If you're gonna do the "Atkins diet," then you MUST read THIS book!
Christine and I are BACK from our quick little trip to Pigeon Forge in the Smoky Mountains for a bit of rest and relaxation and we're excited to bring you yet another new video in our fun and exciting new "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube" series. The comments have been coming in with these videos and everyone is raving about how much they enjoy these sometimes quirky, but informative episodes about the healthy low-carb lifestyle. We cannot tell you how much fun we have making these videos (even better than blogging...er, almost!).
I wanted to share a very nice e-mail I received from one of our YouTube video fans who won a copy of my book just for leaving a comment a couple of episodes back. His name is Dan (aka SlimQuest) and he was extremely grateful for the blessing low-carb has been in his life. Check this out:
Hello Jimmy and Christine,
Hope all is well...
I wanted to thank you for the book you sent me last week... I just finished it... besides the Atkins Book, your book was great... the Atkins book is good for details about the actual diet however your book really hit home for me... we have had a lot of similar experiences, you and I ... your book was very inspiring and I found it hard to put down... I have been on the Atkins Diet for 21 days and have lost a total of 15 pounds so far...
I actually have done this once before and lost about 140 lbs... doing what I thought was the Atkins diet... I gained all but about 45 lbs pounds back and ended back to 430 lbs... I did not have the support, no blogs, no books, no feed back from others that have succeeded and kept the weight off... It was a disaster the first time around.
I do not know why it took me so long to get back to this point where I had success before... but I tried the South Beach Diet, the Nuti-System Diet, Counting Calorie Diet and failed again and again over about a year period... I guess I am just hard headed that way... but I finally came back to reality and bought the Atkins Book and CD read it and listened to the CD and started 21 days ago...
Induction was really hard for me but again I am hard headed and did not do it exactly as written and paid the price with alot of unpleasant side effects... I actually got so sick and I quit... and went out and bought a extra large pizza to eat for 3 days while I contimplated my next move, I then went back to the drawing board and read the book again and started over...
Anyway I finally got through Induction, I am feeling great, well into fat burning mode and I am loving this diet... the pounds are burning off again and I am down to 410.8 lbs down from 430 lbs... and actually at my heaviest I weighed in at 475 lbs when I lost the first 140 lbs about 3 years ago... Anyway I am back... Yippy... :)
I really appreciate your help Jimmy, I am not sure if you realize what a great help you are with all of your work... I think what you do and what you have done on your blog, YouTube and your book is wonderful and really a God send...
My Dad past away from complications of Diabetes at age 65 and I saw him suffer for over 10 years from amputations, heart attacks, strokes, blindness and at the end he passed away in front of me in the hospital... It was terrible experience to see someone you love go through such pain... his brother, my uncle passed about a year before him from the same disease. I made a promise to my Dad... that I would lose the weight and become healthy and he made me promise that I would not make the same mistakes he did...
I had lost about 100 lbs of the 140 lbs before he passed away... he was very proud of me, back then... however, after that due to many different stresses I allowed myself to gain back 100 lbs back up to 430 lbs... I felt ashamed of myself and I felt like I let him down... I want to make him proud again and I want to make myself proud... :)
So, here I am, the next Atkins Success story in the making... My goal is to weigh in at 225 lbs on February 14, 2009 Valentines Day... that is when my fiance and I are getting married... thanks to your help and support with all the great advise and the support of my fiance Amy I will do this and be the healthy man I am supposed to be... I am glad I have your support and invaluable knowledge to help me this time around... I really feel this time is going to be for good...
My fiance is a wonderful woman and happens to be a Gastroenterologist and she is going to be starting Atkins in a few weeks... she supports me in everything I do and has backed me every step of the way... Unfortunately, She just went through surgery to remove a large Endometreoma cyst from her right ovary... they found that it had enveloped the tube and the entire ovary and she had to have them removed... she is in a lot of pain in her tummy and in her heart as she is very sad and worried about the future, babies and such... She is taking a few weeks off from work and is here with me as I help her back to health...
Needless to say it has been very stressful... but the amazing thing is that I have actually lost this 15 pounds during this whole stressful event... normally I would have put on an extra 15 lbs by now due to my past stress eating... It was amazing that I was able to do this during this time of grief and stress... that is when I realized that this time was going to be different... and thanks to your book and support of others, I feel more confident than ever... Thank you very much for everything... Please keep blogging, YouTubing and writing books...
Thank you for making such a big impact on my life Jimmy and tell Christine thank you as well... my fiance loves watching her as well and hearing from her... thanks again...
God Bless You...
To your success...
Dan
WOW, Dan! We DO have a lot in common...have weighed 400 pounds, the woman of our life had to have endometriosis surgery, concerned about having children, and BEST OF ALL--did the ATKINS diet! You keep at it, my friend, and you'll have no choice but to succeed. I can't wait to see it happen!
Speaking of doing the Atkins diet, that's the subject matter of Episode 9 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube" because this is way too important for people to miss. Unfortunately, a lot of people in our society have made the "Atkins diet" synonymous with just eating meat, eggs, and cheese all day. But for those of us who have actually READ THE BOOK, you KNOW that's not what the genuine Atkins diet is all about.
While you may do just fine eating that way, many people get frustrated at some point when they realize that something is missing about their diet. Uh, ya think? That's where reading Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution at the cool discount price of a penny plus shipping at Amazon.com becomes invaluable as you sincerely learn what the Atkins diet is about.
Watch our latest video now for an analogy about why reading the instruction manual is so important when you are livin' la vida low-carb:
There's only one Atkins diet (well, actually, there are TWO if you count the ORIGINAL 1970s Atkins diet and then the updated one from the 1990s), so doing anything else just isn't Atkins. Call it what you want, but, as we say in the South, it AIN'T Atkins! Read the book, absorb its message, and then do it EXACTLY as the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins shared in his masterpiece. You can't go wrong if you do that!
Please post your comments about Episode 9 at YouTube about today's video and you could have a chance to win a special surprise prize that will be announced in our next episode. Click here and you'll be taken to the YouTube page where you can leave a comment about this show.
Did you miss any of our other YouTube videos? Never fear, they're all right here:
- Promo video--A half-minute promotion of the new video series - Episode 1--Introduction of Jimmy & Christine Moore - Episode 2--What kind of fruits can you have on a low-carb diet? - Episode 3--What kind of veggies can you have on a low-carb diet? - Episode 4--What does a low-carber do for something sweet? - Episode 5--Why is fat so healthy for you on the low-carb lifestyle? - Episode 6--Which restaurants can you go to on the low-carb lifestyle? - Episode 7--What are the best new low-carb books you need to read? - Episode 8--Why should you be eating a lot more eggs?
We now have well over 100 subscribers to our YouTube videos and I want to thank you for continuing to tell your friends, family, and anyone else who needs a boost of education, encouragement and inspiration in their low-carb lifestyle to check us out. Sure, we're a bit silly at times and like to make you laugh with our videos. But the work we are doing is DEAD SERIOUS as the lives of real people are being positively changed because of it.
THANK YOU as always for watching our videos and please send us your feedback, suggestions for future show ideas, comments, and questions at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. We've got some REALLY good ideas for upcoming videos, so don't miss a single video. CLICK HERE to subscribe NOW! :)
In an ideal world, there would be clear-cut criteria laid out in black and white about how to do a low-carb diet. While there are certain basics that apply to virtually every low-carb plan, there are also what I would describe as "gray areas" where it will really depend on the individual to figure out for themselves.
One such issue is caffeine. If you have read Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, then you know the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins addresses this subject a couple of times--but only in passing. Here are the two brief references I found in my mass paperback version of the book:
Page 189--"Excessive caffeine has been shown to cause a hypoglycemic reaction, which will provoke cravings and cause you to overeat. Omitting caffeine may be a big sacrifice for you, but, in my experience, weight loss often starts up again as soon as people remove caffeine from their regimen."
Page 222--"Consume caffeine only in moderation."
Other than those two points, Dr. Atkins didn't say much else about caffeine consumption. Obviously he felt there was enough of a negative metabolic response to caffeine intake for him to dissuade Atkins dieters to try to steer clear of it as much as possible.
But what about the impact of caffeine on ketosis? Is there any and what guidelines can people following a low-carb diet use to gauge what amount of caffeine intake they can tolerate while still losing weight? These are some of the questions that were explored by one of my intelligent readers in the following e-mail:
Hi Jimmy,
I would like to clear something up with your help. I feel there needs to be a summary, possibly a FAQ, on caffeine. Here's my question: What are the effects of caffeine, ESPECIALLY when one is in ketosis?
When talking about caffeine, there are several hurdles most web articles don't get over.
1. The reasons why caffeine use is discouraged on low-carb.
A. I don't use caffeine because I don't want my weight loss/maintenance to be based on a drug.
B. I don't use caffeine because it negatively affects my mind, sleep, heart rate, or other.
2. I use caffeine because it speeds up my metabolism.
Okay, most agree it speeds up metabolism. How about difference in metabolic effect between ketosis and non-ketosis?
3. Caffeine causes release of adrenaline, which causes the liver to break down glycogen, causing a temporary increase of blood sugar, which causes insulin to be released. Thus the dreaded blood sugar/insulin roller coaster.
This I cannot find an answer for. Does this same process happen under ketosis?
As you know, Jimmy, everything changes when in ketosis. Most studies do not differentiate, which usually means NONE of the subjects studied were ever in ketosis, and thus they don't know. This seems to be true in every area of science, which is why so many nutritionists are so ill-informed and against low-carb.
Since I don't have problems under #1, and #2 seems to be a benefit, my whole use of caffeine hinges on #3, and I don't know the first thing about testing blood sugar levels on myself.
If caffeine causes the rollercoaster in ketosis, then I will stop using it. But how do I find out this fact? Is a caffeine FAQ a good idea?
As always, thanks for being such a great resource for everything low-carb!
Now THERE is somebody who's putting on their thinking cap about how he needs to be livin' la vida low-carb. I can appreciate anyone who cares enough to contemplate what's best for them that they would go through the trouble of analyzing something like caffeine consumption so closely. KUDOS to my reader!
My personal experience with caffeine consumption, primarily through diet sodas, has been negligible if non-existent regarding my weight loss and maintenance. I'm a fairly heavy diet soda drinker and switch back and forth between the ones with caffeine and the ones without (depending on what's on sale).
The only adverse effect I have noticed are the headaches when I switch to the non-caffeinated diet sodas. It lasts a couple of days and then I'm better. My weight does not change enough one way or the other, so caffeine doesn't bother me. But not everyone is this way.
For some, caffeine can cause their blood sugar levels to go haywire and bring on intense sugar cravings that lead to binge eating. This is NOT a healthy reaction when you are trying to overcome carbohydrate addiction and shed the pounds. So, are there any studies on caffeine and ketosis that might shed some light on this reader's questions?
I went directly to the most knowledgeable Atkins diet expert I know--Jackie Eberstein--who worked directly with Dr. Atkins for three decades treating obese and diabetic patients with a low-carb dietary approach. Here's what she had to say about this issue:
Jimmy,
I am not aware of any studies that have looked at caffeine and ketosis. I can only comment upon my experience with myself and any number of my patients over the years.
Caffeine for someone with an unstable blood sugar can cause the blood sugar rollercoaster regardless of ketosis.
Some people are more sensitive than others and of course the amount of exposure matters. Other factors matter such as having caffeine when the blood sugar is more stable after eating a low-carb meal may have no or only limited negative effects. For some of us caffeine when we are stressed for other reasons can really provoke symptoms.
One needs to determine their tolerance. I recommend that people with an unstable blood sugar avoid caffeine intake and others limit to at most about 3 servings daily.
THANK YOU, Jackie! So the jury is still out about caffeine on a low-carb diet. I know I try to avoid it as much as possible just as I steer clear of aspartame and maltitol. There are plenty of alternatives to these that I enjoy, so there's no use in forcing myself to consume products with these ingredients in them.
When I forwarded Jackie Eberstein's e-mail to my reader to let him know her perspective about his thought-provoking questions, here's what he had to say:
Hi Jimmy,
Thank you so much for replying to my email. It seems very true when they say we are 50 years away from fully understanding the affect of food on our physiology. The essence of Ms. Eberstein's message is "see how it affects you and act accordingly."
Until we have the scientific facts, we all have to make little experiments in our diets. That makes your blog and forum one of the most valuable things because people's experiences become most important where the science is lacking.
Excellent discussion topic regarding caffeine and ketosis and I welcome your feedback on this subject matter in the comments section below. How has caffeine affected you? Does it kick you out of ketosis or lead to weight gain? Or do you avoid it like the plague so you don't have to mess with it? Let's hear from you!
Alcoholic beverages may keep your low-carb diet from working
I was lucky when I started livin' la vida low-carb in 2004 because I am not a drinker. I tried beer once and it totally grossed me out. On my honeymoon cruise to the Bahamas back in 1995, I tried champagne for the first time. Blech! And I even had a chance to drink some wine earlier this year, but the smell was enough to knock me down.
Yep, I'm pretty weak when it comes to drinking alcohol, but I realize there are others who are just starting out on their low-carb lifestyle who do enjoy the occasional adult beverage from time to time. Unfortunately, frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially in the early stages of livin' la vida low-carb, is about as foolish as drinking a sugary beverage.
Why? Well, let me share with you a recent e-mail from one of my readers and my response to illustrate.
Here's what she wrote:
I started Atkins two weeks ago and have adhered to it religiously--almost. Bit of a contradiction there, I admit, so perhaps this is where I'm going wrong.
I've got 40 pounds to lose, and am trying (hoping!) to do so over the next 13 weeks for my sister-in-law's wedding. During the first two weeks, I've been using the Induction Phase chapter of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution as my reference guide and following the eating plan.
I'm having a creamcheese and smoked salmon filled celery sticks for breakfast, decaffeinated coffee with cream once a day, lunch of roast chicken and small salad with olive oil dressing, and dinner of fresh salmon with spinach--for example. I'm weighing all vegetables and am not going over the recommended amount.
I know that I'm in ketosis because I've been using the sticks and they tell me so. But I've only lost 2 pounds. I'm drinking water, walking to work and doing everything else that I think is right, but it just doesn't seem to be working.
So now to my confession--I've had a few alcoholic drinks during the first two weeks; vodka and club soda, which is carb-free, but perhaps not sugar-free? Could this be impacting my weight loss?
I'd really appreciate any guidance you can give as I'm considering giving up and trying a low fat diet instead; the wedding date is looming!
Hmmm, it sounds like she answered her own question even before I responded. But if you look on page 230 of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution in the chapter on "A Regimen To Jump-Start Weight Loss," the brilliant Dr. Robert C. Atkins shared so succinctly in his #11 recommendation that "Alcohol is not permitted in any form" when you are first trying to lose weight.
WHY?! What do you mean I can't have my alcoholic beverages?! What kinda screwed up diet plan is this that you can't even drink? Sheeez, I think I need a drink! EEEEEK!
Calm down for a moment because the good doctor explained all about it on page 181 in discussing "Ongoing Weight Loss." Here's how he answered the question, "Can I drink alcohol now that I am in Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL)?":
"The body burns alcohol for fuel when alcohol is available. So when it is burning alcohol, your body will not burn fat. This does not stop weight loss; it simply postpones it. Since the alcohol does not get stored as glycogen, you immediately get back into lipolysis after the alcohol is used up."
Sage advice from the late great Dr. Atkins and I'll share more nuggets of truth from him in a moment. First, I'd like to show you my response to my reader's concerns based on what I know about livin' la vida low-carb.
THANKS so much for writing and I'm happy to help anyone who writes to me. Your concerns are not all that uncommon and it will be my pleasure to give you the rather simple answer.
When you are eating a low-carb diet and in ketosis as you have been, your body begins to burn the stored fat for fuel which is why you lose weight. However, when you add alcoholic beverages to your diet as you have, then you might as well start stuffing your face with sugar and refined carbs.
Why?
Because the alcohol must be burned off FIRST before stored fat can be burned. This may seem awful that you can't have alcohol while losing weight on low-carb, but it's only for the next 11 weeks as you seek to get down to your goal weight.
Do this: Read the book again, follow it exactly as prescribed, and by all means PUT THE SCALE AWAY! :) Don't just make this a diet you go on and off at a moment's notice. Either you are low-carbing it or you are not.
If you do decide to eat a high-carb, low-fat diet, then I would advise the same thing. Don't ever stop doing it (although you'll be absolutely MISERABLE eating that way for life!). YOU CAN DO THIS! It's not impossible if you believe you WILL succeed.
Now GO FOR IT! THANK YOU again for writing!
To be honest, I couldn't believe she would even THINK about going on a low-fat diet, but I suppose people get desperate enough to try ANYTHING when they feel their diet isn't working. It seems my response must have struck a real chord with her because she wrote me back one more time with this appreciative note:
Brilliant Jimmy! I feel I've been well and truly told! But more than that, you've identified where I'm going wrong, and as suspected, it's because of the booze. Well, I'll just have to go without, won't I?!
Thanks also for the advice re on/off--I suspect you're spot on; "diets" are a way of eating for life and the reason I've put on the weight I have is because I've been indulging in too much of both--high carbs, high fat.
I must admit it's been a tough two weeks on Atkins to date, but it's getting easier and I'm starting to settle into a routine now, and am quite surprised at some side effects I wasn't expecting; my skin is quite smooth and blemish free, and I've noticed that I've stopped getting little ulcers in my mouth. Strange benefits, but welcome nonetheless!
Righto, off I go to enjoy my scrambled eggs with cheese and chives for breakfast! I'll let you know how I get on by July. Thanks again for taking the time to respond, I really am most grateful.
Don't neglect that fat in your diet and you'll be doing wonderfully on the Atkins diet. The side health benefits she mentions are only the beginning of many awesome changes to come. You're gonna do GREAT, I just KNOW it! :)
Dr. Atkins had a few more thoughts to share about Atkins and alcohol:
"Keep in mind that alcohol consumption may increase yeast-related symptoms in some people and interfere with weight loss. If [drinking alcohol] does not slow your weight loss, an occasional glass of wine is acceptable once you are out of Induction so long as you count the carbohydrates in your daily tally. (A 3 1/2-ounce glass of wine contains about 4.3 grams of carbohydrate.) Spirits such as Scotch, rye, vodka and gin are acceptable, but do not mix with juice, tonic water or non-diet soda, all of which contain sugar. Seltzer, diet tonic and non-aspartame diet soda mixers are permitted."
Wonderful advice for all of you drinkers who are low-carbin' it! Here's one more thought from Dr. Atkins to people like my reader who has seen her weight loss efforts fall flat because she drank a few alcoholic beverages:
"If you have added alcohol to your regimen and suddenly stop losing weight, discontinue your alcohol intake."
The advice doesn't get any more simple than that! THANKS for the question! Feel free to send me your questions about livin' la vida low-carb anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.
"Good Housekeeping" features a confused "Atkins" dieter
I'm on the Atkins diet. You're on the Atkins diet. We're all on the Atkins diet. Or are we?
For some reason or another, people in our culture have started calling livin' la vida low-carb the "Atkins diet" like most of us call a facial tissue a "Kleenex" or a soda pop a "Coke." But technically, the "Atkins diet" is a specific plan outlined in the book Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. Unfortunately, it has morphed into a catch-all for whatever people think a low-carb diet is whether it's true or not.
As a result, we have ritarded fools like this guy who pretends to think he knows what the real Atkins diet is when he's never even opened the book. Let's not forget about this professor who ignorantly claimed the "Atkins diet" has made America fatter. And don't get me started on what this vegan ridiculously thinks.
With all that said, I wanted to share with you an "Atkins diet" weight loss success story featured in Good Housekeeping magazine this month by a woman named Sheila Anderson. She has lost 30 pounds and kept it off for three years. CONGRATULATIONS!!!
However, as I was reading her story, I became concerned that she had not actually read the book written by the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins, but rather was describing her own generic low-carb diet as the "Atkins diet."
Here are a few examples that set off red flags when I saw them:
"For breakfast, I eat soy cereal with half and half. Lunch is two hot dogs (no bun) and two slices of cheese. Dinners are meat with veggies and a salad with low-fat dressing. About six months ago, I allowed myself to have whole-wheat bread again — just a slice with my salad or a small sandwich for lunch — but I increased my exercise to compensate. I still avoid sugar."
Okay, not bad. But this isn't a typical menu for a person following the Atkins diet by the book. Where are the eggs, salad greens, full-fat dressing (less carbs than the low-fat version!), non-processed meats for lunch, low-glycemic fruits and other essentials for people following this particular dietary approach? Sounds like Sheila is sorta winging it on her "Atkins diet."
As for adding back the whole wheat bread and burning it off with exercise, that's fine if she wants to do that. But, again, that's not something Dr. Atkins wrote about in his book. Avoiding sugar is an important part of the real Atkins diet, so I'm glad she at least acknowledged that.
I could have overlooked that part of Sheila's story, but then I read her advice for others who want to do the Atkins diet that caused me to raise my eyebrows just a bit. Here's what she wrote:
"If you're going to go wholeheartedly into Atkins, you have to commit to cardio and drink tons of water. All of that meat and cheese increases your fat intake, so you have to balance it out with an otherwise healthy lifestyle. If you just do the diet but not the exercise, you may lose weight, but you won't be healthy."
ALL THAT MEAT AND CHEESE?!?!?! What the heck is that all about? Is it automatically assumed that meat and cheese is the mainstay of the Atkins diet? Not always! Plus, what's so bad about fat intake, Sheila? Come on, you know better than that if you've educated yourself by learning from the wisdom of Dr. Atkins.
If you don't think the Atkins diet will give you the proper "balance" or a "healthy lifestyle," then why the heck are you still doing it three years later? The fact is the REAL Atkins diet is the most nutrient dense and healthy lifestyle you will ever go on and gives you all the "balance" you need.
One more thought: I am a strong proponent of exercise while you are livin' la vida low-carb. But I'm thoroughly convinced now that it is MORE important for people who are trying to lose weight and get healthy to get their diet in order first and something miraculous will happen. These slothful individuals will begin to spontaneously WANT to move their bodies with exercise. It happens all the time and becomes a natural part of a low-carber's new way of life.
Again, I can appreciate Sheila Anderson's low-carb weight loss success, but I don't think you can call what she did the "Atkins diet." I sincerely hope she actually reads the book at some point so she can intelligently explain to people what she means when she tells them she did the "Atkins diet." Otherwise, she should tell them she did her own version of low-carb.
Word to the wise: before going on the "Atkins diet," READ THE BOOK!
Low-glycemic fruits are recommended for a low-carb diet
This Fredericksburg, VA-based Free-Lance Star column about how important exercise is for the sake of brain function included some rather lamebrained information perpetuating the myths about fruit consumption when you are livin' la vida low-carb that are obviously NOT based on any low-carb program I am familiar with.
Here's the quote from the article:
Low-carb diets are all wrong. "It makes me crazy," the medical expert in the story said, when his patients tell him they can't eat fruit and vegetables because they're on a low-carb diet. "Almost all the anti-aging nutrients come from carbohydrates."
If somebody is telling their doctor they can't eat any fruit at all because they are on a low-carb diet, then apparently they haven't read any of the same low-carb diet books that I have. Certainly, there are a few high-sugar fruits that are not recommended for low-carbers to consume, including bananas, raisins, and even orange juice, especially during the weight loss phases because they will kick you out of ketosis just as fast as a sugary candy bar will.
I have blogged about some of my favorite low-glycemic fruits such as yummy blueberries and strawberries as well as melons and cantaloupes that have been and still are an essential part of my Atkins low-carb lifestyle. It makes me scratch my head in bewilderment whenever people ask me if I eat fruit now that I've lost weight. Um, I've been eating fruit throughout my low-carb journey, so DUH!
This may surprise people, but fruit is allowed on the Atkins diet
The truth is you can get all the healthy benefits of eating fruits on the low-carb lifestyle just as Dr. Robert C. Atkins suggested in his program. In fact, right now I'm looking at pages 496-497 in Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution and Dr. Atkins has an entire list of RECOMMENDED fruits to be consumed on the low-carb lifestyle along with their carb counts.
Look at these 21 fruits with LESS than 8g carbohydrates:
Yep, that low-carb diet sure is devoid of fruit, ain't it? NOT! I suppose if you never even cracked open the book to begin with, then you would automatically ASSume fruits are not allowed. But clearly that is not the case with the real Atkins diet to anyone who bothers to actually read all 540 pages of it! How much more arrogant can you be than to spread lies and misinformation about something you know nothing about (remember Vee Jefferson)?
The article went on to say that people should "avoid the bad carbs by all means" including white flour, sugars, and corn syrup as well as hydrogenated fats (aka trans-fats). Excellent! That is all very good advice to follow indeed.
So, in the end, check out what foods are recommended:
Green leafy vegetables, lean protein from seafood and poultry, beans, soy products, whole grains, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, berries, nuts, ground flax, garlic, herbs, green tea, non-fat yogurts with fruit, red wine, dark chocolate and cocoa.
Hmmm, what do MOST of those foods listed above look like to you? Can you say LIVIN' LA VIDA LOW-CARB, baby! Take away the whole grains, beans, and soy products and you will probably not find that many low-carb supporters who will disagree with any of those other food choices. See, this constant drumbeat of negativity about low-carb living really has become pointless because they agree with us a lot more than they even realize it!
Now go get you a bowl of some low-carb fruit to sit down, relax, and enjoy a healthy snack while you ponder over this newfound understanding and realization of the most amazing nutritional approach known to mankind--that would be livin' la vida low-carb!
. Unfortunately, it has morphed into a catch-all for whatever people think a low-carb diet is whether it's true or not.
