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Saturday, March 15, 2008
The Top 20 Worst Foods In America For Calories
A friend of mine sent me this the other day and I thought it was quite telling about the current state of affairs in the food and restaurant industries:
THE TOP 20 WORST FOODS IN AMERICA FOR CALORIES
20: Worst Fast-Food Chicken Meal - Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips from McDonald's (5 pieces) with creamy Ranch sauce. 830 Calories, 55 grams fat (4.5 trans fat), 48 carbs. Add a large fries and regular soda and this seemingly innocuous chicken meal tops out at 1,710 calories.
19: Worst drink - Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo'd Power Smoothie (30 fl oz). 900 calories, 10 g fat, 183 carbs, 166 g sugar... Jamba Juice calls it a smoothie, MSNBC calls it a milkshake. The beverage contains as much sugar as 8 pints of Ben & Jerry's butter pecan ice cream.
18: Worst supermarket meal - Pepperidge Farm Roasted Chicken Pot Pie (whole pie). 1,020 calories, 64 g fat, 86 g carbs. Label may say this pie serves two, but, who ever divided a small pot pie in half? Once you crack the crust, there will be no stopping.
17: Worst 'healthy' burger - Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger. 1,145 calories, 71 g fat, 56 g carbs.
15: Worst kids' meal - Macaroni Grill Double Macaroni 'n Cheese. 1,210 calories, 62 g fat, 3,450 mg sodium. It's like feeding your kid 1 1/2 boxes of Kraft mac 'n' cheese.
14: Worst sandwich - Quiznos Classic Italian (large). 1,528 calories, 92 g fat, 4,604 mg sodium, 110 g carbs. A large homemade sandwich would more likely provided about 500 calories.
13: Worst salad - On the Border Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef. 1,450 calories, 102 g fat, 78 g carbs, 2,410 mg sodium. This isn't an anomaly: Five different On the Border salads on the menu contain more than 1,100 calories each.
12: Worst burger - Carl's Jr. (Hardee's on East Coast) Double Six Dollar Burger. 1,520 calories, 111g fat. Carl's Jr. brags it's home to this enormous sandwich, but the restaurant chain also provides convenient nutrition info on its Web site -- so ignorance is no excuse for eating it.
11: Worst steak - Lonestar 20 oz T-bone. 1,540 calories, 124g fat. Add a baked potato and Lonestar's Signature Lettuce Wedge, and this is a 2,700 calorie blowout (Jimmy says: SKIP THE POTATO AND THIS IS AN EXCELLENT MEAL!!!)
10: Worst breakfast - Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Cream Stacked and Stuffed hotcakes. 1,540 calories, 77 g fat (9 g trans fat), 198 g carbs, 109 g sugar. Five Egg McMuffins yield the same caloric cost as this stack of sugar-stuffed flapjacks, which is truly a heavy breakfast, weighing in at a hefty pound and a half.
9: Worst dessert - Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream. 1,600 calories, 78 g fat, 215 g carbs. Would you eat a Big Mac for dessert? How about three? That's the calorie equivalent of this decadent dish. Clearly, Chili's customers get their money's worth.
8: Worst Chinese entree - P.F. Chang's Pork Lo Mein. 1,820 calories, 127 g fat, 95 g carbs. The fat content in this dish alone provides more than 1,100 calories. And you'd have to eat almost five servings of pasta to match the number of carbs it contains. Now, do you really need five servings of pasta?
7: Worst chicken entree - Chili's Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce. 2,040 calories, 99 g fat, 240 g carbs. 'Crispers' refers to an extra thick layer of bread crumbs that soak up oil and adds unnecessary calories and carbs to these glorified chicken strips.
6: Worst fish entree - On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans. 2,100 calories, 130 g fat, 169 g carbs, 4,700 mg sodium. Perhaps the most misleadingly named dish in America: A dozen crunchy tacos from Taco Bell will saddle you with fewer calories.
5: Worst pizza - Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza. 2,310 calories, 162 g fat, 123 g carbs, 4,470 mg sodium... Downing this 'personal' pizza is equivalent to eating 18 slices of Domino's Crunchy Thin Crust cheese pizza.
4: Worst pasta - Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce. 2,430 calories, 128 g fat, 207 g carbs, 5,290 mg sodium. This meal satisfied your calorie requirements for an entire day.
3: Worst nachos - On the Border Stacked Border Nachos. 2,740 calories, 166 g fat, 191 g carbs, 5,280 sodium.
2: Worst starter - Chili's Awesome Blossom. 2,710 calories, 203 g fat, 194 g carbs, 6,360 mg sodium.
1: The worst food in America - Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing. 2,900 calories, 182 g fat, 240 g carbs. Even if you split these 'starters' with three friends, you'll have downed a dinner's worth of calories before you entree arrives.
"Slow Burn" trainer Fred Hahn offers up 20 fat-burning ideas!
After reading and reviewing his fantastic book entitled The Slow Burn Fitness Revolution in January, I was not just enamored by the overall fitness philosophy of personal trainer Fred Hahn who advocates lifting weights slowly as the safest, most effective way to build muscle. But after interviewing him at my blog and realizing he promotes a solid controlled-carbohydrate nutritional approach to work in tandem with the "Slow Burn" program, I knew Fred was somebody I wanted to hear more from in the future.
In fact, my favorite quote from that interview is what Fred Hahn recommends as the perfect post-workout meal:
A juicy bacon cheeseburger (no bun) with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and avocado, or steak and eggs with sliced tomatoes.
YEAH BABY!!! Now that's what I'm talking about! :D If you like that kind of honest opinions and information about what to do regarding your own health and fitness routine, then you'll want to bookmark Fred Hahn's blog and visit often. He is always posting some interesting thoughts, so visit early and visit often. There's never a dull moment with Fred in the blogosphere! ;)
Today I have a very special surprise from our friend Fred Hahn. As part of his Slow Burn Fitness System--a special combination of insulin-controlled diet and strength training exercise--he has graciously provided me a list of 20 of his most effective fat loss tips to impart to the wonderful readers of the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog. This program has been proven to be highly efficient at helping its participants begin burning fat, gaining strength, improving their health, and becoming more energetic and youthful than they have ever been in their entire lives.
To complement what you are already doing as part of your healthy low-carb lifestyle, Fred recommends the following 20 tips to boost your fat loss results. ENJOY!
1. DRINK A GALLON OF REFRIGERATED WATER A DAY
A gallon of cold water will burn around 150 calories of energy to heat the cold water to body temperature for voiding! (And it's good for your skin and hair too!)
Note from Jimmy: I would only caution you to watch your body temperature if you decide to do this tip because I used to drink my water cold until a doctor told me I was freezing my insides. I was drinking upwards of 1-2 gallons a day and was ALWAYS cold. Even now, when I drink large amounts of TAP water, my hands get as cold as ice.
2. BEFORE YOU CHEAT, DRINK WATER AND BRUSH YOUR TEETH
If you get hungry and feel you're going to cheat, quickly drink a big glass of cool water and brush and floss your teeth. While doing so, think this thought: "There is no food that tastes as good as being lean and strong feels!"
Note from Jimmy: This REALLY works and you'll be surprised how well it does, too. If you aren't in a position to brush your teeth when the craving comes on, then pop a sugar-free mint or piece of mint-flavored sugar-free gum. In those very rare occasions when you don't have access to those things (always keep them handy!), eat something high-fat to ward off the sugar/carb cravings. Works every time!
3. TAKE A CASUAL STROLL 30 MINUTES AFTER DINNER
A half hour after dinner, take a casual stroll for 15-20 minutes whenever possible. Do not walk fast or jog. Just take a pleasant, easy stroll and enjoy your time outdoors. This keeps from from snacking after dinner.
Note from Jimmy: If you make this stroll a regular part of your dinnertime routine, then it will also keep you from stuffing yourself too full because you'll be too uncomfortable even for a casual stroll around the block. What a perfect opportunity to get in some quality time with your family in the process, too.
4. AVOID SUGAR/STARCHY CARBS BEFORE BEDTIME
Avoid eating sugar or starches a few hours before bedtime. This can decrease growth hormone release at night and store unwanted calories as fat.
Note from Jimmy: Better yet, why not avoid sugar and starches ALL THE TIME? Sounds like a plan to me! :D
5. GET A SOLID EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP A NIGHT
Get a full 8 hours of sleep as often as possible. Avoid TV and other distractions as much as you can at night. Deep sleep is when your body is regulating and upgrading your hormonal tone. So get some rest!
Note from Jimmy: And just laying in bed doesn't count as sleep. I know there are some nights it can take me 2-3 hours to get to sleep because I'm thinking about things in my life, worrying about upcoming events, or just so exhausted and tired that sleep evades me. Try to leave all that stuff outside your bedroom and use every moment for tremendous restful sleep. A good workout a few hours before bedtime can help!
6. DRESS AND SLEEP AS COOL AS YOU CAN
Dress and sleep cool. The cooler you stay, the more heat your body must produce to keep you warm and this means more calories burned. Feeling a bit on the chilly side means you are a fat burning dynamo! Always keep as cool as you can when you are exercising. Sweating is overheating and staying cool is much better for exercise performance as well as for fat loss.
Note from Jimmy: I showed this tip to my wife Christine as a reason for running the fan at night in our bedroom. But when she started shivering and her teeth were chattering, I had to stop. Instead of wallowing in the blankets now, I try to sleep with as little cover as possible to stay cool. Working out, though, is another matter. I still sweat quite a bit during exercise, especially when working with my trainer. Every time I feel the sweat dripping down my face, I tell my trainer I'm overheating (as per what Fred said in this tip). My complaints are usually ignored as I'm instructed to continue the workout. Isn't it ironic that you can burn more fat staying cool rather than dripping soaking wet with sweat?
7. EAT SLOWLY AND STOP WHEN HUNGER CEASES
Eat slowly and stop when you are no longer hungry before you feel full.
Note from Jimmy: This is an important tip because most of us eat all the way until we are full. But try going through a day where your purpose in eating is to simply take away your hunger. For some people, this could be as little as just a few bites. Savor each bite and you'll probably feel more satisfied than if you "hork" (thanks for sharing this GREAT word, Christin!) it all down in just a few minutes. You may end up eating every 2-3 hours as the hunger bug returns, but that's okay, too. Let your body tell you when to eat, not the time on the clock.
8. DON'T EAT OUT AT RESTAURANTS
Make and take your meals with you. Refrain from eating out. There are tons of hidden calories in most restaurant foods. (You'll save lots of money too!)
Note from Jimmy: Boy, is Fred ever right about this one! When you go out to a restaurant to eat, you can never really know what they're putting in the food. From IHOP putting pancake batter in their omelets to hidden sugars injected into the steaks at Applebee's, you're just better off making the food yourself at home. It'll save you a lot of heartache on the scale later on if you just make all of your own food.
9. POST MEANINGFUL REMINDERS AND INSPIRATIONAL SAYINGS
Pin notes on your refrigerator, front door, bedroom mirror, etc. with phrases such as "Take your lunch!" "Drink your water!" and "I will succeed!" Anything that will remind you of what to do and why you are doing it is a very potent motivational tool.
Note from Jimmy: Most of us who have allowed our weight to get out of control have issues with self-esteem and feeling worthy. So writing things like "You are AWESOME!" "I'm so proud of what you are accomplishing!" and "NEVER GIVE UP!!!" are an essential part of keeping yourself uplifted and inspired in your daily struggle to lose the weight and get healthy. Don't underestimate the power of such a simple act because it can reap BIG DIVIDENDS for you with constant positive reinforcement on a daily basis.
10. NEVER SKIP A MAJOR MEAL
Never skip breakfast or any main meal. Thinking you will lose fat faster by skipping meals is a huge step in the wrong direction. Huge! Your body need to feel "satisfied" and requires adequate nutrition to shed body fat and build muscle.
Note from Jimmy: There was a 10-year study published in the September 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that concluded eating breakfast leads to lower body mass index compared to those who skip breakfast. And it's true! You need to fuel up for your day with a hearty high-fat, moderate protein meal to give your body the energy it needs to get through the day. That's why I like to begin my day with some delicious eggs cooked in butter along with a side of bacon or sausage. Mmm mmm--a nutritious way to start your day!
11. PURCHASE A GOAL OUTFIT AND TRY IT ON WEEKLY
Select a piece of clothing that you want to fit into again and try it on once a week.
Note from Jimmy: Actually, I did this when I weighed 410 pounds. My wife Christine and I went to JCPenney's in January 2004 and at the time I was wearing size 62-inch waist pants. So, imagine the surprise on Christine's face when I picked up a pair of 42-inch waist khaki pants! Yep, she was shocked to say the least. But I put those "goal pants" up on the wall and dreamed of being able to fit into them by the end of that year. In early November 2004 after losing around 165 pounds, I tried them on and they FINALLY fit me (albeit, they were tight, but they got around me!). It was such a thrilling moment in my weight loss journey and those pants went on to become very loose on me by the end of the year. WOO HOO!
12. READ ONE HEALTH-RELATED BOOK A WEEK
Read a book a week that is health related or motivational in nature.
Note from Jimmy: Because I run a diet and health-focused blog that gets a fair share of daily traffic, access to the latest health and motivational books is easy for me. The ones I think are the best get featured at my blog, so be on the lookout for my posts featuring books that may help you in your healthy lifestyle. Some blog posts where I have featured new books on nutrition and fitness can be found here, here, here, here, and here.
13. AVOID ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WITH EMPTY CALORIES
Limit or avoid alcohol. Drinks can be very high in calories so beware!
Find a hobby that keeps you occupied in the evening. You're less likely to snack if your hands are busy and you may be surprised what you can accomplish!
Note from Jimmy: I can think of a few things to do...at night! ;)
15. EAT HIGH-FIBER VEGGIES, LOW-SUGAR FRUITS
Eat fruits and veggies instead of cakes and sweets and when you think fruit think berries. The higher the fiber content in the food, the better.
Note from Jimmy: I happen to think the generic recommendation to "eat more fruits and vegetables" is a big fat copout by those who claim to care about the weight and health of overweight and obese people. As I stated repeatedly to Dr. Dean Ornish during my recent interview with him, the KIND of fruits and vegetables is extremely important when you are talking to people about what's good for them and what is not. Fried potatoes, which dominates the "veggie" intake of nearly half of kids and one-fourth of adults, is very clearly NOT the kind of vegetable people should be eating. Non-starchy veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, spinach, and kale are excellent choices. And Fred is so right about fruit--stick with the berries!
16. AVOID THE BREAD, EAT A SALAD, DRINK LOTS OF WATER
If you must eat out, send the bread basket back once it arrives. Order a salad as your appetizer and an appetizer as your main course. Keep that ice water coming!
Note from Jimmy: Whenever I eat out somewhere often enough, the servers KNOW not to bring me crackers or bread with my meal. If they forget and bring it to me anyway, I simply look at it and state, "I won't be needing that, thank you!" It's better not to even have it on the table with you so you'll never be tempted. If you do decide to order a meal from one of the main courses, keep in mind the portion size may be much bigger than your body actually needs to get rid of your hunger. Don't be afraid to take some food home in a carryout box.
17. COMPLETELY AVOID ALL FOODS TOUTING "LOW-FAT"
Avoid purchasing and eating foods that are labeled as "low fat" or "no fat."
Note from Jimmy: Wanna hear a dirty little secret about these so-called "healthy" low-fat or fat-free foods you see in the stores these days? When they remove the fat from them, guess what they have to ADD to them to make them taste at least halfway close to the original (yeah right!)? SUGAR!!! And many times it is in the form of high-fructose corn syrup which is even worse. Why do that to yourself? Just eat the full-fat foods with confidence and let the low-fatties suffer eating fat-free cheese that tastes like cardboard and the watery skim milk!
18. PRACTICE DAILY VISUALIZATION OF THE NEW YOU TO COME
Try to visualize your leaner, stronger, healthier self a few times each day. See yourself as you wish to be. Imagine that new you and think everyday you are one step closer to achieving your goal. Care about yourself. You're worth it!
Note from Jimmy: You just don't realize how powerful this is! As I previously stated, most of us have a self-worth that is next to nothing when we began our low-carb weight loss journey. It's difficult enough trying to lose weight, but then we pile on all this extra baggage from the circumstances in our life that it's almost impossible to ever imagine life as a thin and happy person. But that's exactly what you must do to prepare yourself mentally for the BIG CHANGES that are to come. Believe me, getting your mind to believe in what is to come makes it that much easier to accept the new physical you when it gets here. Start thinking you look good NOW!
19. RESIST THE URGE TO OVER-EXERCISE
Avoid excessive amounts of exercise. Too much exercise makes cortisol levels rise which in turn causes muscle wasting and can aid in fat storage. You do not receive benefits from exercise when you are exercising. You receive the benefits when you are resting and recovering from the exercise. If your eating habits are proper, you do not need to try and burn off additional fat via exercise. You'll save yourself from orthopedic problems as well.
Note from Jimmy: It seems logical--the more you exercise, the more calories you can burn off and weight loss will happen. And yet there is the risk of inflammation from doing too much exercise and the cortisol issue as Fred explained. This is a controversial recommendation since most people don't get nearly ENOUGH exercise. But I've seen the workaholics in the gym who spend hours upon hours beating their bodies to a pulp trying to salvage every last bit of energy out of themselves thinking that's gonna make them a lean, mean fighting machine. In a word, NOPE! Get in a solid workout, eat healthy low-carb meals with plenty of fat and protein, and let your body do the rest. It's no more difficult than that!
20. GET REAL WITH YOURSELF
BE REALISTIC. This is perhaps the most important tip of all. Do not try to avoid every bad food in the whole world everyday. Do not expect your program to transform your physique into a Greek god or goddess. We can't all look like movie start--but we can all dramatically change our bodies for the better and live long, healthy lives following the very simple and extremely efficient Slow Burn Program.
Note from Jimmy: Fred is right! Livin' la vida low-carb isn't about what you CAN'T have as much as it is what you CAN. I challenge anyone to tell me that this way of eating isn't the most luxurious, delicious "diet" plan you could possibly go on and still lose body fat while vastly improving your health. It truly is a miracle and I'm thrilled to be eating this way for the rest of my life. Combining low-carb living with the "Slow Burn" resistance training developed by Fred Hahn will have you looking better than you ever thought possible. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
Hardee's one of the few restaurants still catering to low-carbers
You can literally count on one hand the number of restaurants in America who care enough about people who are livin' la vida low-carb to offer them their very own menu: Cracker Barrel, Captain D's, and Hardee's. That's pretty much it!
Of course, you can always make your own "low-carb" meal regardless of where you dine out as I demonstrated in this recent blog post, but it's kinda nice having a restaurant understand the needs of your diet and offering menu items that fit within that criteria. It makes me feel special as a customer and I'm more willing to spend my money at a place like that than one that forces me to try to come up with my own dishes. Am I the only one who feels this way?
With restaurants running away from the low-carb consumer like Ruby Tuesday and Subway, I think it's very appropriate for us to reward those restaurants who show a commitment to our lifestyle change and not thumbing their noses up at us. We have needs just like all those people on a low-fat diet do. And yet virtually EVERY major restaurant chain has "low-fat" menu offerings. Where's the equality with low-carb, hmmmm?
That's why I was so happy to find this Hardee's web site advertising their Low Carb Thickburger. If you are a diehard low-carb fan like me (and most of you who visit here are!), then you are gonna eat this site up! It's got so much humor and facts about the healthy low-carb lifestyle, you'll not believe it's from a major fast food restaurant chain. And yet it is! Somebody in the corporate headquarters for Hardee's has GOT to be a true blue low-carber and I wish I knew who it was!
Anyways, there's a video on that site promoting the Low Carb Thickburger with a Goldilocks and the Three Bears spoof that I wanted to share with you here:
TOO FUNNY! Gotta love that devotion to low-carb living--NO PORRIDGE FOR ME because "I'm not going back to that lifestyle again!" HA! I do believe I'll be grabbing me a Hardee's Low Carb Thickburger real soon! How about YOU? :)
Fat people no longer welcome dining out in Mississippi?
As someone with a Master of Arts degree in Public Policy and Government, I've come across quite a bit of dopey legislation on the local, state, and federal government level over my years of studying and examining many different proposed bills. But Mississippi House Bill No. 282 that was drafted by two Republicans and a Democrat and submitted to the Mississippi House of Representatives today might just take the cake for the most insane obesity-fighting legislation of all-time.
The "Three Blind Mice" of Mississippi: Mayhall, Read, and Shows
In an attempt to respond to the rising obesity crisis happening in the state of Mississippi right now where they earned the dubious distinction as the first state in the U.S. to surpass 30 percent obesity rates in 2007 (30.6 percent), state House of Representatives members W. T. Mayhall, Jr. and John Read, both Republicans, and Democrat Bobby Shows thought it would be prudent to LEGISLATIVELY require restaurant owners to discriminate against fat people wanting to eat at their establishment. I kid you not, that's what the bill says and they are DEAD SERIOUS (hat tip to Regina Wilshire for telling me about this one)!
The "Three Blind Mice" of Mississippi, as I have dubbed Mayhall, Read, and Shows, go on to propose in their bill that the Mississippi Department of Health in conjunction with Mississippi's Council on Obesity would set the criteria for establishing what the weight limit will be for patrons wishing to dine at a restaurant anywhere within the state borders (ostensibly using the overused and irrelevant body mass index to determine whether someone is obese or not). Strict compliance with this law will be required of the restaurants or else the state "may revoke the permit of any food establishment that repeatedly violates the provisions of this section." EEEEEK!
Have these state lawmakers completely lost their marbles?! Besides the obvious discrimination against the obese that is explicitly written into this legislation, this would also put restaurant employees in the sticky position of trying to determine if someone is too fat to be served or not. What are they gonna do, put a scale at the front door a la "The Biggest Loser" before you can walk through the dining room area to determine if you qualify to eat there or not?! Have the "Three Blind Mice" of Mississippi thought through all of the unintended consequences that such a law would pose on restaurant owners and their employees? Can you say LAWSUIT CITY?!
Think about it for just a moment, though. What's gonna happen to obesity rates in Mississippi if fat people are not allowed to eat in public places anymore? Do the "Three Blind Mice" of Mississippi think these people will go home and eat any better? HA! Not hardly with all the high-carb junk foods so easily accessible these days. Believe me, I know because that's how I ate when I was 410 pounds--Little Debbie snack cakes, Ramen noodles, Chef-Boyardee cans, potato chips, and soda, soda, soda! We can't lay the blame for obesity on restaurants. They're just serving a need.
How about all those restaurants which seem to keep growing as fast as the grass around my septic tank? If the demand wasn't there by people wanting to spend money to eat out, then they wouldn't be in business. But now you've got local lawmakers in Los Angeles who want a moratorium on new fast food restaurant development to deal with obesity. Punishing restaurants for making fat people is like pointing the finger of blame at schools for not teaching children (where is individual choice and accountability anymore, hmmm?).
According to House Bill No. 282, this law would be in effect for any food establishment, including restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, etc., within the state of Mississippi with at least 5 seats for customers to refuse service to "any person who is obese." The definition of that will be provided by the government in the form of "written materials that describe and explain the criteria for determining whether a person is obese." The restaurant management and staff will then need to "rely on the criteria for obesity in those written materials when determining whether or not it is allowed to serve food to any person."
If somehow this bill were to be passed and signed into law by Republican Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (I sincerely doubt it, but crazier things have happened!), then it would "take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2008." And it would then set a very bad precedent for any future legislation in other states or on the national level that would turn democracy and freedom on its head in favor of Communist policies that have led to the eventual failure of nearly every other country that has ever implemented such tactics on their people. I don't say something like that lightly, but this is harmful to what we as a nation of free people believe in!
We've already seen the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services attempt on the federal level to get restaurants to cut their portions and calories and cities like New York banning trans fats in the restaurants there. But people over the age of 18 are adults and can make decisions about what to do for themselves without the government stepping in to act as their "supernanny." We don't need the government telling us what we can do with our lives, where we are allowed to eat, and what we are permitted to put inside of our mouths. That's OUR personal responsibility and it is absolutely reprehensible that Reps. Mayhall, Read, and Shows are that ignorant about liberty in a nation that was founded on such principles.
What would happen to a restaurant like Two Fat Ladies Glasgow if it were located in Mississippi? Would the owners have to steer clear of their own restaurants? And how about this: what about the obese servers, cooks, busboys, and even managers who work in Mississippi restaurants? Would they be allowed to work there if they are fat or would they be denied employment based on their weight (keep in mind most restaurant employees eat the food served by the restaurant on their break)? Have the "Three Blind Mice" of Mississippi even bothered to think this through?
You know, according to BMI, I'm officially an "obese" person. Especially since I've been lifting weights, my BMI has actually gone up a little with the extra muscle mass so I would be refused service at a restaurant in Mississippi if I attempted to dine there. But anyone who looks at me wouldn't think I'm fat. And the same goes for Michael Jordan and other athletes who are "obese" according to BMI but far from it! It's precisely why legislation like this is not just ill-advised, but created by people who are just plain ignorant. With all due respect to these Mississippi lawmakers, the people who elected you demand much better than this kind of crap!
One final thought: This one act of legislation would totally obliterate the highly-competitive restaurant industry in Mississippi because you've taken away a very large (no pun intended!) portion of their customer base. Sure, leaner people and the slightly overweight will still frequent restaurants to give them people to feed, but will prices have to go up in order to make the necessary margins to remain profitable? These "Three Blind Mice" of Mississippi don't have a clue about the restaurant business and should keep their meddling little hands out of it. It's not the government's job to tell ANY business who they can and can't serve.
Can we help the "Three Blind Mice" of Mississippi see the light?
Let's let W. T. Mayhall, Jr., John Read, and Bobby Shows know what we think about their insane bill to discriminate against "obese" people eating at restaurants. And ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, you need to contact them as well as Gov. Haley Barbour to express your concerns about this well-intentioned, but poorly executed legislation. Here's how you can contact each of these men:
Be courteous, but firm that this kind of legislation is unacceptable in the United States of America and that you will not tolerate such trampling of the rights of citizens and businesses in a country that is the very symbol of freedom for the rest of the world. They need to hear from tens of thousands of Americans who care about what this country stands for so the message will come through loud and clear that this kind of thing does not happen in a nation of free people--fat or otherwise!
I used to get a bit perturbed by that phrase "low-carb diet craze" because I thought it made those of us who believe in livin' la vida low-carb sound like a bunch of raving lunatics (well, not all of us are!). But the more I've thought about it, the better I've felt about the "craze" description because everywhere you turn somebody is saying SOMETHING about the low-carb lifestyle. Much of the time, especially in media accounts of this way of eating, it is the WRONG perspective, but at least they're still talking about it (despite claiming for the past four years that "low-carb" is dead).
Now that 2008 is here, the continued stories from people who are eating low-carb as well as news and commentary in the media and blogosphere have shown me that this "craze" is still just as strong as it has ever been. There's so much to share with you today that it's coming out my ears, so sit back and enjoy all this stuff I've found from over the past week about a diet that supposedly nobody does anymore. HA!
RESTAURANTS STILL CATERING TO LOW-CARB DIETERS
After blogging about how to eat low-carb when you go out to a restaurant last week, I was pleasantly surprised to read this Daily Press story about how several restaurants in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia (my old stomping grounds during graduate school) are specifically catering to the low-carb dieter. WOO HOO! Italian restaurants are allowing non-starchy vegetables to be substituted for the pasta and one restaurant is offering an appetizer of sauteed artichoke hearts. Mmmm mmmm! Somebody give those restaurants a pat on the back for not forsaking those of us who are still very mindful of our carbohydrate intake. WAY TO GO!
FORGET WEIGHT LOSS WILLPOWER, JUST GET COMMITTED
Here's an e-mail cry for help I received from a reader:
I am 47 years old and I find myself at 6’1” and 300 lbs, and barely able to fit into size 42 pants. I have battled being overweight all my life. About 15 years ago I went to a clinic called Nutribolic weight loss centers, and after a few months I had gotten down to 190 and lifting weights on a regular basis.
When I think back on the kind of things they had me eating (small portions of meat, cheese, and real butter) it struck me this was probably very Atkins-like. This was before I knew what Atkins was. All I know is that it was incredibly effective and I felt great!!! Now I look at myself and I am ashamed. I have set a horrible example for my kids and my wife and I can hardly stand the look of myself in the mirror in the morning.
I have tried the Atkins diet, but I only have enough willpower for a couple of weeks. I am in the food business, and spend a lot of time in restaurants. I always lose my willpower. When I attended Nutrabolic, you needed to weigh in twice a week with a counselor, and I think when I had that type of encouragement and personal contact I could stick with it.
Can you recommend any program that follows Atkins that has personal counselors that could help me? Maybe you can help me since it sounds like you have probably seen it all. I hope you can help. I’m desperate. Thank you.
Can I share with you a secret about weight loss--IT DOESN'T TAKE WILLPOWER! If you had willpower, then you wouldn't have gotten up to 300+ pounds in the first place. Instead, you need to have in your mind right now that you are going to have a STEADFAST RESOLVE TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES no matter what. If you can be on the Atkins diet as outlined in his book Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution for two weeks, then you can do it forever. Don't give the excuse that you can't because YOU CAN!
I am very much in support of people finding support for their low-carb lifestyle. Unfortunately, there isn't a system set up where there is a low-carb friendly assistant in your local area. But I'm happy to help you stay encouraged and moving in the right direction which is what I try to do at my blog, podcast shows, and YouTube videos. But you should find someone who will support you in this. It will help you be successful. If you can afford it, hire a personal trainer to get you back into weight lifting again along with your low-carb lifestyle and you'll be back down to 190 pounds again by the end of the year! YOU CAN DO THIS!!! Please don't ever give up!
MICHAEL POLLAN RANTS ABOUT THE DEMISE OF REAL FOOD
Now he's got a new book that came out on January 1, 2008 called In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto which some are describing as a more condensed and targeted version of his bestselling Omnivore's Dilemma. I'm looking forward to reading this book and sharing my review of it here real soon. I'll possibly have an opportunity to interview Pollan, but his book tour schedule is so busy right now it may not happen quickly. If it can be done, it will be done. Stay tuned!
ATKINS BADMOUTHING HAPPENING DOWN IN AUSTRALIA
One of my readers from way down south in Australia e-mailed me about a radio station continuing to spread lies about the death of the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins nearly five years ago. You'd think these people would have better things to do with their time than focus on how someone passed away so long ago, but the anti-Atkins contingent seems hellbent on continuing with their character assassination of this diet legend. Here's what the Aussie wrote to me in the e-mail:
Hi Jimmy,
I'm from Perth, Western Australia and thought you may be interested to know that the misconception of how Dr. Atkins died is still alive down under. On one of our radio stations this morning (92.9 with Em and Wippa) they were talking about the Atkins diet. I didn't catch the show but heard excerpts of it. Em said something like "but you need carbohydrates for energy" and Wippa said "you don't want to do Atkins considering Dr. Atkins died of a heart attack."
THANKS for letting us know about this nonsense being spread over the airwaves there and I encourage my Australian readers (and anyone else for that matter!) to contact the radio station to set them straight. The fact that these people feel like they need to attack a dead man just goes to show you the tremendous power and respect that Dr. Atkins commands over them because they know he was right! And that's what bothers them the most.
STRONG PROMOTION OF CARBS IS LAUDED AS "HEALTHY"
The carb-loving interest groups never stop with their propaganda about how "healthy" a high-carb diet allegedly is as we see in this Arizona Republic column that refers to carbs making a "comeback." Rice, pasta, and potatoes are promoted as virtuous in this column and low-carb diets are chided as a "fad" that was irrelevant since most people don't gain weight eating carbohydrates. Oh really? Then why are three out of four people overweight or obese, hmmmm? It couldn't have anything to do with that high-carb, low-fat diet that's been recommended all these years, eh? Share with the reporter Karen Fernau YOUR experience on the low-carb lifestyle by e-mailing her at karen.fernau@arizonarepublic.com.
YOU CAN'T DO ATKINS, YOU KNOW IT'LL GIVE YOU CANCER
Even after losing 180 pounds and proving to people how much better off my health is now than it was when I weighed 410 pounds, there are people who sincerely feel like I am damaging my health by continuing to follow the Atkins diet. That is just amazing to me because nobody even thinks twice about the health of someone losing triple digits on a high-carb, low-fat diet. Instead, they are loudly applauded for sticking to a diet of bean sprouts and tofu! EWWW!
Here's an e-mail someone sent to me warning me of future health dangers:
Jimmy,
Wow, it is wonderful that you have lost so much weight, you probably have added years to your life. But I would like to warn you that my sister also did the Atkins diet for years. She didn't do it for weight loss--well maybe to lose a few extra pounds and to maintain. My sister has never been overweight by no means but after many years of following the Atkins diet she was diagnosed at age 38 with cancer in her colon and she blames it on the red meats she ate for many years while being on the Atkins diet. My sister did both radiation and chemo treatment. She will soon be 43 years and now does the Makers Diet and feels great! I would please urge you to look into the Biblically-based Makers Diet.
I know this lady means well, but she's speaking too much from her heart and not at all from her head. If she does even a little bit of research, then she will not be able to locate any credible scientific evidence that points to any relationship between meat consumption and cancer. I'm sorry for her sister's cancer condition, but I doubt her "Atkins" diet was the cause (and I put quotations around that since I sincerely doubt she actually read the book).
Cancer research has become more and more focused on the role of diet in recent years as a means for both treatment and prevention. And what researchers are finding is that carbohydrates actually FEED cancer cells and make them grow. In other words, if you remove the carbs, then the cancer dies. It's as simple as that despite all the recommendations by the so-called health "experts" that you should eat a high-carb, low-fat diet. We've got it so bassackwards these days it's no wonder cancer is out of control.
As for The Maker's Diet, I haven't read that particular book. But I have read a similar one that's also based on the Bible called The Hallelujah Diet that highly touted the vegetarian lifestyle as the way God intended for man to follow. I even did a blog post asking the question, "Does The Bible Consider The Atkins Diet A Sin?" that received an enthusiastic response from my readers. This is a subject that has always fascinated me as a Christian because people think God doesn't want humans to eat meat. So, why did He give us dominion over the animals, hmmmm?
LOW-CARB DECLINE CORRELATES WITH BIRTH DEFECTS DROP?
Talk about stretching the imagination, have you seen this Winston-Salem Journal story that tries to show some sort of connection between a drop in the number of people who are livin' la vida low-carb and a dip in birth defects over that same time period? I kid you not, some idiot nonprofit agencies in North Carolina are making this claim and proudly, too.
They believe that because birth defects fell over the same time period that the popularity of low-carb diets weakened that it HAD to be the causal effect. Um, no it doesn't. This all circulates around the issue of folic acid and the fact that many whole grain products are fortified with folate. Thus, if you reduce your whole grain consumption on a low-carb diet, then you'll not get enough folic acid in your diet to ward off birth defects. Did you follow all that?
Of course, I've completely obliterated this argument against low-carb and it is the height of ignorance to try to pass off this ridiculous assertion that low-carb diets lead to more birth defects as is being promoted by these groups. Please end this kind of purposeful misinformation that serves only to cause alarm without telling people the truth. Express your concerns to the reporter of this column Richard Craver by e-mailing him at rcraver@wsjournal.com.
CONFUSED AND BEFUDDLED READER NEEDS DIRECTION
This one needs no introduction. ENJOY!
Hi Jimmy--
I hope you don't mind my intrusion on your life here, but I'm looking at going on a low-carb diet, and trying to figure out which one to go on is as confusing as trying to figure out which car to buy. You know: lease, buy new, buy used, buy vehicle after leasing. Atkins, Sugar Busters, Carb Wars, Carb Addicts, Zone: everyone has an opinion; everyone is convinced they're right and everyone else is wrong or misguided or playing with a diet that will kill them, plain and simple.
I tell you: it's stressful enough to get me eating another chocolate brownie. (Which, of course, is part of the problem.)
Anyway.
A friend recommended the Zone diet, on which he lost 50 pounds in 1 year and didn't even feel like he was dieting. (His doctor told him it was not a matter of "if" he became diabetic and had a heart attack, it was only a matter of "when".) He ate protein, veggies and fruit everyday. No ice cream. (Or chocolate brownies.) He recommended "A Week in the Zone" but it's out of print. (And I'm wary of online used-book sellers.) Then he said "The Top 100 Zone foods" but it's also out of print.
I read "The Zone" by Dr. Barry Sears eons ago, and I don't remember much except thinking "How do you eat when you're on this diet? Like, can't I just be given some recipes and a week of menus that I can wrap my head around?" Granted, maybe that was all in the book and I missed it. Or I'm forgetting it. (It wasn't a great time in my life, as I recall.)
So then I hear "Forget Zone, it's just a watered-down version of Atkins. Do Atkins." So I go to Amazon. We have "Atkins for Life", which several reviewers suggested was not the best book to begin with. They recommend "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution" of which there is the "Revised edition" from Sept 25, 2003; the "Revised Diet Package" dating from Sept 25, 2002; and then finally (I think) there's the Diet Revolution dating from December 4, 2001. Okay, I've checked again, and I see no other in-print editions of that book. Then I hear that I never eat vegetables on Atkins, and I never have to exercise or take any kind of nutritional supplement.
But then I read that I do need to exercise, and I will eat plenty of vegetables, and I will need "supplements." Splenda is perfectly safe to eat. Or it isn't; the jury is still out on it. Pass me another chocolate brownie, would you please?
So, maybe you can help. Please help demystify it all for me. Please. If I'm going to eat Atkins (and I don't want to eat a whole bunch of low-carb bread, and low-carb chocolate bars and so on) which edition of which book title should I start with? Since we all know that Atkins is a killer (and I don't want to eat steak everyday: I actually really don't like steak all that much, I'd rather have pot roast or stew), and I like eating vegetables (I really like raw carrots and I'm sad that they're going to kill me because they have carbohydrates in them) and I'm not a fan of fiber replacement products (sorry, don't know what else to call them), which edition of Zone would be good to use to get started eating?
Honestly, I don't need to read 100 pages about human physiology and about insulin and carbohydrates to have someone tell me how to plan a meal and give me some decent sample menus. I will be grateful for any guidance you can offer. I am pushing 50 years old and am afraid to step on the scale. I bought pants at the end of 2007, and I am up 2 pant sizes since I went clothes shopping in 2006. It's not my weight that bothers me: it's my size. Arnold Schwarzenegger once said "If it jiggles when you move, it's not muscle." A lot of me jiggles when I move. I must make change.
Does anyone know what Gary Taubes eats? Thanks again, in advance, for any guidance you can offer.
This is the perfect example of somebody who's thinking too much about this. Pick a plan, follow that plan exactly as the author prescribes, and then execute it. If you discover along the way that the plan doesn't fit your life, then go to another one. But the worst thing you can do is worry about this and that and everything in between. That's why so many people get frustrated and discouraged in their quest to lose weight and get healthy. They think it's too confusing. But a lot of that is brought on ourselves because we are unwilling to just find a plan and stick to it. That's what this man needs to do.
DELTA AIRLINES NOW OFFERING LOW-CARB SIDE ITEMS?
My friend, fellow author and blogger Judy Barnes Baker reported at her "Carb Wars" blog that Delta Airlines is now offering some low-carb side item choices while serving in-flight meals. AWESOME!!! She discovered this pleasant news when her husband was flying back from an international business trip recently and they were serving mashed cauliflower (here's a post with the recipe about how you can make it at home). WHOA! Another meal featured a side of spaghetti squash. SUPER!
Judy, who wrote an outstanding low-carb cookbook called CARB WARS: Sugar Is The New Fat last year, summarized her thoughts about this new development with Delta's menu choices in a way I think we'll all agree with.
"I find it very encouraging that this airline is making an effort to accommodate those of us who prefer an alternative to potatoes, rice, and pasta. And who would be better served than an airline by helping their passengers control their weight?"
Couldn't have said it better myself, Judy! :)
JOIN DISCOVERY HEALTH'S NATIONAL BODY CHALLENGE 2008
This year, Discovery Health has made its own resolution: To help Americans achieve their health and fitness goals. National Body Challenge 2008 is a comprehensive fitness and weight loss challenge that provides the tools to get in shape and lead a healthier lifestyle. Registration is absolutely free, and includes an 8-week trial membership to Bally Total Fitness. Much of this campaign happens online with a thousand recipes, customized meal plans, a progress tracker, expert tips and advice, games and quizzes, and a discussion forum. I'm not sure how low-carb any of the recipes or advice will be, but I'm all for people finding support for their healthy lifestyle change. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
NUTRITIONIST SAYS ATKINS DIET FAILS IN THE LONG-TERM
If you've read my blog for a while, then you know what I think about a lot of nutritionists these days. Just in case you haven't seen my response to one before, you can read a few examples of them here, here, here, and you definitely don't wanna miss here. Yes, I have fun with dietitians and nutrition "experts" because they are fully convinced the Atkins diet is destroying your health--until I shine the light of truth on their hyperbolic accusations.
Such is the case with this Houston Chronicle column featuring--WHAT ELSE?--the opinions of a nutritionist about what she thinks of diets. Here's what University of Texas Medical School dietitian Carol Wolin-Riklin had to say about the Atkins diet:
"Typically people can't stick to these diets long term. And that's why the rates in the scientific literature are that 90 to 95 percent of the time, diets don't work, or they work short term. You know, if we knew what to do (with dieting), there wouldn't be a multibillion dollar weight-loss industry. Diets are just very difficult. The weight loss can be positive, but it's often fleeting, and when the weight comes back on, it usually comes back on plus extra pounds. So success eludes most people."
Why is it ALWAYS presumed that people who follow a diet like Atkins is gonna gain the weight back? I've never understood that commonly-held belief that it NEVER really works and that you will gain back the weight and then some. Sure, I know it happens, but it didn't happen to me after I lost 180 pounds in 2004. Aren't these self-proclaimed diet experts even curious in the least about how I was able to beat such incredible odds and keep the weight off for good? One would think.
HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIM EATS FAT TO IMPROVE HEALTH
Stress can do so many things to your weight and health that I could not imagine what life was like for all the many victims of Hurricane Katrina from a couple years back. Today I have one who shared a positive story about what happened to him after he started up on a low-carb diet done the RIGHT way. Here's what he wrote:
Hey there. I just happened across your blog and wanted to tell you of my experience. About 2 years ago I tried low-carb and did fantastically. I'm 50 (48 then) and had just gone through Hurricane Katrina and had packed on even MORE pounds. I'm 5'9 and weighed 245 before Katrina, hit 275 afterwards due to stress and lots of boxed foods, lost down to 230, and now am back up again.
The key for me seems to be that if I try to stick to low-carb, low-fat with veggies in bulk I GAIN. Not a little, huge honking amounts. I am tired, cranky, can't eat a meal without sleeping two hours afterwards--NOT a good life for the single parent of an autistic child who takes loads of care.
I had read about coconut oil and bought some, but never tried it until recently ran out of my regular corn oil. One meal cooked with the coconut and I felt BETTER. Didn't want to eat as much and definitely cut the carb cravings. I figured out how to make coconut mayo and coconut butter mix (1/3 coconut oil, 1/3 butter, 1/3 buttermilk). Today, I was starved. Ended up using the mayo with about 2 oz cheese as a dip.
To make a long story short, this was the first day in 2 years that I didn't take an early evening nap. I ate a great dinner--broccoli and hot and sour soup, homemade--and I just flat out feel BETTER. After reading your blog I'm convinced I've been short-selling myself on the meals in the name of dieting, and eating all the "right" things that the doctors say, but I swear to you they DO NOT WORK.
Where will I be in a year? hopefully 100 pounds lighter, but definitely I will be on a high-fat, low carb diet. Even if I do not lose a single pound--I FEEL so much better. I never, ever would have believed it. Thanks for listening.
If you could see me right now, I'm grinning from ear to ear! I just LOVED this e-mail because it once again hammers home the important lesson that livin' la vida low-carb is only effective when it is accompanied by ample fat consumption that serves as your fuel in the absence of carbohydrates. You don't mix low-carb with low-fat because that's a recipe for disaster to your health as we discovered is happening with people following the Kimkins diet scam.
As for coconut oil, I've blogged about how it is great for weight loss and this reader confirms that it makes you feel better, too. I personally use Nutiva brand coconut oil and buy it in the big one-gallon buckets. It's more economical and this stuff keeps for a very long time. I cook with it and eat it straight up as a supplement--YUMMY! I'll have to look into making my own mayo and dips. COOL!
HEART DISEASE BLOG LAUDS ATKINS DIET FOR HEALTH
I've always said the science is what is going to convince intellectual people that livin' la vida low-carb is a viable alternative to the low-fat diets. And that's what we see in this About.com Heart Disease blog column that looks at the status of the low-carb diet in 2008. You know this is making About.com Low-Carb Diets blog author Laura Dolson very happy to hear and I suspect she may have played a role in convincing Dr. Richard Fogoros to look at the studies and decide for himself. Very encouraging news indeed to start the new year!
DOCTOR "ACCIDENTALLY" STARTS LOW-CARB, IMPROVES HEALTH
If only this scenario would repeat itself exponentially...
Dear Jimmy,
First, I'd like to thank you for your blog. It has been a wealth of information for me--and very entertaining. Allow me to introduce myself. I am a physician (pathologist), who stumbled onto low-carb sort of accidentally. My wife had read and recommended to me the book SUGAR SHOCK! I read it also, and thought I would try to eliminate sugar--but simultaneously decided to increase the fat in my diet (replace the calories in sugar and simple carbs).
I was startled at how much better I felt the very day I made the switch. Because I felt so much better, I decided to continue the changes, progressively decreasing the carbohydrates, and increasing the fat. I was also surprised when I spontaneously lost 10 pounds (I didn't have much to lose), my blood pressure dropped, an inflammatory skin condition that I have had for years cleared up (sebhorreic dermatitis), and recurrent canker sores that I have suffered from cleared up.
As a physician, I was trained to be somewhat skeptical of dietary treatment of physical conditions, especially diets that claim to solve multiple problems but I cannot deny the changes in myself or others that I have observed following a low-carb diet. Since then I have tried to follow the research of low carbohydrate diets on diseases of civilization. I have read Gary Taubes GOOD CALORIES, BAD CALORIES book and consider it a masterpiece.
One doctor down, 150,000 more to go!
HOUSTON CHRONICLE JOURNALIST IS A LOW-CARBER!
Hey, you know how much I like to rib many of the people who report on the Atkins low-carb diet in the media because they generally get it wrong (I did it locally with my newspaper when they trashed low-carb and it ended up leading to a feature story on my Atkins diet weight loss success). Well look at this Houston Chronicle column from a man named Ken Hoffman. Check out what he says at the beginning of paragraph six:
"I know low-carb people (and by that, I'm talking about me)..."
Yep, you heard him right! He's livin' la vida low-carb, baby, and it's good to know that someone who is actually eating this way writes for such a major American newspaper. Let's send Ken a whole buncha encouraging notes congratulating him on choosing the healthy low-carb lifestyle and to keep up the great work. His e-mail address is ken.hoffman@chron.com.
HEALTHY EATING REALLY IS MORE EXPENSIVE
Okay, so we get confirmation in this New York Times piece that eating healthy actually does cost more money than eating a junk diet. No shocking news to me! But what does it really mean? Does it depend on which diet you are following as my fellow blogger Amy Dungan from the "Healthy Low-Carb Living" blog shared in this recent column?
Poverty does not automatically mean pudginess and obesity hits both rich and poor, so you can't really blame being fat on your lack of wealth. But it is a worthy debate for discussion about whether there should be incentives or something given to encourage people to make the better food choices rather than gravitating to that 99-cent package of potato chips. What do you think?
THE MOST OBJECTIVE DEFENSE FOR LOW-CARB EVER
I realize my enthusiasm for the low-carb lifestyle is much greater than that of most people because of the tremendous turnaround in my weight and health it produced. But I've found someone who doesn't really have a dog in this hunt, but has come up with a list of reason for choosing low-carb for the sake of your weight and health. It's from a Type 2 diabetic named Jenny and she posted this instant classic blog post entitled "Safe Low-Carb Dieting For Weight Loss" at her "Diabetes Update" blog. You'll probably end up printing this one out and sharing it with everyone you know. IT'S THAT GOOD!
Sorry this was so much news in one post, but it's piling up quickly here in the early days of 2008. I try to keep on top of things, but sometimes it's a challenge. But so many of you help me by sharing information you have seen about livin' la vida low-carb and I appreciate that very much. Please continue to pass on anything of interest to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. THANKS!
The next installment of our growing by leaps and bounds YouTube video series is now online and today you'll have a chance to WIN a really neat FREE prize just for watching and commenting on the video. WOO HOO! If you haven't heard about the videos my wife Christine and I are making on YouTube yet, it's a new series we have called "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube." This is an extension of the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" family to help spread the positive message of the low-carb lifestyle even further.
In Episode 6 today, I thought it would be important to discuss how to eat out when you are on the low-carb lifestyle. A lot of low-carbers erroneously think that their life has to change dramatically to the point that they can't go to a restaurant anymore when they start eating this way. Oh contraire, my dear, and today's video will share how you can stay committed to livin' la vida low-carb AND go out to eat, too! WOO HOO!
See where Christine and I recommend you go and NOT go while low-carbing:
Some of the better restaurants to visit when you are livin' la vida low-carb include Denny's, Ruby Tuesday, Hardee's, Golden Corral, Captain D's, Cracker Barrel, and The Cheesecake Factory (although pretty much ANY restaurant you can make your own low-carb meal). But there are a few places you probably should avoid: Olive Garden, IHOP (puts pancake batter in their EGGS!), Applebee's (although you CAN find ONE low-carbish meal if you play around with it), KFC, and McDonald's, just to name a few.
Leave a comment for Episode 6 and you could WIN $20 in FREE GIFT CERTIFICATES for Captain D's restaurants which recently added a healthy choices menu for you to pick and choose the grilled meats and veggies that suit your healthy low-carb lifestyle! YEAH for that! Watch the video, give feedback, and tune in to the next video to see if you were a winner!
See all of our other YouTube videos and comment on them, too:
- Promo video--A half-minute promotion of the new video series - Episode 1--Introduction of Jimmy & Christine Moore - Episode 2--What kind of fruits can you have on a low-carb diet? - Episode 3--What kind of veggies can you have on a low-carb diet? - Episode 4--What does a low-carber do for something sweet? - Episode 5--Why is fat so healthy for you on the low-carb lifestyle?
Special thanks to everyone who has subscribed to our YouTube videos and we just keep growing and growing in viewers each time we record a new video. We've been trying to do about one a week (which is a minor miracle if you knew the crazy busy schedule I am on right now!), so we appreciate your positive comments. Keep the feedback coming and let us know if there is a specific topic you'd like for us to tackle. E-mail us anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.
"This leaves the door wide open to another restaurant to step it up and cater to the growing obese and diabetic population. If you make the menu attractive enough to people and still keep the items healthy, then it very well could work. Who's it gonna be? Anyone? The millions of us who are livin' la vida low-carb are waiting...patiently...anyone?"
Applebee's has tried but they are too afraid (of what?!) to call it a low-carb menu item while my former favorite fast food place Subway went the other direction earlier this year when they REMOVED the low-carb wraps from their menu. Idiots!
Well, despite these futile attempts by other well-known restaurant chains, I was pleased to share with you recently about Cracker Barrel and their "Low-Carb Offerings" menu which is perfect for low-carbers. Now I have another restaurant chain to add to the small, but growing list of courageous companies willing to offer people who are livin' la vida low-carb some healthy low-carb alternatives--the Nashville, TN-based Captain D's.
When I was growing up, I just LOVED it when momma brought home Captain D's for dinner. Of course, it was the fried fish and hush puppies that I remember the most with that unmistakable aroma that filled the whole house. Ah, those were the days!
But those things are much too high in carbs for my low-carb lifestyle now which is why I was happy to hear they offer what they call a "Carb Counter Meal" that comes straight from the grill.
Their web site boasts of their new low-carb offerings:
"Counting carbs? Choose baked fish or chicken meals with a variety of low carb side items to customize your meal."
How about that? But are those sides indeed "low-carb?" Let's see!
The Carb Counter Fish meal on the menu at Captain D's
First up, they have a Carb Counter Fish meal that is served with fresh steamed broccoli (low-carb), mixed vegetables (pretty low-carb even with the carrots) and a crisp side salad (with Ranch dressing keeps it low-carb). If you pick out the carrots in the mixed veggies, this meal is only about 5-6g carbs. EXCELLENT CHOICE!
The Carb Counter Chicken meal gives another low-carb option
The other low-carb alternative is the Carb Counter Chicken meal that is also served with fresh steamed broccoli, mixed vegetables and a crisp side salad. Again, if you remove the carrots, then you should keep your carb intake to below 6g carbs. Sweet!
So there you go! Another major American restaurant chain has joined in with Cracker Barrel and decided that people who are on low-carb diets are important enough to provide specific menu items for their dietary preference.
Sure, most places will bend their menu with substitutions, but you gotta respect a company like Captain D's for being unafraid to specifically address a real need--low-carb options for the discriminating low-carb consumer base!
The only problem is Captain D's is not as widespread as Cracker Barrel. In fact, I don't even have one close to my home (the nearest one is 50 miles away!), but I will certainly seek it out specifically when I am traveling. If a company is willing to cater to my needs, then the least I can do is give them my business.
I encourage you to frequent Captain D's as well and let them know how much you appreciate their Carb Counter meals by leaving them feedback about it. I know they will appreciate hearing from those of us who are livin' la vida low-carb, so let's validate their decision to create this special menu for us by sharing our positive feedback about it! THANKS everyone!
Am I the only one who thinks the new KFC television commercials bragging about their food not having trans fat are over-the-top obnoxious? I'm mean, give me a break already. What is happening to our culture--are we a nation full of mind-numbed nincompoops who buy into everything the media says about health hook, line, and sinker?
What halfway intelligent-thinking person believes the food at the restaurant formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken is now suddenly "healthy" just because it allegedly doesn't have any trans fat? They're so proud of themselves, they even created this page about it on their web site. Oh joy!
It's pathetic, absolutely positively ridiculous. What is KFC thinking with all these ritarded people dancing around, making fools of themselves, celebrating that they can "have KFC again" now that their food is trans fat-free?
Watch this 15-second KFC ad to see what I'm talking about:
Utter nonsense! Sure, they've removed trans fat from their food just like every other restaurant chain has been on the bandwagon of doing since New York City instituted a citywide ban. It's disgusting to see all these restaurants tripping over each other to see who can ban trans fat next.
Who's gonna be next to jump ship on that great evil we call trans fat? It's the hip thing to do ya know and guaranteed to give you tons of FREE publicity with all the headlines in the media. We've seen it happen time and time again this year and it'll keep on happening as long as people keep thinking removing trans fat from restaurant menus will make their food better for them.
Wanna know what's funny? Sure, everybody knows about trans fat now, but how many people had even heard of it three, four, or five years ago? I bet you'd get a lot of funny looks followed by a response like "trans what?" This is a prime example of how the media gets people so worked up over an issue that people become hysterical. Can you say global warming?
When is somebody gonna stand up and say enough is enough already?! The fact is, yes, trans fat is bad news, but so are excessive carbohydrates, sugars, and starchy foods. Add to that all the fast food, processed foods, and fast food for a truly unhealthy diet worse than anything trans fat could ever do to your body. So where's the outrage over this?
The longer we continue to ignore the carb connection to obesity, high triglycerides, insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and many other health ailments, our society will just keep getting fatter and sicker than we've ever been with no end in sight.
How is it that this issue is so easy to see staring us right in the face and yet nobody wants to do anything about it? When is a major restaurant chain gonna take a stand on the gobs of sugary, starchy, carb-loaded foods they are promoting on the menus? Hello? Are you brave enough to truly educate the public and provide them with genuinely healthy options?
Of course, this is America and businesses have the right to sell whatever they want to meet a consumer demand and make a profit. That's capitalism, the product of a free society, the very essence of what makes America great.
But if people knew the truth about what that food on their plate is doing to their bodies once it is consumed, then I don't think the restaurant industry could survive for very long. Some restaurants cater to people eating healthy (like Cracker Barrel), but most of them make their money on the carbohydrate-dense foods--French fries, pancakes, sugary sodas, and worse.
When is America gonna wake up and realize that we've got a lot more problems with restaurant food than just trans fat? It breaks my heart to see people thinking they are eating right and they don't even realize they are not. Chomping down on that trans fat-free bucket of chicken ain't gonna remove the double-digit carb counts that make you fat and sick!
But...
Have you seen the ingredients list of the foods served at KFC? These so-called ZERO trans fat items have an ingredient in just about every single one of them known as partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Um, KFC, I hate to break it to you, but that would be TRANS FAT!!!
Sure, they'll claim they're allowed to round down if there is less than a half gram of trans fat. But it's dishonest to tell your customers you have "zero trans fat" when you've got partially hydrogenated anything in the ingredients.
This guy challenges KFC to fess up about their trans fat or else:
So the next time you see one of those KFC commercials with people overjoyed and excited about there being no trans fat in the food, remember this...that doesn't mean it's healthy. No trans fat is a good start. Now how about doing something about those excessive carbs?
Cracker Barrel is the only major restaurant chain catering to low-carbers
On my recent trip from Spartanburg, South Carolina to Nashville, Tennessee for that obesity conference I attended there, Christine and I stopped for lunch in Lebanon, Tennessee at the Cracker Barrel franchise. I've always been a fan of these unique restaurants because of their reputation for being a fun, family-friendly place for good down-home cooking.
In fact, when we went on vacations in the 1980's, my mom often took us kids to Cracker Barrel because she knew we could occupy ourselves playing the little peg game, browsing around in the Old Country Store, or playing checkers on that big board outside while rockin' in those famous chairs lined up along the front. This place brings back a lot of happy memories for me, especially all those plates of homemade Chicken 'N Dumplins I downed. :)
But, now I'm in my mid-30's and that option isn't on my low-carb lifestyle anymore (gladly so!). Most places I have to come up with my own low-carb menu choices and they work with me to make that work. But have you been to Cracker Barrel lately? Not only do they make options available for low-carbers, but they actually CATER TO US with our own low-carb menu items! WOW!!!
Look for the "Low Carb Offerings" section of the Cracker Barrel menu
They explain why they have this separate low-carb section on their menu.
"Here at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store we know that many folks are watching what they eat, so we’ve prepared some of our favorite choices with fewer carbohydrates. From our Country Grilled Sampler to our Double Meat Breakfast, you can enjoy a low carb breakfast without sacrificing great taste."
Incredible!!! They also offer a lower-carb whole wheat bread option with "real butter and low sugar fruit spreads" for those who prefer to eat a few more carbs, but still want to watch their carbohydrate intake. They even offer Splenda as a sugar substitute--surprisingly, this is something not all the chain restaurants have done yet.
But wait, there's more! :)
Cracker Barrel also has a "Low Carb Offerings" for Lunch & Dinner with a whopping 11 genuinely low-carb meals to choose from, including roast beef, grilled chicken tenderloins, spicy grilled catfish, grilled steak salad, and so much more. These meals range from 0-10 carbs each--well within anyone's definition of a low-carb meal!
"We know many folks are watching what they eat, so we've prepared some of our favorite dishes with less carbohydrates. All salads served without croutons."
They even offer Blue Cheese crumbles as an added low-carb delight to any of their low-carb dishes. Side items that are excellent for people who are livin' la vida low-carb include Green Beans, TABASCO® Spiced Pork Rinds, Turnip Greens, and Tossed Salad with Blue Cheese, Peppercorn (my favorite!), or Buttermilk Ranch dressing.
Is it any coincidence that Cracker Barrel is the leader of their genre of restaurant for the past several years? They're innovators for the restaurant industry to mimic. As a strong support of the low-carb lifestyle, all I can say to them is THANK YOU for getting it and reaching out to people who are trying to limit their carb consumption. You don't know how good it feels to have a company willing to at least acknowledge our wants and needs with a menu that's actually low-carb.
The only complaint I have (and it's minor) is there are no low-carb dessert options. Ruby Tuesday used to have an outstanding cheesecake which had only 2g net carbs and was out of this world. Now, we're left with restaurants like the Olive Garden pushing a "no sugar added" dessert for diabetics and low-carb dieters that has an eye-popping 69g carbs in it!
EEEEEEK! We'd love to have a real low-carb dessert, Cracker Barrel, although I realize you sell some sugar-free, low-carb candy products in your country store. Just some food for thought to tweak your low-carb menu even more.
We appreciate your decision to include the low-carb customer in your in-store marketing efforts and it will not go unnoticed during the upcoming summer vacation season. I challenge everyone who supports livin' la vida low-carb to be on the lookout for Cracker Barrel restaurants along your traveling path this summer (they're EVERYWHERE!) and make an effort to stop in early and often to show them our support for being a low-carb diet utopia.
And if you appreciate Cracker Barrel's decision to meet your needs as a low-carber, then be sure to let them hear from you about it. Express your appreciation to them by writing or calling TODAY! Then go pay a visit to see for yourself what an awesome low-carb menu they have!
You may "Eat Fresh" at Subway, but it won't be low-carb anymore
With all the positive press that has been coming out about livin' la vida low-carb lately, the sad reality is this good news has not translated into public acceptance and spread into the business sector, particularly the restaurant and food industry. While the year of the comeback for low-carb in 2007 is already underway from research labs all around the world, too many companies that provided low-carb options for carb-shunning dieters have slammed the door in our face rejecting our needs as health-conscious consumers.
Well, it's happening again with two other businesses that previously showed a commitment to making products suitable for people following the low-carb lifestyle. I hate it when this happens because the low-carb opponents immediately start pointing to this as some sort of flim-flam "evidence" that low-carb has been rejected by the public and has thus failed as a dietary approach. It does no such thing and yet that is the prevailing thought process coming from the jaded minds of the naysayers.
The first one is Arnold Carb Counting MultiGrain bread. One of my devoted readers e-mailed me with her concern recently that this fantastic low-carb bread option that she has enjoyed while livin' la vida low-carb is no longer available in the South. She lives in South Florida and said she attempted to get this bread from just about every state in the Southeast section of the United States with no luck.
"It was the BEST low carb bread around and I am very distraught since I have gone through all my emergency loaves in the freezer," she wrote in her e-mail.
So I contacted Arnold directly and inquired about whether the low-carb bread had been discontinued and why. I received a response back via telephone from a very nice spokeswoman who explained the bread is still available, but only in the Northeast section of the country. When I asked her why it was removed from the stores in the South, she responded that the sales had fallen flat in that region of the country and they decided to refocus their efforts where sales were happening.
As someone who used to work within the corporate structure of two major companies in the past, I can certainly understand the business standpoint about these decisions. There's really nothing personal about it because every product is just a widget with sales numbers attached. If a particular widget is not performing at the level it needs to, then you remove it and replace it with another widget that will perform.
One of my jobs was as the music buyer for a chain of Christian retails stores about ten years ago. The Christian music industry contains so many different facets from radio play to visibility in the mainstream (crossover appeal) to price. Juggling al these factors is really all just secondary to the widget analogy. Does it sell or not? There's no in between on this...it either does or it doesn't.
This is sometimes an unfair business model to have when you are attempting to serve a niche market of consumers like Christian music buyers or even low-carbers, but in the end money talks. If it's a superior low-carb food product and people who are on low-carb diets buy it in high enough quantities, then the product stays on the shelf. If not, then companies like Arnold are forced to make a choice. And so they did.
I asked the Arnold representative what fans of their low-carb bread can do if they want to see it come back to their area. She informed me that consumers can share their feedback with them and they would take it under consideration regarding redistribution in the South. You can call their toll-free customer service hotline number at 1-800-984-0989 or use their Contact Us page to express your desire to see Arnold's bread return.
The second company to remove a popular low-carb option from their list of products is the company best known among all of the fast food restaurants to cater to people attempting to eat healthy. It's Subway restaurants, of course, and their biggest claim to fame is helping Jared Fogle lose lots of weight on a low-fat sandwich diet. That's nice for Jared, but I'll be sticking with my low-carb lifestyle thank you very much! :)
Nevertheless, back when the Atkins diet was the hip thing everybody was doing in 2003-2004, Subway jumped on the low-carb bandwagon by offering their famous "Atkins wraps" with that big red "A" logo on their menu. Low-carbers had a choice practically endorsed by Dr. Atkins himself when they ate at Subway which likely encouraged many of us to eat there more often than we would have. Even when they removed the Atkins logo about a year or so ago, I was still happy to see the low-carb wraps stayed as a menu option for active low-carbers.
But, times have changed and now they want to get rid of the low-carb wraps for good. Another one of my faithful readers wrote me an e-mail sharing this discovery about Subway replacing "our" wraps with--CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!--flour ones. EEEEK!
Here's what she wrote to me in her e-mail:
"I went to my local Subway restaurant yesterday to have one of their low-carb wraps--a legacy of the Atkins heyday that I for one was happy to see lasting at Subway. But I was informed that in mid-March my local franchise is discontinuing their Atkins wraps and replacing them with plain flour tortillas!! I was outraged and explained in detail why this is a very bad idea. Have you heard anything about this? First Ruby Tuesday and now Subway...I'm getting really aggravated at just how finnicky the restaurant industry has gotten."
Yeah, me too! Nevertheless, I like to get to the bottom of things myself, so I called the corporate headquarters for Subway restaurants and spoke with the Public Relations Coordinator named Wes Winograd. He was very cordial to answer all my questions about this apparent change in policy away from using low-carb wraps at Subway and replacing them with wraps made with white flour.
Winograd immediately confirmed that the low-carb wraps had already been discontinued earlier this month and replaced with a new flour tortilla wrap in all of the Subway franchises throughout North America. He said there may be a few stores still carrying the low-carb wraps, but they would not be reordered once they sell through them in the next couple of weeks. I asked him why they ditched the low-carb wraps and again the issue went back to the bottom line.
"We did market research analysis on the new flour tortillas test marketing them in eight to ten cities across the United States and Canada based on taste, texture, appearance, and cost as compared with the low-carb wraps," Winograd explained. "We asked people to tell us whether they would buy these new wraps if they were available."
Based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback they received during the test market, the flour-based wraps were well-received. But I asked why the low-carb wraps were being replaced to begin with and why can't they still carry a limited quantity of them for us low-carbers who refuse to eat a flour-based tortilla.
"They are quite expensive," Winograd added about the low-carb wraps. "Plus, in a recent survey the majority of franchisees voted on removing the low-carb wraps from the menu. We listen to what our franchise owners want."
So, again, screw the niche customer because it all comes down to economics. The business owners want to know how to maximize their profit margin enough to satisfy its core customer base and make the most money, but where does this leave the low-carb consumer as a choice when they visit Subway restaurants? Winograd offered a few suggestions.
"We still offer to make any sandwich into a salad," he exclaimed. "And customers can also order double meat."
Oh boy, we're back to breadless sandwiches again. UGH! Actually, he told me that's why they started carrying the low-carb wraps in the first place because the franchisees noticed many of their customers throwing away the bread with their meal. Gee, I wonder what's gonna happen now that the low-carb wraps are not an option. Will we see history repeat itself with tons of breading lining the garbage pails yet again?
You might be wondering--what recourse do low-carb fans have now regarding Subway saying see ya to their low-carb wraps? I asked Winograd if people should contact the corporate customer service department and he suggested my readers who like the low-carb wraps should visit their local Subway franchise restaurant and tell the owner they would like to see them come back.
"We do offer our franchisees something we call a 'local option' for frequently requested items," he noted, explaining how some Subway restaurants in California still offer sourdough bread and the BBQ sandwiches in the South although these items are no longer on the national menu. The same could be done for the low-carb wraps, Winograd explained.
It is remotely possible Subway could bring back the low-carb wraps across all the restaurants in the chain, Winograd said, citing the example of how there was such an outcry from consumers in the early 1990s when turkey was removed from the menu that they brought it back in very short order and it has stayed there ever since. Perhaps we can produce the same results with the low-carb wraps. But you and all your low-carb friends need to let your local Subway store know so they get the message we would like to have an option when we dine there.
Let's let them hear from us on this one and report back here in the comments section what kind of feedback you receive. Companies like Arnold, Subway, Ruby Tuesday, and all the rest need to know the low-carb consumer has money we would like to spend on their products if they will simply cater to us. Whether they like it or not, low-carb as a permanent and healthy lifestyle change for millions of people is here to stay so they might as well hop on for the ride and endear themselves to us now and we'll stay devoted to them for life.
If you hear about any other news or information regarding low-carb products going away that you'd like for me to investigate, then don't hesitate to send me an e-mail at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. I'll do my best to get to the bottom of it for you and get the real scoop! :) Special THANKS to my two readers today for informing me about these.
3-14-07 UPDATE: One of my readers who used to be a fan of the Arnold low-carb bread before they removed it from their area found another alternative.
Hi Jimmy,
I wanted to share with you a low carb bread company called "Healthy Life Bread" that I happen to find last year with the Arnold's LC bread was pulled from our shelves here in Colorado. Lucky for me my niece lives in KY. I have her send the LC bread to me. It is REALLY GOOD!!!!
THANKS for the tip! I'll have to check 'em out!
3-14-07 UPDATE: Another one of my readers also endorses "Healthy Life Bread" and another suggestion, too.
Hey Jimmy,
I was just reading your post about the lc bread company going south. Someone mentioned Healthy Life. It is a good tasting bread and only 6 net carbs per slice. I buy it for John when he wants bread. The loaf I have right now is 100% whole wheat, whole grain with flaxseed and Omega-3. None of the ingredients concern me, other than the brown sugar, which is 5th on the list, so I doubt you are getting very much per slice. It has 0 trans fats, no High Fructose Corn Syrup, 3 grams of fiber and 40 calories. When I'm on maintenance, this will most likely be the bread I'll have on occasion.
Another good lc bread is Vegetable 35. I haven't found it here in Missouri yet, but I can drive into Illinois and find it at a few of the Wal-Mart Super Centers. It's approx. 6 carbs a slice as well.
Hope that info helps a bit.
It's good to know there are other options out there. THANKS again!!
3-15-07 UPDATE: More low-carb bread feedback from one of my readers has come in.
Trader Joe's has the best low-carb bread I've tried: Sprouted Wheat Bread with 4g net carb per slice (7 g total, 3 g fiber, 60 calories). This bread (it also comes in rye and multigrain varieties!) is one of several low-carb products at Trader Joe's, which the store interestingly does not label or market as low-carb. Perhaps the company feels they appeal to a wider customer base by not limiting products to a specific group of dieters.
Frankly, this bread is too good to call diet. I use it for French toast, bread pudding, stuffing, you name it. If you go looking for it, check the nutrition label carefully. Trader Joe's offers two lines of sprouted bread; the other is much higher in carbs.
Your Missouri reader might be interested to know I buy this bread in St. Louis.
