'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 110: Make Your Weight Loss Permanent This Time

Weight loss is hard. DUH! With so many people going through the rigors of shedding the pounds only to have the weight come pouring back on with a vengeance in very short order, this is no way to live. We punish ourselves time and time again when we keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. INSANITY!

In Episode 110 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" we'll take a look at how to help insure you will become the low-carb weight loss success that you deserve to be (and, no, it doesn't take willpower as we often hear). This method I've come up with is not anything monumental or mind-boggling, but very well could make the difference between failing yet again or experiencing a truly permanent lifestyle change.

Click on the "LISTEN NOW" link below or download it to your iPod to hear today's podcast:

"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 110 [11:16m]: LISTEN NOW | Download

Are you down and discouraged about your weight loss progress? Hey, we've all been there and it stinks to have all those feelings crop up that you're not good enough or that you're bound to fail yet again. But keeping your thoughts positive and uplifting can go a long way towards seeing you through to the end of your weight loss and beyond if you can learn to take back control of your mind and keep the proper perspective.

Get your twice-weekly dose of encouragement and inspiration by:

1. Listening at the official web site
2. Calling (818) 688-2763 to listen via Podlinez
3. Subscribing to the RSS feed
4. Going to iTunes--Click here to subscribe!

Is weight loss for you just one big rollercoaster ride that you can never seem to have work for you? Do you wish there a way to FINALLY become that cherished success, but you believe it is impossible for you? Why do you think so many people fail at making their weight loss permanent? Talk about it in the show notes section of Episode 110 and let's kick this one around a bit. This goes to the very heart of why we are livin' la vida low-carb rather than simply going on a low-carb "diet."

Be sure to tune in to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" on Monday as we will be sharing an interview with a Pennsylvania man named Phill Novak who lost nearly 200 pounds by going on a low-carb plan and was recently featured in this CNN story regarding his weight loss. But, as Dr. Mike Eades wrote at his blog last week, there was very little mentioned about his low-carb nutritional approach and a ton of ink about his exercise routine. I'll be interviewing Phill to learn more about his low-carb plan and share that with you next week! SEE YA THEN!

Dieter Was 'Hopeless' And 'Doomed' But Now He Says 'I'm Well On My Way'

Positive, encouraging, uplifting, celebratory, and supportive.

When people visit the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog, these are the qualities they should always expect to see. It's an extension of who Jimmy Moore is as a person and I've intentionally made what I write about a transparent look into the life of a man who knows what it feels like to have been fat.

Although most of the thousands upon thousands of people who come read what I have to say about livin' la vida low-carb each day will never meet me face to face, I take great comfort and pride in knowing I have played even a small role in their lives. That's something I never take for granted.

It warms my heart to receive confirmation of this in e-mails like this one I got today from a very devoted reader who enjoyed my "30-In-30" blog post this week:

Hi Jimmy,

I loved your article about how your 8th grade teacher’s thoughtlessness motivated you in high school, college, and your career. What a wonderful lesson and motivation for all of us.

And I was really thrilled to see your Kimkins weight loss progress! When I saw the ticker at 214, I got so excited for you! 198, here you come! I look forward to your after-after photo.

Keep up the writing. I read you every day!

You just don't know how much a simple note like that encourages me. While I am generally always very positive in my presentation of low-carb living, I am human and have my down moments. It's not all the time, but on occasion.

When that happens, invariably I get some of the most inspiring notes you could ever possibly imagine just when I need it. Take, for example, this one from a fella who expressed how much me and my blog has meant to him:

I can barely remember the first time I got down to around 150, but you remind me that it was awesome to be normal weight. It was something I never knew or had forgotten since the last time I was at normal weight was at 5.

I'm now 225 pounds. My low weight was 149 when I was 23. My fit weight was when I was 32 at 152. Then for many years I wandered between 160 and 190. My high-water mark was 262 about four years ago.

I nearly became hopeless, felt I was doomed to have let that happen, and for the first time in my life I felt obese. But I don't give up--I NEVER give up!

I owe a lot to you, Jimmy, and I've never even met you. Because of you and your blog, I have regained hope and motivation, and I'm well on my way.

Can I tell you something? My wife Christine prints out every single e-mail that I receive like these to keep in a scrapbook. Yeah, she's sentimental like that, but she reminds me often of all the super nice things people have said about how me, my book, my blog, and my podcast show have meant to them.

If you need to contact me for any reason--help with a low-carb question or concern, share your weight loss success or frustrations, or just to say HEY--I'm always ready, willing, and able to serve you. It's the least I can do for the miracle that has become my life. E-mail me ANYTIME and I will personally write you back. I promise!

THANK YOU for being a part of the positive, encouraging, uplifting, celebratory, and supportive "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog family. You are all VERY special to me and I never want you to forget that. :D Keep on livin' la vida low-carb!

Atkins Diet Producing Major Health Turnaround

We all know how incredibly awesome the low-carb lifestyle is because so many of us have made it a regular part of our lives for months, years, even decades. But there are so many people who are finding out about this way of eating for the very first time week after week that it's fun to see their reaction to it.

While the Atkins diet has been promoted primarily for weight loss (which it does an amazing job of producing--180 pounds lost on it for me!), just as impressive is the way it helps bring about major improvements in the health of the people who are doing it as well.

Such is the case with an e-mail I received this week from a woman who began livin' la vida low-carb to help with her myriad of physical issues. Despite having a typical case of what is affectionately referred to as the Atkins flu (it means you're doing low-carb EXACTLY right!), this precious person couldn't be more giddy with excitement about her health turnaround thanks to Atkins.

Here's what she wrote in her e-mail:

I read your blog, and it helps me stay on track with the Atkins diet which I began a week and a half ago. I am still in the Induction phase, and I have had some side effects--mainly the only trouble so far is headaches and being very tired, but tonight I am headache free, and wide awake, so this could be that burst of energy I hear about. I'm hoping it is!

Despite the crummy side effects I have felt, there are other health issues I have been dealing with for over a year that are subsiding. I have struggled with my weight for most of my life, and have tried many things, all of which have failed.

I even tried medication, which left me with a host of new health issues--Raynaud's Phenomenon and erythromyalgia--both of which are peripheral nerve damage diseases.

One would cause my blood vessels to constrict in the slightest cool breeze or in an air-conditioned room and the other caused my blood vessels to contract in the slightest warmth, even cooking, touching a warm cup of coffee, getting a shower, etc.

It was all painful, my hands would become unbearable, and there was no happy medium with temperature, the slightest change would cause a flare.

My hearing also was affected, I have high blood pressure, very strong palpitations not only in my chest, but my neck and head as well. I am not sure if it was the medication which caused them all or if it was all inevitable. But I can honestly say that since starting the Atkins diet, I have noticed a drastic decrease in all of these conditions.

The flare ups are occurring less and less and I am able to tolerate temperature changes better, the hearing problem I had has improved, this tightened feeling that ran from my ear down to my neck has disappeared, and my blood pressure has gone down. Best of all, my heart palpitations are almost non-existent! Yeah!

I have lost 10 pounds in ten days, even though I was too tired to do much some days, and I hope to lose more. Despite the headaches and tiredness, I feel my overall health is improving and I wasn't expecting it to.

I started this hoping to lose some weight. But now I want to adopt the Atkins lifestyle permanently. Also the anxiety I have struggled with most of my life is completely gone, and for once, I can sleep at night. I don't just lay there for hours tossing and turning because my insomnia is gone.

It really doesn't surprise me that everything I have ever learned about health and nutrition were wrong. The very foods I was taught to limit are the ones that are saving me now.

I am 25 years old and I have previously felt so alone and doomed according to my doctor. I am too young to have health problems, so they don't look as closely at someone my age for problems or take as seriously because I don't fit the profile.

I don't need my blood pressure medication anymore, and I can't wait to tell my doctor the kind of diet that I used to lowered it. ;)

I just wanted to share my story, although I haven't been on this diet long, because I can already see the improvements.

Isn't that just remarkable?! Where's the media reporting of THESE kind of positive results from livin' la vida low-carb, hmmm? If a 25-year old is getting her health in order by eating this way, then why not recommend it for a 15, 35, 55, or even 75-year old who is suffering from illnesses that could be improved by it as well?

We're at the point where the preponderance of the evidence, both scientifically and anecdotally, is clearly showing the low-carb lifestyle is an excellent way both to lower your weight and bring about improvements in your health.

Whether it is lower blood pressure, dealing with hyperinsulinemia, helping teenagers effectively shed the pounds, controlling blood sugars, improving HDL "good" cholesterol and triglycerides, helping with heart health, treating diabetes...I could go on and on.

We know the truth and so do those who are put in charge of protecting public health. The only difference is they won't share the truth with you--but I will! This woman who has begun this new journey for herself is exhibiting the truth with her life and there are millions more just like her who need to start livin' la vida low-carb, too!

If you are thinking about low-carb as a lifestyle change and have any questions about it, then please don't hesitate to contact me anytime via e-mail at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

With My Weight Rising, I've Turned To Kimkins

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!

Read this blog post for more information.

Low-Carb Living Is A Lot Like Playing Golf

How can learning how to golf be like low-carb dieting?

We all have things in our lives that we have always wanted to do. You know what I mean--activities that you have longed for but have yet to fulfill. For me, that singular activity that I've been meaning to take up for years is golfing.

Yep, I'm a humongous fan of the game of golf and enjoy watching the PGA Tour on television. Some people think the game is too boring to watch, but not me. Watching the best players in the world hit that little white ball around and get it in the hole under treacherous conditions is simply amazing!

But golf is not necessarily a game of might or great physical prowess, which is why it is attractive to men and women of all sorts. That is the allure that causes relatively intelligent men and women to pick up a bag of clubs and give it a go!

Instead, golf is a game of mechanics, repetition, and finesse--all which come with lots and lots of practice. The golf swing is just the opposite of a baseball swing or a bowling motion. Thinking differently takes a major paradigm shift in your head as I am quickly discovering.

I've only been swinging a club for a couple of weeks so far, but I can already see why people give up on this game. When you first start playing golf, you want desperately to score as low as you possibly can. But the reality is you're very lucky if you can break 150 strokes! You're learning the game and it'll get better with time and experience.

It can be extremely hard at times because this game goes against everything your body naturally wants to do. But quitting is not in my vocabulary, so I'm gonna learn this game yet even if I keep slicing that %$@*!&@ ball to the right! :D Wish me luck!

What's this got to do with a low-carb diet? Read more about what golf and low-carb living have in common by clicking here.

Diet-Hopping Will Drive You Completely Nuts!

Going on a diet has become a national pastime for many people because it's what everybody's doing. When you're overweight or obese, you're willing to do literally anything to lose the pounds. We've become a nation full of desperate souls who will stop at nothing to get what we think we want out of all these diets.

Unfortunately, what we end up getting for the most part is anger, bitterness, and disappointment that we are miserable failures and that weight loss is just too pie-in-the-sky for us to ever hold in our hands. The pipe dream of having permanent and lasting weight loss is futile and it's just not worth the effort anymore.

Have you been diet-hopping and now feel like you're ready to throw in the towel for good on this whole concept of losing weight and getting healthy? Join the club! That's exactly how one of my readers felt and expressed in his e-mail to me recently sharing his disgust about where his life stands after trying and failing too many times to count.

Here's what he wrote in that e-mail:

Hi Jimmy,

I've been fat for most of my life. I am now 55. I have a binge eating disorder and have had it since I was about 7. It's not that I can't lose weight--it comes off fast no matter what diet I am on. Of course, I can't stick to any one way of eating so I don't lose weight in the long run.

I feel that my body (and mind) is shutting down. I know that I have medical problems but I am scared of doctors which is bad. I switch back and forth between low-carb, vegan, low-fat and most of the rest. You just really don't know what to believe in anymore.

I am about 200 pounds overweight right now--maybe more--and I'm very depressed and under a psychiatrist's care. But it does not help. What do you think? I am close to cashing in my chips! Thanks for any advice you might have for me.

Just when I think I can't hear anything more shocking from a real person who is hurting in their quest for weight loss, along comes an e-mail like this one. What pain and agony this poor guy is going through and I wouldn't wish that hopeless and helpless feeling on my worst enemy. It's a sad state to be in.

Talk about sharing from your heart, though. Man, I can certainly relate to his utter disgust with the mixed messages about what's healthy that comes from the so-called experts. It's enough to drive anyone bonkers who wants to get serious about his health, but doesn't know where to start. I'm so glad this reader wrote to me.

All I know from my experiences livin' la vida low-carb is that I found a way that I could eat that would make me thin and healthy for the rest of my life. I chose my plan, read the book about what I needed to do, trusted the information I learned about that way of eating, and then implemented that into my life not just during the weight loss but ever since as well. I'm STILL livin' la vida low-carb.

What can this reader of mine and anyone else who feels the same way do? Since you can lose weight on ANY diet that you've tried, I encourage you to pick one that you want to do forever and then never stop doing it. This isn't a game and it really has nothing to do with dieting and simple weight loss. At this point in your life, it's about living out your days to the fullest with the best potential to be who God made you to be.

YOU CAN DO IT! I'm very proud of you for realizing you are in need of doing something about your weight and health in very short order. It's NOT impossible, so don't ever give up! Now get out there and GO FOR IT!

After I responded to this reader, he wrote me back one more time:

Thanks for the fast reply Jimmy. I am reading your blog right now and I will not stop until I absorb it all. One thing that concerns me about low carb is of course the issue of heart disease and clogged arteries.

As most fat people are experts on diets and calories/fats/carbs and their impact on health (although they cannot act on that information in many cases), I have done a lot of research on these diets also. Even though I know that there are many opinions on all aspects of those various ways of eating, how do I break the concept that the fat in my diet will not hurt me more then it may have already?

Now you're talking my language! Bringing an end to your fat phobia is the single-biggest challenge. The following are some posts I have written at my blog with facts for you about fat to help you understand why eating fat while on a low-carb diet is EXTREMELY healthy:

High-Fat Diet Is Only Unhealthy In Tandem With A High-Carb One
AHA's Boorish 'Bad Fats Brothers' Brainwashing
Eating Fat Improves Mental Health, Study Finds
Butter, Coconut Oil On 'Healthiest Foods' List
When Is Eating Fat Not Fattening?
Butter Anyone? Defending Fat With Facts
Volek: Low-Fat Diet Useless To Health Apart From Weight Loss
The Senile Subjectivity Of A Healthy Diet
AHA Does An About Face On Fat Intake
Eat More Fat And Less Carbs For Heart Health, Study Recommends

That oughta keep you reading for a while, but there's plenty more if you need more convincing. The bottom line: Keep your carbs low and saturated fat is NOT unhealthy for you. Trans fats should be avoided like the plague, but not saturated fat. Hope this helps and THANKS for writing! Let me know how you are doing from time to time. I believe in you, so go make it happen!

Want to share your low-carb comment or question with me? Write to livinlowcarbman@charter.net anytime. I'm happy to help any way that I can!

Where Is The 'Hope' When My Diet Fails?

I want to talk with you today about a four-letter word that so many people going on a diet are desperately searching for. No, it's not "food," although I'm sure that four-letter word is on the minds of many dieters especially early on. Neither is it "luck" because finding a plan that will help you lose weight and keep it off forever takes a lot more than that. The word I am thinking of is "hope."

There's an acronym for this word that has always stuck with me:

Helping
Other
People
Excel

Helping other people excel at losing weight and improving their health is exactly what I am all about with my efforts here at this blog and elsewhere because I know what it's like to be in a seemingly helpless and hopeless situation.

When you weigh 410 pounds, wear size 62-inch waist pants and 5XL shirts, take three prescription medications, constantly feel ridiculed and scorned by staring onlookers, and wonder how much longer you'll have to keep living this miserable existence known as life, there's no other way to feel.

Trapped, imprisoned, and no way out--that was my life prior to 2004. I feigned happiness on the outside, but deep within I was screaming for help looking for just a small glimmer of hope. Oh God get me out of this wretched existence I am living so that I can move on with my life already. Is this the best that it gets? I don't want to die young and I feel like life has dealt me a raw deal!

Perhaps you think I just described how YOU feel. I'm sure my own personal experience with obesity has resonated with many of you because I see the exact same sentiments expressed in e-mail after e-mail from dear souls who want me to reassure them that they can find the same hope for overcoming their weight problem that I did. I never want to get used to hearing these gut-wrenching stories of pain and anguish and I don't think I ever will.

Here's one from a woman in San Diego, California that came this week:

Hi Jimmy,

I am one of probably thousands of e-mails that you get and hope that you somehow run into mine. I was online, yet again, seeking some help for my health, which is being ruined by my obesity.

I have tried them all--from Weight Watchers, to Jenny Craig, to the grapefruit diet, to the original Atkins diet, to LA Weight Loss, to most recently, Slim-Fast. None of them seem to work and I just keep getting bigger and bigger.

I now have high blood pressure and my feet, knees, and lower back bother me when I walk. I'm going to the gym and walking on the treadmill 50 minutes a day for the past month, and every other day, I add in weights, but I still see no improvements.

To make matters worse, I live in San Diego where it's verrrrry image conscious and if you're obese, you wind up being excluded from social situtations and even getting a good job!!

I'm at my wit's end and it's very depressing. In fact, the past few days have been so discouraging for me that I haven't even made it to the gym. UGH!

I have a mild allergy to wheat, so I am trying to elminate that from my diet, but don't know how or what to eat anymore to get the weight off. I've tried to find "The Biggest Loser" trainer Bob Harper online to get his advice but he's nowhere to be found. What would you recommend??

Please...............help....................me....................

Click here to read my response at the "30-In-30" blog to this seemingly helpless, hopeless situation and how I think my reader can rise triumphantly over this seemingly impossible health and weight mountain that she now faces.

From Nearly Dying In A Coma To The Atkins Diet, Woman Now In 'Excellent Health'

As important as the studies, research, and hard evidence behind livin' la vida low-carb are, I am convinced that real-life stories of people who have overcome weight and health problems can be a much more powerful tool for helping others with similar issues. Especially in what has become a hostile environment about the low-carb diet over the past few years, these kind of positive anecdotal examples are increasingly becoming more important.

That's one explanation for why my blog has continued to grow in readership every quarter since I started it in April 2005. People see me as a former 400-pound man who lost nearly 200 pounds as an inspiration that shows them they can do it, too. There are lots of people living their low-carb life who have overcome some truly incredible health obstacles.

One such example is the following e-mail I received from a woman who has chosen the Atkins nutritional approach. It's the most unbelievable and riveting story I've ever seen of what one woman was able to overcome thanks to livin' la vida low-carb. Prepare to be encouraged and inspired like nothing you have come across before.

Here's the e-mail from my remarkable reader:

Hi Jimmy,

I read your blog every day and I'm amazed by your commitment and strength. I want to tell you my story. If you think it will help others, then please, share my story with them.

Seven years ago, I had intestinal surgery. The surgery went fine, but the day before I was to be released from the hospital, I fell into a coma due to a staph infection in the surgical incision. I stopped breathing, my kidneys failed, the wound was left to heal (if I lived) from the inside out and Mom was planning my funeral.

Well, I lived. But I came out of that hospital a train wreck. I was already diabetic from repeated gall bladder attacks that hadn't been properly treated (can we say "Managed Care"?). I needed dialysis, I had a colonoscopy (later repaired) and could barely walk.

Fortunately, I received a kidney transplant (living donor) six months later. But after the transplant I was put on Prednisone and gained 50 pounds in two months. I'm only 5'3" and going from 120 pounds to, eventually, 180 pounds was horrifying. I've had a weight problem all my life, but it had been under control.

After a year, one of my legion of doctors intimidated the Prednisone-prescribing doctor to take me off it. Then I had hope of loosing the the weight. I was doing everything I possibly could to regain my health, so I dieted using the low-fat, low-calorie model that was recommended by just about everyone.

After nine months, I'd only lost 15 pounds and I was frustrated and HUNGRY. There had to be another way.

Pretty soon, I found the Atkins diet. The problem was that everyone knew that if you did Atkins, your kidneys would fall out. Did I dare take the risk?

OK, I did. But it was, like, my dirty little secret. Can't you just hear what people would have said, knowing about my kidney transplant, if they knew what I was doing? The only thing I had to support me was that my monthly blood tests that monitor my transplant were improving.

Now, I'm six plus years out from the transplant, I'm in excellent health and Atkins is my way of life. My lipids and blood glucose numbers are great, I'm back to my healthy weight of 120 and, while I'm in my mid-fifties, I have lots more energy than many of the people around me.

I'm completely convinced that Atkins is a very healthy way to eat and, what's more, so are my doctors. They've witnessed that dramatic improvement in my health and all of them encourage me to keep doing what I'm doing.

I'm sending this e-mail to you because of your compassion for people who want better health. I hope that someone will see this and realize that no matter how desperate their situation may be, they shouldn't be afraid of trying this way of life or, for that matter, whatever way of life they think could benefit them.

Thanks for everything you do, Jimmy, and for being a shining example of the human spirit.

All I can say is WOW! That's an awesome story that I sincerely hope will give hope to those who feel they are hopeless. This shows me that no matter where you are in your life, it's never too late to start livin' la vida low-carb for your health. It saved this woman's life and mine, too!

How about you? Do you have a compelling low-carb story you'd like to share? E-mail it to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

No Weight Loss, No Fair: 'I Feel Like Giving Up'

There's a common mentality as it relates to weight loss that is probably the single-biggest reason why people are unable to reach their goal weight. I have gone through it many times over the course of my life and it is what has prevented me from being the ultimate success that I have now become.

What is this mysterious reason why weight loss fails so often?

I think it all comes down to expectations. When you start livin' la vida low-carb or any diet plan, there are certain markers that you set for yourself either arbitrarily or by design. Regardless, we believe a certain set of events must happen to give us affirmation in our newfound journey or we're ready to throw in the towel.

Can I just say how incredibly silly that kind of thinking is?!

For example, let's say you start the Atkins diet today and two weeks later you ONLY lost 10 pounds when you expected to lose 20. Are you disappointed? Many would be which is the heart of the problem I'm talking about today.

Another thing that happens is you lose 15, 25, even 50 pounds and then the weight loss just stops. Yeah, welcome to the club! That's gonna happen, so you just have to be prepared for it.

Unfortunately, some people like to use this as an excuse to just give up. UGH! Why would you do that just because that little machine known as the scale doesn't do what you want?

Check out this e-mail I received from a reader who felt this way:

I have been doing low-carb for several years now. I had already lost 60 pounds, but then gained about 20 back after Hurricane Katrina hit in my area.

I have recently lost those 20 pounds, but now I am at a standstill. I have been doing the Induction phase for awhile now and did not move on to Ongoing Weight Loss because of the slow intial weight loss.

Whenever I have done Induction before over two weeks, I've always lost 12-15 pounds. Now, I do it and only lose 5 pounds at the very most.

I am counting my carbs and suddenly find myself just not eating anything anymore because my weight is not going anywhere. I even workout three times a week.

Any suggestions? This is all making me feel like giving up. Low-carb used to work so well for me, but sometimes I feel like my body has become used to low-carb. Maybe I need to switch to something else. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you so much for writing and you are not the first repeat low-carber who has seemed to have a harder time losing weight the second time around than the first. Some say it's the "one golden shot" theory, but I don't buy into that. If you've lost weight on low-carb before, then you can do it again.

By all means, if your weight loss is not happening at the same rate, DON'T start eating less. That will actually make the problem worse because you'll be even more hungry and irritable. My suggestion is to keep your carbs at Induction level (20g daily) and just keep doing that with a cheerful heart as if everything is working well.

Commit to do that for 45 days and don't give in to the temptation to cheat or even weigh yourself for the entire time. I know it'll be hard to resist, but you must. What's the payoff? At the end of that 45-day period, you will have lost weight and inches while gaining a newfound appreciation for this way of eating.

If you feel good and are enjoying this lifestyle change, then there's no reason why you would ever go back to another way of eating ever again. Now GO FOR IT!!!

Perhaps you feel like it's not fair when your weight loss slows or stops. Think about this: AT LEAST YOU'RE NOT GAINING! And that is a VERY good thing that you should celebrate. Plus, weight loss isn't everything...how your clothes fit, how you feel, your general state of mind, etc. are critical parts of the diet equation, too. Don't neglect them just because you stall.

It's time to stop lying to yourself and start losing weight. When you think of weight loss as a journey of choice, there's no reason to quit just because you have a few days or weeks of no weight loss. I went 10 weeks in a row during my weight loss when the scale just stopped moving down!

The good news is I remained focused and was adamant I was NOT gonna give up no matter what obstacles were gonna come my way. Heck, I had already LOST a lot of weight, so why would I suddenly start complaining because the weight loss ceased. What a tragic ending that would have been to an eventual 180-pound weight loss success in one year. It would have never happened if I had quit like so many people do.

Word of advice: DON'T DO THAT!

Gotta question about your low-carb journey that's bugging you? Send me an e-mail at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

Low-Carb Weight Loss Success Book Both 'Useful' And Has Lots Of 'Inspiration'

Nearly two years later, my book is still encouraging people

It was right about two years ago that I was in the beginning stages of writing what would become my very first book entitled Livin' La Vida Low-Carb: My Journey From Flabby Fat To Sensationally Skinny In One Year. Publishing a book sounds like an overwhelming task and it is a lot of work to make it just right. But I just kept at it until it was done!

One thing I wanted more than anything else was to pour out my heart and soul into that book to give would-be dieters a realistic and sincere example that livin' la vida low-carb can and will change your life even with a few bumps and bruises along the way. If you have read my book, then you know I tell it to you straight.

With nearly 4,000 copies of my book sold in bookstores and online (mostly at Amazon.com) since it released in October 2005, my goal to make an impact on people's lives has been accomplished better than anything I could have imagined. In fact, since January this year, Livin' La Vida Low-Carb has seen a resurgence in popularity, especially the e-book which has not been out of the top ten at Booklocker.com all year.

The neat thing about my low-carb weight loss success story book is it will never become dated. Sure, some of the information in it may, but not the story itself. It's history and what happened to me to help me shed 180 pounds in 2004. No matter what happens from here on out, I'll always have my story to share and I'm glad I wrote the book.

One of the people who bought my book shared her experience reading it and sent those thoughts to me in a very sweet e-mail. Here's what she wrote:

Hi Jimmy,

I just finished your book and I am happy to say that I have found a lot of useful information in it as well as inspiration. I was so into it that I finished it in a couple of hours.

I loved hearing your success story and hope that I can continue on this low-carb lifestyle and achieve the same success. Thank you so much for putting your story in writing. I hope you get the money for your [skin removal] surgery.

Also I was wondering if you have some other links or recipes that you can recommend so that I can keep things interesting while I am livin' la vida low carb. Oh and do you have a web site or some place that you buy low carb products since the product selection in the store is slowly fading.

Thanks for the inspiration and the great read. I feel energized to continue on my adventure (not diet).

First, let me share my gratitude for those nice sentiments about my book. I'm so glad it encouraged you and you felt compelled to read it from cover to cover in one sitting. I wrote it like I write my blog--conversational, but informative and encouraging. It's the least I can do to help people find what I found in my own weight loss.

So far, I haven't earned enough for the $20,000 skin removal surgery, but it'll come in due time. I'm not giving up hope that the loose skin will be taken care of at last. It WILL happen, I just know it!

For links to more low-carb resources, check out my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Links" blog. As for low-carb recipes, I've posted a bunch of them at my blog. If you do a Google search on "livin' la vida low-carb recipes," then you will find many of them as well as reviews of some excellent low-carb cookbooks (like Judy Barnes Baker's CARB WARS: Sugar Is The New Fat).

Regarding low-carb products, there are many excellent low-carb retail stores out there which are also listed under Low-Carb Stores at my links blog. CarbSmart, LO-CARB U, Low-Carb Connoisseur, Low-Carb Central, Viva Low-Carb, Low Carb And More, and many more. Find one that you like and choose your products wisely.

I'm glad you learned to make this diet your permanent lifestyle change because that will be the key to your success just as it was for me. THANK YOU for your feedback about my book. I'd love to have your comments posted at Amazon.com. That goes for anyone who has read my book, regardless of where you bought the book. Click here to write your review. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just a few lines about what you thought about the book.

Would you like to check out a sneak peek of the book? Read this FREE chapter NOW! THANK YOU to everyone who has praised my book for helping them in their weight loss journey. Feel free to share your feedback about the book in the comments section below.

400-Pounder: 'I Feel Like My Life Is Almost Over'

Lurking about in the great blogosphere are quite literally millions of people who are searching for answers to their problems. Family issues, work stresses, health ailments, and especially weight loss all are heavy on the hearts of so many people that they seek out assistance from others who have been through the struggles they are currently enduring.

Many of these people who are just like you and me are hurting and feel so all alone in their predicament. Sometimes I wonder exactly who is out there checking out the blog, reading about my weight loss, scouring through the nearly 1800 articles I've written over the past two years about low-carb living.

Nothing thrills me more than to hear from these courageous people who are brave enough to pour out their hearts to me in an e-mail. It takes a lot of guts to write to a complete stranger about your personal struggles with something like morbid obesity. But that's exactly what an e-mailer sent to me this week and I wanted to share his story with you that left me breathless.

Here's what he wrote:

Hello Jimmy,

I currently weigh 412 pounds and have been disabled due to a back injury for almost four years now. I've had two back surgeries to relieve the crippling pain of sciaticia. In fact, my last surgery was in February 2006. It has been over a year now and I've tried to exercise regularly.

But the pain of exercising keeps me down. Maybe I could do more, but I've come to a place in my life where I've just about given up on the idea of losing weight. I want to try one more time to start the low-carb lifestyle which I've tried before. But it only lasted a few weeks.

There's nothing more important to me right now than to start again with the low-carb diet and exercise as much as I can take. I want to finally be the man I picture myself being in my mind. I wonder why I haven't done more and I why haven't done this sooner. I honestly can't give an honest answer to these.

I just feel so defeated, useless, helpless, and hopeless. I had to quit work when the doctor finally discovered what was wrong with my back. Now I am drawing Social Security Disability, but most of the time I feel like my life is almost over. The sad thing is I'm only 37 years old.

Reading your incredible low-carb weight loss success story over and over again lets me know it is possible for me too which is why I'm willing to give it a try again. Thanks so much for the inspiration.

WOW! That sounds so heartbreaking, but I'm sure there are many thousands more that feel EXACTLY the same as this reader does. The sense that all hope is gone is undoubtedly how my 600-pound brother Kevin feels right now, too.

God bless this reader for writing and I'm so glad that he did. I'm sorry to hear about all of your struggles, but let me encourage you that YOU CAN DO IT! All hope is not lost and I'm glad to see my story encourages you.

Let me start by saying don't worry about the exercise as much as your diet at first. If you get your low-carb lifestyle down by reading the low-carb book of your choice, then the exercise will come later. You sound like you have the want to...now you need to JUST DO IT!

Take this lifestyle change seriously and you can't help but be just as successful as I did just three years ago when I was in the same position as you are. Don't give up hope! Think about this former 410-pound man who went on to lose nearly 200 pounds thanks to the low-carb lifestyle. It IS possible, so it's time to MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Feel free to share your encouragement and advice for this reader in the comments section below. As always, the lines of communication are always open, so please don't hesitate to e-mail livinlowcarbman@charter.net anytime.

Good Things Come To 'Those Who Weight'

Lisa Hightower's own 140-pound low-carb weight loss sparks an idea

A couple of weeks ago I shared with you a proposal for a "million pound march" that was sent to me by a reader and I challenged others to take this idea and run with it. Now one of you has.

Her name is Lisa Hightower and she is an incredible 140-pound Atkins weight loss success who came up with an excellent idea: create a project that would encourage 500 successful dieters who have lost at least 50 pounds and kept it off for a minimum of six months as well as 500 aspiring successes who are in the midst of losing to share what's working for them.

She calls this ambitious plan the Those Who Weight Project.

The stated purpose of the project is "to gather, assemble, and publish information from weight loss experts about success and failure in weight loss efforts." Oh boy, just what we need is another group of so-called "experts" telling us what WE need to do to lose weight. But it's not what you think.

Does Hightower enlist the help of doctors? Nope. How about the dime-a-dozen self-proclaimed diet and weight loss gurus floating around out there with their "proven" formula for success? Not a chance.

The real experts are...well, YOU AND ME! That's right! Hightower realizes that tapping into the very people who have been overweight or obese and then overcame it have a whole lot more empirical and practical knowledge about what it takes to lose weight and get healthy for good. She should know following her own remarkable success on the Atkins diet after allowing her weight to reach 338 pounds in 2003!

"Those of us who have spent a lifetime, to this point, chasing the dream of being thin and 'normal' are the ones who really know what works and what doesn't. I'm not talking about actual diets, but rather, the mental roadblocks we face along the way to better health and fitness."

Man, I'm so glad Lisa has taken the lead and is undertaking this effort because it is sorely needed in our culture full of twisted information about what a healthy lifestyle is supposed to be. The needless obstacles we allow to pervade our minds is arguably the most difficult aspect of bringing about permanent weight and health control. I know this from my own personal experience losing over 180 pounds and keeping it off for the past three years. It ain't easy, but it can be done!

No matter where you fall in this journey, Hightower wants to hear from YOU! That's why she has set up a customized survey for people to fill out according to the category that fits them best:

Are you a weight loss success? Fill out the Successful Losers Survey.
Are you still in the process of losing weight? Fill out the Aspirers Survey.

Hightower is confident that this undertaking will be worthwhile because it will clearly show discouraged overweight and obese people through the power of real life examples that permanent weight loss is not just an impossible dream, but is well within their grasp.

"Help really is out there; but sometimes it takes someone who has walked your same path to tell you what's really going on. Many times, the solution is much more about getting your head in the right place, and until you do, your efforts may not be rewarded with the results you want."

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU, Lisa Hightower! Not only are you living proof that tremendous weight loss success is indeed possible, but now you are harnessing the tremendous power of the Internet to reach out to others so we can bring our collective wisdom together in an effort to help others. What a truly noble effort and I am proud to say I have already put in my two cents worth into the Those Who Weight Project by submitting my success secrets. :D

It took me about 5-7 minutes to fill out the set of questions in the survey. And regardless of where you are in your weight loss efforts, Hightower wants to hear your story "if the information is worthy of helping someone else!" That even includes those of you who have had difficulty losing weight and keeping it off (haven't we all at some point!).

Rest assured that your privacy will be honored by Hightower for her project and she will never share your personal information with anyone without your express consent to do so. When she publishes the information about her Those Who Weight Project, Hightower will provide proper attribution to the comments and quotes she uses by indicating the first name of the person only with the occasional mention of the full name of people who permit her to do so (take my story, for example--she can use the name "Jimmy Moore" all she wants since I've got it all out there front and center across the World Wide Web!).

If the online survey is too tedious for you to fill out or if you'd prefer to do it via e-mail, then simply send a blank e-mail for the particular survey you are wanting to fill out to either to successfullosers@thosewhoweight.com or aspirers@thosewhoweight.com.

Also, whether you participate in it or not, you can keep track of the latest news and information about Lisa Hightower's Those Who Weight Project by signing up for her updates at subscribeproject@thosewhoweight.com. I'm excited to see what comes of this and I strongly urge all of my readers to help Lisa in some way to make this effort a success. Good things come to "those who weight," ya know?! :)

Bulimic Cries Out For Help At Low-Carb Blog

Life has been so super busy for me lately with so much going on that it's hard to fit everything into the day that I'd like to be doing. That's okay because being busy beats the alternative when I was morbidly obese weighing over 400 pounds! Plus the time I am investing in the things I am doing are worthwhile. One of those things is receiving and answering hundreds of e-mails a week from people about low-carb, diet, health, and weight loss.

One of the saddest e-mails I have received in a long time came this week from a woman named Frances. This young lady is going through some very difficult times in her life right now and she really doesn't know what to do. She came to me broken and looking for restoration in what she sees as a hopeless existence. I share this e-mail with you because perhaps you are feeling like a Frances, too.

Read her heartbreaking story and you'll see what I mean:

Hi Jimmy,

My name is Frances and I am 26. I am not obese, but just a little overweight. Weight has been an issue for me ever since I was a child growing up. Sometimes it even had an impact on my social and spiritual life.

I exercise alot, but I eat a lot too! For example, when I started to a eat a little and I can already feel I am very full, I would continue to binge especially on fatty foods for no reason at all. Later on, all I can do is throw it up.

And there was one time, I decided to go to my "bulimia" support session which I ended up missing because I looked all puffy and teary from throwing up, so I didn't want to see anyone or have anyone see me like that. During my fat days after some business travelings, I refused to go to church because I knew I would have received some comments about the extra weight I had gained.

What I ended up doing was hiding at home most of the time. I really missed some of my old high school friends, but I am too ashamed to see them anymore because I feel so out of place!!! I need a lot of self-control and I simply can't resist temptation. I have prayed to God and asked Him for self-control, but I am still struggling now!

I am looking for some advice from you and hope you can help....

God Bless You!

Frances

Click here to read my encouragement back to Frances and to provide her with your own positive comments, especially if you are someone who has been a bulimic and overcome it in your life. Let's flood Frances with uplifting and hopeful messages so she realizes her life is worth so much more than she believes it does now. THANKS for caring for this precious child of God.

The Best Weight Loss Advice You'll Ever Get

If you missed my post from last Tuesday about the redirection of the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge, then please go back and read it to understand why the format has changed.

But the mission is still the same--encouraging people who are following the low-carb lifestyle to stick with the plan in an effort to lose 30 pounds over 30 weeks. If you need to lose less than that or much more than that, then simply adjust your goal to lose X pounds in X weeks.

For example, if you need to lose 10 pounds, then try to do it in the next 10 weeks. Or for 50 pounds, attempt to shed the weight in the next year. Sounds easy, doesn't it? :) SURE IT IS!

Weigh in is still on Tuesdays we want to know how you are doing--good, bad, or ugly! It was a little disconcerting to learn that some people felt too ashamed to report their progress because their weight loss had stalled out or even gone in the other direction. It's hard to encourage you if we don't know what you're going through, so don't be a stranger. :) Go to the "30-In-30" blog to share your thoughts about your weight loss experience.

You'll be pleased to know I made ONE change in my diet this past week that will surprise the bejeebies out of you when I tell you what it is and I lost 5 1/2 pounds to get back down to 223 1/2. I'm not gonna tell you right now what it is, but be looking for my post about it very soon. I couldn't believe it when it happened, but it did. Stay tuned.

What's my role now in this new and improved "30-In-30?" The same as it has always been...providing helpful encouragement to YOU while you are going through this journey. Today I have a message that is a little deep, but could get you over the hump of your struggle to lose weight once and for all. Stick around, because this is gonna be a good one!

We all know the secret to lasting weight loss and weight maintenance success is implementing a permanent lifestyle change, right? For us, that's low-carb living! But saying it is one thing and doing it is another concept altogether.

Did you know that RIGHT NOW you have all the power and ability within that body of yours to be successful at WHATEVER you want to achieve? You REALLY do! All you have to do is want it so badly that you can taste it and invariably it will happen for you. That was my mindset when I lost 180 pounds in 2004 and it has served me well over these past few years maintaining that weight loss.

Wanna know a secret, though? Shhhhh. If you want to lose weight, then DON'T focus on LOSING WEIGHT! HUH?! Say what?! Have you gone absolutely nuts on us, Jimmy? Well, maybe. LOL! But stick with me on this point because it's gonna blow your mind.

Click here to read the rest of my commentary about what people should be focusing on if they want to learn the way to shed the pounds and get healthy for good. If you are stuck and think you'll never get into shape, then you don't want to miss this message I wrote especially for YOU!

Team Up With A Weight Loss Buddy In 2007

Who couldn't use a weight loss buddy to cheer them to success?

Earlier this year I introduced you to a fantastic organization dedicated to helping people wanting to lose weight called Weight Loss Buddy. This phenomenal online resource provides an ample amount of real-life inspiration, expert advice, and the support of a "buddy" who will stick with you through thick and thin in your quest for weight loss success!

I was privileged to be a part of a LIVE online chat (and I'd LOVE to do another one VERY soon!) as well as being named the October Expert Of The Month. This up-and-coming web site is changing people's lives one buddy at a time and people are starting to take notice.

With 2007 only a few more days away and those ever-popular New Year's resolutions to get healthy and shed the pounds for good, what better time than RIGHT NOW to start strategizing how you will do it?! People are signing up left and right to be a part of the NEW AND IMPROVED Weight Loss Buddy because of their track record for producing the results people so desperately desire when they begin a totally different eating lifestyle.

But rather than trying to go it alone on your weight loss plan which has failed you time and time again in the past, why not try Weight Loss Buddy in 2007 and team up with someone who cares about you, wants to encourage you in your efforts, and will be there with you and for you every step of the way until you reach your weight loss goal? They'll be your virtual cheerleader in this pursuit of a better life. With support like that, why wouldn't you succeed?

Have you seen the fantastic newly upgraded web site over at Weight Loss Buddy? WOW, check it out because it looks absolutely incredible! They even let YOU decide who you want your buddy to be. Best of all is this service is 100% absolutely FREE, so you really have NOTHING to lose except those stubborn holiday pounds. :D

Browse around the Weight Loss Buddy site for yourself and let me know what you think about it. This could be the start of a fantastic relationship with a buddy who may very well be the missing ingredient you've been needing to put you over the top in reaching your weight loss goals. Don't wait until the new year to find your buddy. DO IT TODAY!!!

CLICK HERE to find your Weight Loss Buddy!

'The Furious Dieter' With Weight Loss Woes

Emily is insulin resistant and is now using low-carb to lose weight

Ever since my nearly 200-pound weight loss on the Atkins diet, my heart literally aches for people who struggle with their weight and overall health. The pathway to a better life is not an easy one, but it is indeed possible as my story of triumph hopefully proves to anyone who thinks otherwise. That's why it breaks my heart to see people like Emily Green struggling.

This good-looking 23-year old Goshen, Indiana woman visited one of my other low-carb web sites on Monday--LowCarbNewsLine.com--and submitted her blog called "The Furious Dieter" for inclusion in the directory. I quickly obliged and after taking a look at her blog a little bit closer.

Here's how Emily describes her blog:

"I'm a 23 year old woman diagnosed with insulin resistance. I need to do a low-carb diet in order to lose my extra fluff. I can't diet, but I try."

Intrigued, I browsed around Emily's blog to see what she's really all about. I noticed she is a happily married woman who loves her cat and would "love to add a few babies" to her household. That sounds familiar since my wife Christine and I have FOUR cats and have been trying to get pregnant for over ten years. Small world.

Emily's goal of losing her "extra fluff" is what drew me to her story and the fact that she is insulin resistant, a precursor to diabetes, piqued my curiosity even further since low-carb diets are an excellent way to help people with that condition. She admits that her insulin sensitivity has really "messed up my body" and forced her to start taking Metformin to help normalize the functions of her body.

She provides a seemingly uplifting greeting to visitors of her blog.

"Join me through my ups and downs & eventually to weight loss success!"

But what's with this "furious dieter" mantra? That's what concerned me the most when I first saw the name of Emily's blog. Is she "furious" about her weight getting up to 285 pounds? Is she "furious" that she feels like she must suffer to get down to her goal weight of 180 pounds? What's got her so angry, depressed, and yes "furious?"

Reading through her blog, you get a better understanding of that. She's tempted by sugar at the coffee shop she works for, she describes herself as a "porker" because the scale doesn't move down as fast as she would like, and her favorite phrase has got to be "I suck at life" which she repeats again in this blog post as well as this one.

I can see from just these few examples of Emily's innermost thoughts that she unfortunately has a low self-image about herself which can certainly explain why her weight has gotten as big as it has. Even after losing an impressive 24 pounds so far, she's still depressed, upset, and down in the dumps. What she desperately needs is a boost of support, encouragement and positivity in her life right now if she is ever going to get out of her dieting doldrums.

So, let's do this: Send Emily an e-mail and tell her that she's doing fantastic with her weight loss. Be sure to urge her to continue on with the progress she is making in her journey and to NEVER GIVE UP!

Share with her your low-carb story and let her know that we are a community of people who stand ready to help her with any questions or concerns that she may have about livin' la vida low-carb. She may feel all alone in this endeavor which is why we must all show her otherwise. Together, we can make this a virtual Christmas present especially for Emily to share love and compassion with her at this time.

Won't you join me in helping this lovely woman in her time of need?

12-13-06 UPDATE: Well, Emily heard from you according to this blog post she wrote. Here's just a bit about what she said:

"I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has sent me messages of encouragement! It really means something. And, a special thank you to Mr. Moore for taking the time to take a gander into my life and write something about me."

You are VERY welcome, Emily! Keep your chin up, girl, because you WILL succeed at your low-carb lifestyle. Come by and visit us here at "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" anytime. :D God bless you!

'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 7: Being Sick Or Stressed Not A License To Cheat

LISTEN NOW to Episode 7 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" by clicking on any of the following links:

 "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 7 [12:14m]: Play in Popup | Download

This week's episode is very personal because I recorded it while experiencing the seventh day of symptoms of one of the most grueling head colds I have ever had. This past week has been horrendous for me with sniffling, sneezing, hacking cough, fever, congestion, and an overall rotten feeling. Actually, it royally sucks (wanna know how I REALLY feel?). So, what better opportunity to talk about remaining committed to your low-carb plan even when you are sick or stressed? I think you'll enjoy my perspective on this subject matter this week.

Share your tips and stories about how you deal with being sick or stressed while livin' la vida low-carb by leaving a comment at the official web site for the show. We've all thrown our hands up in the air and given in to those "comfort foods" we thought we needed to get through it, but I'd be interested in hearing from people who have overcome and triumphed. Did you feel better knowing you didn't throw in the towel on your low-carb diet? Share, share, share! :)

In case you missed it, here are the ways you can listen to my podcast:

1. Listen at the official web site
2. Go to iTunes
3. Call (818) 688-2763 to listen via Podlinez
4. Subscribe to the RSS feed

"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show" is LIVE for you RIGHT NOW! ENJOY!

'The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 5: Just Say 'No'!

LISTEN NOW to Episode 5 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" by clicking on any of the following links:

 "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 5 [14:05m]: Play in Popup | Download

In this week's episode, I discuss the power of saying “no” and how sticking to your low-carb plan when confronted by temptation not only helps you lose weight, but also gives you the confidence you need to keep it going.

Let me know what you think about Episode 5. Leave your feedback--good, bad or indifferent--about the show by clicking here. We want to know what you think so don't be bashful!

Wanna get creative with the way you provide your comments to us about the show? Try using the MobaTalk system that lets you leave real-time audio feedback for us directly from your computer. Just use the microphone on your computer, click on the "Leave Comments" button below and you're in business:



Finally, here are all the ways you can listen to my podcast show:

1. Go to the official web site
2. Go to iTunes
3. Call (818) 688-2763 to listen via Podlinez
4. Subscribe to the RSS feed

THANKS for listening to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show!" ENJOY!

Atkins Devotee Finds A Home With The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Blog

I love getting e-mail from literally hundreds of people every week asking me such mundane questions as "How do you do this Atkins diet thing anyway?" to more serious ones like "Can low-carb really help me lose 150 pounds?" Sometimes the e-mails make perfect sense while others...um, let's just say I would need an interpreter to figure out what they mean. :-~ It's a fun lesson in the dynamics of communication that I absolutely adore.

I'm here to tell you, I read EVERY SINGLE E-MAIL that people send me and try to answer them all as soon as I possibly can. Sometimes I feel the need to provide an elaborate answer while other times my response is shorter. But I do respond and gladly offer any help that I can based on my own experiences on the low-carb lifestyle. After all, this miracle weight loss on livin' la vida low-carb was a gift from God, so who am I to keep others from experiencing their own blessing, right?

In addition to these questions that come in my e-mail box, I also get a TON of e-mails offering me thanks and praise for what I do at my blogs (Livin' La Vida Low-Carb, "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge, LowCarbNewsline.com, CarbWire.com, Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Links, CommonVoice.com, and The Quintessential Diabetes Links Resource blog) and with my podcast show. These e-mails are quite invigorating to read, especially if I have had a stressful day. And I get one of these at just the right moment to remind me why I have committed to doing what I do on a consistent basis.

My wife Christine, the sentimental woman that she is, keeps every single one of these e-mails I receive from you in a special scrapbook for me to look back on someday. She's already up to three large notebooks full of them and there are no signs of letting up yet. We may have to create a "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" library! :D

Here's one such encouraging e-mail I received from a brand new reader this weekend:

Hey Jimmy Moore! – I think I love you!!!!

WOW, thanks (I think!). I barely know ya, but I'll take it as a compliment.

I just wanted to drop you a line and say thank you for you amazingly erudite, positive and informative blog! I am so sick of having to hide the fact that I follow the Atkins Way Of Eating, just because I don’t want to have to deal with the onslaught of negativity, I will invariably encounter from others.

THANKS! That's why I'm here blogging away everyday.

Myself and my partner are happily coasting along with Atkins – currently losing between 2-4 pounds a week – and we have never felt better. Both of us were lucky enough to be quite young (26 + 30) when we decided to change our eating habits, so we didn’t necessarily have a whole host of health problems associated with being overweight (and as we were both at about 250lb to begin with, that’s VERY lucky!). But we’re amazed at how easy it is to follow and can quite confidently state that we will be happy to continue with this WOE forever.

It really is quite amazing this lifestyle change we've chosen, isn't it?

I was so happy to have stumbled upon your blog, because whilst there are a lot of low carb sites out there, it makes for a nice change to find some really positive sources that not only sing the praises of Dr. Atkins (who I think should receive a knighthood for his services to humanity!) but back up this WOE with articles, real scientific sources and a whole host of people for whom the Atkins diet has been a resounding success. I feel as though I have found my nutritional-spiritual home with your blog.

Offering education and encouragement has been my mission from day one.

So thank you again for being the tireless crusader of Atkins that you are – you’ve bowled me over (and I’m a tough crowd to please!). Take care and keep up the good work!

No, THANK YOU for being willing to be an advocate for livin' la vida low-carb in a world that spits in your face for doing so. You have joined a community of people who have not only survived, but thrived because of the healthy changes that have happened as a result of this remarkable way of eating. Life will never be the same again.

Don't ever lose your passion and vigor for sharing the message of low-carb living with the masses. It's a challenge for sure, but our own experiences will trump all of the lies that we continually hear from the media, our government and from so-called health "experts." They think they have a monopoly on nutritional truth, but the fact is they don't.

That's why low-carbers like yourself just need to keep on smilin' and livin' la vida low-carb boldly, proudly, and unashamed because you are getting your weight and health under control using the most incredible nutritional approach that has ever been shared with the world. It's the low-carb lifestyle, baby!

Got a question or comment for me? E-mail me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

Inspiring Low-Carb Weight Loss Success Stories

Feeling kinda blue in your low-carb lifestyle? Do you have thoughts of giving up because you've gotten in a rut and think maybe the weight loss has stopped for good? If so, then you need a big boost of inspiration to get you going again with a list of low-carb weight loss success stories.

As someone who has lost nearly 200 pounds on the low-carb lifestyle, I know EXACTLY what it feels like when the scale stops moving, when you feel the temptation to eat a high-carb food that seems to be calling out your name, when you think everything you have worked so hard for is unraveling at the seams.

Sound familiar?

See, you are NOT alone in this and that's why I have compiled this list of low-carb weight loss success stories at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Links" blog for you to reference anytime you need some get-up-and-go in that low-carb life of yours.

With the success stories of people who have lost 30 to 300 pounds on low-carb, you can't help but be motivated to continue on your amazing low-carb weight loss journey until you become a success story yourself! You'll want to bookmark this Success Stories link and come back time and time again. YOU WILL SUCCEED!