Don't you know that your body needs carbs in order to function properly?! Come on, you idiot low-carb supporters, how can you tell people to cut down or even eliminate most of their dietary carbohydrate intake from things like healthy whole grain foods like brown rice and pasta and even fruits and vegetables? What kind of reasonable diet would suggest you remove whole categories of foods like this in order to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle, hmmmm? Well? WELL?!?! How about it Mr. Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man?!
Siiiiiiiiiiggggghhhhh. That, my friends, is just a typical day in the life of what I put up with in my e-mail box most of the time. People have become so incredibly misinformed about diet and health that they are content with merely repeating back the same old diatribes from those so-called health "experts." It really is a pity that more people can't learn to think for themselves by getting all the facts, analyzing them carefully with the intent on learning the truth, and then applying that knowledge to their own personal experience while sharing it with others. That's what I try to do here at my blog and all my other projects.
It certainly gives you more credibility if you constantly remain a student of health whether you are a doctor, dietitian, nurse, or even a low-carb blogger. I may not have a bunch of letters after my name (although I do have an M.A. in Public Policy...does that count?), I have worked hard to NEVER stop soaking in every bit of information that I can about health so I can share what I discover with you. Then, hopefully you can take that knowledge, apply what is relevant to your own life, share it with someone else, and continue to education further. We live in an age of information and ignorance is no longer a viable excuse--especially on the subject of diet and health.
In Episode 45 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube," Christine and I wanted to share with the YouTube viewers about a word that is inextricably linked to low-carb dieting, but you really don't hear about it much outside the realm of low-carb research. The word is gluconeogenesis and I contend every single person who is on a carbohydrate-restricted or even a zero carb diet needs to know about this word. I've blogged about it and even did a podcast show on it, but this is much too important a concept for people to miss. Although gluconeogenesis (GNG) is rather complex from a metabolic standpoint looking at all the biochemistry that's involved. Check out this T-shirt from The Nutrition & Metabolism Society that illustrates all the pathways involved with GNG:
Order one of these "geeky" shirts TODAY by clicking here
Learn more about gluconeogenesis in today's video:
Since I uploaded this video to YouTube, there has been some confusion about what I shared in it about how the protein is converted into glucose. My friend Charles Washington, the zero-carb half-marathon runner who recently wrote a guest blog post said it seemed like I was saying that ALL protein gets converted to glucose. I certainly don't want to mislead anyone in that direction because it's not a one for one ratio of conversion. Dr. Eric Westman from Duke University says the studies he has seen say for every 2g of dietary protein consumed, one gram of it is converted to glucose/sugar/carbs. So it's about a 2-1 ratio of conversion which could cause SOME people problems who are especially carbohydrate sensitive (like me!).
This is what I was referring to when I said eating too much protein could POSSIBLY stall your weight loss if you are especially sensitive to carbohydrate whether through eating them or through gluconeogenesis. In looking at some of the reasons for my own struggle this year to get my weight back down despite doing all the right things, gluconeogenesis has come up as a possible culprit for my difficulty. Perhaps for me I need to be eating LESS protein than I currently am while increasing my fat and keeping my carbs to a minimum. This isn't a universal thing for everyone and could be genetic in nature. I'll be blogging more with an update about my weight and health situation very soon.
You guys are awesome for watching our "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube" videos and we appreciate hearing your comments about them and suggestions for future topics at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Don't miss our previous YouTube videos and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube videos if you like what you see. THANK YOU for all of your support and, as always, let us know how we can help you along in this journey to better health. Keep on livin' la vida low-carb! :D
Everyone is a critic on the Internet and that's what makes the blogging universe so much fun in my opinion. You get an unfiltered, uncensored, and sometimes irreverent response from virtually every angle you can possibly think of. And the opinions that are expressed in this format include some that would never EVER be uttered in "real" life from these people. That is especially true of people who leave anonymous comments.
Over the years I have received plenty of complaints that my blog is too much this, not enough of that, blah blah blah. While I appreciate hearing feedback from a representative segment of the thousands who come here daily, the fact of the matter is I blog about what's on my mind from my perspective. I'm certainly not saying that my opinion is 100% accurate every single time I start typing and anyone who believes they are infallible should watch out for that lightning bolt coming down from the sky!
When I started writing about livin' la vida low-carb, it was with a purpose in mind. Tell others about how the low-carb lifestyle can change their life through weight loss, health improvements, and a commitment to living this way for the rest of their long and healthy life. There are all sorts of web sites and blogs just like this for the low-calorie lifestyle, the low-fat lifestyle, the vegan lifestyle, and so forth. So why not have one for the healthy low-carb way of life, too? :)
Unfortunately, some people mistakenly believe that I'm not allowed to be an advocate for low-carb at my blog. Why? Because a low-carb diet isn't necessarily for everyone--something I READILY admit is true. In fact, I tell people all the time to find the proven plan that works for them that they'll enjoy, follow that plan exactly as prescribed by the author of that plan, and then keep doing it for the rest of their lives. If that's low-carb, low-fat, low-calorie, vegan, vegetarian, meat only, WHATEVER, then DO IT!
Yes, I'm enthusiastic about low-carb living and why shouldn't I be? It has changed my life forever. And despite some minor weight gain issues this year (which I'm getting under control now, by the way, with my weight moving down again!), this way of eating has afforded me some of the best health markers of my entire life. Livin' la vida low-carb is why this is happening and I want the whole world to know what it has done for me. Again, this is what my blog is all about.
However, after blogging about that idiotic "big breakfast" study earlier this week to counter all those silly headlines that made people believe they should eat a high-carb breakfast to lose weight, I got the most peculiar comment in response to what I shared. It was an "anonymous" comment (OF COURSE!) and the person who penned it follows a low-calorie diet. While I appreciate that there are readers who come at the nutrition subject from a different perspective than me, it's a bit disingenuous on their part to expect me to kowtow to their preferred way of eating. Ummmm, this is a LOW-CARB blog, so it shouldn't come as a surprise to learn I'm gonna blog about low-carb living. DUH!
Try asking low-fat diet guru Dr. Dean Ornish to talk positively about the low-carb Atkins diet on his web site. He'd laugh in your face because this dietary philosophy doesn't jive with what he believes is the most nutritionally sound advice for people desiring weight loss and better health. He has a right to his opinions about healthy living and people can choose to embrace or reject what he has to say. The information age we live in affords us the luxury of educating ourselves about what is true and what is not.
That's what makes this comment I received from that nameless low-calorie loving reader so odd. Here's what he wrote:
While I generally agree that some of the articles you post are a bit bogus, I find that you are ever increasingly hostile towards anything non low carbohydrate. I know you are a very strong advocate for the low carbohydrate lifestyle, it has changed your life and you make a living from it. However, not everyone has the will power or the drive to make such a lifestyle change.
A calorie restricted diet is not evil, it won't hunt you down and kill you. A lot of doctors and health professionals choose for their patients to restrict their calories because they can eat the foods they love. If you take a person who has never been on a low carbohydrate diet and suddenly expect them to eat nothing but induction food for two weeks or longer, a high percent of them will fail. Even if they can later add in fruits and nuts and the like, it may be too much of a severe restriction. It may very well be that your health will vastly improve, but it does happen on a restricted calorie diet also.
I respect the work you do, and I respect your opinions, but I do not agree that you should be bashing everyone else in the process. If you had lost your weight on a restricted calorie diet, improved your health, and maintained your weight, would you not promote that and disagree with everyone else?
Jimmy, I have nothing but the utmost respect for you and your lifestyle, honestly. I am not wanting to cause arguments or hard feelings. I just think that a carbohydrate restrictive diet is not a magic cure nor is a calorie restrictive diet. Some will have success on one and not the other, neither is for everyone. I would just like to see a little less hostility towards other peoples choices and beliefs. I respect yours, please respect mine.
My response to this reader's complaint was so lengthy and detailed (because it needed to be), I decided to feature it as a post of its own today so that more people will read it and understand a little more about what I do and why I do it. ENJOY!
THANK YOU for openly expressing your concerns, anonymous. Anyone who has read my blog for any length of time knows I have often hit hard on ridiculous studies like this one because they are simply continuing to push the message that low-carb is unhealthy while propping up a low-fat diet as the preferred way. This is not something new and you can see examples of where I've come down on the low-fat/low-calorie lie many times in the past:
These are but a few examples of how my general writing style has not changed very much as it relates to challenging the low-fat diet wisdom. If anything, I've toned it down somewhat from those earlier columns.
With that said, most people who read my writings know that I am all in favor of people finding the proven plan that works for them to lose weight, following that plan exactly as the author prescribes, and then KEEP doing that plan for the rest of their lives. If that's a low-fat and/or low-calorie diet, then who am I to stand in their way and tell them NOT to do it. There are certainly a dime a dozen support sites out there for those particular ways of eating that people can visit.
But when someone comes to the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog, I want them to be encouraged, educated, and inspired about the healthy low-carb lifestyle. Yes, this way of eating worked remarkably well for me to help shed the pounds and greatly improve my health, so I can't help but share the positive experiences and research about it. It's precisely why I started this blog to begin with.
With all the constant negativity out there about livin' la vida low-carb as exemplified in studies like this one, we need MORE people to get fired up and responding to these kinds of things. There are no checks and balances on these people who espouse low-calorie, low-fat diets. They just write assuming ahead of time that low-carb is bunk. But I know better than that because of what has happened to me and to many moore people.
Trust me, if you need to hear from more low-carb success stories, I'm sure they are all too happy to fill up this comments section with their testimony of change.
I'm curious, though. What articles have I posted that you think are "a bit bogus?" Everything I write about is researched and accurate to the best of my knowledge. If you think I've made something up (ergo, the use of the term "bogus"), then I'm all ears. Don't throw something out there like that without providing examples.
And don't misunderstand my passion for wanting to get the word out about healthy low-carb living and think that means I am "hostile." Enthusiastic, maybe, but there is no hostility in my blood. I care about people enough to tell them the truth about what is healthy.
While you believe someone can only accomplish success on low-carb if they have some miraculous willpower or drive, the reality is it takes neither of those to be successful. All you need is a steadfast resolve to make better choices for the sake of your weight and health. When people start caring enough about themselves to reduce their carbohydrate intake to control blood sugar and insulin, eat some protein at each meal for satiety, and consume plenty of fat to burn as fuel and to keep their diet delicious and healthy, then we will see some pretty major changes happening with obesity and disease.
As it currently stands, the low-fat, low-calorie, portion-controlled diet has been given DECADES to rule the nutritional roost. And what has it gotten us? MORE obesity, MORE diabetes, MORE sickness, and MORE death. We're taking more prescription drugs now than ever before and nobody is disgusted by this.
This isn't me "bashing" anyone, it's just presenting the truth. Isn't it true obesity rates have gotten MUCH worse since the great low-fat, low-calorie diet began being promoted in this country in the early 1970s? And diabetes, especially Type 2, has exploded into a literal crisis of health over that same time period, hasn't it? Who is gonna argue that we are healthier as a nation today than we were 30 years ago? Anyone?!
By the way, I DID lose a whole lot of weight on a low-fat diet in 1999 and I was miserable on it. Hungry all the time, weak with barely any energy, dizzy and nauseous, and downright MISERABLE! Although I lost 170 pounds in nine months eating that way, I gained it all back within four months when I couldn't take it anymore.
With livin' la vida low-carb, that impulse to rebel against how I eat has NEVER even remotely crossed my mind. I am more satisfied now with how I eat than I even was when I was eating whatever I desired. Now I desire those low-carb foods my body was always meant to eat.
There are no hard feelings from me. Life is too short to be upset at anyone, let alone someone who was brave enough to share their thoughts and concerns with me (albeit anonymously). I can appreciate your perspective and am grateful you respect mine. Nobody is saying livin' la vida low-carb is a "magic cure," but it sure is dramatically changing the weight and health of a whole lot more people than we are being told about.
If low-calorie diets are working for you, then GO FOR IT! Keep working your plan and it will keep working for you. Get involved at a low-calorie supporting web site, forum, or blog and get all the inspiration you need for your chosen dietary approach. But this is "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" and I will keep on talking about the healthy low-carb life. It's the purpose I have in my life right now and, God willing, nothing will ever keep me from fulfilling that purpose.
THANK YOU again for sharing your thoughts with me and my readers. I may just have to make a blog post out of this response. :)
And so I did! What are your thoughts about this criticism that I am too "hostile" towards anything that's not low-carb? Agree? Disagree? I appreciate hearing what you have to say. Even from "anonymous." :D
Health.com writer Lia Huber makes same old claims against low-carb
In Episode 86 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore," I bring to your attention an article from a columnist named Lia Huber who wrote "5 Diet Myths Debunked" on Health.com. While attempting to sound all intelligent with her "expert" status as a health guru, Huber instead showed just how truly ignorant she is about this amazingly healthy way of eating. See for yourself! Click on the "Play In Popup" link below or download it to your iPod:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 86 [16:20m]: Play in Popup | Download
It is simply unbelievable in this day and age when so much science is coming out supporting the benefits of carbohydrate restriction not only for weight loss, but also (and I would say ESPECIALLY) health. There's little doubt in my mind that this way of eating is the way we were created to eat for a long, healthy, and vibrant life.
But don't tell that to Lia Huber! She insists that carb consumption is necessary and that livin' la vida low-carb will lead to all these horrific calamities, including heart disease. Funny thing is, she presents ZIP, ZILCH, ZERO evidence to back up that claim while I am armed with long-term studies like this one that blow her anti-low-carb propaganda out of the water!
Want more of this podcast show? Check it out whenever you'd like by:
What is your experience with these issues that Huber brought up in her column? Do you "need" carbs for your energy needs? Or have you experienced chronic "fatigue, constipation and irritability" from being on a low-carb diet? Discuss these issues in the show notes section and confirm or combat her assertions based on your own personal experience.
I receive quite a few requests from all around the world concerning my low-carb weight loss success. Some have been personally inspired to begin their own health and weight loss plan while others are just inspired in general that they too can overcome an obstacle in their life like I did. It's gratifying to know the lives of real people are being changed each and every day.
That's one thing that attracted the attention of a medical student from France named Gyanish Gungaram. On my way back from vacation earlier this week, I received the following e-mail from him requesting permission to use my story.
Here's what he wrote in that e-mail:
Hello Jimmy,
How are you doing? I'm Gyanish, a med student from France. I'm writing an article on role models and how they are helping others by providing inspiration for other wannabe dieters. I was thinking of taking you as an example.
I know you are currently on vacation, but can I have your permission to use your before and after pictures to illustrate my points and pull some quotes about you from your blog please?
I'm currently the blogger of Diet Hack. Thanks a lot.
Yours Sincerely,
Gyanish Gungaram
He seemed nice enough, so I permitted him to write his column. You can read the finished product that Gyanish wrote entitled "Role Modelin': Livin' La Vida Local."
It was interesting to see the specific criteria he used to choose me for his paper on finding a diet role model: he knows what has worked him and demonstrated it, has before and after pictures, has detailed the steps taken to lose weight, and has the ability to inspire others to do the same. I think those aptly describe what I do at my blog, so I was pleased to be chosen for this project.
While I appreciate his enthusiasm and desire to use me as an example of a weight loss role model, it doesn't seem our future doctor friend is very keen on livin' la vida low-carb as a healthy nutritional approach according to the article he wrote.
Here are just a few of the ways Gyanish described the low-carb lifestyle:
- Atkins is "a fad diet" (listed among his 19 diets to "avoid at all costs") - You need carbs for a "constant source of glucose" for energy needs - Eating excess carbs allows for the storage of glycogen - "Without carbs, the body would not have any materials" to live - Don't eat a low-carb diet, but rather try "losing weight the healthy way"
In a way, I don't blame Gyanish because he is simply repeating back what he has been taught about healthy nutrition in medical school. Unfortunately, he's missing out on a lot of the latest research coming out about the controlled-carbohydrate nutritional approach that explains in great detail why this way of eating is perfect for people desiring weight loss and improvements in their health.
But, at least he acknowledges the enormous impact that blogs like mine are having on our culture. And that positive effect on society is expected to continue according to this New York Times column this week that found Google and MSN are being used more and more by average, ordinary people who are looking for REAL answers to their health problems.
While I never intended on being a "role model" in the professional sense of the word since I do not have the education in nutrition and health that others do, I most certainly don't have a problem sharing from my own experiences about how livin' la vida low-carb changed my life forever along with frequently citing the research that backs up those anecdotal claims. It's what I do here faithfully each and every day.
Gyanish said he doesn't think it was the Atkins diet, but rather four other factors that led to my 180-pound weight loss success in 2004. He says the "real weight loss secret" to my success was because I:
Okay, I can buy into those as contributing factors in my success and continued weight management over the past four years. But I still contend getting my diet in order was priority one--all of these other things simply reinforced that decision.
I left a comment for Gyanish at his blog about his column:
THANKS Gyanish for highlighting my story. However, I don't think the Atkins diet should be lumped in with other truly "fad" diets and would challenge you as you continue your medical education to look at the role of carbohydrate as it relates not just to obesity, but also to the growing epidemic of disease like diabetes, hypertriglycerinemia, insulin resistance, and even cancers.
The evidence is mounting and I appreciate your willingness to be open to new ideas which may go against everything you've ever been taught about healthy nutrition.
Take care and THANK YOU again!
Feel free to leave your own comment about how livin' la vida low-carb has helped YOUR weight and health improve better than you ever thought possible! Then, when the future Dr. Gyanish Gungaram comes across someone who would like to use an Atkins low-carb approach to battling their obesity and/or diabetes, perhaps he will remember the example of a former 410-pound man who changed his life forever eating this way and subsequently enthusiastically endorse it for his patient.
Here's hoping we can keep changing the world...one person at a time!
I'm always interested in spreading the positive message of livin' la vida low-carb to the masses any way that I can. It's why I started my blog, wrote my book, created a podcast show, and most recently, began my very own discussion forum. All of these are tools that I use to share my experiences on the low-carb lifestyle.
You'll recall I shared with you in this blog post about a thread at Amazon I started in August 2006 that simply asked, "What Are Your Criticisms Of The Low-Carb Lifestyle?" I had no idea when I opened that door what kind of response I would receive. But it's been mostly positive and educational for all.
So far, there have been over 160 responses and the exchanges have been respectful even when the participants have disagreed. But this week the temperature at my low-carb discussion thread on Amazon was on the rise with a few rather curt comments from those who obviously have little to no respect for those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb.
These people didn't want to be bothered with the facts...their minds are already made up about the Atkins and low-carb diets and nobody will tell them otherwise. You can go to the thread to read all of the responses, but skip to the last couple of pages to see the following ones as well as my responses to them:
Jane Mailander says Personally, I think no-carb is a scam -- the latest version of the "liquid protein" diet that killed a lot of healthy women in the 70s. Oh, but I'm sure they looked thin and pretty in their coffins.
The followers of the Gospel According to St. Atkins don't seem to differentiate between the carbs in brown rice and the carbs in a Twinkie. They turn up their noses at *toast* for breakfast...while they glug down a quart of pure cream along with their bacon-cheese-omelettes and brag about the inches they've lost. (What a perfectly American diet -- eat all the ice cream and lard you want, and lose weight!)
Losing nearly 200 pounds in one year is extremely dangerous -- very bad for your heart. I'm more likely to judge your overall health based on your heartrate, blood pressure, cholesterol & blood-sugar numbers than on the numbers on your bathroom scale. Unless you gained that 180 pounds as fast as you lost it, you may have endangered your health.
A friend of mine died of heart failure after a thyroid surgery made her drop over 100 pounds too fast. The cruel remarks by "friends" about her weight (and her lack of will-power, and her gluttony, and her lack of control) stopped...just about the time she died. Just in time to prove that it had been her glands and not gluttony that had caused her to balloon. Maybe she would have gotten better medical attention, if just one goddamn doctor had looked past her weight to consider that it might have been a SYMPTOM and not the CAUSE of her problems, and prescribed yet another useless diet.
Every. Freakin. Diet. in the world has the same core of sensible stuff -- eat plenty of fresh vegetables, eat whole grains, and go for a walk. Everything else is somebody selling a Whole New Weight-Loss System that's EFFECTIVE and PERMANENT.
Sure worked for St. Atkins. As long as we're talking weight as the sole measure of health -- what was he, 275, when he died?
Very nice, ain't it? Try this one on for size, too:
The Masked Avenger says Low-carbohydrate diets as envisioned by Robert Atkins are suicidal. I think it's a great idea to reduce your intake of simple carbohydrates, and to pay attention to the glycemic index, but to eat all the cholesterol in the traditional low-carb diet is really insane. Now some people handle cholesterol better than others, but really you'd do yourself a great favor by imitating the vegetarian who wrote in earlier. I don't know who your friend Anthony Colpo is, but if he isn't backed up by proper science then you're performing a wild experiment on yourself by listening to him.
Learn about biology, homocysteine and inflammation before you diet yourself to an early grave.
At the very least, make sure you are getting lots of fresh vegetables and supplement your diet. You should also eat lots of flax seeds (grind just before use, put on salads, oatmeal, vegetables and just about anything) to offset the effects of all that meat.
By the way, the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University commented in a speech I attended that he met Atkins backstage at a talk show they were both on. He asked Atkins if he was unaware, as an MD, what he was doing to people. Atkins replied that he knew that the diet was bad for cardiovascular health as well as the well being of other body systems, but that obesity was worse. This flies in the face of comments I've heard Atkins make in order to promote his diet and his products. Are you sure you really want to trust your health to this pseudo-science?
Lets not forget cancer. Even if the effects of huge levels of cholesterol in the diet upon cardiovascular health were debatable, which in my eyes it is not, do yourself a favor and read "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell (the professor to whom I referred above.) Also consider the levels of pesticides in meat and dairy products. If you are unaware of this issue, I urge you to educate yourself about it and also consider making what meat and dairy products you do eat organic.
Good luck with it! A balanced vegan diet will stand you in much better stead than all those heavy lipids!
Not content with what he wrote in that first post, he followed it up with another:
The Masked Avenger says Hi there,
One person's experience doth not a study make. I'm very happy that your lipid profile has improved, but there are other dangers from the kind of diet you are eating. Cancer being the main one, but there are others as well.
Your statement that a vegetarian diet is "quite deficient" betrays your ignorance of modern nutritional science. The only essential nutrient that can't be had without supplementation is B12 , so a smart vegetarian supplements for it.
Pollyhyper is entirely correct in saying that I'm responding to the kind of low carb philosophy entailing eating an entire cow, 5 packages of bacon, and 15 pounds of butter a day, all drowned in an ocean of heavy cream and melted cheese. That's what Atkins pushed, and that's what I believe La Vida LowCarb is saying, am I correct?
I commend low carb diets comprised of low-glycemic carbohydrates and lots of veggies and greens. I won't even argue, on a health basis, against occasional use of meat - but most low carb diet folk go way beyond occasional IMHO.
As for disagreeing with Campbell, well, while this is of course your right as an American, on what authority do you ask me to take you seriously? His study was done properly, and I do believe that he's a very honorable person and thus not lying. You see his credentials. Do you believe that you have better info? Please tell me why, then maybe I'll listen to you on matters of nutrition. As for supporting Atkins against Campbell, it's ridiculous. Campbell is an academic with the resources of Cornell behind him. Atkins was a quack with an MD and a radio show. Any "research" he may have done is discredited by the money motive.
I'll go look at the studies you mention on your site, although I am guessing they are not peer reviewed studies published in proper journals. However, even if they are, it takes a pretty big study, conducted by reputable scientists, to be able to really say anything by itself, especially when there are people hoping to gain financially from it as there are in the diet arena. (Big and reputable like the China study.)
Oh, my. Just went to see your blog. You're pushing a BOOK. No wonder. Self-published, to boot. And no clear link to studies of any kind.
Nevermind, troll. I thought I was having a serious conversation here.
People, beware. This person wants you to buy something, this is why he started this thread to begin with. Every lying sentence is designed to sell books.
I hope that when he gets sick from this ridiculous diet he's eating - if he is indeed still endangering his own health by eating this way - he will come back here and let people know about it. He probably won't, though. I think he just wants to capitalize on the Atkins phenomenon. But like I said, he may not even be eating this way now. I've not heard of anyone who was able to maintain the diet for long because living in a state of ketoacidosis makes you ill and then you feel bad and go off the diet. In fact there's a name for this - Atkins-diet-induced ketoacidosis.
Folks, let's put this to rest: don't listen to me, just go read this report, titled "Atkins Dieter Develops Life-Threatening Complications" at http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/tb/2878 , on the Lancet case report titled "A Life-threatening complication of Atkins diet". You can read the case report yourself at most libraries, or through your library from home using their online databases. If your public library does not have access to the journal Lancet, then your local school should. If that doesn't scare you off of the high-meat-high-fat Atkins death diet, then little else will and it's your funeral.
Oh - just one more thing - add me to the "Don't listen seriously to Jimmy Moore" club, please.
PS - In response to Mr Moore's latest comments, I will only say that there's such a thing as being so open minded that your brains fall out. :-D
Like I said, I responded to each of these statements at the Amazon thread, so go there to read it and respond yourself if you would like. Here are a few more:
Judy C says People, saturated fat clogs your arteries, don't listen to these quacks, our country is overrun with 65-85 yr old people with hardening of the arteries, leading to dementia like this country has never seen, and it's pretty much all because of saturated fats.
This guy, as nice a guy you'd ever want to meet, I'm sure, is using the internet to do his selling.. Don't be led by others; they want to separate you and your money, that's all.. do your homework and pray for common sense, or meditate about what is right for you.
And one more time from our favorite commenter again:
The Masked Avenger says: Rightio, Low-Carb, I've asked Dr. Evans to comment on your blog page. Here is his response:
= = = = = =
Interesting discussion. Clearly, the individual writing the blog has very little metabolism or nutrition background.
There are a number of statements that he makes that are either completely unfounded or untrue. On whopper is that a low carbohydrate diet is appropriate for athletes. We have decades of research that demonstrates that muscle glycogen stores are critical to prevent exhaustion in endurance events and the only way to maintain high muscle glycogen is by eating carbs, particularly if you are exercising regularly.
Ours is not the only study to show that increased carbohydrate intake result in sustained weight loss:
(3) INTERVENTIONS: The intervention included group and individual sessions to promote a decrease in fat intake and increases in vegetable, fruit, and grain consumption and did not include weight loss or caloric restriction goals. The control group received diet-related education materials. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Change in body weight from baseline to follow-up. RESULTS: Women in the intervention group lost weight in the first year (mean of 2.2 kg, P<.001) and maintained lower weight than control women during an average 7.5 years of follow-up (difference, 1.9 kg, P<.001 at 1 year and 0.4 kg, P = .01 at 7.5 years). No tendency toward weight gain was observed in intervention group women overall or when stratified by age, ethnicity, or body mass index. Weight loss was greatest among women in either group who decreased their percentage of energy from fat.
(4) Consumption of the low-fat ad libitum diet was accompanied by significant weight loss (3.63 kg), by a mean decrease in LDL-C (124.3%), and by mean triglyceride levels and TC/HDL-C ratio that were not significantly different from values obtained at baseline. CONCLUSIONS--Our results indicate that a low-fat ad libitum diet promotes weight loss and LDL-C lowering without adverse effects on triglycerides or the TC/HDL-C ratio in middle-aged and elderly men and women with moderate hypercholesterolemia.
A large meta-analysis of ad libitum low-fat diets concluded (1) "A reduction in dietary fat without intentional restriction of energy intake causes weight loss, which is more substantial in heavier subjects." The conclusion of most obesity experts is summarized in the title of this review (2).
1. Astrup A, Grunwald GK, Melanson EL, Saris WH, and Hill JO. The role of low-fat diets in body weight control: a meta-analysis of ad libitum dietary intervention studies. International Journal of Obesity & Related Metabolic Disorders 24: 1545-1552, 2000. 2. Bray GA and Popkin BM. Dietary fat intake does affect obesity! Am J Clin Nutr 68: 1157-1173, 1998. 3. Howard BV, Manson JE, Stefanick ML, Beresford SA, Frank G, Jones B, Rodabough RJ, Snetselaar L, Thomson C, Tinker L, Vitolins M, and Prentice R. Low-fat dietary pattern and weight change over 7 years: the Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial. Jama 295: 39-49, 2006. 4. Schaefer EJ, Lichtenstein AH, Lamon-Fava S, McNamara JR, Schaefer MM, Rasmussen H, and Ordovas JM. Body weight and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol changes after consumption of a low-fat ad libitum diet. JAMA 274: 1450-1455, 1995.
Fortunately, the data do not lie. I our study, none of the subjects were told that they were on a "weight loss" diet and with no attempt at energy restriction they lost weight on a high carbohydrate diet.
The real unfortunate issue is that too many people become advocates for one side or the other (almost like a discussion of religion or politics) without stopping to assess all of the information. High carbohydrate diets do not promote weight gain - for a number of important metabolic reasons. Perhaps most important is that humans do not make lipid from carbohydrate in any appreciable way.
What our work demonstrates is that reduction in fat intake will result in loss of fat.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
William Evans -- Jane and Ed Warmack Chair in Nutritional Longevity Nutrition, Metabolism, and Exercise Laboratory Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences http://centeronaging.uams.edu/faculty/detail.asp?offset=10&ID=62
WOW, this guy had to pull out a nutrition "expert" to convince him low-fat is healthy. I could literally do the same thing with people in support of low-carb, so it's a moot point.
Thankfully, despite the negative tone of many of these comments, I remained nothing but respectful and open-minded towards them. This is something that caught the attention of one of the people who has been following the Amazon thread and left a comment earlier this year.
Here's what he wrote to me in an e-mail:
Hello Jimmy,
We spoke briefly a few months back (maybe 1.5) on the Amazon discussion thread you started about the low carb & Atkins Diet. While admittedly I disagree with your conclusions (although, your "conclusions" are many, if we laid it all out point by point. Sorry to lump them all together for simplicity's sake ;) I based on my own research and formal education.
However, I do give you a lot of credit for at least studying your position,educating yourself, and encouraging feedback on the criticisms of the "low-carb lifestyle" (these are things many people sadly do not do often). Right now, it seems that the discussion thread is heating up and people are throwing a lot of accusations at you. I am not psychic, and I do not know you personally, so I will not judge you and make accusations as others have.
Another poster in a different discussion thread is attacking me similarly and so I wanted to also let you know that I appreciate your courtesy and politeness even though there are disagreements. This is something many people forget about when they discuss something. They are right, the other person is wrong, and they should be burned at the stake for daring to disagree. Very few people have learned yet that screaming doesn't solve things :).
There are tons of studies out there and sadly, none are perfect (food quality, bioindividuality, etc etc etc all need to be mentioned). I think at this point I am rambling and getting away from the original point of this e-mail, but you probably understand what I am getting at ;). Basically, while I disagree with you, I appreciate your courtesy and I think it's sad that those whom are attacking or disagreeing with you do not have the courtesy to respond in a respectful manner as well.
All in all, I'd say my mission and purpose with that Amazon thread has been accomplished. Let's keep people talking about livin' la vida low-carb to help them understand why it works not just for weight loss but also vastly improved health. You know and I know it. Now, let's let THEM know it, too!
Click here to visit the Amazon thread and to voice your knowledge about livin' la vida low-carb, too!
Don't Let Anyone Try To 'Talk You Out Of' Your Low-Carb Lifestyle
One of the most difficult diets you could ever go on has got to be a low-carb diet. It's not because of the diet itself, but rather the reaction you will receive from others when they find out you are livin' la vida low-carb.
And yet the boo birds who oppose the low-carb life will kick and scream like a bratty little 2-year-old trying to discourage you from doing that diet that's right for you. I've never understood the fascination by the anti-low-carb crowd to be so brash and arrogant in their admonishment of those of us who have chosen to eat this way to manage our weight and health.
Maybe they are jealous of our success and are desperate to keep others from finding the answer to their obesity and health ailments. Sounds crazy, but who knows what these people are thinking. Or ARE they even thinking?! Got me?
All I know is livin' la vida low-carb works for me and has been for nearly four years. When I weighed in at 410 pounds in January 2004, I had high hopes that this would be the last diet I would ever go on. I'm not sure I was completely convinced at the time when I started, but losing 100 pounds in the first few months made a believer out of me! And I've never lost my zeal and passion for low-carb living ever since!
I got the best little e-mail the other day from a man who is 65 years old and on the Atkins diet. He lost 64 pounds in eighteen weeks back in 1999 and has been livin' la vida low-carb ever since. This man has a lot of simple, yet practical advice for anyone who is on the low-carb lifestyle for the long haul about how to transition from the "diet" to the "lifestyle."
Here's what he wrote in the e-mail:
Dear Jimmy,
I have learned many things about dieting. I read almost every diet book and tried most of them. I learned exactly what I wasn’t willing to tolerate the rest of my life!
The biggest secret for long term success is becoming an expert on the subject. The more you know about your diet, the more likely you are to succeed.
Learn to be a great cook, not just a good one. Learn so much about this lifestyle that no one will ever be able to talk you out of it. This is the best advice I can pass on to anyone serious about maintaining their health and appearance.
When I go to a restaurant I tell them exactly how my meals should be prepared! I do nearly all my own food preparation and have become a great cook!
When my wife can tell our friends that I like a “little fish with my butter” there can be no doubt that this is the “greatest diet” in the world! NEVER GIVE UP! YOU’RE WORTH IT!
WOW, that's totally awesome! I'd love to see this guy start his own blog and share his little nuggets of wisdom and truth about livin' la vida low-carb on a regular basis. Straightforward advice written in a no-nonsense, been-there-done-that style that makes you wanna listen to everything he has to say. Reminds me of somebody else I know. :D
Dana suggested we seek you out. Wow! I just couldn't believe my luck! You have the greatest site ever! I have listened to every one of your podcasts. They are wonderful! FAR TOO SHORT! They could never be long enough!
Do you think he's a little excited? LOL! Hey, I'm just happy to be able to share from my own low-carb experiences and I can tell from the reaction I received from this very kind man that he has been hoping to find others who believe just as he does. This incredible lifestyle change is the greatest thing that ever happened to him in his life just as it was for me. Neither of us will EVER be the same again.
Nobody will ever replace the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins, but this man thinks I will someday.
I have no doubt that you are going to do for low-carb what even "the great one" (Dr. Robert C. Atkins) was unable to fully accomplish. You will be having unbelievable success in the very near future with the "low carb movement." Of this I have no doubt! Keep up the great work and will be following your "GREAT WORDS OF WISDOM' from now on.
THANK YOU very much for those extremely generous remarks and I only hope to live up to the expectations that I have for myself in all that I do. In some ways, I have experienced much of the same level of backlash from the low-fat vegetarian groups that Dr. Atkins did when he was trumpeting low-carb when low-carb wasn't cool. But it is my duty to share the truth and let others decide what's right for them.
They attack me and others in the low-carb community because they know we have found a nutritional approach that is scientifically sound and backed by the evidence--and it's tearing them apart on the inside knowing we have the truth on our side! Someday soon we will see a major paradigm shift happen when the high-carb, low-fat diet gig will finally be up. No more low-fat letdown--it will be time for livin' la vida low-carb to shine instead!
Insulted Dietitian Claims 'Carbs Are The Body's Preferred Source Of Fuel'
A common topic of feedback that I receive from from time to time centers around my qualifications to blog about the subject of diet, health, and nutrition. I've answered this charge directly by basically asserting very clearly that I am simply a layman using my First Amendment right to free speech to share the personal lessons I have learned from losing half my weight and restoring my health.
Apparently, that explanation wasn't good enough for Registered Dietitian Adam Goff.
Flexing his educational muscles at me and my blog, this gentleman went on to berate and ridicule the work I am doing claiming my assertions about the dangers of excessive carbs is wrong and deceptive.
Oh brother! Why would I ever expect a duh-duh-dietitian to understand livin' la vida low-carb? It goes against EVERYTHING they've been taught, so they'd have to admit they were wrong if low-carb living was embraced as a viable method for weight loss and improving health.
The evidence is growing stronger and stronger about low-carb diets in the research community, but dietitians like this Goff fella don't want to have any part of it. He's not the first one who has challenged me (see a list of them in this blog post) and he won't be the last.
But I'll just keep doing my part to spread the positive message of the low-carb lifestyle.
Incidentally, here's what Goff wrote to me in his e-mail:
I wish I had never clicked through to your blog and here's why. While I am glad to hear that you made a conscious decision to change your eating habits in an effort to lose weight, I am insulted by the tone you take on your blog.
I am one of those "well meaning health 'experts'," and I did not spend four years and $60,000 dollars on a degree in dietetics just to be put down and contradicted by some previously overweight gentleman who read a book.
Contrary to your OPINIONS, complex carbohydrates are essential to a healthy diet. Completely removing anything from one's diet is a bad move no matter which way you cut it. I am all for eliminating simple carbs from one's diet, but despite what you preach, complex carbs are the body's preferred source of fuel. Period.
Do you honestly think that we in the field of nutrition just make this stuff up? You may have lost the weight you so desired but I would love to see how your body will hold up 30 years from now continuing on the road you're on. The fundamental key to weight loss is not the elimination of any food group but is the overall restriction of calories and an adherence to a proper exercise program.
I can only hope that people seek alternative sources for information than relying solely on your blog.
Adam Goff, R.D.
THANK YOU for sharing your feedback, Mr. Goff. But I do have a few corrections and responses to make to your charges against me.
While I am happy you found my blog, you need not be "insulted" by anything I have written. My job is to provide information presented in an engaging and entertaining way to help others make decisions about their own health. Sadly, we don't have enough of that happening with the same old tired high-carb, low-fat diet message that has been proven to be a BIG FAT LIE!
What we need is more "experts" like yourself to begin acknowledging the changes in the science rather than resting on what you have always thought to be true about diet and health. A little self-research would go a long way for anyone educated in nutrition and medicine.
While I may not have the educational background in nutrition that you do, Mr. Goff, I am a tenacious researcher absorbing information like a sponge and then making it palatable to the common man. That's what I've been doing for over two years and I'll keep on doing for as long as I have this platform.
Incidentally, I've met some truly remarkable people in the world of diet and weight loss too numerous to name them all. But Dr. Jonny Bowden is one who certainly comes to mind right away as one who understands there is more to nutrition and health than a monopolistic approach as is advocated by too many so-called health "experts."
Although you spent tens of thousands of dollars on your dietetics degree, that does not give you more of a right to speak on the subject of diet than me. Similarly, I wouldn't disqualify what you have to say about government policy just because you didn't earn a Master's degree in Public Policy like I did (costing men $50,000 to earn, too, by the way).
You may not have enjoyed being "put down" as you claim I did to you, but you did the same thing with the snide "some previously overweight gentleman who read a book." That's the same thing Dr. David Katz attempted to do to discredit and silence me, too. Didn't work!
Believe what you want about carbs, Mr. Goff, but the body recognizes them as sugar. This is a nutritional truth that I wish more dietitians would communicate clearly to the general public. The idea that the body "needs" carbs is just plain wrong. You don't NEED carbohydrate in your diet at all to survive thanks to gluconeogenesis. That's how our ancestors lived and it's how we can live today.
What am I "completely removing" from my diet, Mr. Goff? This is a popular tactic implored by people like yourself and your willing accomplices in the press to communicate the erroneous message that livin' la vida low-carb gets rid of ALL carbs. While some low-carbers eat that way, most low-carb diets include between 20-100g carbs daily. That's significantly lower than the average American, but still doesn't eliminate them entirely as you claim.
Fat becomes your "fuel" on a low-carb diet--both fat you consume as well as that stored fat I want to burn, baby, burn! For carbohydrate addicts, this way of eating is the answer to their obesity and getting their health in order. Again, I wish people like you would even consider for a moment the good a low-carb diet can do.
I don't think you "just make this stuff up," but you have been taught an agenda-driven bill of goods that frankly does not pass the muster of modern science. Where else are people going to learn the truth about low-carb living if they don't read it on blogs like mine, Regina Wilshire's "Weight Of The Evidence", Dr. Mike Eades and elsewhere? The answer is NOWHERE!
Low-carb has stood the test of time for MILLIONS of years and will continue to do so. I know one thing for sure--I'll be MUCH better off 30 years from now when I'm STILL livin' la vida low-carb than I would have been had I remained at 410 pounds! Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Goff?
I've never claimed my blog to be the ONLY place for people to get their information about diet and health. In fact, oftentimes I will provide links to other places on the Internet for people to do their own research for themselves. Knowledge is power and I am merely the spark that gets the fire started for some.
Mr. Goff, you might want to read my responses to this nutritionist as well as this other health "expert" to learn more about why I believe what I do about livin' la vida low-carb. I wouldn't think of EVER eating any other way! This is the best diet I have ever found because it changed my life forever for the better!
This is the first and only interview I have ever seen Kimmer do and I was appreciative she agreed to let me share her answers to these burning questions from friend and foe alike. If you're curious at all about the real Kimmer and this diet she calls Kimkins, then you won't want to miss this interview.
Click on the PLAY button below to LISTEN NOW:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 70 [19:33m]: Play in Popup | Download
In Part 1, Kimmer discussed her philosophy on calories, which has been the subject of some controversy among low-carbers, and talks about her days as a member of the Low-Carb Friends Forum in 2001-2002. She admitted to me how difficult it was to endure the criticism of some members who didn't like her approach to low-carb living and the aftermath of getting booted from that site. She was honest in sharing how upset that made her which precipitated the formation of her own web site in 2006.
What do you think so far? Kimmer seems to be a very intelligent woman who has an obvious heart for helping people who desire weight loss. Do you believe her more or less now that you've heard her voice for the first time? Tell us what you thought about Kimmer and her explanations about the Kimkins diet so far.
We're just getting started with this interview, though, so be sure to listen to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" again on Monday for Episode 71 and Part 2 of my exclusive interview with Kimmer from the Kimkins diet!
Dana Carpender Has A Message For The Kimkins Opposition: 'Just. Calm. Down.'
The post that appeared here has been removed for not promoting the low-carb community in the professional manner I have come to expect from myself. THANK YOU!
The post that appeared here has been removed for not promoting the low-carb community in the professional manner I have come to expect from myself. THANK YOU!
They've been quiet a while, but now another one had to go and spout off at the mouth again. It's almost as if the members of the media, especially the ones who write about food and health, can't help themselves but go off on a tangent about livin' la vida low-carb.
That's exactly what we see in this Times & Democrat column by journalist Teresa Hatchell in her slam piece on low-carb entitled "Well-balanced diet makes common sense."
Hoo boy, here we go with the whole "balanced diet" thing again. Don't these ritards realize that livin' la vida low-carb IS common sense and gives us all the balance we need to live a long and healthy life? Apparently not.
Because her column isn't very long I'd like to respond to each of Hatchell's highly misguided and blatant ignorance about the low-carb lifestyle. Got a pen and paper to take notes, Ms. Hatchell? Class is now in session.
For the past few years, people throughout America have been touting the benefits of low-carb diets as if consuming as few carbohydrates as possible is the magic answer to controlling their weight.
It's not just people in America, Ms. Hatchell, but AROUND THE WORLD to the tune of tens of millions of happily devoted followers. In fact, livin' la vida low-carb is even MORE POPULAR than American Idol and will STAY popular for many years to come because people are losing weight, getting healthy, and keeping the weight off for good! It IS our "magic" miracle that we've been searching for our entire lives!
I have watched many relatives and friends “suffer” through week after week of low-carb dieting.
Hmmm, your relatives are having to "suffer" on low-carb, eh? Why is that? They don't like the delicious benefits of eating high-quality cuts of meats and cheeses while enjoying other protein-packed foods like eggs, nuts, seeds, butter, cream, sugar-free chocolate, coconut oil, spinach leaves, green beans, cauliflower, blueberries, melon...need I go on? I've never been so excited about eating this healthy before starting low-carb, so there must be SOMETHING keep people like me on it. Oh, by the way, you can't eat ANY of these foods on the failed high-carb, low-fat diet! :P
And, sure enough, they lose a good bit of weight initially.
You bet your sweet bippy you lose LOTS of weight on low-carb right away! I lost 30 pounds in my first month on Atkins and 40 more pounds in the second month back in 2004! This year when I started on the Kimkins diet, I've lost 34 pounds in the first 36 days. Yep, the weight does come pouring off of you on this way of eating, that's for sure!
Eventually, they quit losing weight and have to “shock” their metabolisms by eating carbs for a few weeks, only to resume the monotonous diet again.
Huh?! What in the world are you talking about, Ms. Hatchell? Regardless of the diet you choose, there will be a point where your weight will stall. But this is no reason to give up and quit. I went 10 weeks in a row in 2004 without a single pound of weight loss, but I put my head down and kept chugging along. The weight loss I had up until that point proved this plan worked and my body was just going through an adjustment. Perhaps your "relatives and friends" should have simply stuck with it rather than giving up so easily and they would have been just as successful as I was!
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in our diets, with fats second.
WRONG-O! Your body absolutely NEEDS fat and protein, but it most definitely does NOT need carbohydrates thanks to a beautiful metabolic mechanism known as gluconeogenesis where the body can produce its own carbs to fuel the body. Ketone bodies are what are original ancestors survived on and these were produced naturally by their very low-carb, high-protein diets. If carbs are the "main source of energy," then how in the world did they survive, hmmm? Try telling that to Dr. Jay Wortman who has studied the diet of aboriginal groups in Canada.
So, if you want to lose weight, reducing their intake is a good way to do it.
Not just "good," Ms. Hatchell, but EXTREMELY effective. In fact, this study from Stanford found it to be the BEST of all the diets for weight loss. With success like that, why would you choose any other option?
However, cutting them out as much as possible is neither sensible nor practical, as you will also be cutting out important nutrients.
This has always been a laughable point. What "important nutrients" am I missing from my diet, Ms. Hatchell? Can you name ONE? This is one of those straw man arguments that these anti-low-carb minions keep chugging out there and it doesn't stick. As I've stated before, I've never eaten so healthy in all of my life than what I have these past 3 1/2 years on low-carb. It is the MOST sensible and practical way I have even eaten in my entire life and I'll never go back to a high-carb diet again!
Nutritionists stress that it is unwise to embark on a drastic reduction of carbohydrates all at once.
Well, that's not surprising since most nutritionists have been spoon-fed that a high-carb, low-fat diet is healthy. I've had my run-ins and differences of opinion with these well-meaning folks many times at my blog, including here, here, here, here, and here, just to name a few. In a way, I don't blame them for thinking low-carb is bad. But I wish they would do their own research and find out how awesome this healthy lifestyle change really is. My life proves it every single day!
If you introduce the new eating pattern gradually, you will not encounter the mood swings or hunger pangs that accompany drastic diets.
I disagree. If you are gonna start livin' la vida low-carb (and it's HIGHLY recommended, especially for people who are insulin resistant and/or have a LOT of weight to lose), then eliminating sugar, white flour, starchy carbs, and refined carbs from your diet IMMEDIATELY is priority one. No gradual decrease because you need to make the transition from your poor habits to better ones. Once you get off of your addiction to sugar/carbs, you'll feel so much better than you ever have before! BELIEVE IT!
Besides, such diets usually result in frustration and failure.
Not if you are committed to them from the beginning and realize those first few days are the toughest. Get on plan, push through the temporary pain in week one, and you will notice something incredible happen to you--a sudden boost of energy, stabilized blood sugars, mental clarity--and, oh yeah, LOTS OF WEIGHT LOSS, baby! :) It's impossible to get frustrated and fail when you have all that happening for you. But if you quit before that can happen, then it's your own fault.
Maintaining a balanced diet, with a slight reduction of carbs and fats, and cutting out fat- and carb-laden snack foods is a much more common-sense approach to losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight.
If losing weight and keeping it off only took "common sense," then there'd be a whole lot less fat people walking around this planet nowadays. Unfortunately, there is such subjectivity when it comes to a "healthy diet" that people have become unnecessarily confused about what they should be eating. Do what works for you, I always say, but that may mean SUBSTANTIALLY lowering your carbs while someone else may need to reduce their fat intake. To pretend a "one-size-fits-all" dietary recommendation for everyone is even remotely common sense is quite presumptuous and I dare say a dangerous message, Ms. Hatchell. Give people solid information and letting them decide what's best for them is the real solution to obesity.
Want more proof Hatchell is completely off base with her diet advice? Check out the two recipes she posted at the end of her column which she claims are "both low in fat and low in carbohydrates." Um, I hate to break it to you, Ms. Hatchell, but honey is SUGAR and white rice is STARCHY CARBS. Nice try, but I call your bluff!
You can share what you think about Teresa Hatchell and her opinions of livin' la vida low-carb by e-mailing her directly at tgmhatchell@yahoo.com. Be sure to tell her all about your incredible success both with your weight and health over the long-term by eating this way. People like her need to know there are LOTS of us who have been more successful than she even realizes. Let's give her a taste of livin' la vida low-carb, shall we? :D
7-13-07 UPDATE: Now here's a special response to this column that I think you'll enjoy:
The current copy of Consumers Report also disses low carb diets. They point out that the diets were not tested (Isn't that the whole point of Consumers Report? To actually test things?), but rated by a panel of nutritionists as to how it compares to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
As long as diet plans continue to be ranked based on the U.S. Guidelines, we will get bad advice and will likely continue to get fatter and sicker. Just look at the food pyramid; it has sugar at the top and sugar at the bottom. Sweets are placed at the point, which means eat just a little, BUT all that bread and pasta at the bottom is also sugar.
The only part of your body that can tell the difference between sugar and starch is your mouth. Starches are just chains of glucose molecules and glucose is sugar. Starches don’t trigger the sweet receptors on the tongue, but they are still sugars. Sugars provoke the release of insulin, the fat-storage hormone. Excess insulin leads to obesity, diabetes, and all the other health problems that have gotten worse in the last 30 years since our government first told us to cut out fat and it was replaced with sugar.
I recently returned from a trip to Europe and it was sad to see how easy it was to pick out the Americans at the airports. And those were just the ones who would fit on the planes! Perhaps that is part of the reason that so many people in other countries have such low opinions of us. They think we are lazy gluttons, when in reality we are the ones starving ourselves and working out till we drop.
Losing weight is not hard. Trans fats, toxins, pollutants, or other factors may have contributed to our epidemic of obesity and diabetes, but whatever the cause, insulin resistance is the result, and when you reduce your need for insulin by cutting down on carbohydrates, the problem is solved.
Many people reject low-carb diets based on hearsay. If you actually read a book, like Protein Power or Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, you will discover that the system is based on sound science and its nutrition is the best match for human metabolism. Try it yourself and you will be convinced. Have a checkup with medical tests done before you start and again after six months on the diet.
All your risk factors for disease go down, your blood lipid profile improves, your blood pressure normalizes, and, contrary to popular opinion, you will find that you are eating two or three times as many vegetables and fruits as the average American.
The last argument we always hear is that nobody likes a low-carb diet and it’s too hard to stick to. Not so. My husband and I have been doing it for almost eight years now and although we had to make some changes, I honestly think we eat better now than we did before.
PS: How can you say that your recipe with 2 cups of rice, 1/2 cup of honey, and mangoes is low carb? Have you actually calculated the nutrition counts using those foods?
One of the things I enjoy doing at my blog is helping educate misinformed newspaper columnists as it relates to livin' la vida low-carb. You know, I'm sure these people are well-meaning in their own sick, perverted way thrashing the Atkins diet, but I for one will not allow the ignorance to go unchallenged. It's the least I can do as a public service to society. :)
Ah, these people never cease to amaze me with all the ways they try to bring down this healthy lifestyle change that millions of us have made our one and only way to eat for the rest of our lives. And yet they STILL do as I noticed in this East Hampton Star column from a woman named Laura Donnelly. She wrote about the subject of diet in her column this week and had to get in her digs on the Atkins low-carb diet.
Let's take a look at what she wrote, shall we? Lamenting about the "conflicting information" about diet and health that exists in our society, Donnelly said she prefers to implore "basic, common-sense guidelines" in her recommendations for a healthy way to eat and live. First on her list is "eat in moderation."
HA! What a freakin' joke, Ms. Donnelly! This whole "eat in moderation" mumbo jumbo is silly because it is so subjective that it means nothing to the average person. It kinda like telling people to eat a "healthy diet"--but even that isn't so clear to most people as you admitted at the beginning of your column.
But then Ms. Donnelly turns her attention to our cherished and beloved Atkins diet and didn't hold back her angst and fury over this healthy alternative to the low-fat diets. Here's what she wrote:
"Look at the success of the ghastly Atkins diet: How any intelligent human being could think that a diet recommending crumbled fried pork rinds as a substitute for bread crumbs is logical is beyond me, but this diet did appeal to lots of menfolk. And everyone I know who tried this diet has gained the weight back. Again, let me preach: Everything in moderation."
I decided this was just a wee bit over the top for my blood, so I wrote a letter to the editor to the East Hampton Star responding to that one paragraph alone in Ms. Donnelly's article. This was my response exactly as I submitted it to them:
Dear Editor,
I was disappointed by your columnist Laura Donnelly in her recent column entitled "The East Hampton Diet" where she describes the Atkins low-carb diet as "ghastly" and shares her utter ignorance of what this way of eating is all about in her rant about "everything in moderation."
The most absurd statement she made was the following: "And everyone I know who tried this diet has gained the weight back." Well, guess what, Ms. Donnelly? Now you DO know someone who has lost weight on the Atkins diet and then KEPT it off over the long-term. That would be me.
In 2004, I lost 180 pounds after reading "Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution" and today I am, as I like to describe it in my book, blog, and podcast show, Livin' La Vida Low-Carb!
This truly is the most remarkable nutritional approach I've ever seen in my entire life because it transformed me from an extremely unhealthy morbidly obese 410-pound man on a one-way ticket to an early grave into a physically fit 220-something man with more energy, vitality, and love of life than he ever thought possible!
People who have never read any of the books about low-carb (as is clearly the case with Ms. Donnelly and her obvious ignorance of what low-carb is all about) have not walked a mile in my shoes to know what it is like to live life as a fat person in America. If the Atkins low-carb diet is helping people like me get their life and health back, then why discourage others from trying it, too?
My philosophy is for people to find what works for them, follow that plan exactly as presribed by the author of the plan, and then keep doing it for the rest of your life. Whether that's low-fat, low-carb, or yes, even low-carb, let people decide what's best for them and stop your scaremongering already. That's a lesson that would serve you well, Ms. Donnelly.
Sincerely,
Jimmy Moore
I have no idea if they will publish my letter or not, but I encourage you to submit a letter about your low-carb success as well to inform Laura Donnelly that people really do lose weight and keep it off on a low-carb diet. Send your letters to letters@easthamptonstar.com.
She goes on to push exercise so you can "earn your strawberry shortcake" as a reward. UGH! Will these people EVER learn? I guess we'll have to keep setting them straight when they get it wrong. And they WILL keep getting it wrong as long as they continue to NOT educate themselves about the low-carb lifestyle. Don't worry, though, I'll keep an eye on them. :D
In Episode 53 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore," I have an exciting giveaway contest to share with you that you'll want to take advantage of as well as a stern chastisement of a smug low-fat diet zealot who claims all of human existence has been predicated on carbohydrate consumption. This is can't miss podcasting at its best! Listen NOW:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 53 [21:45m]: Play in Popup | Download
Are you ready to enter my contest for a chance to win 24 FREE GOLOWER CHOCOLATE CREME BARS in the flavor of your choice? If so, then simply be one of the first ten listeners to leave a comment about this episode AND send an e-mail to me with your name, address, city, state, and zip code (No P.O. Boxes please!). GOOD LUCK!!!
What about this whacked out, PETA-loving low-fattie who e-mailed me about how a high-carb, low-fat diet is the "staff of life" for all civilization? HA! What a crock and I was all too happy to expose this guy for the fraud he is. While he attempted to portray himself as an innocent and none-the-wiser average Joe, but instead he's another member of the ever-dwindling army of low-fatties who know their days are numbered.
Get more of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show" by:
What is your reaction to what this linguini-spined low-fat lover had to share? Does he have any credibility with his historical journey of our "low-fat diet" past? What do you think? Leave your comments about Episode 53 to give your personal message to this misguided and severely undereducated man. Is it any wonder I never heard back from him about his long-term progress eating that low-fat diet of his? I think not.
You'll definitely want to listen to the podcast on Thursday for another interview from the obesity conference I attended in early May sponsored by the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP). The feedback from these has been phenomenal so far and I'm thrilled to be able to share these incredible physicians dedicated to helping people overcome their obesity and related diseases. See ya then!
Episode 49 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" takes a look at an article that was supposed to be honoring the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins for his contribution to the diet debate, but it instead delves deep into the typical low-fat propaganda. Check it out and hear my commentary about this nonsense by listening to today's podcast:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 49 [15:00m]: Play in Popup | Download
We know and love the lessons that Dr. Atkins taught about carbohydrate restriction as a means for losing weight, controlling diabetes, and getting healthy. But there are still millions more who STILL misunderstand what the Atkins diet is really all about. Columns like this one that appeared in the Los Angeles Times further distort the truth about low-carb living.
In Episode 49, low-fat diet guru Dr. Dean Ornish and some other so-called health "experts" pay homage to Dr. Atkins, but they aren't necessarily giving him kudos for his contributions to health. Of course, you know I'm gonna call them on their bluff and set the record straight! :)
You want more of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show?" Get it by:
Why do all these columns that are meant to be positive towards Dr. Atkins have to be tainted with such vile hatred and antagonism towards this remarkable man? Can't we just give credit where credit is due for once? Share your comments about what you think the legacy of this amazing man was on our society.
Stay tuned starting this Thursday for a series of interviews from the American Society Of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP) conference in Nashville, Tennessee. We'll start with ASBP President Dr. Mary C. Vernon on Thursday and then feature the rest of the interviews I did this past weekend with an eclectic group of bariatric physicians. It'll be a regular feature on Thursdays until they all have aired. ENJOY!
One of the neatest aspects of blogging about low-carb are all the people who discover the truth about this way of eating day after day after day. That's why I always keep the lines of communication open for anyone who desires to learn more about livin' la vida low-carb...even if I've answered those SAME questions many times before. I'm working on a frequently asked questions (FAQ) link along with a full upgrade to the look of my blog to help with this, but it's not ready yet. Soon. :)
Of all the places I write online includes the discussion area at Amazon.com. I love this relatively new feature on Amazon because it exposes people to a variety of voices they may not have otherwise known about. In August 2006, I posted a question that simply asked "What Are Your Criticisms Of The Low-Carb Lifestyle?"
Responses from all kinds of people have poured in over the past eight months, but there was one from a person named Smartypants that was full of some excellent questions and intriguing statements about low-carb living. Let's take a look at what this person's "criticisms" of the low-carb lifestyle are:
OK Jimmy, here are my criticisms. My experience with low carb has been good and bad, I never lost any weight, but the high protein and fat kept me from getting very hungry.
I low-carbed for two solid years with no slip-ups and never lost a pound. Then I was put on a medication for diabetes that made me very nauseated and I started eating carbs to settle my stomach (which worked better than, say, chicken or fish). I lost weight, finally.
This weight loss I am assuming came from the nausea and not eating very many calories, which just blows the low carb concept all to heck. I felt better on low carb, I will admit, but if I don't lose weight, the diabetes doesn't get any better. So, it seems to me, that it's still the calories that count.
Now I've been told my cholesterol is too high (I believe you, it's of questionable significance) and my HCP has told me to cut out the fats for weight loss and lipid control. How do I work this into a low carb diet? If I have to count calories and cut out the fat, that pretty much takes me back to the SAD.
I'd love to get your take on this.
Don't you know I had a thing or two to say. Here's my response:
THANKS so much for sharing your story. You're certainly the first person I've ever seen to have all the problems you described about livin' la vida low-carb. But let me attempt to address your concerns.
Dr. Atkins was very adamant about one thing throughout his book and I echo that sentiment regarding low-carb diets--they don't work for everyone. GASP! Yep, it's true. They don't. But that doesn't mean you should give up tee-totally without trying a few options first.
If you read Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution or any other low-carb plan, then you know what it takes to get your body into ketosis (fat-burning mode). Most people who lower their carbs to 20g or less for two weeks will experience deep ketosis and, thus, weight loss.
But for a minority of the population (and you would probably be in this group), weight loss just doesn't happen. It could be you are eating some hidden carbs and don't even know it. Or perhaps your carbohydrate tolerance is VERY low. Either way, it's not good when you are trying to lose weight.
That's why Dr. Atkins went into detail in his book about the Fat Fast. This is designed for people who are livin' la vida low-carb (and doing it BY THE BOOK!) and simultaneously NOT losing weight. If you had already demonstrated an ability to lose weight eating this way, then I would tell you to avoid the Fat Fast. But it's worth a shot to kickstart you into weight loss. Read all about it in Dr. Atkins' book.
You mentioned you have diabetes which low-carb has been shown in all of the latest research to improve. If you feed your body sugar or elevated amounts of even non-sugar carbs (which turn to sugar when you eat them), then you are simply going to raise your blood sugar and your A1c number. NOT good!
Noted Type 1 diabetic Dr. Richard Bernstein has been successfully living with his diabetes for over four decades without the use of insulin or the heavy doses of meds the "experts" say you MUST take to survive. As my wife Christine would say, "That's bull-funky!"
Eating carbs when you are a diabetic simply invites your body to get sicker and sicker which forces you to take more and more drugs and possibly insulin shots to manage all that carb-age you are feeding it. The fact is your body doesn't actually need ANY carbs at all and can make its own carbs from the protein you consume through a process known as gluconeogenesis. It's an amazing thing!
My main theme when I speak to people about diet and weight loss is to find what works for you, study and absorb thoroughly the plan that you want to follow, do that plan exactly as prescribed by the author, and then keep doing that plan for the rest of your life. That's what I'm doing with livin' la vida low-carb and others are doing on their respective programs. There is no one-size-fits-all diet.
If you want to be in bondage to counting calories and fat grams, then knock yourself out. But I have been low-carbing for 3 1/2 years and have never counted the first calorie or fat gram I'm taking into my body. All I have counted is the net carbs (total carbohydrates minus dietary fiber and sugar alcohols). It has been the easiest weight loss plan I've ever done and it doesn't even feel like a diet. Never has.
My life has been transformed now because I don't eat sugar, I don't overload my body with totally unnecessary carb-loaded foods like potatoes, rice, regular pasta, doughnuts, fast food, and the like. If people would just cut out the junk, then many of them would not be dealing with obesity today. It's all about making choices that are good for you. It's hard, I know, but it can be done.
The fact that you felt better on the low-carb lifestyle encourages me that it very well could have been working for you when you were on it, although the weight loss was not happening. There are health benefits to livin' la vida low-carb (especially for your diabetes, as I previously mentioned) that go beyond what the scale says. But I understand how discouraging it must be to have your weight be at a stalemate.
On the issue of cholesterol, again the latest research shows that the LDL and total cholesterol is not nearly as important as the HDL "good" cholesterol being high (mine is 71) and your triglycerides are below 100 (mine are 57) as it relates to the risk for cardiovascular problems. Yes, my total cholesterol is over 200 (GASP!), but I'm not a bit worried about it as long as HDL and triglycerides stay where they are. :)
I can certainly see your dilemma and urge you to look into the multiplicity of low-carb plans that are out there. Some of them like Kimkins are low-carb as well as low-fat and low-calorie and have made the difference in a LOT of people's lives. My plan happens to be the Atkins diet which is a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb diet (my fat/protein/carbohydrate ratio is close to 60/30/10).
Best wishes to you as you try to figure out what is best for you. The biggest encouragement I can give you as a former 400+ pound man is just NEVER GIVE UP! If you stay in the game and keep working at this, then you can't help but be successful when all is said and done. Discouragement is the greatest enemy to weight loss there is which is why I attempt to provide DAILY encouragement, education, and inspiration at my LivinLaVidaLowCarb.com blog.
Come by and visit when you get a chance and start livin' la vida low-carb the RIGHT way. :)
THANKS again for your thought-provoking comments and questions. SEE YA!
I'll keep an eye on the Amazon page for more comments from others about what they don't like about livin' la vida low-carb. That's how we're going to keep influencing our culture and changing our world. Feel free to add your comments at Amazon or share them in the comments section below.
4-21-07 UPDATE: I'm certainly not infallible as evidenced by this e-mail from one of my readers:
One correction I must make to your blog, Jimmy. This is in regards to Dr. Bernstein. You mentioned that even though he is a Type 1 Diabetic he doesn't take any insulin. Ahhh, if Dr. Bernstein didn't take insulin, he'd be dead in a couple of days! He takes probably the lowest dosage of insulin I've ever heard of for a Type 1 Diabetic but he does take insulin - and I could be wrong but I believe he takes insulin a couple of times per day. I just think it's important that anyone that is a Type 1 Diabetic and reading your blog could get the wrong idea. Yikes! Type 1 diabetics do not produce ANY insulin and they MUST take insulin to survive.
Oops! Sorry about that. You are absolutely right. The key point is he doesn't take as much and does not need diabetes medications to control his disease. THANK YOU to my reader for correcting my misinformation.
