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.
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.
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!
Is your low-carb diet relying too much on Ketostix?
One of the most interesting tools we have at our disposal when we start livin' la vida low-carb to let us know whether we are doing it right or not is a testing strip that measures ketone levels called Ketostix (there are other brand names for ketone sticks, but this one from Bayer is the most common). Basically, here's how it works: you can check your urine on this testing strip to see how many ketone bodies you are excreting out of your body. Ketones are present when you are in ketosis which is instigated when you keep your carbohydrates at a ketogenic level (usually under 50g carbs daily).
I recently asked a group of low-carb experts the following question--"Is Ketosis Necessary On A Low-Carb Diet?" That seems to be a "well duh" kind of question which is why we use things like Ketostix to see whether we are in ketosis or not. But where people seem to get most confused is with the color of the testing strip. If it's light pink, then I must be doing something wrong. My Ketostix need to be dark purple if I am experiencing "deep" ketosis, right? I get these kind of questions every single week and they miss the point of the testing strips.
In Episode 47 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube," Christine and I seek to better explain the purpose of Ketostix by telling you what they are for, what the various colors actually mean, why showing no ketones on these strips may not be a bad thing, and how you can virtually guarantee your body is in ketosis. I'm astonished by how many people are still so concerned about the results of their Ketostix, but hopefully this video will clear up some of the miscommunication.
Find out all you need to know about Ketostix in today's video:
Noted biochemistry professor Dr. Richard Feinman from SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, New York provided a very succinct explanation for how these Ketostix are supposed to work:
"There is a continuum of ketosis. In fact, one of the features of ketone bodies is that, unlike other fuels, glucose and fatty acids, they can be present in plasma over a wide range of concentrations. What is true is that Ketostix measure ketonuria (ketones in the urine) which may or may not give you an accurate view of plasma ketone bodies. If ketone bodies are used as fast as they are made, you may never see ketosis."
This should give those people who see pink or even beige on the ketone testing strips hope that they are indeed in ketosis even if the tests say otherwise. The bottom line you should remember is that Ketostix are merely a low-carb guide to provide proof that you are livin' la vida low-carb in a ketogenic state, but they're really not that necessary if you are keeping your carbohydrates significantly reduced below 50g daily. When you are doing that, then you WILL be in ketosis. Hopefully this clears up some of the confusion about why some people seek purple and others see pink or beige.
"The Biggest Loser" 4 contestant Isabeau Miller
Also in today's video, Christine and I share about our upcoming trip to Nashville, Tennessee to attend "Biggest Loser" 4 contestant Isabeau Miller's FitCamp. Since landing in the final four last Fall on the hit NBC-TV weight loss reality series, Isabeau Miller has taken her passion for her own personal weight loss journey and is now helping others who struggle with obesity like she once did before Jillian Michaels got a hold of her tail and whipped it into shape. Today she is a personal trainer and is giving me and several of my readers a chance to experience what it was like to be on "The Biggest Loser" over a special two-week period.
The first session of FitCamp in July just concluded and our session in August will commence on August 17th. We will be doing a daily video log of this experience and sharing it on YouTube as part of a FitCamp series of videos. Isabeau said she will not be allowed to be videotaped because of contractual obligations from her stint on "The Biggest Loser." But I'm gonna ask permission from the other people who will be there going through this experience with me to talk about how FitCamp is helping them. I am super-excited about this, especially in light of my recent 30-pound weight gain I've experienced. Perhaps this will get me back to where I need to be. I sure hope so. :)
We LOVE making videos for you and doing them on topics that YOU care about. Tell us your show ideas for future videos by e-mailing them to livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Check through all of our previous YouTube videos to make sure we haven't already tackled your favorite subject! While we were away last week, there was a sudden surge of people decided to subscribe to our YouTube videos and now we have well over 600 subscribers! WOW! Join in on the low-carb fun on YouTube and help us spread the positive message of livin' la vida low-carb to the masses!
This is promising news for Americans who are seeking healthy NATURAL choices for sugar alternatives since Truvia is made from the sweetest part of the stevia leaf--rebiana. The very best-tasting stevia is then combined with the sugar alcohol erythritol as a bulking agent to create a very clean-tasting, maltodextrin-free substitute for sugar. And it's not bitter even in the least. I was VERY pleased with that since the major complaint most people have with stevia is the puckered-up face they get when they taste it. Not with Truvia.
In Episode 46 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube," Christine and I share about my trip to the Rockefeller Center in New York City on July 9, 2008 as the people passing by the Truvia Greenhouse were given a golden opportunity to be some of the first people in the entire world to try this new product coming to store shelves in the Fall 2008. There was iced tea and lemonade available for people to try and most of them gave a very positive review of the Truvia. There were a few knuckleheads who refused to even try "nature's first zero-calorie sweetener," but it was their loss. This stuff is OUTSTANDING!
Learn more about Truvia and what makes it different in today's video:
If you're excited to try Truvia for yourself, then it is currently available for purchase online at Truvia.com and in a few select New York City stores. The immediate reaction I had to the Truvia when I tasted it was how much it resembled cotton candy. That's a good tasting product, I'd say! There is a bit of the "cooling" sensation from the erythritol, but it's not unpleasant. In fact, that gives it a very nice mouth feel to me and Truvia is just about as close to real sugar I have seen in a sweetener before! Try it for yourself and I'll be telling you more about this product when widespread availability hits later this year.
THANK YOU for watching "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube." Please send us your comments at livinlowcarbman@charter.net and watch our previous YouTube videos anytime you'd like! Take a moment now to subscribe to our YouTube videos and catch the low-carb wave that's rolling across YouTube right now. :D We'll be back again soon for another fun and quirky video about the healthy low-carb lifestyle.
Literary Agent: Forget About Highlighting 'Low-Carb' In Your Future Books
Ever since I wrote my self-published debut book Livin' La Vida Low-Carb: My Journey From Flabby Fat To Sensationally Skinny In One Year in October 2005, that "itch" to write another book has been growing and growing. I've bounced around ideas in my head these past few years for books with low-carb success stories, user-friendly low-carb research studies, a best-of-the-blog compilation (which I'm currently working on), and the most requested one from readers has been a low-carb cookbook (which I would LOVE to write!).
I have talked with quite a few publishers since 2005 to let me write books for them. Of course, my biggest obstacle is the fact that the theme of my books is "low-carb" and that's become taboo among editors lately. Dana Carpender, the most famous low-carb cookbook author out there, was forced to remove "low-carb" from the title of her column (which she no longer writes for as of January 2008 because of the editor's deemphasis on "low-carb") and prevented from putting "low-carb" in the title of her latest low-carb cookbook (Every Calorie Counts) for the first time in her writing career.
Dana told me in this blog interview as well as my upcoming podcast interview on Monday that she is moving away from using "low-carb" in favor of low-glycemic load (which she'll be releasing this Fall in conjunction with Rob Thompson) or controlled carbohydrate, but it's all basically low-carb. I can certainly understand her reasoning to get the low-carb message out there in a stealth manner because at least the message gets out there.
But I am not in that camp. I still think "low-carb" is viable considering my various sites and online projects garner nearly a million visitors a month. Not too shabby for an idea whose time has supposedly passed already. This is why I refuse to sidestep the term "low-carb" and proudly name it and claim it in the name of just about everything I touch--"Livin' La Vida LOW-CARB!" Wouldn't my blog be dead as a doorknob if nobody was interested in hearing about "low-carb" anymore? One would think.
So, with that knowledge in hand, I approached a literary agent recently about finding a publisher for a "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Cookbook" to gauge their interest. Most publishers just want to know if you have the marketing mojo behind the books on their label and I've told them all about how enthusiastic all of you guys are about the healthy low-carb lifestyle. But, as you will see from these candid remarks I received back from this literary agent, they just don't care because somebody out there has fooled these editors into thinking low-carb is dead.
Dear Jimmy,
Thank you for your kind words about our agency. Your cookbook query came my way and I'm afraid we would not be interested at this time in representing a low-carb cookbook. We have an extremely full list of projects currently, and we are taking on few new clients, regrettably. It's also a volatile time in the publishing industry, and I can't say with conviction that a low-carb book would be appealing to publishers at this time.
I will say that I do know the term "low carb" itself has lost favor with editors, so you might consider other ways to title your book that focus on healthful eating rather than highlighting the low-carb focus (but that's just a thought and you may disagree!).
Kind regards and we appreciate your interest in our agency.
So there you have it! They're not interested in "low-carb" and it's the same thing I've seen over and over again as I've approached publishers. That's too bad because I REALLY believe in my heart of hearts that a publisher brave enough to give me or another low-carb author a chance to show them what we can do with a "low-carb" book using that exact term in the title would not only sell well, but exceed their flimsy expectations. I wouldn't need any marketing help from the publisher either. Who's gonna take that chance on my future low-carb books?
In the meantime, I will go back to self-publishing my books and proudly put "low-carb" in the title of every one of them. The best way to show these publishers how wrong they are is to prove they can sell despite that term. I'm looking forward to releasing my "best-of-the-blog" trilogy later this year and that low-carb cookbook in early 2009. THANKS for all of your amazing support of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb."
Don't you know that your body needs carbs in order to function properly?! Come on, you idiot low-carb supporters, how can you tell people to cut down or even eliminate most of their dietary carbohydrate intake from things like healthy whole grain foods like brown rice and pasta and even fruits and vegetables? What kind of reasonable diet would suggest you remove whole categories of foods like this in order to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle, hmmmm? Well? WELL?!?! How about it Mr. Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man?!
Siiiiiiiiiiggggghhhhh. That, my friends, is just a typical day in the life of what I put up with in my e-mail box most of the time. People have become so incredibly misinformed about diet and health that they are content with merely repeating back the same old diatribes from those so-called health "experts." It really is a pity that more people can't learn to think for themselves by getting all the facts, analyzing them carefully with the intent on learning the truth, and then applying that knowledge to their own personal experience while sharing it with others. That's what I try to do here at my blog and all my other projects.
It certainly gives you more credibility if you constantly remain a student of health whether you are a doctor, dietitian, nurse, or even a low-carb blogger. I may not have a bunch of letters after my name (although I do have an M.A. in Public Policy...does that count?), I have worked hard to NEVER stop soaking in every bit of information that I can about health so I can share what I discover with you. Then, hopefully you can take that knowledge, apply what is relevant to your own life, share it with someone else, and continue to education further. We live in an age of information and ignorance is no longer a viable excuse--especially on the subject of diet and health.
In Episode 45 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube," Christine and I wanted to share with the YouTube viewers about a word that is inextricably linked to low-carb dieting, but you really don't hear about it much outside the realm of low-carb research. The word is gluconeogenesis and I contend every single person who is on a carbohydrate-restricted or even a zero carb diet needs to know about this word. I've blogged about it and even did a podcast show on it, but this is much too important a concept for people to miss. Although gluconeogenesis (GNG) is rather complex from a metabolic standpoint looking at all the biochemistry that's involved. Check out this T-shirt from The Nutrition & Metabolism Society that illustrates all the pathways involved with GNG:
Order one of these "geeky" shirts TODAY by clicking here
Learn more about gluconeogenesis in today's video:
Since I uploaded this video to YouTube, there has been some confusion about what I shared in it about how the protein is converted into glucose. My friend Charles Washington, the zero-carb half-marathon runner who recently wrote a guest blog post said it seemed like I was saying that ALL protein gets converted to glucose. I certainly don't want to mislead anyone in that direction because it's not a one for one ratio of conversion. Dr. Eric Westman from Duke University says the studies he has seen say for every 2g of dietary protein consumed, one gram of it is converted to glucose/sugar/carbs. So it's about a 2-1 ratio of conversion which could cause SOME people problems who are especially carbohydrate sensitive (like me!).
This is what I was referring to when I said eating too much protein could POSSIBLY stall your weight loss if you are especially sensitive to carbohydrate whether through eating them or through gluconeogenesis. In looking at some of the reasons for my own struggle this year to get my weight back down despite doing all the right things, gluconeogenesis has come up as a possible culprit for my difficulty. Perhaps for me I need to be eating LESS protein than I currently am while increasing my fat and keeping my carbs to a minimum. This isn't a universal thing for everyone and could be genetic in nature. I'll be blogging more with an update about my weight and health situation very soon.
You guys are awesome for watching our "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube" videos and we appreciate hearing your comments about them and suggestions for future topics at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Don't miss our previous YouTube videos and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube videos if you like what you see. THANK YOU for all of your support and, as always, let us know how we can help you along in this journey to better health. Keep on livin' la vida low-carb! :D
The Real Deal On Low-Carb Living From Real People In Real Life...REALLY!
It's one thing to tell people about how much livin' la vida low-carb can change their life because it is backed up by solid science that shows it is the preferred way that humans were meant to eat for maintaining their weight and health. It is yet another thing altogether for that simple, yet profound message to sink into the minds of people who have become so disillusioned about what is healthy and what is not by all they've "heard" about it over the years.
One of my readers named Alejo posted his theory about why the low-fat diet hypothesis continues to dominate popular health thinking despite the very clear lack of scientific evidence in support of it compared with low-carb living in response to this blog post about Dr. Atkins I wrote this week. He compares low-fat diets to religion by describing it more as a religious BELIEF rather than relying on what the facts from science say to the contrary. This is a notion that Dr. James Carlson promoted in my podcast interview with him earlier this month.
So with so many people following low-fat diets based on their heart telling them it's the way to go because they must suffer for the sins of their obesity (depriving themselves of their favorite foods, feeling hungry, not eating as much, exercising for hours on the treadmill everyday), Alejo contends that all the evidence in the world in favor of low-carb from the research world is virtually meaningless. Until you can change the hearts and open up the minds of those who are caught up in the latest low-fat demagogue to spout off such nonsense (need I name names?), it's gonna be an uphill battle.
But I think that's where blogs like "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" and others can play a major role. The fact is that real people who are living real life on the low-carb lifestyle come here on a daily basis and have a story to tell. Their lives have been changed for the better and I highlight these testimonies of transformation for all the world to see what livin' la vida low-carb is REALLY doing for people. This ain't no fad diet that's dangerous as you oftentimes hear in the media and from those self-proclaimed health "experts." Instead, this is the REAL DEAL on low-carb living and I'm gonna keep sharing it.
One thing that blogging does allow me to do that I would not otherwise have as many opportunities for is a public dialog about the benefits of low-carb diets. I have been criticized for being too hostile against low-fat diets while propping up low-carb ones. While I don't disagree that I share livin' la vida low-carb in a much more positive light than low-fat diets, I am all in favor of people finding what works for them to lose weight and get healthy. But even if you disagree with my chosen way of eating, I have no problem answering any questions about it to those who contact me.
Such is the case today with some recent e-mails I've received from readers wanting to know more about the low-carb lifestyle and how it can help them. I literally receive hundreds of e-mails a day and I really do read and answer all of them as quickly as I possibly can. I don't always have all the answers that people are looking for, but I try my best to get the information needed from people within my circle of influence who DO know the answers. Please don't hesitate to e-mail me anytime. :)
Here are the e-mails:
I have always had a terrible time losing weight no matter what diet. I do like the Atkins program because it is the only diet that I am not famished on (I needed to go below 1,000 calories to lose weight and it's not pretty). Still, I never had that super weight loss on Induction or any other time on Atkins. I also never can get off Induction without a complete stall or even weight gain.
If I want to lose weight I must go under 20g carbs. I am so bored of this and now even this stalls me out. I am worried about nutrition because my carbs must be so restricted. I am also worried about the future. I lost 26 pounds (took me a year!) but regained 7. First I regained 3 pounds going on a vegan diet. Then when I switched back to low-carb I actually gained 4 more!!!
I am very depressed right now. I am still 60 pounds overweight--not obese, but on the high side of overweight. I walk about 6 miles a week and I’m not diabetic or on any medications. I am a 41-year old woman with three kids. It has been so upsetting to see posts where people lose 8, 10, or 14 pounds on Induction and I only lost 4 rotten, stinkin’ pounds. Many weeks I lost nothing. If I was lucky I'd lose one measly pound.
Any advice to help me keep my sanity would be truly appreciated.
THANK YOU so much for writing to me today and I can certainly sense your frustration about not being able to lose weight. This is something you don't hear talked about much in the world of weight loss, but there are other issues going on that can impact your ability to lose weight even when you are doing everything correct. In fact, I recently blogged about this very thing happening to me.
It can be discouraging and upsetting to compare yourself to what others are being able to accomplish. But don't do that to yourself. You are you and not those other people. They probably don't have the issues that you do metabolically so it would not be fair to measure your success against theirs.
Hey, 4 pounds is 4 pounds, so don't let it get your down. And also remember that livin' la vida low-carb is more about improving your health first and foremost and then weight loss is merely a side effect of eating better. I encourage you to get back to the basics of the Atkins diet by reading the book, following the plan as prescribed, and not worrying so much about your results. Some people it just takes longer, so DON'T GIVE UP! Watch my YouTube videos on Induction for helpful hints.
If you need to be on 20g or less for the rest of your life, then join the club. I'm one of those people too as are many I know. There's certainly nothing wrong with eating that few carbs as long as you get lots of fat for fuel and energy and moderate protein at every meal. Go check out my menus blog to see what I eat on a daily basis.
I've blogged about stalls and lack of weight loss many times before because this is something people need to realize is serious business. It's not the end of the world as you might think. Here are those posts that I hope will encourage you in this journey:
KEEP AT IT! Get involved at my discussion forum for support as you go through this experience. There are several people there who have been stuck and can't figure out why they're not losing either. It could be any number of things and the people there can help support you through this.
My issue was a condition called reactive hypoglycemia which a physician who worked with Dr. Atkins named Dr. Keith Berkowitz identified and helped me with. Here's my podcast interview with him about this and it may be what you are dealing with. I'll be doing a follow-up interview with Dr. Berkowitz soon to talk more about the questions people having regarding this condition.
If nothing else, I hope all of this gives you hope as you pursue weight loss and better health. It can be challenging going through this, but it is NOT impossible to beat it. YOU CAN DO THIS! I'm here for you anytime, so don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments. NEVER GIVE UP!!!
I was looking around the web in an attempt to find new ways to clean up pictures for my photo site (mostly bird pictures) and ran across an article written by you. I noticed a couple of links concerning your weight loss and decided to check it out.
I am 50 years old and do not live a healthy lifestyle. I drink as many as 10 sodas a day and eat unhealthy food constantly. I have purchased good food (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) at the commissary (I live and work in Germany) and I bought a steamer but they just sit there until the food goes bad and the steamer gets so dusty I need to wash it again. I've tried to stop drinking the sodas in the past but when I do I get excruciating migraine headaches and nothing seems to alleviate the pain. I'm told it's from either the caffeine of the sugar but it makes it very difficult to stop. I also enjoy the taste and when I drink water it just doesn't seem to do the trick.
I know all of this stuff is not healthy and I really do want to change since I've had some health problems and weighing between 230 and 300 pounds at various times doesn't help. I'm also not very active mostly due to a back problem. I had part of my spine removed and there is constant pain which is probably exacerbated by the extra weight I'm carrying around.
I love rice and broccoli as well as cauliflower and other veggies but I also like eating various types of bread and cheese which I've been told is a real no-no. It seems I'm stuck in this cycle and don't know how to get out of it. From what I read on your biog it seems you became motivated and worked hard at changing your life style. I was wondering if you had any words of advice.
I know you probably get this all the time and I apologize for bothering you but at my age I'm wondering if it's even worth it to try and change things but deep down I know it would help.
Thanks for reading this and I'd appreciate any response.
THANKS so much for writing to me and I appreciate your fragility about your current circumstance. It's exactly where I was a little more than four years ago when I began my own weight loss journey at 410 pounds. I was drinking Coca-Cola like it was going out of style and didn't think anything of it at the time. In fact, my addiction to sugary soda (and that's exactly what it was!) had me drinking upwards of 16 cans of Coke a day! EEEEK!
To even think about doing that now just makes me shudder. One can of soda has so much high fructose corn syrup (SUGAR!) in it that there are more carbs in that one drink than I eat all day now. Whenever you ingest one of these soda pops, think about this--you are putting 45 grams of sugar into your body or about 12 teaspoons! Multiply that number times the cans you drink in a day and it really adds up.
I came up with a mantra that helped me overcome my sugar addiction. Here it is: SUGAR IS RAT POISON! In fact, I loved using that so much that I named it as one of the chapters of my book about my low-carb weight loss. And there's even a study that came out verifying that the strategy I used linking sugar to rat poison has merit.
It sounds like you already like many of the foods you can eat on a low-carb diet, including broccoli, cauliflower, and even cheese (yes, you can eat cheese in limited quantities when you are livin' la vida low-carb). You should also check out my recent YouTube videos on Induction so you can see exactly what you eat on a low-carb diet especially in the early going.
If you watch those and grasp the concepts my wife Christine and I share about the basics of low-carb, then you will be well on your way to success. YOU CAN DO THIS, Eric!!! You are NOT too old to shed the pounds. Check out these stories of people who are OLDER than you who did it, too:
THANKS again for writing and now I urge you to do this with all of your might and GO FOR IT!!! You'll be so glad you did. :)
Hi Jimmy,
Life really throws us some surprises, doesn't it? Not all good ones, either.
I'm 60 years old, way overweight (almost 300 pounds), diabetic (with several other fat-induced ailments) and I'm just not having much success with the American Diabetes Association's high carb "high fiber" recommended diet.
So I'm ready to try the high protein way of eating when--BAM!--I get served with divorce papers. Maybe that's not the bad news, because this toxic relationship hasn't been helping me achieve any level of healthier living (even so, it is very painful). But the real bad news is that now I find myself financially devastated. I still have a truckload of canned and dried beans and other stuff from the diabetic diet, and I really can't afford to toss all that stuff and buy all new food.
So why am I writing to you? Well, I'll bet I'm not the first little old lady who has found herself in this position. I'm hoping that you have a reader or two who can offer some hope and encouragement, and maybe a tip or two about how to make the dietary transition since I can't just go totally LC tomorrow. I'll be starting job #2 tomorrow, and that extra income will eventually allow me to get in the full swing of the high protein life, but right now things are a little bit tight.
I've just discovered your site and you have a huge archive of material for me to work through, so I haven't had a chance to read much of the material yet. If you can direct me to any existing blogs or threads that I can read, I sure don't mind doing my own research. I'm not expecting anyone to rescue me or to provide my education in the LC eating plan, but there's an overwhelming body of work to get through and a little direction for where to start would sure be appreciated.
I am so inspired by your personal story, as well as the stories of several others who have lost huge amounts of weight by reducing or giving up carbs, and I'm feeling very hopeful that I can do it too. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting out such a wealth of factual information and the experiences of others who have had success. Sometimes the stories are just as important as the dietary guidelines.
You'll probably never know (on earth, anyway) how many lives you have changed or even saved. But as a fellow believer in Christ I can tell you my life experience is that people get new information and direction when they are ready to actually use it. Things don't look that great for me right now, but check back in a few months and see if things are not different. Jesus never fails those who believe in Him.
Jimmy, I look forward to any advice you or your readers can provide to help me jump start my new lifestyle. Thanks again for being there.
THANK YOU for writing to me today and I am so sorry to hear about your pending divorce. As the child of divorced parents, I can somewhat relate to what you are going through. I pray that the Lord grants you the grace and mercy to get through this difficult time and rise triumphantly on the other side as the woman He desires you to be. :)
Yes, I have written quite a bit about eating low-carb on a budget, so check these out:
You can find GREAT support for your low-carb lifestyle by joining my forum to meet real people who are living the low-carb lifestyle, too. Hearing their stories and learning from them will get you started and keep you going the right way. I am confident you will SUCCEED at this! DON'T YOU GIVE UP!!! I'm here for you anytime, so don't hesitate to contact me.
Hi Jimmy,
It's so weird that I feel this way. I've followed the low-carb lifestyle before, but didn't actually make it a lifestyle. I'm restarting Induction tomorrow, re-reading my book, and I've joined the gym. No need to take it one step at a time. I want to do it all in one whop.
So what is my fear--that I'll lose the weight and get healthy? If you could find some time to share your thoughts on this and leave me with some valuable tips, then I'd appreciate it.
The fear of failure has a VERY strong pull on our psyche when we attempt to lose weight. Sometimes that fear can become so REAL in our lives that it totally encompasses us and we become consumed with guilt and shame over a single bite of anything off plan. This is no way to live.
When I started livin' la vida low-carb, I made up my mind at that very moment that this was the lifestyle change I needed, that I needed to be dead serious about it, and no matter what others might say to me I was gonna DO IT! It wasn't some willpower or anything like that, but a steadfast resolve to make better choices for my health.
And the results for me were phenomenal. You gotta believe the same can and WILL happen for you, Lynisha! And when you get there, it'll be the most glorious experience of your life--especially if you have been overweight or obese your entire life like I was before my weight loss. Life DOES change for you and it's mostly for the better. I did a recent YouTube video about all the changes that have happened since my weight loss in 2004.
Embrace this lifestyle, never let go of it, and become that woman you were always meant to be. Your confidence will skyrocket, your quality of life will greatly improve, and nothing will be able to stand in the way of whatever you put your mind to in the future. The REAL YOU is just BEGGING to come out and show the world what she's made of. Are you ready to unleash her? :) Let me know about your progress and I'm happy to help anytime. Take care!
Got a question or comment for me? I LOVE hearing from my readers and you WILL hear back from me if you do. E-mail me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net and give me the distinct privilege of hearing from you about whatever is on your mind. Whatever you do, just keep on livin' la vida low-carb! :)
After lots of trail and error, this cheesecake is perfect!
One of the best desserts for people on the low-carb lifestyle is a cheesecake. It's so easy to make this dessert low-carb because pretty much all you have to do is substitute the sugar for an alternative sweetener. Cream cheese is low-carb as are most of the other ingredients in a good recipe. In fact, I shared this no-bake cheesecake recipe a few months back and it was pretty good. But there's something about a baked cheesecake that is so delicious I just had to create one.
In Episode 43 and Episode 44 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube," Christine and I show you step-by-step how we make this recipe in not just one but two videos. It took a while to get this to come out exactly like I wanted it, but this is pretty darn close to perfect. :) I hope you enjoy it!
Watch these videos back-to-back to see this recipe from start to finish:
Here's the recipe in its entirety in case you missed anything:
JIMMY MOORE'S PERFECT LOW-CARB KEY LIME CHEESECAKE
3 eggs whites Pinch of cream of tartar 8 packets of True Lime 3/4 cup of heavy cream 1/2 cup erythritol (or equivalent sweetener) 2 eight-oz. boxes cream cheese 2 large eggs Dash of True Lemon Dash of ground nutmeg Dash of ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl pour the egg whites, cream of tartar and True Lime in it and beat with a mixer for 3-4 minutes until beyond frothy and thick.
Add the heavy whipping cream and beat until thick again. Then add the erythritol or equivalent sweetener and whip into the mixture.
Take the softened cream cheese and slowly incorporate it into the mixture with a low setting on your mixer until this gets really thick. Add 2 whole eggs and mix together. Throw in a dash of True Lemon, a dash of nutmeg, and a dash of cinnamon and beat into cheesecake batter.
Carefully pour the cheesecake batter into a small non-stick pan sprayed with Pam and spread out evenly in the bottom of the pan. Place inside oven and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown along the edges of the cheesecake.
Allow to cool 45-60 minutes before slicing and preferably 4 hours of refrigeration for maximum thickness. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top for a low-carb dessert made in heaven!
Everyone is a critic on the Internet and that's what makes the blogging universe so much fun in my opinion. You get an unfiltered, uncensored, and sometimes irreverent response from virtually every angle you can possibly think of. And the opinions that are expressed in this format include some that would never EVER be uttered in "real" life from these people. That is especially true of people who leave anonymous comments.
Over the years I have received plenty of complaints that my blog is too much this, not enough of that, blah blah blah. While I appreciate hearing feedback from a representative segment of the thousands who come here daily, the fact of the matter is I blog about what's on my mind from my perspective. I'm certainly not saying that my opinion is 100% accurate every single time I start typing and anyone who believes they are infallible should watch out for that lightning bolt coming down from the sky!
When I started writing about livin' la vida low-carb, it was with a purpose in mind. Tell others about how the low-carb lifestyle can change their life through weight loss, health improvements, and a commitment to living this way for the rest of their long and healthy life. There are all sorts of web sites and blogs just like this for the low-calorie lifestyle, the low-fat lifestyle, the vegan lifestyle, and so forth. So why not have one for the healthy low-carb way of life, too? :)
Unfortunately, some people mistakenly believe that I'm not allowed to be an advocate for low-carb at my blog. Why? Because a low-carb diet isn't necessarily for everyone--something I READILY admit is true. In fact, I tell people all the time to find the proven plan that works for them that they'll enjoy, follow that plan exactly as prescribed by the author of that plan, and then keep doing it for the rest of their lives. If that's low-carb, low-fat, low-calorie, vegan, vegetarian, meat only, WHATEVER, then DO IT!
Yes, I'm enthusiastic about low-carb living and why shouldn't I be? It has changed my life forever. And despite some minor weight gain issues this year (which I'm getting under control now, by the way, with my weight moving down again!), this way of eating has afforded me some of the best health markers of my entire life. Livin' la vida low-carb is why this is happening and I want the whole world to know what it has done for me. Again, this is what my blog is all about.
However, after blogging about that idiotic "big breakfast" study earlier this week to counter all those silly headlines that made people believe they should eat a high-carb breakfast to lose weight, I got the most peculiar comment in response to what I shared. It was an "anonymous" comment (OF COURSE!) and the person who penned it follows a low-calorie diet. While I appreciate that there are readers who come at the nutrition subject from a different perspective than me, it's a bit disingenuous on their part to expect me to kowtow to their preferred way of eating. Ummmm, this is a LOW-CARB blog, so it shouldn't come as a surprise to learn I'm gonna blog about low-carb living. DUH!
Try asking low-fat diet guru Dr. Dean Ornish to talk positively about the low-carb Atkins diet on his web site. He'd laugh in your face because this dietary philosophy doesn't jive with what he believes is the most nutritionally sound advice for people desiring weight loss and better health. He has a right to his opinions about healthy living and people can choose to embrace or reject what he has to say. The information age we live in affords us the luxury of educating ourselves about what is true and what is not.
That's what makes this comment I received from that nameless low-calorie loving reader so odd. Here's what he wrote:
While I generally agree that some of the articles you post are a bit bogus, I find that you are ever increasingly hostile towards anything non low carbohydrate. I know you are a very strong advocate for the low carbohydrate lifestyle, it has changed your life and you make a living from it. However, not everyone has the will power or the drive to make such a lifestyle change.
A calorie restricted diet is not evil, it won't hunt you down and kill you. A lot of doctors and health professionals choose for their patients to restrict their calories because they can eat the foods they love. If you take a person who has never been on a low carbohydrate diet and suddenly expect them to eat nothing but induction food for two weeks or longer, a high percent of them will fail. Even if they can later add in fruits and nuts and the like, it may be too much of a severe restriction. It may very well be that your health will vastly improve, but it does happen on a restricted calorie diet also.
I respect the work you do, and I respect your opinions, but I do not agree that you should be bashing everyone else in the process. If you had lost your weight on a restricted calorie diet, improved your health, and maintained your weight, would you not promote that and disagree with everyone else?
Jimmy, I have nothing but the utmost respect for you and your lifestyle, honestly. I am not wanting to cause arguments or hard feelings. I just think that a carbohydrate restrictive diet is not a magic cure nor is a calorie restrictive diet. Some will have success on one and not the other, neither is for everyone. I would just like to see a little less hostility towards other peoples choices and beliefs. I respect yours, please respect mine.
My response to this reader's complaint was so lengthy and detailed (because it needed to be), I decided to feature it as a post of its own today so that more people will read it and understand a little more about what I do and why I do it. ENJOY!
THANK YOU for openly expressing your concerns, anonymous. Anyone who has read my blog for any length of time knows I have often hit hard on ridiculous studies like this one because they are simply continuing to push the message that low-carb is unhealthy while propping up a low-fat diet as the preferred way. This is not something new and you can see examples of where I've come down on the low-fat/low-calorie lie many times in the past:
These are but a few examples of how my general writing style has not changed very much as it relates to challenging the low-fat diet wisdom. If anything, I've toned it down somewhat from those earlier columns.
With that said, most people who read my writings know that I am all in favor of people finding the proven plan that works for them to lose weight, following that plan exactly as the author prescribes, and then KEEP doing that plan for the rest of their lives. If that's a low-fat and/or low-calorie diet, then who am I to stand in their way and tell them NOT to do it. There are certainly a dime a dozen support sites out there for those particular ways of eating that people can visit.
But when someone comes to the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog, I want them to be encouraged, educated, and inspired about the healthy low-carb lifestyle. Yes, this way of eating worked remarkably well for me to help shed the pounds and greatly improve my health, so I can't help but share the positive experiences and research about it. It's precisely why I started this blog to begin with.
With all the constant negativity out there about livin' la vida low-carb as exemplified in studies like this one, we need MORE people to get fired up and responding to these kinds of things. There are no checks and balances on these people who espouse low-calorie, low-fat diets. They just write assuming ahead of time that low-carb is bunk. But I know better than that because of what has happened to me and to many moore people.
Trust me, if you need to hear from more low-carb success stories, I'm sure they are all too happy to fill up this comments section with their testimony of change.
I'm curious, though. What articles have I posted that you think are "a bit bogus?" Everything I write about is researched and accurate to the best of my knowledge. If you think I've made something up (ergo, the use of the term "bogus"), then I'm all ears. Don't throw something out there like that without providing examples.
And don't misunderstand my passion for wanting to get the word out about healthy low-carb living and think that means I am "hostile." Enthusiastic, maybe, but there is no hostility in my blood. I care about people enough to tell them the truth about what is healthy.
While you believe someone can only accomplish success on low-carb if they have some miraculous willpower or drive, the reality is it takes neither of those to be successful. All you need is a steadfast resolve to make better choices for the sake of your weight and health. When people start caring enough about themselves to reduce their carbohydrate intake to control blood sugar and insulin, eat some protein at each meal for satiety, and consume plenty of fat to burn as fuel and to keep their diet delicious and healthy, then we will see some pretty major changes happening with obesity and disease.
As it currently stands, the low-fat, low-calorie, portion-controlled diet has been given DECADES to rule the nutritional roost. And what has it gotten us? MORE obesity, MORE diabetes, MORE sickness, and MORE death. We're taking more prescription drugs now than ever before and nobody is disgusted by this.
This isn't me "bashing" anyone, it's just presenting the truth. Isn't it true obesity rates have gotten MUCH worse since the great low-fat, low-calorie diet began being promoted in this country in the early 1970s? And diabetes, especially Type 2, has exploded into a literal crisis of health over that same time period, hasn't it? Who is gonna argue that we are healthier as a nation today than we were 30 years ago? Anyone?!
By the way, I DID lose a whole lot of weight on a low-fat diet in 1999 and I was miserable on it. Hungry all the time, weak with barely any energy, dizzy and nauseous, and downright MISERABLE! Although I lost 170 pounds in nine months eating that way, I gained it all back within four months when I couldn't take it anymore.
With livin' la vida low-carb, that impulse to rebel against how I eat has NEVER even remotely crossed my mind. I am more satisfied now with how I eat than I even was when I was eating whatever I desired. Now I desire those low-carb foods my body was always meant to eat.
There are no hard feelings from me. Life is too short to be upset at anyone, let alone someone who was brave enough to share their thoughts and concerns with me (albeit anonymously). I can appreciate your perspective and am grateful you respect mine. Nobody is saying livin' la vida low-carb is a "magic cure," but it sure is dramatically changing the weight and health of a whole lot more people than we are being told about.
If low-calorie diets are working for you, then GO FOR IT! Keep working your plan and it will keep working for you. Get involved at a low-calorie supporting web site, forum, or blog and get all the inspiration you need for your chosen dietary approach. But this is "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" and I will keep on talking about the healthy low-carb life. It's the purpose I have in my life right now and, God willing, nothing will ever keep me from fulfilling that purpose.
THANK YOU again for sharing your thoughts with me and my readers. I may just have to make a blog post out of this response. :)
And so I did! What are your thoughts about this criticism that I am too "hostile" towards anything that's not low-carb? Agree? Disagree? I appreciate hearing what you have to say. Even from "anonymous." :D
