Are you getting enough sleep? If not, take this challenge!
I don't know about you, but sometimes I go to bed with every intention of getting a good night's sleep in an effort to get in about 7-8 hours of quality rest and the reality is I can sometimes only squeeze in about 4-5 hours of actual restful sleep. Most of the time I am tossing and turning either because it's too hot, I have to get up to go to the bathroom, my mind starts racing, you name it. I'm sure you can relate. Been there, done that!
In fact, this morning was a perfect example of what can happen. I went to bed around 11:15pm last night and got to sleep fairly quickly I'd say. Maybe by 11:30pm, I was out like a light. But then around 4:30am, I had to get up to go use the restroom and when I got back into bed I couldn't get back to sleep. My abs and shoulders were still sore from my workout with my trainer on Friday, I was thirsty, my mind started thinking about what I was gonna do today, and for the next four hours I just drifted in and out of sleep as all of this swirled around my restless body. UGH!!!
Needless to say, now that it's approaching bedtime tonight, I'm extremely tired and I've been that way for most of the day since coming home from church. When you don't get adequate sleep, it can wreak havoc on your body, including your weight loss efforts. EEEK! The science behind making sure you sleep and sleep well is solid--you need sleep if you want to live the healthy lifestyle you desire. That's why I'm so pleased to tell you about a special event happening now through August 1, 2008.
It's call The Sleep Number® Sleep-In Challenge from the good people at Select Comfort. You may have heard about the Sleep Number® bed on the radio or television and it's arguably the most individualized bed you can possibly own with your own air chamber to make it as soft or as firm as you'd like it on your side of the bed while your bedmate can set their own Sleep Number to the desired level of firmness they would like. Christine and I have tried these out in their store and we are light years apart with our number (she likes her VERY firm and I like mine VERY soft!).
By participating in this special challenge, you will have a chance to be the grand prize winner of a queen-sized Sleep Number® 3000 bed set with the Firmness Control™ system valued at nearly $1,200! WOO HOO! There will also be a first place prize of a pair of Intralux® Comfort Foam Contour Pillows valued at $110. It's a pretty nifty incentive to get you to focus in on your sleep and getting in the habit of getting more of it for the sake of your health. And all you have to do it sign up for the challenge.
Here's how the challenge works: Americans are exhausting themselves to declining health by cutting back on getting adequate sleep. So the challenge is to commit to getting just ONE MORE HOUR OF SLEEP EACH DAY so you can be better rested to take on the day and be healthy in the living world. That's it! We all pay attention to our diet and exercise routine and meticulously plan our days and vacations. So why not do the same with our sleep? You should regularly budget your sleep time like you would any other scheduled appointment or meeting and stick to it! Just so you know, I'm talking to ME as much as I am you right now. I needed this challenge and I am committing myself to getting that extra hour of sleep somewhere somehow. :)
The long-term health impact of adding just one extra hour of sleep per day is phenomenal! It can literally extend your life by reducing such health ailments as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, respiratory disorders and high blood pressure, among other conditions. The evidence is mounting just as it is for livin' la vida low-carb, so we shouldn't ignore it any longer. Get that sleep you desperately need so your body can be as healthy as it can be!
Let me know if you are participating in The Sleep Number® Sleep-In Challenge and share your thoughts about how it's going in the comments section below. GOOD LUCK to everyone who enters for a chance to win that GREAT bed. Sweet dreams, baby! ;)
I'm announcing the WINNERS of my blogiversary contest!
I just celebrated the third anniversary of my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog last month with an extensive list of 100 great prizes for you to win. It has become my annual tradition and I'm happy to oblige my wonderful readers who like to win stuff by giving as many of you as possible a good chance. And this year's contest was no different with a record-breaking number of entries from the United States, Canada and around the world.
Before I share who the winners were, I wanted to make a few comments about the people who entered. A total of 37 of the 50 states were represented with California leading the pack followed by Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, Washington, Tennessee, Michigan, South Carolina, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio and Florida. I was surprised North Carolina wasn't better represented since I have a lot of readers in that state. And Virginia came out of nowhere with a boatload of entries unlike in years past. Also represented in the entries from overseas was Poland, the UK, Ireland, and Canada.
One interesting thing that came to light in the entries was my question about which plan you are following and for how long. This was totally fascinating to me since the people who entered represent a large cross-section of the thousands of people who read my blog each day. Wanna take a wild guess at which low-carb plan most people follow?
ATKINS ruled the roost with 63 percent of the people on it. But the second place low-carb plan was a shocker--MY OWN PLAN. It garnered 13 percent of the vote putting it ahead of South Beach (6 percent), Protein Power (5 percent), and Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Diet (3 percent). Other plans receiving votes included Somersize, Barry Groves, the TNT Diet, Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Diet, Weight Watcher's "core" plan, Mary Enig's Coconut Diet, and Dr. Mercola's No Grain Diet. Clearly, low-carb is not dead and there are a variety of plans to choose from based on these responses.
How about the length of time people have been following the low-carb lifestyle? This way of eating can't possibly be attracting new people with all the constant negativity from the media and health "experts" about it, can it? Well, according to these results, the answer is an unequivocal YES! A full 41 percent of the respondents have been on their chosen low-carb plan less than a year. This means people are STILL finding out the truth about low-carb living and are giving it a whirl. Over one-third (34 percent) have been low-carbing for 1-3 years and one-fourth are long-term low-carb veterans by livin' la vida low-carb for more than three years. These numbers don't lie--low-carb is here to stay!
I decided to do another trivia scavenger hunt challenge with this year's blogiversary since it went over so well last year. But I was surprised to see so many people get hung up on the following questions (I've provided a link to where you could find each of the correct answers):
a. Which low-carb doctor did I nominate for Diabetes Educator Of The Year in 2007?
Although everyone got c. and e. right, the others gave some people trouble. The most often missed question was a. In their haste to find the answer, most people neglected to read the most important word in that question--NOMINATED! So to all of you who answered "Barbara Odom," I gotcha! Of course, I benevolently gave each of you a second chance and everyone got it right the second go around. The answer to b. was also a trick question because I just got back from the Western Regional ASBP conference in Phoenix, so the key word in that question was EASTERN. This one tripped up a fair share of people, although not as many as a. did. For d., I got a few answers like chocolate dipped strawberries, but most people got that one right.
These contests are always fun and I'm glad to see so many of you take advantage of participating. Okay, well THANKS so much for reading and we'll be seeing you around...what's that? What do you mean I haven't announced the winners...OH YEAH! That's what you've been waiting for, right? Duh, silly me. I'm happy to let you know EXACTLY who won what prize in the contest at my brand new and improved forum.
Just click on this thread link and all 100 winners are already listed there for you to see. While you are there, I'd love to have you sign up to join in on the conversation about livin' la vida low-carb with your fellow readers. It's a fun and loving place and this new format is incredible! I really think you'll enjoy the experience and hope you give it a chance sometime soon.
THANK YOU again to everyone who entered as well as all the generous prize sponsors who donated these so that you could win some neat stuff! Please allow 4-6 weeks for your prize to be shipped and CONGRATULATIONS to all my winners. Keep reading for your chance to win even more loot in the future. If I haven't said it to you lately, THANKS so much for your support of the work I am doing here at "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." :) I appreciate you more than I could ever express. SEE YA!
La dee da dee da! It's another glorious day and even more prizes to share with you in my 3rd Annual Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Blogiversary Giveaway Contest. Are you getting excited about it yet? Well, you should be because there's an EXCELLENT chance you're gonna win something when I draw the winners next Friday. The entries are still pouring in from your fellow "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog readers and I'm happy to see so many people getting in on the action. I CAN'T WAIT TO PICK THE WINNERS! :)
For those of you who HAVEN'T entered yet, let me offer one bit of advice about answering the questions for the contest--READ THEM CAREFULLY! The most missed answer has been a. followed by b. and then d. Nobody has missed c. or e. yet, so I guess those would be the "well duh" questions of the giveaway. Slowly read the questions and you shouldn't miss any of them. Just so you know, the people who missed questions were given a second chance to correct their answers. Everyone given a second chance has submitted the right ones. :)
CLICK HERE right now to enter the contest and take a look at all the prizes you'll have a chance to win here, here, here, and here.
Here is the final list of prizes that could be coming your way:
81. 27-PACK CASE OF SATIATRIM 82. 27-PACK CASE OF SATIATRIM 83. 27-PACK CASE OF SATIATRIM 84. 27-PACK CASE OF SATIATRIM 85. 27-PACK CASE OF SATIATRIM 86. 27-PACK CASE OF SATIATRIM 87. 27-PACK CASE OF SATIATRIM 88. 27-PACK CASE OF SATIATRIM 89. 27-PACK CASE OF SATIATRIM 90. 27-PACK CASE OF SATIATRIM
One of my latest sponsors of my blog is a wonderful product called Satiatrim. I did a YouTube video on this hunger-controlling product that comes in three delicious flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, and Mixed Berry. The ten winners of this prize package will receive 9 boxes of each flavor to try and enjoy on your low-carb plan. THANK YOU Satiatrim for your donation to my blogiversary contest.
91. PROTEIN POWER AUTOGRAPHED BOOK COLLECTION
You can't talk about livin' la vida low-carb in 2008 without mentioning the incredible work of Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades from Protein Power fame (check out my encouraging blog interview with them from 2006). They are both outspoken proponents of the low-carb lifestyle for weight and health management, so the winner of this prize will receive solid information about how to make this lifestyle change permanent. Autographed copies of some of the most popular Protein Power books will be included in this giveaway. THANK YOU for all that you do on behalf of low-carb living, Drs. Mike and Mary Dan!
Aquafina is an industry leader in the bottled water market because they are constantly creating innovative products for your healthy lifestyle. That's why I was thrilled to try their new Aquafina Alive products for myself. Lemme tell you...these are AMAZING! Satisfy is fortified with fiber, Protect contains essential antioxidants, and Energize contains caffeine and Vitamin B. I was pleased to see these are sweetened with Splenda and ACE-K (instead of NASTY-tame!) and they are a refreshing way to finish your workout or sipping throughout the day. The five winners of this prize package will receive a special limited-edition Aquafina Alive backpack filled with lots of goodies, including a long-sleeved t-shirt. THANK YOU Aquafina!
97. BLACKBERRY PATCH DIET SYRUP GIFT PACK
Nothing tastes better than freshly-made syrups that are created from real low-glycemic fruits with no added sugars other than the natural goodness that is contained within. That's the mission of Blackberry Patch, a gourmet Georgia-based company dedicated to delivering high-quality jams, jellies, and fruit syrups. I've personally tasted these for myself and they are far superior to any other sugar-free syrups that are on the market. My favorite part are the little chunks of fruit in the syrup which authenticate that these are made from real berries. The winner of this prize will receive the following syrups: Sugar Free Maple Praline flavor, Sugar Free Roasted Pecan flavor, No Sugar Added Wild Blueberry, No Sugar Added Whole Raspberry, and No Sugar Added Whole Blackberry. These are PERFECT as a topping on cheesecake, ice cream, and anything else you want to infuse with berry-liciousness!
98. EAT SMART NUTRITION SCALE
Have you been caught in the kitchen cooking with a food that you have no idea what the nutritional make-up is? Sure, we all have. That's why I was so happy to find out about the EatSmart Nutrition Scale and this gizmo is absolutely stunning for what it does. With the touch of a few buttons in only a matter of seconds, you can find out EXACTLY how many calories, carbohydrates, fiber and so much more are contained within a given food you are weighing. This takes the guess work out of what you are putting in your mouth and one lucky winner in my blogiversary will own one of these for themselves. THANK YOU to William from EatSmart for donating this awesome prize!
99. BIG GREEN EGG GRILL GIVEAWAY
When Christine and I attended the HPBA Expo in Atlanta, GA back in March, we came across what is arguably the most unique grill I think I've ever seen in my life. It's called The Big Green Egg and the porcelain shaped into a big green egg makes this grill stand out above the rest. And now you one of you will win a Medium EGG package (including the EGG grill, Nest, and a Bag of Charcoal--CLICK HERE to take a look at this beautiful grill!). What an INCREDIBLE PRIZE for one lucky reader! THANK YOU Big Green Egg!!!
100. HASS AVOCADOS FROM MEXICO GUACAMOLE PARTY PACK
The last prize, but certainly not the least, in my 3rd blogiversary contest giveaway is for one of the most beloved low-carb foods out there--avocados! And there's no better avocados than the ones from Hass Avocados from Mexico which are very low in carbs and rich in healthy fats. The winner of this prize will be in avocado heaven! The guacamole kit comes with fresh avocados, limes, a lime juicer, Mexican dishes, and matching napkins. You can have an avocado party (ooooh, can I come?!) with this one-of-a-kind prize package. THANK YOU Hass Avocados from Mexico.
So, there you have it--100 BIG PRIZES that you can win as part of my 3rd Annual Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Blogiversary Giveaway Contest. You can't win, though, if you don't enter, so be sure to ENTER THE CONTEST soon. The deadline is next Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 11:59PM. Winners will be announced next weekend. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE and THANK YOU for reading the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog.
Did you think I was finished sharing prizes in my 3rd Annual Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Blogiversary Giveaway Contest? Not by a long shot! There are so many people entering this contest that I wanted to make sure a good many of you will win SOMETHING. I really wish you could all win a prize, but you do have an excellent chance with so many up for grabs.
For those of you who haven't entered yet, you'll be pleased to know I extended the deadline for entering through May 1, 2008 at 11:59PM. The winners will be chosen at random on Friday, May 2nd and announced at my blog soon there after. CLICK HERE to find out how to enter TODAY so you'll get your name in the hat to win some truly remarkable gifts from the sponsor companies who support the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog. You can see the prizes I have already highlighted here, here, and here.
Let's take a look at the latest set of prizes:
61. $25 NETRITION.COM GIFT CERTIFICATE
Compliments of our friends at Netrition.com, we are pleased to offer a $25 gift certificate to the reader who wins this prize. Netrition has a full line of products to help you on your low-carb lifestyle, so check 'em out the next time you have a need for low-carb foods. Special thanks to Tom for his generous donation to my blogiversary contest.
62. $25 LO-CARB U GIFT CERTIFICATE 63. $25 LO-CARB U GIFT CERTIFICATE 64. $25 LO-CARB U GIFT CERTIFICATE 65. $25 LO-CARB U GIFT CERTIFICATE
Jason at LO-CARB U is another one of the fine low-carb retailers out there today. He specializes in shirataki noodles and other such niche, hard-to-find low-carb products, so be sure to see what he has to offer you for your low-carb lifestyle. THANKS for donating four $25 gift certificates to my contest, Jason!
66. $50 LOW-CARB CONNOISSEUR GIFT CERTIFICATE
Finishing up the low-carb retail giveaways is this $50 gift certificate to Low-Carb Connoisseur. My friend and fellow South Carolinian Elaine Payne has one of the longest-running online low-carb retail stores that I'm sure you will absolutely fall in love with if you try them out. Elaine will personally take care of your low-carb shopping needs and I can vouch for the excellence she brings to her job. THANK YOU for your gift to my blogiversary giveaway, Elaine!
67. TRUE LEMON GIFT SET SAMPLE PACK 68. TRUE LEMON GIFT SET SAMPLE PACK 69. TRUE LEMON GIFT SET SAMPLE PACK 70. TRUE LEMON GIFT SET SAMPLE PACK 71. TRUE LEMON GIFT SET SAMPLE PACK 72. TRUE LEMON GIFT SET SAMPLE PACK 73. TRUE LEMON GIFT SET SAMPLE PACK 74. TRUE LEMON GIFT SET SAMPLE PACK 75. TRUE LEMON GIFT SET SAMPLE PACK 76. TRUE LEMON GIFT SET SAMPLE PACK
One of my newest sponsors in 2008 is True Lemon. This unique crystallized lemon, lime and orange product allows you to take citrus goodness with you wherever you go and have a need for a fresh lemon, lime, or orange flavor in your beverage or food. There are so many uses for True Lemon products as Christine and I demonstrated in this YouTube video. My favorite thing to make is this tempting True Lemon cheesecake that is yummy, slap-your-momma-silly delicious! And don't forget you can order free samples and help the troops in Operation Gratitude in the process. THANK YOU for your generous donation of ten True Lemon Gift Set Sample Packs which include a full box of True Lemon, a full box of True Lime, and a full box of the brand new, hard to find True Orange. This is an amazing product and I encourage you to go request your FREE SAMPLES right now with no obligation. :)
77. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF THE INFLAMMATION FREE DIET PLAN
One of my most popular podcast shows this year has been an interview I conducted with nutritionist Monica Reinagel. Unlike most of her fellow colleagues in dietetics, Monica understands the role of inflammation and its connection to health and disease. Visit her Inflammation Factor web site to understand more about this phenomenon and get the full scoop on this subject in her outstanding book The Inflammation Free Diet Plan. Monica has so wonderfully donated an autographed copy of her book to one lucky reader, so good luck! THANK YOU Monica for your outstanding giveaway.
78. 5 BOTTLES OF LIPTON DIET PEACH PAYAYA WHITE TEA 79. 5 BOTTLES OF LIPTON DIET PEACH PAYAYA WHITE TEA 80. 5 BOTTLES OF LIPTON DIET PEACH PAYAYA WHITE TEA
We've all tasted tea, but have you have the new White Tea from LIPTON yet? First discovered in the Fujian province of China, this white tea product is plucked by hand from the tips of young tea buds before the leaves blossom to preserve the natural goodness of the whole leaf with a rich concentration of protective flavonoid antioxidants. No further processing takes place so it maintains its delicate flavor and a clear liquid color. The light taste of white tea blends well with the other natural flavors, like tangerine, peach or raspberry. Three of you will get to try the Peach Papaya flavor with five bottles of the LIPTON product to try for yourself. THANKS for your prize donation, LIPTON! I've tried these and they are absolutely amazing.
So, am I done sharing all the prizes NOW? Not by a long shot! I told you there would be enough for a whole lot of winners and I wasn't lying. In fact, some of the best prizes are still to come, so keep checking back at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog to see even more in the coming days. Don't wait to get in on the action, ENTER TODAY to become eligible as so many of your fellow readers have already done. We're gonna have well over 100 prizes to give away before its over, so don't miss out!
You can't talk about livin' la vida low-carb without mentioning the incredible Dr. Jonny Bowden. His impact on the health and weight loss community is unmatched and I am honored to call Jonny a friend. Meeting him at the Nutrition & Metabolism conference in Phoenix a couple of weeks ago was a real thrill and he is such a neat guy. If you missed my podcast interview with him in February, then click here to check it out. The winner of this prize will get Jonny's two latest books: The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth and The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth. THANK YOU for your generous donation, Jonny!
42. TWO NIGHT SMOKY MOUNTAIN CABIN GETAWAY
Back by popular demand for this year's blogiversary is a two-night stay at the VERY luxurious "A Glimpse of Heaven" cabin. Christine and I had the privilege of staying at this cabin not just once, but TWICE last year and it was amazing. Click here for my pictures and memories from our first visit to "A Glimpse of Heaven" in the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee area. You haven't experience the Smokies until you stay in a cabin. Special thanks to Roger & Cheryl for generously donating this amazing prize to my anniversary contest. Check out their web site at HeavenlyCabins.com for more information about ALL of their incredible cabin getaways. YOU'LL LOVE IT!!!
43. $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO CARBSMART.COM
Longtime supporter and friend of the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog Andrew DiMino from CarbSmart.com has again stepped up and offered a $100 gift certificate on the low-carb products of your choice! Whether you want GoLower bars, DaVinci syrups, or NexGen muffins, this should take care of everything you'd like to stock up your low-carb pantry. CarbSmart is one of the industry leaders in customer service and delivery, so I know you'll be taken care of by their top-notch staff. Wanna hear from Andrew himself? Check out my exclusive podcast interview with him to hear about what's going on in the world of low-carb products. THANKS for your donation, Andrew!
44. SWEETRIOT CACAO NIBS GIFT PACKS 45. SWEETRIOT CACAO NIBS GIFT PACKS 46. SWEETRIOT CACAO NIBS GIFT PACKS 47. SWEETRIOT CACAO NIBS GIFT PACKS 48. SWEETRIOT CACAO NIBS GIFT PACKS 49. SWEETRIOT CACAO NIBS GIFT PACKS 50. SWEETRIOT CACAO NIBS GIFT PACKS 51. SWEETRIOT CACAO NIBS GIFT PACKS 52. SWEETRIOT CACAO NIBS GIFT PACKS 53. SWEETRIOT CACAO NIBS GIFT PACKS
A couple of years ago, I was introduced to a pretty neat company called SweetRiot. They have one of the most unique products for people who LOVE chocolate--cacao nibs! Until you've actually tried cacao, you have no idea what you're missing. Let's just say you can't eat very much of it because the intensity is incredible. They have so graciously agreed to donate 10 gift packs to my readers who win, so you'll see exactly what I mean. Visit the official SweetRiot web site to learn more and sneak a peek at their corresponding blog, too.
54. 24-PACK MIXED SAMPLE OF ZEVIA DIET SODA 55. 24-PACK MIXED SAMPLE OF ZEVIA DIET SODA 56. 24-PACK MIXED SAMPLE OF ZEVIA DIET SODA 57. 24-PACK MIXED SAMPLE OF ZEVIA DIET SODA 58. 24-PACK MIXED SAMPLE OF ZEVIA DIET SODA
We all know that The Coca-Cola Company is currently pleading with the FDA about approving the supplement stevia as a sweetener so they can manufacture a stevia-sweetened diet soda. But why wait on that when there's already a company out there doing just that--Zevia! Available in natural cola, lemon-lime, and natural orange flavors, Zevia is committed to providing an all-natural diet soft drink that they think you'll enjoy without the use of any artificial sweeteners. Each winner will receive a 24-Pack Mixed Sample of Zevia to try for themselves. You can order some for yourself to try, including a special FREE SAMPLE offer (pay only shipping), by visiting the Zevia online store.
My friend and fellow diet and health writer Charles Stuart Platkin (aka "The Diet Detective") recently started a new line of products that allow you to show off your food choices in a unique way. He calls them a FoodTee and they're really cute! That one with the broccoli with the caption "Veggin'" is one of my favorites, but you may find another one that suits your fancy. The two winners of this prize package will be able to choose 2 FoodTee products of their choice from the FoodTee Market.
So, do you think I'm done sharing prizes yet? Not by a long shot because there are still a BUNCH more to go. You'll just have to keep reading and entering the contest for yourself so you can take advantage of these amazing prizes. I am so grateful to all my blogiversary sponsors for their incredible donations. There's gonna be a lot of loot to win this year and I can't wait to give it all away!
Because of the craziness with my blog being down for much of the past week, I have decided to extend the deadline for entering the contest to Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 11:59PM. Winners will be chosen at random from all the entries on Friday, May 2, 2008 and announced at the blog soon thereafter. Now is the time to enter and be sure to encourage others to enter to win, too! I've only shared 60 prizes so far with a lot more to go. THANK YOU for reading "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb!"
After all, YOU deserve to win some really cool low-carb stuff because without your support for the work I do, there would be no "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." I cannot thank you enough for being a part of my life and I wish you all the very best in your own personal journey to weight loss and improved health the low-carb way. Hopefully these prizes will give you the incentive to keep on livin' la vida low-carb. ENTER NOW to become eligible to win a prize.
Here is the second group of prizes in my blogiversary contest:
21. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "THE DIET DELUSION" 22. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "THE DIET DELUSION" 23. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "THE DIET DELUSION" 24. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "THE DIET DELUSION" 25. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "THE DIET DELUSION" 26. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "THE DIET DELUSION"
Unless you've been living on a remote desert island for the past year, then you've undoubtedly heard about the book Good Calories, Bad Calories by award-winning science journalist Gary Taubes. He spent over five years going back through the old research into the high-fat, low-carb diet hypothesis to find evidence that this way of eating was widely considered healthy before the high-carb, low-fat diet was forced on to our culture by a small minority who fooled the powers that be into making it the epitome of "healthy." GCBC was released in the United States in September 2007, but it didn't release in the UK until January 2008 under a different title--The Diet Delusion. These half dozen rare autographed copies of the British version of GCBC (the content is exactly the same between the two books) will be a great collector's item for anyone who is livin' la vida low-carb!
27. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "REAL FOOD: WHAT TO EAT AND WHY" 28. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "REAL FOOD: WHAT TO EAT AND WHY" 29. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "REAL FOOD: WHAT TO EAT AND WHY" 30. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "REAL FOOD: WHAT TO EAT AND WHY" 31. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "REAL FOOD: WHAT TO EAT AND WHY"
After interviewing Nina Planck for my blog in December 2007 about her fabulous book Real Food: What To Eat And Why, I just knew this would make for a great prize giveaway in my blogiversary. And Nina was kind enough to donate five autographed copies of her book for my contest. This is a book for people who believe it's time to reject the high-carb junk food that so dominates our culture in favor of more real, whole foods.
32. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "SLOW BURN" 33. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "SLOW BURN" 34. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "SLOW BURN" 35. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "SLOW BURN" 36. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "SLOW BURN"
Ever since I was introduced to Fred Hahn and his unique "slow burn" technique for bodybuilding, I have been a BIG FAN. While most personal trainers put their clients through agonizing amounts of physical torture by making them do endless repetitions and sets of weight lifting that are potentially harmful, Hahn has developed a better way to build muscle that is even more effective than those conventional measures. That's what The Slow Burn Fitness Revolution is all about and I'm pleased to offer five complimentary autographed copies of this book for the winners of this prize. But I have a special offer for people who live in the New York City area--Fred Hahn has agreed to offer a complimentary "slow burn" session at his Serious Strength gym located at 169 West 78th Street on the Lower Level in NYC. Just mention that you read about this on the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog and ask for Fred Hahn by name and you'll be able to train with Fred directly. How cool is that? THANK YOU for your generous offer, Fred.
37. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "THE PERFECT BODY DIET" 38. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "THE PERFECT BODY DIET" 39. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "THE PERFECT BODY DIET" 40. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "THE PERFECT BODY DIET"
It was so great seeing my friend Cassandra Forsythe at the ASBP/Nutrition & Metabolism Society conference in Phoenix, Arizona last weekend. This University of Connecticut doctoral student recently finished a book for Women's Health magazine called The Perfect Body Diet. As you know, Cassandra works with noted low-carb researcher Dr. Jeff Volek, so livin' la vida low-carb and a healthy intake of glucomannan (like shirataki noodles) is a big part of attaining the "perfect body" as she details in this fabulous book. Check out Cassandra Forsythe's blog by clicking here. THANKS for sharing four autographed copies of your book with my readers, Cass! :) I look forward to interviewing her about this new book very soon at my podcast show.
There you have it--20 more prizes available to you in my 3rd Annual Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Blogiversary Giveaway Contest. I've got plenty more to share with you, so keep reading!!! If you haven't entered already, then you gotta go find out how to register your name to become eligible to win a prize. We want everyone to have a chance to win something, so make sure there is only one entry per household please. THANK YOU!!!
I promised to share with you the prizes in my 3rd Annual Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Blogiversary Giveaway Contest and I'm ready to deliver by sharing with you some awesome ones that you can win just by entering to win. The people and businesses who have donated these prizes generously did so to reward the people who so faithfully read and support the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog. For that, I am very grateful to each of them for their generosity.
The trivia contest aspect of entering the giveaway drawing has been interesting so far with a good majority of people missing the answer to a., a few more missing b. and only a handful missing d. So far, everyone has gotten c. and e. correct. If you miss a question, then I'm happy to give you another chance. Just read the questions slowly and carefully and you shouldn't have any trouble at all coming up with the right answers. :)
This is only the first of a series of blog posts detailing all the prizes you can win in my blogiversary contestn. Remember, the deadline to enter is April 26, 2008 at 11:59pm, so don't delay and ENTER TODAY. You have a GREAT chance at winning SOMETHING, so GOOD LUCK!!!
Here is the first group of prizes in my blogiversary contest:
2. GRATE CHEF GRILL CLEANING KIT 3. GRATE CHEF GRILL CLEANING KIT 4. GRATE CHEF GRILL CLEANING KIT
Another great grilling vendor I met at this year's HPBA Expo in Atlanta, Georgia was Grate Chef. This company has some truly fabulous products to help you keep your grill spic and span clean and this prize gives you the whole kit and caboodle. Included in this prize are Grill Wipes, Stainless Steel Wipes, Steaming Grill Brush and a Fire Starter. Three lucky readers will win this fabulous prize package.
5. 3-PACK OF BACON SALT 6. 3-PACK OF BACON SALT 7. 3-PACK OF BACON SALT
What if you could make everything you eat taste like bacon? Yeah, baby! That's exactly what Bacon Salt is all about. Sure, you could fry up bacon as part of your low-carb lifestyle, but sometimes you don't have time to do that. This is when Bacon Salt can help flavor your beef, chicken, veggies--ANYTHING! Dash some on your cheeseburger for a bacon cheeseburger and throw some on top of your chicken Ranch melt for a bacon-y shot. Three readers will have the chance to try all three flavors--Original, Hickory, and Peppered.
8. EDITION 1 DIET SODA LOVER'S KIT 9. PENGUIN DIET SODA LOVER'S KIT
If you haven't tried the Soda-Club machine yet, then you are in for a real treat if you win one of these two outstanding prizes. The Edition 1 kit comes with the soda maker, 2 Alco2Jet® Carbonators, 2 carbonating bottles, and all the Splenda-flavored diet soda mixes they make. The Penguin (named for the unique shape of the machine) kit comes with the sparkling water & soda machine, 2 Alco2Jet® Carbonators, and 2 glass carafes, along with the Splenda-sweetened diet soda mixes. I've owned the Edition 1 for about a year and enjoy making my own sodas within minutes. It's easy-to-use and so much fun, too! THANK YOU Soda-Club for donating these superb prizes!
10. CHOCOPERFECTION/LLVLC BAR LOVER'S 3-PACK 11. CHOCOPERFECTION/LLVLC BAR LOVER'S 3-PACK 12. CHOCOPERFECTION/LLVLC BAR LOVER'S 3-PACK
What more can I say about my absolutely favorite sugar-free low-carb chocolate bars in the entire world--CHOCOPERFECTION!!! From the first time I bit into these European-styled chocolate bars, I was hooked. They truly are the best-tasting low-carb chocolate bar on the planet and I am pleased to offer three prize packages for my readers to win and enjoy. The 3-pack includes one dozen milk chocolate, one dozen dark chocolate (my favorite!), and one dozen of my new "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Bar" made with raspberry dark chocolate (here's a YouTube video about my chocolate bar). Prepare to be in chocolate heaven if you are one of my winners of this delectable ChocoPerfection prize.
13. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "DIET FAILURE...THE NAKED TRUTH" 14. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "DIET FAILURE...THE NAKED TRUTH" 15. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "DIET FAILURE...THE NAKED TRUTH" 16. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "DIET FAILURE...THE NAKED TRUTH" 17. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "DIET FAILURE...THE NAKED TRUTH"
One of my most popular podcasts of 2008 has got to be the one I conducted with international health author and speaker Phoenix Gilman. To complement what she is already doing with her book and speaking engagements, Phoenix recently started writing a blog which includes this amazing post damning the low-fat diet for "fueling" the obesity epidemic. You gotta love Phoenix Gilman and she was generous enough to donate 5 autographed copies of her amazing book advocating low-carb living entitled Diet Failure...The Naked Truth. Prepare to be energized and motivated like never before if you are one of the winners of this prize.
18. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "CARB WARS: SUGAR IS THE NEW FAT" 19. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "CARB WARS: SUGAR IS THE NEW FAT" 20. AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF "CARB WARS: SUGAR IS THE NEW FAT"
One of the neatest people I had the privilege of meeting in the past year or so was Judy Barnes Baker, author of the incredible low-carb recipe cookbook called CARB WARS: Sugar Is The New Fat. Judy has a regularly-updated blog you should check out for lots of low-carb tidbits and advice. And her recipes are absolutely divine which is why I am glad to see that three of you will be able to savor these dishes for yourself real soon with this low-carb cooking classic!
This is only the first 20 prizes available to you in my 3rd Annual Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Blogiversary Giveaway Contest. If you haven't entered already, then you gotta go find out how to register your name to become eligible to win a prize. We want everyone to have a chance to win something, so make sure there is only one entry per household please. THANK YOU!!!
Low-Carb Blogiversary Contest Celebrates 3 Million Pageviews In Three Years
Can you believe I'm coming up on three years of low-carb blogging?
It's already halfway through April and many of my regular readers might be wondering to themselves one question--Is Jimmy gonna have another big blogiversary giveaway contest this year like he has every single year since he started the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog? The answer is a resounding YES and I apologize it comes a little later than usual. Life has been very busy in a good way and I have been working diligently behind-the-scenes to compile some truly amazing prizes for you like I have in the past (see what I gave away in 2007 and 2006 for my first two blogiversary contests).
This third blogiversary coming up on Monday, April 21, 2008 is even more special this year because I not only celebrate three years of low-carb blogging, but also surpassing a major milestone in the history of my blog--3 MILLION PAGEVIEWS! It was just 6 months ago when we passed the 2 million pageview mark and the blog just keeps growing and growing despite all the claims in the media that low-carb is dead (ummm, somebody forgot to tell that to the 200,000 monthly readers who come here!). That's a whole lotta people who are being impacted with the positive message of livin' la vida low-carb and I am grateful for the opportunity to provide you with enough reasons to keep coming back here to read my blog day in and day out. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all of your support and dedication to my mission here at "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb."
To that end, I once again want to share some truly incredible prizes with you to let you know just how much you are appreciated. I could never repay each of you all that you are worth to me in my life, but a few of you will receive a golden opportunity to win some cool stuff thanks to the generosity of the businesses and individuals who have partnered up with me in this endeavor.
Today I am introducing the 3rd Annual Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Blogiversary Giveaway Contest and you can start entering beginning RIGHT NOW. Like last year, I've got a boatload of prizes to tell you about and it's gonna take a few days to fit them all in. But I will get to them all so you can see what you have the potential of winning during this contest. Look for those prize posts to be coming over the next several days.
I'll be conducting the drawing for the prizes on April 27th and announce the winners on Monday, April 28, 2008. So, what do need to do to win? Last year's scavenger hunt was so popular that I decided to do that again with some new questions. :) Here are the easy instructions about how to enter YOUR name in this drawing (only one entry per household please):
1. Your full name/full mailing address (NO P.O. Boxes please!).
2. Which low-carb plan are you on and how long have you been on it?
3. The blogiversary scavenger hunt (answers easily found on my blog!):
a. Which low-carb doctor did I nominate for Diabetes Educator Of The Year in 2007?
b. In what city did the 2007 Eastern Regional American Society of Bariatric Physicians and Nutrition & Metabolism Society meeting take place?
c. What is the name of the world's fattest man who has lost over 500 pounds on a low-carb diet over the past two years?
d. Name the low-carb recipe I accidentally created after mixing a ChocoPerfection bar and coconut oil together and poured it on top of ice cream.
e. Who wrote and released the bestselling health book Good Calories, Bad Calories under a cloud of controversy in September 2007?
Like I said, all of the answers to these questions can be found at my blog from over the past year and I'll give you a hint--Google is your friend! :P E-mail your answers to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Be sure to label the subject line "BLOGIVERSARY CONTEST" so I can easily identify it as an entry in my contest. NOTE: I MUST RECEIVE YOUR ENTRY NO LATER THAN 11:59PM EST ON APRIL 26, 2008 for you to be eligible to win a prize! Hurry and enter so you can have a chance to win the prizes I'll be sharing with you in the next few days.
For those of you who are concerned about sharing your name and contact information with me, I promise I will NEVER mention your full name, address or e-mail address to anyone or at my blog. It will only be used to mail your prize to you in the event you are chosen as a winner. Remember, please limit your entry to one person per household to give everyone a fair chance to win a prize and there will be plenty of prizes for everyone to have an EXCELLENT chance to win. Winners will be selected by random drawing on Sunday, April 27, 2008 and announced at my blog on Monday, April 28, 2008.
THANK YOU again for three glorious years of low-carb blogging bliss. It is such a pleasure waking up daily knowing that my blog is making a difference in the lives of real people like YOU who have been changed forever by the healthy low-carb lifestyle. If I haven't said it lately, I'm so proud of you guys for making the necessary changes in your life to improve your weight and health. KEEP AT IT!!!
And be sure to tell all your friends and family about the 3rd Annual Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Blogiversary Giveaway Contest. This is gonna be fun because it's celebration time, baby! :D
ENTRY DEADLINE EXTENDED: Because of the Blogger lockdown on my blog over the past week, I have decided to extend the deadline for entering my blogiversary contest to Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 11:59PM. The winners will be chosen at random on Friday, May 2nd and the winners will be announced at the blog soon thereafter. THANKS to everyone who has so enthusiastically entered and shared some amazing comments about how my blog has touched your life. THANK YOU guys! :)
Former "Biggest Loser" contestant wants to play Jillian in YOUR life
A few weeks ago, I shared with you an interview I conducted with one of the contestants from Season 4 of "The Biggest Loser" named Isabeau Miller. In that interview, we learned that she has since become an ISSA certified personal trainer which she says is "the love of my life right now." Isabeau credits the work of The Black Team trainer on "The Biggest Loser" Jillian Michaels for instilling that passion in her for doing what she does today.
"Being trained by Jillian was a gift because I feel like I was given an apprenticeship with the best in the business," Isabeau said.
That's why Isabeau founded Rock Hard Body & Soul so she could "pay it forward" and help others reach their health and fitness goals, too. Her company is committed to being there for people who were where Isabeau was before her stint on "The Biggest Loser" to get them on their way to being healthier than they ever thought possible.
"Whether that means losing 10 pounds or 100, running a marathon for the first time or running a mile," the Rock Hard Body & Soul web site states.
To that end, Isabeau has created a "Biggest Loser" style Rock Hard FitCamp this summer in the Nashville, Tennessee area for anyone interested in seeing what it was like during the experience on the show. That's right--you and 13 other house guests will room together during a special two-week fitness training excursion led by Isabeau Miller and her personal trainer Jacob Carringer.
You will workout for 4-6 hours a day, be provided healthy meals to consume with nutrition information and seminars with doctors, nutritionists, dietitians, and fitness professionals, and be housed during your entire stay. Isabeau promises you will lose 5-20 pounds over this two-week stretch and she says there will be a few "surprise" guests from "The Biggest Loser" that you won't want to miss! There are even a few prize opportunities while you're there!
There are two sessions coming up this summer:
Session 1 of Fitcamp is July 13-27, 2008 Session 2 of Fitcamp is August 17-31st, 2008
TOTAL COST:
Single room: $5,000/per session Double: $4,200/per session/per person Triple: $3,800/per session/per person Quadruple: $3,500/per session/per person
They are very flexible with payment options, so please e-mail them at fitcamp@rockhardbodysoul.com if you are interested in this unique opportunity to get a "Biggest Loser" workout from someone who was trained by one of the best trainers in the world, Jillian Michaels.
But wait, there's more! :)
Isabeau is a BIG FAN of the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog and I asked her if we could do something special for one lucky reader. She agreed to hold an essay contest to grant a full-paid scholarship to Rock Hard FitCamp to the winner. The essay must be at least 250 words and answer the following question:
"Why do you need to change your life through Fitcamp this summer?"
E-mail your entry to fitcamp@rockhardbodysoul.com and put in the subject line of your e-mail "Jimmy Moore's FitCamp Contest." The winner will be attending Session 2 in August, but there's one more special surprise I haven't told you about yet. Guess who else is gonna be there with you during those two weeks of working out and being trained by Isabeau? ME!
That's right, I've asked Isabeau if I can go through this experience with my reader who wins to provide some moral support and encouragement through this as well as the opportunity to blog about this outstanding idea for helping people kickstart their health and fitness. My wife Christine will be there helping me document what happens by shooting some video and we may even squeeze in some podcasts about it as well.
I'm looking forward to this experience and wish everyone well as you enter the essay contest. Isabeau wants to hear you pour out your heart and soul to her, so don't hold back. Share what's on your mind and you may just win a chance to be given a full scholarship to FitCamp in August with Jimmy Moore and Isabeau Miller. Get those essays in by Monday, March 31, 2008 to be eligible.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE and do this for your health! You'll be glad you did!
In case you haven't noticed, I LOVE to do contests here at my blog because YOU deserve it for coming back here and blessing me with you presence each day. I have worked hard to make this blog interesting enough for you to make it a daily stop as you travel around the Internet. THANK YOU for your continued support! :)
Today I wanted to share with you about an exciting giveaway contest from my fellow low-carb blogging friend Amy Dungan at the "Healthy Low-Carb Living" blog today. She's celebrating the brand new year by giving her readers a chance to win some neat prizes while having some fun, too!
Here are the awesome low-carb prizes you can win:
1 copy of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution by Robert C. Atkins
1 copy of The Protein Power Lifeplan by Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades
1 copy of Carb Wars: Sugar Is The New Fat by Judy Barnes Baker
1 copy of 500 Low-Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender
3 gift packages of ChocoPerfection bars from Low Carb Specialties (each winner will get an assortment of Dark, Milk and the new Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Raspberry Dark Chocolate)
1 Cal-Carb Clicker
1 4 oz. Bottle of Fiberfit Sweetener and 8 page color recipe guide from Truly Low Carb
1 $50 gift certificate from CarbSmart.com
WOO HOO! That's an impressive list of prizes, Amy, and I KNOW you'll be getting flooded with people wanting to enter your contest. So, how do you enter?
Go to this blog post and try to guess what the pictures are. Right and wrong answers will not impact your ability to win a prize, but this should be fun! Take your best guess at what those photographs are, send your name and mailing address to healthylowcarbliving@gmail.com using the subject line "Great Start Giveaway."
YOU MUST ENTER THIS CONTEST NO LATER THAN JANUARY 24, 2008.
Go show your support for Amy and her giveaway contest and GOOD LUCK in the drawing!
Look out world, the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Bar" has arrived!
First there was the Babe Ruth-inspired "Baby Ruth" candy bar. Then there was Reggie Jackson's "Reggie" bar. Although I'm certainly no athlete with the amazing credentials of a Ruth or a Jackson, I now have my very own candy bar like they do--it's called "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Bar." This is a chocolate lover's delight!
Yes, this new raspberry dark chocolate bar is both sugar-free AND low-carb and is presented to you by the makers of the amazing ChocoPerfection chocolate bars. It's been over a year in the making, but "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Bar" is hitting the low-carb/diabetes market with a big splash debuting this week at CarbSmart!
My wife Christine and I talk about why we decided to come up with this new low-carb chocolate bar in Episode 18 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube." With so many other low-carb chocolate choices out there, what's gonna make this one so different? You'll learn EXACTLY why when you tune into this video.
Hear the story behind why "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Bar" was created:
Not to necessarily take anything away from those "other" sugar-free, low-carb chocolate companies, but quite frankly many of them just don't get it. They insist on using cheap, inferior ingredients in their products like the sugar alcohol maltitol which has a well-known disturbing side effect. Why can't we have the opportunity to have a high-quality low-carb chocolate experience without having to go through all that?
That is precisely what attracted me to the ChocoPerfection bars two years ago when I described them as the best-tasting low-carb chocolate bars on the planet. But, like all great things, there are ways to make them even better and that's exactly what we've done with "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Bar."
It is the same chocolate recipe that so many of you have grown to love so much from ChocoPerfection, but now there's an added twist. We've included real raspberry oil as well as coconut oil in it for a special truffle-like center that begins melting as soon as it hits your tongue. And the intense raspberry flavor is what I personally like best about this new chocolate bar. It's an entirely new experience for a low-carb chocolate bar!
We only used the highest quality of ingredients in this bar, including cocoa butter, coconut oil, raspberry oil, oligofructose (chickory root providing 12 g fiber per bar), and erythritol. These are expensive raw materials, but they combine to make one of the most decadent low-carb treats you'll ever sink your teeth into. I'm very proud of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Bar" and gladly put my name and photo on it as my endorsement of such an excellent product for people who are diabetic or are on the low-carb lifestyle.
As I said, the grand release of my new chocolate bar is now here and exclusively at CarbSmart.com where you can purchase them individually or by the dozen. In a few weeks, they'll be available from the ChocoPerfection web site and other fine online retailers. But I'd like to give YOU an opportunity to win some too! Does that sound like a good deal? GREAT!
Here's what you need to do:
Go to Episode 18 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube" and leave some kind of feedback for the video. It can be comments or even questions about the new candy bars if you'd like to share them there. Then send an e-mail to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net with the subject line "LLVLC Bar Giveaway." Include your YouTube username so I can verify you left a comment, your full name and mailing address, and a paragraph or two explaining why you'd like to be one of the first people to try "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Bar."
The first ten people to do that will receive a special package from me with a FREE SAMPLE of my new chocolate bars. I wish I had enough for EVERYONE to try it, but I only have enough for ten. Watch the video, leave a comment, and send me your address and you might just get a chance to taste these low-carb bars before everyone else. :D Even if you don't win, I hope you will at least order these remarkable new low-carb chocolate bars for yourself, friends, co-workers and family!
Don't forget to watch all of our previous YouTube videos and stay up-to-date with them by subscribing to them. As always, please feel free to share your comments with us about the show anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. We're still having a load of fun making these videos, so keep the ideas for future shows coming!
But when it came down to choosing who the winner would be, the final decision made was to award it to SHARI W. from Tennessee for her amazing mini-quiches. CONGRATULATIONS, Shari! You just won that KODAK Printer all to yourself and I KNOW you will enjoy it immensely.
In case you missed it, here's the winning entry:
The vibrant and varied colors of this low-carb dish made it stick out
And here was Shari's description of her photo:
"These little Mini-Quiches are tasty and make the 'Picture Perfect' holiday appetizer. Simple ingredients and a simple recipe make for the most versatile of dishes. Remember simplicity is an added plus during the hectic time of the holidays. Just make your basic quiche mixture and then add your favorite veggies, meats, and extra spices to taste. A bonus with these quiches is not only are they 'low carb' but you get the added colors of Christmas on your table."
Special THANKS to everyone who entered this contest for sharing your delicious holiday dishes with all of us. I REALLY would have LOVED to given all of you the opportunity to own your own KODAK EASYSHARE 5300 All-in-One Printer, but alas I only had one to give away. But don't worry if you didn't win...there will be other contests in the near future here at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog (and you never know what may show up in your mailbox--HINT HINT!). :D
THANK YOU so much for your faithfulness to the mission of sharing the wonderfully healthy low-carb lifestyle with the masses! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
As expected, there was quite a flurry of submissions on the final day of the contest on Friday as people who waited until the very last moment got theirs in just the nick of time. The winner will be announced on Monday, but I wanted you to see these final three entries because they all included with their gorgeous photos the recipe for how to make their low-carb holiday favorites.
In case you missed any of the previous five photos entered into the contest, you can access those here, here, here, and here. See the final three entries right now along with the recipe for each one. ENJOY and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Submitted by MARCI W. from California
"I love cranberry sauce, but they don't put sugar-free cranberry sauce in a can. Good thing it is so easy to make from scratch!"
LOW-CARB CRANBERRY SAUCE
1 bag cranberries 1 cup water 3/4 to 1 cup Splenda or other artificial sweetener
Cook until berries swell up and pop. (this will happen by the time it comes to a rolling boil) Mash and serve. 30 calories and 5 net carbs per 1/2 cup.
Submitted by REGINA W. from Missouri
"A festive addition to your holiday dessert table, the chocolate-coconut snowballs are the perfect sweet treat to offer those watching carbs because it's rich with fat and light on insulin/glucose-spiking carbohydrates!"
LOW-CARB CHOCOLATE-COCONUT SNOWBALLS
1-cup heavy cream 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (good quality) 1/4 cup splenda granular 1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract 4 teaspoons shredded, unsweetened coconut
Place heavy cream, cocoa powder, splenda and coconut extract in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer set to highest setting beat cream until whipped firmly. Slowly fold in 1/4 cup of coconut. Place bowl in refrigerator and allow to set up for 10-minutes.
Then transfer into 4 shallow serving bowls using a large spoon, rounding each to look like a snowball or use an ice cream scooper. Once each bowl has its "snowball" in it, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of shredded, unsweetened coconut on top to make it look like a snowball. You can use more cocoa and Splenda if you prefer more intense chocolate flavor or sweeter end result.
Makes 4 servings
Per Serving: Total Carbohydrate 9g Fiber 4g Net Carbs 5g
Submitted by KATE W. from Canada
"I made this recipe by combining some awesome ideas from the Sweet Treats section at the Active Low Carber Forums. The base is a standard low-carb cheesecake crust, the cake is a slightly tweaked version of the incredibly Bawdy's Cheesecake, and the topping is a higher-fat version of NancyLC's Lemon Curd."
LUSCIOUS LOW-CARB LEMON CHEESECAKE
CRUST 1.5 cups almond flour (if you have other nuts you like, feel free to throw a few crushed ones in - macadamia nuts are great for this) 5 tbsp melted butter 5 tbsp granular Splenda
Line an 8x8 cake pan with greaseproof paper. The easiest way to get the paper to "stick" to the pan is to smear a little butter from the butter wrapper around the pan and press the paper into place.
Press the cheesecake crust mixture into the bottom of the pan, and pop in the oven for 10-15 mins, until the edges start turning golden brown. I find the pre-baking stops the base soaking up the cake batter and becoming soggy.
While the crust is baking, make the cheesecake filling.
FILLING 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp lemon extract Juice of one lemon 1 1/2 cups sour cream 1/2 cup sugar-free vanilla syrup (or 1/2 cup of Splenda or equivalent sweetener) 16 ounces (2 packages) cream cheese (it's easier if the cream cheese is softened beforehand, and cut up into pieces ahead of time) 2 tbsp melted butter
Blend eggs, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon juice, sour cream, and vanilla syrup together until combined. Then add the cream cheese and butter.
I usually let the crust cool a while before pouring the batter on top. Then, I bake the cheesecake in my own improvised water bath. I plop the cake tin into a wok half-filled with water and then put the whole ensemble in the oven to cook. The water prevents the top of the cake from cracking.
Alternative methods: a pan of water placed below the oven shelf you use for the cheesecake. This isn't absolutely necessary, so if you feel intimidated by it or don't have the pans, don't worry about it - it just makes for a prettier overall result.
Turn the oven down to 325 degrees and bake for 35-40 minutes.
IMPORTANT: After the cooking time finishes, don't open the oven door. Just turn it off, otherwise the whoosh of cool air will crack your cake. Leave the cake in the turned-off oven for an hour (more if you can), before letting it cool at room temperature, and then moving to the refrigerator.
While the cheesecake is baking, it's time to make the topping.
TOPPING Lemon zest from 2 lemons Lemon juice from 2 lemons 3/4 cups of Splenda 2 whole eggs 2 egg yolks 6 Tbs of softened butter (optional)
Grate the zest of two lemons into a bowl (when you hit white, stop grating and move to the next section. Or, if you have a lemon zester, you're very lucky--are you reading this, Santa?). Add the juice of both lemons and stir in the Splenda. Now, add two whole eggs, plus two egg yolks, and stir everything up.
The next part is to very slowly cook the mixture so it turns to curd. Place your mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water, and keep the heat low to medium. If you cook it too fast, you'll get lemony scrambled eggs. (I always found this double-pan method intimidating, but give it a try, it's not as hard as it seems.) It should take around 10-15 mins to cook. Keep stirring so the heat moves through the mixture evenly. It should start thickening, and once it reaches a pudding-like consistency, remove it from the heat.
Add butter for a richer, creamier taste. It will melt and combine if you stir pieces of butter in immediately. This is optional, so you can skip it if you'd like to marginally lower the calories of the final product!
Put your lemon curd in a container and place cling wrap over the top so it's touching the mixture, otherwise a skin will form. Place in the refrigerator to cool and thicken. This can be used as a topping for more than just cheesecake--on low-carb yogurts, flax muffins and more. It tastes like an extremely intense lemon custard.
Once everything is cool, you can remove the cheesecake from the pan and spread the lemon curd over it. The result is a deliciously creamy, rich cheesecake with tangy lemon topping. This is pure heaven for lemon lovers.
Makes 14 good size slices, each one containing:
331 calories 31g fat 8.5 total carbs (7.5 net carbs) 6.6 g protein
STAY TUNED ON MONDAY TO FIND OUT WHO WON THE KODAK PRINTER!!!
This is my husband's favorite low-carb dessert and it's one I came up with on the spur of the moment one evening. I'll be making this for our family Christmas get-together this year.
Amy was nice enough to provide the recipe for this delectable dessert dish for the holiday season. This one looks REALLY good and I can't wait to try it for myself. ENJOY!
AMY'S LOW-CARB FRENCH SILK PIE
2 cups heavy whipping cream 1/2 of 1.4 oz package of sugar free instant Chocolate Pudding 2 teaspoons sugar free vanilla syrup (like DaVinci or Torani) 2 teaspoons sugar free chocolate syrup (like DaVinci or Torani) 1 teaspoon decaf instant coffee granules
In small bowl pour vanilla syrup and add coffee granules. Mix well and let sit while coffee dissolves.
Pour heavy whipping cream into a large bowl. With a mixer add chocolate syrup, coffee and vanilla mixture, and 1/2 package of instant pudding. Mix until smooth.
Pour into low-carb nut crust and refrigerate until well chilled. Garnish with home made sugar-free whipped cream and sugar-free chocolate shavings (preferably made from Chocoperfection, but can use any sugar-free chocolate bar).
NUT CRUST (adapted from Dana Carpender's 500 Low-Carb Recipes)
1 1/2 cups almonds (shaved works better than slivered or whole) 1/4 cup vanilla-flavored whey protein powder 4 tablespoons melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Put the almonds in a food processor with the S blade. Pulse until the nuts are ground to a medium-fine texture. Add the protein powder and butter and pulse to combine (will be crumbly).
Spray pie pan with nonstick cooking spray and press mixture firmly and evenly into pan.(Don't worry about building up the sides, it's just as good without them.)
Place the crust in a preheated oven on the bottom rack for 12 - 15 minutes until lightly brown and slightly pulling away from the sides of the pan. Remove crust from oven and cool while you make the filling.
Serves 8
Total carbs: 10g Fiber: 3g Net carbs: 7g per slice Net carbs without the crust: 4g
DON'T FORGET TO GET YOUR PICTURE ENTERED BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!!! Click here for all the details.
Time's a tickin' away in the KODAK "Picture Perfect Low-Carb Holiday" Contest that ends this Friday, December 14, 2007 at midnight! If you have been meaning to enter your favorite holiday dish photo into this contest, then please don't delay and get that to me TODAY! What's at stake? A FREE (yes, that would be NO CHARGE TO YOU!) KODAK EasyShare 5300 All-In-One Printer! WOO HOO! Who says you don't win cool prizes at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog? :D
A dessert to satisfy the strongest of chocolate cravings without any of the guilt. Great for the whole family--and they won't even realize it is low-carb. Besides being extremely low-carb it is also full of fiber, very rich, great-tasting and above all very chocolaty.
GOOD LUCK in the contest, Mark! He was kind enough to share his special recipe with us for this amazing dessert he has created. It's made with powdered shirataki noodles, aka glucomannan. ENJOY!
VELVETY SMOOTH LOW-CARB CHOCOLATE PUDDING
2-1/2 Tsp Glucomannan Powder (available in health food stores) 1 Tbs Hershey Special Dark Chocolate Powder 2 Cups Water 2 Tbs DaVinci Vanilla Syrup 3 Tbs DaVinci Caramel Syrup 3 Tbs Sierra Mist Free Soda 1/4 Tsp Stevia Extract Powder 10 Splenda Mini Tablets
In a blender add all liquid ingredients and sweeteners. Start blender on lowest setting. Pull center out of blender lid and first add the Glucomannan Powder and then add the Chocolate Powder. Put the center back in the lid and let blend on medium for about 30 seconds. Pour into covered bowl and put in the refrigerator. Best if sits in fridge for at least 5-6 hours.
Serve with a little cream and DaVinci Syrup of your choice on top (Caramel is my favorite, but Raspberry is good too), or serve with homemade sugar-free whipped cream as pictured.
Quality photos print in seconds on this nifty KODAK printer
I'm not usually very impressed by many new gizmos and gadgets because quite frankly most of them don't ever live up to the hype. It's like all those television infomercials you see that declare the next great whatever for only $19.99, but then you get it and find out why it only costs that much. UGH UGH UGH!
But let me tell you about a product that not only lives up to the hype, it actually meets and surpasses every expectation I had for it more than I would have ever imagined--it's the KODAK EasyShare 5300 All-In-One Printer. You gotta get yourself one of these if you are as much of a picture-taking fool as I am!
I couldn't believe how easy it was to be up and running with this thing. All I did was plug it in to the socket, do a few setup instructions to coordinate the printer, and it was ready to rock and roll! Since I have an iPhone and an iMac, printing out pictures was as easy as a push of a button.
You'll notice in that picture at the top of this post that I have a photo of my gorgeous wife Christine right there on my iPhone on the right and then the same picture less than a minute later printed out on the left. Is that not too cool or what? And the quality is as good or better than what you'd get a one of those machines at Wal-mart or a drugstore that usually costs 25 cents a pop for each photo. You'll save a lot of time and money the more you use this printer.
Once you have one of these in your home, you'll never have to drive anywhere or pay another dime to a store just to have pictures made. With the KODAK EasyShare 5300 All-In-One Printer, you won't have to do that ever again because everything you'll need to make great pictures will be at your fingertips! It's one of the most user-friendly printers you could ever have for photos, but there's even more to it than that!
You'll also be pleased to learn that this printer allows you to also scan, copy, and print paper documents as well, so it can play double duty with your computer as your super-duper printer as well. Take photos with your digital camera, cut and crop them in your photo program, and then print them out on your new printer. Then type up a letter, print it out, and then mail it to grandma with those pictures you just printed.
This is a handy machine to have around, especially during the holidays. I'm so pleased with this product that I can't wait to put one in the hands of one of my readers as part of my Kodak "Picture Perfect Low-Carb Holiday" Contest. If you haven't entered yet, then you still have time--but you need to hurry since the contest ends this FRIDAY, December 14, 2007.
I previously shared with you two outstanding entries from readers who submitted eligible photos and I have another delightful one to show you today. Here it is:
Submitted by CANDY B. from Hawaii
Lemon meringue pie should be just that - lemon and meringue! Rich crusts and sugared fillings aren't needed. I skipped the crust and used a sugar substitute. It's not only low-carb - you'll enjoy more lemon taste. Make individual pies to control over-indulging, yet looking specially made for each guest!
Get in on the action like Candy did and have a chance to win your very own KODAK EasyShare 5300 All-In-One Printer just in time for Christmas! Cook up your favorite low-carb holiday recipe and then enter the contest before Friday! GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!
To recap the basics of the contest, here's what you need to do:
1. Take a photograph of the most "picture perfect" healthy low-carb recipe or meal you eat during the holidays.
2. Write a description of 50 words or less of what the photograph is along with why it is healthy.
3. Submit your photo, description, name, and mailing address (no PO Boxes please) to livinlowcarbman@charter.net with "PICTURE PERFECT CONTEST" in the subject line no later than Friday, December 14, 2007 at midnight.
4. All photos submitted will be subject to posting on the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog and family of web sites.
5. Show off how healthy low-carb living can be!
Now isn't that easy? And I've got TWO EXCELLENT EXAMPLES from a couple of my readers who knew exactly what they needed to do to participate in this contest. These two photos will DEFINITELY be considered for the big kahuna prize that will be awarded in two weeks. You still have time to enter, but DON'T DELAY! Get me your pictures TODAY!
Here are the eligible entries so far:
Submitted by GAYLE O. from Oregon
"For many, the Thanksgiving star is a turkey, but I prefer a capon. Capons are male chickens that have been castrated. These hormone-free guys don't waste energy showing off for ladies. Instead, all energy goes to becoming meatier and tastier. They have a higher fat content, and far better flavor than any other holiday bird."
Submitted by SHARI W. from Tennessee
"These little Mini-Quiches are tasty and make the 'Picture Perfect' holiday appetizer. Simple ingredients and a simple recipe make for the most versatile of dishes. Remember simplicity is an added plus during the hectic time of the holidays. Just make your basic quiche mixture and then add your favorite veggies, meats, and extra spices to taste. A bonus with these quiches is not only are they 'low carb' but you get the added colors of Christmas on your table."
See how easy this is? Now all you need to do is send me YOUR favorite holiday recipe photo and a 50-word description of what it is to livinlowcarbman@charter.net NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 14, 2007! Hurry and enter because this contest will be gone before you know it! Wouldn't a KODAK EASYSHARE 5300 All-in-One Printer make a great surprise last-minute Christmas present for that photogenic person in your life? Of course it would! So ENTER TODAY!!!
