Is Low-Carb Just Your Diet Or Is It Now Your Personal Mission?

Earlier this year I told you about a brand new obesity documentary from a filmmaker named C.J. Hunt who is In Search Of The Perfect Human Diet. He's traveling all across the country meeting with some of the most prominent researchers, doctors, nutritionists, and health experts to figure out the answer to that rather daunting undertaking.

But now C.J. Hunt wants to hear from arguably the most well-informed, enthusiastic, and compelling experts yet--YOU!

That's right, he believes that the bread (low-carb, of course!) and butter of his documentary will come from the REAL LIFE stories and examples of REAL people who have made livin' la vida low-carb their permanent and healthy way to eat. You, me, and everyone who has implemented a controlled-carb, nutrient-dense lifestyle change can help shape the direction of this movie, so keep reading to find out how.

Here's a question that I want you to think about:

Is low-carb just your diet or is it now your personal mission?

In other words, are you actively involved in sharing the low-carb lifestyle with those people in your sphere of influence? Have you committed yourself to giving back to others--paying it forward, as such--for the tremendous benefits you have received from livin' la vida low-carb?

For me personally, I think most of you know the answer to that question. It is INDEED my personally mission to help educate, encourage, and inspire others to begin their own journey on the low-carb lifestyle for the sake of their weight and health. That's why I created so many different avenues for sharing that message, including through my blog, book, podcast, YouTube videos, and my new forum.

With such a miraculous and radical turnaround in my weight and health because of this healthy nutritional approach, I can't help but shout it from the mountaintops and continue to carry on the torch that the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins started some three decades ago. And I'm not alone either with literally a new low-carber popping up seemingly every minute of every day. Look at all the blogs and web sites!!!

What about YOU, though? Is low-carb just a personal dieting tool to you? Or has it become something bigger than a simple diet plan to you? If you believe livin' la vida low-carb is something special that merits an investment of your time, energy, and resources, then what kinds of actions are you doing to try to advance it?

Perhaps you know low-carb is the way that most people should be eating to manage their weight and health since obesity and diabetes have gotten completely out of control in this world of low-fat, low-calorie, portion controlled diets, but you just don't have the time nor do you care to get involved in actively promoting low-carb in the mainstream. Why is that and what is REALLY holding you back?

I know I'm getting a little deep and somewhat personal here, but this is something C.J. is sincerely interested in as an angle for his film and he will be monitoring your responses in the comments section below.

I'll assume since you visit my blog that you have some inkling of a vested interest in seeing the low-carb message actively promoted (after all, it's what I try to do on a daily basis and have been for the past 2 1/2 years). So, if you already are or could be involved in furthering the mission, then how would you do it?

How much time do you devote to sharing low-carb with others? Do you have any special talents that could be used to market the low-carb message? What about tapping into some personal contacts who could help in this effort within your sphere of influence? Finally, are you actively supporting through financial contributions those who are on the front lines of communicating the low-carb agenda?

This is a lot to take in, but it all leads to this question:

How can we all collaborate our efforts into one?

It's the big picture focus and one that I've thought about quite a bit since I began blogging here in early 2005. One of the reasons I got involved so actively was because the pro-low-carb voice was being quashed and its active defenders were few and far between.

After Dr. Atkins died, it was as if all the most ardent supporters went into hiding. What's up with that? Be bold, be strong, and trust that you have the right message for such a time as this. I've personally seen a turnaround in my life because of the Atkins diet and I'll be danged if anyone dares to tell me I can't talk about it!

Get excited and motivated because that revolution that began so many years ago is headed for a fresh new revival in a big way. With the new Gary Taubes book coming out next Tuesday and some truly remarkable research about the healthiness of saturated fat coming very soon, the positive message of livin' la vida low-carb is primed for public consumption. That's something C.J. Hunt is attempting to tap into.

One final thought about In Search Of The Perfect Human Diet is this question:

How do you think this film can help you?

If you could communicate ANYTHING in this documentary about the low-carb life, then what would you want the message to be? How do you think a film like this could or should influence the public's perception of livin' la vida low-carb and of the importance of eating in the way we have evolved to eat?

I realize I've just plopped enough questions in your lap that many of you could write a dissertation about it. But this is YOUR chance to make an impression on a movie that could be a part of the driving force to share the genuine low-carb lifestyle to an audience of people who have probably never heard it before.

Submit your comments below or you can e-mail the filmmaker C.J. Hunt directly at cjhunt3@perfecthumandiet.com. This oughta be REALLY good! I can't wait to read what you have to share.

By the way, you can invest in this upcoming documentary if you believe in the mission of what C.J. is trying to accomplish with it by becoming a Film Angel. You can even sign up NOW to get on the DVD Mailing List which you will want to do since EVERYONE who is reading this will want a copy of this movie to share with their friends and family, right? :D

THANK YOU for getting involved and feel free to get as detailed as you would like in your responses. Feel free to take a few days to think about this if you'd like, but something tells me most of you are already locked and loaded on this one!

9-21-07 UPDATE: Well, not everyone is happy with my assertion that people like me are carrying on the torch of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins because there were defenders of low-carb living PRIOR to him. Here's what was shared in an e-mail:

Err, Jimmy - given what you yourself have posted about the work of William Banting, amongst others - could we please stop the Atkins Deification? I grant you he popularised it LATELY - but he was hardly the first. Or best.

No offense intended, but it's grating, to me, at least, and it makes it hard to take the rest of your posts seriously...

I've never stated that Dr. Atkins was the first or the best defender of livin' la vida low-carb (and I've not deified, only admired the man for his great work). But you have to admit he is the most famous name associated with this way of eating. Plus, I lost my weight and improved my health on the ATKINS diet, so naturally I'm going to give credit to him for MY experience.

Here was my e-mail response:

THANKS for your opinion, but most people are more aware of Dr. Atkins than they are William Banting. But I agree with you that livin' la vida low-carb goes back much further. And even further than Banting, too. THANKS for reading!

If this kinda petty thing irritates somebody that they think it is "hard to take the rest of your posts seriously," then I have questions about their commitment to the message of livin' la vida low-carb in the first place. But that's just me!

I appreciate all the responses so far, so keep 'em coming! :)

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.

I'm not sure when it became so taboo to choose a nutritional approach like this one to bring about weight and health improvements when it has been shown in studies to be just as effective if not better than the low-fat diet. Even respected scientific researcher Dr. Michael Dansinger says the low-carb diet has been too quickly dismissed by the health "experts" and deserves a fair shake in the diet debate.

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

It turns out this gentleman found out about my blog from low-carb cooking goddess Dana Carpender when she told her readers about my blog last year. And he's been hooked ever since.

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!

Oh what a day that will be! :)

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.

'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 51: Another Low-Carb Podcaster, Taking On Obesity

Nathan Stanley is an athlete who is gladly livin' la vida low-carb

In Episode 51 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore," I have the distinct pleasure of introducing you to another voice of support for the low-carb lifestyle embodied in a man named Nathan Stanley. He is a weightlifting champion who just so happens to go against the failed carb-loading strategy recommended for athletes these days. You'll get to hear a sampling of Nathan's new segment on The Health Hacks Podcast.

Also, I dive right into the subject of obesity and what we are doing to try to slow down the rate at which it is growing in this country. I can tell you this: NOT MUCH IS HAPPENING, but something needs to change. Not surprisingly, I think livin' la vida low-carb is a major part of the answer if the government and health "experts" would simply open their minds to the possibilities. Listen now to hear my impassioned plea for sanity on this important topic of discussion:

 "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 51 [12:05m]: Play in Popup | Download

When will the message of low-carb finally break through the barriers standing in the way of mainstream acceptance? The science is already there and still coming in droves, but there is still such a stigma attached to livin' la vida low-carb preventing it from being as universally accepted as the low-fat diet. Tell me your thoughts about what you think can be done to turn the tide of public opinion in favor of the low-carb lifestyle.

"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show" is also available by:

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

Please leave your feedback abot Episode 51 and to let us know what you liked or disliked about the show. Is there anything we can do to make it more enjoyable for you as you listen? Many of you have been kind enough to share how much the podcast has meant to you as you are livin' la vida low-carb, so we are grateful to receive your praise as well. :)

Be sure to tune in on Thursday as I air another interview from my trip to the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP) obesity conference in Nashville, TN earlier this month. We'll hear from a bariatric physician who will openly share the strategies used to help the overweight and obese get healthy again. You WON'T want to miss it! SEE YA!

Join Denver Low-Carb Living Meetup Group

Author Karen Rysavy recently joined this new Denver support group

Do you live in the Denver, Colorado area and want some accountability in your low-carb lifestyle? If so, then you are in luck! My friend and low-carb chef extraordinaire Bridget Hart has started a brand new Denver Low-Carb Living Meetup Group for veterans and newbies of low-carb dieting.

Bridget wanted to bring together people in the greater Denver area who are supporters of the low-carb and low-glycemic lifestyle no matter why they are doing it. Whether it is controlling blood sugar levels as a diabetic, weight loss, or just trying to eat healthier than you ever have before, this new group wants to provided a means for "encouragement, get motivated, share recipes and resources."

After just a few meetings, the group has already built up to 21 members and they are cordially inviting YOU to join them, too, if you are near Denver, Colorado.

There is one rather famous member in this group--low-carb author, entrepreneur, and 7-year veteran of livin' la vida low-carb Karen Rysavy from TrulyLowCarb.com.

I had the brief privilege of working with Karen as a contributing writer at Low-Carb Energy magazine last year before they decided to shut down the print magazine for good. Boy, don't you know they wish they'd hung on for a little while longer now that livin' la vida low-carb is making a big comeback in 2007! Oh well, live and learn, right? :)

Man, I wish I lived in the Denver, Colorado area now so I could join this new meetup group. If I'm ever in Denver or if Bridget would like to have me come there for a visit to speak to the group, then I'm there baby! How fun would that be?

You can learn more about the Denver Low-Carb Living Meetup Group and sign up to become the newest member by clicking here.

What's Your Long-Term Weight Loss Reward?

Man, I've gotta tell you right now, I am absolutely pooped out. These past few days, I've hauled more shingles that we ripped off the roof of my house than I care to think about. Of course, I can't help but think about it because of the excruciating aches and pains in every crevice of my body.

Ahhhh, but despite how I feel right at this moment, I have an important message that anyone and everyone who desires weight loss needs to hear. In fact, I dare say this subject matter I will discuss with you today is the one thing that will determine whether you are ultimately a success or failure in your attempts to lose weight.

What is it?

In a word, it's all about the reward. You heard me right, finding the ability to bring about lasting and permanent weight loss requires you to see the light at the end of the tunnel that you can work your way towards.

As if getting thin and healthy isn't reward enough, most of us need an ego boost from time to time to let us know what a great job we are doing on our diet plan. Come on, be honest, you know you like hearing people tell you how good you are looking after a modest weight loss. That's one form of reward that works for people and can motivate them to great success.

There are other rewards people can use to help change their habits and help them live the coveted "healthy lifestyle" once and for all. Click here to read more about the reward concept and how it has propel you to amazing long-term weight loss and weight maintenance success. YOU CAN DO IT!

Study: High-Carb Foods Lead To Kidney Cancer

Man shall not live by bread alone, but he could get cancer from it!

If people thought the popularity of the low-carb diet was bad for the bread, pasta, dairy, and rice industries, then they ain't seen nothing yet!

A brand new Italian study released on Friday provided the shocking revelation that a diet rich is bread consumption is directly linked to the most common type of kidney cancer there is called renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This research may be the most damning evidence yet against eating a high-carb diet for health ever again and is proof yet again why livin' la vida low-carb truly is a healthier way to eat for the rest of your life.

Lead researcher Dr. Francesca Bravi, from the Milan, Italy-based Institute of Pharmacological Research "Mario Negri," and her fellow researchers conducted a large controlled study of 2301 Italians adults to determine if diet and nutrition played any significant role in the development of RCC. Dr. Bravi said this is an extremely controversial subject among dietary researchers and she wanted to see if a link existed.

"To our knowledge, no other study investigated the role of cereals on RCC," Dr. Bravi remarked about the reason for her research.

One-third (767 study participants, including 494 men and 273 women) were already diagnosed with RCC when the study began and the other two-thirds (1534 study participants, including 988 men and 546 women) were used as the control subjects in the study because they had not previously been diagnosed with the disease. In fact, there were two control subjects matched up by gender, age, and location with each RCC-diagnosed case.

For everyone who participated in the study, Dr. Bravi and her team looked at their lifestyle, where they lived, who they interacted with, what kind of medical history each of them had, and other appropriate measurements at the beginning of the study.

The participants were also required to take a food frequency questionairre consisting of 78 questions about food and beverage intake was adminstered to determine what the average weekly diet was like for them over the previous two years to see if any of the foods they consumed played a role in the RCC. Alcohol consumption was also assessed in a separate set of questions.

What they found was a "significant direct trend in risk" of developing RCC when foods like bread, pasta, rice, milk, and yogurt were consumed. Here is what the study found regarding the probability of INCREASED risk of the onset of RCC for eating any of the following foods:

Bread -- 94 percent increased risk
Pasta -- 29 percent increased risk
Rice -- 29 percent increased risk
Milk -- 27 percent increased risk
Yogurt -- 27 percent increased risk

The researchers suggest that the greater risk of RCC from these high-carb foods "may be due to the high glycemic index of these foods and their possible involvement in insulin-like growth factors." This is much more serious than the excessive acne caused by high-carb diets which was recently studied.

At the same time, Dr. Bravi found that many of the following low-glycemic, low-carb foods were actually protective against RCC because they DECREASED the risk of developing it:

Poultry -- 26 percent decreased risk
Processed meats -- 36 percent decreased risk
Vegetables -- 35 percent decreased risk

Dr. Bravi said each of these foods were "inversely associated with RCC risk." In fact, she went on to say that there was "no relation" to RCC found in coffee, tea, soup, eggs, red meat, fish, cheese, fruits, potatoes, sugars and desserts.

"Decreasing risk was associated with increasing intake of poultry, processed meat, and all vegetables, both raw and cooked," Dr. Bravi noted in her study.

Vegetable consumption, which is a staple among most healthy dieters including those on low-carb diets, has long been found in studies to contain many vitamins, carotenoids, flavonoids and phytosterols--all of which are good for your body and help keep you healthy.

"The results of this study provide further indications on dietary correlates of RCC, and in particular indicate that a diet rich in refined cereals and poor in vegetables may have an unfavorable role on RCC," the researchers concluded.

The study entitled "Food Groups and Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Case-Control Study from Italy" was published in the October 20, 2006 issue of the International Journal of Cancer.

While the dieting world has been exposed to a lot of crazy diets over the years, this new study just confirms how truly ridiculous these cereal diets you see on television all the time as well as books such as "The Pocket Diet," "The Bread For Life Diet," "The Diet Code" really are when it comes to a healthy lifestyle.

And let's not forget about the government-recommended USDA Food Pyramid. Are they going to back away from these suggestions for grain intake in light of this new study? Don't count on it. It's another reason why YOU must take control of your own health and never allow the government to tell you what is good for you. This study is proof positive they are simply not looking out for the best interests of you and me.

As for me, I'll keep on livin' la vida low-carb proudly because I can be confident my weight will be controlled and my risk of developing renal cell carcinoma is MUCH lower than it would be on the typical high-carb Standard American Diet (SAD). It is SAD indeed.

Bowden Trilogy: 23 Ways To Improve Your Life

This 3-CD audiobook is a how-to manual on living life better

The first audiobook in the Jonny Bowden trilogy I reviewed the other day entitled "9 Essential Steps To Weight Loss" dealt with the hottest issue of our day--how to overcome obesity and make weight loss happen. That is an important subject in the context of health and getting your life headed in the right direction, but Jonny reveals in his second audiobook called "23 Ways To Improve Your Life" that there is so much more worth striving for in our lives than simply dropping a few pounds and he explains why.

When I saw the title of this audiobook, I was a little put off by the insinuation that Jonny was making assuming that I needed to make changes to "improve my life." Who does this man think he is and why do I need any advice from him about changing my life? I'm doing okay and my life is going along very well thank you very much. What can I learn from a weight loss and nutrition coach anyway about ways to make my life any better than it already is, huh?

Okay, I'll admit it. That kind of thinking was pretty dopey on my part, but I'm sure many of you are quite possibly thinking the same thing. What can Jonny Bowden teach me about myself that I don't already know? Hear me out on this, let me tell you something--you DO need to make some small changes in your life that will bring about enormous benefits to your health and wellbeing that you never thought were possible regardless of how well you think life is going. If I hadn't listened to this audiobook for the past few hours, then I wouldn't have believed it either! And if life sucks for you, then you REALLY need to listen to this 3-CD set!

While much of today's self-help category of products is filled with so much impractical fluff that you feel like you've wasted the hard-earned money you spent on them, that's not what you're gonna get from Jonny Bowden. In "23 Ways To Improve Your Life" there is very strong advice that you can put to good use RIGHT AWAY to make your life better. In fact, most of these tips that Jonny shares need to be tried for just 30 days to begin feeling the maximum benefits in your life. It's hard to believe you can really see changes that quickly, but you can--AND JONNY BOWDEN PERSONALLY GUARANTEES IT!!!

So what does he address in this audiobook? The better question is what DOESN'T he address! LOL! This man arms you with ways to strengthen your relationships, improve your state of mind, reduce stress in your life, make your body as healthy as it can be, eat foods that will make you feel good and are genuinely good for you, and put your life on course for the success you were destined to have. If I didn't know any better, then I would think Jonny was a professional sports coach using psychology and motivational speaking to pump up his team to perform at their best. That's exactly how you feel as you listen to him speak.

I felt convicted about areas of my own personal life as I was listening to this audibook because I never realized how some of my actions and reactions to circumstances were actually doing physical harm to my body. YIKES! That has become so much more amplified with my recent life struggles and Jonny Bowden has helped me be able to deal with those issues in ways I can easily begin implementing in my life. In fact, the part about forgiveness and gratitude on the CDs were the most beneficial to me and I am already feeling the tension release from my body just hours after listening to the wisdom of this man.

Sure, there are some parts of "23 Ways To Improve Your Life" that get a little deep and spooky when he starts talking about spirituality, visualization, and getting chummy with the "gremlins" in your life. But you need to listen anyway...you may just learn something about yourself that you never knew before. But you'll NEVER get to experience that if you don't listen for yourself!

What an amazing experience this audiobook was to listen to and I cannot recommend it highly enough to you than to just say GET IT FOR YOURSELF! I promise you WON'T be disappointed and you will thank me later for urging you to get it--IT'S THAT GOOD! THANK YOU again, Jonny! This one's a masterpiece and I will be listening to it again and again.

Check out my previous review of "9 Essential Steps To Weight Loss" and be looking for my third and final review in the Bowden trilogy soon with the audiobook "Change Your Body, Change Your Life." Remember, you can get all three TODAY at a special price exclusively by clicking here.

'Something Clicked' After Reading Weight Loss Success Book, Watching Atkins Video

I don't know about you, but I just LOVE getting e-mails from people about how my 180-pound weight loss story on the Atkins diet has inspired and motivated them to start losing weight for themselves, too. Nothing brings me greater joy and happiness than to see the time I spend here at my blog is invested in helping people genuinely change their lives forever. It's the mission I am currently embarking upon and one that is sorely needed in this day and age.

In addition to my blog, I also am a contributor to the web sites CarbWire.com, LowCarbNewsline.com, CommonVoice.com, HealthHacksPodcast.com, WeightLossBuddy.com, "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge and my new blog Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Links, among others. WHEW!

So, why do I write in so many different places? Eyeballs. Well, not literally eyeballs, but the bodies that are attached to those eyeballs reading my stuff. With multiple places for people to read my columns, including being frequently picked up by Google News (do a sample search for "low-carb" and see how many of my columns you see there), the reach of this blog extends beyond my little world here known as "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb."

That's what makes getting e-mails like the one I am about to share with you so gratifying. Amazingly, I would have never met most of you 20 years ago or even 10 years ago with the technology we had back then. Nobody knew what the Internet was in 1986 and the blogosphere was in the early stages in 1996. But here we are in 2006 bringing the world closer together than it has ever been in human history and blogs are facilitating that.

As a weight loss blogger, I'm loving that! Meeting new people who want to learn more about livin' la vida low-carb every single day thrills me. Reading the e-mails from people crying out for hope and help in a world that has spit in their face and left them feeling guilty about being fat quite literally breaks my heart. But I know a way that helped me shed over 180 pounds from my former 410-pound body and I'd be remiss if I sat back and did nothing to give aid and comfort to those who are in the same boat that I was.

This letter from an excited reader today was in response to my autobiographical book about my weight loss entitled "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb: My Journey From Flabby Fat To Sensationaly Skinny In One Year." It is available from Amazon.com or from my publisher BookLocker.com (also comes in e-book format).

The e-mail started off so enthusiastically, all I could see was "WOW, WOW, WOW!!!!!!"

"You are a true inspiration, as well as the other friends you have posted about that have lost so much weight. I started Atkins for the last time today 09/12/2006. I am almost 38 years old and weighed in at 292.4 at 5’5” and I know I am completely unhealthy (I have all the warning signs to a very short life)."

CONGRATULATIONS on making this lifestyle change and taking it seriously. With your current statistics, it's good that you decided that NOW is the time to DO SOMETHING before it is too late. The good news is you seem to be in the right mindset to make this work and I encourage you to maintain that passionate desire to lose weight that you have right now for at least the next 12 months. No slacking off, no backing down, this is for real now! YOU CAN DO IT!

After coming to the realization that she was eating herself quite possibly to an early grave, she picked up my book and started reading it for inspiration and, most of all, hope.

"Your book, your blog and others websites and stories for help and inspiration is helping me come to an understanding that this is the right program for me. It has taken me years to come to this conclusion, but here I am."

Although she has been on low-carb diets before as well as "every other diet out there," they didn't seem to help her much. Unfortunately, she never stayed on any of them longer than a few days before she simply gave up on them, including Atkins. But now she realizes how weak she was for giving up too soon.

"What a baby I have been. I read the post and watched the video from Kent Altena about Induction Flu. Hallelujah! Something clicked. That 'flu' is why I give up every time!"

See, Kent! Your Atkins video series IS making a HUGE difference!

She has firmly vowed about giving up: "NO MORE!"

"I am here to say with all that is in my heart (and for my heart…so I do not keel over of a heart attack), I will not be stopped. Like one of my favorite movies, A League of Their Own, says 'There’s no crying in baseball.' So my new mantra is "There’s no crying in livin' la vida low-carb! Can I get an AMEN!"

LOL! Now THAT'S the spirit and I'm so proud of you for taking this important step to get tough and get ready for what will be one of the biggest challenges of your life. But you've read my book and you know the pain and setbacks that I went through to become the low-carb weight loss success story that I am today. The same could and should happen to you if you follow through on that commitment you made starting today.

This reader said she will be starting her own blog soon to chronicle her journey and wanted to personally thank me for sharing my story with the world.

"I told you that you were an inspiration. Please stay tuned to all of my ups and downs. I will let you know how it goes! Thanks again to you and all those great, successful, low-carb gurus out there! You've motivated this crazy chick whose eyes have finally opened!"

THANK YOU!!! Can you tell that e-mail made my day today? :D

Anyone else have a similar story to share? I'm always curious to know how my weight loss story, my blog and my book are helping people with their own weight loss aspirations. My wife Christine actually keeps a scrapbook with every single e-mail like this one today to help encourage me when I feel discouraged or depressed (which is rare, by the way!). I'd LOVE to hear from you if you would like to share YOUR story, too! Send it to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

Also, if you have bought a copy of my book or e-book, I'd just like to say THANK YOU! When I wrote that book about my weight loss story, all I wanted it to do was be a glimmer of hope for people who felt hopeless about their weight problem. From the feedback I have received from hundreds of people about it, the consensus is that it has done just that. I fully expect that little book to continue helping people change their lives by losing weight like I did for many years to come.

If you have read my book and would like to do something very simple that would help me out tremendously, would you consider posting a review at my book page on Amazon.com? Whether you bought the book from them or not, they accept reviews from people on anything in their catalog of products. If you liked my book, then your review could help someone else realize it could help them, too. Even if you didn't like my book, share your honest feedback so that maybe my next book can be better than my first.

Oh yeah, I'm gonna write a second book...SOON! I haven't started on it yet, but I've got a GREAT idea for a follow-up to "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" that I think you will be interested in. But, for now, I'm having too much fun blogging! :)

9-14-06 UPDATE: Okay, she's got her blog up and running now. It's called Crazy Low-Carb Goddess Sheri from the Fredericksburg, Virginia-based Sheri. You can welcome and encourage Sheri in her new low-carb lifestyle at her first blog post.

You Can Have Your Say At The Low Carb Café

The Low Carb Café is for those who like a more dignified place to interact

Before I started losing my weight on the Atkins diet in 2004, I never even thought about going on the Internet to look for support groups to help me on my new low-carb lifestyle change. To be honest, I just didn't have any idea what was out there. But had I been smart and looked just a little bit on a Google search, no doubt I would have come across a web site called The Low Carb Café.

Started in September 1998, it featured a chat room, message board and lots of great low-carb recipes for people on this way of eating. Although it changed owners in the summer of 2000, the mission and dedication of the site continued on with the addition of an outstanding forum and moderators who are dedicated to livin' la vida low-carb.

That template for professionalism and commitment is still going strong in 2006 with people who love low-carb living and want to see others change their life forever. They are igniting a passion for the low-carb lifestyle with helpful personal advice, informative articles, and an open forum that allows people to share their struggles and victories in a place of steadfast support.

My first exposure to The Low Carb Café was through their incredible forum where one of the moderators named Carol often reposts some of the blog posts from the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog that she finds useful to share with her readers. With nearly 4500 registered users in this forum, it is quite an active group of people who come together to talk about livin' la vida low-carb in a non-threatening manner.

Arguably the most popular feature at The Low Carb Café are the nearly 1,200 FREE RECIPES available at your fingertips to print out on your computer. Additionally, there is a FREE member's cookbook that comes in an e-book PDF format that can also be printed out and placed in a binder for easy access when you get the urge to do a little low-carb cooking. Whatcha got cookin' for me? :D

The thing I like most about The Low Carb Café is the very clear message that livin' la vida low-carb is "not just a diet, but also a way of life."

Their mission is summed up best on their front page:

This site has been designed to provide all the resources you need to be successful in whatever goals you want to achieve by living a low carb lifestyle. You can find truthful information and answers to all the tough questions concerning this way of life. We are here to support and encourage you when things are tough as well as compliment you when you succeed. Soon you will see how the low carb lifestyle and The Low Carb Café go hand-in-hand in helping you accomplish a healthier way of life.

What a fantastic grassroots web site for anyone wanting to learn more about the low-carb lifestyle and get serious about losing weight as well as improving their health. I just can't say enough about The Low Carb Café and encourage you to check 'em out for yourself. Who knows, you may even meet a few new friends who are at the same point in their low-carb journey as you are.

So, stroll on over to The Low Carb Café to have your say about the low-carb way of life...TODAY! Be sure to let them know "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man" Jimmy Moore sent ya!

A Week's Worth Of My Actual Low-Carb Menu

One of the funniest questions I get from people who first discover that I'm on the low-carb lifestyle is "What do you eat?" My smart alleck response that is only said in my mind is, "Food, ya idiot!" But I'm much more civilized than that and generally respond with a sampling of what I have eaten for that day.

So, with my 6 1/2 pound weight loss last week on this new twist on low-carb living from Regina Wilshire, people are asking what I did differently to lose so much in one week. As a service to you and to possibly help you get some ideas about what to eat on your low-carb lifestyle, I will list a sample one-week menu that I ate last week to lose the weight.

Before I get into the foods I ate, here are my supplements:

3 teaspoons of liquid multivitamin (no iron)
1 brick men's multivitamin (no iron)
200mg Co Q-10
200mcg Chromium Picolinate
250mg Acetyl L-Carnitine
1 brick B Complex Vitamins
6 tablets Shaklee Super Calcium Magnesium Plus
2 caplets Fibercon
2 softgels 1000mg each Flax Oil
2 softgels 1000mg each Fish Oil Concentrate

As for what I drank, I had liberal amounts of water and Splenda-sweetened soft drinks. The water intake was right around a gallon and a half a day and I averaged about 6-8 cans of diet soda daily as well.

Now, without further wait, here is my menu and exercise routine:

MONDAY
7:45AM - Atkins Shake
10:00AM - 4 organic eggs with cheese
1:00PM - La Tortilla wrap with turkey, cheese and mayo
3:00PM - 1/3 cup of almonds and walnuts
5:30PM - 8oz steak w/A-1, 1/3 cup spinach leaves w/avocado oil
8:30PM - Heavy whipping cream w/DaVinci Syrup

EXERCISE: 35 minutes walking

TUESDAY
7:45AM - Atkins Shake
10:45AM - 3 eggs, salad greens w/Ranch, 2 tbsps walnuts
1:00PM - La Tortilla wrap w/turkey, ham, roast beef, cheese, mayo
3:00PM - 1/2 cup of almonds and walnuts
5:45PM - 8oz steak w/A-1, 1/3 cup spinach leaves w/avocado oil
8:15PM - Heavy whipping cream w/DaVinci Syrup

EXERCISE: 30 minutes elliptical

WEDNESDAY
7:45AM - Atkins Shake
9:45AM - 4 organic eggs with cheese
12:15PM - La Tortilla wrap w/roast beef, ham, cheese, mayo
3:00PM - 2/3 cup of almonds and walnuts
5:30PM - Grilled chicken w/cheese, 3/4 cup spinach leaves, Ranch
9:00PM - Heavy whipping cream w/DaVinci Syrup

EXERCISE: 30 minutes elliptical

THURSDAY
8:45AM - Atkins Shake
9:30AM - 4 organic eggs with cheese
2:00PM - 10oz steak w/A-1, 6oz BBQ no sauce, salad greens with eggs, cheese, sunflower seeds, pepperoni, Ranch, 1 bite of sugar-free pudding and 1 swallow of Coca-Cola (I accidentally sipped my wife's drink! UGH!)

EXERCISE: 30 minutes elliptical, 45 minutes volleyball

FRIDAY
9:30AM - Atkins Shake
10:45AM - 4 organic eggs with cheese
1:00PM - 1/4 cup of almonds and walnuts
3:00PM - 4 organic eggs with cheese
9:00PM - 8oz steak w/A-1, 3 eggs, salad greens w/Ranch

EXERCISE: 45 minutes elliptical

SATURDAY
9:30AM - Atkins Shake
11:15AM - 4 organic eggs with cheese
3:30PM - Salad greens w/Ranch, 3 eggs, 3 sausage patties, 1 smoked sausage
8:15PM - Heavy whipping cream w/DaVinci Syrup

EXERCISE: 50 minutes elliptical

SUNDAY
6:30AM - Atkins Shake
8:30AM - 4 eggs with cheese
12:00PM - 3 eggs, salad w/Ranch, 8oz steak w/A-1
8:15PM - 4 organic eggs with cheese

EXERCISE: 45 minutes elliptical

Well, whaddya think? Isn't this doable? I think it's AWESOME!

9-6-06 UPDATE: One of my regular readers was appreciative that I posted my menu from this past week online and had a few excellent questions for me:

“Jimmy, thanks for posting your menus. How different is this week’s menus different from the previous weeks?"

To be honest, not a whole lot.

"How specifically did you incorporate Regina’s tweaks aside from organic eggs and fish oil?”

There were some specific changes I made, including CUTTING OUT ALL ASPARTAME AND MALTITOL products (I still had Splenda-based ones, though!), switched to eating SOME organic eggs and meats, drinking ONE Atkins shake a day, and including those supplements that Regina recommended I start taking. Other than that, the rest is what I've been doing.

Anyone else have any questions?

Obesity: A Product Of Affluence Or Poverty?

I've got a rather philosophical debate for you today that I have noticed lately in various columns I have read recently about the economic reasons for why obesity exists in the world today. It seems like everyone is TALKING about obesity getting so much worse with very little action being taken to actually DO something about it. Nevertheless, the point I want to make today about the economic causes of obesity warrants further discussion and feedback from you.

Here's the one simple question I have:

Is obesity caused by affluence or poverty?

Think about it for a moment. Especially in countries like the United States of America, widely known as the land of fruit and plenty, our affluence avails us the opportunity to have instant access to just about any kind of food we could possibly want. We don't have to walk for miles to get to our food (although we should to burn off some calories!) or wait in line for hours to purchase our food like people in other countries do. No, we can hop in our cozy cars, drive down one mile to our local grocery or conveniece store, go to the self-checkout, ring ourselves up, swipe a card and be on our merry way with food in hand within minutes. How convenient is that?

Is this kind of easy access to food making us fat?

On the flip side, you've got people who claim that since the poor can't afford to purchase the right kinds of foods because they are allegedly too expensive for them to buy, they make alternate food choices instead. So, what do they end up buying? Usually it's the cheap, high-carb, high-sugar foods with virtually zero nutrtional value whatsoever. UGH! Not surprisingly, a steady diet of this junk food will lead to a rapid increase in weight and health problems down the road. Not good.

Is the inability to afford healthy food making us fat?

I suppose it is possible to have both of these dynamics working simultaneously which is double trouble when it comes to tackling obesity as a societal problem. Government and health leaders need to be aware that it may not be one or the other but quite possibly BOTH. But neither one of these reasons is inescapable because there are ways to prevent obesity from afflicting the rich or the poor.

If the rich are buying food in abundance, then they need to be taught what kinds of foods they NEED to be eating so they can maintain their weight and health. It's definitely not an issue of resources for them, but rather making the right choices about what is needed to live a healthy lifestyle. Most people would envy the position of those with no monetary restrictions, but it does make you wonder what kinds of foods YOU would purchase if money was not an issue.

As for the poor only buying the foods they think they can afford, I can certainly relate to this problem myself as a former 400-pounder in the lower middle class who rationalized buying cheaper foods. Purchasing foods like meats, organic eggs, vegetables, and all those other healthy foods you can and should be enjoying while livin' la vida low-carb can put a real strain on your pocketbook.

However, considering I'm no longer wasting money on fast food, prescription drugs to treat obesity-related health problems, doctor visits, new clothes from the big & tall store because you either ripped the old ones or have become too big for them--NEED I GO ON?!--it's amazing how much more affordable these foods suddenly become as these dollars become available to me to get the good stuff.

We can blame affluence on our obesity and we can point fingers at poverty for increasing our waistlines. But when it comes down to it, the only thing we can blame for ever becoming overweight or obese is ourselves. That's right, it's nobody's fault but your own. You may not want to hear that and probably think that is harsh for someone to say to you, but I say it as someone who has been in the position of being morbidly obese feeling like I didn't have any hope in the world that I would ever be able to climb out of the deep, dark hole I had dug myself.

But I did. And today I am a healthier man because of it.

Right now, put aside the excuses for not living a healthy lifestyle. There's no reason good enough for why you should have to keep on living inside the body of a fat person. YOU SHOULDN'T! Remaining fat is NOT healthier than weight loss, so start eating the way you know you should eat, begin adding physical activity to your daily life where it has probably be nonexistent before, and begin your exciting new journey towards making your life exactly what you have wanted it to be for a very long time. Nothing--and I mean ABSOLUTELY nohting--is standing in your way of becoming the success you deserve to be today!

My new motto and the one I want to encourage you to take up is to "aspire to inspire before you expire." You never know who may be watching you as you take those first few steps towards a healthier lifestyle. A child? A sibling? A co-worker?

Before it's too late and the good Lord takes you home in His perfect timing, vow right now to DO SOMETHING positive for your own health so that others can see that it CAN be done. Be that example for others to follow. It is a privilege that comes with the responsibility to keep doing those things that must be done to keep your weight and health under control. That's why I'm still livin' la vida low-carb two years after losing 180 pounds. And I'll keep doing it for the rest of my life.

Obesity is NOT inevitable and weight loss is NOT unattainable if you put forth the effort to make it happen in your own life. Stop waiting for the government to come up with a plan to lose weight for you. End this crazy madness of expecting a new scientific discovery to create a "magic" weight loss potion to dissolve the flab from your body. You KNOW what you need to do and now it's time to DO IT!

Don't hold back one ounce of energy in this effort and commit yourself fully to doing it. If you start to struggle, then lean on those who love you the most. And if you ever need someone to talk to about anything related to the low-carb lifestyle or losing weight, I'm always just a mouse click away at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. No more TALK about why obesity exists. Rich or poor, if you need to lose weight then consider this your wake-up call. YOU CAN DO IT!

Why Are You On Low-Carb, You're Not Fat?

During my weight loss last year, I liked to visit all kinds of restaurants. I really appreciate this part of livin' la vida low-carb because you just don't have too many options for dining out when you are doing a low-fat diet.

"Yes, I'll have a salad with a side salad with dressing that tastes awful please."

Poor low-fat dieters!

But on the low-carb lifestyle, you can transform virtually any meal into a delicious low-carb one by making a few subtle substitutions. And, as I have said many times before, most restaurants are more than willing to accomodate your request if it's within reason.

For example, I have not had any trouble getting a side salad and/or green beans in place of the potato and bread at most restaurants. And my favorite breakfast restaurant allows me to get extra meat, eggs and/or cheese instead of the carb-loaded pancakes and hashbrowns.

When I explain to servers what I want to eat, I always tell them up front, "I'm on low-carb." Most of them are somewhat understanding of what that means now that it has become such a prevalent part of our society (although there are a few servers who think all you can eat on low-carb is meat and just don't understand why fruit is not acceptable on low-carb -- I'm all too eager to educate them further so they can better assist the next low-carb customer).

Now that I have been maintaining my weight loss for the past five months, I still order my food the same way I did during my weight loss in 2004. Occasionally I will allow myself a few extra carbs, but I don't usually feel very good after doing that. That's why most of the time I'll order my meals low-carb.

But imagine my surprise recently when I told a nice, young waitress that I eat low-carb and she responded by saying, "Why are you on low-carb, you're not fat?"

Oh, I could have just jumped out of my seat and given that girl a great big hug! I laughed out loud and told her about my weight loss, but she still didn't believe me. I explained how doing the low-carb lifestyle had changed my life forever. To offer evidence of my weight loss, I returned later with a picture from when I was 410 pounds and she still found it hard to believe I was the same man. I get that a lot these days. :-)

Of course, the reason I still do low-carb is because it is a safe, healthy alternative to low-fat diets. Why would I change my eating habits just now just because I've reached my weight loss goals? A professional sports team doesn't immediately try to break up a team after they win the world championship, do they (at least not on purpose!)? Then why would you change the eating habits that brought you weight loss success? You need to dance with the one that brung ya!

People will compliment you on your appearance because losing weight looks good, especially to the people who used to know you when you were a lot bigger. Whenever I meet new people, I don't usually tell them about my weight loss. But somebody usually points it out to them and I go through the whole picture show again! It's kinda fun in a sort of self-absorbed way. But it also gives me a chance to tell people the truth about low-carb and how incredibly effective is can be for others to regain the health they have lost while losing inches from their waistline.

This blog and my upcoming book are invaluable tools that can be used for that purpose, too! THANK YOU to everyone who has told a friend about this blog. I pray that it help people to be encouraged and educated about their own low-carb lifestyles. As always, your comments are welcome anytime!

Study: Low-Fat Diets Make You Fatter

For people who are livin' la vida low-carb and need some reassurance that their eating lifestyle choice is the correct one, let me share with you a new study that just released regarding the important role of fat intake when it comes to weight loss.

A thorough research study conducted by the Washington University at St. Louis found that low-fat diets contribute directly to excessive fat storing in your stomach, thighs and bottom. Furthermore, people who attempt to lose weight by severely restricting their fat intake will actually cause their weight to gain because their liver needs more new fat to burn the stored fat in these areas of their body.

Is this not GREAT news?! For so many years we have been fed the lie that eating less fat is what will make us have that slender, healthy body we've always dreamed of. But this new research study proves that theory was not only wrong, but the complete opposite of what they have been telling us!

With this new evidence against the failed low-fat diets that have plagued our society for generations, isn't it time for people to wake up and see effective alternatives such as low-carb as a means for not only losing weight but keeping it off for good? I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for that to happen in the medical community or the media anytime soon, though. They're too set in their ways regardless of what new research comes along to debunk every myth they have ever spread to people about weight loss and health.

Researchers in the study add that consuming more dietary fat can be an effective means for burning fat and losing weight in those areas where low-fat has not worked.

Stop the presses! This research basically states that eating fat is a g-g-good thing. People, this is revolutionary! After years and years of being told we need to cut out nearly every gram of fat completely from our diets, now we're being told that wasn't the best way to lose weight. Shazam! There might be hope for solving the obesity problem in this country yet!

So take a wild guess at which weight loss program promotes the fact that you need to eat more fat as part of a healthy way to lose excessive pounds? Hmmm, I wonder what it could be? Oh yeah, IT'S LOW-CARB!!! It seems that Dr. Atkins and everyone who came after him have been right all these years about the role of fat in a successful healthy eating plan. For those of us doing the low-carb lifestyle, this is nothing new. But I do think the medical "experts" and media who have willingly spread this big fat lie about low-fat diets owe all of us low-carbers an apology. Again, don't hold your breath.

The scientists who conducted this study advocated a "balanced diet" (look at the May 3, 2005 blog entry from Jonny Bowden about this subject) and eating less food.

Nobody ever really knows what scientists and doctors mean when they advise people to eat a "balanced diet," but all I know is I get everything I need to maintain my weight just fine on the low-carb lifestyle. In fact, this study concludes that their research vindicates the low-carb lifestyle as an effective weight loss program.

However, when it comes to weight maintenance over the long-term, they conclude the "balanced diet" is the way to go because (and you're gonna love this twisted reasoning) "it's easier to maintain for long periods of time."

Uh, hello? No it's not! I lost 170 pounds doing a low-fat diet in 1999, but the reason I gained back all that weight is because I COULDN'T KEEP IT UP OVER THE LONG HAUL!!! Where do these scientists come up with such idiotic conclusions to their research?!

The researchers in the study call the Atkins approach "extreme" and believe people who are making this their lifestyle choice "could be suppressing other dietary signals important for staying healthy."

Such as? What in the world are they talking about? Dietary signals? Staying healthy?

I'll tell you what, I've never been as healthy in my entire life as I am right now. I exercise 90-120 minutes per day, I eat incredibly delicious foods, I'm breathing good, my cholesterol is way down from where it was, my blood pressure is superb and life is good.

I think if an expert of health is going to make a claim like this, they need to expand upon their comments and say what they really mean. Unfortunately, it is my contention they are merely using these kind of statements as scare tactics to prevent people from starting a healthy low-carb approach to eating. Sadly, that's the narrow-minded politics of weight loss and health that will take much more than a few studies to turn around.

The findings of this study appear in the May 10, 2005 issue of the medical journal Cell Metabolism.