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.

Woman's World: 'We Can't Stand Behind' Our Kimkins Diet Story

The notorious Woman's World magazine Kimkins cover story

It took them eight months to do it, but Woman's World magazine has FINALLY acknowledged the cover story they did on the now-notorious Kimkins diet contained some "inaccurate information" from and about the founder of the low-fat, low-calorie, starvation scheme--the lying and manipulative Heidi Diaz.

Ever since a private investigator released photos of a morbidly obese Diaz back in September 2007, literally thousands of concerned readers have flooded Woman's World with letters and e-mails begging them to print a retraction of their June 2007 story featuring the Kimkins diet prominently with two real people--Christin Sherburne and Deni Huttula--and a fake photograph and story of Diaz who referred to herself in the magazine as Kim Drake.


Christin Sherburne and Deni Huttula have repudiated Kimkins

Although Heidi Diaz alleged to have lost 200 pounds, it was one big lie and it took a class action lawsuit deposition for her to admit that after many months of speculation following the private investigator's shocking photo discovery. In the meantime, some of the most ardent former supporters of this diet have been speaking out about how the Kimkins diet program has negatively impacted their health and even got a local television station in Los Angeles (KTLA-TV) to pick up the story in October 2007.

Despite this, Woman's World was eerily silent.

But then the Kimkins diet fraud was given a nationally-televised audience for the first time in November 2007 when it was featured on FOX-TV's "The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet" where Christin and Deni shared their concerns about Diaz and the ultra-low-calorie diet plan she was pushing on the members of Kimkins who joined as a result of the Woman's World story. They warned that this diet simply promoted "anorexia" and should be avoided.

Even still, Woman's World did nothing.

The public spokesperson for the Kimkins diet at the time was a woman named Jeannie Battinger who severed ties with the organization in response to her own concerns about the now-exposed Kimkins founder. Even as Battinger was trying to defend the indefensible during her appearance on "The Morning Show," you could tell she knew that something was awry. Her resignation took place about a week after the show aired.

And yet again, Woman's World took no action.

However, the most significant exposure of the Kimkins calamity to date took place last month when ABC News was looking for people harmed by Kimkins and ran this story that was featured on "Good Morning America." The tidal wave of concern about Kimkins apparently grew to the point after that segment aired that Woman's World came to their senses and decided to post a statement.

Here's what the statement reads:

A statement from Woman's World Magazine. Please accept our apology. We at Woman’s World pride ourselves on finding inspiring diet successes to share with our readers every week. That's why we were so distressed to learn that Kim Drake, the founder of Kimkins.com, gave us inaccurate information about herself and her weight loss. Though the article appeared several months ago, in our June 12, 2007 issue, and nutritionists assure us the diet information we provided was accurate, we deeply regret having shared with you a story we can't stand behind. Your trust means everything to us, and we want to bring you the very best magazine we can, each and every week.

All I can say is IT'S ABOUT TIME!!! Considering all the preponderance of the evidence that had previously come out in the eight months since the story was published, it should not have taken this long for action to be taken. They are now asking for people to e-mail them at dearww@bauerpublishing.com if they have any concerns or questions about this decision.

According to our friends at Kimkins Scam, the retraction will appear in the March 4th issue and will be on newsstands the week of February 25th. The skepticism of the Kimkins Scam author about this is difficult to argue with or ignore.

"Now, you know this retraction will be buried way back in the back, in itty bitty letters. Just CYA...that's all it is...CYA."

She's right! But at least they took SOME kind of action to right this wrong that set in motion a flood of new Kimkins members to the web site to be sucked in by a professional scam artist who is still bilking members out of $80 even today (it used to be $60 before that $40 before that $15 before that $10...is it gonna cost a hundred bucks next, Heidi?!). If you're even thinking about joining this web site, don't waste your money.

There are plenty of FREE low-carb support groups like my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Discussion" forum, Low-Carb Friends, Active Low-Carber forum, The Low-Carb Cafe forum, Eating Low with Amy, Atkins All The Way, and MANY MANY MORE (my apologies for leaving some out...but there are a BUNCH of 'em)! The point is you don't NEED to pay money to get the support you need in your low-carb lifestyle. You can glean all the helpful support and information you need to get started right livin' la vida low-carb by relying on the collective wisdom of those of us who have been eating this way a while. We're ready to help you on this amazing journey to lose weight and get healthy, so hop on board one or more of these sites today to get started!

I think we should all e-mail Woman's World at dearww@bauerpublishing.com to thank them for stepping up and doing the right thing. Yes, it took them a long time to do it, but at least they did it and printing a retraction takes a lot of guts for a magazine to do. They don't like getting a story wrong, so let's encourage them and share how much we appreciate the courage they have taken in doing this. Perhaps you can send them your story of success by livin' la vida low-carb if they want to talk about REAL success the healthy low-carb way. Ladies only please! :D

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

Positive, encouraging, uplifting, celebratory, and supportive.

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

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

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

Hi Jimmy,

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

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

Keep up the writing. I read you every day!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

High School Science Teacher Gets All Snobby With Me Over Low-Carb Support Columns

Because I have put my blog out there as an authoritative voice regarding the low-carb lifestyle, I often receive e-mails from students who are enrolled in a class of some sort and they decide to do a project about livin' la vida low-carb. I think that's pretty awesome considering all the negativity regarding this way of eating nowadays. Maybe we'll change a few minds along the way.

From research on fad diets (I bear with these people describing low-carb this way) to the rise and fall of marketing trends, I've talked with hundreds of students and teachers alike about my opinions regarding low-carb. It's something I enjoy doing and I'm always happy to help further the education of anyone with ears to hear.

A few days ago, I received another one of these e-mail requests from a high school science teacher working on a project about low-carb diets. Sweet! What he wanted from me was source articles that would be unbiased PRO-low-carb. He ideally wished for government sources, but that's a BIG FAT NO-GO!

Here's what he originally wrote to me in his e-mail:

Dear Jimmy,

I'm a high school science teacher and am trying to do a lesson plan on low carbohydrate diets, which involves the students reading 3 web pages for and 3 against, taking a side and arguing an exposition.

I was wondering if you could point me to what you think would be the 3 best web articles on low carb diets I could use. I'm looking for sites that are reliable, as non-biased as possible, well-cited and are written by an expert, ideally by a government health authority. Thanks!

Thinking he'd appreciate a wide range of sources to choose from, I responded with the following e-mail telling this high school science teacher about the best and brightest in the world of low-carb research.

This was my response:

THANKS so much for writing and best wishes on your assignment.

You're not gonna find a government health authority supporting low-carb...virtually all of them say that low-carb diets are only good for short-term weight loss, but not recommended for long-term.

But there are plenty of researchers who are finding otherwise:

Dr. Jeff Volek at the University of Connecticut
Dr. Eric Westman at Duke University
Dr. Richard Feinman at SUNY Downstate
Dr. Mary Vernon at the University of Kansas
Dr. Stephen Phinney at UC-Davis
Dr. Jay Wortman in Canada

There are many others, but these are the best of the best. As for web sites, you may want to check out the following:

Regina Wilshire's "Weight of the Evidence" blog
The official Atkins web site
Laura Dolson's About Low-Carb Diets web site

I realize my opinions about low-carb do not qualify for what you are looking to do with this assignment, but I wish you well in finding resources that are unbiased from either side. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Thinking that would be PLENTY of information to help him find what he was looking for the assignment, imagine my surprise when I received a response from him the next day stating my sources weren't good enough for him.

Hi Jimmy,

Thanks for your reply, but those websites are fairly broad--I am looking for specific articles. I can only expect my students to read 3 pages on each side, not look through entire websites.

These are the three I have found for the 'no' argument:

QuackWatch page on low-carb by Dr. Stephen Barrett

Australia's Better Health Channel column on "Weight Loss And Carbohydrates"

The Australian Heart Foundation's response to very low-carb diets (PDF file)

They are single articles that can be read in about 10 minutes--that's pretty much what I am after. Would you happen to know of anything similar I can use for the 'yes' argument?

Alrighty then, I didn't know I was gonna have to do this teacher's job for him. I gave him the names and web sites where he could find what he needed, but I guess he wanted me to do all the footwork to rebut the vegetarian supporter and two Australian government resources against livin' la vida low-carb (if he wanted to find that, he might as well have gone to the FDA, USDA, ADA, AHA, or any other American health organization for the opposition!

Okay, fine. I have three PERFECT pages for his students to read about the positive aspects of the low-carb diet which are "well-cited" and written by low-carb experts. See if you agree.

THANKS again! I was simply giving you points of reference in my previous e-mail. But, sure, I have specific articles for your students to check out:

Kent Rieski's fantastic "Top Ten Nutritional Myths, Distortions and Lies That Will Destroy Your Health"

Anthony Colpo's classic "Why the Low-Fat Diet is Stupid and Potentially Dangerous"

The Stanford A to Z Study published in JAMA earlier this year showing Atkins ranked best for weight loss and improved health among all diets

These three should be more than enough to counter the three you have chosen. THANKS!

Thinking I had done my due diligence going well above and beyond the call of duty to provide this teacher with ample ammunition for his young skulls full of mush to absorb, you're never gonna believe what happened next.

He wrote me back again! It seems he wasn't very impressed by my suggestions for supportive low-carb diet web pages.

Here's the snobby response he gave me about the pro-low-carb sites:

The first page is way too long to expect my students to read and is almost kind of obviously corny (nutritional program performing healing miracles is not something even high school kids would take seriously and will give the 'no' side an unfair advantage).

The second page seems to be more about low-fat diets than anything else.

And the third link is just about one study--not an article about low carbohydrate diets.

Thanks anyway, I'll keep trying.

Oooooooookay. So he didn't like MY suggestions and he obviously didn't read Colpo's brilliant column because it is NOT at all in favor of low-fat diets. It makes the low-carb argument succinctly and with all the proof to back it up.

Since I OBVIOUSLY don't have a clue what he's looking for, I thought I'd open up the floor to my highly-intelligent readers to come up with the ultimate pro-low-carb information pages on the Internet for this hard-to-please high school science teacher.

I'm assuming these are his very specific parameters:

1. Must be supportive of low-carb diets without biased opinions.
2. Must be pithy and readable within 10 minutes.
3. Must be supported by numerous respected sources.

Do you think you know any good web sites for him that meet these requirements? If so, then please share them in the comments section below. I'd love to give him MORE than three just in case he gets all ornery on me again thinking some of them aren't good enough. THANKS for your feedback!

'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 48: Don't Try To Diet In Secret

Continuing in the same vein as the previous podcast, Episode 48 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" today discusses the accountability that comes from having an open weight loss:

 "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 48 [12:17m]: Play in Popup | Download

In Episode 48, you get to hear how being a contestant in a radio weight loss contest helped keep me on my weight loss plan because I wanted to win it more than anything. It was my primary catalyst for sticking with the plan and I encourage anyone who wants to attain weight loss success to tell the whole world of their desire to shed the pounds.

Want more ways to check out my podcast? You can 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

Have you tried livin' la vida low-carb in your own little shell and wonder why you haven't been successful? Or have you shouted it from the mountaintops and even created a blog or something to show everyone you are serious about losing weight for good? Tell us how that's working for you and whether you think it's been a good strategy.

Don't miss Monday's podcast when I pay tribute to the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins and the lasting legacy he has left on our culture as it relates to carbohydrate restriction. It's gonna be a goodie! SEE YA THEN! :)

'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 47: Who Holds You Accountable On Your Diet?

When it comes to losing weight, a lot of people miss out on one of the most crucial elements that could very well determine success or failure in your weight loss efforts. What is it? Listen to Episode 47 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" and discover for yourself this simple, but often neglected weight loss tool:

 "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 47 [8:28m]: Play in Popup | Download

Do you have weight loss buddies in your life? If not, then why the heck not? This is just as important as the diet you choose, exercise, water, supplements, and so much more. In fact, it could be even MORE important to have these accountability partners in place if for no other reason than to have the knowledge in the back of you mind that somebody's watching you.

In Episode 47, I share with you who my accountability partner is--it's my beautiful wife Christine! She stood by me in my low-carb weight loss journey to give me just the right amount of encouragement and chastisement when I needed it the most. THANK YOU Christine for loving me whether I was 400 pounds or 200 pounds!

Wanna have more ways to get to the podcast? Do it 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

Who keeps you accountable in your weight loss plan? Is it a person in your family, a friend at work, or perhaps an online weight loss buddy? Are there any online resources that give you encouragement in this journey? Share your thoughts to help others know what has kept you on the straight and narrow.

I'll be continuing this theme of accountability in Thursday's podcast, so be sure to come back to check it out!

'Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show' Episode 46: Low-Carb Witnessing To Weight Watchers

Although I'm in favor of people finding what works for them as it relates to weight loss and improved health, it's interesting how many former Weight Watchers dieters have now started livin' la vida low-carb as their long-term solution to weight and health issues. In Episode 46 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore," we hear stories about how Weight Watchers followers have been convinced of the low-carb solution. Listen in now:

 "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 46 [12:17m]: Play in Popup | Download

Let me be very frank about something up front: I support the concept of Weight Watchers that encourages people who desire weight loss to come together for the common purpose of providing each other with a strong support system where it may be lacking. But there's only one problem--Weight Watchers does not condone the low-carb lifestyle as the nutritional approach for getting there.

In Episode 46, we learn from a former Weight Watchers devotee who struggled with the portion contol depite losing over 100 pounds that she rebelled and started gaining her weight back before finding Atkins. Now she's found a way to not only lose weight, but enjoy the process much more so than counting "points."

Check out "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" 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

Have you been on Weight Watchers in the past or even now? What did you like the best about the program? Was the support system what attracted you to that plan? If you are now livin' la vida low-carb, then what caused you to switch from Weight Watchers to the low-carb lifestyle? Leave your comments and share what has happened to you.

I'd like to say a special THANKS to Dreamfields pasta for sponsoring "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" during the month of April. If you haven't tried this amazing low-carb product yet, then you are missing out on one of the absolute BEST low-carb products on the market today. Visit the LLVLC Show Dreamfields link to access a $1 off coupon, recipes, and more about this delicious pasta alternative. You WON'T be disappointed.

Low-Carb Living With A Greater Purpose

If you believe in God and on low-carb, then support awaits you

One advantage that the Internet has given people in today's society is the ability to find like-minded communities of people who share many of their same beliefs and values on a wide variety of subjects. Livin' la vida low-carb is no different.

Although there are many low-carb sites available online today (most of which I have attempted to highlight at my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Links" blog), even many of those are broken down into subgroups and specialized categories to cater to the specific needs of that collective body.

One such site which offers people on the low-carb lifestyle who also happen to be Christians a place to hang out is called Low Carb Christians. The stated purpose of this web site is to provide Christians a peaceful refuge for discussing their low-carb journey with fellow believers in God.

"We are Christians whose primary goal is to support one another in our low carb way of life," their web site proclaims. "We take pride in being a safe haven on the oftentimes crazy Internet and welcome you to join us, whatever your faith, whatever your low carb plan."

This open-arms policy is an inviting way to attract someone who may be on the low-carb lifestyle, but not a Christian or who is a Christian, but not livin' la vida low-carb. Either way, Low Carb Christians seeks to serve hurting people--either spiritually or physically--with the love of the Lord that the members there have for the people who frequent their site.

There is an excellent support forum with interesting categories discussing low-carb support (of course!), but also Christianity, funny stories and games, triple-digit weight loss, low-carb news and information, inspiring posts from the past, motivating challenges, and you can't forget about all the yummy low-carb recipes and product reviews, too! Please register for the forum and interact with whatever strikes your fancy there.

You won't want to miss the Low Carb Links as well as the Christian Links they provide to you as well. But the most unique aspect of this web site unlike any other low-carb web site that I've seen is the special Prayer Requests page.

"We firmly believe in the power of prayer, and of the miracles that can be accomplished by lifting up our needs and praises to our Heavenly Father. You may submit your prayer requests...so that others may pray with you."

Whether you are having difficulty in your weight loss and you desire prayer for strength to reach your goal or if you had a personal tragedy in your family and you would like someone to provide intercessory prayer on your behalf--that's why Low Carb Christians is there.

You can easily submit YOUR prayer requests to them 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365 days a year by either signing this guestbook (which is NOT made public) or by e-mailing them at lc_christians@lowcarbchristians.com.

Do you feel like there's a greater purpose in this world than just living in the day-to-day? Are you ready to turn your life over to the God of the universe, the Creator of all things, the Saviour of us all, who loves you, cares for you, and wants nothing more than to see you blossom into that person you were destined to become?

If so, then find refuge and hope at the Low Carb Christians web site--both in your low-carb lifestyle and in life. I pray God's blessings upon you and those wonderful people who are glorifyings God with their actions by seeking to minister to your every need. Give them a try TODAY!

Having A Blast With My Low-Carb Podcast

I really didn't know exactly what to expect when the fine people over at Grasshopper New Media approached me about doing my own weekly podcast show featuring the low-carb lifestyle from my perspective. Sure, I had done some Christian music radio work back in the 1990s while I was in graduate school and even hosted my own weekly Christian hit countdown show. That was a lot of fun and I have really missed doing that!

But podcasting is a little bit different from radio. There's not a LIVE audience you are broadcasting to when you are recording. Thus, there is no way to instantly interact with your listeners in an engaging way about the various topics you are talking about. I suppose you could call that a downside to podcasting, but I don't.

By the way, in case you've missed the first few shows, go check 'em out:

PROTOTYPE
EPISODE 1
EPISODE 2

The ace in the sleeve of this cutting edge new format is the fact that people can STILL interact in an even better way (IMHO!) by leaving comments about the show. You can do that very easily at the official "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" blog, at the brand new MySpace.com page for the show, with the super-easy MobaTalk Comment System (located just beneath my picture on the show's web site--GIVE IT A TRY!), and at the iTunes store.

That last one, the iTunes store, is EXTREMELY important for several reasons. First, feedback left there shows other people there is a genuine interest in the show. Second, curious onlookers rely on feedback from fellow podcast listeners to convince them a new podcast is worth trying out for themselves. Of course, if you hated the show, you have a right to share that, too, but I haven't heard anyone say the show stinks...at least not to my face! :) Finally, it lets us know how we are doing and whether we need to make any improvements.

If you have access to iTunes, I would like to request you do one thing for me: leave SOME kind of feedback there and rate the show regardless of your opinions. I'm a big boy and can take it! If you hated it, then say why. If you loved it, don't be too shy to share. This may seem insignificant, but your feedback at iTunes could be all that's needed to move this show into the next level in a short amount of time.

I cannot begin to tell you how much this would help the show continue to ride the early wave of success it has already seen. My goal is for "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show" podcast to reach far beyond the walls of the low-carb community and well into the mainstream of public health circles. Those of us who have made this way of eating our preferred method for eating already know that livin' la vida low-carb is an extremely healthy lifestyle, but there's still so much work left to do convincing the vast majority of others this fact. I'll never stop trying!

Even if you don't have access to iTunes, we'd still LOVE to read your comments in any of the other formats I mentioned previously. Some of the early feedback I have been receiving about the show has been helpful: They love hearing my voice, it's exciting to have a new format to learn more about low-carb, I'm talking too fast, the information provided is educational, the show is too short and ends just when it's getting good, and so much more! THESE are the kind of comments we WANT to hear from you and we are grateful for the constructive criticism as well as the compliments.

You can learn how to subscribe to the RSS feed for the show by clicking here and we even have an e-mail alert system to let you know when new content has been added to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show" web site. Enter your e-mail address in the box located in the upper right-hand section of the page and you will be notified when the site is updated!

Ever since the podcast aired for the first time a couple of weeks ago, the overwhelming support I have received from the low-carb and weight loss communities has been utterly amazing to see. There is not a more loving or caring group of people than those of us who are seeking to help the overweight and obese lose weight and get healthy. This was clearly illustrated by the myriad of mentions my new show has received since its debut.

The following is a rundown of the various comments that have been made about "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore":

LOW-CARB DAVE

"Will anything stop this man? Jimmy Moore's enthusiasm for low carb seems unstoppable! I've listened to his show and it's very inspirational. You get that personal passion from his voice, that you cannot get purely from his writing."

LIVIN' IN OHIO LOW-CARB

"Wow, what an uplifting experience to be able to hear Jimmy's voice coming to you through your computer. It's like having your own radio tuned into your favorite channel. Now you can have Jimmy speak to you right from his website."

OBESITY DISCUSSION

"For those who have had the pleasure of reading Jimmy's Livin' La Vida Low Carb blog, he's now going podcast! He's looking to be interactive with his listeners to better his show, so this could be a chance to work closely with a true success story and help him shape his future podcasts!"

THE LOW-CARB LIFESTYLE PODCAST

Fellow low-carb podcaster Diana Schnuth plugs my new show!

KENT ALTENA

"One of the things that impressed me about his first episode is how much of a natural he is in front of the mike. If anyone saw the rough cuts of my [how to do Atkins/low-carb] videos, they would know I am not necessarily the greatest ad libber in the world. Jimmy certainly does not have that problem in print with his prolific defense of the low carb lifestyle, and now it is apparent he does not have the problem orally either."

BECAUSE I SAID SO

"I don't mind saying that I will only endorse those that I believe have potential. He's GOLD I tell you. I listened to the first podcast and not only felt motivated, but laughed and enjoyed listening. Best of all, it was less than 10 minutes long from start to finish. Yeah folks, you can get a weekly dose of carb-controlled, nutrient-dense, advice from a man who actually read and followed the Atkin's plan."

KUDOS FOR LOW-CARB

"Jimmy has earned his solid reputation as a low carbohydrate lifestyle advocate, and he deserves the low carb community's support after everything he has done to promote a healthy low carb lifestyle. This new podcast is an apt and entertaining format for getting the word out about low-carb. Please join Jimmy in this exciting foray into the ever-challenging diet world. No doubt you’ll be entertained and learn something of value."

THE FREE RADICAL REPORT W/RICHARD MORRIS

"Jimmy proves, once again, that the power to change is in your hands. How you do it is up to you. Just do it. Drop in on Jimmy and check out his new show."

LOW-CARB CHRISTIANS FORUM

"Check it out--low-carb goes podcast!"

LOW-CARB SCOOP FORUM

Shayne Sherbert, who looks absolutely incredible following her triple-digit low-carb weight loss, gives a shout-out about my new pdocast.

ABOUT LOW-CARB DIETS

"Feeling alone with your low carb way of eating? Would you like a friendly voice in your ear saying “you can do it”, and informing you of the latest news and information about the “low carb lifestyle”? Check out Jimmy Moore’s Livin’ La Vida Low Carb Podcast, with similar themes as his blog and book of the same name."

NICKI ANDERSON'S REALITY FITNESS NEWSLETTER

"Check out my friend Jimmy Moore's new podcast. He's got some good stuff to share and it's worth checking out!"

ATKINS ALL THE WAY PODCAST

My other fellow low-carb podcaster BrianZ enthusiastically shared about my new show with his listeners.

REGINA WILSHIRE'S WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE

"He once weighed over 400 pounds, then lost over 180 of those pounds following a low-carb diet and has never looked back. His strongest belief is that the power to change is in your hands and he hopes the podcasts will inspire. If you're trying to lose weight - how you do it is up to you. His experience is there to help you 'Just do it.' Take a moment and drop on over and check out his new show."

GRASSHOPPER NEW MEDIA

"The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show was ranked 20th in iTunes for Health-related podcasts. That’s amazing! I think it’s a testament to Jimmy’s audience and the community he and others have built around the low-carb lifestyle."

LOW-CARB CENTRAL NEWSLETTER

"We've encouraged you to visit his wildly popular blog and read his inspiring and motivating book about his extraordinary weight loss. Now it’s time to hear directly from the man himself who has taken the low-carb lifestyle to the next level. Prepare for a mix of controversy, in-your-face fun, entertainment and helpful guidance from Jimmy Moore."

WRITERS WEEKLY

The publisher of my book "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" mentioned my podcast show in their weekly ezine!

MARY JO KRINGAS FROM CHOCOPERFECTION

"I really liked the Podcast...thanks so much."

THANK YOU to everyone who has helped me successfully launch this new medium for sharing about low-carb living to a world full of desperate people looking for a small spark of hope and inspiration that they CAN lose weight and get healthy. With "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show" podcast, I fully intend to share that message loud and clear to anyone and everyone who will listen. Keep sharing with others about the show and don't forget to listen for new episodes each week!

After Years Of Toiling In Frustration, Weight Loss Now 'Attainable' On Atkins

At nearly 300 pounds, Christine began livin' la vida low-carb in June 2006

There is nothing more thrilling in this world to me than to read about how someone has decided once and for all to take back control of their life by doing something about their weight and health before it is too late. That's exactly what the subject of this blog post did beginning on June 11, 2006.

Her name is Christine and that's her before and after pictures posted above. The one on the left was taken in January 2006 when Christine had reached her "heaviest weight ever"--A WHOPPING 302 POUNDS! She admits now that she was "miserable" weighing that much and honestly described what she was thinking about when the photo was taken.

"That is not the face of a happy camper!"

The beautiful 28-year old Arizona housewife married to her high school sweetheart for nearly a decade was happy in her marriage, but decidedly unhappy about her weight problem. It was something she had tried to deal with many times before. However, the idea of going on yet another "diet" was less than thrilling to say the least.

Like so many eventual weight loss success stories, Christine was overweight as a child and well into her adult life. She got that way from uninhibited eating, a lethargic approach to physical activity, and by being a perpetual self-proclaimed "couch potato."

"I went through life complaining about my weight but never doing anything about it."

Sound familiar anyone? Sure, she TRIED to eat the "healthy" way--you know, low-fat, low-calorie, portion control, exercise until you drop to the floor--things we have long been told we HAVE to do if we ever want to shed the pounds and get healthy, right? Hoo boy!

After going completely cross-eyed from reading more diet books than she cares to remember and then getting "disgusted and quit when I didn't see instant results," Christine started having bigger problems than just her weight. Her health was being adversely impacted, too, including the degeneration and loss of her teeth, gall bladder surgery and persistent, painful stomach and bowel problems. She had reached the point where she HAD to do something about her weight and fast.

BUT WHAT COULD SHE DO WHEN EVERYTHING HAD FAILED?

Well, not everything.

Christine actually stumbled upon hearing about the Atkins diet oddly enough on a paper art web site and she admits her "interest was piqued" by what she read about the low-carb nutritional approach. It certainly couldn't hurt considering all of the other failed diets she had been on in her life.

She immediately went out an bought the original 1972 version of Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution and "read it in a day." She got excited about what this plan could do for her and that enthusiasm caused her to hunger for even more information about low-carb living.

That exhuberance led Christine to do her own research on the Internet where she quickly came across the outstanding low-carb support forum called the Atkins Diet Bulletin Board (where my fellow low-carb blogging buddy Kent Altena is one of the moderators). To declare her attitude about weight loss and restoring her health again had changed is a massive understatement.

"My life has changed because of it! I'm now following the 2002 version of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution and I'm losing weight and feeling great," Christine exclaimed. "For the first time in my life, I feel like a healthy, normal weight is attainable. I began my journey on June 11, 2006 at 294 pounds and to date I have lost 41 pounds."

WOW! What an outstanding low-carb weight loss success story in progress! Christine is yet another one of those brave people who has decided to ignore the constant negative publicity about the Atkins diet because she knows how it has changed her life forever and will continue to mold her into the person she was meant to be. No more relying on the archaic notion that you HAVE to eat low-fat and low-calorie to lose weight. She is a living, breathing example of the truth that livin' la vida low-carb works very well for so many who have been stuck in weight loss Hell for years!

Not surprisingly, Christine has decided to share her newfound perspective on weight loss and getting healthy by doing what so many people are describing as the cutting edge of getting information out to the public--CREATING A BLOG!

Appropriately titled 1 Pound At A Time, Christine wanted to make her weight loss journey public so she could "share some wisdom, advice and insight as well as dispel some rumors about this way of life." Welcome to the battlefield, Christine! It's an ugly mess of lies, distortions and misinformation about the low-carb lifestyle out here, but those of us who support low-carb are just plugging away at it one person at a time to reach people just like YOU with the truth about the low-carb life.

You can see more of Christine's weight loss photos, an incredible side-by-side view of how her face has changed during her weight loss, a list of her favorite links (of which she listed my blog among them--THANKS Christine!), and so much more!

Wanna share some words of encouragement for our new friend Christine as she continues livin' la vida low-carb? You can e-mail her your comments at myatkinsjourney@yahoo.com. Tell her how very proud you are of her for making the bold and courageous decision to go on the low-carb lifestyle and changing her life forever.

She joins an ever-growing list of people who have made livin' la vida low-carb not just a weight loss diet, but their lifelong commitment to improved health and a better life. KEEP AT IT, CHRISTINE! You are looking more and more gorgeous by the moment! :)

I'm sure there are many more Christine stories out there lurking about in the blogosphere and I encourage anyone who has begun this amazingly healthy way of eating this year and found success on it to share your story with me. E-mail me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

'Weight Loss Buddy' Names Jimmy Moore Expert Of The Month For October 2006

Weight loss support web site recognizes "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" Man

Back in July, I told you about an online weight loss support web site called Weight Loss Buddy that helps hook up people who desire weight loss with someone else for accountability, encouragement and support during their journey to better health. I was thrilled to host a LIVE online chat session at Weight Loss Buddy last month.

Now, they have honored me for my work at my blog and with my book inspiring people to lose weight and get healthy by naming me their "Expert of the Month" for October 2006. WAY COOL! THANKS, Weight Loss Buddy!

If you have not yet visited the Weight Loss Buddy web site, then you really should check it out. There is so much there for people who are losing weight to spur you on to become the success you deserve to be in your weight loss efforts. I am privileged to be a part of the fantastic work they are doing there and again am grateful to them for highlighting me as their "Expert of the Month." THANK YOU!!!

Finding A Weight Loss Buddy Just Got Easier

The slogan may be cheesy, but don't go it alone with weight loss

There's a new web site I want to tell you about that could be just the thing you have been looking for to help you progress even further as you are livin' la vida low-carb. I often talk about how important it is for you to have a strong support system around you while you are losing weight for comfort, motivation, encouragement, and accountability. But many people have trouble finding this all-important aspect of a successful weight loss program because they can never seem to find anyone to help them.

Well, that excuse is out the window now thanks to a creative web site entitled Weight Loss Buddy. I cannot tell you how pleased I am to share with you all about this incredible community of people dedicated to helping people lose weight for good!


We're all in this together so you can't help but be successful

Bringing the power of the Internet to your weight loss efforts, Weight Loss Buddy is a 24-hour online community made especially for people desiring weight loss and improved health. Take it from me, weight loss can be a VERY LONELY thing that can quickly discourage you without the right kind of reinforcement. That's what this program offers people who seriously desire weight loss and are committed to doing it for themselves.

The <Weight Loss Buddy system is pretty simple: they pair you up with a Weight Loss Buddy whose job will be to be your support throughout your weight loss experience. Additionally, there will be a team of people who will always be available to you when you need help.

"That's our pledge and our promise," the web site boasts.

The basic Weight Loss Buddy plan is three-pronged:

1. Activities

Twelve weekly activities from proven experts that you will be doing simultaneously with your Weight Loss Buddy. You will also begin looking into why you have been eating poorly in the past and gradually learn to change your behavior to more healthier choices. Their philosophy is that "behavioral change is the only really permanent weight loss solution."

2. Your Personal Page

You get to create your very own "Personal Page" that lets you enjoy some "me" time to evaluate how your weight loss is going. This page is not visible by ANYONE else and let's you work on self-development through resolution-building, reading tips and advice, inquiring with one of the many weight loss experts, write in your personal diary, take quizzes and vote in polls. People need to be alone from time to time and this page enables participants to do just that!

3. The Team Page

When you become a member of a weight loss team, you will have access to the "Team Page" featuring the "Clubhouse" of all of your team members going through weight loss with you. Throughout the 12-week plan, you get the support of these teammates as you all seek to attain your goals together. You can talk to your "Buddys," see the updates on any weight loss challenges that are ongoing, check in on the progress of your other teammates, plan events, exchange favorite recipes, get coupons and so much more.

In a nutshell, the Weight Loss Buddy program is a kind of "Pay It Forward"-type of support system where people who have lost weight can help others lose weight who will help others, so forth and so on. The motto that best describes this is encompassed in the phrase, "By helping others, you help yourself."

So how did this Weight Loss Buddy system get started anyways? Well, we have two wonderful ladies to thank for bumping into one another at the grocery store one day: Joan Myron and Wendy Hillard-Green.

Joan was reading the ingredients in that "healthy" cereal at her local supermarket when she noticed Wendy doing the exact same thing. So they struck up a conversation about desperately desiring weight loss and all the temptations that come with doing it by yourself. Wendy mentioned that they should become "Weight Loss Buddies" and they started exercising together and seeing how each was doing quite often.

After a few months, Joan had lost 25 pounds while Wendy shed 30. That friendship grew even stronger and got both of them to thinking about starting a weight loss support system designed to connect people together who wanted to lose weight and have the support that they had. Thus was born Weight Loss Buddy.

There is so much more to this program that I encourage you to just check it out for yourself and see if this may be the missing element in your weight loss plan. While you are surfing on the Weight Loss Buddy web site, be sure to click on the "Meet Our Experts" link which features some familiar names you may have heard of before, including Dr. Fred Pescatore, Jeremy Likness, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Julia Havey, Dr. Seth Roberts and MANY MANY MORE!

Oh, yeah, there's another "expert" you'll recognize there as well -- Jimmy Moore! HA! How about that? I was asked last week to join their panel and I am honored for the privilege of being listed with such a distinguished list of leaders in the health and weight loss industry. That's pretty neato mosquito! :D

Do you need a Weight Loss Buddy? Then how about giving them a try. The only thing you have to lose is the rest of that weight you've been hanging on to forever. This may be JUST what you need to become that success you've dreamed about. Let me know how it works for you!

Slimmer Kimmer Creating Weight Loss Winners

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.