A 3-Ingredient Low-Carb Lemon Icebox Pie

My, my, my, that low-carb lemon icebox pie looks so good!

I grew up in the South and there are certain foods you just grow accustomed to down here. Unfortunately, many of them are especially high in carbs because they are fried with a breading of some sort on them, sugary in those rich desserts this region of the country is famous for, or starchy with potatoes comprising much of the vegetable consumption of Southern folks.

Thankfully when I started livin' la vida low-carb, I found excellent low-carb alternatives to old favorites like fried chicken, cheese grits, cheddar cheese biscuits, and many other dishes we love and adore in the South.

Now my friend and fellow author Judy Barnes Baker, whose CARB WARS: Sugar Is The New Fat cookbook has taken off over the past few weeks, has shared with me her quick and easy way to make another Southern classic the low-carb way--LEMON ICEBOX PIE!!! Mmm!

I can remember having church potlucks with every kind of pie imaginable, but this was one of my favorites. It seems it was one of Judy's favorites too!

"My mother used to make a lemon icebox pie that had just three ingredients plus a graham cracker crust: sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and egg yolks," she recalled. "It seemed like magic when the acid in the lemon juice made the egg yolks set up."

Now, to make it low-carb compatible and convenient, Judy created a "super-easy version for the time-challenged" with a recipe virtually ANYONE can make.

"You don't even have to measure anything, just open the containers and combine," she exclaimed. "You can leave out the lemon zest if that's too much cooking for you!"

THANK YOU Judy Barnes Baker for sharing your recipe with us!

3-INGREDIENT LOW-CARB LEMON ICEBOX PIE

16 ounces whipped cream cheese
8 ounces plain yogurt, Greek style with live cultures
3 packets of Crystal Light® On the Go powdered lemonade mix
or your favorite sugar-free lemonade mix to make 6 cups
(Optional) 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Beat all ingredients together. Pour into cooled Almond Pie Crust (SEE BELOW). Refrigerate until set. Top with sugar-free whipped topping if desired.

Servings: 10

Per serving (filling only): Total Carb: 2.6g, Fiber: 0, Net Carb: 2.6g*
*Count excludes 8 grams of sugar that have been eaten by the bacteria in the yogurt.

LOW-CARB ALMOND PIE CRUST

1 cup finely chopped almonds
2 packets or 4 teaspoons granular Splenda
2 tablespoons butter, melted
A few grains of salt
2 tablespoons of egg white, beaten with a fork

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir all ingredients together and press into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until browned. Let cool.

Servings: 10

Per serving: Total Carb: 1.2g, Fiber: 0.6g, Net Carb: 0.6g

Be sure to visit the CARB WARS Cookbook web site for more yummy low-carb recipes from that awesome cooking queen bee Judy Barnes Baker! She's absolutely amazing!

I Say Put That Stupid Scale Away Today To Keep Discouraging Thoughts At Bay

When it comes to making the decision to start eating right and living healthy, it is a huge leap of faith that takes a great deal of courage and tenacity to go into unchartered territory. Especially those of us who have tried diet and after in the past with merely nominal or no success, this is a shaky proposition even for the most optimistic of people. I admire anyone who makes an effort at it because I've been there!

But we are our own worst enemy sometimes, aren't we?

If we as individuals think our diet is boring or too methodical, then those are merely excuses we use to rationalize getting out of our responsibility to do something about our weight and health problem before it is too late. How many of us have been guilty of doing that? I sure have...in the past.

Low-carb living has never been about being the "perfect diet" (although it's pretty darn close!). Instead, what I've learned is that this way of eating is always a work in progress that you will do for the rest of your long and healthy life. It's been nearly four years and counting for me and I expect it to continue for 10, 25, even 50+ more years that the good Lord keeps me here on Earth.

Despite this undisputed fact, some dieters just can't help trying to sabotage their own efforts (whether knowingly or otherwise) to shed the pounds as evidenced by the following e-mail I received from a reader this week who is new to low-carb and has allowed a silly little electronic device to beat her down and spit her out like some worthless piece of trash. How sad!

Here's what she wrote to me in that e-mail:

My husband and I have been on the low-carb diet for about two months now. He has lost 18 pounds so far and I have only lost 5 pounds.

I have to admit that about every five days or so I eat something that is not low-carb and I know that's silly because I'm only hurting my weight loss efforts.

It has been two weeks now and I have not cheated one time and yet I have only lost one little pound! I'm so very frustrated because I am committed to losing weight now. But it just seems like it won't come off.

I have even started going to the gym and doing cardio workouts to see if that would help me any. I was wondering since you had so much success with low-carb if you would have any suggestions for me.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my e-mail.

Oh, if I had a dollar for every e-mail I received like this one, then I could afford to have that tummy tuck I need already! Find out what I think this person and anyone who feels the same way about their low-carb plan should do to get back on track again by clicking here.

Jimmy Moore On Jonny Bowden's 'Your Body, Your Health, Your Life' Radio Show

Dr. Jonny Bowden to interview me on his popular health radio show

I'm privileged to share with you about a special one-on-one interview about my low-carb weight loss success story with the one and only Dr. Jonny Bowden on Tuesday, July 31st at 5pm EST. The Your Body, Your Health, Your Life radio show is a part of the Total Health Radio Network and is available to be listened to during or after it airs by clicking here.

You can even get interactive with the show by calling toll-free at 866-434-8685 during the show to ask me or Jonny a question. I'd love to hear a GREAT shout-out from the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog clan, so give us a buzz, won't you? :)

It is such a thrill to have the one and only Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of 150 Healthiest Foods On Earth and the MUST HAVE Living The Low-Carb Life, because I consider him one of the true giants in the field of nutrition and weight loss in America today. I could sense that in my interview with him last year and have great respect and admiration for what he is doing to help people.

If you agree, then I invite you to recommend Dr. Jonny Bowden to become a new natural health expert at the uber-popular health web site Mercola.com. That site is being expanded to include more voices in the health debate, so let's get behind Jonny!

And don't forget to listen to his interview with ME! :)

'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 73: I'm A Donut Nut, I'm A Donut Nut...NOT!

D'oh! Are you a donut dreamer? Then WAKE UP ALREADY! :)

Donuts...donuts...donuts...mmmm...hot and fresh...mmmm...

SPLASH!

Whew, what a nightmare that was! All I could think about was what I consider the WORST POSSIBLE FOODS YOU COULD EAT on a low-carb diet. In case you missed my subliminal hints, that would be donuts as I share about in Episode 73 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." Believe it or not, you will hear about how one Krispy Kreme franchise owner has promoted his sugary, flour-laden products as the PERFECT item for people on a diet (NO JOKING!). Hear all about it in today's podcast:

 "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 72 [18:30m]: Play in Popup | Download

I was a big-time sugar addict before I started livin' la vida low-carb in 2004 and it is undoubtedly the #1 reason I became morbidly obese and on my way to becoming diabetic. THANK GOD I was able to get out of that dreaded direction my life was heading before it was too late. And people like this wonder what's so wrong with sugar! UGH!

Low-carb podcasting excellent coming to you anytime by:

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

While there are low-carb alternatives to donuts, most people opt for the regular kind that pack on the pounds. These things are addictive and easy to down a half dozen or more very quickly without even thinking about it! I've done it and it's no fun.

How about you? Are you still tempted by donuts even as you are livin' la vida low-carb or do you consider them "rat poison" just like do? And what about this notion that donuts can be a part of a healthy lifestyle even when you are on a diet? Are you buying that at all?

Let's talk about it and share your experiences so we can all learn from one another.

THANK YOU for listening to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" today and I invite you to come back again on Thursday for another show about the amazingly healthy low-carb lifestyle!

Please Stop Feeding What Your Diabetes Wants--Carbohydrates!

It's time for some straight talk for anyone who is suffering from diabetes, particularly the Type 2 version. Whether you realize it or not, there is an incredible opportunity for you to be able to come off of your drugs and insulin with a natural, dietary approach to treating your disease (which Men's Health columnist Adam Campbell brilliantly wrote about late last year).

While there is no outright cure for diabetes once you get it, this method for taking it on has been very impressive for the brave diabetic men and women who have taken the plunge and tried it for themselves. What is this wondrous, even miraculous "cure" for diabetes? It's what I like to call livin' la vida low-carb.

The fact is low-carb living is SAVING lives even as some rather grim statistics were released by the health commissioner of America's largest city--NEW YORK! Look at this because it is a microcosm of what is happening across the United States:

- A half million adult New Yorkers diagnosed with diabetes.
- Another 200,000 have diabetes but don't yet know it.
- Mortality rates from diabetes rose 75% since 1990.
- 80 percent tested their blood sugar, but only 16% knew their number.
- $6.5 billion dollars spent on diabetes care in NYC alone in 2006.

You can read the entire dismal report for yourself here, but it is quite obvious this is an issue that has gotten completely out of control despite the efforts of leading diabetes health groups like the American Diabetes Association (ADA) who are recommending eat the same high-carb diet the rest of their family eats (and this idea is promoted in new diabetes books like this one as the way to go). YIKES!

Let's be perfectly clear here--diabetes is not to be played around with feeding it gobs and gobs of carbohydrates. That's EXACTLY what it needs to survive and thrive. If you want to defeat diabetes, then the best way to do that is to see what triggers blood sugar and insulin spikes (something the incredible Dr. Richard Bernstein has touted for decades).

Hmmm, what could that be?

Oh yeah, IT'S CARBS! Not just sugar and white flour, but also starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn as well as those so-called "healthy" whole grains. No matter what kind of label you put on it, all of these foods will be recognized by the body as sugar and act accordingly.

For diabetics, this is dangerous!

The intolerance to carbohydrates is why carbs are so toxic for people with diabetes. And yet we see the ADA STILL recommending upwards of SIX SERVINGS OF CARBOHYDRATES A DAY while greatly reducing their fat and portion sizes (and they have completely vilified saturated fat as the great evil in the diet!). Are they TRYING to kill diabetics? Veronica Atkins said in my interview with her recently that the ADA has their "head in the sand."

This continuing support for diabetics to eat carbs in such high quantities by the ADA runs counter to much of the most up-to-date research out there today:

- High-carb diet raises insulin, blood pressure
- High-carb, low-fat diet ineffective for people with hyperinsulinemia
- High blood sugar leads to Alzheimer's
- Swedish researchers show low-carb treats diabetes
- Dr. Eric Westman from Duke uses Atkins to reverse diabetes symptoms
- ADA presented with low-carb diet evidence, but ignore it
- UK diabetes study finds carb-restriction controls the disease

Dr. Richard Feinman from SUNY Downstate told me in my interview with him last year that he believes the ADA is trying to subtly back into supporting livin' la vida low-carb in light of all the evidence without admitting they were wrong.

"I have seen many patients who were heading for disaster and who have turned their disease and their lives around simply by avoiding foods they cannot tolerate: carbohydrates," Dr. Feinman explained.

But leave it to the ever-exciting, quick-witted Dr. Mary C. Vernon from Lawrence, Kansas and current president of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (be sure to read my blog interview with her from 2006 as well as listen to my podcast interview with her from earlier this year) to NAIL this point.

"This simple, effective approach could reverse the epidemic of Type 2 diabetes," she predicted. "Patients should at least be given a choice of a non-pharmacological approach."

She's talking about livin' la vida low-carb, of course! And this is the biggest rub--why wouldn't the ADA want an all-natural treatment for Type 2 diabetes if their motivation is to actually help people with the disease? With serious questions about the safety of using diabetes drugs like Avandia looming large right now, isn't it time the ADA rethinks their position on the use of low-carb diets to control diabetes? There's no doubt that they should!

Let's voice our concerns as a low-carb community that cares enough about the future of diabetes treatment in this country to share the latest research into this disease with those who are supposedly the primary source for educating diabetics.

You can reach the ADA by telephone at 1-800-DIABETES (M-F, 8:30am-8:00pm EST), by mail at American Diabetes Association, ATTN: National Call Center, 1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311, or by e-mail at AskADA@diabetes.org. We need to make our voices heard on this issue because it's too important to just keep ignoring.

Eventually, as Dr. Feinman says, the ADA will HAVE to embrace the controlled-carb nutritional approach to diabetes management. Sooner or later, it will come!

From The Bottom Of My Heart, I'm Sorry

With time away in Missouri to rest, relax, and reflect on everything that's happened over the past few months, I've now come to realize that my blog has changed in many ways and is headed in a direction that I feel isn't in the best interests of the larger audience of readers who come here. Because of that, I think today is a good day to share some of my sincere regrets, what I have learned from those, and where I recognize I need to be refocusing on from this day forward.

In the last few months I have made some very real mistakes which have caused many people to question my intentions and motivations here at my blog. Admittedly, I was unwilling to listen to the criticism from those who were only trying to help me and I began growing frustrated to the point that my frustrations got the better of me.

Before I continue, I first owe everyone--whether you are friend or foe--a very big apology for taking liberties with a highly critical comment of me at my sister web site LowCarbNewsline.com earlier this month. I didn't simply ignore the comment or even delete the comment in question. I admit that I modified it to be positive and replied in kind. When called on it, I replied it was a joke and did not show the remorse I should have for something I should not have done in the first place.

Not only was this an abuse of my editorial powers at that site, but it was highly unethical and wrong. For that I am truly sorry, and promise that in the future when I find myself frustrated, I will simply leave comments as they are, step away and remember that not everyone will agree with me. If you go to that forum, then you will see I have apologized in like manner there making it clear to everyone that I was wrong and am truly sorry.

Over the last few months there has been a growing concern from those in the low-carb community about my promotion of Kimkins. I had failed to openly disclose my affiliate relationship with that diet plan and I now realize I should have. Additionally, my insistence that Kimkins was just another low-carb diet similar to Atkins, Protein Power or South Beach as well as my posts encouraging readers to join me when I started what I believed to be the K/E option was overzealous to say the least. I apologize for not being more upfront about that.

More importantly, my refusal to properly review and then hold Kimkins to the same standard as other plans and approaches I've praised and criticized was a glaring mistake of omission for which I regret. My intentions were good, but now I can see why there were questions arising about me and my business relationship to Kimkins.

Call me stubborn, but for the life of me I could not see what the problem was; I truly believed I was indeed following K/E and honestly had not reviewed the other plans on the site. Now I know I should have.

While I've been on vacation in Missouri this past week, I've now taken the time with some gentle nudges from those that implored me to review all the plans, review the content that is publicly available (present and archived), and then review the historical content found on the Low- Carb Friends forum.

After doing that, I can now see why this issue with Kimkins has stirred up such a fiery controversy because most of the plans are a controversial approach to losing weight by encouraging fast weight loss without mention of the very real risks involved with doing so. I regret that I allowed my excitement about my renewed commitment to losing those last few pounds I wanted to overwhelm me to the point I lost my good sense.

I hope sharing this with you today will help us all avoid making similar missteps in the future. To be very honest, the thing that held my emotions so well was the strong sense of community I felt from those on the forums at Kimkins. It's something that I missed terribly since I was banned from Low-Carb Friends and I didn't recognize that until recently.

With the Kimkins forum, I felt a sense of belonging that often lacks when you're writing day-to-day on a blog. There's such a sense of community that I now recognize I can be part of if I join any number of online support forums by taking the initiative to do so. There are some truly GREAT people providing support out there.

In the past I did join Low-Carb Friends in part to be a part of a community and in part to promote my blog. In doing that, joining with an underlying agenda to serve my own needs, I missed the opportunity to really be part of a community and found myself quickly banished by the admins there. In my enthusiasm to promote my blog in the early days, I violated the terms of service and was rightfully banned.

Instead of doing what I should have done by apologizing to the admins and ask to be reinstated with the agreement I would not promote my blog within the forums anymore, I walked away disappointed and slowly allowed resentment to build. The January post I wrote at my blog about Low-Carb Friends earlier this year was inappropriate and uncalled for because it deeply offended many at that board. For this I am truly sorry and can only hope that, in time, those who make Low-Carb Friends their community for online support will find it in their hearts to forgive me.

I now realize that without Low-Carb Friends I would not have been able to review the historical posts that led to the creation of the controversial Kimkins web site. It is an eye-opening look at how many people were ill-advised and mistreated over months and years prior to the launch of the Kimkins web site that I started promoting last year. It is something I should have taken the time to read much sooner, something that should have been part of the necessary due diligence on my part before agreeing to support and promote what I believed was just another low-carb diet.

So first I must thank the admins and owner at Low-Carb Friends for maintaining the sticky thread "Ask Kimmer" because it has helped me begin to see many of the errors I've made in my assumptions about most of the Kimkins diet plans these past few months.

I also find myself once again in need of giving an apology to my readers here at "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." I allowed the strong sense of community I felt with Kimkins to cloud my judgment and subsequent action to continue promoting Kimkins even in the face of numerous people pointing out problems that are clear as day even after my podcast interview with Kimmer.

Had I only stepped back and looked objectively at the criticism for what it was--again a way to help, not harm me--then the entire last year may have taken a different path. While I cannot change what I have done in the past, I can change what I do starting today and moving forward.

Today begins a refocusing back to the original purpose and mission of my blog--to educate, encourage, and inspire people about the healthy low-carb lifestyle!

I have always maintained that each person must find the diet that works for them, whether that's low-carb, low-fat, or whatever. If it works for you and you can do it over the long-term with your health improving because of it, then go for it and rejoice as you take control of your health! I very clearly do not agree with low-fat and low-calorie options as I lost most of my weight on the Atkins diet, but that does not mean they do not work, nor serve some well even in the short-term.

Because I do not agree with those dietary approaches, I focus on carbohydrate restriction and proper fat intake since research supports that as a healthy way to lose weight and find optimal health over the long-term.

In the past I have taken many others to task over their diets and I now regret I did not critically evaluate the full context of the various dietary plans for Kimkins.

I should have because, as many have repeatedly said, the plans are very low-calorie diets despite any specific requirement to count calories (in some plans like K/E), thus by design they are low-fat and low-carb because they are very-low-calorie in nature.

One of the most objective reviews I recently read was from my friend Carol Bardelli at the "Kudos for Low-Carb" blog. She provided a wealth of information about very low-calorie diets in that post that I encourage my readers to review to gain more understanding of why it's important to nourish our bodies as we lose weight. Also, Sherrie from the "Pinch Of..." blog made some very valuable points on this same issue as well.

As one poster on Low-Carb Friends has integrated into her signature, "It shouldn't be a RACE to get thin. It should be a Journey to good health." I couldn't agree more!

Therefore, you will notice I have made some necessary changes to my blog that reflect that sentiment to remind myself that part of finding what works for me and you finding what works for you means encouraging each other to also make good decisions that optimize our long-term health in the process. Livin' la vida low-carb is as much about improving health as it is weight loss.

You will notice that I have removed the banners promoting the Kimkins diet today as a matter of conscience. In the last week I have realized that I cannot try to "educate, encourage and inspire" my readers if I am associated with Kimkins, a web site promoting some plans which may indeed be unhealthy if followed over the long-term.

My focus has been on the best of the five plans (K/E) and I cannot say they're all sound and healthy ways to lose weight on your own. Because of this, I cannot encourage my readers to join the site knowing they may wind up following a plan that may do more harm than good in the long-term. Be smart about any diet plan you go on.

Let me also state clearly that I believe it is extremely important for people to research any diet before they begin and even talk with your doctor about not just the short-term impact, but also the long-term effects and potential health risks you may face.

While many believed I was making great big bundles of money from my affiliate relationship with Kimkins, let me just say that no amount of money is worth losing sight of the bigger picture to educate my readers with quality information, encourage them to find a way of eating to help them regain their health while losing weight, and inspire them to be their best while going through this process.

While I still believe it is possible to tweak things within some plans promoted by Kimkins, I also realize that this is strongly discouraged on the plan. If something is not working, then it's easy to say you're not working the plan. But, then again, as many of us know it's in the little bit of tweaking that we find our strength and confidence to make the diet our own over the long-term. That's what I did after Atkins, although I am sure the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins would not object.

With that understanding now, I'm left questioning what I am really doing here and why I felt compelled to start making changes in my diet in the first place. I now realize I find myself exactly where many other low-carbers land when they lose weight with a low-carb diet--a place where I am comfortable making modifications that make low-carb work for me over the long-term!

I could label it and say it's Atkins, or Kimkins, or South Beach, or any number of plans as recommended for maintenance, but that wouldn't be honest! The truth is, I'm doing what works for Jimmy Moore right now and it is simply a low-carb diet where I've started to also look at my fat intake to control calories naturally. That's all! I don't need to place a label on it to make it mine and I certainly don't need to convince my readers what they already know--finding the plan that's right for you and then DOING IT!

By opening up my mind to better understand what I am doing, what I can tell my readers is that I now truly understand that I have not been following K/E as recommended, nor could I. What I have done is merely modify and play with what I'm eating to find what will work for me now and that's simply been lowering carbohydrate, reducing fat slightly and paying more attention to carefully choose the treats I still do include to make the plan work for me.

For me, life without a small indulgences like bread and chocolate here and there is not what I want. So, I'm still playing around with what will work for me and wish others well with what works for them. If that includes low-carb products, then great; but if not, that's cool, too.

Over the last few months, my promotion of and subsequent insistence that I am following the Kimkins K/E plan has caused a polarization within the various low-carb forums. I am deeply sorry for bringing much of this on myself, by both words and actions, by fueling the debate and ignoring many of the red flags and warnings people had for me.

We low-carbers are an ever-growing by leaps and bounds community online with brand new people looking for hope for their obesity and I am becoming more and more aware of that fact. With Kimkins, I saw an easy quick-fix and ran with it, unwittingly undermining my mission here to educate, encourage, and inspire others.

This too is something I hope my readers will forgive me for doing. As I go, I grow. I learn sometimes slowly along the way and can only hope that those who have spent time and effort to educate me, encourage me to take the time to really scrutinize what I'm doing, and inspire me to hold myself accountable, will understand that I am now listening, I am hearing you, and I am trying to make right what many have pointed out were errors on my part. I too am human, imperfect, and do make mistakes.

Where I've erred, I hope you can forgive me for that, too.

Along with the criticisms sent my way about Kimkins also came criticism for not clearly disclosing sponsor and affiliate relationships that allow me to maintain this blog freely to all who wish to read it. I strongly believe that those of us who write about low-carb need to be free to publish information that is lacking in the mainstream media, or even worse, manipulated or twisted in ways that cause confusion.

I've said it before, my purpose is to educate, encourage, and inspire.

I hope my readers understand that to write every single day like I do takes many hours of my time to do--time to research, review, read, gather information and then write my articles.

Over the last two years, the time invested in writing for my blog has grown from a few hours when I first began in April 2005 to now as much as 12 hours a day. It really has become more of a full-time job now and is something I cannot continue to do without a means to pay my bills and support my family.

I so passionately feel it's important to continue on with my blog that I sought out a way to support my family so I can continue to write. But I failed to disclose those changes along the way with my readers. I had a responsibility to do so, and am now making changes to insure you understand how I choose sponsors and how they're included here.

I do take seriously my real responsibility to choose wisely those whom are offering me opportunities to make my blog possible. Plus, I am keenly aware that not only are my readers a quality audience to many companies, but that my readers expect I will choose products and services from companies that are of the highest quality.

You'll now notice in my sidebar, I have placed a conflict-of-interest disclosure that fully informs my readers that this blog is, in part, sponsored by companies who recognize the value of low-carbohydrate diets and respect my readers dietary choice. They want to do business with us and it is my policy that I will only accept sponsors and affiliates whom I believe offer quality products or services, along with good customer service and responsiveness to needs of my readers. While we won't always agree about whom I've included, it should now be clear that banners on my sidebar are from sponsors and affiliates I have chosen to include after I've researched their offerings and am comfortable to offer something of value to many of my readers.

I've also clearly stated that when I am including a post that does mention a sponsors product or service, that is my opinion about the product or service and I have not been compelled by contractual obligation to promote the product or service to my readers within the text content of my blog. I want to assure my readers that none of the sponsors or affiliates they see on my sidebar have contracted with me to specifically mention or promote their products within the text content of my blog, nor will I enter into such contracts in the future. So, yes, when I am enthusiastic about a product or service, it is because I really am, not because I have to be because I'm being paid to say something I do not believe.

There is one small exception to this that I believe is a win-win for all of us. When a company that meets the standards to be included here offers a giveaway or contest to my readers with no obligation, and I write about it, then it is the writing about it that brings it to your attention. You are never under any obligation to participate or enter, but I feel including it meets my goal to educate, encourage and inspire. In posts such as this, I will clearly state the nature of my relationship in the promotion.

Right now I can only hope my readers will forgive my past sins and understand that I didn't fully appreciate how important such disclosures are. I've taken many researchers to task because they did not adequately disclose potential conflicts of interest in studies, but I failed to hold myself to that same standard. I believe I am now correcting my own error of omission and hope you will continue to point out things if I fail to live up to my words in the future.

The last thing I feel it's necessary to address is the fact I've allowed my emotions to get the better of me at times when I should have "taken my medicine" like a man. Instead, I acted out and sometimes aggressively responded to criticism in ways I wish I could take back. Calling those who were critical of my words and decisions various names, including "haters and crybabies," was not only wrong, but failing to live up to the spirit of open-and-lively discussion and debate.

I closed the door to listen to some of my readers and realize how damaging that is to all of us, no matter what your view is on the controversy around Kimkins. I hope today to reopen the door to those who have been turned off and welcome you back with open arms so we can work together to help each other on this low-carb journey.

In the future, I will be ever-mindful that we're all in this together. Some will agree with me, others will disagree. But all views are important and should be heard whether everyone agrees or not.

I will do my best to honor this commitment I am making today to temper my immediate reaction and try to give more thought to my replies in an effort to be a better writer and fulfill my desire to make the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog a place where facts are at the forefront and opinions, while still critically important in the big picture, are provided by me in the light of solid, reputable evidence and data that must be part of any substantive debate of ideas in the health arena.

I realize now that I focused heavily on the positive feedback, largely ignoring the negative. While it's important to stay positive, it's also very important to be open to hearing the negative to really understand the issues. It's constructive either way and that's how I will view it from now on.

Without that acknowledgment and respect for the fact we don't all agree about everything, we cannot make progress to educate others about the benefits of low-carb diets, encourage each other to be our best each day, nor can we effectively inspire those who want to know more to seek out and find more information, even with our faults.

So I am hoping today to begin anew on a path that will enable me to serve my readers and their best interests, to be cognizant of a standard of excellence I must hold myself to each and every day as I write about livin' la vida low-carb, and remember the all-important bigger picture--YOU, my readers, our common goals and desires, our interconnectedness that makes us an online community on the same path, finding what works for each of us along the way and our mutual agreement and understanding that for the long-term, good health is attainable with healthy low-carb living.

Each of us must be able to freely share what is working for us as well as the pitfalls and obstacles we may face along the way. When we share these things--both the good and the bad--with each other, we all grow in our understanding and help each other in the long-term.

And that, my friends, really is where my heart is--to help, both myself and my readers, learn how livin' la vida low-carb truly can benefit health over the long haul. It is a position I feel is strongly supported not just by the latest research, but also through my own experiences.

These experiences are ones I want to continue sharing with all the thousands of people who come to read here each day. Through that, I am sure there will be plenty of education, encouragement, and inspiration along the way. Even if someone decides low-carb isn't for them, then at least they will realize it is something that works for many who do make the choice to follow it as their permanent way of eating for life.

I ask nothing more from you than to please allow me to try to be the best that I can be by continuing to support my mission here to educate, encourage and inspire. I cannot change who I am as a person. I'm not suddenly going to be different or less outspoken than I have been, but I will be much more aware of the fact that we are all in this together, and without you my readers, I cannot fulfill my hopes and dreams to help others find their way to health like I did.

Working together, we can do that and more! So I hope you know from the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry. Please forgive me for my mistakes and help me as I continue to learn and write about a subject we all are enthusiastically passionate about--that's Livin' La Vida Low-Carb, baby!

***Don't miss MY FULL LIST OF KIMKINS LINKS to stay up-to-date on this diet fraud.

'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 72: Finishing Up My Kimmer Interview Today

What does Kimmer have to say about her infamous blue sweater shot?

There's no sense in prolonging the Kimmer interview any long, so the remaining three segments will all air in Episode 72 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." It's a little longer than normal, but there has been such a high demand to finish up this interview series I am happy to oblige. Listen in and ENJOY:

 "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 72 [45:32m]: Play in Popup | Download

In this third and final interview, Kimmer from the Kimkins diet answer the rest of YOUR questions for her, including some more difficult ones about her diet, her mysterious mental condition, and her ever-changing identity. This is the part of the Kimmer interview many have been waiting for, so tune in to get the full scoop straight from the horse's mouth.

If you like this low-carb podcast, then be sure to try to hear it by:

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

Respond to Parts 3-5 of my Kimmer interview and share whether you have been satisfied by the answers she provided to the hard questions you had for her. Were you enlightened or do you just have more questions than ever before? I'd love to hear what you think!

Tune in to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" on Monday as we return to the regular format with more topics of interest in the wonderful world of low-carb living. Let me know if you have a specific issue you would like for me to address in a future podcast by e-mailing me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. THANKS so much for listening!

Oh, by the way, stay tuned for a major announcement at my blog coming soon...

Young Researcher Says There Is 'Strong Interest' In Learning How Low-Carb Diets Treat Obesity, Disease

Dr. Matthew Hayes interested in how and why low-carb diets work

I am so encouraged to know there are some absolutely phenomenal talents coming up through the ranks of higher education who are dedicated to looking further into the subject of livin' la vida low-carb. Although low-carb has been battered and beaten insde and out by those who fear it the most--that would be the low-fatties!--it's arguably the most popular subject of nutritional research happening right now.

Working behind the scenes of this low-carb science movement are some especially gifted and intelligent individuals who are literally putting themselves and their reputations out there amongst their peers in the research community because they would dare share positive information as it relates to low-carb diets. I have the greatest respect for so many of these people, especially the young ones who will be around for the next 40, 50, or 60 years adding layer upon layer of evidence to continue proving the veracity of the low-carb lifestyle.

Here are a just a few of the names of young trailblazers you need to know about: Dr. Eric Westman from Duke University, Anthony Colpo from Australia, Anssi Manninen from the University of Kuopio Medical School in Finland, Dr. Alex Johnstone from the Rowett Research Institute in the UK, Dr. Jeff Volek and Cassandra Forsythe from The University of Connecticut.

Now we can add Dr. Matthew R. Hayes from the University of Pennsylvania to that list.

This Atlanta Journal & Constitution story details a new study from Dr. Hayes confirming a low-carb diet is good for people suffering from metabolic syndrome, a condition where obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL "good" cholesterol, high blood sugar, hypertension and insulin resistance leads to a greater risk for diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

We first heard this message before from Dr. Volek and Dr. Richard Feinman from SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, NY way back in 2005. This new research further solidifies the strong signs that this remarkable way of eating we know and love is indeed what's right for optimal weight and health.

Dr. Hayes, who started this study of low-carb diets on metabolic syndrome while still earning his doctorate degree, and his fellow researchers looked at 20 men and women diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and placed them on a South Beach-styled low-carb diet over a three-month with the following parameters regarding carbohydrate consumption:

PHASE ONE--Two weeks of 10 percent of their calories from carbs
PHASE TWO--Ten weeks of up to 27 percent of their calories from carbs

The average starting weight off the study participants was slightly higher than 200 pounds and the diet itself worked to bring about the expected weight loss as well as total body fat.

"By the end of the study, the subjects weighed about 193, 194," Dr. Hayes noted. "They lost close to 10 pounds during the three-month study."

I always hate seeing such small weight loss results in small studies like this because it doesn't give people the full potential of what livin' la vida low-carb can actually produce in people. Ten pounds lost in three months is ONLY about 3 pounds a month. The same results happened in the infamous Gardner study published in JAMA earlier this year.

What's up with such a LOW amount of weight loss on low-carb? When I started out on the Atkins diet in January 2004, I lost 30 pounds in the first month and then another 40 pounds in the second month. Granted, I was 410 pounds at the beginning, but most low-carbers I know EASILY lose 3-4 pounds a month as a bare minimum when they begin a low-carb regimen. Why is the weight loss so slow for these study participants? Things that make you go hmmmm.

Perhaps what I'm about to share with shed some light on the lower weight loss results.

As with most studies of this type, compliance with the parameters set by the researchers was a problem because the study participants did not follow it exactly as prescribed (why they wouldn't want to is beyond me!). Here's the ACTUAL carbohydrate intake average for those members of the study:

PHASE ONE--25 percent of calories from carbs (15 percent HIGHER)
PHASE TWO--35 percent of calories from carbs (8 percent HIGHER)

Even still, Dr. Hayes said these higher carb counts were significantly LOWER than what they were eating prior to the study--a whopping 47 percent of their calories from carbs. And, more importantly than the weight loss was the impact on their health.

"By the end of the study, about 50 percent no longer had metabolic syndrome," he added.

Can you imagine how much better both weight loss and metabolic syndrome would have been if they did low-carb like they were supposed to? The pounds shed could have been 30+ pounds and metabolic syndrome could very well show a nearly 100 percent improvement in ALL of the study subjects. We need to somehow have a study that mandates compliance so that abnormalities in the data don't reflect poorly on the low-carb diet itself.

As for the weight loss, Dr. Hayes looked at various metabolic markers to find a clue about how low-carb diets treat obesity and disease. This included measuring the hormones in the blood, insulin levels, leptin, and cholecystokinin (CCK). He found there were changes happening in the hormones, including a drop in insulin and leptin levels after PHASE ONE.

"It was fast," Dr. Hayes explained.

In PHASE TWO, insulin and leptin levels came back up, but something interesting happened. While insulin levels returned to the same place they were prior to the study, leptin levels remained BELOW baseline.

Dr. Hayes says this is what may explain why livin' la vida low-carb works.

"These alternations in hormone levels acting together help reduce the amount of food consumed," he revealed. "There's a synergy. Based on the literature already out there, we are speculating that this synergy of hormones may be the mechanism explaining why people are satisfied with less food and [low-carb] results in weight loss."

The results of this stunning new research are published in the August 2007 issue of The Journal of Nutrition.

Of course, Dr. Hayes admits his study is too small to make broad generalizations about using a low-carb diet to treat metabolic syndrome, but it certainly opens the door of opportunity for an even larger, more extensive study for the future. I have a feeling he is probably already in the process of making that larger study happen and I can't wait to see what he finds out.

I was very pleased to see Dr. Hayes talk about the electricity happening within the research circles behind the scenes regarding low-carb diets because I have longed held the belief that the future of low-carb acceptance hinges on the research.

"There is this strong interest in the field in carb-restricted diets in the treatment of obesity," he said. "That [interest] comes from a number of controlled clinical trials that demonstrate overweight or obese people, maintained on low-carb diets, are successful if they adhere to the diet."

This has brought about a "hot debate" in the diet work that shows no signs of cooling off anytime soon, especially with data being promoted by the advocates of a low-fat, vegan diet seeming to capture most of the headlines. Sooner or later, somebody somewhere is gonna have to fess up that their diet is not as healthy as they claim. I'm putting my money on the high-carb, low-fat supporters having to cave.

You can e-mail your support for and comments to Dr. Matthew Hayes about his study on low-carb diets and metabolic syndrome at hayesmr@sas.upenn.edu.

Low-Carb Documentary To Feature ChocoPerfection Weight Loss Stories

Now here's something just too juicy to pass up if you are a fan of those outstanding and decadent sugar-free, low-carb chocolate bars I just happen to think are the best on the planet--CHOCOPERFECTION! Yes, they are one of my top sponsors, but I genuinely LOVE these bars (especially the dark chocolate!).

I heard from ChocoPerfection founder and president Mary Jo Kringas today about an upcoming documentary being shot about low-carb living called Today's Family. Mary Jo was recently contacted and interviewed THREE TIMES about the story behind her amazing chocolate bars and now they want to speak with REAL people who have implemented ChocoPerfection bars into their successful low-carb lifestyle.

Are you a fan of ChocoPerfection bars and have lost and/or maintained your weight while eating them? Then send your story to Mary Jo Kringas directly at mjkringas@lowcarbspecialties.com.

For those of you who know Mary Jo personally as I do, there's no doubting her passion and zeal for making livin' la vida low-carb as enjoyable and exciting as possible and that fact shines through brightly when you talk to her. Is that your experience using her ChocoPerfection bars as part of your healthy low-carb diet? If so, then make your voice heard and you might just be in a movie! COOL!

I hadn't heard about this film before now, but apparently the filmmaker wants to show how families can implement the principles of low-carb living to start eating more healthy than they ever have before. I don't know anything more about who is producing this documentary, but I'll be sure to share the full details with you if and when I come across them.

Today's Family is still in pre-production with filming to begin shortly.

Again, send an e-mail to Mary Jo Kringas with your positive ChocoPerfection stories at mjkringas@lowcarbspecialties.com. I may just have to send my testimony about these bars because I'm a BIG FAN of ChocoPerfection.

Haven't tried these bars yet? Try some ChocoPerfection for yourself and you'll become a full-fledged believer, too! :D

Swedish Author Examining Eating Disorders, Needs Your Feedback

There's a very important book in the process of being written by a Swedish woman named Frida discussing the serious but often neglected issue of eating disorders. I've heard from quite a few people with eating disorders since I started this blog in April 2005, including this memorable cry for help from a bulimic earlier this year.

From overeating to anorexia, bulimia to ortorexia, as well as sugar addiction to carbohydrate obsession, this is a subject that has been swept under the rug long enough and I for one am glad to see it coming out in the open in the form of a book.

When you have been overweight or obese as I was for most of my life, you never really THINK about an eating disorder. I don't know if people even realize it when they are that close to the situation which may explain why the problem persists for many years before it is detected if ever. It is perhaps the saddest and most lonely state of existence you can possibly be in and there are countless numbers of people dealing with this day in and day out.

Frida wants to hear from anyone who "would be interested in sharing their experiences" with any eating disorder.

"Obviously it’s anonymous and you will of course get a copy of the book," she said.

The book will contain real life stories of people who have been through various eating disorders and how they overcame them. For Frida, this is a topic of personal interest for her.

"A friend of mine almost died in anorexia, and that's how my interest in the disease started," she explained.

She expects to devote about ten pages to each person's story to share all the intimate details so that others who read the book will find comfort and hope for their own situation. Frida says we can learn from our shared experiences in an effort to show others how to avoid making the same mistakes.

"I think that recognizing yourself in other people is a good start in recovering," she explained.

What do you need to share? Pretty much your story in your own words or the story of a friend or family member who has been through the pain of an eating disorder. Your identity will be kept strictly confidential and anonymous, so don't worry about providing as many details as you can using the following keywords and questions as a guideline for sharing your thoughts:

Growing up
School
Friends
Sports and exercising
Strain & demands (your own? From the surroundings? From parents?)
Self-esteem
How did everything begin? When?
When did you realize that you were ill?
What did people around you say? When did they notice it? Did you try to hide it?
How did this affect you as a person?
Do you feel like this has been a waste of years?
Do you consider yourself healthy today?
How does someone get rid of this disease?
Can you do that by yourself?
How long did it take to get better (if you are)?
Why do you think people get this desease?
Why is there an obsession to look good?
Why do a lot of people feel ashamed of this?
Give examples of what a typical day was like.
Better and worse days? When is it better?
How are you today?
Excuses
Can you ever get completely well from an eating disorder?
Did you ever think that your body could get hurt? Did you care?
Social life? Isolation?
If bulimia and compulsury eating, was it expensive buying all the food?
Did someone ever discover you ”in action” with your eating disorder?
How much did you eat? What?
How did it get so far?
How did you deceive friends and family?
How do you handle your feelings today?
Are eating disorders common among your family and friends? Why?
How do you feel in general about those years?
Share excerpts from your diary.
Did you feel the need for control?
What do you want your future to be like?
When did you make the decision to become well?
How do magazines, TV and so on affect you?
What role does society play in eating disorders?
Most people do want to get well, so why don't they do something?
Did you ever think that your health can get damaged?
The trend of healthiness, how did it influence you?
Tell a little about yourself--age, personality, quirks.
If you think back in time, what would you have done differently?
The best tip you can give for other people?
Why do you think you became ill?
Why is it so difficult to get well?

The following is a sample story to give you an idea what Frida is looking for:

It is difficult to say when everything began. I remember as a young child sitting at the dinner table with my family and my father and I having eating contests. I always loved the potluck suppers at church, especially all of those delicious desserts. I was an active child and didn’t have any eating issues at that time.

My major issue is lack of self-esteem. As I progressed into my teenage years and young adulthood I bought into the myths that our media spoon feeds us. I used to starve myself and it began. It was so easy to lose weight as a late teenager, young adult. I was of average weight, but I always wanted to be thinner.

I got married, had a child at 23 and within a month I was back into a size 5. I just stopped eating until I got there. I also did drugs and each time I did I would be so hard on myself with negative self talk that I never could get the munchies like most people. I had my next child at 29 and ballooned up to over 200 pounds. I was married to a man that was extremely emotionally abusive (a pattern it seems as my father was verbally abusive as well). I learned in my marriage that to stand up and speak my mind, heart and feelings was fruitless, I was never heard.

And that, I have a feeling is where the monkey jumped officially on to my back. When I was angry, sad, hurt, lonely, I just ate. And ate. And ate. After my second child I got back to my pre-pregnancy size of about size 7 within five years. I had my last child at 35. Again I ballooned up to over 200 pounds.

I divorced my husband when my son was almost three and my weight continued to climb. I had an emergency surgery, and became homeless, moving six times in two years. I was well over 220 by this time. I was depressed, overwhelmed, dealing with a child with bipolar disorder and I finally snapped. I started using amphetamines and drinking and lost over 75 pounds for the second time in my life.

I looked good and felt good, but felt angry because of the way people treated me when I was thin versus fat. I resented that people gave me more value and worth as a thin woman. I was the same person inside dammit. I stopped doing the drugs (that I had gotten through my physician) and drinking, but had met a man on the internet that I felt was my soulmate. We moved in together seven years ago. Life was good.

I was a size 10, was in love, had a great job. Time went on and the holidays came around. My bipolar child was hospitalized and I baked some holiday goodies to bring to her for Christmas. I ate a few, and then a few more…and next thing I realized I was again a size 20. I realized that again I had been sucked in by my demons, that instead of owning my power and speaking my truths that again I had numbed and buried them in food.

Food is horrible for me. It’s not like drugs or alcohol where you just quit and you are done. We require it to live. I can’t just eat to nourish my body, once I start eating I eat and eat. I can’t eat just one cookie. If I eat one, I eat the entire bag. I do well sometimes and just stay away from the foods that I know are my downfall. But I always end up back there.

It’s difficult in our culture. If you are young and thin you have value. If you are older and less thin you are invisible.

I have successfully isolated myself from the world. I stopped watching television for over ten years. I have no friends, nor do I want any. I am challenged in relationships. I have major trust issues. I trust no one. I look forward to death. I am not suicidal, but I am tired of life. I don’t know who I am and I am so governed by what I must do that I cannot find a way to discover who I am. I like much about who I am, but I dislike much of who I am."

This is an extremely sensitive subject, but it is the unspoken pain carried around by millions. If you have overcome your eating disorder and want to help other avoid the same mistakes that you made, then please e-mail your story to Frida at flfrida@yahoo.se. You'll feel great inside that you gave others the chance to see they are not alone in this battle. THANK YOU for helping out with this worthy cause!

UK Health Agency Uncovers Startling Dietary Truth

I came across a brand new study this week from the preeminent UK government health authority that concluded something I really never thought much about: whether it's a healthy or an unhealthy lifestyle change--it's YOUR choice.

Hmm...

Looking at this idea of a weight and wealth connection from an objective position is the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Great Britain--the British equivalent of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.

The FSA researchers have been closely observing the specific foods consumed by the members of the lowest 15 percent income bracket since early 2006 to determine what if any differences there are between this group and their wealthier counterparts.

When all was said and done, the FSA noticed that the wealthy and the unwealthy all consumed an excessive amount of sugary sodas, fat, and sugar.

Their conclusion: People are making the conscious CHOICE to eat unhealthy.

Click here for more about this remarkable study and what ramifications it could have on dietary recommendations in Great Britain and quite possibly in the United States.

'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! :)

We Are Enjoying Our Time Away In Missouri

Christine and I had a good time at Ryan's in St. Louis, MO on Saturday

If you haven't noticed, I'm not blogging as much as normal this week because I'm on vacation in St. Louis, Missouri. Christine and I are enjoying a few days of rest and relaxation away from all the cares and worries of the world to rejuvenate and recharge ourselves. As I've gotten older, spending this kind of quality time together has become more of a priority than ever before.

Our Saturday meetup and get-together at Ryan's was eventful, though. There was some confusion by the staff about it and they turned several people away who said they were looking for me. Um, Jimmy who? Yikes! Read all about this experience in my fellow blogger Amy Dungan's Healthy Low-Carb Living Blog.

It was great meeting Amy and her family as well as Lisa! I heard several people came, but left when they thought I wasn't there. Sorry about the communication problem with the manager there. It's a good lesson learned for the next time I do one of these events.

As for our time here in Missouri, Christine and I FINALLY got some news about why we haven't been able to have kids yet. As I've blogged about before, we have been married nearly 12 years (our anniversary is August 5th) and still haven't been able to have kids. We really would like to have a little Moore running around the house, but it just hasn't happened in God's perfect timing for us yet.

During our visit here, we saw a doctor who evaluated both of us and discovered we BOTH have issues that could be the culprit in our childlessness. My sperm count is high, but the quality sperm is extremely low. Christine's issue is a slight case of endometriosis which causes her pain.

We are in the process of deciding how to treat both of these and go through the process of in vitro fertilization (IVF). It's not gonna be cheap, but we're ready to have children. We're in our mid-30's and NOW is the time to do this. We'd appreciate your prayers and support for us as we go through this process.

I'll be blogging as much as I can over the next few days while we are still away. We'll be flying back home to Spartanburg, South Carolina on Thursday afternoon, so I'll be back in the saddle on Friday. THANKS for your faithfulness to the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog and I'll see ya later! :)

'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 71: Kimmer Shares What She Eats On Kimkins Diet

After an overwhelming response to Part 1 of my interview with Kimmer from the Kimkins diet last Thursday, many of you have been anxiously awaiting today's Part 2 of my world exclusive five-part series in today's Episode 71 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." You can listen to it RIGHT NOW:

 "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 71 [17:11m]: Play in Popup | Download

In today's podcast, Kimmer talks about specifically what foods she eats along with the calorie counts (even I was surprised by how she responded!). Additionally, she discusses who should NEVER do Kimkins (just like any low-carb plan, you need to find the one that is right for you) and responds to the criticism that she recommends a very-low-calorie nutritional approach. Read all of my questions for Kimmer for all five segments of my interview with her.

"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" can be heard by:

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

What's your reaction to Part 2 of my Kimmer interview? Feel free to share your feedback and tell us what you think!

Incidentally, here is the broadcast schedule for the three remaining interview segments:

Part 3--Thursday, July 26, 2007
Part 4--Monday, July 30, 2007
Part 5--Thursday, August 2, 2007

If you miss an episode, then you can listen in the archives section at TheLivinLowCarbShow.com. THANKS for all the comments about my exclusive interview with Kimmer. It has certainly garnered the attention of so many of you both positive and negative! ENJOY!

Steve Dyar Was A Big Man With A Bigger Heart For God

I will be the first to admit that I don't always understand why God allows bad things to happen to good people, although I know that He promises to "work all things together for the good to those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) I honestly believe that in my heart to be true even when it hits hard personally.

Such is the case with my friend and former minister of music Rev. Steve Dyar. I previoulsy told you about this big man with the bigger heart for God when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in December 2006. Steve and his beautiful wife Susan had felt the calling to go into full-time music evangelism and were in the process of touring around to various churches.

Then it happened--CANCER!

When the cancer hit, everything was put on hold as they went through the emotional rollercoaster ride that experience brings. The radiation treatments lasted for several months up until a few weeks ago and yet Steve was still having trouble breathing and swallowing. This really tall guy was melting away to nothing when he surprised our church choir at Easter to sing a song in our musical program. It was a real miracle!

Little did we know, though, that would be the last time we would ever see Steve sing.

On Friday afternoon, my friend Steve Dyar went home to be with that God of wonders he sang so beautifully about for most of his life. It was described as a peaceful passing and he was not in any pain when it happened. I couldn't help but think of a song that Steve used to sing with our choir when he was the music pastor at our church when I heard he was gone.

It's that song "I Can Only Imagine" by MercyMe. With that booming baritone voice, I can hear him singing it now:

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you

Today Steve is at the beginning of forever worshipping that Jesus he loved and adored in his time here on Earth. He has a new body that is free of the pain of cancer he has endured these past few months and now is "standing in the Son." I rejoice in knowing that he is now home and will live eternally with Jesus walking those streets of gold in heaven.

I am so privileged to have been able to cross paths with this incredible man of God with a faith unlike anyone else I have ever known. This was a man after God's own heart and I am a better person today because of the example he was to me as a man. I will NEVER EVER forget what I gleaned from this big man with the bigger heart for God because he taught me more about servant leadership and Christ-like love than anyone else I've ever known.

To his wife Susan and their two handsome grown sons Stephen and Sterling, I want to express my heartfelt sympathy and love for you. That man you called husband and dad made a real difference in both my life and well as in the life of my wife Christine. We give God the glory and the honor for allowing us to know you and share a few years of our lives together.

Be sure to save a seat in heaven for us, Steve! We know we're gonna see you again someday and what a day that will be! We love you and will miss you greatly. Praise God from whom all blessings flow--and YOU were a blessing to me!

One of Steve's favorite praise songs was "Blessed Be The Name" by Matt Redman:

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

This song defined the life of an amazing man who chose to bless God to the very end. Even "when the darkness closed in" on him in 2007, still he boldly cried out "Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord!" I only hope to have that same kind of faith if I ever face a trial as great as Steve did.

With this, I say goodbye for now, Steve Dyar! I hope to become even half the man that you were in your life and I commit to live the rest of my life in such a way that brings praise, honor, and glory to the Lord God Almighty. Rest in peace for all of eternity, my friend. I'll see you one day when the good Lord decides it is time for me to come home, too.

Don't Let Anyone Try To 'Talk You Out Of' Your Low-Carb Lifestyle

One of the most difficult diets you could ever go on has got to be a low-carb diet. It's not because of the diet itself, but rather the reaction you will receive from others when they find out you are livin' la vida low-carb.

I'm not sure when it became so taboo to choose a nutritional approach like this one to bring about weight and health improvements when it has been shown in studies to be just as effective if not better than the low-fat diet. Even respected scientific researcher Dr. Michael Dansinger says the low-carb diet has been too quickly dismissed by the health "experts" and deserves a fair shake in the diet debate.

And yet the boo birds who oppose the low-carb life will kick and scream like a bratty little 2-year-old trying to discourage you from doing that diet that's right for you. I've never understood the fascination by the anti-low-carb crowd to be so brash and arrogant in their admonishment of those of us who have chosen to eat this way to manage our weight and health.

Maybe they are jealous of our success and are desperate to keep others from finding the answer to their obesity and health ailments. Sounds crazy, but who knows what these people are thinking. Or ARE they even thinking?! Got me?

All I know is livin' la vida low-carb works for me and has been for nearly four years. When I weighed in at 410 pounds in January 2004, I had high hopes that this would be the last diet I would ever go on. I'm not sure I was completely convinced at the time when I started, but losing 100 pounds in the first few months made a believer out of me! And I've never lost my zeal and passion for low-carb living ever since!

I got the best little e-mail the other day from a man who is 65 years old and on the Atkins diet. He lost 64 pounds in eighteen weeks back in 1999 and has been livin' la vida low-carb ever since. This man has a lot of simple, yet practical advice for anyone who is on the low-carb lifestyle for the long haul about how to transition from the "diet" to the "lifestyle."

Here's what he wrote in the e-mail:

Dear Jimmy,

I have learned many things about dieting. I read almost every diet book and tried most of them. I learned exactly what I wasn’t willing to tolerate the rest of my life!

The biggest secret for long term success is becoming an expert on the subject. The more you know about your diet, the more likely you are to succeed.

Learn to be a great cook, not just a good one. Learn so much about this lifestyle that no one will ever be able to talk you out of it. This is the best advice I can pass on to anyone serious about maintaining their health and appearance.

When I go to a restaurant I tell them exactly how my meals should be prepared! I do nearly all my own food preparation and have become a great cook!

When my wife can tell our friends that I like a “little fish with my butter” there can be no doubt that this is the “greatest diet” in the world! NEVER GIVE UP! YOU’RE WORTH IT!

WOW, that's totally awesome! I'd love to see this guy start his own blog and share his little nuggets of wisdom and truth about livin' la vida low-carb on a regular basis. Straightforward advice written in a no-nonsense, been-there-done-that style that makes you wanna listen to everything he has to say. Reminds me of somebody else I know. :D

It turns out this gentleman found out about my blog from low-carb cooking goddess Dana Carpender when she told her readers about my blog last year. And he's been hooked ever since.

Dana suggested we seek you out. Wow! I just couldn't believe my luck! You have the greatest site ever! I have listened to every one of your podcasts. They are wonderful! FAR TOO SHORT! They could never be long enough!

Do you think he's a little excited? LOL! Hey, I'm just happy to be able to share from my own low-carb experiences and I can tell from the reaction I received from this very kind man that he has been hoping to find others who believe just as he does. This incredible lifestyle change is the greatest thing that ever happened to him in his life just as it was for me. Neither of us will EVER be the same again.

Nobody will ever replace the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins, but this man thinks I will someday.

I have no doubt that you are going to do for low-carb what even "the great one" (Dr. Robert C. Atkins) was unable to fully accomplish. You will be having unbelievable success in the very near future with the "low carb movement." Of this I have no doubt! Keep up the great work and will be following your "GREAT WORDS OF WISDOM' from now on.

THANK YOU very much for those extremely generous remarks and I only hope to live up to the expectations that I have for myself in all that I do. In some ways, I have experienced much of the same level of backlash from the low-fat vegetarian groups that Dr. Atkins did when he was trumpeting low-carb when low-carb wasn't cool. But it is my duty to share the truth and let others decide what's right for them.

They attack me and others in the low-carb community because they know we have found a nutritional approach that is scientifically sound and backed by the evidence--and it's tearing them apart on the inside knowing we have the truth on our side! Someday soon we will see a major paradigm shift happen when the high-carb, low-fat diet gig will finally be up. No more low-fat letdown--it will be time for livin' la vida low-carb to shine instead!

Oh what a day that will be! :)

Manuel Uribe's Obesity In Record Books Again, Likely Going For Biggest Weight Loss Ever Record In 2009

When you've been tagged with the distinction of being "The World's Heaviest Man," it's not something you go around wearing as a badge of honor. Identified in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most morbidly obese man walking the face of this planet last year was a gentleman from Monterrey, Mexico named Manuel Uribe.

But he's been doing something about his weight over the past year that may win him another Guinness record--for the largest-recorded WEIGHT LOSS in history!

For those who don't know about Uribe's story, he sent out a desperate cry for help in early 2006 for someone, ANYONE to help him get his weight under control. Weighing in at a "how-can-he-possibly-be-alive" weight of 1,235 pounds--yes, that would be OVER a HALF TON!!!--Uribe was ready to begin his ambitious quest to lose 1,000 pounds to get his life back.

He was helped by none other than one of the most brilliant nutritional minds of our generation, Dr. Barry Sears and the low-carb diet he created called The Zone. Uribe was excited about livin' la vida low-carb and started sharing his story with the entire world through his web site available in both Spanish and English. The media has LOVED covering this story!

The most remarkable and encouraging part of this story is that the LOW-CARB DIET IS WORKING--VERY, VERY WELL! :D

In just one year, Manuel Uribe has proven his critics wrong and has already shed over 400 pounds--well on his way to reaching that lofty weight loss goal that now looks to be more probable to happen than not. WOO HOO! You go, Manuel!

If you check out the 2008 issue of the Guinness Book of World Records, then you will see Uribe's infamous fat boy picture in it. But don't be surprised to see Uribe popping up in the 2009 edition as the man who actually lost more weight than anyone. Wouldn't that be a hoot to see the "World's Fattest Man" become the "World's Slimmingest Man?" HA!

His weight loss as of July 2007 stands at 440 pounds and Uribe is almost halfway to his goal weight. The Guinness editor says he will be very interested in observing his weight loss progress over the next year to include Manuel Uribe in his book again--this time for the weight loss distinction.

The entire world is watching this story unfold and it's exciting to see a man like this taking the principles of low-carb living and putting them into practice wiith almost unbelievable results! We're still cheering you on, Manuel! DON'T GIVE UP, buddy, JUST NEVER EVER GIVE UP!