Why are these the typical kind of foods served at a party?
We've all been invited to parties before, right? What a great time to get together with friends, family, neighbors, and anyone else to have some fun, frolicking, and don't forget the food! Did I mention food--cakes, pies, doughnuts, pizza...the kind of stuff that will absolutely make you cringe if you are livin' la vida low-carb. What's up with that anyway? Who declared those the official approved menu items for parties and get-togethers? UGH! It makes you wanna be a party-pooper and just stay home, right?
In Episode 29 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube," Christine and I are back in the studio again to explore this always timely topic about what a low-carber is to do when you are invited to a party. No, it's not the end of the world and it can actually be an excellent time to be an amazing witness to others about the incredible lifestyle change you have made. But you gotta be ready for the comments from well-meaning folks and arm yourself with strategies for getting through the party without throwing your low-carb life down the toilet in the process.
Take a good look at what you should focus on at parties in today's video:
Whenever I am invited to a party, I always like to bring a special low-carb dish so that I KNOW there will be at least ONE item there I can eat. For example, in our video today, Christine mentioned that I recently brought True Lemon Cheesecake to a get-together with the choir from our church (see what I ate on this day at my Low-Carb Menus blog). It was an excellent dessert to go with the toppings from the pizza they served. Yes, I had to improvise, but you do what you gotta do. It's the beauty of living healthy the livin' la vida low-carb way!
Be sure to check out the notes on the right-hand side of the video at YouTube to see if you were chosen as the winner of the FREE Grill Daddy Pro for being the winner of the drawing among those who left comments for our previous video. If so, then please e-mail me your name and address so we can get you your prize as soon as possible. THANKS for all your wonderful comments and feel free to add some more to this episode.
There's been a whole bunch of people trying to catch up on all our past YouTube videos lately which is AWESOME and I encourage you to subscribe to our videos so you will never miss a single one. You'll be one of the first ones to see the new ones when they get posted, so sign up today! Just like today's show was encouraged by a viewer, you can e-mail your suggestions and comments to us anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Who knows, your idea may just show up in a future video. THANKS for watching! :D
The worst two months of your weight loss journey is here
It happens the same time year after year. Technically, it begins on Halloween and runs all the way through New Year's. Yes, it's the holiday season with all the temptations that come with it. You know what I'm talking about--food, especially very high-carb ones, are EVERYWHERE this time of year and it can seem overwhelming to your low-carb lifestyle.
What is most disappointing about this is how people rationalize eating whatever they want during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays because they want to feel a part of the festivities and to not make grandma upset because they didn't have a slice or two of pecan pie. It can be difficult, no doubt, but what's more important--appeasing your family temporarily by eating what you shouldn't or refusing to give in to the temptations for the permanent improvements to your weight and health.
In Episode 13 of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube" today Christine and I hit this issue head-on and offer some suggestions about how you can stick with your low-carb lifestyle and get through this all-out assault on your low-carb diet in November and December. You know it's coming, so GET PREPARED WITH A PLAN to deal with it NOW. :)
Watch our YouTube video for tips and suggestions on how to do it:
Need some help finding some low-carb alternatives for the holidays:
Still need a pep talk about some practical ways to beat the inevitable holiday season weight gain? Check out this blog post I wrote a couple of years ago with my own personal advice about how you can overcome the cravings, refuse to give in to temptation, and begin 2008 feeling GREAT about your weight and health. As good as that little sugary dessert may look, it can't even come close to how amazing you will feel for refusing it by the time January gets here. Share your low-carb holiday tips at Episode 13 at YouTube and help your fellow low-carbers triumph over the holiday weight creep.
DON'T FORGET to enter my 100th podcast contest for your chance to win 38 incredible low-carb prizes. The contest is open through Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 11:59pm. Winners will be announced on Friday, November 16, 2007. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!!
Have you seen all our YouTube videos yet? If not, then get to watching:
- 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? - Episode 6--Which restaurants can you go to on the low-carb lifestyle? - Episode 7--What are the best new low-carb books you need to read? - Episode 8--Why should you be eating a lot more eggs? - Episode 9--If you're gonna do Atkins, do it by the book - Episode 10--What supplements should you take while low-carbing? - Episode 11--What are some of the foods you eat on your low-carb diet? - Episode 12--How should you respond when you weight loss stalls?
We recorded this video early this week and will likely do another BONUS one at the end of the week because my podcast show is on hold right now since my producer was in a bad car accident last week. Pray for Kevin Kennedy-Spaien because he's in a lot of pain right now and has some broken bones. In the meantime, ENJOY the extra YouTube videos!
Subscribe to our videos if you haven't already and you'll never miss a single episode. In fact, you'll be the first to see 'em just like all the other subscribers. Don't hesitate to send me your comments and suggestions at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. We appreciate you watching "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube." SEE YA! :D
I am both criticized and praised for the way I write the posts here at my blog. You see, I'm not content with simply regurgitating health and weight loss information in a very dry, impersonal manner that does not give people any practical context for using it in their own lives. Instead, I make every effort to share from my own experiences to help others who may be going through similar circumstances.
Some say they don't care what some former fat guy has to say about diet and nutrition because all he is basing his comments on is what he has gone through and not basing his writings on any professional medical opinion. That's true and I've never claimed otherwise. Plus, I make that point abundantly clear every single time I write a new column. If you don't like what you see here, then nobody is forcing you to read it. There are plenty of drab and boring web sites out there to fit your tastes just fine.
At the same time, though, there are many more who are intrigued by my weight loss success story because I am able to connect with them on a personal level that helps them deal with their own journey because it is a very personal thing to go through. That's why I write like I do to hopefully convey that livin' la vida low-carb is about real people going through the struggles of life like everyone else.
Today, I have an example of someone who empathizes with my slight difficulty in keeping my weight from creeping up. As my regular readers recall, I gained 10 pounds back of my total 180-pound weight loss by the middle of 2006 which is why I started The "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge. While I lost down to 215 at one point, the weight has since crawled right back up again to the mid to upper 220s again.
The fact that I have blogged about my up and down battle with those last few pounds instigated the following response from another Atkins weight loss success story to share her similar experience and concern. Here's what she wrote:
I, like you, lost a big chunk of weight on Atkins/low-carb. Over 13 months I lost 75 pounds. I kept it off over a year AND I'm now seeing 5 pounds come back that I just cannot lose. I don't understand how I could lose the 75 pounds very steadily and not feel hungry or deprived but cannot seem to get going on this 5 pounds.
Now my friends, co-workers and even the owner at Curves say "But you are so skinny--you don't need to lose any more weight." Ah, but my thinking is if I allow myself to gain 5 pounds over the last 4 months, then what is to come? Another 5 in 4 more months and then another. Before long I don't think I'll be able to stop and I'm worried this.
I see you almost in the same boat with your 20 pounds that sneaked up on you and you also are having trouble getting it back off again. So, what is it that made us able to lose such a large amount and now we can't get this little amount off?
I know it has to be mental. I've tried all sorts of mind games with myself. The best I can figure out is that after losing all that weight I feel like I "deserve" a little glass of wine on the weekends and an extra handful of nuts. I also know I am eating past the comfortable level and into the stuffed area at times--even though it is low-carb/high-protein, it is still WAY to much for me to be eating.
It's obsessive behavior because I can't stop eating even when I know I'm over eating (like an entire bag of microwave popcorn)!! This is the stuff I did to gain the weight in the first place.
What is going on with me? I love my new body. I love the clothes. I love being healthy. Why am I sabotaging myself AGAIN?
Jimmy, thanks for listening to my concerns. I love your blog and read your posts daily. I also love the news, the tips, the interviews and everything else. Keep up the great work.
WOW, this e-mail couldn't have come at a better time since I was just thinking about blogging this VERY issue. I guess this confirms I needed to blog it, so here goes.
First, let me share with you my quick e-mail response:
Don't try to overanalyze it. Just keep livin' la vida low-carb (which is what I am doing) and get your smile on. Remember how far you've come so you have perspective on where you are going. It's gonna happen, just hang tough. I appreciate your honesty about this, but I urge you to keep at it.
Simplistic answer? Perhaps, which is why I'd like to expand upon my thoughts some more for this post. Let's look at the reasons for the weight gain. Mine happened because I allowed those extra indulgences like the dinner rolls at the restaurant to become way too regular in my diet. Sure, I felt like I "deserved" it, too, but I have since learned that livin' la vida low-carb is all the indulgence I need.
My slight weight gain last year wasn't 20 pounds, but rather 10. Still, like you, I didn't want it to turn into 10 more and then 10 more until I was right back up over 300 again in no time. NOT GONNA HAPPEN! In fact, the bells and whistles went off in my mind when I even THOUGHT about hitting 250 again. EEEK!
Your supporters are well-meaning when they say you look good enough now after your weight loss, so don't worry about trying to lose anymore. Trust me, I get the same thing all the time from people I know when I tell them I'm trying to get down to 199 pounds. They look at me like I'm some space alien for wanting to lose any more weight. They just don't understand that this is something I need to do for ME.
Remember this--these are probably the same people who very likely told you that you looked good when you were overweight, too, so they have a history of not being completely forthright with you. More than anything else, it is YOU who must make up your mind whether you need to lose weight or not.
Nobody can decide that but YOU. If you feel good at the weight you are at right now, then do everything you can to stay there. Otherwise, start on a plan that will help you lose it again! Don't obsess over all of this, though, because that can lead you right back into bad eating habits again that you will use to soothe your emotional pain. Then the weight goes up and you're back in that ruthless cycle that ensnares so many. Don't be one of them!
As of today, my weight is 229 pounds. That's one pound less than I was at the end of 2004 following my 180-pound weight loss that began at 410 pounds. Some may see that as a failure to lose any weight for more than two years. Another way to look at it, though, is I haven't GAINED any weight since 2003--THAT HAS BEEN OVER THREE YEARS IN A ROW!!! Now that's keeping the right perspective.
Is it frustrating to see livin' la vida low-carb be more challenging this time around than it was before (and, no, I don't subscribe to the one golden shot theory about low-carb)? Sure. But keep in mind that your body is different now as the skinny, healthy person that you are. It doesn't have to be a mental problem necessarily. Quite possibly it is physiological and paying attention to calories and portions may be what is needed for you now.
That may seem like a foreign concept to you in a discussion of livin' la vida low-carb because you never counted calories or portions while losing weight the low-carb way. But, again, that was when you were much bigger. Things have changed for the better and now your diet should change for the better, too.
One thing this e-mailer wrote that really hit home with me because I find myself doing the same thing lately is the part where she said she "can't stop eating even when I know I'm overeating."
Oh my gosh, it's confession time people. I've caught myself doing this just his week. I don't know if it's the cold weather, being indoors a lot, or what, but I have found myself eating a very healthy low-carb dinner and less than 30 minutes later opening up the cabinets to see what I could munch on. WHY AM I DOING THIS TO MYSELF? I'm NOT hungry!
Plus (even MORE confession!) I've let my cardio exercise slip up this week. I've cut my workouts short on the days I have done them and I've skipped the past two days altogether. Why am I doing this? Am I getting lazy even though I know how good exercise makes me feel when I do it? Talk about "sabotage!"
Let this all be a lesson to everyone reading my blog that old habits really do die hard. Even still, this is no time to panic. The key is to recognize when these feelings hit you and immediately find something else to occupy your mind until it passes. Remember, that's exactly how you did it the first time and I urge you to conjure up the spirit of that strength you had before. It will help you now.
You see, isn't it good to know that you're not the only one who has these thoughts because they can hit even the best of us? I constantly remind myself that I'm not there yet despite my successes in the past. It really does take a DAILY CONSCIOUS EFFORT to remain focused on the goal at hand and we must stay alert and ready for anything that could derail us, including our own self-pity.
More than anything, stay encouraged and don't give up hope. We beat ourselves up enough when we haven't been perfect, but it's not the end of the world. Recommit yourself starting RIGHT NOW to do this lifestyle change like you've never done it before. I'm telling myself this message more than anything because it is something I need to do as well. Just be glad you're not livin' la vida low-fat! Talk about torture! AAAACK! :)
Livin' la vida low-carb is always going to be a work in progress. If you ever think you have fully arrived, then watch out! Letting your guard down is in a sense being cocky and self-reliant when you know you are susceptible to having the whole house of cards come tumbling down on top of you at any moment. Zero in on what you need to do and then JUST DO IT!
I'd like to say a special THANK YOU to my reader for bringing up this incredibly important topic because we don't need to ignore it. This goes to the very heart of why people fail so often when it comes to weight loss and improving their health. Will it be easy to see this to the very end? Nope. But at least you actually care and want to do something about it. How many people can say that?
It's almost November, can you believe it?! Before you know it, we'll be in what has been commonly referred to as "the most wonderful time of the year." That's right, it's the holiday season with all the festive fellowships, family gatherings, and...oh yeah, LOTS OF FOOD to add a little temptation to your low-carb lifestyle! EEEEEEK!
Human beings have a strange way of letting things like social pressures and the innate desire to feel connected to those around us that keeps us from staying committed to our diets during the holidays. Oh, don't play dumb with me, you know what I mean: buffets of high-carb foods, tempting desserts, and food constantly at your fingertips defines this time of year. Good thing it only lasts a couple of months or we'd all be a bunch of bouncing beach balls walking around!
But this is a good lesson in sticking with your low-carb plan through the holidays by staying focused on the lifestyle changes you have made. You know you will want to continue on with your success long after Thanksgiving and Christmas are gone, so why give in during these 6-8 weeks of the year? Don't fall for the trap that you must eat, eat, eat away at all that junk food you will feast your eyes on during the holidays just to "fit in." That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of!
To help us better understand how to survive the holiday season, we have another video from veteran low-carb dieter Kent Altena who addresses this delicate subject head-on with easy-to-implement solutions for dealing with the potential problems that you will face.
THE HOLIDAYS--PLANNED PROBLEMS OR PLANNED SOLUTIONS?
That's some outstanding advice, Kent! You and I both know how important it is to keep your eye on what is best for you because that is a decision you have to make ahead of time when you start livin' la vida low-carb. Nothing (and I do mean ABSOLUTELY nothing!) should ever get in the way of your low-carb lifestyle. That's why it is called a "lifestyle change" and not just a diet.
If you feel tempted and want to pig out during the holidays, then the transformation in your mind towards eating healthy has not happened yet. That's okay because you WILL get there the longer you stay on low-carb. But giving in because you think you are too weak to resist is UNACCEPTABLE because you will only make yourself MORE depressed when you put on 10, 15, or 20 pounds during the holidays. Don't allow that guilty feeling to hit you and simply dedicate yourself to your low-carb life.
Because this can be difficult for some people to handle, Kent offers you some practical strategies for dealing with the inevitable confrontations you will have with those high-carb foods and the well-meaning folks trying to peddle it to you:
- Be the cook or bring your own low-carb food to holiday functions - Do more socializing with others instead of mindlessly eating - Keep yourself busy with activities during the family functions
SUPER TIPS, Kent! Holidays can be stressful, but that doesn't mean your low-carb plan should suffer. Who knows, you may just impress some of your friends and family who may not even know you've lost weight. In fact, don't be surprised if they ask you what you've been doing to shed the pounds so effectively. That's when you can look back at them with a twinkle in your eyes and proudly declare, "I've been livin' la vida low-carb, baby!" You tell 'em! :D
That can apply to just about anything, but especially to life in general. You just never know what's gonna come your way tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. Or even that you'll be around to see it.
This reality has hit me right square in the face over this past week. You know, I've always heard that bad news comes in threes. Now I've experienced it for myself with a chain of events that began last week and culminated today. Let me share them with you now.
Last Monday, I received a telephone call from my mom who said my only full-blooded brother Kevin has been hospitalized and they found he has one artery to his heart that is completely clogged and two others that are 90 percent blocked. So many of you have been praying for Kevin as the doctors try to figure out what to do. He weighed too much (around 600 pounds) for one test, they cancelled another test last Thursday, and finally just discharged him from the hospital on Monday to see a specialist three hours away to conduct the tests. He needs emergency open-heart surgery according to the doctors, but they didn't want the liability of his death in case he didn't survive the surgery. He's only 39 years old. We're still in the hurry up and "wait" mode and may not know anything for sure for several weeks. Continue to pray for him and my family as we go through this difficult experience with Kevin. He needs a miracle at this point.
BAD NEWS #2: Our bathroom floor and roof
Just like every homeowner, Christine and I have had to deal with some issues around the house that needed to be attended to for the upkeep of our home. About a year or so ago, we noticed that we had several leaks in our ceiling that came every time it rained. When an inspector came out to the house, he discovered we had a shoddy roof job from the previous owner and he said we needed a new roof put on to the tune of about $5,000. Okay, fine. We paid someone to put a tarp on our roof while we started saving money to get that job done. We were getting close to having the money to pay for that repair when...
UH OH, what's that dip in our bathroom floor?
We noticed a couple of weeks ago that we had a leak around the toilet in the master bathroom. We called a plumber to come out to look at it and he gave us the disturbing news that the entire bathroom floor was so rotted out that the toilet was literally being held up by the pipes and that's it! EEEK! We called a home contractor to come out and he quoted us a price to repair the bathroom floor that basically depleted all of the savings we had designated for the roof repairs. The repair looks good and Christine was able to get some new tile floors out of it, but now we are back to square one with our savings account and the roof isn't getting any better in the meantime. Lord, keep the ice storms away this winter! :)
BAD NEWS #3: My job
As if news about my brother and the financial strain of paying for unexpected home repairs wasn't enough, the big one hit me this morning when after four and a half years of employment at my current job, I was told my services would no longer be needed. It wasn't a fancy job by any means, but it was my primary means for paying the bills. The company I worked for is in a transitionary period and the new boss they brought in just a couple of days ago apparently didn't like me for whatever reason. I guess these things happen, but now I'm without a full-time job. If only blogging full-time could make me money to support my family...HA, I'm dreaming of course! I have an interview with a temp agency on Thursday morning and have put in my resume with a company looking for a freelance writer. Cross your fingers for me and wish me luck! :)
So there's my WAH WAH WAH for the day. Sure, life could be worse--A LOT WORSE! And that's the perspective I have to take at this moment because I have been blessed with what I do have. Could I get upset and go wallow in my own self-pity party over a pizza? Sure. What about drowning my sorrows with a big hot fudge cake with vanilla ice cream on top? Yep.
But you know what? Those things are not worth it despite my current circumstances. These bad times are only temporary, but your weight and health are with you for the rest of your life. While I may think having those indulgences will make me feel better and that I NEED them to comfort me at this time, the truth is that I DON'T need them and they won't help me in the long run.
Keeping that frame of mind is what will keep me slim and sane even when life throws me a curve ball or two (or THREE!) like it has this past week. Don't ever let life cause your weight loss efforts to taper and you fall off the wagon. DON'T DO IT! You'll be glad you didn't when happier days come back on the horizon for you.
By the way, do you know anyone who could use a quirky freelance writer with a knack for healthy living? :D
As of Saturday, we are now officially in one of the most interesting times of the year when the weather changes abruptly and the cool breeze of autumn blows in to change the color of the leaves as they fall to the ground. I for one enjoy the Fall because it signals a change of pace from the constant go-go-go of summer.
The kids are back in school, football is everywhere, state fairs happen, and so much more. What's not to like about this amazing season of the year?
Hmmm, how about the inevitability that people begin to stop thinking about what eating healthy is all about in anticipation of the upcoming holidays, including Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas? You know you are already thinking (and dreaming!) about all the candy, turkey & dressing, pumpkin pie, and so much more that awaits you in the next three months. Nobody can be expected to stay on a diet this time of year, can they?
In a word, YES you can and should. If you have committed yourself to start livin' la vida low-carb and were serious about it, then you can't start backtracking on that just because it's "that time of the year." I have never understood this line of thinking among people that it's okay for them to stop paying attention to what they eat just because it's a holiday.
Why not make holidays the time when you test to see how well you have overcome your temptations to eat the plethora of high-carb options that await you? You might just amaze yourself to see how far you have come to overcome your carb and sugar addictions. I know I'm still amazed.
In fact, just today a co-worker was telling me how much she admires what I have done to lose weight and keep it off for as long as I have. I thanked her for making the comment and said that I don't know how and why I am able to resist the urge to eat something I shouldn't, I just don't anymore. I have learned new habits and they have taken a strong hold in me.
One of my regular readers wrote the following e-mail about this topic of the changing seasons and what impact it can have on your diet:
"There is something about the Fall season that stirs up memories and desires of eating good food. Something triggers it, I don't know what. Is it the body signaling the brain that it needs a layer of warmth for the winter?
I'm approaching the time – October – when I lost 44 lbs. (262 to 218) last year – when a simple egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich on a roll was the start of a grand period of recividism that lasted until March 21, when I regained my senses and control and reembarked on my current low-carb course. I cannot deny that the experience of glubbing down that sandwich was a Proustian, peak experience, or maybe it was more akin to what an addict feels when he gets his fix.
So now I imagine that the hallway here in the office building smells of warm apple pie, and when I go to the butcher to get my grilled hamburger with mayo on a bed of lettuce and tomato, I cannot avoid coveting the pile of ham and cheese baguettes stacked high on the top shelf of his meatcase.
Yet I know that this time I am not going to fall, I'm just going to keep on going. This is for life. I'm at the crossroads plateau of 230 on my way to 170 and I'm just going to keep on going."
Now there's the spirit of livin' la vida low-carb that we should all strive for as we enter the Fall and upcoming holiday season. You know it's coming, so prepare yourself even now for it. Don't fall prey to the pressure of eating what you can't have just because everyone else is. You've done so well the other nine months of the year, don't blow it all in three months!
Does Fall make you fall from low-carb living? Over my dead body!
"Aw, come on, won't you have it just this one time?"
"What's it gonna hurt you to go off your diet for a little bit?"
"Go ahead, taste this food because you know you want it!"
"Stop depriving yourself and enjoy life a little!"
"Get back on the diet tomorrow, why not cheat a little today?"
Raise your hand if you have heard any of the above statements at some point during your low-carb lifestyle. I know I have many times and it just goes to show you that people are clueless and don't understand what the meaning of a LIFESTYLE CHANGE really is. It's not about some temporary Band-Aid on some small cut that will heal in a few months. Nope. For most of us who have been morbidly obese for most of our lives, our weight problem is a gaping open wound that's 2 feet long and in desperate need of permanent surgery and stitching up.
That includes several lifelong changes that have to take place, including the mental awareness of what certain kinds of foods (specifically sugar and other refined carbohydrates) can do adversely to your body, the unshattered resolve to keep on resisting the temptations that will be dangled in front of you, and a steel will to make the right choices when the time comes. It's what distinguishes those of us who have been successful at livin' la vida low-carb and those who have not.
With that said, my Atkins videomaking blogging buddy Kent Altena has another new video this week dealing with the issue of cheating on your low-carb diet. He believes it is better to not risk the temptation and eventual (for most people) defeat on their weight loss plan. I have a different take on this topic than Kent which I will explain in a moment.
Check out his latest Atkins educational video:
CHEATING: IS IT INEVITABLE?
Kent and I do not necessarily agree on this point, although I can certainly understand his position very well. He believes that the low-carb lifestyle allows you to enjoy so many wonderful-tasting foods all the time that you don't need to "treat yourself" to any high-carb "cheat" meals or days. That is tantamount to rewarding your good dieting behavior with food.
"In the end for me at least, I’d be certainly on pathway back to starting weight," Kent contends.
Fair enought. While I agree that REGULAR "cheat" meals or days when you get off the plan is NOT a good idea for people who are livin' la vida low-carb, I certainly believe my controlled cheating approach is one that helped me immensely during my 180-pound weight loss in 2004. The idea of a planned splurge every 6-8 weeks for ONE meal is what got me through to reach my eventual goal. I have no doubt in my mind that it was an essential ingredient in my intial success.
This strategy is not without controversy though among low-carbers, including this response from Kent. But my fellow Atkins weight loss buddy made a very astute observation regarding this issue that is worthy of repeating again.
"In the end, it just comes down to knowing thyself, and acting accordingly. If you can plan and limit yourself to one meal or one day and that those foods still give you pleasure, having that control is a wonderful thing."
What's funny, Kent, is that now that I have been livin' la vida low-carb going on nearly three years now, my desire to have a cheat meal has almost entirely diminished. I just don't want that bread or dessert item I thought I could never live without anymore. And this is a point that Kent makes very clearly on the video: your desires will change and you will begin saying no to all those foods forever. The power of saying no is the greatest feeling you will ever have as a dieter and is something we all hope to attain. It is all up to the individual to decide whether they CAN make that choice and get back on the plan or if will cause them to stumble and fall.
In his video last week about resisting temptation while on the Atkins diet, fellow low-carb blogger Kent Altena briefly stated how remaining accountable while losing weight will help you become the eventual success that you so desperately want to be. This is such an important subject that Kent decided to devote an entire video just on the subject of accountability.
He said the title of this video could also be “Temptation, Visualization, Success…Oh My! (Part 2)” since it continues with the same theme. Kent was nice enough to mention my blog among several other web sites that people can use to find encouragement and help while livin' la vida low-carb. THANKS Kent!
Here's his latest video:
ACCOUNTABILITY...
Resisting temptation does indeed take accountability from your fellow friends and family, but also from your virtual friends online. Kent made the excellent point about how you will very likely be more open and honest on the Internet than you would be to those who see you everyday. That's what I noted in this recent blog post.
Kent brought up an interesting point about the scale in the context of accountability. For many that little machine with all of its fluctuations throughout the day can be one big source of frustration. But Kent believes weighing daily helped keep him focused on getting rid of his obesity once and for all. The man lost 200 pounds, so he knows what he's talking about!
Another excellent point from the video is teaming up with someone else to be your weight loss buddy to hold you accountable for not only your weight loss, but also your exercise routine. Kent reminds you that skipping your workout is just as much cheating on your low-carb lifestyle as eating a sugary snack you know you didn't need. Don't neglect your workout. Exercise really needs to be a permanent part of your low-carb life.
One final point that I wanted to highlight from Kent's video is the influence that the naysayers can have on you. I mention this point in my book about how all those people who told me how much the Atkins diet would ruin my health and not work over the long-term actually MOTIVATED me to become the success that I did. I just HAD to prove they were wrong...and I did! LOL! Now what are they saying?! Kent got them, too, so I KNOW he can relate. Feels good, doesn't it, Kent? Na na na na na na! :P
Check in with your comments about Kent's latest video over at his blog and tell him how much you appreciate these excellent videos. Don't forget to sign-up for a YouTube subscription to Kent's videos so you'll never miss one. Got a burning low-carb question you want Kent Altena to address in a future video? E-mail him your best questions and he may choose to answer it. Go ahead, Kent will 'splain it to ya!
When one of my readers said "something clicked" for her about livin' la vida low-carb after watching Kent Altena's video about Atkins flu the other day, it reminded me of just how vitally important the education process is in a variety of formats.
I'd love to be able to make videos just like Kent, but that's not something I know how to do. I can write columns here at my blog and elsewhere on the Internet as well as record inspiring messages as part of the Health Hacks Podcast, but Kent is doing something just as important in a user-friendly and information-packed format. I know I must sound like a broken record, but you really should sign up for Kent's free YouTube subscription to see all of his videos as they come out every few days. Click here to catch all the outstanding episodes you've already missed!
Okay, today's episode deals with the dreaded temptations that you will definitely have to face when you start the Atkins diet. It happens to all of us and the sooner you figure out how to handle them, the better. I often get complimented for my strong willpower to resist temptation, although it has gotten easier to resist the longer I've been livin' la vida low-carb. And it does.
Of course, regular readers of my blog and my book know how I was able to defeat my sugar addiction and avoid temptation with sweets which was my weakness prior to beginning the low-carb lifestyle. Now, it's a proverbial piece of cake (no carbs!). LOL!
Here's the latest video from Kent addressing this important issue:
TEMPTATION, VISUALIZATION, SUCCESS...OH MY!
If I had to summarize this video, it would be KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL AT ALL TIMES! When you begin to lose your focus during weight loss or even on maintenance, then you are setting yourself up to have temptation overcome you and cause you to fall. But you must rise above and stay strong to reach your ultimate goal. Setting up many small goals along the way will help.
The Bible talks about putting on the full armor of God to stand against the wiles of the devil. The same goes for your diet. You need to arm yourself with protection to keep that obesity monster at bay because he will always be lurking around the corner watching for you to put your guard down. Stay alert and don't let that ever happen.
Kent says to visualize that goal you have for yourself intently, plan properly for times when you are most vulnerable to giving in, and then having others hold you accountable (which is why I highly encourage people to start a low-carb weight loss blog). Arming yourself against temptation on the Atkins diet is a major part of whether you succeed or fail on your low-carb lifestyle. If you are serious about losing weight and getting healthy, then you won't let temptation get the best of you.
