I have enjoyed the WordPress format immensely and this new version of the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog will implement the WordPress tools on my own server. This move cost me a pretty penny, but it was worth every dime I am spending on it to make it happen. You'll notice the new blog has some ads from sponsors on it which is something WordPress did not allow me to do on their format. I appreciate your continued support of those who support the work I am doing.
So come on over to LIVINLAVIDALOWCARB.COM/BLOG to join the fun. We're gonna be there a while, so make yourself at home. :D
I've sat at my computer for hours on end posting to Blogger
I've put this decision off for a very long time because I wanted to be absolutely sure it was the right thing to do. As much as I love blogging, you just knew the time was gonna come for me to hang it all up, call it quits, and take this show elsewhere--and that's exactly what I'm doing today. See ya, adios, and so long Blogger!
But today it is good riddance to them. Out with the old and in with the new! Does this mean I'm finished blogging about the healthy low-carb lifestyle? Not by a long shot! You can check out my new blogging home RIGHT NOW at LivinLaVidaLowCarb.wordpress.com. I worked all weekend on it to make it look as good as it possibly can and I am so thrilled with the way it turned out. All of your favorite posts and comments have been moved over to this new blog as well as some new bells and whistles that will bring a smile to your face.
A few of my testers have commented how much faster this page loads than the Blogger blog, so I am happy about that. Speed of loading was one of the major problems people complained about with this old blog. The new one is like lightning it's so fast! You'll also notice the layout is very clean and the look is much more precise than Blogger. My favorite feature of the new blog is the fact that you can click on "Next Page" at the bottom of each page and see the next set of blog posts. So now I only have to post 5 blog posts instead of 15-20. WOO HOO! Just click on that link and you'll get 5 more blog posts on the next page...SWEET!
Along the top of the blog are seven clickable links to important information. "Home" will always take you back to the front page of the blog. "Before & After Pics" shows my photos from 410 pounds, pictures from right after my 180-pound weight loss, as well as a new feature showing current photographs in the years since. "Contact" allows you to reach me with your questions and comments. "Disclaimer" explains I am not a doctor, so use the information at your own risk. "LLVLC Sites" lists the various web sites I am affiliated with. "Meet Jimmy" is a brief bio of who I am and why I started the blog. And finally, "Our Sponsors" is a grouping of all the companies that are lending their financial support to the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog so I can keep doing what I'm doing.
On the left-hand side panel, you'll see some more new additions: a Subscribe To Feed link, the most recent comments on the blog, the most popular clicked pages on the blog, some weight loss links, the full archives all the way back to April 2005, the MyBlogLog widget box, and the total traffic at the blog which I transferred the numbers from my Blogger account over these past 3+ years (currently at over 3.5 million pageviews!).
On the right-hand side panel, there's a link to my About page connected to a picture of me, a list of the latest blog posts, a link to my book, a link to my before and after photos, an RSS feed of my Low-Carb Menus blog, a list of "LLVLC Quicklinks" that will help you find what you need in a flash, my latest photographs on Flickr, a Meta list, and a link to audio podcasts of my blog posts courtesy of Odiogo.
Finally, in the upper right-hand side of the new WordPress blog is a search box that is unbelievably fast and accurate. If I have ever blogged about it, then you'll find it with this search box. It's located right beneath the blog logo and you should use it early and often to find what you need. Of course, if you need help, then I'm always happy to assist. :)
So this is it! My days at Blogger have come to an end and that's just too bad. I appreciate having them as my blogging tool for over three years, but it's time to move on to bigger and better things at my new WordPress blog. And I'm not alone: Regina Wilshire has also set up shop at WordPress at her new WeightOfTheEvidence.com blog. I'm sure many more current Blogger blog owners will be making the move soon...or they should lest the robots shut down their blog as "spam," too!
Don't forget to change all of your bookmarks to the new blog and resubscribe to the blog feed here so you'll never miss a single post at the all new and improved "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog at WordPress! THANK YOU so much for your support for the work I am doing over the years and I look forward to continuing this for many years to come over at the new blog.
Gaining Stunning Health Improvements Because Of Low-Carb Living
It is always important for us to share about people who are gaining stunning health improvements because of low-carb living. For all the talk about low-carb diets that happens, the subject is generally exclusively focused on weight loss while bemoaning the long-term health effects of this way of eating. But it's hard to argue with real life stories of positive changes.
That's why I am always interested in hearing YOUR low-carb weight loss and health improvement stories so I can feature them at my blog. You'll recall a couple of months back I penned the post "Testimonies Of Real Life Stories Of Low-Carb Transformation" with a few of these stories. Now today I have a lot more encouraging health stories of livin' la vida low-carb to uplift you and get you excited about this amazing way of eating.
Hi Jimmy,
I have been low carbing for about 6 months now (you linked to my blog at one point – thanks!) and just got my cholesterol numbers checked, and compared them to last year.
Last Year Total: 187 HDL: 103 LDL: 65 Triglyceride: 94
This year Total: 217 HDL: 97 LDL: 107 Triglyceride: 67
Of course, my doctor told me since my total is over 200 and my LDL is over 100, I should eat less saturated fat, and get tested again in a year. I didn’t have a breakdown of my LDL to tell me what size my LDL particles were. I’m wondering if I should have this done. Also, I’m not sure if my HDL going down is bad, or unimportant.
But I was happy to see my triglycerides down, even though they weren’t terrible before. I feel like I was pretty healthy when I wasn’t low-carb, but now I’ve gotten healthier. I definitely feel better overall! I haven’t lost any weight since I started, but I’ve been lifting weights for the past 2 years and I think I’ve gained muscle, so perhaps I’ve lost fat. But my triglycerides going down tells me I’m doing something right!
The only thing I’ve noticed is now that I am low-carb, I never really feel hungry, which is good, but my face and neck does start to tingle if I haven’t eaten in a few hours. Have you ever experienced that? I’ve had my thyroid tested and they said my levels were normal. So that’s the only disconcerting thing I’ve noticed after going low carb.
Love your blog!!! *********** Hi Jimmy,
This article was on the front page of Yahoo this morning and I thought it was good. I read your blog everyday and am inspired by you. I am down 24 pounds livin' la vida low-carb. I still have 64 pounds to go but I know this is the way to do it. My boot camp exercise class instructor is blown away by my progress.
Have a great weekend! *********** This is the first time I send an email to a blog and I cannot thank you enough for your blogs and YouTube videos. They have helped me tremendously to keep going on my weight loss. I have been doing Atkins for a little more than two months and I have lost so far a total of 50 lbs. I now weigh 316. I have 121 more lbs. to go. Please continue what you do and thank you for being around. *********** Jimmy,
You have really helped me. After being on low-carb for only 6 days I already feel so much better. I am not lying around in a fog, depressed and feeling hopeless. I am diabetic and my blood sugar had been pretty bad but now it hasn't been over 100 since my 2nd day. Also, I take water pills twice a day because my legs and feet swell so much that every step gives me excruciating pain. Now, my legs have not been swollen in 3 days, I can walk so much better!! and I stopped taking the water pills (don't worry, under Dr. supervision).
I was able to walk to the family room and sing karaoke with my children. This might sound like a small thing, but I couldn't walk more than 50 feet and haven't been to the family room in months! Anyway, could these changes REALLY be because of the low carbs? I am soooo excited!!! Thank you Jimmy. You are a blessing. *********** I work in health care and the other day a coworker (nurse) offered me a "healthy" whole wheat bagel. I politely said no and proceeded to eat my hard boiled egg. She asked why not? I said "I don't eat wheat products." She said "oh my god, you are not one of those weirdos that does low-carb are you?" I said "yes i am, thank you very much." From that point she proceeded to lecture me about the evils of ketosis and how I am ruining my kidneys and health.
I took a good look at this woman and she was overweight. She had the overextended belly and puffy face that I used to have before i went low carb. Dark circles under her eyes and thin dull hair and dry skin. She continued to lecture me as i ate my hard boiled egg. I finally grew weary of her comments and offered her an egg. I told her that the fat from the egg was good for her dull skin and the protien would help her thinning lifeless hair. She sad that "Well, honey you are considerably younger than I am. How old are you 30? At my age 42 this is as good as it gets." I told her I was 44. She got up and left.
This is the typical response i get from people who consider themselves educated. *********** Hi Jimmy,
I gave up yo-yo dieting over 7 years ago, and have been living the low-carb lifestyle ever since. I went from a size 14 to a size 6 and have been that size for 7 years. I still have to maintain at a pretty low level of carbs. I enjoy every meal that I eat, and when I had my cholesterol level checked, my doctors told me that my cholesterol is perfect. Before low-carb, I had quite a problem with it.
I was terribly disappointed when the FDA and ADA did not acknowledge the effectiveness of low-carb living. But, I am very thankful for sites like yours where I can feel connected with people who understand the truth, and have been doing the LC plan long term.
My daughter who is 25 has been doing the diet with me for several years, and she is also very healthy and a size zero. Thanks for having the web site. I am going to be exploring it a lot this summer while I am on vacation. (I am a teacher, and during the school year, I am usually buried!). *********** Howdy Jimmy,
I got my first lab work for the year. This is after stopping all medications and going on the Atkins diet. This was my New Year's Resolution. I went in to see my doctor to get the lab results. This is a pet peeve of mine. People should be able to get their own lab work! Why do we have to make a doctor appointment to get a lab order? I should be able to write my own lab order. I just want to see my numbers and how I am doing.
The nurse said; "any change in medication?" I said; "yes I don't take any, that's a change!". The nurse said; "I'll say!". I should have said, I don't take that crap any more, it was doing more harm than good. It was also costing me a lot of money and making the Pharmaceutical companies rich.
I think the doctor was really pissed when he realized I stopped the medications he prescribed, but what could he say? My numbers were great! My A1C is 5.4! It has never been this low. This is low for someone without diabetes. Diabetics are considered great if you are under 7. Dr Atkins has cured my Diabetes! Thank you so much.
My Blood pressure is also lower than it has ever been. My cholesterol is good. My weight is 155. I still have more to lose for my target weight of 150. The doctor did begrudgedly admit my numbers were great. He had nothing good to say about losing over 30 pounds. So in his book I guess losing weight did not help improve my health. I think it did. I think the weight loss is the biggest factor in improving my health.
Now get this. My doctor still thinks I need medication! For what? I guess that's all they know how to do. He said the Avapro( blood pressure medication ) does more for you than just lower your blood pressure, it also protects your kidneys. What??? First off this crap did not lower my blood pressure! So what the hell was it doing for my kidneys?! I brought my blood pressure down into the normal range with diet and exercise.
I am sure he would also say the Statins do more for you than lower your cholesterol. Hell in my book they don't even do that! He could not bring himself to say, Wow you're doing great! How did you do it? He didn't say it and doesn't want to. He doesn't want to know how I improved my health. Being a doctor you would think he would. He refused to say; You are much healthier today than you were the last time I saw you. He won't say this but my numbers say it loud and clear.
I need help in finding a low carb doctor( your new blog )in my area! I live in Maryland, the DC suburbs This is serious It is a matter of life and death. My doctor is trying to kill me! ********** Hey Jimmy,
I just wanted to update and let you know I am still going strong. I am now 48 pounds from my weight loss goal, and super excited!!! I have to credit you, and SparkPeople for my success. Without the information, education, and support, I would have given up long long ago! I have had some ups and downs, and not lost as much as I would have liked to, but the main thing is we can never give up! This is a life long journey, not a short trip around the park. *********** The most important thing I have learned over the past year is that I must watch the amount of my intake as well as what I eat. In brief, what Mike Eades asserts is that you can eat all the low-carb food you want and not gain weight. But to lose weight, you must eat only low-carb and create a caloric deficit as well. I can live with that as long as I get results.
So I'm at 226.4 today. My all-time high back in 2003 was 262. Never give up! *********** I have been on the Atkins diet since November 21, 2007 and in the first week I lost 23 pounds. Huge weight loss. Then after I have been losing weight. I have lost a whopping 97 pounds in 9 months. I couldn't be happier. I have three children and with each child the weight just kept piling on over the years. I wanted to look good in swimsuit to. I love the new look. I have read so any things on the Internet about how it is bad. But when I was on a fat-free diet I starved to death.
With this diet I get less and I do watch my fat intake. But no carbs for 3 weeks then I allow myself 12 carbs every three weeks, it has changed my whole life, as I'm sure it has changed yours. I feel so great when I get out of bed. And when i see people eating chocolate or whatever it does not bother me. People don't understand this diet, they think that people on this diet eat a tub of butter, that certainly is not the case. Once you are on it you tend to change eating habits and get better with the diet.
But this diet is for me finally there is a diet that is suited for me. And I don't miss any of the food I once ate. I have lost 8 pants sizes my husband can't keep his hands off me!! So I know that you are just glowing with your weight loss. It changes your life.
Thank you for your story. Glad to know there are more people that this diet has changed. *********** I am 58 years old and have used low carb eating over the years. I have always had success when eating this way, I always felt better etc. However unfortunately I listened to the experts and in my efforts to be healthy I went to a diet of high grain, granola, fruits, and low fat. My health progressively worsened, physicians told me to eat less – you know the routine.
At 56 I discovered that I had type 2 diabetes, my sugar was over 600, every vital reading was out of the norm. If it should have been high it was low and vice a versa. At a visit with my physician he sadly informed me that he could not give me any medicines, but insulin, due to my readings, but that somehow we had to get the sugar under control.
I chose not to go on insulin, but began a systematic diary of my sugar readings before and after meals, and after 2 weeks it was painfully obvious that sugar, starches, fruit juices, etc were the culprit. I began following a low carb way of eating and today my HbA1c is 5.0, all my other readings are now normal. Weight loss has also been a wonderful side effect that I have received also. *********** My doctor has been trying to push Lipitor, Crestor, etc. on me for the past 4 months, due to my "hereditary" cholesterol. (She doesn't look at my ratio, just my total cholesterol.) I'm never taking a statin! I'm going to prove to her that I can lower it on my own. I am Type 2 diabetic, following a very low-carb diet, exercising daily, my blood pressure is normal, my blood sugars are normal, and my lipid profile gets better and better every time I have lab work done. No statins for me! Ever! *********** Dear Jimmy,
I am a walking talking experiment for the effects of alcohol consumption while watching my weight. For the last two weeks I have omitted alcohol during the week days. I loved a few glasses of wine while cooking. I am a Pilates instructor. Very fit. I also incorporate 120 minutes of cardio each week and some weight training. I was feeling bloated at times as well as the last inch of fat covering my six pack wasn't moving. I went on the scale and to my astonishment I lost 2 pounds after two weeks. I am very careful about what I eat. My six pack is showing through nicely. It has made a difference. I kept wondering if it was in fact the alcohol, but I kept counting it in terms of my total calories for the day, and not aware of the fact that it stalls fat burning. Thanks for your site. *********** Dear Jimmy,
I emailed you about 5 weeks ago due to extreme weight loss frustration. I do have some good news. Since my first email to you when I gained the four lbs., I lost the four lbs. plus 2 more lbs. Prior to that I was up and down 2 lbs., the same, rotten 2 lbs. and I felt like I was trapped in a cage.
What I have done is to try out some stuff you recommended on your site as well as what I read from other people. First, I stick to 18/19 carbs per day, period. Second, I have really cut out dairy (read: cheese), although I still have some cream in my coffee :). I also have INCREASED my fat intake. I really think this is helping me a lot. I no longer feel guilty to add some mayo to a lettuce "sandwich" or butter to my veggies. I now eat macadamia nuts or deviled eggs for dessert instead of "low-carb" treats which I think mess me up. I try to stick with the same foods that I know work for me. If I add something and I gain or stall, I make a note of it & cut it out.
One "biggie" for me was going under 170 lbs. I had done it several months ago only to become very sad when I went over again. Happily, I am now down to 168. I am trying to be very, very careful. Amazing how that stupid scale can make or break your day!!!
Hope your success is continuing as well. Thank you for your kind words.
Got a low-carb weight loss or health improvement story to share with me? Send an e-mail to livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Let's show this world the awesome results we KNOW that livin' la vida low-carb can produce.
Blogger Locks Another Low-Carb Blog As 'Spam': Let's Help Get It Unlocked
Now look at the low-carber who's been blocked as "spam"
I am livid right now with the hosting site of my blogs right now and it has forced me to make a decision I really hoped I wouldn't have to make. But Blogger has really forced the issue now and I don't feel like I have much of a choice in the matter all things considered. More about that in a moment.
As you know, my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog was first identified by Blogger's robots as a "spam blog" back in April this year and it took nearly a week to get it back again. When your blog is locked by one of these computer robots automatically, you have to go through a rigorous waiting period until a real live human being can look at your blog and realize it is not "spam," but actually legitimate. Visitors coming to the blog wouldn't know that it's locked, but the owner is unable to make any new posts or changes until a Blogger representative bothers to take a look.
Adding insult to injury about my particular case is the fact that it was locked for a second time in less than a month AGAIN, although this time I got it to come back MUCH quicker because I had a Blogger employee name that I urged so many of you to write to. Thanks to the efforts of my faithful and dedicated supporters at my blog and on my other web sites, my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog was restored in just two days.
Now we have yet another low-carb blogger who has been locked out of her popular blog. It's Regina Wilshire at the "Weight of the Evidence" blog who informed me today that she has been identified by Blogger as a "spam" blog. This would be hilarious if it wasn't dead serious because Regina's blog has been a longtime source for quality low-carb research information well before Jimmy Moore was even on the scene. It's such a travesty that genuinely good bloggers are forced to endure this kind of aggravation.
To make matters worse, my "30-in-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge blog was also locked today, so it looks like Blogger is on the rampage again with the trigger-happy robots. This is utterly stupid if you ask me and I would like to ask for your help yet again. As of the writing of this blog post, it's late on Friday afternoon. So nothing may come of this until Monday. But it's worth a shot for Regina's sake.
The last time I asked for your help with unlocking my blog, I gave you the name and e-mail address of the Blogger employee who was the first one to unlock my blog. His name is Mishka and his direct e-mail address is mishkablogger@yahoo.com. In your e-mail, kindly request that the URLs WeightOfTheEvidence.blogspot.com and 30-in-30.blogspot.com be unlocked since they are not "spam" blogs. Thank him for his prompt attention to this and express your personal experiences reading these sites. If all goes well, then Regina should be back up and running by Monday. And the same with my "30-in-30" blog.
THANK YOU again for your help everyone! You are the best!
So what am I contemplating doing? Right now I'm moving all of my posts from Blogger over the WordPress and will make a decision soon about making my new permanent blog home over there. You never hear about any issues like this over there, so it's looking more and more appealing by the moment. I'll let you know if and when that will happen, so don't worry. THANKS again for your support!
8-2-08 UPDATE: Well, YOU DID IT!!! Both my "30-in-30" blog and Regina's blog are now back...but neither of us is happy with Blogger right now. That's why we're moving to WordPress and you'll be hearing more about that soon. In the meantime, check out Regina's new address at WeightOfTheEvidence.com.
Kooky, Crazy, Nutty...And Everything In Between: E-mails To My Low-Carb Blog
Some of my readers must be related to Crazy Harry
I'm gonna be dating myself a bit with this reference, but do you remember the old Jim Henson television program called The Muppet Show? We all know Kermit the Frog, Fozzy, Beaker, Animal, and, of course, Miss Piggy. But do you remember that character named Crazy Harry? He was the strange one who always looked like he was up to no good as he looked for something to blow up. Does that ring a bell?
Well, I must have some long lost relatives of Crazy Harry embarking on my blog from time to time because some rather kooky, crazy, and nutty comments and e-mails have been coming my way lately and it certainly keeps life rather interesting to say the least. That's okay because I get enough of everything in between to help counterbalance the wild and the weird.
One of the most popular kind of blog posts I do feature some of the most intriguing e-mails and comments that come my way and you can see my previous ones here, here, here, here, and here, and here. But I do believe today takes the proverbial low-carb cake for the strangest e-mail I have ever received in the history of my blog. And that's truly saying something with all the bizarre comments that have been hurled in my direction. The good news is one freaky bit of feedback is always tempered perfectly by bunches of normal ones, so ENJOY!
The following was left as an anonymous comment at my blog this week:
Look around your mid-section, you could live off that fat for 6 months. I am highly skeptical that your body needs all that fat. I'm pretty sure your gall bladder will need removal within a few years. Though that's only if you survive the colon cancer from the 15 pounds of fetid low quality hormone laden mad cow meat adhering to you colon. Do you notice how bad your BO is and how bad the toilet smells after you go. If you don't just ask your wife. Chimp poo is nothing like that!
PS - and what is with your so called brother being in hospice and singing karaoke ? I've yet to meet a hospice patient released for a little karaoke R&R. I think somebody is looking for pity points. But if you weren't a drama llama you would not over medicate with fatty foods (formerly sugary foods in your younger years).
Looks like Dean Ornish let one of his wacko radical vegetarians out on the loose again! Does something like this even deserve to be dignified with a valid response from me? I think not (although I thought you'd get a good laugh out of it like I did!).
Now, on to more NORMAL e-mails...
Dear Jimmy,
I am a former vegetarian (16 years with no meat!) who has started eating fish and a hell of a lot more protein and fat due to reading Gary Taubes' book Good Calories, Bad Calories. I have easy access to all the research articles that he sites in his book, so in addition to being persuaded by Gary I have read all the original experiments as well and have changed my eating habits accordingly.
My reason for emailing you is to ask this: when you are talking to people about your diet and your opponent says: "I love sugar! I will never stop eating sugar! My boyfriend/girlfriend/ spouse tried it and they fainted/felt like crap/their heads exploded, etc." How do I defend myself? (I just had this conversation five minutes ago, so I am fuming just a bit.)
I could have been nasty and said, "Well, look at me, and now look AT YOU, YOU FAT SUGAR EATER!!!!" However, as irritating as this person can be sometimes, I did not want to hurt her feelings.
So, Jimmy, could you or any of your fans advise me how to converse nicely with the uninitiated proponent of carbs without sounding like a total jerk?
LOL! I think we all have people like this in our life. The thing I tell people is that you won't have to give up sugar for life if you don't want to on your low-carb diet. You just choose to go without it until your weight and health is under control. But what will happen is they'll reap the benefits of ditching sugar and will decide for themselves to never eat it again. What would you suggest?
Hi Jimmy,
I am hoping you can help me answer a question, or at least point me in the right direction to get an answer. First let me say, I love your blog! Thanks so much for keeping us updated on the low carb lifestyle. Let me tell you a little background about myself. I am a type 1 diabetic on an insulin pump and am a registered nurse. In 1994, I read a book by a doctor in NY, Richard Bernstein, which changed the way I managed my diabetes. Dr. Bernstein advocates a very low carb diet for diabetics, and he has used it to manage his own diabetes for years. I met with him and tried his low carb diet, which substantially reduced my insulin needs. Although I was not able to maintain his ultra low carb recommendations, I have continued to follow a much lower carb diet which has helped greatly improve my diabetes control.
In 2004, I decided to tackle my next health issue, which was my weight. I had about 45 pounds to lose, and decided to join Weight Watchers and follow their core plan. Although Weight Watchers does not advocate low carb, it was easy for me to structure my eating with the core plan and still eat a lower carb diet. Within 7 months, I had dropped the 45 pounds and have maintained the weight loss for the past 4 years. Now, on to my question...
I currently exercise every day. I love it and look forward to it. As is my routine, just prior to exercising I have my one treat of the day, which is ice cream. This helps to keep my blood sugar up while exercising and keeps me on track with my healthy eating habits because I know I get to eat that one sweet treat every day. Recently, Breyers came out with a new line of "Breyers Free" ice creams, which are fat free and have some added fiber. I have been buying this line because the Weight Watchers points value is 1-2 points, as opposed to 4-5 for regular ice cream. But what I have noticed when eating these fat free ice creams is that my blood sugar goes way up, which it never did with the regular ice creams. After looking at the carb values for both, I saw that the fat free had 25 gms of carbs and the regular has 15 grams, which is a big difference since I probably do not stick to the 1/2 cup serving. Because of the difference in the carb value, I end up having to take extra insulin, which I did not have to do with the regular ice cream.
So my question to you is do you think I should switch back to the regular ice cream? I am desperate to lose another 7 pounds, and am afraid that the regular ice cream, being higher in calories, will slow down this weight loss. However, my logical mind also knows that it is generally the extra insulin that the body makes or, in my case, that is injected, that causes me to gain weight. Can you please tell me your opinion on this, as I will feel better hearing it from someone who is familiar with the low carb debate. My doctor basically told me that lower calorie=weight loss, higher calorie=weight gain, but I am not so sure that is true since I have to take more insulin to cover the higher carb value.
Any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated!
Do I need to say how wrong this is on so many levels? I couldn't believe my eyes when I was reading this e-mail. Let me address the reason why fat-free and low-fat foods have more sugar/carbs. When they take out the fat, the food manufacturers have to replace it with something--and most of the time that something is sugar or high fructose corn syrup. That's just the way it is.
Now, about that ice cream before your workout. WHAT?! It's a myth that you need to carb-up before exercise and I urge you to STOP eating the ice cream beforehand. That's not necessary when you are livin' la vida low-carb, eating adequate protein, and fueling up with fat. Read The TNT Diet by Adam Campbell and Dr. Jeff Volek to find out how to implement this way of eating into your regular exercise routine.
My experience with a very low carb, high fat diet.
Started diet at Age 57, weight 186 (highest ever), total cholesterol 207, triglycerides 149, HDL 41, and LDL 136. Blood pressure between high normal and pre-hypertension.
Lost 23lbs in 9 months, with total cholesterol 182, triglycerides 79, HDL 46, LDL 120. Sounded pretty good to me!
3 months later, still on low carb diet, had lost additional 4 lbs, and feeling real good...then I had a heart attack. They placed 2 stents in 2 blocked arteries, also the main coronary artery is 40% blocked and I'm looking at bypass surgery in the future.
Now I'm on a full regiment of drugs. Lost additional 10 lbs, and stayed on low carb, but now also low fat. With the drugs, total cholesterol 110, triglycerides 50, HDL 44, LDL 57. Blood pressure is now very very low.
Ok, what happened?
It's funny how people are so quick to blame their low-carb diet on health calamities when differences suddenly manifest themselves. But you never hear people talk about how much that low-fat, high-carb diet they were eating damaged their health. I've never understood this double standard, but it is what it is I guess.
Anywho, as for this person who says their heart attack happened because of livin' la vida low-carb, he needs to read this recent blog post from a 31-year old man who also had a heart attack. The thing is you cannot underestimate your predisposition for having a cardiovascular event especially at your age and in the short amount of time you've been on low-carb. All those years of high-carb eating can take their toll. Eating low-fat is NOT the answer, but continuing low-carb living is vitally important to preventing ANOTHER heart attack in the future.
Dear Jimmy,
I have a few comments. EVERYBODY says and thinks that they are never gonna be fat again or gain their weight back. Yet many, if not most, do just that. You may be too young to remember when Oprah dragged 90 lbs of fat in a wagon on stage and declared she would never be fat again. She may not be very fat now but she was between then and now, with losses and gains in between. Forgive my skepticism. It comes from my own experiences. I have lost weight, between 50 and 100 lbs several times, and kept it off for an average of three years. So I couldn't take seriously anyone's advice until they'd made it past 5 or 10 years.
I pray that you succeed. I think this must be the first time you've lost a lot of weight or you might not be so sure you won't gain it back. Gaining it back is worse than being fat in the first place. Because I do want you to succeed, I am going to follow your progress. I think it may be wise for you to cultivate a little humility. In my opinion you sound like you are sure that you have THE answers. I wish it were so simple. I do agree that the questionnaires generally are asking the wrong questions, but the one about how you'd feel if you gained the weight back is an important and quite legitimate question that you need not to dismiss so cavalierly, perhaps to your own peril.
Did I mention there was only one psycho e-mail? Okay, I was wrong. I have no idea what this person is talking about, but this is America and he has a right to his opinion. THANK YOU for sharing...er, I think. :)
Hi Jimmy,
I'm a long time listener of your podcast show and I love it!
I've been restricting my carbs for several years - my diet is probably not "low carb" as I eat around 100g total carbs per day (fibre included). However, I'm also vegan. I'm intolerant to dairy and I've never liked meat all that much anyway.
I know that a lot of vegans are opposed to low carb diets and are very vocal about it. I personally don't push my vegan diet onto anyone, mainly because I don't like people trying to force me to eat meat and dairy products. I still prepare meat for my husband and children, I just don't eat any of it.
Just wondering what your opinions are of vegan low carb diets, and whether you think it's even possible! My diet consists of: fruit, vegetables, tofu, seitan, wheat bran, nuts, and seeds. I also boost my protein intake with soy protein supplement because I weight train 4-5 times per week. My non fruit/vegetable carbs are from 1 serving of wheat bran per day, and 1 cup of pea soup 2-3 times per week.
It sounds boring to most people but I genuinely enjoy eating this way.
Just wondering what your thoughts are, and whether "vegan" and "low carb" can actually be compatible!
Thanks and keep up the great work!
I don't necessarily think there's anything wrong with a vegan wanting to eat a low-carb diet, but there are many benefits to eating animal fat that you miss out on when you go totally vegan. Plus, you can't eat eggs or other sources of healthy fat and protein that your body needs. I couldn't personally handle a low-carb vegan diet personally, but more power to ya. I just wish the really crazy vegans would just calm down with their rhetoric.
I've got plenty more e-mails to share with you and will do that soon. In the meantime, I always love hearing from my readers whether they agree with me or not. So feel free to drop me an e-mail anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.
Dr. Julie Palmer says don't get fooled into drinking OJ
What could be healthier for you than a icy cold glass of orange juice, right? What could be more Americana and good for you than that?! I mean it comes from freshly-squeezed oranges which are grown on trees, so it HAS to be better for you than sugary soda, doesn't it? Wellllllll, not exactly as a new study published in a major medical journal from researchers out of Boston University revealed this week.
Lead researcher Dr. Julie Palmer, a senior epidemiologist from the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, looked at the connection between both fruit juice and sugary soda to Type 2 diabetes as part of the enlightening and still-ongoing prospective Black Women's Health Study featuring a whopping 59,000 African-American women from across the United States. Because Type 2 diabetes has hit the black female population especially hard increasing exponentially in the past few years (double that of white women), Dr. Palmer wanted to find out specifically why and what she discovered is gonna shock a whole lotta people.
Initial questionnaires went sent out to the study participants in 1995 to obtain baseline information on height, weight, demographic characteristics, medical history, usual diet and other factors. Then follow-up questionnaires soliciting information with updates on various health conditions, lifestyle changes, and diet among other things have been sent out every two years ever since to see if there are any marked changes in the occurrence of Type 2 diabetes or other such diseases.
In all, 2,713 of the study participants (about 4.5 percent) developed Type 2 diabetes in the first ten years since the study began that paralleled with those women who increased their consumption of both sugary sodas and fruit drinks. According to the study, women who drank 2+ sodas per day experienced a 24 percent increase in getting Type 2 diabetes than those who drank less than one soft drink in a month.
Interestingly, Dr. Palmer also found a curious connection between fruit juice and Type 2 diabetes as well. Those women in the study who drank 2+ servings of this "healthy" drink alternative to sugary soda, primarily at breakfast time, saw a 31 percent increase in diabetes risk compared to those who had less than one glass of fruit juice each month.
Hmmmm...
I can remember growing up how much I LOVED drinking Sunny Delight orange juice. And my mom faithfully bought it for me, my brother Kevin, and sister Beverly thinking it was a "healthy" option since it was derived from fruit. Surely this had to be better than all that soda we would be drinking instead, right? Boy, we couldn't have been more wrong if we tried--and we have to blame it partially on the aggressive marketing of the juice lobby led by groups like the Juice Products Association who are in full spin-mode right now promoting juice as playing "an important role in a healthy diet." NOT!
Some will argue that it's fruit and that alone should make it healthy. While I sincerely believe both whole fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet (including a low-carb one, by the way!), it's a blatant copout to say they're all good for you when clearly they are not. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, and honeydew are excellent choices for fruit in the latter stages of your low-carb life management plan. But juicing even any of these fruits simply concentrates the sugar that much more and you just don't need it. Can you imagine all the sugar you'd be adding to your body with apple, pineapple, or orange juice? EEEEEEK! No thanks! I don't need to get Type 2 diabetes.
The take-home message from this study is that fruit juice is equal if not MORE harmful to your risk for Type 2 diabetes as sugary soda is and should be avoided for the same reasons. Most of the people reading this at my blog are saying to themselves, "well duh?!" But ask just about anyone you know which of the two is healthier between fruit juice and sugary soda and you're gonna have a virtually unanimous choice for the fruit juice. My answer would be NEITHER and I haven't drank either one since I started livin' la vida low-carb in January 2004. And I have NO intentions of EVER doing so again.
Dr. Palmer said fruit drinks were favored over sugary soda by the participants in the study and that fruit drink consumption in the United States has doubled since the late 1970s. This along with the strong marketing of fruit juice as "healthy" beginning in the 1980s and still to this day has led us to higher and higher rates of Type 2 diabetes, Dr. Palmer noted.
"The public should be made aware that these drinks are not a healthy alternative to soft drinks with regard to risk of type 2 diabetes," she exclaimed.
Christin Sherburne leading a lawsuit against the Kimkins diet
Most people who have been following my blog for any length of time over the past year already knows about the Kimkins diet scam and the ongoing class action lawsuit that has been brought up against the diet's founder Heidi Diaz, aka "Kimmer." One of the leading voices against Kimkins now is a woman who was featured on the front cover of Woman's World magazine in June 2007 touting her 100-pound weight loss in just five months. But a series of strange events involving Diaz and some potentially life-threatening health complications opened up her eyes to the dangers of the Kimkins diet scheme.
Click on the "LISTEN NOW" link below or download it to your iPod to hear Episode 163:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 163 [29:56m]: LISTEN NOW | Download
Christin Sherburne takes us through this up-and-down journey over the past year when she was in support of Kimkins because of her incredible weight loss on it and then to her fervent opposition to this diet plan that threatened her health and is harming the lives of real people even to this day. I've been privileged to get to know Christin over this past year and met her in February this year on our first annual low-carb cruise (she'll be coming on the cruise in January 2009 as well!). She really is one of the nicest people you will ever meet.
In the podcast, Christin opens up about those confusing days following her experience as the Kimkins cover-girl when she became the public relations spokesperson for the diet, how she ran into a brick wall when she asked Heidi Diaz/Kimmer to answer some of the questions that had been swirling around the Internet from concerned onlookers, the role Laura Dolson played in helping her see the fraud this diet and its founder is, her unending determination to expose this scam wherever she can to help protect others from falling victim to it, what's happening with the class action civil lawsuit and potential criminal lawsuit against Heidi Diaz, and the positive things that have come out of this entire ordeal that are impacting her life today.
Never miss a low-carb beat and tune in anytime by:
So what did you think about Christin Sherburne? Regardless of your stance on the Kimkins diet, did Christin convince you one way or the other? Share your thoughts about today's interview in the show notes section of Episode 163. Check out more from Christin Sherburne by visiting her at her LivinLowCarbDiscussion.com page as well as her inspirational "The Journey" blog.
Come back next week for a highly-requested two-part follow-up interview with Dr. Keith Berkowitz who will answer a slew of questions that came in following my first podcast interview with him a few months back about the subject of "reactive hypoglycemia" while on a low-carb diet. If you sent me a question about this, then tune in on Monday and Thursday to hear it answered by Dr. Berkowitz. THANKS for listening to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore."
The Zone Diet will soon be featured in FIRST magazine
I got word from the people at the Zone Diet today that they are teaming up with the popular First magazine to do a story on people who have implemented the Zone strategies for weight loss. What they REALLY want to see are people who have been using fish oil supplements with GREAT success in improving both their weight and health. Here's your chance to have YOUR story heard in a well-known national publication!
Those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb recognize the importance of getting the proper balance of essential omega fatty acids to reduce inflammation and this is a subject that is near and dear to the heart of Zone creator Dr. Barry Sears (who by the way is coming out with a new book in September 2008 entitled Toxic Fat: When Good Fat Turns Bad). They want first-hand testimonials of women (sorry guys!) who have experienced an amazing turnaround in how they look because of the Zone diet and fish oil supplementation (like Zone spokesperson Sue Knorr who I recently featured at my podcast show).
Time is of the essence and this story is on a deadline, so get on this ASAP if you are genuinely interested in sharing what happened to you. Here are the requirements:
- You MUST be female - You MUST be willing to reveal before and after photos - Your story MUST include your testimony about the Zone diet/fish oil
If you fit all of this criteria and can send me your story quickly, then please e-mail this information to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. I'll forward them to the people at the Zone diet and cross my fingers for you that yours will be chosen. GOOD LUCK TO YOU and remember--DON'T DELAY! Send your story in today.
There are two ends of the spectrum when people start talking about being on the "Atkins diet"--either they are simply cutting back on their carbohydrates and consuming whatever amounts of meat, cheese, eggs, and bacon they choose to eat or they are following the plan that was written and promoted by the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins in his various books, most notably Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution.
It's amazing how people can get away with describing both of these as the "Atkins diet" when only those people who have educated themselves about this way of eating in the latter group can honestly say that. Even worse, we've got people who try to debate the Atkins diet without ever seeing what Dr. Atkins wrote. Come on, that's just plain ignorant if you ask me. So I'm ready to help do something about this lack of understanding about the Atkins diet starting right here and right now.
In Episode 48 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube," my lovely wife Christine and I share about an Atkins Diet Startup Kit that we are making exclusively available to anyone who wishes to learn more about this healthy and delicious low-carb nutritional approach. With all the mounds of misinformation and confusion that has been generated by those so-called health "experts" and the media about this wonderful dietary plan that helped me shed 180 pounds in 2004, why wouldn't you just want to learn more about what it's all about? That's precisely what this 6-item kit will do--EDUCATE!
Learn more about what's in the Atkins Diet Startup Kit in today's video:
Here's a recap of the materials included in this package:
- Why & How It Works video - Staying Slim & Health video - Atkins diet workbook - Atkins meal planner (recipes) - Atkins easy carb gram counter - Basic diet manual
These materials certainly do not replace what you get in Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution or any of his other books. But they do complement those books by putting the Atkins diet in clear and understandable language using a 3-part video explanation of the nutritional plan from Dr. Atkins himself, workbooks and information sheets to help you personalize your low-carb Atkins plan, and then practical information on carb counts, recipes, and other essential information to go on the REAL Atkins diet the right way. This is about a $100 value worth of materials that you can't purchase anywhere else and it's all yours for only $25 (plus FREE PRIORITY MAIL SHIPPING!).
Yes, you get the two videos, the big workbook, the recipe book, the carb gram counter book, and the basics guide to take when traveling all for the flat cost of $25. This includes your PRIORITY MAIL shipping, so you'll get it quickly when you place your order. Please contact me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net and we'll work out arrangements to ship your materials. I want to get these materials about the Atkins diet into the hands of people who genuinely want to learn what this specific diet plan is all about. There are no more excuses for thinking the Atkins diet is just bacon-wrapped-butter-and-brie (maybe Dr. Dean Ornish should buy this kit--HE MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING!).
Give us your feedback on our videos by e-mailing livinlowcarbman@charter.net anytime. We appreciate hearing from you and will possibly use your show ideas in a future video. Watch our previous YouTube videos and join the ever-growing list of people who now subscribe to our YouTube videos. THANK YOU for your support of our video series on YouTube and we'll keep 'em coming!
