Will You E-mail My Son About His Morbid Obesity?

A father is protective of his son even in adulthood

I get a lot of e-mails as you can imagine from people who have been reading the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog for years all the way down to those who have only just stumbled upon it for the first time this week. It's so exciting to see all the people who are interested in learning more about livin' la vida low-carb which is why I am here. If we can educate, encourage, and inspire millions more in their own personal journey with this way of eating, then the tremendous positive impact will be difficult to ignore for much longer.

Most people who write to me have questions they want answered for themselves or an immediate family member or friend about low-carb living. I'm always happy to acknowledged and respond to someone when they write to me because it is the least I can do for your taking time out of your schedule to contact me. Yes, I really do read and answer all of my e-mails and happily so. If it weren't for you, then I wouldn't have a reason to blog. I appreciate you guys!

However, I got a request this month from a well-meaning person who asks me to contact someone close to them about their weight problem. This seemed like an odd thing to me because here I am a complete stranger and these people want me to contact someone in their life to tell 'em they need to lose weight. As Dr. Phil would say, "how's that working for you?" It would pretty much defeat the purpose of trying to help someone who isn't ready to help themselves.

I do advocate that people should confront the obese (read the blog post so you don't misunderstand what I'm saying) about their weight, but in a caring, loving manner rather than the judgmental way that too often happens. Christine did this "nagging" about my obesity for years before she finally realized it doesn't work. Not until I was ready to make the decision on my own to shed the pounds was I EVER gonna make it happen in my life.

Thankfully that happened in 2004 when I lost 180 pounds on the Atkins diet, but it was ultimately MY decision and mine alone. Yes, the outside forces trying to get me to change my eating habits played a role in nudging me in that direction, but Jimmy Moore had to be the one to say enough is enough and DO IT! Unfortunately many fat people remain in deep denial about their obesity and simply refuse to change on their own or otherwise. This is precisely the situation my brother Kevin has put himself in over the past few years (although he's at least making an effort to lose weight again...for now).

Let me get back to that person who e-mailed me about his son for a moment. Sure, if someone is contacting me directly to help them with their low-carb weight loss efforts, then they are the ones who have reached out and I'm overjoyed to offer any kind of assistance I can to get them going in the right direction. It's why I spend upwards of 15 hours a day sometimes working on everything I am doing. And I wouldn't trade this job for anything else in the whole world!

But this desperate father asked me to write to his son who is morbidly obese despite doing everything he could think of with his diet. The son is now contemplating having gastric bypass surgery and this dear and loving father asked me one question: "Will you e-mail my son about his morbid obesity?" Man oh man oh man. I feel where the guy's coming from, but it just seems so bizarre to write to someone out of the blue.

Here's the impassioned plea from the father:

Hi Jimmy,

I'm so impressed with your blog. I sent it to my son. My son is 35 and weighs around 450 pounds and has been unable to lose any weight after a few years of trying every diet known to man I think. He is now considering surgery which I think of as an absolute LAST OPTION.

Anyhow, I'm here asking for a favor. Would you e-mail him? I think some contact with you might spur him forward. He is already having cholesterol issues.

His name is XXXXX and he lives in XXXXXX. His email address is: XXXXX@XXXXX.com. It would be marvelous and so very helpful if you made contact with him.

Thanks so much!

Now, my initial gut reaction to this was OF COURSE I'll write to him. I'm sure he'd love to hear from Jimmy Moore telling him about how he used to be morbidly obese and was able to beat it with the use of a low-carb nutritional approach. That'll be just what he needs to get his weight loss going again. But then...

Another part of me was screaming, "What are you doing? Are you CRAZY?! You can't write to this grown man about his weight when he hasn't solicited your advice!" Plus he doesn't know who Jimmy Moore is from Adam, so what good could possibly result from any communication I send to him? It was a brief internal struggle, but I made the decision to NOT contact the son.

Here's what I wrote back to that father:

THANKS so much for writing! I can certainly sense the pain you feel for your son going through this extremely traumatic time with his weight right now. The love you possess is one of care and concern for this boy turned man who still struggles with obesity which will in turn lead to more and more health problems for him in the future.

My wife Christine was concerned about all those exact same things for me too. In fact, she reminded me often that I was gonna make her a widow if I kept eating the way I did, getting bigger and bigger each year, with no end in sight. The more she nagged and talked about it, the more I refused the message she was so desperately trying to convey to me.

You wanna know why I decided to take back control of my weight and health in 2004? I wanted to do it for ME. Christine had already given up on trying to coerce me into doing it, so she just started supporting me no matter what. That reinforcement gave me the confidence to feel like I could do this on my own. After a series of events happened that shook me into reality, I started on this journey and have never looked back again!

Why do I share all of this with you? Because if I contact your son as a complete stranger out of the blue and he's not ready to hear the message yet, then it'll do absolutely no good. In fact, I have a brother named Kevin who is four years older than me and in the same predicament as your son--only worse. He is 40, but is already suffering from so many health issues...Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, he has a defibrilator in his heart, and so much more. And he's SEEN his own brother change his life, but he hasn't made the decision to do it himself.

This is ESSENTIAL for anyone who wants to be a success at weight loss. They have to come to the point where THEY want to do it or else they'll be doing it for someone else as a temporary thing. Once he takes ownership of this problem, then it's his to go after and it will be more meaningful and lasting when all is said and done. Nothing dad or Jimmy Moore can do could possibly replace that in his life and I wouldn't want to take that away from him.

So what do you do for your son right now? Obviously, keep on loving him as you already do, support and encourage him with what he does in his life, and do everything you can to create an environment in your relationship that fosters on open communication. Because when the time comes (and it will!), he will be begging for a way out of his 450-pound body and this is the time to confront him about his obesity in a way that tells him you want nothing but the best for him.

If he likes to read, I wrote a book about my weight loss of 180 pounds in one year after starting out at 410 pounds that may be uplifting to your son. I've been through all the pain of being that large, so maybe he'll see himself in my story. Feel free to forward on my contact information to him to have him initiate communication with me and I'm always happy to respond quickly to any questions he may have for me.

THANK YOU again for writing! You're a great dad and I only wish others had the kind of support you are so willingly giving to your son. He and I are the same age, so it hits home for me reading about your son. He has to want this like nothing else he's ever wanted before and it WILL happen. Keep me informed about what's happening with him and I'm here for you and him when he's ready. Take care!

I was a little concerned that might not be what the father wanted to hear, but I believe in my heart of hearts it was the right thing to do. In hindsight, I am so glad I responded that way and I am still waiting to hear from the son when he is good and ready to contact me. I'll be here for him when he does.

His dad understood it's his son decision in a follow-up e-mail:

I e-mailed my son and gave him your blog. I encouraged him to e-mail you and I hope he will, but now it's up to him.

I'm sure that was very difficult for him to type, but the reality of the situation is you can't force the issue with somebody who's not ready to lose weight and get back their health. Circumstances in life can hurry up the process like they did for me back in 2003 in the months leading up to my decision to start the Atkins diet on January 1, 2004. When I started that day after reading Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution with a plan in hand and a willingness to do whatever it took to make this a permanent lifestyle change, I was already well on my way to success.

The same CAN and WILL happen to this man's son and anyone else who decides the time is right to do this. It may happen today, it may happen tomorrow, or it may happen next year. But the encouraging thought I want to leave with anyone who has a close loved one who is not doing anything about their weight and health problems is to NEVER lose hope. There is an answer for everyone--they just have to figure out what works best for them.

If you're an overweight or obese person wanting to know how to overcome your weight problem once and for all, I've said it many times before but I'll say it again--find a proven plan of action that will work for you and that you'll enjoy, follow that plan exactly as prescribed by the author (aka READ THE BOOK!), and then keep doing that plan or some semblance thereof for the rest of your long and healthy life. No matter what others might say to you about the path you choose to take, this is YOUR life and YOU are in control of what happens next. Will you make good choices to radically improve your life or will you slide back into the old habits that led you down the path of destruction?

Ultimately, it is up to YOU! I'm here for you as a means of support and information about the healthy low-carb lifestyle, so don't hesitate to e-mail me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. It is my distinct privilege and honor to offer up assistance and guidance to anyone who asks.

Lifetime's 'Queen Sized' Adds Some Depth To The Obesity Debate

"Hairspray" star Nikki Blonsky stars in "Queen Sized"

Psssst! Come in closer because I've gotta big secret I'm just dying to share with you today. It will probably make me the laughingstock of the entire male population, but I can't hold it in any longer. This is something I have been meaning to talk about for quite a few years and now I'm ready to reveal it at last to the entire world right here right now at my blog. What is it? (GULP!) I'm a HUGE fan of the movies on the cable network channel Lifetime.

Yep, you can call me a head-over-heels, super-excited metrosexual man because I absolutely adore the quality of the content found among the Lifetime network films. I think they do an amazing job bringing greater awareness to important societal issues that primarily concern women, but also have real application in the lives of men, too. Such is the case with one of the latest movies on Lifetime released in 2008 that my wife Christine and I watched on our date night last Friday night called "Queen Sized."

I was flipping through the Charter On Demand movie selection on Channel 999 and decided to take a peek at what was available from Lifetime On Demand. When I saw the title of this movie, it intrigued me immediately since it sounded like it might deal with the obesity issue. And sure enough, the preview explained that it was about an obese teenager who gets nominated to be homecoming queen at her school as she deals with teasing about her weight from her fellow classmates. I looked over at Christine and said, "We gotta watch this!" And so we did.

What a truly outstanding movie and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who is concerned about issues of weight, health, emotional distress, fear, dieting, and peer pressure. All of these and more are tackled and addressed in an incredible way through "Queen Sized." By the time the movie was finished, I got that warm fuzzy feeling that you're supposed to get after watching a Lifetime movie. It was well worth reliving some painful moments in my own life to remind me why I never want to go back there again.



Starring Nikki Blonsky, whose breakout role came when she was cast in the lead role of the movie version of the Broadway musical "Hairspray" starring John Travolta (in drag, no less!), Queen Latifah (who she calls "my sister") and Michelle Pfeiffer, and veteran actress Annie Potts (best known for her role on the television show "Designing Women" opposite Delta Burke), "Queen Sized" centers around the character of Maggie Baker (Blonsky) who is an overweight high school senior just trying to survive until graduation (sound familiar anyone?). In the midst of dealing with the agony of not being like everyone else at school and simply trying to be invisible, some of the "pretty" girls decide to nominate Maggie to be homecoming queen as a joke.



But instead of allowing it to upset her as it was supposed to, Maggie decided to turn the tables on those who wished harm to her and remained on the ballot to represent all those who rebel against the same people getting chosen year after year. This quickly endeared Maggie to many of her classmates who felt a connection to her candidacy and they decided to vote for her. I won't spoil what happens next, but "Queen Sized" pulls the curtain back on some biting issues that all overweight and obese young people (and adults too!) have to deal with if they are going to survive this thing called life.

Here are a couple of interview clips featuring Blonsky and Potts, who plays two characters--"real" mom and "imaginary" mom--as they talk about their roles in the Lifetime Movie Network film "Queen Sized":





I think the most intriguing role in this movie had to be the mother played by Potts. WOW! On the one hand, you've got the "real" mother constantly reassuring Maggie that she is beautiful and that everything in her life is gonna be okay while encouraging her to get her weight and health under control. Meanwhile, the "imaginary" mother that only Maggie sees (contrived in her mind following the sudden death of her father to diabetes complications) is rude, condescending, and discouraging at every turn. Physically seeing this image of a mean mother personifying all the negative thoughts that fat people have to deal with sent shivers down my spine because it is so true.



When you weigh a whole lot more than everyone else around you, it's funny how your brain will play tricks on you and some extremely negative and vile thoughts consume you throughout the day. These demons inside your head will mock and taunt you relentlessly telling you how worthless you are, damaging your psyche, and preventing you from becoming that person you were always meant to be. I remember those days in my own life when I weighed 400+ pounds and feeling like it was my destiny to be that way for the rest of my life. Lemme tell you, it's no fun at all. But I overcame it and now try to live my life helping others beat it in their own lives.

"Queen Sized" is one of those movies where a large person is given a lead role with a positive message and we need to see more of that kind of thing showing up on the silver screen as well as on television. I'm very proud of Nikki Blonsky for being brave enough to take on this role and lend a voice to the millions of girls (and even boys!) who feel trapped inside their bodies wanting so desperately to lose weight but are simply left hopeless and helpless to do anything about it.

If you have Charter On Demand, then this movie is currently available for free until March 2008 to watch anytime. Otherwise, you can access and download "Queen Sized" for only $3.99 on iTunes (just type in "Queen Sized" in the iTunes store search box in the upper right-hand corner and you'll easily find it). It will be well worth your time to watch this movie and share it with parents of overweight teens as well as obese kids who think nobody understands what they are going through. Who knows, this may exactly what you need to open the door of opportunity to talk about the root causes of obesity in your own family and start the healing process so everyone can choose to start living healthier. That would be an AWESOME thing!

Be sure to tell Lifetime how much you appreciated this kind of programming by filling out this feedback form about "Queen Sized." Tell them as an advocate of overweight and obese people getting the help they need, you are grateful to them for adding depth to the obesity debate by taking on the various aspects of this difficult subject directly. It's hard to do it tactfully, but they pulled it off very well.

Have you seen "Queen Sized" and want to weigh in on how it impacted you? Feel free to share your reaction to it in the comments section below. Did you love it as much as I did? Or was there anything about it that you felt was inaccurate or lacking? Share your thoughts and let's talk about it. Feel free to post your feedback with Lifetime here as well so everyone can see how much this movie has meant to you, too.

Isabeau Miller: 'The Biggest Loser' Is Not 'A Woman's Game' To Win

Interviewing "The Biggest Loser" 4 finalist Isabeau Miller

Get ready fans of "The Biggest Loser" because I've got a whole buncha interviews with the contestants from Season 4 coming at you over the next few weeks. At least thirteen of the 18 contestants from last season have already agreed to be interviewed by me and I asked them all sorts of questions about behind-the-scenes stuff on the popular NBC weight loss reality show as well as what is happening in their own lives as a result of this opportunity they were given to lose weight and become household names.

After sharing with you Part 1 and Part 2 of my podcast interview last week with the winner of "The Biggest Loser" in last Fall's Season 4 grand finale Bill Germanakos, today I have another one of the four finalists from The Black Team who was also in contention for the $250,000 prize. But as you will see in my interview with Isabeau Miller today, that didn't materialize and quite frankly she's not at all surprised by it.

Catch up with Isabeau and find out how "The Biggest Loser" changed her life in so many more ways than simple weight loss. Everything about her has become like a new person and now she feels a personal mission and purpose for her life (that's what happens when you lose triple digits!). Get ready to be inspired by a beautiful young woman (both inside and out!) who has unlimited potential to be and do whatever it is she desires for the rest of her long and healthy life.

It's time to meet the brand new Isabeau Miller!



1. When you're a 21-year old woman with high aspirations of breaking into the ultra-image-conscious music industry, you quickly discover it takes a whole lot more than an amazing singing talent to get your big break. That's something Isabeau Miller knows a lot about. Prior to appearing as a contestant on Season 4 of the NBC-TV reality show "The Biggest Loser," she had been working hard to get her music career off the ground living in one of the most renowned cities in the world of music--Nashville, Tennessee! But there was one really big thing standing in her way and that was her weight.

When she began her journey on "The Biggest Loser" as the youngest contestant ever (21), Isabeau also set another dubious all-time mark for the hit weight loss series by becoming the heaviest female contestant ever when she topped the scales at 298 pounds. Welcome to the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog today, Isabeau.

Tell us what went through you head when you saw that big 2-9-8 staring you in the face for the first time. Was that shocking to you or were you totally expecting that number or higher? What do you think the primary reasons were that you allowed yourself to become so obese and what was it that made you want to change that trend?

When I saw I weighed 298 pounds, I sadly can’t say that I was surprised. I knew that the way I was living was unhealthy. After all, I grew up with a DOCTOR as a dad!!! I KNEW what I was doing to my body was wrong, but for some reason I could not cut the emotional ties I had to food. I loved food more than I loved myself at that point in my life.

I have ALWAYS struggled with my relationship with food. Growing up, childhood obesity wasn’t a prevalent issue in society like it is now, so when my parents noticed my weight obviously getting out of control, they treated my problem like you would with an adult. They did all they could to help--weekly weigh-ins with me, non-food related “rewards” when I DID lose weight, enrolling me in sports, and cooking healthy meals. But, unfortunately for me, this set into motion a horrible pattern of rebellion that continued into my adulthood.

Really, I’ve always been a pretty straight-edged person--I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs, or drink excessively, so eating became my drug and the way I could say “screw you” to what my parents wanted. In some ways, I wish I had just been a “normal” kid and gone to parties--I think that would have been much easier to quit. Even now, there are moments I sit back and ask myself before I eat something if I’m REALLY hungry or if there’s some kind of emotion driving my want for food.

I’ve kind of put in place “the 10-minute rule.” If I want to eat something, I make a promise to myself to wait 10 minutes, think about it, and if in 10 minutes, it still sounds as good, I’ll have it--in moderation of course. In depriving ourselves, especially with me, it just reinforces the idea that something “isn’t allowed” and we’re “rebelling” by eating it. I don’t believe in living like that anymore.

2. Ooooh, I like that "10-minute rule," Isabeau! As an aspiring singer, getting the opportunity to appear on national television and to start making a name for yourself in the public eye had to be a major impetus for wanting to be on "The Biggest Loser" along with the potential for winning a whole lotta money. But with tens of thousands of people applying for a mere 18 slots, you had to somehow make yourself stand out from the rest of the pack to get the casting agency to notice and ultimately pick you over the others. Talk about the application process that you went through, how long it took before you heard from 3 Ball Productions about being considered for the show, and why you believe they ended up giving you a chance to be among the show's final group for Season 4.

You know what’s funny, is the idea of fame HONESTLY did not even cross my mind as far as "The Biggest Loser" was involved. Nothing against the show or its past contestants, but most of them don’t go on to some jet-setting, luxurious lifestyle afterwards. I didn’t expect "The Biggest Loser" to make me famous, but I expected it to give me “the missing piece” of the package--I had the voice, the ability, but KNEW as soon as I walked into meetings with people in the industry, the first thing people saw, through no fault of their own, was my weight.

I wish larger people weren’t judged like that, but life is not fair, and the industry is even MORE unfair. That being said, my audition process was quite short compared to the majority of the contestants who ended up appearing with me. Some had been applying for years, or had went through several call backs, etc. I sent in my application about a week after the Season 3 finale, and was called 3 weeks later to meet with casting assistants. From there, the ball kept rolling, and although it was an incredibly stressful process, wondering where you stood in the eyes of the casting “gods,” I’m thankful that mine took only a few months, which was on the shorter side for most people. No one can really say FOR SURE what 3 Ball was looking for, but I think they were looking for genuine people who really wanted to lose weight, and of course, had the potential to be even more attractive as slim people.

I forget who said it, but at some point, during our preliminary casting, we had a photo shoot, and it might have been Neil or Ryan that said “This is the most attractive group of overweight people I’ve EVER seen.” And it was true! From day one, you could take one look at Amy, or Hollie, or Julie, or ANYONE for that matter and say “I can totally see them on the cover of a magazine,” which is probably why you did (the contestants were given an opportunity for a photo shoot with Prevention magazine midway through the season)!!



3. Some critics of "The Biggest Loser" say the show promotes hours upon hours of tortuous exercise with little regard to diet and public humiliation for the contestants having to expose their flabby bodies for the whole world to see week in and week out (I don't subscribe to these opinions, but I've had many e-mails from people stating as much). As one of the contestants who made it all the way to the final four players and appearing on the show to the very last week, what is your response to this kind of criticism and do you think it has any merit at all? Why or why not?

Of course the show promotes hours of exercise!! I hear it all the time from people “So, HOW DID YOU DO IT?” and then they wait with bated breath for me to slip them some magic pill. That’s just not the truth. I think, honestly, most people who have hundreds of pounds to lose want to hear that you can do it without diet, without exercise, and most importantly, without looking at yourself squarely in the mirror, and the truth is, that is just impossible. You NEED to change your eating habits--not just to lose weight, but to decrease the chances of dying from obesity-related illnesses.

You NEED to exercise for SOOO many reasons, but above all, you NEED to have the “wake up call” where you look at yourself honestly and say “Wow, I need to do something about this...REALLY!” For me, it was absolutely liberating to know America would see the things I have spent a lifetime trying to hide. For 21 years, I had never shopped with my friends so they’d never know what size I wore, I had never told anyone what I REALLY weighed, I had never EVER changed in front of someone, or let someone see me in my bra and underwear. To get to expose me, at my worst, to America, knowing that from that point on, I would NEVER go back there again, it felt like a huge weight off my shoulders (excuse the pun).

I felt like for the first time, I was being honest with myself and everyone around me. As far as the criticism for the show goes, there are parts that are painful, unbearable, stressful, gut-wrenching, tear-jerking and absolutely tortuous--but it is ABSOLUTELY necessary. And knowing that I wouldn’t ever be able to do those things on my own, I’m so grateful for what the show gave me a healthier lifestyle, yes, but more importantly, coping skills. I think everything I ever take on from this point on will pale in comparison to the amount of work "The Biggest Loser" was.

4. Backstage at the grand finale, you said that Jillian Michaels was the exact trainer you needed to help you become the successful weight loss and health winner you are today. After watching the dominating performance of the entire Black Team in Season 4 with all of the final four players--you, Hollie, Julie, and Bill--as well as the at-home winner Jim, there's little doubt in anyone's mind that SHE was the major reason for that.

Why do you think the kick-butt-now-thank-me-later approach that Jillian uses is so effective? What makes her fitness methodology so much better than the ones used by the other trainers on the show? Did you ever THINK about switching trainers in those early days on the show because you thought working with Jillian was gonna be too hard? What kept you going despite the pain and agony of being pushed to your limits?

I think if I lived to be 200 years old, I could not thank Jillian Michaels or the kind of woman she was to me throughout my Biggest Loser experience. I think, as Jillian has said many times, her strategy is effective because she makes you show YOURSELF just how strong and capable you really are physically, which really does transcend into EVERY area of your life. I think all the trainers have their own “schtick” but I dare say that Jillian is a fitness and life pioneer.

Some people “think outside the box” but Jillian doesn’t even know there IS a box--she just feels something, and does it. Watching Jillian train, to me, would be comparable to watching Michelangelo paint, or hearing Beethoven play--she is a master of her craft, and has a true intuition and compassion for people, but is still continually improving herself. The woman reads and studies more than most people that have PhDs in exercise science do! She’s really incredible.

As far as switching trainers, I NEVER seriously considered what life on "The Biggest Loser" ranch would be like with Bob or Kim. As nice as they were, I think it goes without saying that Jillian’s in a league of her own. You kind of HAD to push yourself because she believed in you so much. I didn’t want to challenge her belief that I could do anything she asked me to--and when I did, she only pushed harder. And for that, she WAS the perfect trainer for me. She referred to me as “The great negotiator.” If she said, “Sprint for a minute” I’d say "How about 30 seconds now, rest 30 seconds, then another 30 seconds?” She was perfect for me, cause she saw through my bull, and punished my bad habits, which eventually taught me to retrain my thinking and push through the discomfort.



5. As a result of your incredible total body transformation losing 113 pounds from day one all the way to the grand finale in December, you have now become a certified personal trainer to give back to others what you have learned from Jillian so they can change their lives, too. People don't believe me when I tell them that losing triple digits releases some kind of trigger in your head to go out and do things you never thought were possible before.

Is this the kind of thing that is happening to you right now and is there an insatiable desire deep inside of you to do whatever you can to help overweight and obese people get fit and healthy? Do you think this is now something you HAVE to do because of the amazing miracle you have been given in your own life?

Honestly, after going through my experience on "The Biggest Loser," I feel a sense of being invincible--a brand new kind of life. You just feel as if you’ve already DONE the impossible, so why not keep doing it? I have set post-Biggest Loser goals for myself that I NEVER would have otherwise set--I’m training to compete in a half marathon in April, and then a marathon in the Fall, as well as a triathlon. I’m joining a recreational sports leagues, rock climbing, adventuring--I have NEVER been a thrill seeker, but now everything is different.

My training, though, is the love of my life right now. Being trained by Jillian was a gift because I feel like I was given an apprenticeship with the best in the business. I know I’ve faced quite a bit of criticism from some people on various message boards questioning my “ability to be a trainer” so quickly, and at 185 pounds. First, if you count the time I was on "The Biggest Loser" GETTING healthy, I have been immersed in fitness for almost a year. As soon as I stepped off the campus, I got my personal training study packaged, and a month later, took my exam to get my certification. I had to get certified just like ANY other trainer.

And as far as being 185 pounds when I know the typical female trainer is probably at least 40 lbs less than that, I would challenge ANY person thinking they're in “good shape” to go through one of my workouts. I run a boot camp class with a group of women, varying in sizes, shapes, ages, and even the youngest, fittest, most athletic participant with a “perfect” body struggles through it (which as a trainer makes me ecstatic!!). But beyond that, I feel like, yes, "The Biggest Loser" was a tremendous blessing in MY life, but I believe above all, it was the stepping stone, and the catalyst for me to find my “meaning” in life.

In music, I’m a songwriter in hopes that my songs inspire others, but in fitness, I REALLY get to inspire others, and it’s such a gift. Plus, my clients know I’ve been where they ARE. This gives me (and them) a huge advantage because they can’t make excuses with me that I haven’t tried to make and had to push through myself. Regardless of the number they see on the scale, my clients run, they do REAL push ups, they lift weights--I try to enforce the idea that weight is just a number, not a definition. And we can use it to “take stock” of where we are, but it can’t rule WHO you are.

I have clients that are over 300 pounds who I consider “fit”--they can run miles, they can workout 7 hours a week. Plus, being a trainer is inspiring to ME and keeps me active which is the only way I ever want to live. I’m running a summer fitcamp this year (for more info go to RockHardBodySoul.com) where people from ALL over the country are coming for 2 intensive Biggest Loser-style weeks, and I’m so excited to get the message of fitness and wellness across the country and help people put their goals into action!

6. Throughout the season, you and other female contestants often talked about wanting to become the first woman to be crowned the winner of "The Biggest Loser." Although Julie came close by being within 8 pounds of making that happen, Bill Germanakos pulled out the win against her, you, and Hollie at the finale. Why do you think men seem to have an advantage over the women on this show? What do you think it's gonna take for a girl to finally beat out the guys for a chance to win the $250,000 grand prize in future episodes of "The Biggest Loser?" Do you think it would be more fair if there was a male winner and a female winner at the end of each season or should the format stay just the way it is?

Man, I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t wish one of us chicks won the grand prize, although I think we were all very happy for Bill and his wonderful family. Here’s the thing: We had 8 months from start to finish. For Julie, she came SOOO close but I don’t know WHERE that girl could’ve lost anymore weight from. She was teeeeeny tiny at the finale--even more so than it looked like on TV. She just had nothing left, and rightfully so--she started out the smallest female of the season.

On the other side of the fence, there was me. I SHOULD have been able to win, but the reality is, there were a couple factors working against me--#1, I’m a woman. And to lose 150 pounds (50% of my starting weight) in 8 months, I would have had to CONSISTENTLY lose 4.5 pounds a week. There were some weeks ON CAMPUS where I lost only 3 or 4 pounds, and that was without all the distractions of real life, and having Jillian to work my butt off 4-6 hours a day. I knew it would be hard once I got home, but I never anticipated the plateaus I faced, and how long they would last. A woman just does not have the metabolism of a man.

Also, I had spent about 15 years of my life qualifying as “obese,” and toward the end, was lugging around a good 15-20 pounds of loose skin. Gross, I know, but I knew there was nothing I’d EVER be able to do about that before the finale, so I kind of had to swallow my pride, and be happy with the tremendous weight loss I had achieved as well as the fact that I had accomplished all of my PERSONAL goals: to wear a size 10 and to run a road race. Plus, I hadn’t been 185 since I was 11!!! Half a lifetime ago.

So it was definitely a difficult thing to come in 4th out of 4, but personally, I had some huge achievements. Honestly, I don’t think "The Biggest Loser" is a woman’s game. It happened in the UK, but the producers need to do one of two things--either get guys that don’t HAVE 50% of their body weight to lose, or get women that DO and then give them at LEAST a year to do it in. Eight months just is not enough, and had I had an extra 4 months, I think I could’ve pushed through my plateaus and gotten at least CLOSE to 150--although now I really don’t care WHAT that number on the scale ever says as long as I can always wear my “goal jeans” and run 5 miles without thinking about it.



7. YOU GO GIRL! I LOVE your attitude. You know, your boyfriend Jonathan is one lucky guy to have you as both his best friend and the love of his life. After this amazing journey you have been on in 2007 appearing on "The Biggest Loser" and with limitless potential to do things you never thought possible, have you two discussed things like your career, marriage, kids, and your long-term future together? How has your relationship grown with Jonathan as a result of your lifechanging weight loss success? Do you feel more worthy to be loved by him now that you're no longer embarrassed about the way you look? Have you noticed men staring at you now who wouldn't have thought twice about looking at you when you weighed 300 pounds?

Jon has to be the most amazing 23-year old man in the entire world. From the time "The Biggest Loser" first came up, he encouraged me to do what I wanted to do. I don’t know many men his age that would allow their girlfriends to go off on a reality WEIGHT LOSS show, meanwhile taking care of the house, the bills, the dogs, and just keeping life together. He was (along with my parents) my rock, and I am definitely the lucky one.

We’ve definitely discussed the future--mostly because it just seems so bright right now. We’re so excited to live every day together. (My favorite thing to do is put HIM through my workouts--he doesn’t last 15 minutes! LOL!). We’ve talked about marriage, and will definitely be parents SOMEDAY, but I promised Jillian I wouldn’t have babies for some time.

Jon NEVER said anything that made me feel less than beautiful, but I felt less than beautiful on my own. No matter how many times he told me how much he loved me or thought I was perfect, or sexy, or gorgeous, all I saw when I looked in the mirror was how unhappy I was with myself. I think we’re both grateful not just for my weight loss, but for my self-esteem changing. He doesn’t need to spend the whole night “reassuring me” that I am something I don’t feel I am, and I feel like I’m finally the girlfriend he DESERVES--besides feeling like I’m the “hot” girlfriend, I also feel like we’re such better partners now because now we BOTH walk our dogs, we go for runs together (even did a road race together!), and we cook healthy dinners together.

It’s been a whole different kind of love--one much more equal and deep. Honestly, this might sound sad and a little mushy, but I honestly don’t really notice any other men!! I’m totally in love with the one I have (and a little oblivious as well), but Jon says he sees guys “checking me out” whenever we go out--which makes me feel great! Not that other guys like what they see, but knowing how proud Jon is to be the one that’s with me when other people want what HE has. After all he’s sacrificed for me to have such an opportunity, I feel like that’s the LEAST he should have!!

8. I suppose you're ready to kickstart your music career into high gear now and you've already got some amazing vocal MP3 cuts for sale on your popular MySpace page where your list of friends is now well in excess of 3100 and counting! I think my favorite song written and performed by you is "My Own" because it sounds like an autobiographical tune about your "Biggest Loser" journey. The following lyrics cut right to the heart of the journey you've been traveling:

"Everyone's got opinions for what you should be. But when you look in the mirror, what do you see? And I never knew how high the sky could stretch until I made that climb on my own. And learned to speak my mind...they never heard my voice, until I found...My own."

WOW! Strong lyrics and sung with the intense emotion that I would expect from someone who has been through all that you have over these past few months. Did you write this song before, during, or after your appearance on "The Biggest Loser?" Do you have any other songs like that one swirling around in your heart and mind inspired by the changes you have experienced?

I wrote “My Own” with one of the most talented writers in Nashville, Will Champlin. We had been working on another song all night, and something just wasn’t “gelling”--it just wasn’t honest enough for me. I’m one of those writers, where I need to be inspired. I know a lot of people (especially in Nashville) believe in writing as a job--you just push through until you “find” something. But I think for me, that something needs to get into my thoughts somehow.

So we took a break, and I went to the piano and started writing “My Own.” When Will came back downstairs, it was already half written. I had come back from "The Biggest Loser" a couple months before, and at that point, it was pretty evident I wasn’t going to win, but I felt the need to convey to myself, and the world, that whatever that final number said on the scale, I had found who I WAS through the process of "The Biggest Loser." Yes, the weight loss was incredible and I don’t know that I could have ever done it on my own, but more importantly, I figured out who I was, and more importantly who I wanted to be.

I literally changed my ENTIRE life--I lost weight, I bought a house because I wasn’t afraid of taking that risk, I quit my “day jobs” and became a trainer which I am in love with, I signed up for races I couldn’t quite run yet because I had faith that I COULD--and I did. I think above all, I learned I am capable of anything I put my faith into. I came into "The Biggest Loser" not having a lot of faith in anything (just ask Julie!!) but now, I find I am more aware of myself, physically, emotionally and spiritually than I ever would have been. I WILL pursue my music career as a songwriter, but I gotta say--I don’t care if I ever find fame with my music. I feel like I had a “taste of fame” with "The Biggest Loser" and as grateful as I am for the people that write to me, or are inspired, there’s a really bitter taste that comes with being “on” all the time. If a record deal fell in my lap, I don’t think I’d say no, but I’d much rather spend my life writing music and living more anonymously. Plus, no matter what happens with my music, I think I will always continue training as well.



9. Your web site IsabeauMiller.com has recently come online with updated information constantly being added as you travel down this next step in what looks to be a promising future as a professional recording artist. Have you heard from any record labels interested in giving you and your band a recording contract yet? What do you think about trying out for a spot on another reality show "American Idol" (like your fellow contestant "B" did a few years back) now that you've got the looks to go along with that powerful voice? Do you think you'd have a good chance getting on that show?

Ha! No, I don’t think American Idol will be in my future, but then again, I didn’t think "The Biggest Loser" would be either, so I guess I’d never say never. But “B” is a totally different musician than I am--he is SOOOOOO talented. I think I’m more of a writer than I am a singer, but I’m exploring different avenues. No matter what, music is part of who I am--it’s in my roots, in my blood. For me, music is an every day thing just like taking a shower or eating dinner for most people.

Whether I’m ever paid to make music, I will always do it and it will always be a part of our household (my boyfriend Jon is also a drummer AND personal trainer!!). Sad to say, I am pretty bad about updating my web site especially since the launch of my training company’s website: RockHardBodySoul.com. But once things quiet down a bit more, I am going to work on recording some of my new songs and release a CD this summer!! Maybe even a collaboration with "B?" You down with that, "B?" Ha ha!

10. Isabeau, THANKS so much for sharing some quality time with me and the readers of the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog today. It never ceases to amaze me how "The Biggest Loser" just keeps improving the lives of so many good, hard-working people who are just like the rest of us just living in the day to day. CONGRATULATIONS on all of your success and I wish you well as you follow your dreams in this thing called life. Is there anything you'd like to say to encourage people who feel like their obesity is who they are and nothing will ever change that?

Jimmy, first of all, thank YOU! I know what you do touches so many people, and I feel blessed to have this platform to inspire others as well! To everyone else out there--as I said, there is NO magic answer, but it IS possible!! Don’t be afraid to reach out for help and take charge of the person you WANT to be! Sometimes you have to “fake it till you make it,” so start believing right now, this second, that you are stronger, you are more capable, and you are wiser than you think you are, and then put it into motion! Set small goals EVERY day and when they get easy, make them harder. And remember this: I’ve never EVER left the gym regretting that I went, but I have gone to bed on my “lazy days” where I wish I HAD gone to the gym. You’ll NEVER regret the choice to be healthy!! Thanks again Jimmy and everyone out there reading this. ;)

Obesity Virus Talk Makes Treating The Problem That Much More Difficult

Dr. Magdalena Pasarica has found a new "fattening" virus

The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 400 million people worldwide are currently overweight or obese. Included in that number is an astonishing 20 million children under the age of five who are getting fatter faster than any other generation before it.

But could there be more to this prescient issue than overeating?

That's something researchers are examining behind-the-scenes right now and they think a common virus found in humans is the culprit in nearly one-third of the obese, according to about the findings presented at the 234th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society on Monday in Boston, Massachusetts.

Lead researcher Dr. Magdalena Pasarica, Postdoctoral Researcher in the Endocrinology Lab at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and her fellow researchers were observing lab tests from adult male and female liposuction patients many of which had a common respiratory and eye infection-causing virus called adenovirus-36, aka Ad-36 as well as E4Orfl.

But they noticed something odd about this Ad-36 virus.

When they pulled the adult stem cells from the tissue samples and infected them with Ad-36, after one week those cells had become "fat" cells while the uninfected ones had not. In fact, when the researchers put more of the Ad-36 virus in the cells, there was an even higher amount of fat developed. The same cause and effect happened regardless of sex.

Even worse, those "fat" cells actually began collecting fat more rapidly than normal which leads to an even greater growth--of the fat cells and then of stored fat on the body. It all leads back to Ad-36 as the culprit in this fat development in the body.

The very likelihood that the Ad-36 virus could be the source of over 100 million cases of obesity is why the researchers will undoubtedly be pushing for that anti-obesity vaccine to specifically treat this viral infection. Oh boy, here we go again!

Where does it end? Sure, I will admit that there is a real possibility that some people are fat because of something other than their diet and physical activity. But don't we all agree that the overwhelming majority of overweight and obese people have gotten that way from making poor dietary choices?

Putting the onus on an obscure virus that may or may not be the cause and making that the presumed reason for obesity grants the overweight and obese permission to do nothing pro-active about their weight and health. Instead, they'll plop down hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars to get these various "miracle" vaccines with a myriad of possible side effects. What's the point?

Click here to read more about this new research on a viral cause of obesity and why I believe studies like this make it more difficult to bring this growing epidemic under control.

'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 78: Where Are The Strong Positive Fat Characters In Movies?

"How YOU doin'?" Is THIS the way we want the obese portrayed?

In Episode 78 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore," I take a closer look at the movies that have come out of Hollywood in the past few years to see how they are characterizing fat people on the silver screen. It's mostly stereotypical, but there are signs of improvement. Listen in today to hear all about it:

 "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 78 [16:00m]: Play in Popup | Download

My wife and I enjoy watching movies together and have seen our fair share of all kinds of films, including ones that feature overweight and obese people in them. In this podcast show today, I take a look at many of these fat flicks, including Eddie Murphy's Norbit, Ryan Reynolds' Just Friends, Gwyneth Paltrow's Shallow Hal, and Mo'Nique's Phat Girlz, just to name a few. These movies offer a mixed bag of good and bad which I highlighted in Episode 78.

Wanna getcha low-carb groove on? Get on with it when you want 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

Are you happy with the way Hollywood depicts the overweight and obese in movies? Or do characters like Eddie Murphy's Rasputia in Norbit merely set back all the progress that has been made to break down the stereotypes? Also, would you go to see a movie with an obese person as a positive featured character in a film?

Share your thoughts about this and tell us what you favorite "fat" movies of all time are. I'm sure I've missed a few, so let me hear from you.

THANK YOU for listening to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" and please come back again on Monday for yet another episode of the Internet's #1 podcast about the amazingly healthy low-carb lifestyle!

New Obesity Documentary Wants Your Story

ShineBox Media Productions is filming an obesity documentary

Get ready, America, because there are a whole bunch of obesity awareness documentaries coming out in the next year following in the footsteps of surprising hits like Morgan Spurlock's "Super Size Me" and the recently-released Eric Schlosser film "Fast Food Nation."

I am aware of three new documentaries currently in production, including this one looking for people who have been scammed by weight loss gimmicks and another one that will feature a host of experts (including low-carb supporter Dr. Michael Eades, among many others) as well as influential people who are seeking to educate people about getting healthy.

The third one is from a company called ShineBox Media Productions based in Salt Lake City, Utah. This yet-to-be-titled documentary will be examining the political and socio-economic effects of the global obesity epidemic in an edgy, off-the-street account from real people struggling to figure out how we got in this obesity mess to begin with.


Obesity film director Steven Greenstreet and producer Bryan Young

The dynamic duo brainchild behind this movie are film industry veterans Steven Greenstreet and Bryan Young. Young says obesity has become much too large, both figuratively and literally, to ignore any longer.

"The issue of obesity is absolutely staggering," he said. "When you think of the sheer numbers of it, more than 65% of all Americans are overweight or obese, and being overweight or obese causes problems that decrease our length and quality of life significantly. And we're finding that there are more causes to the problem than simply the notion that Americans are eating more and exercising less."

This is a point I make quite often here at my blog and I'm glad to see an independent film company is seeking to get the word out about it as well. I am especially pleased to learn they will expose the special interests in the fast food and soft drink industries who have convinced our government leaders to refrain from criticizing their products when there is clear culpability with what they are selling.

"It's important to note that there were no representatives from any credible medical associations on the list of those attending the President's recent conference on obesity," Young added. "It seems to me that one would want to consult the leaders in the field of obesity when discussing private sector strategies to deal with it."

Since Young's documentary is still in the filming stages and is scheduled for release later this year, he is looking for people to share their story with him. There are two very specific needs he is looking to fill, including an obese single mother who is stressed out as well as a burning-the-candle-at-both-ends overweight business man. Does this describe YOU? If so, then they want your story!

But they are pretty much open to reading the experience of ANYONE who has something relevant to share that is somewhat unique and would fit the overall theme of the film. If you aren't afraid of being filmed and want to take advantage of this opportunity to share your journey--whether you are already a weight loss success or still trying to figure out how you got to be overweight in the first place--then simply send an e-mail to contact@shineboxmp.com.

Don't delay because production will be wrapping up soon! Let them hear from you and all the sordid details of what you have to offer them TODAY.

2-8-07 UPDATE: The filmmakers added a link to this post at their blog today. :)

Low-Carb Living Is Always A Work In Progress

I am both criticized and praised for the way I write the posts here at my blog. You see, I'm not content with simply regurgitating health and weight loss information in a very dry, impersonal manner that does not give people any practical context for using it in their own lives. Instead, I make every effort to share from my own experiences to help others who may be going through similar circumstances.

Some say they don't care what some former fat guy has to say about diet and nutrition because all he is basing his comments on is what he has gone through and not basing his writings on any professional medical opinion. That's true and I've never claimed otherwise. Plus, I make that point abundantly clear every single time I write a new column. If you don't like what you see here, then nobody is forcing you to read it. There are plenty of drab and boring web sites out there to fit your tastes just fine.

At the same time, though, there are many more who are intrigued by my weight loss success story because I am able to connect with them on a personal level that helps them deal with their own journey because it is a very personal thing to go through. That's why I write like I do to hopefully convey that livin' la vida low-carb is about real people going through the struggles of life like everyone else.

Today, I have an example of someone who empathizes with my slight difficulty in keeping my weight from creeping up. As my regular readers recall, I gained 10 pounds back of my total 180-pound weight loss by the middle of 2006 which is why I started The "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge. While I lost down to 215 at one point, the weight has since crawled right back up again to the mid to upper 220s again.

The fact that I have blogged about my up and down battle with those last few pounds instigated the following response from another Atkins weight loss success story to share her similar experience and concern. Here's what she wrote:

I, like you, lost a big chunk of weight on Atkins/low-carb. Over 13 months I lost 75 pounds. I kept it off over a year AND I'm now seeing 5 pounds come back that I just cannot lose. I don't understand how I could lose the 75 pounds very steadily and not feel hungry or deprived but cannot seem to get going on this 5 pounds.

Now my friends, co-workers and even the owner at Curves say "But you are so skinny--you don't need to lose any more weight." Ah, but my thinking is if I allow myself to gain 5 pounds over the last 4 months, then what is to come? Another 5 in 4 more months and then another. Before long I don't think I'll be able to stop and I'm worried this.

I see you almost in the same boat with your 20 pounds that sneaked up on you and you also are having trouble getting it back off again. So, what is it that made us able to lose such a large amount and now we can't get this little amount off?

I know it has to be mental. I've tried all sorts of mind games with myself. The best I can figure out is that after losing all that weight I feel like I "deserve" a little glass of wine on the weekends and an extra handful of nuts. I also know I am eating past the comfortable level and into the stuffed area at times--even though it is low-carb/high-protein, it is still WAY to much for me to be eating.

It's obsessive behavior because I can't stop eating even when I know I'm over eating (like an entire bag of microwave popcorn)!! This is the stuff I did to gain the weight in the first place.

What is going on with me? I love my new body. I love the clothes. I love being healthy. Why am I sabotaging myself AGAIN?

Jimmy, thanks for listening to my concerns. I love your blog and read your posts daily. I also love the news, the tips, the interviews and everything else. Keep up the great work.

WOW, this e-mail couldn't have come at a better time since I was just thinking about blogging this VERY issue. I guess this confirms I needed to blog it, so here goes.

First, let me share with you my quick e-mail response:

Don't try to overanalyze it. Just keep livin' la vida low-carb (which is what I am doing) and get your smile on. Remember how far you've come so you have perspective on where you are going. It's gonna happen, just hang tough. I appreciate your honesty about this, but I urge you to keep at it.

Simplistic answer? Perhaps, which is why I'd like to expand upon my thoughts some more for this post. Let's look at the reasons for the weight gain. Mine happened because I allowed those extra indulgences like the dinner rolls at the restaurant to become way too regular in my diet. Sure, I felt like I "deserved" it, too, but I have since learned that livin' la vida low-carb is all the indulgence I need.

My slight weight gain last year wasn't 20 pounds, but rather 10. Still, like you, I didn't want it to turn into 10 more and then 10 more until I was right back up over 300 again in no time. NOT GONNA HAPPEN! In fact, the bells and whistles went off in my mind when I even THOUGHT about hitting 250 again. EEEK!

Your supporters are well-meaning when they say you look good enough now after your weight loss, so don't worry about trying to lose anymore. Trust me, I get the same thing all the time from people I know when I tell them I'm trying to get down to 199 pounds. They look at me like I'm some space alien for wanting to lose any more weight. They just don't understand that this is something I need to do for ME.

Remember this--these are probably the same people who very likely told you that you looked good when you were overweight, too, so they have a history of not being completely forthright with you. More than anything else, it is YOU who must make up your mind whether you need to lose weight or not.

Nobody can decide that but YOU. If you feel good at the weight you are at right now, then do everything you can to stay there. Otherwise, start on a plan that will help you lose it again! Don't obsess over all of this, though, because that can lead you right back into bad eating habits again that you will use to soothe your emotional pain. Then the weight goes up and you're back in that ruthless cycle that ensnares so many. Don't be one of them!

As of today, my weight is 229 pounds. That's one pound less than I was at the end of 2004 following my 180-pound weight loss that began at 410 pounds. Some may see that as a failure to lose any weight for more than two years. Another way to look at it, though, is I haven't GAINED any weight since 2003--THAT HAS BEEN OVER THREE YEARS IN A ROW!!! Now that's keeping the right perspective.

Is it frustrating to see livin' la vida low-carb be more challenging this time around than it was before (and, no, I don't subscribe to the one golden shot theory about low-carb)? Sure. But keep in mind that your body is different now as the skinny, healthy person that you are. It doesn't have to be a mental problem necessarily. Quite possibly it is physiological and paying attention to calories and portions may be what is needed for you now.

That may seem like a foreign concept to you in a discussion of livin' la vida low-carb because you never counted calories or portions while losing weight the low-carb way. But, again, that was when you were much bigger. Things have changed for the better and now your diet should change for the better, too.

One thing this e-mailer wrote that really hit home with me because I find myself doing the same thing lately is the part where she said she "can't stop eating even when I know I'm overeating."

Oh my gosh, it's confession time people. I've caught myself doing this just his week. I don't know if it's the cold weather, being indoors a lot, or what, but I have found myself eating a very healthy low-carb dinner and less than 30 minutes later opening up the cabinets to see what I could munch on. WHY AM I DOING THIS TO MYSELF? I'm NOT hungry!

Plus (even MORE confession!) I've let my cardio exercise slip up this week. I've cut my workouts short on the days I have done them and I've skipped the past two days altogether. Why am I doing this? Am I getting lazy even though I know how good exercise makes me feel when I do it? Talk about "sabotage!"

Let this all be a lesson to everyone reading my blog that old habits really do die hard. Even still, this is no time to panic. The key is to recognize when these feelings hit you and immediately find something else to occupy your mind until it passes. Remember, that's exactly how you did it the first time and I urge you to conjure up the spirit of that strength you had before. It will help you now.

You see, isn't it good to know that you're not the only one who has these thoughts because they can hit even the best of us? I constantly remind myself that I'm not there yet despite my successes in the past. It really does take a DAILY CONSCIOUS EFFORT to remain focused on the goal at hand and we must stay alert and ready for anything that could derail us, including our own self-pity.

More than anything, stay encouraged and don't give up hope. We beat ourselves up enough when we haven't been perfect, but it's not the end of the world. Recommit yourself starting RIGHT NOW to do this lifestyle change like you've never done it before. I'm telling myself this message more than anything because it is something I need to do as well. Just be glad you're not livin' la vida low-fat! Talk about torture! AAAACK! :)

Livin' la vida low-carb is always going to be a work in progress. If you ever think you have fully arrived, then watch out! Letting your guard down is in a sense being cocky and self-reliant when you know you are susceptible to having the whole house of cards come tumbling down on top of you at any moment. Zero in on what you need to do and then JUST DO IT!

I'd like to say a special THANK YOU to my reader for bringing up this incredibly important topic because we don't need to ignore it. This goes to the very heart of why people fail so often when it comes to weight loss and improving their health. Will it be easy to see this to the very end? Nope. But at least you actually care and want to do something about it. How many people can say that?

Now that's what I call progress. KEEP IT UP!

Casting Call For New TV Weight Loss Show

Ricochet Television needs television weight loss show contestants

Following in the footsteps of the hit NBC weight loss reality show "The Biggest Loser" comes another brand new major network weight loss television show from the producers of "SUPERNANNY!" The name of the show has not been released yet, but this program is set to air on one of the major networks probably this Fall. WOW, what an opportunity!

If you are at least 21 years old, have 50+ pounds to lose, can take up to 10 consecutive weeks away from your normal life, and think you have what it takes to lose lots of weight on national television with the chance to also win a HUGE cash prize while shedding the pounds, then you need to submit the following ASAP to the producers of this show:

1. Complete this application and write legibly
2. Read this eligibility form
3. Take 2 digital photos of yourself (face and full body) with the date taken
4. E-mail these to newprograms@ricochettelevision.com
5. Record a 5-minute video using these guidelines
6. Label your video with your name, address, and phone number
7. Mail in a securely packaged envelope to:

New Show Casting
Ricochet Television
3800 Barham Blvd., Ste. 210
Los Angeles, CA 90068

(Keep in mind that what you submit to Ricochet becomes their property)

Once you complete this process, it's time to wait and see if you are selected for the next round of the process. Those select few will be flown out to Los Angeles for a series of interviews with the producers. The finalists will be required to fill out release paperwork and undergo medical examinations prior to being allowed to appear on the show.

I can tell you now that they are looking for people who exhibit not just a personality that will make for compelling television, but also a sincere dedication and commitment to SERIOUSLY lose weight for good. It makes them look good if the people who come on the show actually lose weight. Let the REAL YOU come shining through in the video and set yourself apart from the rest.

There is only a small window of opportunity to apply for this show as the application process will be whittled down very quickly among the fairly small pool of potential contestants. My blog is one of only a handful of places they have advertised about this show, so don't let this chance pass you by. In other words, YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT SHOT to be on TV, so make the most of it! Try to have it all done by THIS weekend and you should be good to go!

Other than the video, the application itself (which is VERY similar to the one I highlighted at my blog from "The Biggest Loser") is where you can give the producers a real sense of who you are as a person. Answer every question as openly and honestly as possible so they can get to know you like your friends and family know you. Don't be fake or provide what you think they want to hear. Just be YOU!

As for the show itself, you WILL work your tail off as they require you to "be willing and able to participate in potentially strenuous physical activities." I mean DUH! Those "Biggest Loser" contestants workout for hours on end every single day on that show, so this one will be no different.

If you have any questions about the application process, then please don't hesitate to e-mail the Casting Associate Jen Harding for assistance. GOOD LUCK everyone and let me know if you applied and get cast for the show. How neat would that be? Remember us "little" people when you become famous. :D

Post-Weight Loss Loose Skin Hanging Around

Two years after losing 180 pounds, my loose skin still haunts me

Speaking of Adro Sarnelli who won "The Biggest Loser Australia" last year, did you see this article about him and the struggle he has had dealing with all the excess, loose skin on his body following his 130-pound weight loss?

I previously blogged about his decision to have an abdominoplasty done, better known as a "tummy tuck." But now he wants to get rid of the rest of his hanging skin at an eye-popping cost of $20,000 plus recovery time off from work.

Here's why Adro decided to do this:

"It was just really disappointing to think that I lost [all that weight] and that I still had the same body that I had when I was fat," he said. "I'm actually left with a whole lot of extra skin which, in my own mind, it sort of leaves me unfinished. I have man boobs and that's something I really hate and would love to get rid of. I also have a really saggy apron area around my tummy."

So with the help of a plastic surgeon and many hours of body sculpting which includes not just a tummy tuck but also a buttock lift, a thigh lift, as well as skin removal from his chest, back, and arms, Adro will soon have a body that will LOOK like that fabulous weight loss success that he was in 2006. Everyone else has seen how good he looks, so now it's time for him to see it for himself.

The payoff was when he got to look at himself in the mirror for the first time after having "heaps" of his loose skin removed for good.

"I actually got to stand up and have a shower so I looked in the mirror and I was actually able to look down," Adro proudly exclaimed.

Now he says he feels "unreal" on the inside and out.

I couldn't be happier for Adro because I know EXACTLY how he feels. I'm right there in the same predicament, too. It's been over two years now since I lost the majority of my 190 pounds and my loose skin problem hasn't gotten any better as everyone claimed it would if you would "just give it some time." In fact, it looks like the problem has gotten even worse! MUCH WORSE!

Many of my new readers who have discovered my blog in the past few weeks have e-mailed me asking about whether I have loose skin and want to know what I am doing to handle it. In fact, here's one of those e-mails:

Dear Jimmy,

I thought I would send you an email regarding weight loss and the dreaded loose skin afterwards. After skin removal surgery, people seem to be very happy with the results. Have you had this surgery? Is loose skin really inevitable when you are very overweight? How do you limit loose skin? Does losing too fast encourage loose skin?

I'd love to know if you have ever written a blog about it. It's very discouraging losing all that weight only to be left with a whole lot of skin and where you have to stay covered up.

Well, as a matter of fact I HAVE blogged about this subject before--SEVERAL times actually. Here are a just a handful of those posts for you to check out:

- "Indiana Reporter Left Hanging After Weight Loss, Too"
- "Dealing With Excess, Loose Skin After Weight Loss"
- "Is There Loose Skin After Atkins Weight Loss?"

So many of you have e-mailed me with your support and well wishes that I can do something about my hanging, loose skin after reading about me blog about it and in the final chapter of my book. You have encouraged me to not get discouraged or ever give up on my dream of getting the skin removal surgery done and I haven't. I KNOW it's gonna happen one of these days.

Let me just say one thing that absolutely needs to be heard loud and clear to anyone who is overweight or obese and is worried about having loose skin afterwards. Don't let this issue stop you from making the best decision of your life to lose weight and get healthy. Sure, the loose skin can be an eyesore, but it's a whole heckuva lot better than the enormous pain of being fat. There's just no comparison!

I really don't know why this issue gets people so worked up about losing weight, but it does. Some of the most popular Google searches people who are desiring weight loss put into the search engine is "loose skin after weight loss" or "how do you firm up excess skin." I'm fascinated that people worry about such things when they should be focused on getting their physical health in order first.

At the same time, if I get one more person sending me this link to check out, then I think I'll have to run in front of an 18-wheeler on the interstate! Just for the record, I don't believe much of what this guy has to say, so don't bother telling me about it okay. With all due respect, I certainly acknowledge that there is a possibility that what I think is loose skin may be excess fat that I need to lose, but I don't care at this point. I just want the skin GONE!

I'm still eating low-carb since this has become my permanent way of life and my body fat percentage has continued to drop down from over half when I used to weigh 410 pounds. I've even made reducing my body fat one of my goals for 2007. Nevertheless, now that I'm 220 pounds, I want to LOOK like I am 220 pounds. The fact is I don't like what I see every single time I look in that mirror.

Wanna see what I'm talking about for yourself? I'll warn you, it's pretty disgusting to look at and you would probably think I was showing you a picture of a fat man's body. But, no, this is me.


Shirtless on the beach looking like THIS? Not a chance!

Can you see what I'm facing here? It's incredibly frustrating because as much as I want to truly celebrate my enormous weight loss success, I can't jump for joy when I still look and feel like I'm obese! I often joke with my wife Christine playfully jiggling my former 62-inch waist that has now shrunk down to a 38-inch waist in front of her like some circus freak show. But I don't feel sexy for her and I so much in my heart want to.

It's not just my stomach, though. Look at what's "hanging" from my inner thighs. EWWWW!


There's so much skin in my thighs that they get rubbed raw

When I asked my doctor to take a look at this loose skin issue in my stomach and inner thighs, he told me quite bluntly (which I appreciated!) that the elasticity is too far gone at this point to firm up and tighten from my very large weight loss. He wrote a letter to my insurance company, but they refused to pay for it. The only remedy at this point is to live with it or get the surgery done at my own expense.

Those are my ONLY choices at this point. For now, I'll just have to learn to live with it and move on with my life (which I have). But if ever there was a dream that you wished would come true for you, that's how I feel about getting this surgery. I'm hopeful it will happen to give me that "closure" Adro was talking about.

As for those questions my reader had about the loose skin issue, here's what I think about each one of them:

Have you had this surgery?

No, but I desperately want to.

Is loose skin really inevitable when you are very overweight?

I don't think it's necessarily inevitable just because you are overweight or obese. But if you are like me and the other yo-yo dieters who have gone up and down expanding and contracting the skin so many times, I do think there is a point of no return where it is impossible to expect the skin to be firm short of surgery.

How do you limit loose skin?

Don't get fat to begin with! LOL! I know, that's probably too late for most people, but it's true. That'll DEFINITELY keep it from happening, though.

Does losing too fast encourage loose skin?

Some people have the thought that losing slower will somehow keep the skin from getting loose. But Kimmer from the Kimkins diet, who had a tummy tuck and bosom lift following her 200-pound low-carb weight loss, said in her interview with me that stretch marks are emergency skin and no matter how fast or slow you lose, the "skin isn't going anywhere" and that "losing slowly is no advantage."

She added, "It's exactly like having a skin tight skirt, adding a 2" panel of fabric and expecting the extra fabric to disappear the next time you wash the skirt. Just ain't happening!" I agree with Kimmer because the skin has nowhere else to go but droop down. :(

So now it's January 2007, three years after I began the most lifechanging experience of my entire life. It's like writing an entire book from start to finish, but then not having it published. You have done all that work and maybe even shared it with those around you. But you won't feel right until it is finished and ready for the public to see.

That's how I feel about my loose skin. I've poured many days, weeks, and months into becoming who am I am today these past few years. I'm very proud of what I have been able to do and appreciate all the compliments and adoration that has been given to me. But it's time to send this book to be published and that means getting the excess skin removed.

It won't be today, probably not tomorrow either. But it will happen.

Kimkins Weight Loss Success Spotlight: Janine Shed 136 Pounds In 7 Months

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.

Doggoneit, An Anti-Obesity Drug For Canines?

Pfizer's prescription drugs have gone to the dogs

Just when you thought the pharmaceutical industry in the United States couldn't get any crazier or overzealous than it already has developing all these so-called miracle drugs to cure every ailment known to mankind, along comes a story like this one that reminds me why these gold-digging scheisters need to be locked up in prison with the key thrown away for their dishonesty and deception on the public.

The culprit this time around is the infamous Pfizer Inc., whose #1 bestselling cholesterol-lowering medication Lipitor brought down a cool $13 BILLION in revenue in 2006 (plus a few lawsuits and then a class action lawsuit about its safety which is still going through the courts), and now they're aiming for canines with a new drug called Slentrol, aka dirlotapide.

Slentrol is the first prescription diet pill designed for your pudgy pet pooch. As if all the plethora of weight loss pills for humans wasn't bad enough (with some of them being fined for false advertising just this week!), Pfizer believes they have discovered the next breakthrough wonder drug that will cure obesity in the nearly 20 million dogs who are currently either overweight or obese.

CHA-CHING CHA-CHING! Pfizer sees dollar signs in this!

This doggie obesity drug is basically a fat blocker that prevents the absorption of fat in their bodies while working as an appetite suppressant to keep your dog from overeating. The Food And Drug Administration happily approves of Slentrol for use on family dogs nationwide.

But what about the side effects on your four-legged friend? Well, they say this drug ONLY causes loose stools, diarrhea, vomiting, an overwhelming feeling of being tired, and a loss of appetite. Is that all?

So you had better be ready with lots of pooper scoopers, vomit scoopers, towels, mops, and whatever else you can find to clean up these wonderful "side effects" while the dog you used to know as a playful, fun-loving companion now becomes a virtual useless invalid. Is that what you want for your dog, fat or otherwise?

As if they needed to say this, the FDA warned dog owners against taking this drug for themselves or trying to give it to the family cat because the side effects are much worse in humans and other animals. Oh my, how much worse could it be than having it come out of both ends in between lying around in bed without eating anything all day?

Don't ask, but here's what YOU have to look forward to if you did happen to take Slentrol--abdominal distention, abdominal pain, diarrhea, flatulence, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Isn't that just lovely?! I sure bet you'll lose a lot of weight that way, though! Jeepers creepers!

Can't I just feed my dog (or myself for that matter) a whole bottle of castor oil instead? It'll have the same physical effect as Slentrol and will cost MUCH less money than the premium price Pfizer will be charging for their new dogbesity drug. Sounds like a plan, doesn't it?

The story notes that dogs need a high-fat diet to be the strong and healthy animals they were created to be (not unlike humans!). Fat is essential for their bodies and yet Pfizer wants to prevent fat consumed by dogs from being absorbed? Won't this actually stunt their growth, slow their development, prevent them from procreating, and cause their coat to fall out in the long run, hmmm? Are we REALLY going to make dogs go through all this just to shed a few pounds? And for what purpose?

Interestingly, just as the diet drugs created for humans need to be combined with a low-calorie diet and exercise program (it's the dirty little secret these drug companies don't ever tell you about!), so too must Slentrol be accompanied by "a complete and balanced diet and exercise" program according to the drug's label.

Pfizer is quick to point out that Slentrol is "not a cure for obesity" and that the nasty side effects go away a few days after you stop giving it to your dog. But just like humans, dogs that are overweight or obese need to make lifestyle changes to help them manage their weight. That's why low-carb, high-fat diets have been recommended to help Buster lose weight and get healthy.

Here's some healthy food for thought to chew on: Could it be that dogs are getting fatter and fatter because their owners are no longer taking them on walks around the neighborhood or playing with them in the yard or at the local park?

Dogs are meant to be active and yet what do we do with them? Lock 'em up in a kennel all day everyday for weeks, months, sometimes years without ever letting them run like the wind as God intended for them. Is it any wonder why they are getting obese at record levels?

Nice try on this one, Pfizer, but I'm not buying into your hype with this drug either. With all the troubles you have been having with the side effects from Lipitor, frankly I'm surprised you would even put something like Slentrol out there with all these side effects. Are you TRYING to get sued again? I don't think people are going to take too kindly to their dog getting sick from your drug.

Slentrol sounds like a good idea until you realize it's just another blatant attempt by the pharmaceutical industry to correct a problem with a pill rather than encouraging a healthier diet and physical activity plan. When are we going to stop wishing and hoping for that magic bullet to come along for obesity and just do what it takes to get there naturally?

Doggoneit, people just need to stop lining the pockets of companies like Pfizer with their hard-earned money and start livin' la vida low-carb instead! Living a healthy low-carb lifestyle, for you and your dog, is a cheaper and more enjoyable way to manage weight, ward off disease, and be around for many years to come. We don't need any new drugs to help us do that!

1-7-07 UPDATE: Annette at the "Fish and Cans" blog has some humorously interesting commentary on this dogbesity drug as well. And the "Almanak" blog has more info on the cost of this new doggie drug as well as a rather blunt reaction to it, too.

Weight Loss Lets You Do It Better, More Often

Weight loss is indeed a powerful thing that can transform your life forever for the better in more ways than most people even realize. Besides the obvious things like being able to move around better, feeling more confident about yourself, and just plain looking good, there are some other fringe benefits to losing weight that most people don't really think about too much.

A friend to this blog and Director of Nutrition Information at Atkins Health & Medical Information Services Jackie Eberstein wrote in this Glee Magazine article today about how weight loss can actually lead to better sex. You heard me right! Wanna spice up your love life? Then start shedding them pounds!

And it stands to reason, too. After highlighting this Duke research study last year that found skinnier sex is better than fat sex, I shared a few comments about how my 180+ pound weight loss on the Atkins diet has improved that area of my life so much more than I could have ever imagined. It's amazing how being overweight can harm you like that, but it really does.

Eberstein cites two studies in her column:

- 32 women in a weight loss program reported significant increases in their quality and quantity of sex after losing weight.
- 110 obese men with ED set out to lose 10 percent of their body weight over two years; one-third of the men no longer had ED at the end of the study.

While the positive results of weight loss such as a better self-image may not explain the disappearance of problems like ED and a vastly improved sex drive, Eberstein said the physical act of shedding pounds and increasing exercise improves the odds of wanting to have better sex more often. Sweet!

"A closer look at the causes and effects associated with being overweight and having sexual dysfunction reveals a lot of intertwining and intersecting variables," Eberstein wrote. "The picture is complex, but the outcome is clear: Being heavy can interfere with sexual desire, performance and pleasure in dozens of direct and indirect ways."

Oh, man, she is so right about this. Being morbidly obese as I once was weighing over 400 pounds is no fun at all. You feel unattractive, but even worse is the fact that you have a limited physical ability to perform as well as you would like to. Besides that big belly being in the worst possible place for having sex, you have to deal with back pain, heavy asthmatic-like breathing and wheezing, profuse sweating, and that annoying inability to get up for the moment. UGH!

But losing weight changes all of that--well, at least it did for me! Suddenly, you're like an invincible stallion ready to take on the world beaming with all the confidence and energy that you always dreamed of having. You can go stronger, longer, and satisfy your partner in ways you never thought were possible. I was totally amazed! No more pain, heavy breathing, sweating or any of those "other" problems I used to have--livin' la vida low-carb changed all of that, baby!

Even worse for people who are overweight or obese, Eberstein said they have psychological and medical issues that can and will hinder their sex life. There's just no bones about it either.

"Clearly, the deck is stacked against optimal sexual desire and performance if you’re overweight or obese," she wrote. "The psychological disorders and medical conditions above are all barriers to a healthy sex life."

So what do you do about it? The easy answer is LOSE WEIGHT, but most people have tried and failed on so many diets they don't know where to turn. Might I suggest what has helped me and millions more overcome a lifetime of weight problems? The Atkins/low-carb nutritional approach changed my life forever in 2004 and I'm still livin' la vida low-carb today.

The weight loss and improvements in my health have been incredibly awesome, but the benefits like improved sex have been icing on the proverbial cake. Who would have thought something so seemingly unrelated as losing weight would actually help me experience sex like I had never been able to before? It's yet another one of the miracles of low-carb living!

Special THANKS to Jackie Eberstein for sharing this information! Now, use this information to go lose some weight so you can reap the benefits in bed that she talked about. Your spouse will LOVE you for it and so will YOU!