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Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Low-Carb Living Is Always A Work In Progress

I am both criticized and praised for the way I write the posts here at my blog. You see, I'm not content with simply regurgitating health and weight loss information in a very dry, impersonal manner that does not give people any practical context for using it in their own lives. Instead, I make every effort to share from my own experiences to help others who may be going through similar circumstances.

Some say they don't care what some former fat guy has to say about diet and nutrition because all he is basing his comments on is what he has gone through and not basing his writings on any professional medical opinion. That's true and I've never claimed otherwise. Plus, I make that point abundantly clear every single time I write a new column. If you don't like what you see here, then nobody is forcing you to read it. There are plenty of drab and boring web sites out there to fit your tastes just fine.

At the same time, though, there are many more who are intrigued by my weight loss success story because I am able to connect with them on a personal level that helps them deal with their own journey because it is a very personal thing to go through. That's why I write like I do to hopefully convey that livin' la vida low-carb is about real people going through the struggles of life like everyone else.

Today, I have an example of someone who empathizes with my slight difficulty in keeping my weight from creeping up. As my regular readers recall, I gained 10 pounds back of my total 180-pound weight loss by the middle of 2006 which is why I started The "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge. While I lost down to 215 at one point, the weight has since crawled right back up again to the mid to upper 220s again.

The fact that I have blogged about my up and down battle with those last few pounds instigated the following response from another Atkins weight loss success story to share her similar experience and concern. Here's what she wrote:

I, like you, lost a big chunk of weight on Atkins/low-carb. Over 13 months I lost 75 pounds. I kept it off over a year AND I'm now seeing 5 pounds come back that I just cannot lose. I don't understand how I could lose the 75 pounds very steadily and not feel hungry or deprived but cannot seem to get going on this 5 pounds.

Now my friends, co-workers and even the owner at Curves say "But you are so skinny--you don't need to lose any more weight." Ah, but my thinking is if I allow myself to gain 5 pounds over the last 4 months, then what is to come? Another 5 in 4 more months and then another. Before long I don't think I'll be able to stop and I'm worried this.

I see you almost in the same boat with your 20 pounds that sneaked up on you and you also are having trouble getting it back off again. So, what is it that made us able to lose such a large amount and now we can't get this little amount off?

I know it has to be mental. I've tried all sorts of mind games with myself. The best I can figure out is that after losing all that weight I feel like I "deserve" a little glass of wine on the weekends and an extra handful of nuts. I also know I am eating past the comfortable level and into the stuffed area at times--even though it is low-carb/high-protein, it is still WAY to much for me to be eating.

It's obsessive behavior because I can't stop eating even when I know I'm over eating (like an entire bag of microwave popcorn)!! This is the stuff I did to gain the weight in the first place.

What is going on with me? I love my new body. I love the clothes. I love being healthy. Why am I sabotaging myself AGAIN?

Jimmy, thanks for listening to my concerns. I love your blog and read your posts daily. I also love the news, the tips, the interviews and everything else. Keep up the great work.


WOW, this e-mail couldn't have come at a better time since I was just thinking about blogging this VERY issue. I guess this confirms I needed to blog it, so here goes.

First, let me share with you my quick e-mail response:

Don't try to overanalyze it. Just keep livin' la vida low-carb (which is what I am doing) and get your smile on. Remember how far you've come so you have perspective on where you are going. It's gonna happen, just hang tough. I appreciate your honesty about this, but I urge you to keep at it.

Simplistic answer? Perhaps, which is why I'd like to expand upon my thoughts some more for this post. Let's look at the reasons for the weight gain. Mine happened because I allowed those extra indulgences like the dinner rolls at the restaurant to become way too regular in my diet. Sure, I felt like I "deserved" it, too, but I have since learned that livin' la vida low-carb is all the indulgence I need.

My slight weight gain last year wasn't 20 pounds, but rather 10. Still, like you, I didn't want it to turn into 10 more and then 10 more until I was right back up over 300 again in no time. NOT GONNA HAPPEN! In fact, the bells and whistles went off in my mind when I even THOUGHT about hitting 250 again. EEEK!

Your supporters are well-meaning when they say you look good enough now after your weight loss, so don't worry about trying to lose anymore. Trust me, I get the same thing all the time from people I know when I tell them I'm trying to get down to 199 pounds. They look at me like I'm some space alien for wanting to lose any more weight. They just don't understand that this is something I need to do for ME.

Remember this--these are probably the same people who very likely told you that you looked good when you were overweight, too, so they have a history of not being completely forthright with you. More than anything else, it is YOU who must make up your mind whether you need to lose weight or not.

Nobody can decide that but YOU. If you feel good at the weight you are at right now, then do everything you can to stay there. Otherwise, start on a plan that will help you lose it again! Don't obsess over all of this, though, because that can lead you right back into bad eating habits again that you will use to soothe your emotional pain. Then the weight goes up and you're back in that ruthless cycle that ensnares so many. Don't be one of them!

As of today, my weight is 229 pounds. That's one pound less than I was at the end of 2004 following my 180-pound weight loss that began at 410 pounds. Some may see that as a failure to lose any weight for more than two years. Another way to look at it, though, is I haven't GAINED any weight since 2003--THAT HAS BEEN OVER THREE YEARS IN A ROW!!! Now that's keeping the right perspective.

Is it frustrating to see livin' la vida low-carb be more challenging this time around than it was before (and, no, I don't subscribe to the one golden shot theory about low-carb)? Sure. But keep in mind that your body is different now as the skinny, healthy person that you are. It doesn't have to be a mental problem necessarily. Quite possibly it is physiological and paying attention to calories and portions may be what is needed for you now.

That may seem like a foreign concept to you in a discussion of livin' la vida low-carb because you never counted calories or portions while losing weight the low-carb way. But, again, that was when you were much bigger. Things have changed for the better and now your diet should change for the better, too.

One thing this e-mailer wrote that really hit home with me because I find myself doing the same thing lately is the part where she said she "can't stop eating even when I know I'm overeating."

Oh my gosh, it's confession time people. I've caught myself doing this just his week. I don't know if it's the cold weather, being indoors a lot, or what, but I have found myself eating a very healthy low-carb dinner and less than 30 minutes later opening up the cabinets to see what I could munch on. WHY AM I DOING THIS TO MYSELF? I'm NOT hungry!

Plus (even MORE confession!) I've let my cardio exercise slip up this week. I've cut my workouts short on the days I have done them and I've skipped the past two days altogether. Why am I doing this? Am I getting lazy even though I know how good exercise makes me feel when I do it? Talk about "sabotage!"

Let this all be a lesson to everyone reading my blog that old habits really do die hard. Even still, this is no time to panic. The key is to recognize when these feelings hit you and immediately find something else to occupy your mind until it passes. Remember, that's exactly how you did it the first time and I urge you to conjure up the spirit of that strength you had before. It will help you now.

You see, isn't it good to know that you're not the only one who has these thoughts because they can hit even the best of us? I constantly remind myself that I'm not there yet despite my successes in the past. It really does take a DAILY CONSCIOUS EFFORT to remain focused on the goal at hand and we must stay alert and ready for anything that could derail us, including our own self-pity.

More than anything, stay encouraged and don't give up hope. We beat ourselves up enough when we haven't been perfect, but it's not the end of the world. Recommit yourself starting RIGHT NOW to do this lifestyle change like you've never done it before. I'm telling myself this message more than anything because it is something I need to do as well. Just be glad you're not livin' la vida low-fat! Talk about torture! AAAACK! :)

Livin' la vida low-carb is always going to be a work in progress. If you ever think you have fully arrived, then watch out! Letting your guard down is in a sense being cocky and self-reliant when you know you are susceptible to having the whole house of cards come tumbling down on top of you at any moment. Zero in on what you need to do and then JUST DO IT!

I'd like to say a special THANK YOU to my reader for bringing up this incredibly important topic because we don't need to ignore it. This goes to the very heart of why people fail so often when it comes to weight loss and improving their health. Will it be easy to see this to the very end? Nope. But at least you actually care and want to do something about it. How many people can say that?

Now that's what I call progress. KEEP IT UP!

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Low-Carb Chicken Kabobs For The Big Game


Keep the pigskin lovers happy on Sunday with this snack

This absolutely tantalizing appetizer will be perfect to munch on while you watch the Indianapolis Colts demolish the Chicago Bears on Sunday...um, what was that? You think it's gonna be "da Bears" who come out on top over Peyton and the boys? Well, I guess we'll have to wait and see now, won't we? :D

But there is one thing we can agree on: GOOD FOOD! Especially when it is low-carb, you just can't go wrong and this recipe I am about to share with you hits the spot for anyone who is livin' la vida low-carb and even if you are watching your calories. ENJOY the game and cook up plenty of these for everyone to eat up. And it's healthy, too! Sweet!

LOW-CARB CHICKEN KABOBS

1 pound boneless chicken breast
4 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
1 tsp each salt & pepper
.5 tsp garlic powder
bamboo skewers (soak in warm water for 10 minutes)


Slice chicken thinly into equal strips. Sprinkle each of them evenly with garlic powder, salt & pepper on all sides. Place chicken strips & Tabasco sauce in a Ziploc bag, squeezing out the air and marinate for up to 30 minutes. Drain marinade and thread chicken strips onto bamboo skewers.

Grill as desired for about 3 minutes on each side until they are done! Makes 15-30 and goes great with your favorite dipping sauce (watch out for hidden sugars in the store brands, though!).

Make it a "super" low-carb party when you put it all in a "bowl." :)

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Health Insurance Just Needs To Be Affordable

I did something today that I absolutely LOATHE--paid a visit to my family doctor.

No, it's not that I dislike wanting to feel better when I am sick. Nor am I so ignorant that I would not want to get treated by professionals who have dedicated their lives to making people better. But something has seemed to change almost overnight in recent years within the health industry that is quite disturbing to me.

It's this business of health insurance. More specifically, the affordability of getting QUALITY health insurance. What the heck has happened to the cost of healthcare nowadays that everything has to cost so much money for the average person to get basic coverage? It's enough to make your blood pressure rise (but I can't afford to see the doc about it!)

Sure, rising healthcare costs undoubtedly have a lot to do with the rapid increase in obesity-related diseases like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and cancer, just to name a few. In fact, Medicare costs have tripled because of doubling obesity rates, so it's a real problem that is rearing its ugly head. And diabetes costs $132 billion annually to treat. I have chronicled why these issues exist and how to correct them through livin' la vida low-carb many times since I started this blog.

But getting back to the subject of health insurance for the average American, now we have literally tens of millions of families who don't have ANY health insurance at all. Yikes!!! This has become personal for me now because you can count my family among the ranks of the uninsured.

When I was employed by a fairly large company up until October 2006, I had pretty good health insurance through one of the most well-known companies providing health insurance today. The premiums were reasonable for the insurance which only required a small co-pay for general doctor visits and prescriptions while covering my wife's gall bladder surgery and tests at virtually 100%. Like I said, it was GOOD coverage.

However, losing that job meant losing that insurance unless I wanted to pay through the nose for the COBRA coverage that was extended to me. I decided to pass up the COBRA because the cost was much too unreasonable financially with the uncertainty about what my next job would be.

While we are on this subject, why does health insurance have to be tied to your place of employment anyway, hmmm? That seems like a screwy way to provide adequate coverage for the millions of Americans who work for small businesses that can't afford good group coverage plans. Believe me, I've had a few of them and you've got to be rich to afford the medical care! What's the point in having insurance?!

At the same time, I've also worked for big companies that have more purchasing power when providing health benefits to their employees. And that's a bonus for the people who are privileged to work for these companies. Think about it, though, that doesn't seem right now, does it? Why should your job determine the quality of your health insurance?

Can't we somehow pool the resources of the self-employed, small businesses, and individuals without health insurance and come up with the largest group policy plan in the country we could call the U.S. Health Insurance Plan that would provide that same kind of GOOD health coverage (like people who work for the government get!) at an affordable cost?

Plus, without delving into the politics of this issue (I REALLY don't!), why does this issue have to be so politically charged when people are seriously hurting for help? This isn't a Democrat or Republican political football that can be passed back and forth between elections while NOTHING is done about it. We need REAL solutions and not more empty pie-in-the-sky promises imploring class warfare.

And, lest I am misunderstood, I am NOT advocating universal healthcare coverage like they have in Canada with people being put on extremely long waiting lists for operations, transplants and the like. I don't want FREE healthcare, just insurance that is affordable and effective. Is that too much to ask?

Getting back to today's office visit, it was not for me, but my wife Christine. She bumped her knee on something a couple of months ago and just let me know last week that it still hurts (um, honey, were you gonna let me know about this anytime soon?!). She was afraid to bring it up because we are without health coverage right now. That's sad, isn't it?

Actually, we TRIED to buy health insurance from a company that will remain unnamed here and we actually got approved for the reasonably-priced policy rather quickly at the end of December. But when we went to use it for another medical issue Christine had a few weeks ago, the terms of the agreement as explained to me by the insurance salesman were not the same in reality.

We were told that we would have $1,000 that we could spend on doctor visits which seemed like PLENTY of money for an entire year. But after Christine's first visit which cost about $200, the insurance company said we could only use $50 until the end of the first quarter. Say what? Yeah, it seems the $1,000 is cut up into four $250 increments for each quarter. Who PLANS to get sick spread out over the year?!

Needless to say, after several back and forth conversations with them about this and other discrepancies about the plan we thought we had bought, both the insurance company and I mutually agreed it was best to drop the coverage and find another place for health coverage.

So that's where I'm at right now. I WANT health insurance, but finding a good plan for the right price is the tricky part. Where do you go for such coverage in this volatile environment? Since when did this issue get to be so complex that people would rather risk NOT getting sick than to pay through the nose on medical costs?

Here are my three bare minimum basic requirements for a GOOD healthcare plan:

1. I must be able to use it with my family doctor whenever I get sick or go for a routine checkup and have full coverage with a copay of no more than $25.

2. Major coverage (around 90%) for any big medical emergencies that may need addressing, such as heart attack, stroke, cancer, etc.

3. Prescription drug plan that has a $10 copay for generics and $25 copay for prescriptions.

Speaking of prescriptions, while I was in the waiting room for an hour listening to my iPod as Christine was getting her knee x-rayed and checked out by her doctor, I was stunned to see how many pharmaceutical reps came through this office. You can see them coming a mile away: nicely dressed, usually good-looking, carrying a gigantic tote bag (of drug samples) with their latest miracle pill they are pushing, and wearing a name tag of who they represent.

Guess how many I saw come in and out while I was there? 2? 4? How about EIGHT of them in all! They've got the system down pat, too--sign in at the front desk at their special sign-in sheet and just walk back in front of the patients who have been waiting for umpteen minutes in the lobby area while their doctor gets schooled on the next can't-live-without-it drug. UGH UGH UGH! Isn't that so tacky?!

Worst of all to me is the fact that they come bearing gifts like a lobbyist on Capitol Hill trying to woo a Congressman to vote for certain key pieces of special interest legislation. The same goes for these pill peddlers. I saw one of them hand about ten items to the front desk receptionist out of her big bag that undoubtedly had the logo of her company and/or name of her drug plastered all over it.

I know people need to make a living somehow, but that's one occupation just about as crooked as a used car salesman or a trial lawyer is. They are helping their companies rake in literally hundreds of BILLIONS of dollars annually by convincing doctors to prescribe drugs to their unsuspecting patients that are questionable at best for treating disease while natural remedies like livin' la vida low-carb and the overwhelmingly positive research coming out about it is simply ignored. Why? It's FREE and money can't be made pushing a healthy lifestyle change!

Okay, enough of my soapbox, what do you think? Have I just become too cynical about the healthcare industry these days that I've become jaded to reality? Or, is it somehow better than I'm making it out to be? Or quite possibly could it be even worse? I would LOVE to hear from doctors, pharmaceutical reps, the uninsured or underinsured, and anyone else who plays a role in this debate.

There are no easy answers, but there must be a way to make this all work for the benefit of every American who wants and desires the opportunity to insure the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have a plan in place in the event a health calamity should hit. Does such a plan already exist and I just don't know about it?

If you know of or represent a health insurance company that meets my basic requirements, then I am VERY interested in learning more about that plan. Please send any information to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. I look forward to reading your comments in response to this issue that will not be going away anytime soon.

Oh, by the way, Christine's knee is fine. She has a deep contusion that the doctor said may take as much as nine months to heal. There was nothing he could do to alleviate the pain and fix her knee. That little visit to tell Christine there was nothing he could do for her cost a cool $150! Man, I'm in the wrong profession!

1-31-07 UPDATE: I received the following response from one of my regular readers who just happens to work in the medical industry and has firsthand knowledge (and of course commentary) about health insurance.

Ah, Jimmy! My husband is a physician and I file the healthcare insurance for our patients. I'm sorry to say it, but you're asking for the impossible. Everything is a tradeoff.

Do you want to be able to sue your doctor for malpractice? Then be prepared to have him order umpteen tests you really don't need, just so he'll be able to cover his rear end in court when the time comes.

Do you want new drugs developed for your diseases? Then expect drug companies to act like a business and not like a charity. What's the latest chemotherapy drug developed by a charity?

Do you want to pay low copays? Then you'll see a limitation somewhere else--the number of visits, the doctors you're permitted to see, the size of the premium paid by you plus your employer.

Do you want nationalized health insurance? (I know you don't but lots of people do.)Then recognize that the cheapest outcome of all is--death. Heroic measures cost a bundle. If the nationalized healthcare system makes you wait for your cardiac cath or your liver transplant or whatever, there's a good chance that you will simply die and avoid all those unnecessary expenses. And if there's only one national insurer, the patients can't take their business elsewhere, can they?

I'm not too fond of the current system either. I scream at the stupidity of insurance companies all the time.

My husband and I have a policy with a $20,000.00 deductible(!), so we get to pay for all our prescription drugs and office visits out of pocket (no professional courtesy anymore). Believe me, we shop around!

We finally found a clinic that takes cash only and has contracted with specialty doctors in the community for reasonable rates, also in cash. They've saved so much money by not dealing with insurance that they can pass the savings on to their patients. What we pay for an office visit there is less than the copay many of our patients have to pay on their insurance.

Okay, rant over. Hope this information helps!


Plenty to chew on there. THANKS for sharing your unique perspective. Anyone else?

2-2-07 UPDATE: Here's another perspective from someone who sells insurance.

Hi Jimmy,

I enjoyed your article and I share your frustration. I'm a self-employed insurance agent and guess what, I have to buy this stuff, too. I don't like the price of health insurance either.

For the last twenty years or so politicians and the media have framed this issue as a "health insurance" problem, as if insurance companies manufacture money. The problem is a "healthCARE" problem, and one glaring fact that everyone in politics and the media leave out is that we have a LARGE population of baby-boomers who are getting older and starting to file more claims as their parts begin breaking down.

I'm one of those baby-boomers. I'm 55. Thirty years ago when my peers and I were in our 20's we paid premiums but didn't file many claims. As a group, we actually helped hold the cost of medical insurance down for everyone else for a couple of generations. Now we're filing claims and it's our claims that are raising the average cost of premiums for everyone else. No one gave us credit for keeping costs down, so I guess it's good that we're not getting the blame for forcing them up now, but that's the reality.

Your comments about low co-pays interest me. When a drug or a medical service costs more to provide than the co-pay you paid, who pays the difference? The answer: someone else. When other people pay co-pays that are less than the cost of the drug or the medical service, who pays the difference? Answer: YOU DO.

That's all that any kind of insurance arrangement is, a cost sharing plan. When bad things happen to you, other people help pay for it. When bad things happen to OTHER people, YOU help pay for it.

I understand your desire for a low co-pay, but it's not realistic and never has been. Co-pays were a method that the insurance companies used to force doctors to join preferred provider organizations ( PPO's ) back in the early 90's. The insurance companies basically bribed patients into demanding that doctors join PPO's by discounting their regular fees so that the insurance companies could hold their premiums down.

Insurance companies aren't stupid. They know that if prices get too high the government will nationalize their industry. Their co-pay strategy worked but now consumers have become accustomed to them and seem to think the difference is paid from some magical pot of money somewhere. It isn't. It's paid by other policyholders like you.

The future of healthcare, if it isn't taken over by the government (which might happen) lies in consumers taking more responsibility for their healthcare expenses. Insurance plans with high deductibles, coupled with Health Savings Accounts are the future, in my opinion. I suggest you take a look at some of those.

Having a family and going without ANY health insurance is like risking EVERYTHING YOU OWN at Vegas without actually having any fun.

Our governor down here in Texas, a Republican named Rick Perry, had an interesting quote the other day. He said healthcare is the only industry where the consumer doesn't know what services actually cost, and it has no incentive to care because someone else is paying the bill. Sums it up pretty well, in my opinion.

Finally, I have a funny story to share with you, too. A few years ago I was visiting with one of the small businesses whose health insurance I used to handle. It was a doctor's office and I was meeting with the doctor's wife to discuss their options for dealing with the rate increase their health insurance carrier had just issued for them and their ten employees. Doctors have to buy health insurance, too.

The doctor's wife was REALLY complaining about insurance companies and their prices when there was a knock at the door. It was her husband, the doctor, and he had an attractive young lady with him. "This is Laura. She's from Merck Pharmaceuticals and she wants to know what night next week she can take us to dinner at The Mansion on Turtle Creek". ( Look this place up. It's probably the most expensive restaurant in Dallas. Movie stars stay there when they come to Dallas.)

The doctor and his wife decided that the following Thursday would be best, the doctor closed the door, and the doctor's wife went right back to complaining about the high cost of health insurance premiums.

I get cracked up every time I think about that woman. Good luck in your search!


Oh, that story at the end was TOO FUNNY! Here was my response back:

THANKS for your insights. I agree with most of what you wrote and have looked into medical savings accounts as my best option right now. I've stayed healthy since losing my weight, but my wife Christine has several medical needs for her eyes and back. She's the one I'm concerned about making sure she is covered.

It's not an easy problem to solve, but it must start with the consumer making good choices for themselves and stop relying on the free ride they expect from their health insurance. People who keep themselves healthy and away from the doctor should not be penalized for being well. It's almost like you should get sick to make health insurance worth the cost. And that's sad.

THANK YOU again for your comments! I REALLY appreciate them. Take care!

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Tuesday, January 30, 2007

When Weight Loss Got Tough, Amy Got Tougher

The post that appeared here has been removed for not promoting the low-carb community in the professional manner I have come to expect from myself. THANK YOU!

Read this blog post for more information.

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Get A Low-Carb Valentine's Day Gift Basket

It's almost February and you know what that means, don't you? It's the day of love that happens each year on February 14th--Valentine's Day is only a couple of weeks away!

So, wouldn't you like to get that Valentine in your life who is livin' la vida low-carb a very special present that fits within their healthy lifestyle? SURE YOU WOULD, which is why I am pleased to share with you some absolutely FANTASTIC low-carb Valentine's Day gift baskets from CarbSmart packed full of your favorite low-carb goodies that can be delivered just in time for the loved one in your life.

Whether you have a low-carber or a diabetic who you want to surprise with these Valentine's Day baskets, these will surely deliver big smiles and loving adoration from the one who receives it. Packed in a tailor-made Sweetheart Gift Box, you won't be disappointed in giving or getting this as a gift for Valentine's Day.

There are the two special gift packages available:

LOW-CARB SWEETHEART GIFT BOX

Includes the following products:
Judy's 1.5 oz. Sugar Free English Toffee
Ross Chocolate Dark Chocolate Bar
Ross Chocolate Milk Chocolate with Cherry Bar
Ross Chocolate Dark Chocolate with Green Tea Bar
Eat Well Be Well Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Bar
Eat Well Be Well Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Almond Bar
Sorbee Strawberry Creme Filled 3.5 oz. Chocolate Bar
Sorbee Peanut Butter Creme Filled 3.5 oz. Chocolate Bar
Sorbee Solid 2.8 oz. Dark Chocolate Bar
Sorbee Solid 2.8 oz. Milk Chocolate Bar
Jelly Belly Jelly Beans 3.1 oz. bag
Ashers Liquid Caramel Chocolate Bar
Assorted Sugar Free Hard Candies


DELUXE LOW-CARB SWEETHEART GIFT BOX

Includes the following products:
Judy's 1.5 oz. Sugar Free English Toffee
Judy's 1.5 oz. Sugar Free Almond Cluster
Atkins Chocolate Covered Coconut Bar
Ross Chocolate Dark Chocolate Bar
Ross Chocolate Milk Chocolate Bar
Ross Chocolate Milk Chocolate with Almond Bar
Ross Chocolate Milk Chocolate with Cherry Bar
Ross Chocolate Milk Chocolate with Peanuts Bar
Ross Chocolate Milk Chocolate with Green Tea Bar
Eat Well Be Well Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Bar
Eat Well Be Well Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Almond Bar
Maine Cottage Foods Sugar Free Dark Chocolate
Maine Cottage Foods Sugar Free Milk Chocolate
Maine Cottage Foods Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Mint
Sorbee Mint Creme Filled 3.5 oz. Chocolate Bar
Sorbee Strawberry Creme Filled 3.5 oz. Chocolate Bar
Sorbee Peanut Butter Creme Filled 3.5 oz. Chocolate Bar
Sorbee Solid 2.8 oz. Dark Chocolate Bar
Sorbee Solid 2.8 oz. Milk Chocolate Bar
Sorbee Solid 2.8 oz. Milk Chocolate with Peanuts Bar
Jelly Belly Jelly Beans 3.1 oz. bag
3 Peerless Sugar Free Hard Candies 3.5 oz. bags
Brown & Haley 3.5 oz. Almond Roca
Brown & Haley 3.5 oz. Cashew Roca
2 Assorted Blitz PowerMintz
Assorted Sugar Free Hard Candies
Russell Stover or Asher's 8 oz. Sugar Free Chocolate Assorted Box


If neither of those baskets tickle your fancy, then you can choose from the full list of low-carb gift baskets to give your Valentine instead. Hurry to place your order by February 5th to insure delivery by February 14, 2007.

Show him or her that you love them and their commitment to livin' la vida low-carb with one of these gift boxes or baskets. I KNOW they'll LOVE IT! :)

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If Tyra Banks Is Fat, Then I'm Brad Pitt


Can you believe people are debating whether Tyra Banks is fat?

So I'm running around doing a long list of errands today when I see the front cover of the February 5, 2007 issue of People magazine on newsstands now with a picture of former supermodel Tyra Banks with the caption "You Call This Fat?" blasted across it. Say what?! This immediately captured my attention, so I opened up the magazine flipped through the article.

Despite the fact that Tyra Banks was once considered the epitome of "the look" that Hollywood and the entertainment industry has tried to convince women everywhere about what it means to be "perfect," now turnabout is fair play as even Banks herself is being judged by her own impossibly high standard. Impossible, you say? Well, it's true and she doesn't like it one bit.


Banks on the cover of Sports Illustrated's 1997 Swimsuit issue

It all centers around the fact that Banks has gained about 30 pounds on her 5'10" frame from the petite waistline she displayed during the height of her career in the late 1990s. Now that she has been retired from that life for the past two years and moved on to other passions including a highly successful television talk show and a primetime reality show, the 33-year old Banks in 2007 weighs a modest 161 pounds.

At her current height and weight, Banks is still considered "normal weight" according to her BMI reading of 23.1. But it goes back to the fact that she has always been seen as a very thin model throughout most of her career. So the general public perception is that she's fat compared to what she used to weigh when in actuality she's now "normal" perhaps for the first time in her life. Oh the horrors!

Too bad for Banks that reality has not stopped the media from being their typical ruthless selves in poking fun at her expense, describing her in headlines as "America's Next Top Waddle" or "Tyra Porkchop." Can you believe we live in a society that thinks that picture of Tyra Banks on the front cover of People magazine is of a fat person?! Man, we are one mixed up culture!


Tyra Banks decided to fight back against being called "fat"

In an exclusive interview with People magazine this week, ironically the same publication that featured a cover story just a few weeks back on Americans who are now "Half Their Size?" after enormous weight loss, Banks lashed out at her critics in the media who she said exhibited "a strange meanness" when they were overjoyed claiming she was "fat."

"It was really hurtful to me," Tyra told People.

What's interesting is Banks didn't even know about the "fat" cat calls that were happening in the media until a flight attendant on a trip back from Australia told her she didn't think Banks looked as fat as "they" said she did.

"I had no clue what the woman was talking about," Banks admitted.

But now she knows and she has chosen to use her star status symbol to address this extremely hostile topic for the sake of herself and her fans. Banks said so many girls STILL idolize what she looks like today despite the fact that she's not as thin as she once was and these claims that she is "ugly" and "disgusting" for putting on a few pounds is actually hurting the self-image of those young girls.

"What does that make those girls feel like?" Banks continued with People. "I still feel hot, but every day is different."

Some would argue that Banks herself made little girls feel bad about themselves by the image she portrayed during her modeling career since it was impossible to ever attain for most of them. Even still, you can tell this is really bothering her to the point that she's saying something about it.

Banks is now getting to feel what it is like to deal with the day-to-day struggle of keeping her weight and health in line. You have to admit, it's a little funny in an evil, maniacal way hearing this supermodel that every guy in America used to drool over telling stories like this one.

"It's when I put on the jeans that used to fit a year ago and don't fit now and give me the muffin top, that's when I say, 'Damn!' I feel more comfortable when I'm lighter--I sleep better, I snore less, I have more endurance when I work out, my arms look better," Banks explained to People.

Tyra Banks has a "muffin top" when putting on jeans? And she snores, too? Hey, she IS like most of us, isn't she?! She admits this experience has given her "pain" because it hurts her being portrayed as "fat" after so many years of making beauty her moneymaker in her career. But "fat" is not a word she wants synonymous with her name because "usually it's just gross."

"Being fat is cool if you're a sumo wrestler or a circus freak or a hot dog eating champion," Banks contended to People. "I'm not saying fat people can't be sexy, they just have to be clever about it. You know, like printing out a full sized poster of a supermodel and taping it to their neck. Or getting everybody in the world drunk. Or not being fat."

I have no idea what that quote is about, but I THINK she's saying people who are overweight should be striving to lose weight doing what they can to make it happen. To a former supermodel, being described as "fat" and by inference "ugly" must be the absolute worst thing you could possibly say. That's indicative in her quote about "fat" people.


Remember Tyra in the 350-pound "fat" suit? Now THIS was fat!

You may recall the publicity stunt that Banks conducted in late 2005 wearing a "fat" suit that made her look like a 350-pound woman which made her artificially realize the abuse that overweight and obese people endure just because of their size has taken a cruel twist of fate. Now the comments she is receiving are real and about HER! Unbelievable, isn't it?

The fact is Tyra Banks is STILL a hottie even with the extra weight, which she says has fluctuated between 148 and 162 pounds since she left her modeling career (if you want to know what being REALLY "fat" is for a former hottie actress, just ask Catherine Bach who played Daisy Duke from the original Dukes Of Hazzard television show). She permits her weight to be higher now because it gives her more credibility with her audience to be "relatable" as one of them. That's probably a good move on her part, too, because the average woman will connect with her like they do Oprah. Or at least that's what her producers hope will happen.

We've seen this controversial issue of weight gain and image recently with such famous people as Kirstie Alley, Katie Couric, Patricia Arquette, and Britney Spears. And Tyra Banks won't be the last either.

Why is our culture so obsessed with famous people and their weight? Has the entertainment world gotten to be so boring that now we must nitpick at something as irrelevant and mundane as gaining a few pounds? Come on people, get a life!

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'30-In-30' Weight Loss Challenge Open Anytime

After a lot of thought and contemplation about the future purpose of the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge blog, I have decided to stop keeping tally of the weeks in the challenge.

WHAT?! Are you quitting on us, Jimmy? Say it ain't so?

Well, it AIN'T so! But the more I looked at what has happened with this challenge with brand new people joining each week, it only makes sense to scratch the hard dates over the 30-week period. While I am in Week 25, someone else is in Week 19, another one is in Week 4, and for some this is their first week. That gets REALLY confusing for people to follow.

So, henceforth, I will no longer refer to the week we are in for "30-In-30" challenge because it is different for everyone. But the mission to lose 30 pounds over 30 weeks remains. Regular Tuesday weigh-ins with encouraging and uplifting messages will continue to be provided for those who are desiring weight loss.

Click here to learn more about this change with the "30-In-30" challenge and how YOU can join NOW to lose a pound a week, too!

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Monday, January 29, 2007

GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars Now In The US


GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars
have arrived at CarbSmart

The wait is finally over.

After first blogging about them last July, the grand United States debut of the British smash sensation GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars has come and available exclusively from our friends at CarbSmart.

Following in the footsteps of the bestselling GoLower Nut Bars, these new chocolate creme bars are a nice change of pace for people who enjoy a great-tasting nougat bar. In fact, the Chocolate flavor actually tastes like a 3 Musketeers bar! WOO HOO!

While the GoLower company originally wanted to release their Chocolate Creme Bars in Chocolate, Raspberry, and Coconut just like the nut bars, they decided not to produce the coconut flavor after several tests in the UK found customers did not like them. I was one of the people who tested all three flavors and I actually LIKED the coconut creme bars even though I do not like the coconut nut bars. Go figure!

Anyway, these GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars have 7g protein, 7g fiber, and just under 6g net carbs per serving. There are NO artificial flavors, NO preservatives or artificial sweeteners, NO Trans-fats, and made from only the finest Belgian dark chocolate available.

You may notice there are 5g sugar listed in the ingredients in each bar. When I asked Hannah Sutter, founder and CEO of GoLower, about this, she said the the British government requires any food that calls itself chocolate to be made with sugar. Hmmm, that's interesting. So, if she tried to make it with maltitol (EEEK!) or a Splenda/ACE-K blend, they would have to call it chocolate FLAVORED. Not good!

With that said, the thin layer of chocolate that is in this bar is not enough to bother you if you are in the pre-maintenance or maintenance phases of livin' la vida low-carb. It's still MUCH lower in carbohydrates than a typical candy bar which can be as high as 60-70g carbs a piece. GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars are so much better!

Just like the GoLower Nut Bars, these creme bars use oligofructose and the natural flavors of the ingredients to WOW your tastebuds with a delicious and nutritious snack. Grab yourself a box or two of the GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars and let me know what you think of them!

Fans of GoLower Nut Bars will be pleased to hear that CarbSmart has an exciting special going on with them right now--they are 40% off!!! This is a good time to stock up on these superb bars when you place your order for the GoLower Chocolate Creme Bars. Don't forget, you get FREE UPS GROUND SHIPPING when you purchase $100 or more. Enter the word "induction" (without the quotes) when you checkout to receive the FREE SHIPPING.

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Study: HDL, Triglycerides Better Markers For Cardiovascular Risk Than LDL

An article published at TheHeart.org today about a new study on the vital importance of measuring HDL and triglycerides instead of simply relying on the traditional Framingham risk score looking at LDL cholesterol particle size and numbers as predictors of the risk for a cardiovascular event should be an eye-opening moment for those in the medical community still living in the Ice Age with their medical knowledge.

Lead researcher Dr. Karim El Harchaoui, from the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, along with his fellow researchers used a relatively new measuring technique called a nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to see if LDL cholesterol could be connected with the risk for a future cardiovascular event in over 25,000 study participants who had moderately high LDL levels in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (aka the EPIC project) that took place from 1993-1999.

In all, Dr. El Harchaoui and his team looked at the 1,003 study participants who developed cardiovascular disease over the six-year study and compared them with 1,885 control subjects to predict the odds of having another cardiovascular event, specifically looking at the LDL particle count and size for measuring taking into account the HDL and triglyceride numbers.

What the researchers found was startling--LDL particle numbers and size were found to be no more predictive of cardiovascular risk than the often ignored HDL and triglyceride numbers. In other words, the general practice of most doctors to zero in on LDL cholesterol particle size and total number alone when assessing the risk for future coronary heart disease issues is outdated and should not longer be used, according to the researchers.

I ran into this very same thing personally last April when I visited my doctor and he expressed his concern about my LDL numbers coming back moderately elevated after using a traditional cholesterol test. When I explained to him how my triglyceride/HDL ratio was outstanding with readings of 72 and 42 respectively, his response back to me literally floored me.

Here's what I wrote about that experience at the time:

He responded that while those numbers are good and my weight loss has been quite impressive, those are simply IRRELEVANT when you are talking about LDL as a separate measuring stick for the risk of heart disease. He acknowledged that most medical professionals give more weight to the LDL than they do HDL or triglycerides these days and that they want to see that LDL number go as low as possible regardless of what the other numbers are.

Seriously?! Is he kidding me? I'm not a doctor nor do I pretend to understand all the aspects of the cholesterol debate, but that seems just a bit shortsighted to me. Why even measure HDL or triglycerides if they aren't as important as LDL, hmmm?

Rather than encouraging me with the incredible IMPROVEMENTS that I have seen in my HDL, my doctor dismisses these numbers and even ignores the total cholesterol/HDL ratio which at 3.5 is well within what is considered the "safe" range.

But, noooooooooooooo! It's all about the LDL and nothing else. Yikes! Has it really come to THIS in the practice of medicine these days that we live in such a cookie cutter society that everyone must be treated exactly the same? Was losing 180 pounds not enough for ya, doc?


Now we have a study confirming it really is more than just about the LDL and that low-HDL and high triglycerides are a good predictor of a very high risk for cardiovascular disease. This is not good news for people who eat a high-carb diet since this recent study confirms consuming all those carbohydrates makes your HDL go way down and your triglycerides go way up.

Just in case you missed the message of all this so far, here's a recap: Eating too many carbs lowers HDL and raises triglycerides. Having low-HDL and high triglycerides INCREASES your risk for coronary heart disease regardless of what your LDL cholesterol number is. Raising your HDL and lowering your triglycerides is tantamount to protecting yourself from any future cardiovascular event. Still with me? Keep reading...

Dr. Matthijs Boekholdt, one of the co-authors of the study also from the Academic Medical Center, said patients who have even a moderately elevated LDL cholesterol number should not be burdened with the expense of having something like the high-priced VAP test or the equally expensive Liposcience test (both are between $100-200 a pop!) conducted if their HDL is higher than normal and their triglycerides are below 100.

"Although it's good to be aware of LDL, it's expensive to test," Dr. Boekholdt stated. "We show that HDL and triglycerides provide similar predictive information. Most doctors do not look at HDL or triglycerides because, unlike LDL, treatment for these parameters is not mainstream clinical practice. It would be more useful to be aware of these results, particularly in those with the metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity, or diabetes."

Boy, is he ever right! That was EXACTLY my experience when I tried to explain to my doctor about my good HDL and triglyceride numbers. But it was like talking to the wall because he would have nothing of it because my LDL was over 100. I'm thinking of printing out this new study and taking it down to my doctor tomorrow to help educate him about this subject, but I doubt he'll take the time to read it or even care. What's the use when so many in the medical community are oblivious to facts?!

The conclusion of the researchers is that doctors should stop using LDL levels to treat cardiovascular disease risk as a preventative measure. Uh-oh! What's gonna happen to all these billions of dollars in television ads running for ads for cholesterol-lowering statin drugs like Crestor and Lipitor (both of which I have been on in the past before I started livin' la vida low-carb) if news about this study gets out?

As if the pain of taking statin drugs wasn't bad enough on its own, now we learn that having a moderately high LDL number is not so bad after all. How many people have added their share of dollars to the coffers of the pharmaceutical industry needlessly because of this trumped up cholesterol crisis we've been told we have, hmmm? It's disgusting if you ask me!

What is most sad is doctors keep raising the doses higher and higher on these dangerous drugs despite the fact that there have been studies showing elevated LDL cholesterol levels can be good for you as you get older.

Are doctors even paying attention to all the relevant research that is coming out or are they simply relying on that pharmaceutical rep to tell them what's out there? How much you wanna bet none of them will share this study about the importance of HDL and triglyceride levels in determining heart health risk?

Dr. Boekholdt said doctors too often look at patients as a collective body using a one-size-fits-all mold rather than the personalized health needs of the individual. That means they should start observing not just the LDL, but also the HDL and triglycerides as part of the standard lipid test results.

"Most doctors tend to ignore abnormal HDL and triglyceride levels because there is not much you can do about them," he explained.

Well, actually there is something you can do about abnormally low HDL levels and/or abnormally high triglycerides, Dr. Boekholdt. It's called livin' la vida low-carb. This simple, but effective dietary change has been shown to raise HDL levels without medication and be beneficial for overall cholesterol health, including significantly lowering triglyceride levels to below 100. That's how you know when someone is doing low-carb the right way.

The fact is when you are on a low-carb diet, the traditional cholesterol results are irrelevant when you DON'T factor in the HDL and triglyceride numbers as well because these are VERY important in assessing the real risk for future heart health problems. I'm pleased to see the research is FINALLY catching up to reality.

Doctors may know about the risks associated with higher triglyceride levels, but they have not give that as much credence as the LDL cholesterol levels, the researchers contend.

Despite their negative view of LDL in the study, the researchers say it can still be a useful tool for doctors to help their patients understand the specific risks they face rather than simply relying on one test to determine treatment options for any cholesterol levels that are out of control. Even still, the VAP and Liposcience tests (interestingly, one of the co-authors of this study was a representative from Liposcience headquarters in North Carolina) are costly and sometimes difficult for the average person to access.

"At any given LDL level, if you have two people and one has increased LDL while the other has normal LDL, the one with the increased LDL is at greater risk of [a cardiovascular event, and this tends to coincide with people who have metabolic dyslipidemia [which usually includes low HDL-C levels and high triglycerides]," the researchers added."

Get this! Even those people who have been put on one of those joint-jarring statin drugs may STILL be at an elevated risk for heart attack or stroke.

"There is some evidence that people treated with statins who achieve a good LDL level...remain at high risk," Dr. Boekholdt explained.

WHOA! So much for those commercials with that freaky-looking heart surgeon who developed the artificial heart touting Lipitor as a healthy way to reduce the risk of heart disease. It looks like that's yet another one of the big fat lies we've been hearing from the so-called health experts for far too long. Perhaps low-fat diet advocate Dr. Dean Ornish may want to change his tune about HDL cholesterol in light of this research. Don't bank on it anytime soon!

This study was published in the January 22, 2007 issue of The Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

You can e-mail Dr. John J.P. Kastelein about this study at j.j.kastelein@amc.uva.nl.

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Sunday, January 28, 2007

'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 21: Obesity Armageddon Is Almost Here

LISTEN NOW to Episode 21 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" by clicking on the PLAY IN POPUP link below (REMINDER: You DON'T need an iPod to listen!):

icon for podpress  "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 21 [12:36m]: Play in Popup | Download

On the eve of debuting a brand new feature for next month I'm calling "Fact-Filled February," I highlight an alarming study in Episode 21 that should scare the bajeebies out of people. We may think obesity is bad now, but if the results of this study come to fruition then it looks like not one single person will be able to escape from the clutches of the fat monster. Yep, that's right, we are heading for 100 percent obesity and it's supposed to happen in MY lifetime. EEEEEK!

I'd love for you to listen to today's podcast and then tell me what your reaction is to it in the show notes section of today's episode or by calling our listener comment line at (206) 203-4192. Let me hear from you TODAY!

You can check out the podcast many different ways:

1. Listening at the official web site
2. Going to iTunes
3. Calling (818) 688-2763 to listen via Podlinez
4. Subscribing to the RSS feed

Is universal obesity really an inevitable fate that will overcome us in just a few decades? How can we allow this to happen at a time in our history when information is so readily available about how to lose weight? Share your comments and express how this study makes you feel. Are you scared to death or do you remain hopeful the message of livin' la vida low-carb will alter this fatalistic prediction before it can happen?

Be sure to come back on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the month of February as we bring you even more studies arming you with the truth about the healthy low-carb lifestyle. You won't want to miss a single episode. Tell you friends and family to listen to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" for more education and encouragement than you can shake a stick at. For those of you who don't speak Southern, that means it's pretty good. :D

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Low-Carb Weight Loss Celebrity Wants To Write A Book To Tell Her Painful Story


Mary Smith is smiling today, but life hasn't always been so cheerful

Do you remember that People magazine story that hit newstands around the beginning of the new year featuring people who are now "Half Their Size?" Well, you may recall that the beautiful blonde-headed woman on the right-hand side of the front cover is low-carb weight loss success story Mary Smith. Mary's inspiring and dramatic 125-pound weight loss has made her a full-fledged celebrity in her community and across the country.

Mary credits the Atkins diet for her incredible accomplishment, but this Albuquerque (NM) Tribune column reveals the journey was a lot more difficult and tumultuous than simply learning how to eat right and exercise.

The forgotten part of obesity is that usually it is tied to some sort of pain that has happened in the past for so many of us. It could be physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual, but that hurt is at the very center of how we allowed our weight to become so out-of-control. For Mary Smith, it was no different.

But what she had to go through at such an early age is something NONE of us would ever want to wish upon our worst enemy because it is too cruel and inhumane to even think about. Nevertheless, Mary lived through it day-by-day, minute-by-minute, second-by-agonizing-second. This was the living nightmare of an adopted eight-year old girl who should have never had to go through what she did.

Mary's adopted father sexually abused her night after night, but nothing was done to stop it. When she attempted to tell her foster mother what was happening, the response she was given was just as life-shattering to this impressionable little girl.

"She looks at me and tells me he didn't do anything, it never happened, never talk about it again," Mary recalled her adopted mother saying. "Then she cuts my hair off, dresses me like a boy and chubs me up."

Robbed of the natural beauty of her youth, Mary eats and eats to medicate the deep dark secrets she was carrying inside of her like an undeserved curse she had been given. The albatross around her neck would haunt her into adulthood as she kept getting bigger and bigger from all the poor eating habits she had picked up from this experience.

Once she was able to move out on her own as an adult, the threat of high-cholesterol loomed large as she was pressing her luck with being in the high percentile for getting diabetes and heart disease which ran in her bloodline. Naturally, Mary attempted to diet like tens of millions of other Americans do every single year.

The plans she tried--Weight Watchers, low-fat, low-calorie, grapefruit diet (EWWW!), and more--did nothing to help her actually lose weight. They merely made her more frustrated than ever about her weight which caused her to eat even more. UGH!

As if her life wasn't already painful enough already with what she had to go through, Mary was in a bad marriage to her first husband and they had three kids who had to endure the divorce. Plus, her youngest son got brain cancer and she felt like life was tumbling in on her again.

Wouldn't you know it, though, Mary Smith was about to get an angel from God to come in and sweep her off her feet to give her the love, affection, and support she had undoubtedly prayed for a millions times before. This time that prayer had been answered encompassed in the man she nows calls husband--Richard.

"He was the first person in my life who loved me unconditionally," Mary asserted. "He was my saving grace."

Richard was Mary's shelter in the time of storm to get her life back on track and to give her something worth living for. The turning point in Mary's new lease on life happened on July 2, 2002. That was the day she confessed what all had happened in her life--the sexual abuse by her adopted father, the failure of her first marriage, the brain cancer of that precious child of hers, and even her ever-growing weight problem--so she could FINALLY move forward and out of the shadow of the skeletons from her past.

It was the first day of the rest of the storybook life she is now living.

"I've never looked back," Mary proclaimed. "If you think about it, this was that child, that little blond-haired girl, taken away from me. And now I've reclaimed her and get to live her again. I got that kid back."

Nearly five years removed from that fateful moment in her life, Mary Smith has lots of reasons to smile and live life to the fullest. Not the least of which is her weight loss imploring the concepts she learned from being on the Atkins diet. This former carbohydrate addict is religious about her commitment to eating healthy--which means no more sugar or anything that could turn into sugar inside of her body. She has since lost any desire to eat another unhealthy carb for the rest of her life.

In fact, Mary was so committed to livin' la vida low-carb that she ate yogurt and almonds instead of her wedding cake when she married Richard four years ago. Now THAT takes dedication. But Mary knows if she is going to keep her weight down, then she is going to have to eat this way for the rest of her life. It really has become a permanent lifestyle change for her.

What does she usually eat in a day?

BREAKFAST--Omelet with peppers and green onions
LUNCH--Grilled chicken and a side salad
SUPPER--Steak with a side salad

As most of us who have lost over 100 pounds can attest, just because you lose a bunch of weight doesn't mean those old habits can't somehow find a way to creep back inside of our heads every now and then.

"I don't want a 4-ounce steak, I want a 16-ounce steak," Mary admitted. "Going from a size 28 to size 4 doesn't change everything."

LOL! I TOTALLY understand, Mary. I fight that same battle and sometimes forget I'm not that morbidly obese man I once was. But then taking a quick look in the mirror or glancing at old "fat" pictures usually brings me back to reality again to keep me from going astray.

With all that she has gone through and with her newfound fame thanks to her cover story in People magazine, Mary has decided she wants to reach out and help people who want to know more about livin' la vida low-carb by organizing low-carb support groups all across the country to provide the emotional support for people following this lifestyle. Think of it as a Weight Watchers for people who are on the low-carb lifestyle (since THEY use a low-fat, low-calorie, portion control diet exclusively in their program!).

Additionally, with a heartbreaking story of tears to triumph (hey, that could make for a great title, Mary--From Tears To Triumph: Mary Smith's Miracle Low-Carb Weight Loss Story), Mary is now wanting to share it with the world in a book about her life. With all the pain she has been through for the majority of her life, there's no doubt others are going through many of the same kinds of struggles that Mary did. She wants them to experience the joy and happiness that has rejuvenated a life that many would have given up on a long time ago.

Like so many of us who have lost a lifechanging amount of weight, Mary has a heart and passion for helping others overcome their demons and get the weight off for good. If Mary Smith was able to come face-to-face with these evil giants from her childhood that held her back for so long, then so can the millions more who are still living in their real-life nightmare. It's a daunting challenge, but one that Mary is ready, willing, and able to take on to pay it forward for the miracle she has been given.

If you would like to be a part of Mary's mission to take the positive message of livin' la vida low-carb to the nation, then please e-mail her to let her know how you could help. Also, how about leaving a comment about Mary Smith's story in the comments section for this story at the Albuquerque Tribune site to share your thoughts. There are a few there right now (including one from ME!), but it would be great to push the comment total up to 25+!

Here's the comment I left about Mary's story:

Hey Mary,

THANK YOU for telling what is obviously an extremely painful story and I cannot wait to see the millions of lives you are going to impact with the book about your journey to get where you are today. What an amazing woman you are and I am so thrilled for the good things happening for you now. That's what I call God's grace!

As a fellow low-carb weight loss success story, I cannot be prouder of you at this moment in time. When you lose a lifechanging amount of weight--I went from 410 down to 220--it radically alters the direction your life was going in ways you can't even imagine yet! The best is yet to come!

While much of the media and the so-called health "experts" keep beating the drum of negativity and public scorn against plans like Atkins, South Beach and other healthy low-carb programs, people like you and me just keep on living our lives as an example of triumph over a lifetime of weight and health problems proving all the naysayers WRONG!

So, henceforth, shine on, Mary, for all the world to see. You are so very special and deserve the love and support you are getting for your remarkable turnaround--both inside and out!

Please let me know if there is ANYTHING I can ever do to support you in your future endeavors. God bless you, my friend!


Do you have a message for this amazing woman? Feel free to also post it here at my blog and I'll make sure Mary sees it. :)

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FUZE Beverage Giveaway Contest Winners

Earlier this week, I blogged about an amazing beverage product from a company called FUZE and their Slenderize line of delicious fruit-flavored, very low-sugar, low-carb drinks. The feedback I have received from so many of you has been sensational with a good many of you already familiar with the FUZE products while others heard about it for the first time here at my blog. The following are just a few of the comments I received this week.

Mary from Illinois had this to say about FUZE Slenderize:

"My husband and I have been drinking FUZE Slenderize line for quite some time now. They're a bit hard to find in the stores, but we snatch up a bunch whenever we see them!"

Shara from Tennessee had never heard of FUZE but is now intrigued:

"Thanks for sharing about FUZE beverages. They sound so great and I can't wait to try them!"

Jay from New Jersey is also a fan of FUZE after recently finding them:

"It was great to read this posting about FUZE beverages. I have been hooked on these for a couple of months now and every single flavor tastes amazing."

Debi from Missouri has also tried FUZE beverages before:

"I already love FUZE, but would like to try all the flavors."

Nicole from Michigan was enthused by my FUZE contest:

"I gotta enter your contest, Jimmy!"

Oh yeah, THE CONTEST! That's right! So many of you were excited to take part in my FREE CASE OF FUZE SLENDERIZE giveaway and I appreciate EVERYONE who entered. I wish I could have given ALL of you some of this stuff to try, but I could only have 3 winners. Before I tell you who they were, here were the correct answers to the contest questions that were found right there at DrinkFuze.com:

- What is the slogan for FUZE beverages? Refreshingly Smart
- Who started the FUZE beverage company? Lance Collins
- Which floor is the FUZE offices located on? 3rd floor

If your answers matched these, then your entry became eligible to win and your name was thrown into the drawing for one of the three BIG prizes! Without further delay, I'd like to announce the winners at this time.

They are:

CATHERINE FROM GEORGIA!!!
RHEA FROM NORTH CAROLINA!!!
SUSAN FROM TEXAS!!!


CONGRATULATIONS to Catherine, Rhea, and Susan! You each will receive a FUZE Slenderize variety pack in the mail very soon. Special THANKS to FUZE for providing these prizes for my contest. Again, THANK YOU to all of my readers who participated in this contest and I urge you to give FUZE a try. You won't be disappointed, I promise you that!

Be looking for more giveaway contests coming soon. It's my way of saying THANKS for your faithful and devoted readership.

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Saturday, January 27, 2007

More Machine Gun Low-Carb Blogging

This has been quite the month for me to try to squeeze in everything I want to blog about, but there's just so much going on I have been having some leftover topics that I REALLY want to blog about still waiting to be blogged. As a result, I have been resorting to something I recently dubbed machine gun blogging to try to catch up. Get ready, get set, because the topics are gonna come at you fast and furious along with my regular commentary. So, without further delay, let's get started!

Starting us off is this Rocky Mountain News column which had some very thought-provoking points about diet and health that you should check out for a few reasons.

First, it features one of my favorite people in the whole widey widey world--Nicki Anderson from Reality Fitness in Naperville, Illinois. If you have not heard of Nicki yet, then you need to get to know her better because she is putting out a positive message of hope for people dealing with living a healthy life (and she's FRIENDLY towards people who are livin' la vida low-carb! WOO HOO!). Visit her web site at RealityFitness.com and sign up for her "Happy Monday" newsletter in the lower left-hand corner of the page. An inspiring message arrives pronto in your e-mail inbox bright and early on Monday mornings and you WON'T be disappointed.

Second, the story features the real founding father of the modern low-carb movement--William Banting. Most people erroneously believe that the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins invented the low-carb diet, but actually it's been around for thousands of years. It was the ORIGINAL diet that most of our ancestors feasted on throughout the ages. Nevertheless, in the mid-1800s, Banting stumbled upon low-carb when his ENT doctor prescribed it for his hearing problems. He went on to lose 50 pounds by livin' la vida low-carb and wrote down the basic tenets of what many describe as the first diet book ever written entitled Letter on Corpulence. Today, Banting's principles still live on in the millions of people who are losing weight and improving their health with the low-carb lifestyle.

Third, we learn that three of the top ten diets being used in America today according to an NPD Group/Dieting Monitor survey are low-carb. They are Atkins at #6, South Beach at #8, and Sugar-Free at #9. Of course, there may even be some low-carbers in the #1 diet on the list called "my own." But the fact that most people think they know how to lose weight without the use of any specified program may explain why the latest dieting craze is weight gain!

One of my diabetic readers passed on this Diabetes In Control article about fooling your body into losing weight. Some of us have an overactive chemical imbalance in our brains that won't shut off even when we are not hungry. That's why you may get the sudden urge to nibble even after finishing your dinner. Of course, their ONLY answer to this "problem" is to prescribe a drug to control this from happening. I'm still not buying into that line of thinking because there is almost always a more natural way to lose and maintain your weight without such drastic interventions, IMHO! I'll give them some credit at the end of the column, though, when they try to provide practical tips for preventing this from happening similar to the ones Cornell University psychology professor Dr. Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating, outlined in his book. But still no mention of livin' la vida low-carb as a possible solution. :(

Last night, I had the privilege of attending an auction for two young men from my church who will be going on a mission trip overseas for a couple of weeks in February. Members of the church choir (which both Christine and I are a part of) brought items to be sold during the auction to help raise the funds for them to go. You know me, I couldn't resist making up a "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" basket full of all kinds of goodies, including an autographed copy of my Livin' La Vida Low-Carb book, Connie Bennett's fantastic new SUGAR SHOCK! book, all three of Jonny Bowden's motivational audiobook CD collection, and about 50 more items for this total package valued at around $500.

I was hoping it would garner at least $100, but they started the bidding for it at $50 and NOBODY would bid on it. It seems livin' la vida low-carb was not all that interesting to the people there. For a minute there, I thought I may have to bid $50 just to keep them from lowering the price. But finally one of my fellow choir members who is a diabetic and has been asking me LOTS of questions about low-carb lately perked up and bid $50 on it. Of course, nobody outbid him, so he won the basket. I went up to him afterwards and thanked him for getting it because I know he'll LOVE it! He said he wanted to share some of the low-carb books with his daughter who is struggling with her weight. A seed is planted and I'm happy to help water it to blossom! :)

Geting back to some articles in the media from this past week, I couldn't overlook this St. Paul, MN-based Pioneer Press story about a woman my age who was so fed up with her weight that she decided to go on Weight Watchers and their low-fat, low-calorie diet. GOOD FOR HER and I'm proud of her commitment to her new lifestyle change. But she said something about livin' la vida low-carb that I will not let slide without comment.

Here's her quote:

"I had been on the Atkins diet and lost weight. But that lifestyle just isn't maintainable. I had gained some weight back and was holding on."

Actually, livin' la vida low-carb IS maintainable if you make it a PERMANENT lifestyle change rather than just a diet. This is something that people who follow programs like Weight Watchers always fail to acknowledge. Sure, they have their little meetings, but when do you stop, hmmmm? The answer is NEVER and the same goes with the Atkins diet. It's the lifestyle change many have been looking for their entire lives. While some may not stick with the plan and start gaining the weight back (DUH!), most people who didn't fail on low-carb saw amazing long-term sustainable and maintainable weight loss success by staying on the plan. As long as you remember there is no "after" with low-carb, then there's no reason you shouldn't lose weight and keep it off forever!

Have you heard about the latest miracle weight loss food according to this United Press article? You're not going to believe this, but it's white rice. Yep, the same white rice that is absolutely a no-no when you are livin' la vida low-carb. The brilliant wonder-twins of The Serotonin Power Diet are Judith Wurtman and Nina Frusztajer Marquis. They foolishly assert that people need to eat lots and lots of carbohydrates to keep their serotonin levels high enough to control their appetite. Say what? If I nix the carbs and eat plenty of fat and protein, then something tells me I'm not gonna have to worry about hunger. This diet reminds me of another screwy high-carb diet I blogged about before called The Bread For Life Diet.

When I read this BruneiDirect.com story about giving hope to people who are obese that weight loss and improved health can indeed happen for them, I was encouraged. But that quickly diminished when I came to this part of the article:

Nora is also advising the public against resorting to the Atkins diet or the low carbohydrate eating plan to reduce weight. She said that the Atkins diet had been questioned due to its unconventional low carbohydrate but high protein diet. She noted that Dr. Robert Atkins, the pioneer of the diet, died from a heart attack.

Are these people TRYING to keep people fat? Whether they know it or not, by discouraging people from even attempting to lose weight using programs like the Atkins diet, that EXACTLY what they are doing. They turn their nose up at livin' la vida low-carb as if it's worse than obesity itself! Come on, people, get serious about this! Low-carb not only works but it keeps on working for those of us who LIVE IT day in and day out. Stop the scare tactics and give people the truth. And don't get me started on this vicious and hateful lie about Dr. Atkins dying of a heart attack again. We're just not going to entertain such ridiculous and unfounded theories over and over again after they have been clearly debunked. Next subject!

Here's another article from the Ozarks Newsstand that looked like a pretty good one on improving your body through diet and exercise...well, it was good until I got to this part:

The Atkins Diet is built around no carbohydrates. The South Beach Diet stresses cutting sugar-rich carbs such as bread, potatoes and even fruit. But which one is the right one? According to Herman, none of them. Eating healthy boils down to one thing-moderation.

"A lot are full blown on Atkins," he said of the low-carb diet made popular by Dr. Robert C. Atkins. "It does have good ideas and good points. You shouldn't overdo it on carbs. But don't restrict yourself. If you hold back, you'll go overboard. Reward yourself, but do it within reason."


Okay, I'm gonna say this LOUD AND CLEAR so nobody will misunderstand it. There is NO phase in the Atkins diet that requires you to eat NO carbohydrates. Not a single one. Even in the most restrictive phase of Induction during the first fourteen days of your low-carb plan, you still get to enjoy around 20g carbs daily. It only goes up from there eating lots of those low-glycemic foods mentioned with the South Beach diet. This idea of ZERO carbs may work for some people, the fact is most of us who are livin' la vida low-carb are STILL eating the right kind of carbs and gladly so. I like the fact that this expert admits there are good aspects to Atkins, but furthering the misinformation about this remarkable weight loss program is not cool at all. Don't they know Jimmy Moore will call their bluff by now? :D

Finally, have you heard about the controversy happening in Tennessee over the popular weight loss method known as gastric bypass surgery? This Fox News story reveals that healthcare provider BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is now requiring (GET THIS!) an IQ TEST before overweight or obese people will be allowed to try this risky way to shed the pounds. Not surprisingly, people are up in arms about this claiming it's discrimination against fat people. But I disagree.

Before we make it so easy for people to have a surgery like this one, why don't we have them tested not just for their intelligence (which is irrelevant if you ask me), but also do a complete psychological evaluation to get at the root cause of the weight problem to begin with. A lot of people who choose to have the gastric bypass surgery have not exhausted all the natural ways to lose weight first and feel it is simply a quick fix to their weight problem. Getting to the bottom of the REAL problem may prevent many people from having regrets about their decision to be cut open and radically altering their life forever. Besides, they're gonna be eating low-carb when the surgery is done anyway, so why not start livin' la vida low-carb to begin with?

Okay, that's plenty of low-carb morsels for you to munch on for today (but there's plenty more to come!). Feel free to comment on any or all of these topics that may tickle your fancy or get your blood pressure cooking. Don't hold it in, share it with Dr. Jimmy and leave all your burdens behind you. Let's talk it over, shall we?

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Thursday, January 25, 2007

Atkins Low-Carb Pancake & Waffle Mix Is Back


The Atkins pancake mix is now manufactured by New Hope Mills

Were you a fan of the Atkins Quick Cuisine Pancake & Waffle Mix when it was available from Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. a few years ago? The company has since decided to stop manufacturing this once-popular mix to focus on their bars and shakes. But they have agreed to let a company called New Hope Mills use their proprietary recipe for creating the exact same great product!

It's called New Hope Mills Sugar Free Pancake & Waffle Mix and it contains just 3g net carbs just like the old Atkins mix. It does not contain any sugar alcohols and is perfect for diabetics since it is completely sugar-free. WOO HOO!

There are 3g fiber and a whopping 13g protein in every serving of these pancakes which are substantially lower in carbohydrates than your typical high-carb version. And the taste is definitely what makes this mix so truly remarkable. They have all the sensational and robust flavor of your favorite breakfast treat!

These are so super-easy to make--just add water, oil, and eggs to the New Hope Mills Sugar Free Pancake & Waffle Mix and low-carb pancakes or waffles will await you in just a matter of minutes! Don't deprive yourself of something you enjoy. Bring back all the memories of your childhood once again with hot, fresh, and fluffy low-carb pancakes.

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Veronica Atkins Promises $10 Million To UC Berkeley For Childhood Obesity Research


Atkins pledged money to Pat Crawford and her researchers at UC Berkeley

In an official presentation at the 2007 California Childhood Obesity Conference in Anaheim, CA on Wednesday night, The Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Foundation agreed to pledge $10 million to the Center For Weight And Health at the University of California-Berkeley for research into eradicating childhood obesity.

The center's co-founder Pat Crawford, who is also co-director of the center, Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, and Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Health and Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology (whew, that's a mouthful for a title!), was thrilled by the donation from the widow of the late, great Dr. Robert C. Atkins and agreed to rename the center the Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Center for Weight and Health as a small gesture of her appreciation for the much-needed funds.

"What distinguishes our center is our focus on the prevention of pediatric obesity, and we are so grateful that the Atkins Foundation is supportive of that," she said. "With this pledge, we'll be able to continue the important work we've been doing to help reverse the troubling epidemic of childhood obesity in this country."

Stephen M. Shortell, who serves as dean of the School of Public Health, said the timing of this pledge could not have been better to continue on the legacy of Dr. Atkins and the center for the "generations" to come.

"The Atkins Foundation support will significantly strengthen our ability to solve one of the nation's most intractable problems--the growing percentage of Americans who are overweight and obese," he said. "The foundation's commitment means that we will be able to touch thousands more lives with our interdisciplinary research and teaching that ranges from basic science research to community-wide interventions."

You will recall that Veronica Atkins has been quite the philanthropist over the past year or so providing funding to solid nutritional research that furthers the cause that Dr. Atkins was pursuing--namely eliminating obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and more through the use of sound scientific methodology. Other benefactors of these dollars include The University of Connecticut, The University of Texas-Southwestern, and Dr. Atkins' alma mater at The University of Michigan.

While funding alone is NOT the answer to the childhood obesity problem that plagues our nation, I like the way Mrs. Atkins is being discerning about who gets the money and who doesn't. If the potential recipients are unwilling to even consider the positive benefits of livin' la vida low-carb as the starting point for their research, then it's a sure bet the funding will go elsewhere.

While the new Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Center for Weight and Health does not actually promote or advocate the Atkins low-carb nutritional approach in its research, they are most certainly open to a wide variety of ways for handling the obesity problem from different perspectives customized to the individual. The researchers there are adamant that obesity be examined at every point in the proverbial food chain, including where the food is produced and distributed, how it is handled in the process of bringing it to the market, and the unique role played by the health industry, public education and even the pesky media who has a knack for conveniently leaving out pertinent facts regarding the treatment of obesity.

Right now, there are 30 different ongoing research projects, inlcuding a program aimed at poor black children with Type 2 diabetes, the removal of sugary soft drinks from public schools, and the impact of the frequency of meals on the weight of teenage girls. These are the kind of studies that will be funded thanks to the generous donation from Mrs. Atkins.

"The center at UC Berkeley is a tribute to my husband's belief in the power of influencing public health outcomes, particularly in the battle against obesity," Veronica Atkins stated at the obesity conference on Wednesday evening. "On behalf of the Atkins Foundation, I am proud to partner with a center as active and accomplished as Berkeley's, and excited to support the ongoing advances of its outstanding researchers."

Mrs. Atkins was especially drawn to the preventative nature of the research being done at UC Berkeley and how those measures could be clearly explained to the public for easy implementation. In other words, Atkins Foundation executive director Abby Bloch said, it's more than just coming up with a few theories for dealing with obesity, but actually identifying solutions that will have a greater impact over the long-term.

"The researchers at the center are out in the trenches, in the community, working hands-on to help people have healthier lifestyles," she noted. "The commitment of these researchers to this area of research and the translational application into the community are very much on target with the mission and goal of the foundation."

The center will continue to be funded by $500,000 grants from the College of Natural Resources and the School of Public Health until Veronica Atkins passes away. At the time, the center will inherit her $10 million gift.

Lost in the debate over the long-term health benefits of livin' la vida low-carb is the fact that the science is indeed coming, as Dr. Eric Westman from Duke University recently said in my interview with him, to prove the veracity of this diet. All those people who thumb their nose up at this way of eating smugly proclaim that there are no real studies showing low-carb is a healthy diet for the long-term.

Because of the generosity of the lovely and gracious Veronica Atkins and the money her husband made from the sale of his diet books, the next 5, 10, and even 20 years should be VERY exciting to watch as we continue to learn more about how safe and effective the Atkins diet is not just for weight loss, but improving overall health as well. Ready or not, here it comes!

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