'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb' Blog Making A Real Difference In People's Lives

Although those of us in the low-carb community will probably never agree on everything as it relates to diet, health, and nutrition, it's good to know people's lives are being changed for the better because of the work I am doing here at my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog.

If I could show you all the literally hundreds of e-mails I receive on a weekly basis, it would blow your mind. I could do a blog with JUST the e-mails I get everyday and it would fill up volumes upon volumes of pages. THANK YOU so much to everyone who shares their positive and uplifting stories with me and I welcome it anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

The following is just a small sample of some of the e-mails I received lately:

Jimmy!!!!!! I did it! I went from a size 12 to a size 6!

In January I bought Dr. Atkin's book at a yard sale for fifty cents. Then I found your podcast show on iTunes--for free...

Between you and the book I have not only successfully found the "me" of ten years ago, but I learned how I gained all that weight in the first place. You are so right about "lifestyle changes."

Many friends have commented on my weight loss and I give you and the Atkins diet all the credit. I am sorry when my friends share their weight struggles and are signed up for expensive food plans or gimmicky gym plans. You shouldn't have to lose money to lose weight.

My favorite podcasts are the scientific ones explaining what carbs are and what they do, ketosis, blood sugar, etc.

Thanks again for being with me via my iPod--you have been a great teacher and commute companion!

AMAZING and I am so happy for you!!! Give yourself a big ole pat on the back for taking the initiative to educate yourself about the healthy low-carb way of life. You are one of the few who actually understands low-carb isn't just a diet, but it is a permanent lifestyle that you will WANT to be on forever and ever amen. And you'll be healthier and happier because of it!

Hey Jimmy!

I just want to first say that I really enjoy reading your columns. They are informative and have interesting links too! As an aspiring doctor, I find it very interesting to read about the obesity problems facing America.

To introduce myself, I'm a 21 year old neuroscience major going into my senior year. I've faced weight issues my whole life--starting in kindergarten where I remember crying at night because I was tormented that on the classroom weight chart, I was at 65 pounds where other kids were at less than half that.

In high school I took advantage of my big 6 foot 1 inch frame and joined the football and wrestling teams, both of which increased my athleticism and body strength through extensive weight training. However, by the end of the winter wrestling season my senior year, I had become 265 pounds and wanted to do something about it.

That's when I jumped on the Atkins bandwagon. Not only did I consume fewer daily calories, but I was doing more cardio. In the next 4 months I lost 50 pounds and started college as the thinnest I have been in a while.

One of the issues I've always faced is portion control. If the food is on my plate or somewhere nearby, I'm going to eat it. Thus, the all you can eat dining halls were the end of me. Needless to say, after stopping Atkins before I got to college, I put back on the weight quite steadily.

I weighed myself at the end of my junior year, just a few months ago, and that scale showed the 265 number again. I knew I had to change. My goal this time is to get down to 200 and keep it there for life. While still being technically (BMI) "overweight" at 200 pounds and 73 inches tall, I am fairly muscular and lift weights on a regular basis. I've also started taking a spinning class 2x per week for an hour.

So I've been doing the Induction phase of Atkins for the past 7 weeks or so and have lost about 20 pounds thus far. I'm going to stick with the strictness of Induction because I want this weight to drop off quickly. Just to give you an idea, basically all that I have been eating over this time has been chicken, tuna, steak, chicken sausage, lettuce, green pepper, cucumber, almonds, atkins bars, mozzarella cheese, salsa.

Looks like you are working the plan beautifully, my friend, and I would only encourage you to keep on livin' la vida low-carb especially as you progress through your medical career. Low-carb is actually the subject of an upcoming book releasing in September about the connection between low-carb living and brain health of all things from a brilliant neurosurgeon named Dr. Larry McCleary with a foreword by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. The book is called The Brain Trust Program and is a fascinating read (I was privileged to see a galley copy).

Just had to say hi, thanks for blogging and sharing your story! I jumped on the low carb bandwagon at about the same time as you and went from about 440lbs down to about 270. I kinda bounced around for a while getting back up to 316 and now am doing Weight Watchers. As of last Friday I'm down to 259!

It was interesting to read your posts about the loose skin... I've been wondering myself how much weight I need to lose... How much more can I lose... The whole "obese" question... There are people I know who are like 220 pounds who are less active and sickly, and here's me at 260 or so and I feel pretty healthy!

I've been going to the gym on average 5x a week for the last couple of years.

Anyways yeah.. It was good to see someone else's story that was similar to mine. Thanks for being an encouragement! My next big goal is 250lbs and then after that it's the 220-pound area. I'm 6' tall and I just want to be "overweight" and not "obese" even if it is by that stupid BMI standard!

I hope to someday be able to afford surgery too... I was overweight since high school and am 29 now. All I know for sure is that in 10th grade I was 350lbs...

Anyways, better get to work. Hope you have a blessed day!

WOW, that's so cool, man! It's funny how you develop a brotherhood or sisterhood with others who have lost about the same amount of weight as you. I feel that with my fellow low-carb blogger Kent Altena who is also 35 years old and lost nearly 200 pounds on the Atkins diet three years ago. I still want to get out to Iowa to meet my low-carb twin! :D We are all family in the wonderful world of livin' la vida low-carb.

And finally, this comment was special:

Jimmy,

Hello! First off, let me just say, "Thank you - for all you do." I've been meaning to tell you this for some time now, and I finally decided to do it... Your words matter to more people than you will probably ever know, people who read but never comment, people who find quiet inspiration in your words but for whatever reason never tell you so. Please don't ever give up. For many - myself included - you're the voice of not just low-carb but of healthy, sane, joyful living as well.

I live in New Mexico - land of the tortilla - so this low-carb thing is quite hard enough as it is! But ever since I first tried low-carb I've known at the deepest level that it was a major breakthrough, something your blog has certainly confirmed. Again, gracias for all your efforts. You make a major difference in the lives of many!

THANK YOU for those tremendously kind and generous words of support. My mission with this blog has always been to provide interesting, informative and even entertaining tidbits of dietary truth so you can make up your own mind about what's best for dealing with your own obesity and/or health issues. I'm so happy to hear that's EXACTLY what is happening for literally THOUSANDS of people who visit on a daily basis!

Do you have any feedback for me about anything--me, my weight loss, my blog, my podcast show...THE SKY'S THE LIMIT! Drop me an e-mail anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. My commitment to you is a personal response to EVERY single e-mail that comes through my e-mail box. I abundantly value your readership and want to help encourage you in any way that I can. Don't be a stranger! :)