The True Lemon products are a low-carber's dream come true
I'm excited to introduce you to something you may not even be aware of for your low-carb lifestyle--but you will be now. It's called True Lemon and is one of the most amazing new low-carb products I've seen come out in years because it has ZERO sugar, carbs, calories, and sodium and will add so much dynamic flavor to the foods and drinks you consume as you'll see in a couple of YouTube videos my wife Christine and I recorded about it.
True Lemon is a crystallized substitute for three specific flavors: Lemon, Lime, and Orange. These products are 100% all-natural and made from the juice and oil of the various citrus fruits. Since those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb need to stay away from these high-sugar fruits for the most part, the True Lemon products enable us to add the flavor of lemon, lime, and orange to just about anything we eat or drink.
In Episode 21 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube" as well as Episode 22, Christine and I had a little bit of fun with True Lemon products by taking our cameras to what Christine calls our "one butt kitchen." Yesiree, we had some fun making all sorts of recipes with these outstanding new low-carb flavoring substitutes.
See the True Lemon creations we came up with in today's videos:
In case you want to make these recipes we featured, here they are:
LEMONADE, LIMEADE, AND ORANGEADE
3 8-ounce glasses of filtered or bottled water 6 packets of True Lemon, True Lime, and True Orange 6 packets of Splenda or stevia to taste (optional) Ice cubes
Pour water into three glasses and add 2 packets of the True Lemon, True Lime, and True Orange products. If you desire more sweetness, then add Splenda or stevia. Drop some ice on top for a refreshing beverage anytime!
Break up chocolate in a bowl, scoop out the coconut oil, and then sprinkle True Orange on top. You'll want to microwave on high for about a minute (make sure you don't overcook or the chocolate will burn). Stir this liquid for about a minute until all the chocolate chunks have melted. Can be pour on top of your favorite low-carb ice cream immediately for a "magic shell" effect or you can refrigerate or freeze for a delightful orange chocolate treat in about an hour.
DIET RITE WITH LIME
1 can of Diet Rite or other Splenda-sweetened soda 1 packet of True Lime
As an alternative to the diet sodas made with lime that contain aspartame (aka NASTYtame!), open a packet of True Lime (or even True Lemon if you like that flavor) and pour in the bottom of a glass. Slowly pour the diet soda on top being careful about it fizzing up on you too quickly. When it dies down, pour the remaining contents of the diet soda on top and enjoy a different flavor to your diet cola.
SUPER SIMPLE LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN
2 tablespoons of butter 2-3 frozen chicken breasts 3 tablespoons of Nutiva brand coconut oil Shaker bottle of True Lemon Black pepper
On medium to medium-high heat, melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet until melted making sure it fully coats the skillet. Place the frozen chicken breasts into the butter and allow them to begin cooking. Scoop out a tablespoon of coconut oil and spread across the top of each chicken breast (still frozen). Then shake desired amount of pepper and True Lemon on top. Allow the chicken to continue cooking until golden brown on the bottom and then flip. Add additional pepper and True Lemon on the bottom and cook until fully cooked. Serve and enjoy!
LOW-CARB TRUE LEMON, LIME, OR ORANGE CHEESECAKE
1 8-ounce whipped Philadelphia cream cheese 4 packets of True Lime, Lemon or Orange 6 packets of Splenda or stevia Heavy whipping cream Whipped topping 1 packet of True Lime, Lemon or Orange
This will be the fastest cheesecake you've ever made. Empty the contents of one container of the cream cheese into a bowl, add your favorite True Lemon flavor on top along with the sweetener and as much or as little heavy whipping cream that you desire for the desire thickness. Stir until smooth and creamy. Pour into dessert dish and put a dollop of whipped cream on top. Sprinkle one packet of the same True Lemon flavor of your cheesecake. Eat up!
So there you have my five recipes and the possibilities are truly endless. I encourage you go use the TrueLemon store locator to find out where this incredible product is available in YOUR area because you'll want to add it to your low-carb lifestyle. I LOVE this stuff and I know you will too. Be sure to request your FREE SAMPLES so you can try all three flavors for yourself. You WON'T be disappointed!
I was happy to get the YouTube video series out of the studio with these True Lemon videos, although it was pretty funny lugging around my iMac into my kitchen. One of these days I'm gonna get me a digital camcorder to start recording videos anywhere. I'd love to be able to do that when I'm a little more financially able to. If you missed any of our previous YouTube videos, then check 'em all out here anytime at my links blog. We'd love to have you subscribe to our videos and e-mail us your feedback at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. THANKS for watching!!!
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.
Earlier this week, I blogged about an amazing beverage product from a company called FUZE and their Slenderize line of delicious fruit-flavored, very low-sugar, low-carb drinks. The feedback I have received from so many of you has been sensational with a good many of you already familiar with the FUZE products while others heard about it for the first time here at my blog. The following are just a few of the comments I received this week.
Mary from Illinois had this to say about FUZE Slenderize:
"My husband and I have been drinking FUZE Slenderize line for quite some time now. They're a bit hard to find in the stores, but we snatch up a bunch whenever we see them!"
Shara from Tennessee had never heard of FUZE but is now intrigued:
"Thanks for sharing about FUZE beverages. They sound so great and I can't wait to try them!"
Jay from New Jersey is also a fan of FUZE after recently finding them:
"It was great to read this posting about FUZE beverages. I have been hooked on these for a couple of months now and every single flavor tastes amazing."
Debi from Missouri has also tried FUZE beverages before:
"I already love FUZE, but would like to try all the flavors."
Nicole from Michigan was enthused by my FUZE contest:
"I gotta enter your contest, Jimmy!"
Oh yeah, THE CONTEST! That's right! So many of you were excited to take part in my FREE CASE OF FUZE SLENDERIZE giveaway and I appreciate EVERYONE who entered. I wish I could have given ALL of you some of this stuff to try, but I could only have 3 winners. Before I tell you who they were, here were the correct answers to the contest questions that were found right there at DrinkFuze.com:
- What is the slogan for FUZE beverages? Refreshingly Smart - Who started the FUZE beverage company? Lance Collins - Which floor is the FUZE offices located on? 3rd floor
If your answers matched these, then your entry became eligible to win and your name was thrown into the drawing for one of the three BIG prizes! Without further delay, I'd like to announce the winners at this time.
They are:
CATHERINE FROM GEORGIA!!! RHEA FROM NORTH CAROLINA!!! SUSAN FROM TEXAS!!!
CONGRATULATIONS to Catherine, Rhea, and Susan! You each will receive a FUZE Slenderize variety pack in the mail very soon. Special THANKS to FUZE for providing these prizes for my contest. Again, THANK YOU to all of my readers who participated in this contest and I urge you to give FUZE a try. You won't be disappointed, I promise you that!
Be looking for more giveaway contests coming soon. It's my way of saying THANKS for your faithful and devoted readership.
FUZE beverages are deliciously low-calorie and low-carb
Finding a healthy low-calorie, low-carb beverage amongst the neverending sea of sugar and high fructose corn syrup products that flood supermarket shelves nowadays can be a next-to-impossible task. But I recently had the opportunity to try one of the most refreshing beverage products I've ever seen since I began my low-carb lifestyle that is absolutely PERFECT for people who are livin' la vida low-carb.
The company is called FUZE and they are located in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. They've been around for about six years and have their products available in all 50 states. Although I've never heard of them before, I'm certainly glad I know who they are now!
FUZE offers various flavored beverages that taste awesome and provide unbelievable amounts of essential vitamins and minerals to help energize your day. Many of them are sweetened with Splenda and ACE-K, which make them friendly to the low-carber looking for something different to drink with added health benefits.
This isn't a carbonated beverage, but it doesn't need to be. One sip of these FUZE beverages and you'll become a quick believer that healthy really can taste good, too!
The Slenderize line of FUZE products are aspartame-free (YEAH!)
Be sure to check out the various exoctic flavors in the low-calorie, low-carb Slenderize line as well as the not-what-you expect green and white teas that actually are enjoyable to drink! These products are gorgeously packaged in a huge 18 fl oz glass bottle that gives you plenty to drink as a power-up before your workout or a way to cool down afterwards. At around $1.50 a bottle, it's a good value, too!
Honestly, I did not expect these FUZE beverages to be as kind to my tastebuds as they were, but they REALLY are. Frankly, it surprised me and I'm happy to report to you they are well worth the effort to find them in your area to see for yourself. Click on the "Fuze Finder" at the top of the cool FUZE web site to see the availability where you live.
When I sent an e-mail to the FUZE company to tell them how much I enjoyed their products, they invited me to share my health tips for their readers who visit their web site to benefit from. And so I did and they are now posted at DrinkFuze.com. Click on the "Health Tips" link at the top of their web site and it will take you to a page with my picture along with a short bio about me and my ten health tips. COOL!
Here's are my tips that they published on their site:
- Don't wait to do something about your weight and health. START TODAY!
- Be a natural skeptic of anything you read or hear about healthy living.
- Constantly educate yourself with the latest health information and research.
- Completely eliminate sugar from your diet. You just don't need it!
- Don't assume all juices, fruits, and vegetables are healthy. Some have more sugar than a can of soda or candy bar!
- Avoid white flour, starchy, and processed foods, too. While they may not be sugar when they go in your mouth, your body metabolizes them as such which will cause a negative impact on your blood sugar releasing large quantities of the hormone insulin. Sustained amounts of insulin can lead to full-blown diabetes.
- Learn to relax and enjoy life with your family because it's way too short to be stressed out. Fun, engaging fitness activities are an excellent stress reliever.
- Water is your best friend, so drink up to your heart's content!
- Eat protein at every meal to satiate your appetite and get adequate fiber to stay regular. Green leafy vegetables are a MUST on a daily basis!
- Flood your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to function at optimum levels. Drinking Fuze beverage products is an EXCELLENT way to give your body that supplemental super-boost it needs to get through the day. :D
Yeah, we got the low-carb message out to people who may not otherwise hear it presented in a positive and uplifting manner. Super duper dippity doo!
FUZE was so pleased to receive my enthusiastic response to their beverage products that they have agreed to give me not one, not two, but THREE CASES OF THE SLENDERIZE VARIETY PACK to give away. This prize package includes 3 Strawberry Melon, 3 Cranberry Raspberry, 3 Tangerine Grapefruit, and 3 Tropical Punch and YOU could win. That's a dozen of these outstanding FUZE drinks just for reading my blog.
See, aren't you glad you stick around and read what I write about here?! :D To enter for your chance to win, here's what I need from you:
1. Your name 2. Your mailing address (No P.O. Boxes please) 3. Answers to the following questions (found at DrinkFuze.com) - What is the slogan for FUZE beverages? - Who started the FUZE beverage company? - Which floor is the FUZE offices located on?
Send your answers to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net no later than this Sunday, January 28, 2007 at 12:00PM EST. The three winners will be selected amongst the ones who provide the correct responses. If you are lucky enough to be selected as a winner, then your case of FUZE Slenderize products will be shipped directly to the address you provide in your entry. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
Interestingly, the FUZE people told me that the Slenderize line was featured in a diabetes magazine in 2005, so many diabetics are already aware of the FUZE beverage line. Then, another big group of potential customers for this product were gastric bypass surgery patients who said this is the only thing they can drink that won't come back up. TMI!
So...could people who are livin' la vida low-carb be the next wave of faithful consumers for FUZE beverages? Once low-carbers get a taste of this stuff, there's no doubt in my mind they will. Do what you can and find FUZE beverages in your area. They are truly an amazing drink worth checking out!
When you see the "Smart Spot," don't assume that means it's healthy!
When I purchased a bottle of Diet Pepsi Jazz the other day for my review here at this blog, I couldn't help but notice a new bright green label on the front that had the slogan "Smart Choices Made Easy" with a check mark in the middle as the logo. Not knowing what this was, I turned the bottle around and found the following explanation and web site information about it:
"Jazz Diet Pepsi Strawberries & Cream is a smart choice among soft drinks because it has zero sugar, zero calories and zero carbs per serving. Visit www.smartspot.com."
Okay, what's this all about? So I got home and looked around the Smart Spot web site and could not believe my eyes! What a preposterous premise for creating a marketing campaign all under the guise of health!
What I found when I got to SmartSpot.com was one of the most incredibly deceptive health propaganda web sites I think I have ever seen in my life. While this green symbol is supposed to help people make "better" and "smart" choices for a "healthier lifestyle," according to the web site, a closer look shows it is nothing more than a manipulative marketing piece touting all the food and beverage products from the company PepsiCo. WHAT A FREAKIN' CROCK OF YOU KNOW WHAT!!!
Have you actually seen the list of products that PepsiCo has put this "Smart Spot" logo on? They're not only ALL PepsiCo products, but many of them are not very hot for your health if you are livin' la vida low-carb.
Check out a small sampling of the "Smart Spot" products:
Let's just have a carb-o-rama carb-fest, why don't we?! Sheeeeez! Are they serious about their claim that that green dot is supposed to help people "make better choices for you and your family." If so, the they had better rethink what products they are recommending people buy or else face a possible class action lawsuit when the health and weight problems of the people eating these products gets worse and worse because of all of those carbohydrates!
Is this just clever marketing or maniacal deception? Hmmmm?
So, how did they determine which products were considered "healthy" enough for the "Smart Spot?" Well, they turned to the "nutrition criteria based on authoritative statements of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Academy of Sciences." You can read all about it by clicking here and you will notice something very familiar: lower fat and lower calorie products rule the roost and monopolize what is "healthy."
Ah, well that explains why so many low-fat, high-carb foods ended up on the list! They are using the ridiculous Food Pyramid as the be-all, end-all to define what is healthy and what is not. ARGH!!!
Looking under their S.M.A.R.T. Living page, you see exactly how PepsiCo thinks people should be living a healthy lifestyle using "smart" as an acronym:
Start with a healthy breakfast What is a "healthy" breakfast anyway? Some high-carb cereal or breakfast bar loaded with so much sugar and white flour your body doesn't need? No thanks, I'll stick with my high-protein microwaved eggs thank you very much!
Move more How much more vague can you get than "move more?" How about "move for a minimum of 30 minutes a day" and I'd be more inclined to like this one better. But I suppose "more" is ANYTHING over NONE!
Add more fruits, veggies & whole grains Not all fruits, veggies and whole grains are necessarily healthy for you. GASP! Did I just say that out loud? Oh, but you can't criticize those things because they are an essential part of any healthy lifestyle. Everyone knows that! But you would be wrong. Many fruits, while full of some excellent nutrients, are much too high in sugar and, thus, carbs to be a part of your low-carb lifestyle. The same goes for many vegetables, too, especially the starchy ones. And don't get me started on the whole grain craze!
Remember to hydrate No arguments from me on this suggestion, although I think you should try to stick with drinking lots of plain water as your primary source of hydration (which makes PepsiCo happy with their Aquafina bottled water sales!). But their Gatorade and fruit juices are way too high in sugar to be consumed by anyone on the low-carb lifestyle.
Try lower calories or fat Alrighty then, now we're getting into the nitty gritty of this here "healthy" living scam that PepsiCo is trying to pull. They are equating "low-fat" and "low-calorie" with "eating healthy" and that is not necessarily the case. This archaic and extremely subjective view of a healthy diet is what makes the list of products on the "Smart Spot" web site so laughable. Taking away the fat and calories is NOT the way to make them healthier for people. Not by a long shot.
In the end, what does all of this teach us as consumers?
First, you should always question just how good for you that product you are intending to purchase really is no matter what kind of fancy schmancy label it has on it about being "smart" or "healthy." You make the determination of whether it is by reading the ingredients and nutritional label for yourself.
Second, be aware that food and beverage companies like PepsiCo don't give a flying rip about you or your health. Their bottom line is to increase their bottom line, even if it means bamboozling you into thinking their products are a part of your "healthy lifestyle." What a joke! Don't get duped into the marketing lie.
Third and finally, now more than ever you can't rely on the government, businesses or even friends to help educate you on what kinds of foods and beverages you should eat and drink on your low-carb plan. Never stop the learning process and constantly remain on the lookout for trustworthy sources of information that will keep you abreast of all the latest when it comes to healthy products.
As for PepsiCo and their "Smart Spot" campaign, just remember this: IT'S NOT NECESSARILY HOT FOR YOUR HEALTH! No matter what their web site or cute little green logo says, most of those recommended products will destroy your low-carb lifestyle faster than you can say ACHOO! Don't get fooled and make an unwise purchase. Keep your head in the game and don't give in to the temptation to buy something just because it has the "Smart Spot" logo thinking "it's got to be healthy!" WRONG-O!
You can express your disgust with PepsiCo for this shameless "Smart Spot" initiative by using their contact page. We need to let them know how disappointed we are as consumers that they are seemingly purposely trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the American consumer thinking we're all a bunch of idiotic morons who can't think for ourselves when it comes to providing nutritious food for ourselves and our families.
9-12-06 UPDATE: A representative from Smart Spot responded to my concerns about their new program today.
Jimmy:
Thank you for contacting us. We are sorry to learn of your disappointment with the Smart Spot(tm) program.
Smart Spot(tm) from PepsiCo is the first-of-its-kind symbol designed to help people identify food and beverage choices that contribute to healthier lifestyles. The Smart Spot logo appears on more than 100 PepsiCo products that meet nutrition criteria based on authoritative statements from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Academy of Science that define limits for fat - including saturated and trans fats - sugar and sodium as well as call out products that are naturally nutritious and contribute fiber, vitamins and other important nutrients. The criteria is listed on the website.
The SMART acronym supports a balance of food and activity, consistent with the USDA Food Guide Pyramid guidelines, 2005. Our website also features our involvement in promoting activity by sponsoring playgrounds and working with America on the Move. Feel free to explore: www.smartspot.com.
Please be assured that your point of view has been shared with the appropriate corporate management. We appreciate the opportunity to respond.
Regards,
Bonnie Smart Spot Consumer Response
Translation: "We got your message and we don't care what you think about our program." Sigh. Oh well, at least I had my say and they know how at least a portion of the population feels about the Smart Spot scam.
