Mark your calendars with a big red circle on Tuesday, August 1, 2006.
What's happening on that date? Well, it is the first day of a new beginning of sorts for me and something that will hopefully motivate and inspire others who desperately desire to lose weight for good. If you are ready to get serious about your commitment to livin' la vida low-carb, then how about joining me in this new journey I am about to begin.
What is this journey you ask? In short, I'm going to consciously attempt to LOSE weight again just like I did when I took that first step on the Atkins diet in January 2004 and I want YOU to join me in this effort I have called the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge.
What does "30-In-30" mean? Well, it stands for 30 pounds in 30 weeks and that is my one simple goal in all of this. After this recent blog post about my hanging, loose skin quite possibly being additional fat that needs to be burned, I have decided that it is time to go back on a weight loss plan. If I did it once losing 180 pounds, then why can't I lose a measly little 30 pounds?
I'm proud of the fact that my weight has remained relatively stable for the past two years since I shed 180 pounds off of my body in 2004. But lately I have seen the scale moving ever-so-slowly upward which is a trend I would like to nip in the bud right here, right now. What better way to do that than to set my mind and body into weight loss mode again?
My starting weight for this "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge is 240 pounds. Yes, I know that's 10 more pounds than what I weighed at the end of 2004, but that is why I am starting this effort at this moment in time. By the end of the 30 weeks, I hope to be down to a svelte 210 pounds. I don't think this goal is unrealistic for me and this renewed commitment to my weight and fitness training will help me refocus on my attention on living healthy and eating the best that I can.
The "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge will run from Tuesday, August 1, 2006 through Tuesday, February 27, 2007 -- 30 weeks in all! The goal? Lose ONE pound a week for 30 weeks. Sounds easy enough, doesn't it? That's right, it does and I am going to show you it can be done even for someone who isn't necessarily obese anymore.
I have some advantages and disadvantages starting this "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge.
The advantage I have is the fact that I have already been extremely successful on the low-carb lifestyle and long ago committed myself to this way of eating for the rest of my life. I don't have to deal with the sugar cravings, the leg cramps, the headaches and all the rest that you go through when you first begin low-carb. Those issues will not even be a factor for me now. My confidence that I will be successful is off the charts!
On the other hand, I do have a distinct disadvantage because I don't have that much weight to lose and it won't come off as easily as it did for me two years ago. That's okay, I'm still ready to do this, but I realize I have my work cut out for me. When I lost weight in 2004, my average weight loss was about 4-5 pounds a week. I only want to lose ONE pound a week for this challenge which should make it completely attainable.
What I will specifically do to get my weight starting back down again is moderate my carb intake to less than 50g carbs daily and stay in a carb intake range that will keep me in fat-burning mode for the duration of the challenge. Additionally, I will continue my regular workouts at the gym and push myself to keep going a little longer to burn those extra calories that have been making my weight start to go up again. I'm dead serious about this "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge and have no doubt in my mind that I WILL be a resounding success!
But don't think I'm in this "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge alone! Oh no, you're not getting off that easy! I want YOU to join me in this effort and I encourage you to take me up on my challenge right away. There's no sense in waiting until New Year's Day to commit yourself to a resolution to lose weight. RIGHT NOW is the BEST time to start making it happen for yourself and I'll be in this with you all along the way.
For some of you, 30 pounds is exactly what you need to lose and this "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge is just the kick in the pants you needed to get you going. But for others, 30 pounds will merely be the beginning of SEVERAL "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenges you will need to go through. That's okay and I encourage you to let this challenge get you started off on the right foot towards becoming the low-carb weight loss success that you deserve to become.
The point of this challenge isn't to see how fast you can lose weight (although if the pounds come pouring off, then GOOD FOR YOU!). Instead, it's about keeping your head in this weight loss game and never taking your eye off of the ultimate prize of maintaining your weight and staying healthy for the rest of your life.
That's why I took that first step over two years ago when my life and weight was a complete wreck and on the verge of collapse. Livin' la vida low-carb saved my life then and it's gonna save a lot of you now. We'll go through this effort together and keep each other encouraged as we see the progress we are making. YOU CAN DO IT!
I will keep you updated on my weight loss progress with weekly weigh-ins on what I will call "Terrific Tuesdays" along with the occasional comments about YOUR progress that I will share from time to time with everyone.
Are you ready for the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge? Ready or not, here we go! LET'S DO IT!
I never realized how amazing berries taste with chocolate!
You're not gonna believe this, but I used to NEVER eat any kind of berries before my low-carb lifestyle. I don't know why I didn't, I just didn't. It was probably because they weren't sweet enough for my over-sugared taste buds and I thought they were pretty disgusting.
But once you lay off the sugar for a while, something amazing happens to your tastebuds. They become more enhanced so that anything that has even a remote amount of sweetness tastes much sweeter than it ever has before! It's true! If you don't eat sugar, then all of a sudden foods like berries become a sweet treat for you to eat.
However, when I started livin' la vida low-carb, I also stumbled onto something else I had no idea about: combining the sweet goodness of berries with the taste of chocolate. Oh...my...heavens! Berries and chocolate have GOT to be the most ideal combination to come along since peanut butter and jelly! WOWsers!
Melting your favorite sugar-free chocolate bar and drizzling it on top of a bowlful of berries is what this recipe I have to share with you today is all about. Special thanks to Elaine at Low-Carb Connoisseur for this tasty and refreshing dessert recipe. ENJOY!
1. Rinse berries and pat dry. Halve strawberries. Mix berries and divide in 8 dessert dishes.
2. In a double boiler (or in a heatproof bowl set over, but not touching, a pot of simmering water), melt dark chocolate bars with cream. Stir until smooth; mix in vanilla extract. Cool slightly; drizzle sauce over fruit.
When people start livin' la vida low-carb for the very first time, many of them can make certain assumptions about low-carb living that could prove devastating to their hopes and desires to lose weight on this incredible way of eating. One of the most common ones has got to be what one of my readers recently e-mailed me about.
Here's what she wrote:
"I am just starting on a low-carb eating plan and am confused as to whether sugar-free equals low-carb."
What a great question! The answer? Well, not always.
As a general rule it is safe to say that anything that is sugar-free is a lot better for you to consume that anything that still has sugar in it. Although I would advise that you might want to pay very close attention to the sugar alternative that is used in that sugar-free product to make sure it doesn't contain high amounts of the sugar alcohol maltitol in it unless you enjoy the sensation of tooting out of your backside or having to run to the bathroom with diarreah at a moment's notice! :O
But even when the sugar-free product has the right kinds of sweeteners, such as Splenda, ACE-K, or neotame, that doesn't mean it's automatically going to be low-carb. While many sugar-free products are great for people on low-carb as well, you have to watch out for the white flour carbohydrates that can creep into that product you are about to buy for your low-carb lifestyle.
They look innocent enough with the words "sugar-free" and "net carbs" prominently featured on the front of the packaging. But just one look at the nutritional and ingredients information should make you shudder: bleached enriched flour is the #1 ingredient, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (aka TRANS-FATS!) is the #2 ingredient, and that lovely sugar alcohol malitol is also found near the top of the ingredients list. Sigh.
Additionally, this product has 19g total carbohydrates, which includes 3g dietary fiber and 9g maltitol per one-bar serving. That's still a WHOPPING 7g net carbs which is way too many for anyone who is in the weight loss phase of livin' la vida low-carb. But the flour and trans-fats would have me running into the next area code to avoid this product at all costs despite the fact that it is "sugar-free."
Don't miss this lesson: Sugar-free does NOT necessarily mean it is healthy.
Something else to look out for is the deceptive "no sugar added" phrase that shows up on the packaging and in the marketing of so-called "healthy" products. To the unsuspecting new low-carber like my reader, they may think this means the product doesn't have any sugar in it. Not so. What is DOES mean is that there are no additional sugars added than the ones that are already present in the product. As I always say, READ YOUR LABELS!
Before I started livin' la vida low-carb, one of my absolute favorite candies in the whole world had to be Twizzlers. I think I started eating these fruit-flavored licorice sticks whenever I started going to the movies as a kid. It wasn't all that uncommon for me to eat the entire package of Twizzlers in just one sitting. Plus, I ate my fair share of Twizzlers when I was on my low-fat diet in 1999 because they are a "low-fat food." What a dope I was for putting all that sugar in my mouth!
Anywho, when I heard that Hershey's made a sugar-free version of their Twizzlers product, I was excited beyond belief. FINALLY, I would get to enjoy this candy from my childhood as part of my low-carb lifestyle, right?
Well, not exactly. You see, although the sugar has been taken out of the Twizzlers, a 6-piece serving size STILL has an unbelievably high 33g carbs! That's over 5g carbs for every Sugar-Free Twizzlers piece. Yikes!
Why? Besides the fact that maltitol is the #1 ingredient (EEEK!), it also contains flour, cornstarch, and even some corn syrup (that would be sugar for those of you playing along at home!). Oh well, I knew it was too good to be true. :(
The lesson in all of this is you can't just assume sugar-free equals low-carb because it's not always the case. With the low-carb chocolates and hard candies, you can almost always count on them to fit into your low-carb plan if you need something sweet to eat. But the cakes, cookies and other candies that market themselves as "sugar-free" may not work if you are livin' la vida low-carb.
Don't just assume sugar-free foods will be okay when you are livin' la vida low-carb because that might just come back to sabotage your weight loss efforts. And that wouldn't be a good thing now would it? AAAAAAACK!
Rodale has established itself as the industry leader in health books
Rodale, Inc. announced today in a press release that Nancy Hancock, former Vice-President of Marketing, Publicity and Publications for the line of books written by the late Dr. Robert C. Atkins, has joined their team to immediately begin marketing and developing new health and weight loss writers to continue their respectable reputation for producing very desirable, bestselling diet books.
Liz Perl, who serves as the Vice-President and Publisher of Rodale Trade Books, says she is excited to see what Hancock will bring to the table for Rodale with her wealth of knowledge not only with the Atkins publishing line, but also from her most recent stint with Simon and Schuster's Touchstone/Fireside imprint where she has served as Senior Editor since 2004.
"Nancy's expertise in the field of health and wellness, coupled with her marketing and brand-building savvy, make her the perfect addition to the Rodale team," Perl exclaimed. "I look forward to seeing Nancy's authors and books flourish at Rodale, where we support our health and wellness books across a broad range of media platforms, reaching nearly 40 million people monthly."
The Rodale name has quickly become synonymous with high-quality health and weight loss books in the past few years with such bestsellers as The South Beach Diet, The Abs Diet, and The Biggest Loser books. It will be interesting to see if Hancock can recognize and find any of the new and upcoming health writers that are already out there making a difference in their spheres of influence and needing a means for attracting a larger audience for what they are already doing. With her impressive pedigree in this business, I have no doubt she will find those diamonds in the rough in very short order.
I'm sure if Dr. Atkins were still around today that he would be one of the first people to give credit to Hancock where credit is due for making him a household name. Her work not only included five bestselling books, but also a subscription newsletter, multimedia presence and various subsidiary products to complement his books. What a privilege it must have been for Hancock to be such an integral part of something that has changed the lives of millions of people worldwide!
My life will never be the same again because of my decision in late 2003 to read Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. That little book that has sold tens of millions helped me shed 180 pounds off of my body for good in 2004 and now I'm livin' la vida low-carb. I suppose I owe my weight loss success in part to Hancock for her foresight and ability to effectively market the Atkins name as a brand that virtually everyone has heard of by now.
For that, I must say THANK YOU to you, Ms. Hancock, on behalf of ALL of the people who have been on the Atkins diet and succeeded. We appreciate what YOU did to help us find our way to permanent weight loss success and pay homage to you for your role in offering the Atkins diet to the public.
You can e-mail your congratulations to Nancy Hancock for her new position at Rodale by writing to her new boss, Liz Perl or you can e-mail Hancock directly by clicking here.
8-1-06 UPDATE: Nancy Hancock read my blog post about her new hiring at Rodale and sent me this kind and considerate e-mail.
Dear Jimmy,
Thank you for your enthusiastic welcome! I am thrilled to hear of your weight loss success and applaud you for living a healthy lifestyle. I do often meet people with similar stories and I will say that it is very gratifying to be part of something that makes such a huge difference in someone's life.
I appreciate your support and look forward to hearing more from you in the future.
Ever since Bravo's "Work Out" debuted just two weeks ago, many people have been attracted to the show because it showcases the incredible fitness and motivational talents of Jackie Warner and the trainers at her world-famous gym in Beverly Hills.
Last week I offered three lucky readers an opportunity to win a FREE limited edition "Work Out" T-shirt just for sending me their name and address, the name of their favorite trainer on the show and why.
Many of you responded and here are the winners with their responses:
1. Lynn from Redondo Beach, California
"Although I like all of the trainers and would gladly train with any one of them, I'd have to vote for Erica. She's the toughest and most serious of the trainers. I feel she would push me more than any of the others. My personality gravitates more to 'fooling around'--joking and laughing with the trainer--rather than focusing on working hard. I'm basically a slug--and need someone like Erica to really push my lazy butt."
2. Pamela from Garfield Heights, Ohio
"My favorite trainer on the show 'Work Out' is Rebecca. The reason that I like Rebecca is because she is very upbeat and funny. She seems like the kind of trainer that will have you laughing and losing weight at the same time. She is very cute and outgoing."
3. Garry from West Hollywood, California
"God, I wish I had the $135 a session Doug charges as a trainer at Sky Sport. The man exudes charisma along with a friendly, personable, and no 'pretty boy' attitude often found wandering the streets of West Hollywood ... Jesse is cute, but he doesn't hold a candle to Doug the Stud. I'm hooked. I'd love to have a T-shirt, preferably one that he's worn in the gym."
Oooookay, I guess we see 'em all, folks! 8-o
Anyways, CONGRATULATIONS Lynn, Pamela, and Garry. Each of you will be receiving a FREE LIMITED EDITION "WORK OUT" T-SHIRT compliments of Bravo and the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog. THANK YOU for playing!
Speaking of "Work Out," you DEFINITELY don't want to miss the next episode that features an obese woman named Tess who tearfully comes into Jackie's office asking her for help so she can lose weight the right way through diet and exercise. Tess had been told by a specialist that it would be impossible for her to lose weight and get into shape without gastric bypass surgery, but she wasn't convinced which is why she paid a visit to Jackie's gym.
Meet Tess and hear the desperation in her voice to lose weight:
Tune in on Tuesday, August 1, 2006 at 9/8c to see the next episode of "Work Out" featuring the rest of Tess' story. There are a lot of people just like Tess out there who are being told there is no other way except for weight loss surgery. As a man who once weighed 410 pounds and got down to 230 pounds NATURALLY thanks to livin' la vida low-carb, I KNOW that's a big fat lie! You won't want to miss this inspiring episode to watch Tess' life get changed for the better forever!
I will also be conducting an interview with Jackie Warner in the near future and am taking your suggestions for questions to ask her. Feel free to send those to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Do you like the show or have any comments about it that you would like to share? Feel free to post them at the link below.
Geier says nobody knows what the right portion size is anymore
This Washington Post story about a new study regarding the role of portion sizes in the current obesity epidemic is certainly one worth exploring, but unfortunately is not the be-all, end-all regarding why people keep getting fatter.
Soon-to-be Dr. Andrew B. Geier, a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, conducted two research experiments to test his theory of "unit bias" which presupposes the amount of food you are given to eat is the appropriate portion size.
EXPERIMENT #1
A large bowl of M&Ms were placed in the lobby of an upscale apartment building with a sign that read: "Eat Your Fill ... please use the spoon to serve yourself." Geier left the candy out for ten days in a row and rotated between using a spoon that held a quarter-up and a teaspoon.
The results? Not surprisingly, when the larger scoop was out, the people gave themselves an average of nearly two-thirds MORE M&Ms than the ones who had the teaspoon.
EXPERIMENT #2
Geier placed a bowl of Tootsie Rolls in a snacking area of an apartment building for ten days in a row alternating between 80 small Tootsie Rolls or 20 of the larger size that are four times as big as the smaller ones. The same amount and weight of candy was kept constant throughout the experiment.
The results? The people took MORE by weight of the larger Toosie Rolls candies than they did the smaller ones.
Geier admits his "unit bias" theory is not the only reason why there were differences in the amount of food taken, but it certainly was an influencing factor that cannot be overlooked.
This subliminal eating hypothesis is quite an intriguing one to me as someone who used to weigh over 400 pounds and never really thought much about what I was putting in my mouth on a daily basis. I'm sure if there was food available like the ones in the experiment, then I would have been one of the people who took a LOT more with the larger scoop and portion sizes. When you're fat, you don't even pay attention to things like that. You just don't.
Geier said this is psychological conditioning that goes on in our brains regarding the supposed normality of what a portion size should be.
"Whatever size a banana is, that's what you eat, a small banana or a big banana," Geier noted. "Whatever's served on your plate, it just seems locked in our heads: that's a meal."
This is so very true. How did our society get to this point where portions are so large and almost universally accepted as "normal?" It's time for a brief history lesson.
I was talking with someone the other day about the whole "Supersizing" phenomenon and whether they remember how that all got started. When the person started scratching his head with a bewildered look on his face, I reminded him that we have the 1993 blockbuster movie "Jurassic Park" to blame.
McDonald's was one of the first fast food joints to begin cross-promoting movies at their restaurants (today it's everywhere!) and they introduced in 1993 what they called at the time their "Dinosize" meals with a 39 cents upgrade for a larger fries and soft drink. Because of the large dinosaurs in the movie, McDonald's thought it would be cute to make super-duper sized portions of soda and fries in these ready-to-serve meals. Before this happened, people were forced to make their own meal by ordering their Big Mac, fries and Coke separately. But not anymore!
After the movie promotion had ended, McDonald's realized they had stumbled on a marketing miracle and decided to keep their "Dinosize" meals which we now know as Extra Value Meals and the upgrade which is known as Super Sizing. I wonder how much "unit bias" is in play all because of the larger and larger portions at McDonald's. Of course, all of the other fast food restaurants followed suit and you can't go out to eat anywhere today without some "meal deal" on the menu. Sigh.
Do you even realize that the smallest size French fries at McDonald's right now is even larger than the LARGE used to be back before the days of Super Size? That's right, today's portions are out-of-control and nobody is upset about it (well, maybe Morgan Spurlock)! Yikes! Of course, there has been a proportional increase in the prices at McDonald's as well which keeps on lining the pockets of this junk-food giant even more to manufacture their garbage to the masses in bigger and bigger containers. Ugh!
"Yeah, would ya like that quintuple bacon cheeseburger in a bucket with your pound of fries and gallon of Coke?!" Eeeek! Is this closer to reality in the very near future or what? God help us all.
Our culture is as much to blame for this as anything, Geier remarked, because we just accept what is placed in front of us is the amount we should eat. This goes back to the importance of reading labels for the portion sizes on everything you eat so you are not overconsuming more than you should, although I don't think it is reasonable to suggest people will eat less just because something is labeled "100-calorie" or not.
How many people even realize a 20-ounce bottle of Coke is 2 1/2 servings?! I would venture to say not many. That's why we are in a crisis in this country that shows no signs of reversing without dramatic changes in the food and beverage industry.
Geier's findings were published in the June 2006 issue of the journal Psychological Science.
I recently blogged about another similar research study by Cornell University professor Dr. Brian Wansink who said bowl and scoop sizes impacted the amount of ice cream that was consumed by his study participants. However, I took him to task on his conclusions stating that real human behavior would dictate people who received smaller portions would go back for seconds if they could, but that was inconclusive in his study. I'm still waiting to hear back from him about that.
This story notes that Dr. Wansink is releasing a book in October 2006 about his research entitled "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think". It may be worth reading when it comes out in a few months. If I can get my hands on a copy, I'll review it for you. :)
But portion sizes in the United States have gone down a dangerous slippery slope over the past couple of decades and how many people have actually noticed or cared? It really has gotten crazy now, but how do you turn back the clock and expect people to STOP getting that Super Double Big Gulp from 7-11 that they are used to now and to suddenly START settling for the Gulp size. HA! Good luck on changing that person's mind about portion size!
In fact, Geier did another experiment using soda in the dining hall on his school's campus to see if the "unit bias" would kick in when students were offered a 10-ounce glass versus a 16-ounce glass. Like the M&Ms and Tootsie Rolls experiment, Geier fully expected the students who were given the smaller portions of soda would consume less. WRONG-O!
What happened was the students who were given the 10-ounce option didn't think that was enough soda to drink, so they got TWO of them for 20 total ounces, four ounces more than the 16-ounce servings that the other students chose.
"I guess I went below what is culturally construed as a unit of soda," Geier conceded.
Yep, and that's why it will be very difficult to change people's habits now. Humans are easily manipulated into certain behaviors by changes in their environment, especially the subtle ones. We have become conditioned to EXPECT more and more which is why a 19-pound hamburger shows up on a restaurant's menu!
Since we have seen such an incremental growth in the portion sizes in America, is it possible that we could also have an incremental decrease over the next decade or two and nobody would notice? It's probably possible, but not very likely. We are fighting an uphill battle and the harsh winds of change are blowing strong and hard to keep us from going back to the way it used to be now. That slippery slope is difficult to grip now.
That's why individuals, not society must make the right choices for themselves about what is an acceptable portion size to eat for them. Weight problems don't have to exist like they do today once people realize just how out of proportion so-called societal norms have become.
The "unit bias" can become a non sequitur when people become their own agents of change and start a weight loss revolution for themselves by bucking the cultural trends that surround them. That's what livin' la vida low-carb did for me and I'll never be the same again!
7-31-06 UPDATE: Andrew Geier e-mailed me about my blog post today.
Congratulations on your weight loss! That is awesome. Thank you for the kind words on my article and posting it on your blog.
Best, AG
We need more research on the psychology of why we eat the way we do and Andrew Geier is a pioneer in this. I look forward to hearing many more great things out of him regarding issues involving diet in the future.
Are you having a "fat day" even after weight loss?
Weight loss should be something that is rather simple, right? You realize that your weight has gotten out of control, you find an effective plan for shedding the pounds, you lose the weight, and then you keep it off forever. What could be easier?!
If only it were that elementary...
The reality of the situation is that people who have ever been overweight or obese suffer from a psychological condition that is very difficult to overcome. It can hit you while you are still losing weight to discourage you from continuing on and it most definitely will hit you when you are attempting to keep the weight off that you have lost. I call it having a "fat day."
See if this sounds familiar:
You wake up in the morning and you step on the scale to find you have GAINED a couple of pounds. Your mind immediately begins racing to answer the question, "What's wrong with me?!" You go into the bathroom and you see yourself in the mirror and start to ponder whether you can visibly SEE the weight gain on your body as you jiggle your stomach from a side view. The feeling of panic comes over you and paralyzes your sense of rationality that this is just a temporary thing that will not last as long as you keep on doing the things that helped you lose weight.
Can I get a witness anyone? Have you had a "fat day" yet? We all go through these periods when no matter how well we have done with our weight loss plan, we become our own worst enemy. Some people do this to themselves on a DAILY basis and can never find the thrill that comes with weight loss success. Others of us only have this happen from time to time, but it can be an aggravating experience that is no fun to go through.
What can you do when the "fat day" comes to bring you down? Well, the good news is you are now aware that you are not alone when this happens and that it even happens to people who have lost nearly 200 pounds! :)
Resolve in your mind that when the "fat day" becomes a reality for you that you will resist the urge to give up on your weight loss efforts, keep a smile on your face and go about your business as if nothing is wrong, eat the way you always eat and exercise the way you always exercise, and press forward with the plan that got you to where you are today.
In other words, go through your day as "normal" as possible even when inside your head you feel like a 400-pound monster of a person who couldn't lose weight if you starved yourself! Why do we do this to ourselves? And I'm just as guilty of it as anyone! But shaking those years and years of living as a fat person is easier said than done.
I'm a huge fan of song parodies thanks to my friends in a Christian band called Apologetix who take classic rock and modern-day pop songs and change the lyrics to make them into Christian songs. The lead singer of Apologetix named J. is an extremely talented lyricist and has an uncanny ability to sound EXACTLY like the artists he is mimicking. It's scary really.
Anywho, I thought I would try my hand at writing a song parody that goes along with the theme of this blog post. With apologies to the original artist, here is my rendition of the amazing song "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter (don't ask me to sing it, though!). For anyone who hasn't heard this chart-topping song yet, you have to check out the music video at DanielPowter.com.
Where is the moment we needed the toast You turn on the oven and cook up a roast They tell me your diet's slippin' away They tell me you don't know what to say And I don't need you to explain
You stand in the line at the grocery store You grab you a Coke and you get it to go You tell me your diet is way off line You're gaining back weight all the time And I don't need you to explain
Cause you had a fat day You're eating once more You're stuffing your face with the things you abhore You say you don't care You're ready to quit You offer excuses why you're pitchin' a fit You had a fat day The scale doesn't lie You're weight comes back down if you recommit now You had a fat day You had a fat day
Well you need a inspirational day The point is you need to find your way And I don't need you to explain
Cause you had a fat day You're eating once more You're stuffing your face with the things you abhore You say you don't care You tell me you quit You offer excuses why you're pitchin' a fit You had a fat day The scale doesn't lie You're weight will come back down if you recommit now You had a fat day You had a fat day
Sometimes weight loss goes on the blink And everything right can feel so wrong You might not believe you'll make it through That you could get this far along And I'm not wrong
So where is your diet when you need it the most Oh you and I You turn on the oven and cook up a roast
Cause you had a fat day You're eating once more You're stuffing your face with the things you abhore You say you don't care You tell me you quit You offer excuses why you're pitchin' a fit You had a fat day The scale doesn't lie You're weight will come back down if you recommit now You had a fat day You had a fat day
I'm here to let you know it's gonna be alright. We ALL have them at some point, so it is completely natural and normal for you to go through a "fat day" from time to time. The key strategy for you is to keep your head up high and refuse to give up just because of some silly feeling of failure that comes over you. You KNOW better and now you know what to do.
One of the great things about livin' la vida low-carb is the opportunity to try some really amazing foods that can help you make this way of eating into a permanent lifestyle change. And there is one low-carb product on the market today that has brought more enjoyment to low-carbers than virtually any other out there: Dreamfields pasta!
Although I recently chided them for seeming to shun people who low-carb, I am still a devoted fan of their pasta products because they really are the most delicious low-carb pastas on the market today bar none! None of the others even come close to matching the taste and texture of real pasta like Dreamfields does.
But there's just one problem: Dreamfields is getting harder and harder to find. Are you running into this problem? I sure am and it has frustrated me to no end. I suppose I should have seen it coming when my local grocery stores put Dreamfields products on closeout sale earlier this year. Sigh.
These discontinued products in the low-carb industry can be challenging for people who have enjoyed using them, but it is a fact of life that you're gonna have to get used to and adapt. The good thing is Dreamfields hasn't gone away completely.
In fact, our friends at CarbSmart have listened to your concerns about trying to find Dreamfields pasta in your area and is now carrying the Dreamfields products just for you.
Here are the ones CarbSmart has available for you to purchase:
In fact, CarbSmart is offering a quantity discount when you buy a dozen or more (and you will DEFINITELY want to stock up on this stuff!) so you will want to place your order right away. :D
Here's a FREE RECIPE to get you started off right using Dreamfields pasta. If you live in an area like me where Dreamfields pasta is scarce, then isn't it good to know you can get it from an excellent low-carb retailer like CarbSmart? ORDER SOME TODAY!
If you haven't met "The Fat Man Walking" yet, prepare to be inspired
There's one date in my mind that I will NEVER forget for as long as I live because it was the turning point in my life when I decided I would no longer settle for being an obese man for the rest of my life. That date was January 1, 2004. Oh, I'm sure I thought about doing something long before that actual day, but my long journey to lose weight and get healthy began on that day.
For Steve "The Fat Man Walking" Vaught, that date would be April 10, 2005. That's the day when this 39-year old father of two from Oceanside, California started his unique plan to shed the pounds while inspiring a nation. It was on that fateful day when he committed himself to begin a trek across the United States from San Diego, California to New York City in an effort to "regain my life" from the stronghold of obesity.
Like me, Steve weighed 410 pounds when his weight loss began
This amazing man has already lost over 100 pounds in a little more than a year despite various injuries along the way and struggling with how he should eat. Steve says it is still a "battle even now" about how he should be eating as he continues seeking what would work best for him. Have you considered livin' la vida low-carb, Steve? :D
If you have not read any of Steve's personal journals, then you are missing out on some of the most revealing commentary on what the mind of a fat person is like and how very difficult it is to adequately describe the emotions that come from being an overweight or obese person in today's society. You can sense the struggle in what Steve writes about regarding his own experience because of the intense and obvious pain it conjures up within him. For those of us who have been through this battle, those wounds are all too fresh.
Amazingly, Steve hasn't always been fat and was even once a Marine. But as most people do after they get married and start settling down into life, Steve just allowed himself to get bigger and bigger until he topped out at 410 pounds last year. I know the feeling because that is the same thing that happened to me before I started livin' la vida low-carb. For Steve, he's now livin' la vida the fat man walking! Go, Steve, go!
Steve's hoping to keep on losing the weight, one step at a time
I sent an e-mail to Steve the other day to encourage him in this journey he is on just to let him know he is not alone in his battle. I shared with him about my own weight loss success and that I believed he could do it, too!
He wrote me an e-mail back today stating that his weight loss endeavor "is a long journey but one that can be done."
That's exactly right, my friend. Keep holding your head up high and NEVER EVER EVER give up on your dream of bringing about lasting weight loss for yourself. I KNOW it can happen for you and I'm here to cheer you on to great success! KEEP UP THE GREAT JOB, Steve "The Fat Man Walking" Vaught!
Now I am proud to tell you about a brand new product from the makers of GoLower nut bars that will surely be a hit when they become available in the United States this Fall--GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars!
One of the main criticisms of the GoLower nut bars was that the "chocolate" flavor isn't very chocolate-tasting at all. Well they put that issue to rest with these new GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars that ooze with chocolate decadence without all the high-carb sugar that comes in most bars of this type.
Available in the same flavors as the GoLower nut bars--Raspberry, Chocolate, and Coconut--these bars do not contain any added sugars, are high in fiber and protein and rank low in both the glycemic index and glycemic load.
I know what you're thinking, though: What about the CHOCOLATE?!
Mmmm, this dark cocoa rich chocolate is the perfect covering for the nougat-like center to give you all the antioxidant benefits of eating chocolate while you enjoy sinking your teeth into an excellent, high-quality product.
What sets GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars apart from other protein bars is the fact that it is truly all-natural with no artificial ingredients, including sucralose or Xylitol, and no sugar alcohols. Additionally, these sugar-free chocolate bars do not contain any fructose, high fructose corn syrup, honey or glucose that would send your blood sugar spiking off the charts! The natural sugars in these bars are a mere 4g per bar.
As for the fiber, you get 7.1g of prebiotic fiber which helps feed the good bacteria in your body and keeps you satisfied for hours after eating it. I can personally attest to this after having these bars and it's a good feeling knowing you have eaten something that tastes good and really is good for you as well. It certainly doesn't hurt that there's also 7.1g protein to keep your hunger satisfied for hours as well!
Here is the complete nutritional information for each of the bars:
Just like the GoLower nut bars, these chocolate bars are sweetened with oligofructose and the natural flavorings of the ingredients included in every delicious bar. As much as I enjoyed the GoLower nut bars, I have to say these chocolate bars are even BETTER! Can you believe that? There's something about the chocolate they use in these bars that will make you want to consume these GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars again and again.
While the Raspberry GoLower nut bars are my favorite, I would have to say the Chocolate GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars are tops with me because it is a rich, powerful punch of chocolate in each and every bite. Oh, I can't wait for you to try these when they come to CarbSmart in just a couple of months. We'll let you know when they are available in the U.S.
Speaking of GoLower, the Founder and President of the company Hannah Sutter was in the United States recently along with her business partner Kevin Dorren to meet with various business contacts here. She and Kevin were kind enough to swing by my hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina to meet me for dinner at the local steakhouse.
Hannah certainly enjoys making life fun. But she is dead serious about her commitment to bringing the best products possible to the market that will help people eat healthier without sacrificing quality. That's something you can take to the bank about any of the GoLower products.
Hannah and Kevin sent me a small gift of appreciation for my hospitality during their visit to the United States that they thought would be appropriate for someone named Jimmy Moore: it's a "jimmy" hat (must be a British thing!).
I can't wait for you to try the new GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars when they become available. In fact, we'll have an exclusive contest giveway for you to participate in when the weather cools down just a bit (they would melt into soup if we mailed them to you right now in these triple-digit temperatures!). Keep reading in the coming weeks for details!
Could simply taking fish oil really help you lose weight?
Before I started livin' la vida low-carb, I pretty much snubbed my nose up at anyone who took vitamins and supplements to allegedly improve their health. I thought it was such a waste of time and money on something that just made your urine more expensive and yellow. :-~
In fact, when I was growing up, my dad used to let the local Shaklee devotees hold their monthly meetings in his restaurant to talk about all of the supposedly wonderful benefits of supplementation to your diet. One lady, no lie, used to take a handful of at least 50 different pills and down them all in one swallow with a glass of water chaser! Eeeek!
Who knew that 20 or so years later this former skeptic would become a believer and join the ranks of the vitamin-popping people as well! But now this Reuters story about a new Australian study showing the healthy weight loss benefits of taking omega-3 fatty acids-rich fish oil supplements to complement a moderate exercise program makes me proud that I have added supplementation to my diet.
Lead researcher Alison Hill, an honors student in the School of Health Sciences at the University of South Australia, observed 68 overweight and obese study participants with high blood pressure and high cholesterol and divided them into one of four groups over a 3-month period:
GROUP 1 - Small doses of tuna fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids) GROUP 2 - Sunflower oil (no omega-3 fatty acids) w/no diet change GROUP 3 - Small doses of tuna fish oil with 135 min exer/wk GROUP 4 - Sunflower oil w/no diet change & 135 min exer/wk
Hill said she wanted to see how well the omega-3's found in the fish oil would help the study participants lose weight.
"The omega-3 found in fish oil increases fat-burning ability by improving the flow of blood to muscles during exercise," Hill noted.
What she discovered was that GROUP 3, who exercised 45-minutes by walking or running three days a week, lost an average of 4.5 pounds over the 3-month study, while GROUP 1, GROUP 2, and GROUP 4 did not lose any weight at all.
The results of this study made Hill "very surprised" because the study participants "were still eating whatever they wanted."
"It's pretty exciting because this implies the results would be even better if you did control diet and exercised more heavily," Hill concluded.
Oh no doubt the weight loss would have been a lot better had they been on some kind of weight loss plan such as livin' la vida low-carb. When I started losing my weight in early 2004, it was not a question of if, but rather WHEN I would start exercising. At 410 pounds, I could just barely breath walking around. But as I started losing weight, I knew making exercise a permanent habit would come into play in my success so I began in earnest one month after starting my low-carb lifestyle.
But I didn't add fish oil to my supplements for several months. I don't know, I guess I just didn't think about it since you don't hear a lot about it and how important it is to your health anywhere. That's one of the reasons I started my blog was to help get information like this out there so that the future morbidly obese Jimmy Moores out there can have access to the information they need to live a long and healthy life. The facts are there, but they're not getting out to the people who need to hear them.
The researchers theorize that it is the better ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids that brings about the better weight loss. In fact, the higher ratio between these two is believed to be protective against diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even cancer. Unfortunately, most Americans are consuming way too much omega-6 fatty acids because of the corn oil that is in everything (I will be reviewing a book that talks about this very soon) and not enough omega-3's, commonly found in fish oil.
So what is it about fish oil that is bringing about the weight loss? Hill explains.
"We suspect that they improve blood flow to exercising muscles and stimulate key enzymes to transport fat that needs to be used as fuel," Hill said. "In overweight people this ability is almost always impaired."
8-3-06 UPDATE: Many of my readers were wondering exactly what amount of fish oil the study subjects were taking, so I posed that question to Alison Hill directly.
Here was her response to me today:
Hi there,
Our subjects took 6 x 1g capsules of a DHA rich (26% DHA) fish oil per day.
This work is part of my PhD and while we need to contribute something new to the scientific body of knowledge to be awarded our doctorate, I am pleased that my work is also something that people are finding interesting and beneficial!
Thanks for your interest in our study.
Best wishes,
Alison
So, this "small dosage" of fish oil was basically 6g of DHA-rich fish oil daily. I appreciate the added information and wish Alison Hill all the success she desires in her scientific career post-doctorate!
Obesity is making it more and more difficult to run medical tests
The problem with overweight and obese people regarding their health is not just limited to their physical condition. This Reuters story reveals that the prevalence of fat in most Americans can make simple tests like X-rays much less effective for finding and treating medical problems that arise.
In a report published in the August issue of the scientific journal Radiology, radiologist Dr. Raul Uppot from the Massachusetts General Hospital said the growing girths of the American people are presenting quite a challenge to the medical community attempting to help their overweight and obese patients.
"We noticed over the past couple of years that obesity was playing a role in our ability to see these images clearly," Dr. Uppot remarked.
In fact, radiologists have already come up with a euphemism for "the patient was too fat to get a good image" on the report. They write that the images are "limited due to body habitus."
In other words, THEY'RE TOO FAT FOR US TO TAKE THE PICTURE OF WHAT WE NEED TO SEE? It's gotten to be pretty pathetic when a doctor can't even have an X-ray, CT scan, MRI, or PET scan done on a patient because their fat hides what needs to be seen or they're too big to fit in the machine long enough to have the test done.
Sheeez people, do you see why weight loss is so desperately needed right here right now. This is a crisis in the medical community and it shows no signs of getting better!
How would you like to be the patient with a potential tumor, blood clot, broken bone or other such ailment and your doctor says to you, "I'm sorry, but due to 'habitus limited' complications during your test, it is unclear whether you have a life-threatening condition or not. Can you please lose some weight so we can get rid of that 'habitus limited' problem?" UGH!
Dr. Uppot noted the number of "habitus limited" reports has DOUBLED since 1990 with many patients not able to receive the best treatment because the radiologists cannot help them as they should.
"It is a major issue because ... the patient may still have a tumor, the patient may have appendicitis, the patient may have other inflammatory processes," Dr. Uppot explained. "This is affecting radiologists all over the country."
I'm just waiting for someone to file a medical malpractice lawsuit because of this. Um, yes, your honor, they kept me from getting better because I had a cancerous tumor inside of me that they couldn't see. Yes, I understand I weigh 450 pounds, but they still should have been able to see through all my fat to get to that tumor. You think I'm joking, but don't be surprised to see this lawsuit pop up in the very near future!
According to Dr. Uppot, the test that is distorted the most is the ultrasound which is "like a snowstorm."
"If you have seen those televisions where it is just whiteout," Dr. Uppot reported. "It looks like that."
Super-sized MRI machines are being created by aggressive medical equipment companies looking to capitalize on the obesity problem, but they are much too expensive for most hospitals to afford. They kinda remind me of those oversized ambulances in Australia!
Problems like these will not be going away and building bigger and bigger machines is NOT the answer. This is yet another reason why people need to find a weight loss plan they can follow for the rest of their lives and then execute that plan. They must do it for the sake of their health and the potential problems that lie beneath all that fat that their doctors may one day need to see. Don't let that happen to you!
If you notice you can fit in airplane or movie theater seats, the booth at your favorite restaurant is getting tight, or even if you can't fit in that X-ray machine, then maybe it's time you should seriously consider a healthy weight loss plan as soon as possible. I suggest you start livin' la vida low-carb TODAY! :D
7-29-06 UPDATE: Dr. Raul Uppot sent me an e-mail about this blog post explaining a little bit more about his philosophy regarding the larger equipment accomodations for obese patients and what the short and long-term plans are to alleviate this problem.
Hello Jimmy -
Thanks for your wonderful blog post. I am happy to see that you encourage weight loss with diet and exercise as a solution. As a radiologist, I believe that we should have both a short term and long term solution to the problem of obesity and imaging.
The short term solution is the responsibility of radiologists, hospitals, and equipment manufacturers to accomodate obese patients and obtain high quality images by learning how to adjust the current equipment settings and redesigning equipment to accomodate larger patients.
The long term solution is the responsibility of patients to have a good diet and exercise and to lose weight so that their care is not hindered in the hospital.
However, Dr. Uppot was concerned about the comments I used to describe his study in the repost of this blog at CarbWire.com. But he wanted me and my readers to know he sincerely desires to see these people lose weight rather than building larger and larger machines and that is his ultimate goal.
Hello again Jimmy -
I was a little disappointed to see your comments [on CarbWire.com] regarding my "ill-advised comments." I appreciate that you promote weight loss. That is the final answer...without a doubt. I also believe that if Americans ate properly and exercised we wouldn't be here.
But as a physician I have a responsibility to help obese individuals who come to the hospital with an acute medical condition. It is irresponsible to ignore their condition when they present to the hospital acutely. I cannot send them home and tell them to start a low-carb diet. If they have appendicits or a tumor they would not survive. It is our responsiblity to maximize equipment settings and design equipment to diagnose their acute medcial condition.
You won't believe how many of your readers have written to me seeking help for diagnosing their medical condition and I have been happy to accomodate.
But again as I have stated this is only a short term solution and the long term solution is patient weight loss as you promote. I hope in fairness you post these comments on your blog as I feel we are both trying to help obese people.
Raul N. Uppot, MD Department of Radiology Massachusetts General Hospital
Here was my response:
Dear Dr. Uppot,
THANK YOU for writing me back and certainly I will post your comments at my blog. My intention was not necessarily a scorn, but rather a sincere concern about the slippery slope we are traveling down regarding growing medical testing equipment bigger and bigger with no end in sight. Where do we draw the line as a society when we say enough is enough?
When doctors start becoming more proactive in helping their patients lose weight, using various means for doing so including low-fat, low-calorie, and low-carb lifestyle changes, then and only then will we see this "growing" trend begin to stop. Again, THANK YOU for your research and I appreciate your comments!
An elegant all-in-one pasta dinner dish to delight your family with
CREAMY PASTA WITH VEGGIES & SMOKED TURKEY
1 bag Al Dente™ Carba-Nada pasta 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 onion, dried 2 red peppers, diced 1lb. mushrooms, sliced 1lb.smoked turkey or ham, diced 1 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the veggies until soft. Add smoked turkey, evaporated milk & cook until heated through and slightly thickened.
2. In the meantime, cook Carba-Nada pasta in boiling water for 5 minutes, until tender, but firm. Drain. Add pasta to skillet, tossing with sauce, adding parmesan, salt & pepper.
Serves 4-6 people.
NOTE: This is not a LOW-carb dish, but rather a LOWER-carb dish since the Carba-Nada pasta contains 18g net carbs per serving. FYI!
Your T-shirt will include the "We put the Dash in Low-Carb" slogan
Our friends at Low-Carb Connoisseur wanted to offer a special limited edition T-shirt to the readers of the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog when you place ANY order with them through the end of July (can you believe August will be here next week?!).
This beautiful shirt features the famous umbrella logo you see above along with their catch phrase "We put the Dash in Low-Carb." You will have your choice between Large and X-Large when you checkout and it's so easy to get your complimentary shirt.
Here's what you do:
1. Click here to browse around their awesome store. 2. Select any of the wonderful low-carb products they offer. 3. When you are ready to checkout, go to the comment box. 4. Enter the redemption phrase "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." 5. Be sure to indicate either Large or X-Large.
IT'S THAT EASY! Consider this a special THANK YOU for your faithful readership to the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog and to Low-Carb Connoisseur.
Don't forget about their special Clearance Sale which features many new products that have just been added in the past few days. You'll DEFINITELY want to check it out. Or maybe it's time to restock on your Konjac shirataki noodles!
Show your support for Low-Carb Connoisseur and get rewarded with a FREE T-SHIRT! Place your order TODAY! :)
I was alerted to something quite disturbing today to say the least by my calorie-restriction friend April who told me about a California-based youth "fat farm" called Academy of the Sierras where overweight and obese children are being subject to an extreme low-fat diet consisting of nearly single-digit fat intake daily! April blogged about this here initially, then here, and finally here.
What is most incredible is the diet they have these kids eating is robbing them of some of the essential nutrients their bodies need for them to continue to grow into the healthy adults they are becoming. While they are getting 70g protein and 20g fiber, they are ONLY being fed a measly 10g fat. JUST TEN GRAMS! That's all they get daily. Yikes! They get to eat all the soups, salads, fat-free (and HIGH sugar, by the way) yogurt, fruits and vegetables as part of this wonder diet plan. The leaders of this program claim the kids won't get hungry eating this way.
Well, I guess they don't get as hungry with all of that protein they are eating. But what about the healthy fats these kids NEED for a healthy body and improved overall health? Even the American Heart Association FINALLY admitted this year that proper fat intake is important. Studies have shown eating fat improves mental health. Are these people at the Academy of the Sierras even concerned about the damage they are causing to the developing brains of these children they have been given control over? Helllllloooo?
You would think with the results of a landmark 8-year study on low-fat diets earlier this year showing them to be the big fat lie that people who are livin' la vida low-carb knew them to be would end this madness about being afraid of eating fat as part of a healthy weight loss program. This all-too-obvious fact has apparently left the good folks at the Academy of the Sierras as they continue to live in the past with their dietary recommendations centered around the archaic teachings of Dr. Dean Ornish!
But isn't it borderline child abuse what the leaders of this program are doing to these poor kids? With new research PROVING the theories they are using to induce weight loss in these children -- namely an extreme low-fat diet -- is false, then why would they still insist on using these tactics when there are much better ways to bring about the same results in a healthier manner? They wouldn't need to change their program radically to make it just as effective for weight loss AND be more nutrient-dense.
They could still have the kids eat 70g protein and 20g fiber, but have them instead begin to limit the carbohydrates to 20g daily while allowing 30-40g fat MINIMUM daily and having them avoid sugar, white flour, starchy veggies and processed foods. Why wouldn't this work better for the kids and give them a more palatable menu to eat from?
Wanna see just a sampling of what these kids have to eat now:
low-fat pizza very lean ground turkey tacos (EWWWW!) fat free bean burritos veggie egg white omelettes (where are the yolks?!) oil-free Asian stir fries innovative pastas (what the heck is that?!) spice apple raisin pancakes bagels with fat-free cream cheese Berries (the best item on this menu!) melon wedges fat-free yogurt Boca burgers (mmm, mmm Boca--NOT!) sandwich bar with very lean ham and turkey Mexican pizza fat-free soups fruit salad (can you say sugar?!) honey chicken veggie stir-fry “spinach baked” potatoes (say who what is THAT?!) frozen yogurt salad bar with fat-free dressings carrot sticks fat-free potato chips with salsa (yucky poo!) oatmeal raisin bars
Can you tell me what most of those foods contains gobs and gobs of? That's right, CARBOHYDRATES!!! Jeepers creepers people, let's just send the blood sugar of these kids into overdrive now with what we're feeding them. Sheeeeez! I remember eating an obsessively low-fat diet before and it's not fun at all. If my experience is any indication of what is going to happen to these kids when they get back home, then it would not surprise me to hear that most if not all of them rebel at their new way of eating and gain back every single pound they worked so hard to lose. I don't wish that on them, but it is almost inevitable with a low-fat diet as extreme as this one is.
You can express your concerns about this dangerous and abusive weight loss program for these adolescents by e-mailing them directly. You can address your e-mail to Phil Obbard who is the Executive Director for the Academy of the Sierras. Ask him to specifically answer your concerns about the lack of good fats in the diets these kids are being put on and let me know if you hear back from him or another representative. This blatant abuse by the Academy of the Sierra MUST be stopped immediately!
Wansink says you can lose weight by using smaller bowls--HA!
This Forbes Magazine article shares about a new research study from a food marketing professor who found people actually eat more calories when they are given larger dishes. However, there are a lot of assumptions made about what this means for people desiring weight loss because it is missing a key element that exists in people who struggle with being overweight or obese.
Lead researcher Brian Wansink, director of the Ithaca, NY-based Cornell University Food and Brand Lab with expertise in Food Marketing, Consumer Behavior, and Food Psychology, conducted an experiment with 85 food and nutrition experts by inviting them to an ice cream social. The study involved randomly distributing one of two sizes of bowls (17-ounce or 34-ounce) and one of two sizes of serving scoops (2-ounce or 3-ounce). Everyone at the ice cream party was responsible for dipping their own ice cream.
Wansink noted that those study participants who were given the 34-ounce bowls, or double the size of the smaller bowls that were distributed, actually served themselves 31 percent MORE ice cream than those with the 17-ounce bowls. At the same time, the larger 3-ounce scoop resulted in a 14.5 percent INCREASE in ice cream serving size than the smaller 2-ounce scoop.
What was most amazing to Wansink, whose teaching and research interests look at how packaging and human behavior can impact how often and how much consumers use food products, was the fact that his unbeknownst to them study pool included so-called nutrition and food "experts" who would know how many calories are in a certain portion size. Nevertheless, they STILL ate more with the larger bowls and scoops.
"The fact that even they end up being tripped up by these cues just helps to show how ubiquitous and how subversive these illusions can be," Wansink exclaimed.
This is why restaurants keep serving larger and larger portions so they can charge you more money. And yet we still are encouraged as a society to clean our plates because we were taught to do that growing up (because God forbid that kid in Africa who is starving will be even hungrier if I don't finish every last morsel on my plate!). Is there any wonder how America got to be so fat?!
But I must take Wansink to task about one assumption he is making regarding his study and it is not directly addressed in the story. For those study participants who ate out of the 17-ounce bowls, how many of them went back for SECONDS (or THIRDS!) with the noticably smaller bowls? Hmmm?
While the 34-ounce bowls may have included about one-third more ice cream than the 17-ounce ones intially, you can't help but wonder if the bigger-bowl group skipped the second go round while the smaller-bowl group felt jipped and double-dipped! I sure would have back in the day when I weighed 410 pounds with a bottomless pit for an appetite!
You know, I bet they were cruel for this study and removed the ice cream before anyone could ask for seconds. Eeek! Tsk tsk to them if they did this because it totally ruined what would likely have happened had they continued to make the ice cream available. Lines would have started to develop with all the 17-ounce bowls getting filled up yet again. There's no doubt in my mind that this would have happened. We'll never know for sure with this study.
However, if you want to see some REAL human behavior concerning food, Mr. Wansink, then why don't you conduct THAT experiment again and watch what happens to your theory about smaller bowls when you let people eat all they want of the ice cream uninhibited by the self-imposed limitations of your study? That's precisely why I oppose the move to make restaurants cut portions and calories because people will simply order more food to satisfy their appetites. Plus, people now EXPECT to get large portions when they go out to eat and are disappointed when the portion sizes are TOO SMALL!
Since I started livin' la vida low-carb in 2004 and lost 180 pounds on this amazing lifestyle change, I have never once watched my portions and have simply let my body tell me when I have had enough food to eat. Some low-carbers have told me that they HAVE to watch calories and control their portion sizes, but I haven't run into this yet. While I certainly agree people should be eating less food and calories than they are right now, I don't think artificially trying to fool people into eating smaller portions by giving them smaller tableware is necessarily going to help people lose weight because they'll just go back and fill those smaller plates up again and again until they have eaten the amount they really want.
What people need to do is make BETTER food choices and stop worrying about calories and portions to help lower their weight and get healthy. That's why the 100-calorie foods are the biggest diet gimmick out there on grocery store shelves today. The formula I have used during my success is STILL working well for me in maintenance mode, too. Why should I change my strategy now?
Wansink said previous research has shown that many other factors influence how much food is eaten by people, including the different kinds of foods available, background music, how hot or cold the eating environment is, and the speed of the eating patterns of your dining partner. He said we can add to that list the size of the plates, bowls and other dishes now.
"Four ounces of ice cream in a small bowl may appear an appropriate amount for a mid-afternoon snack, but the same in a larger bowl may appear too small, leading one to over-serve," he concluded.
8-7-06 UPDATE: Brian Wansink was on vacation when I wrote this blog post, but he was kind enough to reply to it upon his return.
Hi Jimmy,
Thanks again for sending me your link and for the thoughtful column on the "Ice Cream Illusions" article. You make excellent points in the article. I very much agree with your big point that if a person wants to lose a lot of weight a serious diet a low carb approach like the one you recommend can be very useful for a disciplined person (By the way, I LOVE the name of the book, Livinlavidalowcarb, very cool).
The main point of the ice cream illusions study (the bowls and spoons study) was to show how the environment can trick even experts. The people in the study were nutritional science profs and should have known better. I would have been just as guilty.
It was also a good point you made about people overcompensating by eating seconds. This can be a real problem in some studies and I've seen a number of studies in which it can really hurt the conclusions. To get around this problem we always try to use bowls that far exceed the size a person would fill.
For instance, in this study we gave people either 17 oz or 34 oz bowls. Even with the smaller 17 oz bowls, the average person fills it less than 1/3 full. The size of the bowl is no real constraint in how much a person eats. It can however be a perceptual constraint.
These ideas are a couple of the chapters in a forthcoming book (Oct 17 from Bantam Dell) called "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think." Let me know if I can be of help to you in the future, and best of luck to you and your readers.
All my best,
Brian
EXCELLENT! Brian said he would be sending me a copy of his book to review when it is available. Stay tuned...
Introducing the next great artificial sweetener: Neotame
A few days I blogged about the FDA granting their approval for the various popular artificial sweeteners on the market today, including aspartame, ACE-K, saccharin and sucralose.
But there was a fifth sugar substitute on that list that I had personally never heard of called neotame that many of you have asked me to blog about since it seems to be a relatively new sweetener on the market without a lot of information available about it. In fact, one of my readers said he noticed the new Atkins shakes contain neotame in them along with ACE-K and sucralose.
Although it is made by the same company that makes Nutrasweet and is similar to aspartame inasmuch as it is an artificial sweetener as well. But neotame is decidedly different than aspartame. It is an amino-acid-based sweetener which is -- get this -- 10,000 times sweeter than sugar! Whoa, that's a high-intensity sweetener, baby! And unlike aspartame, which does not hold up well under heat making it impractical to use in recipes, neotame is heat-stable just like sucralose is.
For people with the condition known phenylketonuria need not worry about consuming neotame because it is metabolized differently than aspartame which has considerably higher concentrations of phenylalanine, a common ingredient found primarily in aspartame-sweetened diet sodas (isn't that just about ALL of them nowadays?!).
While aspartame has a very distinctive (I call it NASTY!) taste, neotame, on the other hand, tastes somewhat better and is completely safe to use as an artificial sweetener. However, it is so powerful that only a tiny amount is needed to pack a powerful sweetening punch. Check this out: 1/4 TEASPOON of neotame has the same amount of sweetness as 22 POUNDS of sugar! Woo wee, my tastebuds would be zapped completely off the charts if I had that much of something sweet in my mouth.
Obviously neotame is not a a sweetener you will be consuming high amounts of anytime soon and it is generally combined with other sweeteners (namely sucralose and ACE-K) in most products. My trusted source for this information about neotame described eating straight pure neotame as "an insane experience" because "you literally have never tasted anything nearly so sweet in your life." LOL! You may have to use a whole box of salt just to get the sweetness out of your mouth after doing that! :D
For anyone who has sensitivity to aspartame (and I'm one who gets headaches from consuming too much of it while others I know get physically sick to their stomach worse than overeating products with sugar alcohols in them), it appears neotame does not cause these same kinds of side effects in most people because the amount of neotame is so much smaller in comparison to aspartame. Any concerns over methanol poisoning from the breakdown of this sweetener are virtually nonexistent considering fruits and veggies have exponentially more methanol in them than neotame!
One interesting point that my source told me about neotame is the fact that it could immediately start being used to replace some of the large amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in most sugary soft drinks and not change the taste of it one bit. How about that? An incredible 25 percent REDUCTION in the amount of HFCS would mean less calories and less sugar, both of which you would think should be something soda manufacturers fall all over themselves to make happen and market that fact. It would make their products HEALTHIER and they're refusing to do it in America! Go figure!
Interestingly, though, Coca-Cola has already started using neotame in place of some of the HFCS with their products overseas and Walmart-brand soft drinks also contain neotame. It really makes sense and cents for these companies to do this since most consumers are unaware of the change (I still get funny looks from people when I reveal to them that Coke Zero has aspartame in it!) and it costs 80 percent less commercially than sucralose does. With that said, it does start to make you wonder -- why don't they just go ahead and get rid of the other 75% of that disgusting and unhealthy HFCS already?! Hmmmmm?
As it stands right now, neotame is not available to consumers for purchase in little packets like Splenda, Nutrasweet and Sweet N' Low are. Because it is so concentrated and it is so similar a product as Splenda, you probably should not expect to see it on your local grocery store shelves anytime soon. But don't be surprised to find more and more of your favorite sugar-free (neotame is diabetic-friendly!) and low-carb products containing this incredible new power-sweetener called neotame. Now you know what it is!
For even more information, be sure to visit Neotame.com.
NBC's "The Biggest Loser" is coming back in September for Season 3
As one of the show's most supportive fans for Season One and Season Two, people are always asking me when the new and exciting return of the hit NBC weight loss show "The Biggest Loser" will be coming back for Season Three. Well, I have some very good news for all of you who are fans of the show -- your wait is almost over and you're never gonna believe what they've done to the show to make it even MORE appealing for people in all 50 states to watch this time around.
There are several changes for the new season of "The Biggest Loser," one of which is the conspicuous absence of the Red Team trainer Jillian Michaels. It will be interesting to see how NBC handles this on the air. While it is unclear whether Jillian decided to move on from the show on her own or not, she has since been replaced by a perky new fitness trainer named Kim Lyons who joins the very popular Bob Harper this season to motivate these contestants to victory over their weight problems. Perhaps I can do another interview with Bob or Kim later this year. We'll start working on making that happen.
One of the first things you will notice when the two-hour season premier airs on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 at 8/7c is the large number of contestants this year -- 50 of them, in fact, one representing each of the 50 states in America. That was a pretty ingenious marketing strategy to give the viewers at home at least one person to root for from their home state. We'll see how well that does in the ratings for NBC.
Of course, with that many contestants all in the same show, it will be a lot more difficult for the viewers at home to connect personally with any specific contestants like has happened in the first two seasons because the limited "face" time on camera that will have to be a lot less to accomodate the extra people. Even still, each of these would-be "losers" have a story to tell and I will attempt to introduce them to you right now going through the states in alphabetical order.
With a combined starting weight of 14,384 pounds, or an average of 288 POUNDS PER CONTESTANT, these people have a lot to prove to themselves and their loved ones becoming more physically active and to start eating better than the nearly 3,000-calories-per-day average they did in the week prior to beginning their journey on "The Biggest Loser."
It's time to meet all 50 of the "Biggest Loser 3" contestants:
Another 27-year old who has eaten poorly his entire life and now he wants the buck to stop here. He hopes to one day compete in an Iron Man triathlon to inspire his family and America.
A hilarious 32-year old whose mouth will either get her into trouble and make her triumphant. She says she really hates running (guess what they'll have her doing the first day!), but she's willing to do what she has to do to lose weight.
This shy 41-year old father of six kids desperately wants to be around for his kids and grandkids. He wants to increase his energy and feel better about himself to feel like he did when he was in a heavy metal band in his youth. When he loses the weight, he plans on taking his kids hiking up the Grand Canyon.
A 32-year old father of twin girls who has hidden his face and body with a beard and baggy clothes because of the shame he feels from getting fat. His strong-willed determination and dedication to his family, combined with a timely sense of humor, will make him a player to watch.
Affectionately known as "the fat kid," this 33-year old aspiring actor is tired of worrying about getting diabetes like the rest of her family has. She wants to make herself healthy through dedication to whatever she must do to lose weight.
A 29-year old registered nurse, he has seen patients die right before his eyes because of their obesity. His greatest fear is to end up in the ER as a patient because of his unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise. He hopes to lead by example with what he will accomplish on "The Biggest Loser."
This 29-year old middle-school history teacher was a college baseball star, but now he can hardly keep up with his students. But they will serve as a source of support for him while he is on the show.
A 32-year old mother of two whose weight zoomed after each pregnancy is looking to find her way back down to that size 1 she was in college. She wants to do this to teach her kids the importance of remaining active.
A 34-year old flight attendant who never seems to find the time to eat, sleep or exercise the way she should wants and hopes to get rid of that title she hear passengers call her -- "the big one" -- so she can find Mr. Right in her life.
A former professional baseball player with the New York Yankees, this 52-year old has been through tragedy early in his life when his wife died of breast cancer. To cover his pain, he used humor and ate more than he should which later led him to become diabetic. He hopes to get back into playing shape again.
This "over 50" contestant is a single mom who wants to fall in love and is coming on "The Biggest Loser" to put herself in a better position to attract the man of her dreams.
This 34-year old had part of her thyroid accidentally removed when she was a child which made her rapidly gain weight beginning at the age of 10. She has always felt the real her is waiting to come out.
This 25-year old corporate sales work-a-holic is always eating on the run and has never found time to take care of herself. Now she wants to make that happen on "The Biggest Loser."
This 40-year old had admittedly eaten the wrong foods and not exercised his way to obesity, but he wants to get his body back into his old state-ranked tennis playing days again.
A 29-year old has three goals in mind: wear a string bikini, run a marathon, and skydive. That's all! She wants to be thinner although most people tell her she looks fine. She knows better and wants to shock the world.
This 30-year old father of three is a devoted youth pastor who gained 100 pounds since getting married by eating too much and not exercising enough (in fact, he's too heavy for his treadmill now!). He wants to be a physical and spiritual example for the youth of America to follow.
A 35-year old hairstylist who wants to be "hot" now after enduring years of painful weight gain following the tragic loss of a close friend when she was younger.
This 25-year old former high school athlete and class clown drives around in a car with a license plate that proclaims "I'm Fat!" A compulsive eater, her wants to be a better role model for the kids he teaches at his school.
This 42-year old motorcycle police officer gained weight following an accident when his bike was hit by a car. He wants to shape up for his bride-to-be so he can get back to doing those things he loves the most.
A 40-year old author and motivational speaker learned how to overeat when he was asked to gain weight as a college football player. But he never stopped eating. Now he needs some motivation to whip himself into shape.
This 21-year old University of North Dakota senior started gaining weight as a freshman and can't seem to stop it. A hard-working, determined young woman she is ready to do this and get her life back.
A 38-year old yo-yo dieter has to overcome her adoration for fast food and Mexican food to begin eating better and to stop using food as a way to comfort herself. She wants to take up salsa dancing after her weight loss on "The Biggest Loser."
This 37-year old father of three is a fun-loving guy who endured tragedy right after college when his father died suddenly. That experience shook him to the core and led to his weight gain. He says he is now ready to be "Mr. Popular" again.
This 34-year old Home Economics teacher tells students about cooking and wants to help make heathier recipes for her students. She wants her students to see the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
A 34-year old teacher who gained weight in college and realized her need to lose weight when she couldn't ride in a roller coaster. Her dream is to run a four-mile trail in 40 minutes and ski the mountains of Colorado.
This 34-year old Army helicopter pilot was actually one hour away from having gastric bypass surgery and walked away from it thinking there's a better way. She hopes to be a fitness motivation instructor someday.
A 30-year old mother of three who gained weight during her pregnancies and wants that "blur" called life to slow down enough for her to regain control of her life.
A 21-year old college student who was active in high school got overweight by eating junk food and slacking off on the exercise in college. She feels ugly with the extra weight and avoids people she knows like the plague.
A 32-year old doctor who has always had trouble with her weight, she said her divorce made her turn to food to deal with the stress and emotions. She hopes to use her success on "The Biggest Loser" to start an obesity prevention practice that focuses on natural weight loss without the need for pills or surgery.
This 26-year old hasn't weighed herself in 13 years because she has always hoped her weight problems would just go away on their own. But the weight can piled on her steadily because of a regular diet of junk food.
A 43-year old father of two teenagers, people remember him as much for his weight as they do that strange hairstyle he has! Back injuries have kept him from exercising like he wants to, but he wants to make his health #1 in his life again.
A 23-year old whose family is all big, he generally dines on fast food as part of his busy job as a college recruiter. But his grandmother's death due to obesity got him rethinking the way he lives his life.
This 25-year old full-time student and future bride has a personality that attracts people to her. But she wants to become healthier and more attractive to herself by losing weight on "The Biggest Loser."
WHEW, did I get all FIFTY contestants in there? Man, that's a lot of people, but in just a few months their lives will be radically changed for the better as they all seek to become the winner of Season Three on "The Biggest Loser." I know I'll be watching to see them compete and I hope you do as well. Whether you need to lose weight or if you know anyone who does need to lose weight, I cannot recommend this show highly enough as a way to motivate and inspire you to great success.
