted and complex it really is."

One of those complexities is the stereotype that overweight people are "lazy, sloppy or undisciplined."

When I weighed 410 pounds, I was NOT lazy, somewhat sloppy, but definitely disciplined in most areas of my life, except my weight. The labels that are thrown around about people who are "big" are mostly unfair, but people are going to be people, aren't they?

The good thing about this is you don't have to stay stuck in your misery about your weight if you decide that you are ready to take it on and defeat it once and for all. That's when somebody telling you how "fat" you are might just be motivation enough to help you overcome it. I understand everyone won't respond positively to that, but it will motivate some.

Getting back to the medical term "obese," people are even getting antsy about THAT word now, Cederquist notes.

"The negative connotations [obese] carries are so entrenched in the public psyche that the simple medical meaning is lost," Cederquist pointed out. "Body size is so often regarded--even by them--as a reflection of their character."

Man, I must have been one BIG GIANT character a couple of years ago then! :D

Seriously, I never even thought about or even worried about what people called me because I knew I was big and didn't care at the time. When I finally did decide to do something about my weight, that is when I started caring about how people saw me. You can call it my "fat sensitivity scale" now. It's funny how NOBODY ever calls me "fat" or "obese" now. :D That's a GREAT feeling!

Remember that study? The researchers looked at all sorts of euphemisms and phrases that run the gamut and came up with the most desireable ways patients like to be described when they have a "fat" issue.

Here they are in order of patient preference:

1. "weight"
2. "excess weight"
3. "BMI"

Sheeez, that's lame! Oh, you have a "weight" issue to take care of. Dear Johnny, your "excess weight" is holding you back. That BMI of yours has me concerned. Oh brother, give me a break!

The study found the term "obesity" was the absolute WORST way to describe someone who is "fat" because it is most undesirable.

Well, you know what? That's just too bad because the truth can and should hurt sometimes when it comes to a doctor talking to his patient. I OH SO WISH my doctor would have been frank with me about my obesity a long time ago. Instead, he just danced around the issue and urged me to eat low-fat, exercise, yadda yadda yadda which meant NOTHING to me. It still doesn't.

But we may hurt their wittle feelings, Dr. Cederquist contends. Oh the horrors of a doctors being "offensive" in ANY way so their advice doesn't get missed by the patient. Well, boo freakin' hoo.

If you don't like it, then there is one thing you can do to make those labels go away. There will be no more lessons in semantics if you lose the weight. I know, I know, that's easier said than done, but I did it and so can you. It IS possible with the right plan and following through on that plan. Obesity is the most preventable condition in America today and yet two-thirds of Americans are dealing with their weight. Ugh!

Dr. Cederquist also noted at the end of her column that despite groups that celebrate their obesity (like this woman who didn't like my "Get Over It Lady, You're Fat" post), the vast majority of overweight people are buying it. That's why she recommends doctors come up with "non-offensive, non-confrontational terminology" to get their point across.

Sure, keep on doing that, doctors, and see how well that works for you as your patient keeps getting bigger and bigger until one day he or she ends up having a massive heart attack.

WAKE UP PEOPLE! We don't need our doctors to present a sugar-coated, politically correct way to tell people they are big. Just tell 'em already and share with them various ways they can overcome it. Low-fat has monopolized medical advice for far too long and it's time livin' la vida low-carb gets a leg in the door, too.

If you are "fat," then you know what you need to do. NO MORE EXCUSES! Whether you are "fat," "obese" or otherwise.

7-1-06 UPDATE: This blog post from the "Keep It Off" blog of Dr. John Hernried segueways rather nicely on this topic about how people are in denial about their obesity.

Q&A With Jimmy Moore By 'The Diet Detective'

Charles "Diet Detective" Platkin recently interviewed me for his site

After my recent interview with public health advocate, author and nationally-syndicated columnist Charles Stuart Platkin (aka "The Diet Detective") at my blog, he decided to return the favor and posted this revealing Q&A with me today in the interviews section at his popular DietDetective.com web site.

Describing me as "evangelic" (is that like "angelic?" HA!) about livin' la vida low-carb, Platkin asked some rather personal questions about my weight loss and healthy living experience that I couldn't wait to answer.

Here are just a few of the highlights:

Question: What's the most bodacious chance you've ever taken?

I would have to say when I decided to begin the Atkins diet on January 1, 2004 in the midst of all the negative attention it was receiving in the media and from the health "experts." Even my own doctor said he was concerned about me going on a low-carb program, but he knew I needed to lose weight. One year later, I felt vindicated by my decision when I was a new man who had overcome a lifetime of weight problems by following a way of eating that kept my weight under control while affording me the opportunity to enjoy delicious and healthy foods. Who would have thought a miracle like this could happen to me? BUT IT DID and it was the best chance I've ever taken.
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Question: How do you stick to your diet (weight control goals) on days when you really don’t want to? What are techniques you use to stay on track?

I do it anyway. My motto is NO EXCUSES, NO REGRETS! Nothing, absolutely nothing, will stand in the way of my success. I WILL do this and it CAN be done. Sure, there are days when you don't feel like staying on track with your plan. But that is when the challenge of controlling your weight gets interesting because you see just how sincere you are in wanting to make this your permanent lifestyle change. No more complacency with the way things are. It's time to implement change and do it for the rest of your life. Knowing that the temptation to quit is going to come will help you when those times in your life come. NEVER GIVE UP!
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Question: What is the biggest change you noticed once you lost weight?

I have energy like a firecracker just waiting to explode! In fact, I didn't even realize how physically fit I had become until my wife left her purse in the car one day in early 2005. We were at church and she needed me to go get her purse for her because she needed something out of it. The car was about 1/4 mile away and yet I took off like Superman running in my Sunday morning suit and dress shoes, gliding through the wind at what seemed like astronomical speed, and I was barely breaking a sweat. I had never felt that way before in my entire life and reached the car without any trouble whatsoever and no huffing and puffing. I felt so good that I immediately sprinted back to where my wife was several minutes later watching my wife's jaw hanging wide open as if she had just seen something miraculous happen. She did! Her husband's alive and living well for the first time ever! Man, that feels good!
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Question: What do you consider the world’s most perfect food? Please be specific and try not to answer with a category but rather with a specific food item: for example, not “whole grain” but “raisin bran cereal”?

Eggs are the most perfect food God ever created for humans to eat. They are loaded with hunger-fighting protein and will keep you satisfied for hours after eating them for breakfast. I often eat a 3 or 4-egg breakfast with melted cheese on top for my breakfast to get my day started off right and I usually have plenty of energy to make it until lunchtime. When they use the slogan "the incredible edible egg," they weren't kidding!
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Question: Tell us how you got to where you are now.

Well, it all started when my mom and dad wanted to have a second child...oh, you didn't mean THAT far back, did you? Hee hee! Just kidding. The man I am today is a direct result of hard work, dedication, commitment, and a deep-seeded passion and desire to become the man I was destined to be. I wasted the first 32 years of my life pursuing things that I thought would make me happy and fulfilled. I was wrong. Now I have a new lease on life and a newfound purpose to help others who struggle with their weight and think there is no way they could ever find hope again. I'm here to not just tell them, but also SHOW them that there is someone who understands their plight and sincerely wants them to taste what being healthy and thin is all about. The road that got me here wasn't an easy one, but it was necessary for me to make a lasting influence on people.
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Question: What is your most influential story, fiction or nonfiction, from a film, book, magazine, newspaper or parable? Explain its impact on your life? What's you're favorite saying?

It's not really a story, but rather a Scripture verse from the Bible found in Phillipians 4:13. It simply states, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." With that knowledge, I am confident that I can be successful at ANYTHING I put my mind to do because the source of my strength is Jesus Christ. Without Him, I would literally be nothing and would never be able to find the success I have already enjoyed through my incredible weight loss. But with Him, the sky is literally the limit and I fully expect many more GREAT things to come to me for honoring Him in all things.

There's a WHOLE lot more of Platkin's interview with me by clicking here. I was so very grateful for the opportunity to share my honest thoughts about diet, health, and nutrition and I appreciate the willingness of someone like Charles Stuart Platkin who may not agree with livin' la vida low-carb as a dietary approach for everyone (and neither do I, by the way), but he is willing to make concessions that it may be exactly what some people need to do to get their weight under control and their heath in line.

In fact, Platkin has asked me to head up a special section of his web site dedicated to columns about low-carb living and I am thrilled for the opportunity to share my writings with a new audience of readers. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. :D I'll keep blogging away right here each and every day like I have since April 2005. But this will enable me and the positive message of livin' la vida low-carb to continue branching out to a world desperate for answers about their obesity and health problems. I covet your prayers and support for strength and wisdom as I begin this new endeavor in the coming weeks.

Special THANKS to Charles Stuart Platkin for his excellent interview! You can send him an e-mail of appreciation by writing to info@dietdetective.com.

A Blast From The Past About My Present

I graduated high school with Laura Creekmore in 1989

I do a lot of research on various web sites and search engines to find content for my blog, so imagine my surprise recently when I came across a food blog called Fixin' Supper by a woman named Laura Creekmore. Well, THAT name stuck out like a sore thumb to me because I went to high school in the town of Bolivar, Tennessee with someone named Laura Creekmore. And wouldn't you know it, it was the same person!

Laura was the Valedictorian (did I spell that word right, Laura? LOL!) of the Class of 1989 at Bolivar Central High School and everyone knew she would become a great success at whatever she decided to pursue in life. This former high school cheerleader is now a proud mother juggling her duties between work, kids, and oh yes, blogging, too (although expecting someone as busy as Laura to blog as much as me would be a wee bit unreasonable, don't ya think?).

In a post she wrote today entitled "Low-Carb Call-Out," Laura was so kind to give a "shout-out" about me and my weight loss.

"I am so proud to call him a friend and classmate and hope he can say the same about me," Laura wrote. "Jimmy had gotten to be quite overweight -- a problem many people struggle with today. But in 2004, he lost 180 pounds!"

Yep, Laura, I would DEFINITELY call you a friend, although I know my weight problem in high school kept me from ever being as outgoing and carefree as I am today. Believe it or not, I was pretty shy when I was a teenager! GASP! I know it's shocking, but I was. College woke up some dormant cells from within and revealed a new part of me that I never knew existed before. Of course, losing all that weight two years ago has woken up a few more cells and now I'm REALLY alive! :P

Laura wrote, "Jimmy, I am so proud of you! I feel certain that most of what I talk about on Fixin' Supper won't qualify as low-carb. :)"

Hee hee, that's okay, Laura. I understand, although I could never eat as many carbs as I used to in all those "yummy" school lunches they used to feed us. What WAS that mystery meat anyways?

What a nice surprise to have someone from my past enter my present life now. My 20-year high school reunion is coming up in 2009 and I can't wait to show everyone my new body. But I have another one of my high school classmates to thank for being an inspiration to me to begin livin' la vida low-carb and he may not even realize it (if you've read my book "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb," then you know who I'm talking about).

Actually, Laura may even remember this from our 10-year high school reunion in 1999 when fellow classmate Keith Jackson showed up at a social we had at the high school on the Friday night before our reunion and everyone looked at him with their jaws on the floor. Keith Jackson, who had been a rather hefty young man, was...well, SKINNY! He was merely a shadow of his former self and certainly amazed most of us who knew him when he was "bigger."

When he said he did it on the Atkins diet, I was skeptical about the method he chose. As you know, I chose to go on a low-fat diet that year and did well on it, but couldn't keep the weight off. The image of Keith Jackson was indelibly burned into my memory and he was one of my personal inspirations to start my Atkins diet on January 1, 2004. I hope to have the opportunity to shake Keith's hand at our upcoming reunion to THANK him for helping me change my life. And he probably has no idea he did anything!

Laura, God bless you girl for being exactly who you are. I always appreciated how level-headed and bright you were and it looks like those beneficial traits have never left you. Your kids are so lucky to have a mommy like you and I wish you all the best with your life and all that you pursue in it. Please stay in touch...I'm always here at my blog. :) SEE YA and THANK YOU!

Doctor Calls For Moratorium On Dietary Recommendations Not Backed By Evidence

Dr. Wilshire says new AHA dietary guidelines lack scientific backing

There's a man I'd like to introduce you to who I had the distinct honor of meeting for the first time back in January this year at the Nutritional & Metabolic Aspects of Carbohydrate Restriction conference that took place in Brooklyn, New York. His name is Dr. Gil Wilshire, FACOG, a Reproductive Endocrinologist, and better known as MR. Regina Wilshire (Ha! Regina will LOVE that!).

Yes, he is the husband of my fellow low-carb blogging buddy from the Weight of the Evidence blog -- and strong supporter of the science behind livin' la vida low-carb -- Regina Wilshire. Dr. Gil also has a lot to say about the American Heart Association's new dietary guidelines which prompted Regina last week to offer a $1,000 ransom to the first person who could come up with a one-day menu that fits the new recommendations (several have tried, but as far as I know nobody has been able to accomplish this seemingly easy task yet).

In this special op-ed piece entitled "Enough is Enough" appearing on Regina's blog, Dr. Wilshire said the new recommendations made him "angry, dumbfounded, and very frustrated" because so much of it is rooted in 50-year old "fatally flawed" conclusions which were never based on sound science and Level 1 medical evidence.

Having gone unchallenged for decades, Dr. Wilshire said the "extremists are now becoming ever more so" now that the evidence is beginning to stack in favor of the low-carb lifestyle while the low-fat lie has been exposed.

"What I find so alarming and disturbing is the fact that in the past half century NOT ONE SMIDGEN OF LEVEL 1 EVIDENCE HAS BEEN GENERATED TO SUPPORT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS," Dr. Wilshire exclaimed. "I don't know how to say it any louder or clearer."

One of the basic tenets of the medical community is to confirm any method or approach with "rigorous scientific validation," Dr. Wilshire added, stating he would never use any medical procedure on one of his patients without going through this process.

"Why should public dietary advice be an exception?" he asked.

Expressing his deep dissatisfaction with what the AHA has done recommending a dietary approach that is sorely lacking in ANY scientific validation, Dr. Wilshire is challenging ANYONE to show him the evidence that "supports low fat and low cholesterol dietary recommendations for the population at large."

"Show me some high-quality data," Dr. Wilshire inquired. "Show me that someone has bothered to properly test the 50 year-old hypothesis."

His solution to this dilemma is to place "an immediate moratorium on all population-wide dietary recommendations that lack support from well-performed, prospective, evidence-based human studies."

"Sanity in this field will only come out of a complete overhaul," Dr. Wilshire concluded. "We need to tear down the current edifice of confusion to its most basic foundations, and rebuild it from the bedrock up."

Why HAVE we bought into the low-fat diet as THE one true way to nutritional salvation for so long? Because we've been told? Who told us? Well, it was our doctors and nutritionists, of course. So THEY are the ones who should bear the brunt of responsibility for obesity and need to take Dr. Wilshire's challenge seriously.

While he admits this may not be in "our country's best economic interests" because of the industries that would be adversely impacted by such a move, Dr. Wilshire says he is okay with not resorting to such measures so long as the AHA guidelines are not referred to as "good nutrition, evidence-based, a balanced diet or healthful eating and expect me to buy it or promote it to patients with chronic disease."

"We are in a health crisis in the United States," Dr. Wilshire interjected. "Surely, with all of our accumulated knowledge and wisdom, we can find a workable solution that is supported by evidence, is economically feasible and returns our population to good health."

WOW, wasn't that inspirational to hear from a real live doctor in the United States of America?! Are there ANY other doctors out there who feel the same way and would be willing to admit it? Hurray for Dr. Gil Wilshire for having the testicular fortitude to say what is on his heart and mind about this issue because it is one that will not be going away anytime soon.

What can WE as the patients do to help spread the word about this idea of a moratorium on all dietary recommendations not supported by clear Level 1 evidence? Share your concerns with your doctor or dietitian, write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, and even contact your Congressman and Senators to educate them on this important. With obesity getting worse and worse, something really needs to be done about the information we are being given regarding a healthy diet.

Dr. Gil Wilshire has started the ball moving. Now we must help keep the ball rolling until something is done to change the same old, same old that has led us down this path to begin with. Change will never happen if you just sit on your hands and expect it to. You must play an active role and be willing to share the truth with everyone you know. Now go do it!

7-1-06 UPDATE: It looks like Dr. Gil Wilshire is not the only medical professional fed up with the failed dietary recommendations being hoisted on the public. Dr. Eric Westman, the researcher from Duke University who contributed this recent study about low-carb diets helping people with diabetes, made some eye-opening comments along the same lines as Dr. Wilshire in this recent article in TheHeart.org.

Westman also took issue with the lack of hard outcomes data to support the recommendations for reducing saturated fat and cholesterol intake. "In all the other sections, there are data that link the problem and the recommendations to good data, but this section is particularly weak," Westman argued. In the data cited, saturated- and trans-fat intake is linked to LDL-cholesterol changes, he noted. "Show me a study where these recommendations [for reducing saturated-fat intake] have led to improved outcomes: there isn't one ... In the drug world, you can't rely on intermediate outcome measures anymore, so that makes me wonder about saturated fats. This is pretty controversial to say, but I think we just need better science to say that saturated fat is bad."

Amen, Dr. Westman! We need more scientists and doctors willing to say these things publicly to have the expected impact on our culture. Can we round them all up and hold a press conference to make a big splash in the meida about this? Dr. Wilshire? Dr. Westman? Can it be done? If we care about the health of our country and where we are headed right now, then this is not an option but a MANDATE before it is too late.

Dreamfields Low-Carb Rotini Greek Salad

Dreamfields pasta makes this traditional dish a low-carb one

It's no secret that I am a HUGE fan of Dreamfields low-carb pastas. Why even mess with regular pasta that contains up to 50g carbs per serving when you can enjoy the same great taste and texture of pasta with just 5g digestible carbs? I'm NEVER going back again!


Chef Antonio Cecconi is an Italian cooking genius

When it comes to pasta recipes, nothing beats a great Greek salad. Master chef Antonio Cecconi created this amazing dish using Dreamfields pasta that has a mere 6g digestible carbs in it. Savor every delicious bite as you stay on your low-carb lifestyle while enjoying a great-tasting low-carb rotini Greek salad. Mmmmm!

DREAMFIELDS LOW-CARB ROTINI GREEK SALAD

8 ounces Dreamfields Rotini
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup (2 ounces) Feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
4 ounces Roma tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Directions:
Cook Rotini according to package directions; rinse in cold water and drain well.

Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, basil and oregano until well blended.

Toss pasta gently with vegetables and dressing mixture.

Refrigerate before serving.

Makes 7-8 Side Dish Servings

Nutritionals per serving:
CALORIES: 228
FAT: 11 g
PROTEIN: 6 g
DIGESTIBLE CARBOHYDRATES: 6 g

'Free-loaders' Shut Down TheOmnivore.com

It can sometimes feel like a lonely world for low-carb bloggers who advocate some rather radical ideas that go against the mainstream of popular thought regarding healthy diet and nutrition, but we do it because we feel a deep sense of gratitude for what this way of eating has afforded us in both weight loss and improved health. That's why I always appreciate hearing from people who e-mail me stating how much they have been encouraged and educated as they either begin or continue going through the amazing low-carb lifestyle.

But my heart aches for one of the really true champions of low-carb and healthy living today because he has finally said enough is enough of what he describes as "the self-obsessed, pansy-assed, serial whining weenies that constitute the bulk of today's population." To understand the depths of anguish of this broken man who has been given a swift push over the edge of frustration, you have to hear the rest of what he wrote in an e-mail to the subscribers of his e-newsletter today.

His name is Anthony Colpo and as of June 27, 2006, his wildly popular web site TheOmnivore.com has been all but scrubbed of its content. Poof. Gone forever. Go see for yourself. Go on, I'll wait...

Okay, are you back? What did you see? Basically, there's nothing there except for an infomercial ad for his excellent new book entitled "The Great Cholesterol Con" (which I am still reading and working on an upcoming book review to share with you!) including a very kind link to my exclusive blog interview with Anthony Colpo from earlier this month.

One of my readers e-mailed me today about what happened to TheOmnivore.com.

"I was curious if you knew or could ask [Anthony Colpo] what happened to his site. It was very interesting to research his articles. I myself have my doctor trying to put me on statins and blood pressure medicine and I don't believe it is necessary and I am trying to research low-carb diets and their effects upon CVD. Anthony's site was just starting to open my eye's. Any help in this matter is greatly appreciated."

THANKS for writing and there's a perfectly good answer to those concerns.

Colpo, in his trademark tell-it-like-it-is style of writing, lets it all hang out in his sudden announcement that he was shutting down TheOmnivore.com. As I was reading what he had written about this decision today, it was very apparent to me that the twin monsters of disappointment and disgust had squeezed Colpo so tightly in the past few weeks that he felt the only right thing to do was to bring this incredible labor of love to an end after three glorious years of well-researched, well-documented proof of every point he had made.

In this day and age of wishy-washy science backing up idiotic ideas like the low-fat diet and taking statin drugs to cure our "cholesterol problem," Colpo has been one of only a handful of INDEPENDENT researchers brave enough to take on these status quo principles and expose them as the frauds they are for all the world to see. For the past three years at TheOmnivore.com, that's exactly what Colpo has been doing and he never charged a single red cent for any of this invaluable information he has invested thousands of hours and dollars into providing to the public as a educational service to them.

So when the worldwide debut of his new and high-anticipated book was launched just one month ago on May 29, 2006, Colpo was expecting great sales ostensibly from all of the hundreds of thousands of people who had visited TheOmnivore.com since 2003 as well as those curious about the evidence he presented in his book that verifiably proved the cholesterol problem is just one big con job, a scam. But, alas, it hasn't happened...yet.

Now Colpo is upset and mad because he said the lack of sales with his book proves to him that his web site was nothing more than "a magnet for free-loaders who seem to be under the impression that I am obligated to furnish them with free diet and health info on tap."

"So far, ["The Great Cholesterol Con" is] selling VERY slowly," Colpo lamented.

Despite rave reviews, but suffering from the "lack of interest" from a major book publisher which forced him to self-publish, Colpo said he needs a lot of "word-of-mouth" advertising to help him overcome the great obstacles that stand in the way of the book getting into the hands of those who need it the most.

"Judging by the sales figures over at [print-on-demand publisher] Lulu, only a small fraction of my newsletter subscribers have even bothered to buy the book," Colpo revealed. "Yet I still get people emailing to tell me what a great guy I am, how great the (free) info on my web site is and still wanting (free) answers to their questions."

Allow me to interject some personal experience with a self-published book and the expectation of sales. While my book about my 180-pound weight loss experience entitled "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" is an entirely different book altogether from Colpo's book, I think the same perspective applies. Everyone who ever writes a book has a certain goal of how many books they HOPE they can sell which doesn't always match the reality that happens when the book finally makes it to print.

My modest goal was to sell about 5,000 copies of my book overall. Since it released in October 2005, I have sold about 1,000 copies to date through my print-on-demand publisher Booklocker.com as well as through Amazon.com and other retail book outlets. Am I devastated that the sales of my book haven't been more brisk than they have been? Nah! The way I see it, my weight loss was such an enormous blessing in my life and my book was simply my way of sharing that blessing with those who needed a good kick in the pants from someone who's been there and overcome his obesity for good.

For Colpo, though, I can see why he would take the lack of sales with his book so personally. He has put in the research, dotting all the "i's" and crossing all the "t's" to cover his bases, and providing very clear evidence in support of his claims. The man has sacrificed much of the last three years of his young life doing work that he felt needed to be done all for the sake of providing people with an invaluable resource on one of the most important health topics of the day. This was Colpo's magnum opus to take on the medical community front and center.

So right about now, he's feeling dejected and disenchanted for believing his enormous sacrifices have all seemed to go to waste. I cannot speak for Colpo, but I am sure he even senses a bit of betrayal based on what he wrote in his newsletter about the supposed cheapskates who whimpered to him about having to pay for international shipping charges.

"Here I am, having self-published a book that has literally costs me thousands of dollars out of my own pocket (and caused me more than a few headaches along the way) to bring to market, and in return I get disgruntled wankers writing to complain about how they have to pay an extra ten piddly bucks to have the book delivered to their country," Colpo exclaimed.

This is undoubtedly the worst possible thing that could have happened for Anthony Colpo in his mind. Perhaps it would have been better had he never even written his outstanding book than to see slow sales in the first month of its release. But I believe patience is a virtue and can very possibly pay off for Colpo if he doesn't jump ship too early.

While his LuLu sales have been unspectacular (currently #218 overall), his performance at Amazon.com is quite respectable in the 3,000 sales range overall. To help move his book higher up the charts at Amazon, there needs to be a concerted effort on the part of a whole bunch of buyers all at the same time to shoot it close to the top of the book charts overall. Savvy marketing execs with the big publishing companies as well as astute authors have already figured this out and urge their readers to hold off on buying the book until a certain date.

Why couldn't we do the same with Colpo's "The Great Cholesterol Con?" If you haven't purchased your copy of his book yet, but would like to support solid scientific research from an accomplished researcher and thinker, then let's set one particular day when we all agree to buy it to help move the book higher up the charts to attract more attention to potential buyers who NEED to read it.

How about if we shoot for Friday, June 30, 2006 at 12:00pm EST as the time when we all go to this link to the book at Amazon.com in a show of support for our friend and fellow low-carber Anthony Colpo in his time of need. If 100 people did this all at the same time, then the book would possibly move into the Top 100 overall. If 500+ of us did it, then we could ostensibly see Colpo's book break into the Top 10 bestselling books overall and quite possibly move to #1! Wouldn't that be GREAT?!

Do you know what a statement that would make to those idiot publishers who gave a yawning pass to this book when Colpo pitched it to them as a manuscript several years back? It would be sweet revenge for him and he would be the one to have the last laugh in the end. Won't you join me in this effort and have all of your friends and family members join in on the fun, too? Low-carbers, unite!

You might be wonder why you should reward Anthony Colpo with your money and support. Here's how he explains it.

"[The independent researchers] are ordinary people who have to clothe, feed and shelter ourselves, and receive virtually no financial assistance from anyone for doing so," Colpo explained. "The main sources of research money are governments and drug companies; these organizations are hardly going to provide us with funds when they are the very organizations whose corruption, greed and incompetence we are seeking to expose! And contrary to the claims of certain shameless commentators who cannot factually dispute our arguments, we do NOT receive a single damn cent from the meat, dairy or egg industries."

You see, it's an uphill battle for people like Colpo who would like to continue offering the high-quality research and information that he has been providing to the public, but he needs to take care of himself financially, too. Again, I can understand this point. When I started my blog in April 2005, my main goal was to educate and encourage people about low-carb living and losing weight just like I did. My daily investment of time and energy is a reflection of my commitment to continuing on with what I am doing without ever receiving any compensation for doing so.

Do I wish I could get paid to write at my blog? Duh?! Who wouldn't, especially with the great number of columns I have written since I started (getting close to 1,000 posts overall from the time I began!). There are other things I could be doing with my time such as working out at the gym, spending time with my wife Christine, enjoying other hobbies and activities...ANYTHING ELSE! :)

But I have chosen to spend my weeknights and weekends with YOU. That's MY choice, just as Colpo chose to provide the information that he did at TheOmnivore.com like he did. I guess he expected more because he has paid his dues (and I certainly don't blame him for thinking that), but the reality is people want good information that they don't have to pay for. I understand that to a certain degree as someone who pinches pennies as much as anyone.

However, let me be frank: I have never expected the majority of my readers at this blog to buy my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" book as a way to pay me back for writing as much as I do about livin' la vida low-carb. Don't get me wrong, if someone wants to do that, I certainly won't stop them! :D

Nevertheless, it would be incredibly shortsighted of me to EXPECT that to happen automatically and I never have. Do I want people who come here to buy my book? Sure. I invested a lot of my life last year writing that 188-page masterpiece with several spelling and grammar errors in it (thanks for pointing them ALL out to me, Newbirth!). Yet, I won't be begging you to buy it because that just not my style.

Buy it if you believe in what I am doing and want to support me, but I don't want anyone to ever feel obligated to make the purchase because they feel like they owe it to me. Do it because you want to encourage yourself or an overweight friend or loved one to shed the pounds and get healthy like me.

There is one point Colpo makes that I've run into as well.

"Please do NOT have the audacity to write asking questions that are already addressed at length in the book…just BUY the damn book already," he stated.

People have written me e-mails claiming they have read my book and say they have a few "unanswered" questions for me. Then, when they ask the questions that I supposedly didn't answer, I'll go back to my book and find the page number where I addressed the issue very clearly and send them an e-mail back telling them how they can find what they are looking for. It's funny how I NEVER hear back from those people again after I do that! :D

While Colpo takes some very unnecessary pot shots at Dr. Robert C. Atkins and Dr. Arthur Agatston towards the end of his self-described "rant," I can forgive him for making such comments in his momentary fit of anger over this whole fiasco. Right now, Anthony Colpo needs to feel wanted, like all the time he has put into research has been worth SOMETHING, and he needs something positive to happen for him. That's why the planned BUY day for his book at Amazon.com is sorely needed this Friday.

What's Anthony Colpo going to do now that he has brought a "permanent" end to TheOmnivore.com?

Well, he's going to keep promoting that magnificent book of his and post any "emerging news" from the "corporate-controlled media" about it (like shooting up the charts at Amazon perhaps?!) at TheOmnivore.com. He will also be adding links to the various book reviews, including mine, as they are written in the coming weeks.

He is also going to keep his enormous newsletter subscriber list and pass on "any newsworthy items" worth mentioning from time to time. Additionally, Colpo has another FREE web site in the works that he said will have "special appeal to all those of you who follow low-carb diets and are also into strength and/or endurance activities."

"It will be a project that will hopefully provide far more personal satisfaction and possibly even financial reward than TheOmnivore. If you are a low-carbing bodybuilder or athlete, then you may want to stay on the newsletter list to learn when this project goes live."

I'll let you know more about this new web site when Colpo is ready to launch it.

And the writing bug has hit him again as a new "fat loss book" is in the works for Colpo, which he said "will once and for all address the unrepentant stupidity of people who think that eating high/low-fat/carbs/protein at the same calorie intake awards some sort of magical, mystical weight loss advantage."

Oh, THAT oughta be one doozy of a book, for sure! I can't wait to get it!

I have nothing but great admiration and respect for this man Anthony Colpo. He is a hero in my book for refusing to back down from the naysayers who told him he could never prove his theories about fat and cholesterol were right. This is the kind of independent-thinking people we need fighting for our cause in the debate of ideas over health. We need to encourage him to keep doing what he is doing by giving just a small sacrifice of our money to buy his book in an effort to show him there are people who care about what he is doing and want to see him further the research even more.

Who knows, maybe enough of you will respond to the removal of TheOmnivore.com in such a way that he realizes it was a mistake to pull the outstanding content he had for people to access at TheOmnivore.com and ultimately decide to bring it back. But this researcher needs to see some evidence that people really DO support what he is doing and DO want to see more of it in the future.

Are you going to join me and the hundreds of others who will band together behind Anthony Colpo on Friday, June 30, 2006 at 12:00pm EST to buy his book "The Great Cholesterol Con?" We can shock the whole world with this monumental piece of literary history if the truth can be told unabeted. We CAN make it happen!

While he may or may not answer your e-mail since he is inundated with them on a daily basis, you can send Anthony Colpo your comments about what he is going through and let him know that you plan on participating in my effort to shoot his book up the charts on Friday by e-mailing him at ac.theomnivore@gmail.com. It's the least we can do for a man who has given us so much for so long.

6-29-06 UPDATE: Anthony Colpo has a special message for readers of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb."

Dear Jimmy,

I want to sincerely thank you for your kind support - I was extremely flattered by the fact that you are trying to rally your readers to buy my book on Friday, June 30! I'm not sure how it'll pan out, but mate, it's terrific that you feel strongly enough to try!

And now at the risk of sounding unappreciative, I need to set the record straight about what you wrote in this post. Mate, I know you meant well, but reading through your commentary, one could easily be forgiven for thinking that this Anthony Colpo fellow had sunk hopelessly into a deep, dark bout of severe depression. Reading through your piece, I started to feel sorry for this allegedly despondent and dejected guy who sounded like he was ready to grab his favorite carving knife and end it all - until I remembered that you were talking about me!!!

Jimmy, generally I don't give a hoot about what others think of me, because experience has taught me that most people just aren't very good at thinking. However, I do want to make one thing perfectly clear: I do NOT want people feeling sorry for me, and I am definitely NOT "depressed", "despondent", or "dejected"! For the record, I don't get depressed - it's just not my nature. When I see, hear or read something that I believe is unfair, unjust or just plain sucks, I don't sink into a self-pitying slump. Usually, just the opposite happens - I get irate and indignant, I get fired up, and I want to do something about it.

That's why I started TheOmnivore over 3 years ago; I realized people were frequently being fed a load of bull on health and diet issues. Instead of sitting around whining about this (like many of my critics), I figured I would start up my own web site and share what I had learnt with anyone who was interested in listening.

Likewise, when I recently came to the realization that TheOmnivore.com was becoming more of a liability than an asset to me, that it had bought some great people into my life but had also attracted way too many malevolents, and that many of my readers were more than happy to avail themselves of my free information but suddenly suffered from paralysis when it came to coughing up some money for my new book, then I figured it was time to change direction and close the site down. Again, I didn't whine and fume over the whole scenario - I simply closed up shop and decided to shift my focus elsewhere. As the sole creator and legal owner of TheOmnivore.com, I was perfectly entitled do so.

I sent out my 'rant' the other day for two reasons:

1) A lot of people were asking what had happened to the site, and I figured it prudent to officially explain to my readers that I had shut the site down and why. I could have ignored the queries, or I could have issued a generic, bland, politically correct statement painstakingly designed not to offend in anyone in any possible way - the kind that usually leaves more questions than it answers. Instead, I figured I'd simply tell the truth. My 'rant' explained exactly why I shut the site down. I really can't understand why anyone would be offended by my candidness - I have explained several times on my site that my objective is to tell the truth as I see it, NOT to timidly tip-toe through life in the hope that I don't pee anyone off. I guess some folks just don't get something, no matter how many times you tell them!

If being true to myself and at the same time letting my readers know what is going on is "throwing a tantrum", as one of your readers has suggested, so be it. Let him/her start their own web site and pump the same prodigious amount of time and effort that I did, take on all-comers as I did, answer thousands of emails like I did, send out hundreds of newsletters like I did, and post hundreds of articles free of charge like I did. When this person and his/her ilk have done this, then they can judge me. Until then, their opinion, quite frankly, doesn't mean jack!

2) I wanted to send a wake-up call to people. Those simpletons out there who are insinuating that my pulling TheOmnivore was some sort of "revenge" strategy really don't have a clue. None whatsoever!

What I wanted to get across to people is this: Society needs to take a GOOD, LONG HARD LOOK at the way it treats its whistleblowers and dissenters! We need these people, because they are the ones with the cajones to stand up and point out when corruption exists, injustices are occurring, lies are being spread, and people are being unnecessarily disadvantaged, hurt, or even killed.

In my rant, I spoke of my experience with this phenomenon, because my experience is the one I am best qualified to talk about. But, hey, let's forget about me completely and discuss another more famous example - Dr. Kilmer McKully. Here's a guy who proposed a plausible and compelling alternative hypothesis for atherosclerosis, and who, instead of being congratulated, became the target of a vilification campaign by an orthodoxy that had already committed itself to the cholesterol theory. He lost his job, became the subject of a rather unsavory defamation campaign, and could not find another job for a long time despite his prestigious Harvard qualifications.

Contrast the treatment given to the ground-breaking McKully with that given to people like M. Cass Wheeler, who gets US $600,000 a year to head the American Heart Association, a so-called 'non-profit' organization with over a BILLION dollars in assets, that spends almost $20 million a year on travel and conferences, and that has UTTERLY FAILED in its alleged efforts to reduce the incidence of heart disease, despite 50 years' of trying (with other people's money).

Am I the only one who thinks this is an appalling state of affairs?

People who point out the fallacies inherent in many officially endorsed myths are vilified, attacked, threatened, labeled crackpots and 'conspiracy theorists', and are taken for granted even by their alleged 'supporters'! And, while their adversaries often have huge media and financial resources at their disposal, the dissenters typically struggle for funds and recognition to boot!

My point is that, if people truly believe in justice and fairness and the truth, then they have to get behind those who fight for these things, not stand by and watch like it's all some sort of entertaining spectacle while these people struggle and get attacked.

This is why I was ticked off at the lack of support for my book from many of my readers. My book is one way in which all those hundreds of people who have claimed to be "right with you buddy!" in my fight against the anti-cholesterol theory can show that they mean it, that their support amounts to more than just empty praise. Was I ticked off when this support was not forthcoming? You bet! And I was perfectly candid with people about this. If honesty and directness are "childish" or equate to "throwing a tantrum", then again, c'est la vie…If that's the case, I think this world needs a lot more "childishness"!

If my recent rant helped jolt even a few people out of their complacency, then I consider it to be the MOST IMPORTANT THING I'VE EVER POSTED. And that appears to be exactly what has happened. I've only had one nasty email so far, all the rest have been highly positive.

I have had people admit to me that they didn't buy my book because they figured they knew 'enough' about the cholesterol issue thanks to all the free info at sites like TheOmnivore and THINCS. When people read my book, they'll realize these sites only scratch(ed) the surface!

I've had people write to thank me because they had procrastinated about buying the book but my email prompted them to take action and get it.

I've had other people who have also worked/acted in the capacity of information providers who have emailed to tell me that my comments were spot-on and mirrored their own experiences.

Not long after I sent out my newsletter 'rant' yesterday morning, the sales picture for my book changed dramatically. The book promptly cracked the 2,000 mark on amazon, and I noticed Lulu had suddenly sold more copies in a matter of hours than they had in the last 2 weeks! Three additional 5-star reviews appeared on amazon. It almost felt like I had awoken a sleeping giant. Hopefully this will be the turnaround, the point that marks greater things for this book.

I will reiterate that I have put my heart and soul into this book, and passionately wish for as many people as possible to read it so that we can put the hideous cholesterol myth out of its misery once and for all. It is a hideous myth - one that has diverted attention from the REAL causes of heart disease and has cost millions of lives in the process. Nothing would make me happier than to the see this disgraceful state of affairs demolished. It was this pitiful lack of meaningful knowledge on the topic of CVD that helped cost my father his life back in 1996.

His memory, and the knowledge of others who have needlessly suffered the same fate, drives me. For all those who think such drive is unbecoming…what can I say…go tell someone who cares, because I don't! Life is way too short to worry about the opinions of people whose nutritional career highlight will be restricted to spouting off nonsense on internet chat forums…

Take care Jimmy, keep fighting the good fight,

Anthony Colpo

Okay, so there it is from the horse's mouth himself. Any comments?

6-29-06 UPDATE: Here are more intriguing, thought-provoking thoughts about Colpo's decision to pull TheOmnivore.com from the Plant Poisons and Rotten Stuff blog.

'Liquid Splenda' Has Arrived With FiberFit

FiberFit provides low-carbers sucralose and fiber in liquid form

Growing up in the 1980s, my father owned several family-styled restaurants in the western part of Tennessee. I can remember going to his restaurants sitting at the table in one of the booths playing with the napkin holder, salt and pepper shakers, coffee creamers, and whatever else I could get my hands on.

There was one distinctively-shaped bottle of clear liquid that my dad had on the tables for his customers to use in their iced tea or coffee called Ril-Sweet. Of course, this was a saccharin-based product which came in an odd-looking triangular container and was a very popular sugar substitute long before the days of Nutrasweet, Splenda, and ACE-K.

I remember when I was 10 years old my brother Kevin dared me to take a swig of the Ril-Sweet. Being the brave (or stupid!) kid that I was, I took him up on his challenge and puckered up my lips to the bottle without hesitation to take a big suck of this stuff. Sllllllluuurrrp! :-~

Uh-oh, what have I done...

The first thing I thought about was how incredibly sweet this stuff was, but then it hit me. You know what I'm talking about. That disgusting wang of a taste that saccharin has hit me upside the head like a 2X4 and had me gagging for some water to clean my mouth out with. I zoomed towards the bathroom and even used some soap to clean off my tongue because this stuff was so gross.

Later on that day, I saw my dad squirting this Ril-Sweet product (no, not the one I had my mouth on!) in the sweet tea he made for the customers at his restaurant. I asked him why he didn't just use sugar and he said it was cheaper for him to do half sugar/half saccharin. Oh, okay. That was about as far as my curiosity took me on that topic and I just knew to avoid drinking the sweet iced tea from then on. :D

Now it's 2006 and how times have changed in the past quarter century. With incredible advances in sweetening technology, companies can't seem to come out with their supposedly better-tasting artificial sweeteners fast enough. But there is one company who has a product available for the sugar-free consumer that pulls together the best aspects of Ril-Sweet without the disgusting aftertaste that had me running to the restroom to rinse my mouth out.

It's called FiberFit from a company named Nutragenics. This handy-dandy bottle of sugar-free goodness is basically "liquid Splenda." They aren't allowed to call it that, of course, but that's exactly what it is. And if that wasn't enough, they also have fortified this form of sucralose with healthy soluble fiber as well for a sweet bonus feature to FiberFit.

Each teaspoon serving of FiberFit contains just 4 calories and 1g fiber. Better yet, there are a grand total of ZERO (that's a beautiful number!) net carbs for those of you counting carbs on your low-carb lifestyle. Even better is the fact that this one little teaspoon of FiberFit actually has the sweetness of about EIGHT teaspoons of sugar. WOWsers!

When I tasted this stuff (no, I didn't chug-a-lug it like I did the Ril-Sweet), I was immediately captivated by the pleasant taste it had, something that had alluded me in my previous experience with a liquid artificial sweetener. Bad memories, bad memories! But FiberFit was different and I knew it right away. WE HAVE A WINNER!

Unlike some of those "other" liquid sweeteners that break down when they are cooked, FiberFit can easily be used in any cooking or baking recipe that calls for a sweetener. This product is so versatile you'll find yourself using it in everything from low-carb cakes to, yes, even iced tea. Something tells me FiberFit works a lot better than Ril-Sweet ever did! :D

Needless to say, this product is not only PERFECT for people who are livin' la vida low-carb, but is also great for diabetics and anyone who is attempting to kick the sugar habit for good. Let FiberFit help you do just that in the most delightful way! I highly recommend this to anyone who needs to eliminate sugar from their diet (that SHOULD be everyone!) and add some extra fiber to your system as well.

The liquid form of FiberFit comes in two sizes: the 4 fl. oz is the perfect traveling mate to take with you to restaurants and other occasions outside the home while the economy-size 16 fl. oz bottle is perfect for all the uses you will have for it in your home. For those of you who still prefer a powdered form of sucralose, but you want the added benefit that comes from the fiber found in FiberFit, then you might want to try the 8 oz. container.

Remember the name when you want some "liquid Splenda" -- it's FiberFit!

Dave's Top Ten List Of Reasons For Obesity

Biostatician David Allison mimics another famous Dave with Top 10 list

One of the most recognizable features on American television today has got to be the infamous Top 10 list from late-night satirist and small screen legend David Letterman. He's featured lists of all sorts throughout the years on issues involving mostly politics, sports, celebrities, and much, much more.

Well, this Detroit Free Press column features a top ten list from another Dave -- professor of Biostatistics Statistical Genetics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Dr. David Allison -- who with the help of 19 experts on diet, health and nutrition from around the world came up with his very own Top Ten list of reasons for obesity.

Oh this should be good!

After pouring over in excess of 100 studies on obesity, here is what the researchers came up with to explain why obesity exists apart from poor diet and lack of exercise:

TOP 10 LIST OF REASONS FOR OBESITY
1. Inadequate sleep

We live in a fast-paced society in 2006 and sleep seems to be a luxury of the past. But, as my fellow low-carb blogger Regina Wilshire has previously blogged about, not getting an adequate amount of sleep can actually cause you to gain weight. There's no question in my mind that robbing your body of the restorative factors that come from healthy amounts of sleep will weaken your immune system and cause your body to not function at its optimal level. I know I feel best when I have had a minimum of 7-8 hours sleep at night. Try to get that into your busy schedule if at all possible.

2. Endocrine disruptors

Say what? Well, these are synthetic chemicals that are found in certain kinds of foods that can transform fats in the body and cause problems with your body working as it is designed to function. These disrupters can include diethylstilbesterol (the drug DES), dioxin, PCBs, DDT, and some other pesticides. If you ever wanted a good reason to start eating more organic, whole foods as part of your low-carb lifestyle, then here you go!

3. Nice temperatures

Ah, the comforts of modern-day living. Rest and relax in your nice air-conditioned homes and offices when the weather is scorching hot and your warm and cozy heat in the dead of winter. But is that leading us to become overweight and obese? The researchers say we aren't burning as many calories because of this. Phooey on that! I'd rather be comfortable chillin' in my air-conditioned room while I'm working and then sweating my pants off when I go workout. The comforts of life should not be blamed as a causal factor in our obesity if we make the time to exercise.

4. Fewer people smoking

And this is a BAD thing? Anyone who lights up one of these cancer sticks is just asking for trouble. That's why the Surgeon General announced on Tuesday that second-hand smoke in restaurants is posing a public health risk. What's the reasoning on this one? Smoking supposedly curbs the appetite. Somebody needs to tell that to Bubba over there who smokes a pack a day and is pushing 350 pounds! Absurd! What about all this second-hand smoke that's everywhere? If it suppresses the appetite, then we should ALL be skinny people, right?!

5. Medicines that cause weight gain

I do not like taking medicines of ANY kind. Period. That's just me. I'm sure there are wonderful advances in medicine that have helped a whole lot of people get better, but I'm the kind of person who would rather take things naturally to cure my ailments. So the impact of medicines on weight gain is probably a valid point. I shudder to think what people who take handfuls of prescription drugs each day are doing to their bodies. Eeebie jeebies...oooooh!

6. Population changes

People hang on to their weight longer in life. Yeah, so what else is new. That's a sign of affluence in our society, unfortunately, and it reaches across all segments of our population. Additionally, minority groups have been found to add to the obesity statistics in disproportional numbers from Caucasians, especially Hispanics. This still doesn't explain WHY they get obese though.

7. Older birth moms

Is this prevalent in our society? I would think most women who give birth are in their 20's and 30's, but I might be wrong about this. The researchers say the age a woman gives birth to a child, the more that child will weigh throughout his or her life. This is another one I'm not convinced is true. Oh well, I guess since my mom was 60 when she had me that I'll be destined to be fat forever. That's fatalistic to me and takes away the personal responsibility that person has to manage his or her weight. Nope, this one's not good enough in my book.

8. Genetic influences during pregnancy

Do genetics CAUSE obesity? A lot of people seem to think so. I'm not one of them. While your genes and environment can certainly make it more likely you will become obese than not in certain circumstances, those factors can be altered when someone is set upon losing weight and keeping it off. I proved that with my own 180-pound weight loss despite the fact that my entire family is still fat except for my mom who had gastric bypass surgery. Hereditary obesity is an urban legend and anyone who tells you otherwise just wants you to stay overweight or obese forever!

9. Darwinian natural selection

Now this one piqued my interest. The researchers found that fat people actually live longer than skinny people, so there are more big people left around. Huh? Is that right? This doesn't make sense to me since most overweight and obese people have to deal with weight-related diseases and limitations on their quality of life. But maybe I've missed something here. This doesn't make me want to go gaining back my weight again anytime soon...or EVER!

10. Assortative mating

We humans bond with other humans like us. The researchers believe that fat people breeds with other fat people which then creates young fat people who grow up to meet other fat people -- YADDA YADDA YADDA! I can follow this logic to a point, but it totally disregards the fact that many overweight or obese men and women are not desirable enough to thinner members of the opposite sex that they must settle for a larger mate. Ouch, that sounded cruel, didn't it? But am I right? I was fortunate enough to marry a woman who weighed 95 pounds when I weighed 350 pounds back in 1995. Over ten years later, we are now less than 100 pounds from each other's weight. LOL! Christine hates it when I tell people that!

The results of this study were published in the latest issue of The International Journal Of Obesity.

This list is all well and good, but I couldn't help but start thinking of so many more reasons for obesity that were not mentioned on this list. How about sugar consumption (which was probably left off the list because it is tied to diet), an overbearing mother or father, emotional and psychological scars from a traumatic event, and so many other ideas that come to mind? Where do THESE factors fit in to explain why obesity is so prevalent in today's society and why were they left off this list?

By the way, in case you were not aware, Dr. Allison is most famous for his 1999 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found obesity was responsible for 300,000 deaths which was then subsequently used as the basis for the Center for Disease Control's revised number of 400,000 deaths. Interesting, all of these numbers were later found to be 100% completely bogus.

It seems Dr. Allison has some questionable ties to some heavy players in the weight loss industry, so it makes you wonder what his motive is for putting together a top ten list like this one.

We have a vested interest in seeing the obesity epidemic hyped, do we, Dr. Allison? Hmmmm? Perhaps Dr. Allison is the kind of figure author Eric Oliver is referring to about perpetuating the obesity crisis in his book "Fat Politics." Maybe?

How about you? What do you think of this top ten list Dr. Allison and his "experts" came up with? Do you have any other non-diet and exercise explanations for obesity that you think are obviously missing and are you buying these ones Dr. Allison and his gang of 19 health experts came up with? Share your thoughts by clicking on the comment link below.

You can e-mail Dr. David Allison about his top ten list at DAllison@uab.edu.

Atkins Foundation Establishes Yet Another Endowed Chair For Obesity, Diabetes Research

Although several years have passed since the untimely passing of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins, the generosity and dedication of his gracious wife Veronica Atkins to push for more low-carb research to continue on for many years to come is something the namesake of the Atkins diet would be so very proud of if he were still around today and I believe is helping solidify the lasting legacy that this one man has made on the history of diet, nutrition and health worldwide.

This Dallas Morning News story reports that Veronica Atkins has agreed to donate $2 million through her New York-based Dr. Robert C. Atkins Foundation to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center so they can create the "Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Chair in Obesity and Diabetes Research."

Respected molecular genetics and internal medicine researcher Dr. Jay Horton has been announced as the benefactor of that chair, whose team of 23 other researchers are busy looking at the behavioral, metabolic and molecular mechanisms that lead to obesity and metabolic syndrome. The research dollars with Dr. Horton and his team will be money well spent in furthering the science behind low-carb into the foreseeable future.

For those who are unaware of what The Atkins Foundation is and does, it was established three years ago with a $40 million gift as part of the independent public charity called the National Philanthropic Trust. The Atkins Foundation was started by Veronica Atkins to provide money for the ongoing research into the role of nutrition and metabolism in managing major issues involving public health, namely obesity and Type 2 diabetes. These were two issues that Dr. Atkins was most passionate about throughout his career and now Mrs. Atkins is carrying on that tradition speaking out about dealing with diabetes with low-carb as well as defending the low-carb lifestyle that millions of people have used to lose weight and get healthy.

In fact, since 2004, a total of $15.5 million has been donated through The Atkins Foundation to endow seven other academic chairs at various medical centers across the country, the most recent one was another $2 million chair set up at Dr. Atkins' alma mater, The University of Michigan, last month.

Serving as the chairwoman of The Atkins Foundation, Veronica Atkins said each these donations which have been made are sorely needed at this time to fund quality research facilities where "accomplished individuals are pushing the envelope of conventional thinking – literally putting ideas under a microscope and applying acceptable scientific methods to test them."

This echoes exactly what Dr. Mary Vernon recently shared in her exclusive interview with me a couple of weeks ago. Without the monies provided by Veronica Atkins, low-carb research would, in essence, be dead as a doorknob and worst of all is nobody would even care either. That's why the National Insitutes of Health (NIH) needs to be lobbied to start funding some of this research if they are going to be serious about taking on the growing twin epidemics of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Call your Congressman and Senators and urge them to push for low-carb research today!

Speaking on behalf of the University of Texas Southwestern, school president Dr. Kern Wildenthal said the reality of obesity and its related diseases is one of "the biggest health problems facing developed countries" today.

"We are honored to have a chair named for Dr. Atkins, who was so passionate about obesity prevention, and we're very grateful to his wife, who is so successfully continuing his mission," Dr. Wildenthal remarked at the news of the donation.

Thank God for people like Veronica Atkins who stand strong in the face of the fatalists who were hoping low-carb would just mysteriously disappear from the face of the Earth. Because of her commitment to carry on the incredible legacy of her husband, those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb will be able to smile and celebrate in the years to come as study after study after study continues to point to the low-carb nutritional approach for fighting obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and much, much more.

It's gonna be exciting to watch it all unfold and we owe a big debt of gratitude to Mrs. Atkins and to the work that her husband began promoting over three decades ago. God bless this hero of low-carbers everywhere who was way ahead of his time with his belief in the low-carb lifestyle.

Decades from now when the low-fat ideology is merely a fading memory and low-carb is finally accepted as an equally effective way to manage both weight and health, medical students and the general public alike will be told about this man named Dr. Robert C. Atkins who bucked the trend throughout his career for the sake of sharing with people the truth about healthy living. It will be sweet vindication for a man who has been unfairly and maliciously maligned for daring to challenge the status quo. May we all have the courage to live our lives as fervently as Dr. Atkins did!

Proof Positive That Sugar Shatters Your Health

Dr. Nancy Appleton is one of the fiercest opponents of sugar

Despite all the evidence pointing to how unhealthy it is for people to consume, sugar is still given a virtual free pass by many of the so-called health experts in this country because they don't believe it is a contributing factor to obesity and health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and worse. It doesn't help matters that they cite studies showing sugar is good for mental health, healthy living in general, and other such idiotic nonsense. That's why the average American consumes a whopping 146 pounds of sugar every year! Ay-yi-yi!

Nevertheless, people who have researched the definite detrimental impact sugar is having on the body know that it is much worse for you to consume than fat ever will be and has certain addictive properties which lead to obesity and its related diseases. We should probably thank the late Dr. Robert C. Atkins for bringing this to the forefront of the American health debate.

One of my faithful readers (there's a LOT of you out there now, too!) e-mailed me the other day with the most unique list of reasons why you should avoid eating sugar and it even includes all the references to support each and every claim. The list was compiled by anti-sugar author and spokeswoman Dr. Nancy Appleton.

My reader said her life has changed ever since she was able to "kick that sugar habit" after applying what she learned in this blog post I wrote last year as well as in my 7 tips for kicking sugar for good and even referenced in my book "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb".

"If people would just realize what sugar, HFCS, and white flour does to their bodies, they'd avoid it like rat poison," my reader wrote.

This week will be the one-year sugar-free anniversary for my reader and I couldn't be prouder to have played a small role in that happening. She's lost 25 pounds, but more importantly is the fact that she feels better than she has in a very long time.

"The best part is that I don't even miss it. I can walk by the bakery section at Kroger or Wal-Mart and actually get nauseous from the overwhelming smell sugar."

That's an amazing story of transformation and I can certainly relate 2 1/2 years after I kicked sugar for good. I would probably throw up now if I ever consumed more than a gram or two of sugar in one sitting ever again. I don't even want to THINK about it!

My co-workers know that I avoid sugar, but they still do everything in their power to try to tempt me with doughnuts, cakes, pies, cupcakes and more. But I am livin' la vida low-carb now and I CAN'T ever have those things again. One bite leads to one more and one more and the addiction starts all over again.

"You mean you don't and won't ever eat sugar like you did before ever again?!"

I get that question a lot from sincere people who must not think it is humanly possible to ditch sugar. My response is delivered with the most honest voice and look I can give when I say, "I can't and won't do that to my body ever again and I'm happy with that decision."

People who either don't struggle with their weight or just don't care have no concept of how monumental the decision to stop eating sugar is. It's lifechanging because it allows you to experience life free from the physical and even emotional bondage that sugar puts you though. The negative impact of sugar on our bodies is worse than any of us probably even realize.

After narrowing down the choices, here are my top 10 from Dr. Appleton's list of the 146 reasons why sugar is ruining your health:

1. Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
2. Sugar can weaken eyesight.
3. Sugar can produce an acidic digestive tract.
4. Sugar can cause premature aging.
5. Sugar contributes to obesity
6. Sugar can cause heart disease.
7. Sugar is enemy #1 of the bowel movement.
8. Sugar can cause depression.
9. Sugar feeds cancer.
10. Sugar is an addictive substance.

Do you have a story of how you overcame your sugar addiction like this reader and this 148-pound weight loss success story? Please feel free to tell us what you did to do it once and for all, including how long you have been off of sugar and what life is like for you today.

Free free to e-mail Dr. Nancy Appleton at info@nancyappleton.com or visit her web site at NancyAppleton.com.

6-28-06 UPDATE: Here is the very nice e-mail note I received from Dr. Nancy Appleton today.

Dear Jimmy,

What a great website. Spread the word. My mouth is not large enough.

Warmly,
Nancy

THANKS for writing to me, Nancy. We need more people like you willing to share the evidence that consuming sugar is harming our health. Please let me know if there is anything me and my readers can do to help you in this fight. Take care!

Obesity Nullifies Prostate Cancer Treatment

Dr. Sara Strom found obesity/prostate cancer tied to one another

This Washington Post story shares the results of a remarkable new study that found men who are overweight or obese are more likely to have a recurrence of prostate cancer even after undergoing risky and painful radiation treatments.

Lead researcher Dr. Sara S. Strom, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, theorized that there was a connection between carrying around excessive body fat and the progression of prostate cancer even after radiation treatment and sought to prove it with her study.

Dr. Strom and her researchers searched through the medical records of 873 prostate cancer patients treated at the cancer center she works during the 14-year time period between 1988-2001. She discovered that nearly one in five (18 percent) of them were considered "mildly obese" and another 5 percent were moderately to severely obese based on their body mass index (BMI).

Every single one of the 873 men Dr. Strom looked at for her study had already undergone external-beam radiotherapy to treat their prostate cancer and their health was being observed using digital rectal exams as well as prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests which checks for the blood protein that indicates prostate cancer exists.

According to her study, Dr. Strom said the moderate to severely obese men experience a 70 percent chance of developing another cancerous tumor in the prostate than their skinnier counterparts in the study.

This was due to the revelation made in a previous study conducted by Dr. Strom that found men who carry around extra weight tend to experience an increase in their PSA levels following radiation treatment compared with the normal weight men. In fact, she added that moderate to severely obese men experienced nearly double the risk of developing elevated PSA levels.

"Together, these studies confirm that a man's level of obesity can be a significant factor in how well he fares after standard treatments for prostate cancer," Dr. Strom concluded.

This study is set to be published in the August 1, 2006 issue of the scientific journal Cancer.

I recently had a PSA blood test done after I was having trouble urinating. My doctor sent me to a urologist who put me on antibiotics for several weeks before the issue cleared up. But my doctor was concerned I might have an even more serious issue and had me do the simple blood test to check my PSA level.

When the nurse got the results back a few days later, she called me on my cell phone and said to me, "Mr. Moore, what are you doing?" That was a somewhat vague question to ask me out of the blue, so I answered, "I'm sitting here talking with someone who's got some good news to tell me." She laughed and then reported, "We've never seen someone with a PSA level of 0.8 before and we wanted to know what you are doing?"

Dumb me was even clueless to know what that meant, so I asked, "Is that good?" Again, she laughed at my response and said anything below 4.0 is VERY good. Oh! WOW! That is really good then! WOO HOO! I was thrilled and I'm sure it's due in no small part to the 180 pounds I lost on the low-carb lifestyle in 2004. I don't even want to think about what my PSA level was when I weighed 410 pounds. Those days are long gone now!

I wonder if my low-carb eating habits and regular exercise have anything to do with my PSA being where it is. Any insights from those who know more about this stuff would be greatly appreciated.

Dr. Strom admits the link between extra weight and radiation treatment not being as effective for overweight and obese men is still unclear, but she hypothesizes that excessive fat tissue secretes hormones which could be the culprit in aiding the cancer to redevelop again. But she does note that new technology now exists with the radiation treatments which could make this an infrequent occurence now and in the future.

Dr. Len Litchfield, the deputy chief medical officer with the American Cancer Society, said this study by Dr. Strom "suggests people who are overweight and obese do not do as well" with cancer treatments because of their weight.

What better reason to start livin' la vida low-carb than being able to give yourself a fighting chance if you ever have to face the "c" word in the future? Allow this to motivate you to begin losing weight and commit yourself fully to do it for your current and future health. Your life may depend on you getting your weight under control once and for all. Don't keep waiting for the tomorrow that never comes. Begin RIGHT NOW to do it and never look back again. I'm always here to encourage you along the way to make it happen for yourself. E-mail me anytime.

You can e-mail Dr. Sara Strom about her study at sstrom@mdanderson.org.

6-28-06 UPDATE: Dr. Sara Strom sent me an insightful e-mail today after reading my blog post about her research.

Thank you for the work you are doing. It takes a lot of work and energy to change human behavior.

Sara S. Strom, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Epidemiology

You are absolutely correct, Dr. Strom. It does take a lot of effort to bring about change. But, by golly, I for one will keep at it until we can bring about permanent and lasting changes in the mindset of the masses. KEEP UP YOUR GREAT RESEARCH!

I'm A Flag-Wavin', Low-Carb Lovin' American

Show your patriotism and stick with low-carb living with this cake

I'm here to tell you how very privileged I feel to be able to identify myself as a citizen of the greatest country in the history of the world -- the United States of America. This amazing country was founded on the principles of freedom and still stands strong as a beacon of light and hope for a bright tomorrow for so many people around the world.

While we may have our differences with those who have been given the incredible responsibility for leading America, no true American who believes in the very principles and values this country was founded on back in 1776 would ever speak badly of a country that has given them more than they could ever imagine. Differences aside, America is a great nation worthy of celebrating its 230th birthday on July 4th!

Have I got an incredibly delicious and fruity patriotic low-carb dessert for you that will dazzle and wow everyone at your holiday party! This Low-Carb American Flag Cake is a decorative way to show your love for your country and for your waistline featuring healthy fruits for people who are livin' la vida low-carb such as strawberries and blueberries. Mmmmmm!

If you are a flag-wavin', low-carb lovin' American, then you won't want to miss out on making this surprising easy recipe compliments of our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur.

LOW-CARB AMERICAN FLAG CAKE

1 3/4 cup Carbquik Bake Mix
1 cup Diabetisweet or Splenda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
9 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 teaspoons Singing Dog vanilla extract, divided
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Diabetisweet or Splenda
1 quart strawberries, halved
1/2 cup blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13” x 9” baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl whisk bake mix, sugar substitute, salt and zest. Combine yolks, water, oil and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Slowly add the liquid mixture into the dry mixture, whisking until just combined.

3. With an electric mixer on high, beat whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.

4. Using a rubber spatula, fold whites into batter in three additions. Pour batter into prepared pan, spread evenly and smooth top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and sides have just started to pull away from the pan. Allow cake to cool completely, about 1 hour.

5. Transfer cake to a serving platter, running a sharp knife around the side to help release. Insert strips of waxed paper underneath cake. With an electric mixer on high, beat cream, remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and sugar substitute until soft peaks form. Using a metal spatula, spread whipped cream in an even layer on top and sides of cake.

6. Form “stars” by arranging blueberries in upper left corner of cake to form a 4”x3” blue square. Form "stripes" by arranging strawberries in 4 equally-spaced horizontal lines across cake.

Servings: 10
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake/Cook time: 30 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour

Total Carbohydrates: 15g
Net Carbs: 10g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 15.5g
Fat: 25g
Calories: 342

Weight Problems Not Tied To Slow Metabolism

Societal provoker John Stossel takes on a popular "body myth"

Regardless of what you think about ABC-TV's 20/20 investigative new correspondent John Stossel, the man certainly makes you think about whatever it is he is talking about. And his recent discussion of a common dieting lie is sure to do just that and more with two out of every three Americans dealing with being overweight or obese.

As part of the promotion for his new book entitled Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity : Get Out the Shovel--Why Everything You Know is Wrong , Stossel had several famous diet and nutrition experts on 20/20 to talk about the topic of metabolism. Specifically, what Stossel wanted to know was if the old adage that people who are thin got that way because they have a faster metabolism than overweight and obese people.

You know, that's an excuse that's been around for ages and I've even spouted it to people a time or two in my lifetime. But what proof do we have that it's actually a fact? Are we just assuming it because we're fat and others aren't? But somebody explain why is it that some people are like bottomless pits who can eat food and never seem to gain an ounce while others of us just look at food and it causes us to gain ten pounds? Can I get a witness anyone?

Well, Stossel wanted to find out the answers to those questions and he brought in the big guns to do it.


Dr. Levine constantly walks on his treadmill daily while working

Mayo Clinic obesity researcher Dr. Jim Levine featured two examples of real people on the segment to take a closer look at why one of them was overweight while the other was normal weight. He said the weight difference definitely had to do with their metabolisms, but not necessarily because they were born that way or predetermined to have metabolisms with different speeds.

Kathy was the normal weight woman and Dawn was the overweight one observed by Dr. Levine. Both women were monitored for their activity level using undergarments that kept track of their every move. What Dr. Levine found was that Kathleen moved around a lot more than Dawn, who has a desk job, did. Not surprisingly, Dawn sat for most of the day and so she didn't move around near as much as Kathy.

“Dawn's numbers are actually higher because what we find continuously is that people with weight problems who have obesity have a higher basal metabolism compared to people who are lean,” he explained.

Did you get that? Dr. Levine said the bigger you are the GREATER your basal metabolism (calories burned) and the smaller you are the LESSER your basal metabolism. Now that's the opposite of what most of us thought, isn't it?

In other words, overweight and obese people actually have a higher metabolism but it is because they have to in order to keep up with all that extra weight. I can only imagine what my basal metabolism was when I was 410 pounds! Dubbdbdbdbdbdbdbdbdbdbdbdbdbdbd! Speedy Gonzalez!

Dr. Levine said he has found that people who are overweight or obese actually are sitting down an average of 2 1/2 hours MORE per day than those who are thinner. He added that people who move during the day actually burn 350 calories MORE daily than those who are stuck sitting behind a desk. Dr. Levine said these kind of lethargic occupations that have people sitting all day can actually lead to a weight gain of 30-50 pounds annually! Yikes!

I have personally had a desk job for the past four years and yet I was able to lose 180 pounds in 2004 and keep it off ever since. Dr. Levine is probably right that office workers need to be more active (something this Australian study recommended last year), but I'm not sure my co-workers in my office would go for treadmills in their cubicles! LOL! We'd also need oxygen masks for when they pass out. Hee hee!

One of the things I try to do to break the monotony of sitting behind my desk and in front of a computer all day is to get up frequently for short breaks. This not only refreshes my muscles, but it also gives me a chance to clear my head so I can be a more productive worker for my employer. Of course, drinking up to two gallons of water and diet soda daily also gives me a reason to get up to, er, uh, GO! :D

For Dr. Levine, he has been walking for two straight years on his treadmill that goes at the slow, but steady pace of 1 mph. I'd LOVE to have my cubicle outfitted with a treadmill while doing my work, but I'm sure my co-workers would go batty hearing that machine moving while they talk with customers on the phone. Plus, who's gonna pay for this contraption to be rigged at my desk along with an elevated computer screen, telephone and my other office tools? My employer? HA!

On the subject of rising obesity, Dr. Levine said the excuse of bad genes is invalid because human genes haven't changed in over a century. What he sees as the problem is too many people just sit all the time and need to stand up and move more often. It sounds elementary, but it certainly makes sense.

In addition to my frequent get-up-and-move breaks at work, I also go to the gym during my lunch break for a 30-45 minute workout on the elliptical machine. This is an invigorating, stress-relieving exercise time that I look forward to each day (especially when I go through this kind of week!) to refresh my body from the tension of a long day at work. It's about an hour after lunch and only a few hours before I go home for the day, so lunchtime workouts are a great way to squeeze in some move-your-body time.

Because of the findings of Dr. Levine, Dawn has now gotten her employer to outfit her desk so she can stand up and, in essence, cause her metabolism to rise up to 40 percent faster according to Dr. Levine. I can't help but wonder how many employers woud be as accomodating, though. But who knows unless you ask? My co-workers wouldn't allow it to happen in a million years. LOL!


Health expert Dr. Oz sees no link between metabolism and weight

Stossel also had world-renowned cardiologist Dr. Mehmet C. Oz on his show to confirm the observations of Dr. Levine regarding metabolism.

“It's generally false that your metabolism is the reason for your weight," Dr. Oz noted.

So here we are staring down one of those longstanding myths about why people are obese. STOP BLAMING IT ON YOUR SLOW METABOLISM! That's a cop-out and now you know it is. Start livin' la vida low-carb in conjunction with moving more and you will have the metabolic advantage you need to not only lose weight, but also feel better and healthier than you have ever been in your entire life. Now, get out there and get moving! YOU CAN DO IT!!!