Jimmy Moore's '30-In-30' Challenge

Hey "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge" devotees! How's it going for you today? Man, I've gotta tell you right now, I am absolutely pooped out. These past few days, I've hauled more shingles that we ripped off the roof of my house than I care to think about. Of course, I can't help but think about it because of the excruciating aches and pains in every crevice of my body.

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

What is it?

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

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

There are other rewards people can use to help change their habits and help them live the coveted "healthy lifestyle" once and for all. One thing anyone can do (and MUST do, in my not-so-humble opinion!) is find something they enjoy doing and make that their reward.

If you like to go golfing, then use that as a reward for remaining faithful to your low-carb plan. Or perhaps you find pleasure in getting pampered at the spa with a massage and manicure. Ooooo, that's always nice. So set it up for yourself as a reward for reaching your goal. Find something to give you incentive to lose weight.

As many of you know, I was involved in a weight loss contest on the radio (read about the experience in this FREE chapter of my book) where I had the chance to win about $3500 worth of various prizes. Knowing all of that awaited me if I lost the most weight as a percentage of my starting weight motivated me and gave me the reward I needed to press on even when I felt like giving up.

Yes--surprise surprise--even I had those feelings from time to time. But it's how you respond to those moments when the diet doesn't feel as good as it once did that separates those who are successful or fall short of their ultimate goal. Find your reward and let it ignite the TNT of your internal resolve to do this once and for all. It's the best thing that could ever happen to you! It was for me!

One final thought on this reward concept. I don't think I need to tell you this, but just in case--DON'T MAKE FOOD YOUR REWARD! I mean DUH! That sorta defeats the purpose of rewarding your good behavior if you blow it along the way. However, that's not to say you can't have a few planned splurges every now and then as miniature goals on the way to your ultimate goal. They helped me until I finally didn't need them anymore.

How was your week? Did you lose some weight and want to share your success? Or perhaps you gained and want to vent a little? Go ahead and hit the comment link below and let us know how you are doing. Also, what is YOUR reward for sticking with the plan? Is there anything you do to keep yourself motivated to keep on keeping on? Please share it with us!

Labels: 30-in-30, diet, failure, low-carb, motivation, reward, success, weight loss

Listen to Episode 29 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" today for the second part of this special week on diabetes research. Hear all about it RIGHT NOW by clicking on one of the links below:

This is the final show in my "Fact-Filled February" series today and we go out with a bang. There is a study using fruit flies that confirms WHY the Atkins, low-carb approach is so effective for weight loss and treating metabolic syndrome. Episode 29 gives you all the details about this particular research as well as some supporting research from two of the biggest names in low-carb science--Dr. Richard Feinman and Dr. Jeff Volek.

Tell us what you think regarding the subject of metabolic syndrome. It's funny, while I was recording this podcast on this topic, a reader wrote me the following e-mail over the weekend about her current circumstance looking for help with it:

I just stumbled on your Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show and it sounds like what I need. I have metabolic syndrome and I am pre-diabetic with high cholesterol. I am 5'6" and I weigh 229 lbs. I take 1000 mg of Metformin per evening. I'm currently taking fish oil supplements and chrominum picolinate supplements. I need a book, a diet, a menu or something so I can lose this weight and get off this medicine. I do and will exercise. I like DVD programs. I'm starting a 90-day exercise routine on Monday, its calesthetics, light hand weights and some yoga moves. I just finished a 10-week cycle of exercise about two weeks ago, it included yoga, ballet and hip hop dancing. Can you please give me some direction?

I sent her a transcript of Episode 29 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" and encouraged her to find a low-carb plan to get on and stay on. It will help her metabolic syndrome, obesity and diabetes all in one swell foop! :)

Looking for ways to listen to the show? Here's how you do it:

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

Share your reaction to this study and let us know what you think. Do you have metabolic syndrome or any of the symptoms of it, including obesity, insulin resistance, high cholesterol and heart disease? How are YOU treating these conditions? If it's low-carb, then how's that working for you?

Come back and listen to the podcast show on Thursday as I will very likely ruffle some feathers (yeah, so what else is new?) among the overweight and obese community with my opinions about the "fat acceptance" movement happening in America. You WON'T want to miss it! THANKS so much for listening and be sure to leave me feedback about the show. Or you can call the listener comment line anytime at (206) 203-4192.

Labels: Jimmy Moore, low-carb, metabolic syndrome, podcast, research, study, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show

After featuring these five new low-carb blogs and then these five more in the past few weeks, I have received many requests from my readers to keep doing this from time to time with the new diet and health blogs I come across. I'm always happy to oblige a reasonable suggestion like this!

However, today I want to focus on some new blogs that may or may not have a "low-carb" tilt to them. While it is certainly helpful to people who are livin' la vida low-carb to find sources of information that help them in their specific lifestyle choice, there's a lot that can be learned from other weight loss and fitness bloggers as you will quickly find out with the blogs I have for you today.

Hopefully they can say the same about my blog whether they are on a low-carb diet or not. Sure, the title of my blog has "low-carb" in it, but I write posts that are applicable to virtually any healthy lifestyle. Let me know what you think about each of these!

1. Body Recovery

Despite the CSI-like title of this intriguing new health blog, you'll be pleased to learn that the "Body Recovery" blog has nothing at all to do with a fatal crime scene. Instead, blog author Donna R is about to finish up her tenure at a Boston, MA-based graduate school with a Master's Degree in journalism (hmmm, Donna, is that like the public policy graduate degree I earned in 2002 and NEVER used?! LOL!). Anyways, this blog of hers is about her day-by-day journey to get back into pre-college shape to help both her looks and her health improve. She looks like a portion control, low-calorie supporter, but I like her attitude about the current state of health in America. You won't want to miss her spot-on comments about the ever-changing American Heart Association dietary recommendations. I love this blog already! :)

2. He's Almost 1 And I'm Still Fat

If you've ever been pregnant (no, I haven't been and I'd worry about any of my male readers who say they have!), then you have undoubtedly dealt with the issue of justifying your weight gain because it's only "baby fat." But as newlywed and first-time mom Denise reveals in her aptly-titled blog "He's Almost 1 And I'm Still Fat," it's a whole lot easier putting on the weight than trying to take it off. She is now in a "fight to slim down" and sharing a few of her "joys, sorrows and frustrations" of being a new wife, parent and dieter. She certainly has an interesting take on the whole Tyra Banks is fat debate. Check it out!

3. Healthy Low-Carb Living

This isn't a blog, but it is one of the best-looking low-carb resources I have seen in a very long time from one of my most faithful readers--Sparky's Girl! "Healthy Low-Carb Living" organizes just about everything you could ever want about livin' la vida low-carb in one lovely package. You can read her and her husband's weight loss success stories, see pictures, find low-carb tips and links, see the myths addressed, and so much more! Check it out along with the companion "Healthy Low-Carb Living" blog.

4. The Constant Well Of Guilt

Not your average, ordinary blog or blogger, "The Constant Well Of Guilt" blog is run by someone calling herself Constance Guiltwell. If that's indeed her real name, then it's a creative play on words with her name. Regardless, it captures your attention, doesn't it? This blog is dedicated to the subject of guilt which sounds pretty depressing if you think about it. But Constance pulls it off well with personal stories and other assorted tidbits of information to keep you entertained and informed about what she's thinking about. Oh yeah, she addresses dieting, so be sure to check in on this blog often. She even got upset at me over my blog post about Diet Pepsi MAX. Read it to believe it!

5. Diary Of A Fat, Angry Woman

Okay, remind me not to make FatMom mad at me. Don't blame me, that's what she calls herself at her "Diary Of A Fat, Angry Woman" blog. This 30-something California mother of two is "trying to literally save my life and my marriage by losing the excess weight, but first I have to find out WHY I overeat." Boy, don't we all wish we knew the answer to that question! With all the brutally honest sincerity of someone who dares admit she's got a "crappy self-image," FatMom keeps it real and isn't afraid to ruffle a few feathers along the way. In a sicko sort of way, I like this blog. If you thought my writing style was "in-your-face," then you ain't seen nothin' yet!

6. Mark Sisson's Daily Apple

Even before I knew what this blog was about, I was drawn to it by the following quote at the top of the page: "Doing my part to piss off the self-righteous health establishment." ROTFL!!! I don't care what he advocates, there's no doubt I was gonna love this Mark guy! Wanna know where Mark stands on livin' la vida low-carb? Just click on the link of his name and read the interview questions about what he believes--WOWsers! What an amazing health philosophy this dude has! See a sample of what Mark's news blogging is like. I think you're gonna like "Mark Sisson's Daily Apple" blog...a LOT!

7. The Low-Carb Life: A Diabetic Diet

This online magazine from OOAK Dollmaking (don't ask, I haven't got a clue what that is!) is from a former 300-pound Type 2 diabetic woman who changed her life forever thanks to low-carb living. I say former because she has since dropped 100 pounds and keeps her blood sugar in check by livin' la vida low-carb. Disappointed by the lack of good low-carb recipes, she decided to come up with a few of her own, including a Chili and Beans recipe at "The Low-Carb Life: A Diabetic Diet" page. Check back often as this page is expected to include information about how to subscribe to this low-carb magazine.

8. Weight Loss HD

Other than the fact that it looks like they plagiarized my recent blog post about the new Diet Pepsi MAX (see for yourself and compare their post with my post), the "Weight Loss HD" blog (don't ask me what the HD stand for?!) seems to focus on low-carb topics for the most part. But with all the multiple and glaring grammar and spelling errors throughout this blog, it can be difficult to take the message very seriously. No wonder they felt they needed to steal content from my blog (more on this subject in a moment)! :)

9. Low-Carb-Bloggen

I so wish I could read Swedish! This "Low-Carb-Bloggen" blog from what I do understand is run by someone who has been livin' la vida low-carb since the Summer of 2006. The person who runs the blog has lost 20kg on a very, very low-carb ketogenic diet made up mostly of meat products. I noticed he links to my blog and has even posted about some of what I have written about here. How do I know? Well, "Jimmy Moore" sticks out like a sore thumb on his blog. LOL! If the author of that blog reads this, then I invite him to leave a message introducing himself to all of us in the comments section below...English, even if it is a little broken, would be helpful! Hee hee!

10. Diabetic Resource Center

Finally, I want to highlight a blog for no other reason than to expose yet another person who thinks they can take what I have written and make it their own (remember this guy) who tried it)! Read this "Diabetic Resource Center" blog post for yourself and then read my recent post about the same subject. While it's not a verbatim copy of my article, some of the phrases I used were repeated without any change on this blog. In case you haven't noticed, I don't like it when this happens and rightfully so--because it is pure, unadulterated STEALING!

I know I'm not the only blogger who deals with this (I've heard from MANY others!), but I for one will not take it. What really gets me the most is the fact that this particular blog includes many links to a diabetes supplies commerce page, so they're making money off of my writing skills (not to mention, I have a similiar diabetes links blog). ARGH! Also, since they used my trademarked "La Vida Low-Carb" phrase, technically I could sue them over this violation since I own the exclusive blogging rights to that phrase. Let's see if they'll do the right thing first and change or remove the post before I take the next step. Don't think I won't file the legal paperwork if anyone else takes what I've written again. You have been fairly warned and you know who you are. Don't make me release my posse on you! :D

There you have it, more great health and diet blogs to munch on for a little while. As always, if you have a blog or know about a blog that is worthy of being mentioned here, then simply drop me an e-mail about it and I'll check it out! THANKS for reading and please leave a comment on these various blogs letting them know you are visiting. I'm sure they'll appreciate that! ENJOY!

Labels: blog, diet, fitness, health, low-carb, weight loss

Whew, what a weekend this was for me! After more than two years of praying, saving up money, and a rather fortuitous miracle of the right set of circumstances, I was able to get my roof worked on to try to stop the many leaks coming through the ceiling of my house. We didn't get finished with the job before sunset on Saturday and there was a big thunderstorm on Sunday, but we should have it completed by the end of the day today! WOO HOO!

Right now, though, my body aches so much from hauling about a bazillion shingles today that I can barely type this post without some sort of pain radiating throughout my entire body. Nevertheless, it's been worth every minute of sacrifice of blogging and energy today to make it happen. YEAH! Can you tell I'm happy? :)

Anyways, I've been meaning to blog about a recurring topic that keeps coming up from time to time among many of my readers. In fact, it shows up in my Statcounter keywords that people use to find my blog via Google and other search engines virtually every single day.

What is it? Here's an e-mail illustration to explain it:

"Hello there. Congrats on your weight loss success. I have a question for you. I am doing the high protein diet but I am ALWAYS hungry and eat all the time. I eat all protein and A LOT of it. Was it the same for you? How can I fix this? I feel like at this rate I will gain weight not lose it."

Sound familiar anyone? It simply amazes me how people can claim to be livin' la vida low-carb and be in CONSTANT hunger. This is one of the major reasons why low-fat and low-calorie diets fail, not the low-carb ones people. The key difference between those failed diet plans and livin' la vida low-carb is the satiety factor. Satiety equals NO HUNGER!

In fact, studies have shown satiety, or the ability to be satisfied after eating, to be the secret to low-carb diets and why they work so well for so many people. I was absolutely miserable in 1999 when I was on my low-fat diet and I could not keep it up despite losing a lot of weight. Why? H-U-N-G-E-R!!!

But what's with this hungry thing on low-carb, hmm? I have to be honest with you and say that just totally baffles me because it has not been my experience on low-fat. Ask my wife Christine, I do NOT like feeling hungry. It's one reason I started livin' la vida low-carb in the first place. Actually, I previously blogged about how waiting for hunger is awful and it's so true!

Being the ever-so-curious (okay, I'm nosy!) person that I am, I just had to ask my hungry, protein-eating dieting reader to share with me what she eats on her "high-protein diet." The answers she provide were quite illuminating.

Check out this list of foods she typically eats:

- Boiled chicken breast with tobasco sauce
- Turkey
- 4 oz cheese
- Egg whites with tobasco sauce
- Turkey bacon
- 2-3 cups lettuce with vinegar
- High-protein puddings
- Cheese-flavored bars
- Soy jerky

EWWWW! Can you see why this person is "ALWAYS hungry" on her low-carb, high-protein plan? It's pretty obvious to anyone who has been livin' la vida low-carb for any length of time and been successful at it--she's doing low-carb the wrong way which is the best one-way ticket to becoming a crash and burn weight loss failure.

This is PRECISELY what happens when you don't read a reputable low-carb book before attempting to start livin' la vida low-carb. I feel like a broken record saying this because I repeat this message so often until I get blue in the face. But apparently the message is not getting through and I'm happy to KEEP repeating it until it finally sinks in.

I've seen it happen a million times before from many well-meaning people, but it totally breaks my heart when I see it happening again and again. Even when people sit down long enough to read a popular low-carb plan like Atkins, Protein Power, or South Beach, they always seem to think they know how to make it healthier themselves by cutting the fat, too! UGH! Why do people do that to themselves?!

Heed this message: Don't mix low-carb with low-fat!

When you do that, you simply negate the positive benefits that fat can have in your body when carbohydrates are significantly reduced. In a high-carb diet, fat is destructive to your body and will lead straight to obesity and other health ailments. But with a low-carb diet, fat (even saturated fat!) is your friend and you NEED it to provide your body with energy as well as fighting hunger!

Yep, that's right! While protein is certainly an important element in keeping your full and satisfied throughout the day, fat also prevents the body from becoming ravenously hungry as well. This is one of the major elements that my reader has lacking in her current diet. Just about everything she eats is much lower in fat than it needs to be (boiled chicken, turkey bacon, and soy jerky?).

Here are a few suggestions I have for her to improve her diet:

- Add non-starchy veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, and green beans
- Include more salad greens (spinach) with tomatoes and cucumbers
- Avoid the processed cheese bars that aren't real cheese
- Start eating the egg yolk because that's the healthiest part
- Enjoy the naturally healthy low-carb foods God created

There are many more suggestions about improving her diet, but these are an excellent start. The bottom line is there is absolutely NO reason why anyone should EVER be hungry when they are livin' la vida low-carb. That's one of the major benefits of this permanent lifestyle change that helps people get on it and stay on it! It's worked for me for over three years and counting now.

Have you experienced hunger at some point on your low-carb lifestyle and figured out ways to avoid it? Please feel free to share your insights and wisdom with us in the comments section below. When people who are on low-carb tell me they're hungry, my response to them is, "Then go eat something!" Make it low-carb, of course! :)

Labels: fat, hunger, hungry, low-carb, protein

Listen to Episode 28 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" today for the second part of this special week on diabetes research. Hear all about it RIGHT NOW by clicking on one of the links below:

My "Fact-Filled February" series is about to wrap up for this month, but don't miss out on Episode 28 continuing where I left off on Monday on the relationship between low-carb diets and diabetes management. You get THREE MORE STUDIES today in this podcast show proving livin' la vida low-carb is the real CURE to diabetes. It's true!

Share your feedback about the indelible connection between diabetes and low-carb. The evidence is mounting and will be very difficult for organizations like the American Diabetes Association and other so-called health "experts" to keep on ignoring!

There are many ways to get this podcast show:

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

Once again, I want to hear from real people who are currently diabetic and using a low-carb diet to manage your disease. Talk about it and help other diabetics who may be hearing the truth for the very first time realize what a miracle this way of eating really is, especially for people who are insulin resistant and feel like they are stuck injecting themselves the rest of their lives! It doesn't have to be that way and the science is showing that quite clearly.

Come back on Monday for our final "Fact-Filled February" podcast show on the subject of metabolic syndrome. Would you care to take a wild guess at which way of eating has been shown to treat this health ailment the best? I think you know already! :D

This is your last chance to take our podcast poll, so please register your vote about what you think about the show. We'd LOVE to hear from you. THANKS for listening and keep on livin' la vida low-carb!

For those of you who are new to the low-carb lifestyle, then you may or may not be aware of who Dana Carpender is. She's probably the most well-known and prolific low-carb author out there sharing the positive message of the low-carb lifestyle to the masses through her incredible cookbooks.

But last March, I was quite critical of her decision to change the name of her column from "Low Carb For Life" to "Cook Well, Eat Well." Soon thereafter, Dana released her very first cookbook ever that did not have the term "low-carb" in the title. That's not to say the book isn't "low-carb," but it certainly has not being marketed that way.

In this changing media climate regarding low-carb diets, I can certainly understand why she made these changes, but it was still disappointing that this great spokesperson for livin' la vida low-carb had to bow to the publishing gods and remove "low-carb" from the description of what and who she is. In my interview with her last year, she explained why she thinks low-carb is not as important as glycemic load. Okay, I can understand people who feel that way.

But what's the old saying about you can take the dog out of the hunt, but you can't take the hunt out of the dog? Sorry Dana, I'm not calling you a dog except to say you are STILL fighting VERY hard to get the low-carb message out there and your latest column proves it yet again.

If you haven't read it yet, then go RIGHT NOW to read the fantastic article "Take this low-fat diet and shove it." You'll be rolling in tears laughing at the low-fatties with this masterpiece from the Dana Carpender we all know and love.

Okay, okay, I can't resist sharing a few gems with you:

"Is diet season over? I'm weary of ads touting how low-fat this or that food is. If Jared tells me one more time that I ought to eat those sandwiches because they have only 6 grams of fat, I'm going to reach through the screen and smack him."

ROTFLMAO! Now, every time I see those obnoxious Subway commercials with Jared getting in an arguing match with Michael Strahan about those sandwiches having "less fat," I get this picture in my mind of a rabid Dana Carpender yanking her shoe off and throwing it at the television screen! LOL! You get 'em, Dana!

"Let me put it simply: There is no health benefit from a low-fat diet. Is that clear enough?"

Crystal clear to me, Dana! And this study she cites in her column confirms it. She goes on to talk about all the "high-fat foods" that are "healthful," including nuts, olive oil, chocolate, and beef. Not exactly the staples of a low-fat diet, wouldn't you say?

I LOVED this part of Dana's column the best:

"Fat has more than twice as many calories per gram as protein or carbohydrate...the idea behind a low-fat diet for weight control was that by cutting out fatty foods, you would automatically cut calories and thus lose weight. This idea makes sense in theory but turns out not to work so well in real life. As we cut our fat intake, our calorie intake went up, not down."

She's so right and this argument by low-fat supporters like Dr. Dean Ornish that since fat has over twice as many calories as carbs or protein never sat well with me. It totally neglects the satiety factor not just of fat, but protein too.

Dana ends her column with a bang: "Low fat is dead. Americans just haven't buried it yet."

For those of you who were concerned about whether the Dana Carpender of old has changed her message since her column name changed, hopefully this latest article from her will remove all doubts from your mind. It certainly has mine!

Check out more of Dana Carpender at her fantastic web site LowCarbohydrate.net, including her new blog featuring that classic Carpender commentary and her delicious low-carb recipes you can't live without. ENJOY!

Labels: column, cook well eat well, cookbook, cooking, Dana Carpender, diet, Jared, low-carb, low-fat, lowcarbohydrate.net, Subway

It's weigh-in day at the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge, baby, and I can't wait to hear how you are doing this week. This little blog is moving along swimmingly (what the heck does that mean anyway?!) and quite literally lives are being changed for the better because of the amazingly healthy and effective low-carb lifestyle. Give yourself a big pat on the back for doing such a GREAT job! I'm so proud of you all! :D

Today I want to focus my inspirational talk to you on the subject of "diet." I don't think it's any coincidence that the first three letters of that word are D-I-E! LOL! If you've ever been on one, then you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

But people who have read about my low-carb weight loss success know that I absolutely ABHOR the use of that word. Not that I don't appreciate that it was the Atkins DIET that I used to lose my weight. It worked VERY well for me and I am now 190 pounds lighter because of it. I don't regret going on that diet one bit.

Yet it is not because of the diet itself, but rather the commitment to making this way of eating my permanent choice for life. This is such a foreign concept to so many people who desire weight loss and improved health. All they see is the immediate problem and a diet seems to help them get from Point A to Point B the fastest so they can get back to the normal lives again.

WE MUST END THIS MADNESS!!!

Kissing your diet goodbye forever is the first step in the journey that people need to commit themselves to before they proceed any further. Otherwise, you are setting yourself up for disappointment even before you begin. If you have made low-carb living your preferred method for reaching your weight and health goals, then why would you ever eat any other way again? The answer is you wouldn't and even more importantly, YOU SHOULDN'T!

This isn't to say you can enjoy a high-carb meal ever again for the rest of your life (something anti-low-carb people like to throw in our faces trying to convince people they should not do a low-carb diet), but it does mean you will make better choices for your health and keep on making those decisions that will keep you lean and healthy for many years to come.

You must implement this desire that I had back in 2004 to change the course of my life. I could have done what I had always done and gone on yet another "diet" with a set beginning and end. But where would I be today had I done that? 400, maybe even 500+ pounds? Help, help me Rhonda!

Changing to good habits doesn't happen overnight, but neither did your poor choices either. Stick with it and slowly work your way into a comfort zone with your low-carb lifestyle. Put every bit of strength you can into this effort because it very well may be the most difficult thing you'll ever do. But the payoff in the end is so worth it, I promise you!

How's your low-carb lifestyle change going for you? Do you feel stuck in "diet" mode and want to find a better way? Feel free to comment below with your struggles or victories with this subject. I look forward to hearing from you!

Labels: 30-in-30, Atkins, diet, health, healthy, inspiration, low-carb, motivation, weight, weight loss

Listen up low-carbers and diabetics alike, I have two outstanding podcast shows for you this week! Check out Episode 27 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." Feast your ears on today's show by clicking on one of the links below:

In perhaps the most important podcast shows as part of my "Fact-Filled February" series this month, Episode 27 is the first of two podcasts where I highlight five research studies showing remarkable advancements in treating diabetes with the low-carb diet. Get the first two studies today and three more in Thursday's show!

Share your feedback about today's important show because diabetes is one of the most important public health issues of our time. The study data is there, but now it's time for our government and health leaders to heed the positive message of livin' la vida low-carb for treating this terrible disease.

Wanna have more ways to listen to the podcast? Here's how:

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

I want to hear from people who are diabetic and use a low-carb diet to manage your disease. Share your personal experiences and how you have been able to control your diabetes naturally by livin' la vida low-carb. Click here to educate us all about what life is like for you in the real world. Would you ever go back to the American Diabetes Association-recommended low-fat diet again?

You won't want to miss Thursday's show when we'll continue the theme of today's podcast around the subject of diabetes with THREE MORE studies proving the effectiveness of low-carb diets on this disease. If you know a diabetic who is skepitcal about livin' la vida low-carb, then make sure you tell them about Episode 27 and 28 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore."

One last thing: Take our podcast poll and help us improve the show. Special THANKS to those who have shared their feedback already, but we'd love to hear from many more. The consensus so far is to keep the podcast just as it is following by conducting interviews with people in the low-carb community. What do YOU think? Let us know by taking the poll!

Labels: diabetes, diet, health, Jimmy Moore, low-carb, podcast, research, study, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show

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.

Labels: 24-Hour Guarantee, diet, health, healthy, Kimkins, Kimmer, low-carb, success, weight loss

Ray Hunting went from 350 pounds down to 175 over two years

I never get tired of hearing about people making the necessary changes in their life to get fit and healthy (check out this list of low-carb weight loss success stories!). So I was absolutely thrilled and inspired after reading this Nashua (NH) Telegraph story about a man named Ray Hunting who lost an unbelievable 175 pounds--chopping himself in two!

"I lost half myself," he exclaimed.

Hunting, 28, had allowed his weight to creep up to 350 pounds and was wearing size 60 inch pants, 3XL shirts, and was absolutely miserable with the life he had been given. The more I read his story, I couldn't help but see myself in it time and time again which I will illustrate in a moment.

As happens to most of us who get fed up with our weight and decide to do something about it for good, Hunting had a change in his work life that sorta forced his hand into eating better. As a security officer at the Manchester, New Hampshire airport working ruthless hours, he felt compelled to eat whatever he could find in the food court--usually fast food and the junk food served by airport vendors. Not exactly healthy living!

But when his hours shifted to the overnight shift when the food stands were closed, something happened to Hunting for the first time maybe ever in his entire life--he had to start bringing his own food to eat from home. With this seemingly small change in his life, he decided the time was right to start eating better. And oh what a difference it was about to make!

However, because of the many failures at weight loss he had in the past with other "diets" he had been on, Hunting did NOT want anyone to know he was losing weight. He kept his clothes as baggy as he could get away with so nobody would see the changes he was making.

I can totally understand that mentality. While I certainly wasn't hiding my weight loss by any stretch of the imagination, I sure wasn't advertising it either. How arrogant would it be to say, "Hey, look at me weighing 410 pounds! I'm losing weight now!" Yaaaawwwwn. Really, Jimmy...AGAIN! Yep, I'd been down that road before and all the weight had come pouring back on that it was a bit embarrassing to tell ANYONE what I was doing.

Yet, even though I somehow knew this time would be different, it was better to just keep my big mouth shut about it and wait until others noticed. When someone brings it up, then I can explain what I am doing then and only then. But I didn't know it was going to take until I lost about 100 pounds lost before ANYONE noticed (EEEK!). Nevertheless, I was so encouraged by the floodgate of praise that came my way from that point forward (even STILL to this day I get people complimenting me on how well I've kept my weight off...it's soooo encouraging!).

For Ray Hunting, he realizes his life hasn't just changed--it's been RADICALLY TRANFORMED forever in so many ways that again remind me of what I have experienced following my 180+ pound low-carb weight loss success in 2004.

Here are a few of the similarities between Ray and me:

- Ray says losing the weight was "the easy part." YEP!
- Ray lost over 20 inches in his waist. ME TOO!
- Ray felt "invisible" when he was obese. DON'T REMIND ME!
- Ray says people approach him now who never did before. YES!
- Ray can't stand being idle now. HOO BOY, YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN!
- Ray can shop for clothes anywhere he wants. B-BYE BIG & TALL!
- Ray asks "is that really me" when he looks in the mirror. I STILL DO!
- Ray avoided diet pills and surgery entirely. ALL-NATURAL, BABY!
- Ray was bound and determined to do this. A MUST-HAVE TRAIT!
- Ray joined a gym and committed himself to exercise. DAILY DOSES!
- Ray didn't set a specific weight loss goal. NOT THAT IMPORTANT!
- Ray worried about failing...AGAIN! BUT THIS TIME WAS DIFFERENT!
- Ray couldn't believe the changes. THEY HAPPEN SO FAST TO YOU!
- Ray started influencing others. IT'S AMAZING WHO IS WATCHING YOU!
- Ray credits "self-motivation" for his success. ONLY YOU CAN DO IT!
- Ray's family is "extremely proud" of him. MINE COULDN'T BE PROUDER!
- Ray deals with the psychological fallout. A DAY-BY-DAY STRUGGLE!

While this story didn't say HOW Hunting lost his weight other than working out with a personal trainer at his local Best Fitness gym in Nashua, NH, reading several different unnamed diet books, and "trying to control what I was eating," it's still incredibly motivating to hear what this man has done for himself by making some fairly simple changes to his lifestyle.

Best of all, he knows the biggest test starts now--the neverending quest to keep the weight off permanently.

"Living afterwards in the new you you've created is the interesting part, the hard part," Hunting revealed.

He encourages people who want to lose weight to remember this is a long journey that doesn't need to start off with a bang to be effective. In fact, he "only" lost a few pounds over the first couple of months of his weight loss plan, but he didn't let that deter him from continuing on.

"The problem I had before, and I see it in other people is, you set a lofty goal, and when you're not seeing results, you give up very easily," Hunting said.

WOW, what wisdom that is! And he is exactly right. While attempting to reach a certain goal is a good guide, I wouldn't get too hung up on it. If I set my goal at 230 pounds when I started the Atkins diet on January 1, 2004, then I don't know if I would have necessarily made it there.

The main thing is to get the scale moving downward when you weigh that much and get out of the "danger zone" with your health. I have done that now just as Ray Hunting has. When you get healthier than you've ever been before, then you can start to look at setting more structured goals for YOU that are within your reach without discouraging yourself.

For example, I'd like to get down to 199 pounds and I have been working towards this goal for a couple of months now. Currently I weigh 223 pounds and am not fretting over getting to that weight as soon as possible. I'm beyond the need to lose weight that fast since I'm healthier and thinner than I have ever been as an adult.

But that little goal I have set helps keep me accountable to continue the progress I have made over the past few years whether I ever lose another pound again! I'm not about to let myself get down or discouraged if I don't make it there, though. What I keep explaining to people who laugh at me for struggling with these last few pounds (yep, there really are insensitive idiotic jerks out there who relish in doing just that!) is that I'm already a winner at losing and I don't need another 20 pounds to validate that fact. Have you met many people who have lost 190 pounds and maintained that weight loss for more than a year? Not likely!

I won't be surprised if Hunting has to deal with some of these issues, too, the longer he goes on post-weight loss experience which hopefully will last forever and ever amen. You just do what you gotta do to keep it going no matter how evil and cruel this world may get.

"It's mixed [the emotions] as you go through the process and become the new you," Hunting explained. "Your whole life is completely changed."

COMPLETELY changed is RIGHT! People who are overweight or obese can feel like they are stuck that way forever. I used to feel that way and never thought it would be humanly possible for me to be "normal" like everybody else around me. You feel like such an outcast when you're fat and losing weight brings you into the fold--FINALLY! Yet it's still difficult to shake off the mental feeling of rejection that you had before even when you've overcome.

In the end, it all comes down to YOU and your own internal mechanism to MAKE IT HAPPEN, Hunting believes. I concur 100 percent and have said it here at my blog until I'm blue in the face. If you want to succeed at weight loss, then you must make up your mind RIGHT NOW that you want to do this seriously. Anything other than an enthusiastic and unequivical YES means you are destined for failure before you even start. Don't do that to yourself!

Do you want to succeed at weight loss like Ray and I did so you never have to worry about what you look like, feel like, or be like ever again? It's not an easy road by any stretch of the imagination, but it IS possible. DO IT with every fiber of being within you and don't let up for even a second. The payoff is so worth it!

Let today be the first day of the rest of your long and healthy life totally committed to the lifestyle change of your choice (that was livin' la vida low-carb for me!), read as much as you can about your chosen way of eating, follow that plan as closely as possible, and then keep following the principles of that plan forever.

I don't know why so many people make weight loss such a mysterious and difficult thing. It's not as hard as you think it is (not nearly as taxing as KEEPING the weight off, let me tell you!), but it does take a concerted and purposeful effort on your part. Forget the supposedly easy ways out and embrace the healthy all-natural choices available to you. You will NEVER regret making that choice.

Unfortunately, I do not have an e-mail address for Ray Hunting in Nashua, New Hampshire. I couldn't find him listed in any of the online directories, but I would LOVE to publicly tell him THANK YOU for being willing to share his story of triumph over morbid obesity. Anyone who has gone through what he has these past couple of years deserves a HUGE platform for sharing with others to give them hope.

If you know Ray personally and can touch base with him, then please let him know about this post I wrote about his weight loss success story. I'd LOVE to interview him about some questions I have regarding his weight loss journey, including how did he do it, does he have loose skin to contend with, what is he eating like now compared to during his weight loss, among MANY other questions. My e-mail address is livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

Maybe Ray could start a blog or something--possibly "Hunting For Weight Loss" or "Finding Your Way With Ray." We NEED voices like Ray Hunting out there speaking the TRUTH about what it means to lose weight and keep it off forever. I certainly hope he considers doing that if it is something that drives him like it does me. He has a lot more crediblity in my eyes than any of the so-called health "experts" who have never experienced what it's like as a fat person.

Sometimes I feel like a lonely voice in the wilderness blogging about weight loss from the perspective that I do. I know I'm not the ONLY one out there since there are MANY AWESOME SITES doing the same thing that I am doing from the individualized perspective of their authors. That doesn't mean we can't use a few more, though.

Have you lost a ton of weight and want to inspire the tens of thousands of people who read the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" and "30-In-30" blogs each month? Then feel free to share your story with me by e-mailing it to livinlowcarbman@charter.net. I HIGHLY encourage you to create a blog and make your voice heard loud and clear to all those government and health leaders who keep promoting the low-fat, low-calorie lie. The more we counter that with real people, then they can't help but start to take heed to our message. :)

Labels: diet, fat, health, inspiration, low-carb, motivation, obese, obesity, Ray Hunting, success, weight, weight loss

The quality of the new blogs dedicated to livin' la vida low-carb just keeps getting better and better as I highlighted with these five last week. But there are just so many more new low-carb blogs making their mark that I can't help but share with you five more this week. You are gonna LOVE these, I promise you!

Be sure to bookmark these low-carb blogs and come back to them again and again in the coming weeks, months, and years to come. They are the cream of the crop and are already making a difference in 2007. Every single one of these make me very proud to be a member of the low-carb community. How about if we show 'em all some love and leave a comment at their respective blogs, hmmm?

Tell 'em "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man" Jimmy Moore said hey, hey, hey! :D


1. "The Steaks Are High"

What can I say about the absolutely gorgeous and incredibly gifted freelance writer going to school in Montreal, Canada named Kate Welch and her magnificent low-carb blog creatively titled "The Steaks Are High?" Although Kate is merely a babe at the age of 23 years old, she is using those extraordinary writing talents of hers to spread the low-carb message to the masses because of the tremendous impact it has made in her life personally. A former 200+ pound woman, Kate now is completely submerged in the low-carb lifestyle. I enjoyed her writing skills so much that I asked her to be a contributing writer at my companion low-carb web site Low-Carb Newsline. Kate's take is never fake so make some time for "The Steaks Are High" for heaven's sake! :D


2. "U-Turn: My Journey To Health"

Another amazing new low-carb blog is "U-Turn: My Journey To Health" from Dallas, Texas native Kevin Graves. This almost-50-year old man got serious about his weight and health this year after tipping the scales at 360 pounds on the day after Christmas (he reminds me of another "Kevin" in my life). Since then, he has lost a total of 25 pounds on the Perricone diet and is bound and determined to do this for real this time.

Here's what Kevin had to say about me and my blog:

"I'm a huge fan of yours. Yours is a voice of reason when so many try to attack low carb lifestyle. You've been a great inspiration for many people. Thanks Jimmy for posting all your experiences. You helped me and I appreciate it. Keep up the great work!"

THANKS, man! Kevin's ultimate desire with his blog is to "help other to find their way." What an honorable and valiant mission that I for one will be keeping a close eye on in the months and years to come as Kevin not only gets thinner, but also healthier while inspiring many others to do the same for themselves. GO GET 'EM, KEVIN!


3. "The Sugar Plump Fairy"

Oooookay...the first time I saw this blog I thought to myself, "What in the world is this all about?" But it was a nice draw to make me look closer at what Seattle, Washington resident THE Sugar Plump Fairy (gee, I wonder if that's her REAL name! HA!) has to say about overcoming her addiction to sugar. Direct, personal, and unafraid to be politically incorrect...ahhhhh, that's exactly what so many people need to perhaps hear the truth for the first time in their lives. Don't stray too far away from this baby blog because I do believe the best posts are coming soon.


4. "The Grocery Explorer"

Meet Allie, a Boise, Idaho-based self-described "die hard food fan" who uses her blog to review the latest healthy foods available today. Married to a "meat and potatoes" husband and raising an adorable 2-year old, Allie has taken her title as "The Grocery Explorer" very seriously as she helps you navigate through the aisles and aisles of garbage you will find at the grocery store to identify those nuggets of wholesome goodness for your dinner table. Her recommendations aren't always "low-carb," but she does highlight foods that are perfect for livin' la vida low-carb, too.


5. "Health News For Health Nuts"

Finally, we've got the low-carb blog with the cheesiest actual name, but the coolest URL name. Scott K, the 27-year old consultant from Louisville, Kentucky, calls his blog "Health News For Health Nuts" but the blog address is modernforager.blogspot.com. "Modern Forager" would make for an intriguing blog name, but what do I know?! :)

What I DO know is that Scott is another new low-carb blogger to keep an eye on. His commentary about the science, research, and health headlines brings some much-needed clarity and understanding to a subject that is quite often misunderstood and distorted. Things because clearer after reading this blog--even if "Health News For Health Nuts" is a corny name! LOL!

Okay, that's five MORE low-carb blogs for you to chew on this week. Nothing would thrill me more than to keep on focusing on five new low-carb blogs a week throughout 2007. That would be over 250 brand new low-carb-oriented blogs by the end of the year--all sharing the common theme that livin' la vida low-carb is a delicious, effective, and permanent nutritional approach for weight loss and improved health.

I'm in low-carb nirvana, baby! :D

Got a low-carb blog to share with me? E-mail me the URL and a brief synopsis of yourself and your blog and I may feature it here in a future post. Let's keep sharing the positive message of low-carb living until everyone in the entire world agrees it is a viable alternative to the failed low-fat, low-calorie diets.

2-14-07 UPDATE: Well, Scott took me up on my suggestion and changed the name of his blog to "Modern Forager." GREAT MOVE, Scott!!! He even blogged about this post where I featured his low-carb blog. THANKS, Scott!

Even the Sugar Plump Fairy weighed in with this post about being highlighted in this post. Click on the comments section to see more feedback from others whose blogs were spotlighted.

2-15-07 UPDATE: Now Kevin Graves has blogged about his mention today. THANKS for your very kind comments, Kevin! I'm happy to help anytime. Take care!

Labels: blog, Grocery Explorer, health, Kate Welch, Kevin Graves, low-carb, Modern Forager, Steaks Are High, Sugar Plump Fairy, U-Turn, weight loss

It's time again for another podcast show, so tune in to Episode 26 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." Listen RIGHT NOW by clicking on one of the links below:

Today, I talk about the importance of eating eggs on satiety looking at research that shows you will actually eat less calories when you consume eggs rather than a bagel and cream cheese. It's more of my "Fact-Filled February" series that has looked at the research proving the amazing low-carb lifestyle is one of the best and most effective ways to eat on the planet!

Listen to Episode 26 and be sure to leave your comments about this show today. I REALLY want to know what you think about the show. You can access "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" by doing any of the following:

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

Do you like eggs and have they been a major part of your low-carb lifestyle? Is there any other low-carb food that is more perfect than the incredible, edible egg? Share your feedback and let me know what role eggs play in your low-carb life.

Come back next Monday and Thursday when we'll continue "Fact-Filled February" with the latest research on diabetes and the low-carb connection. You WON'T want to miss it! Also, if you haven't voted in our podcast poll yet, you still have time to help us improve the show. THANK YOU to everyone who has voted so far, but we'd love to hear from many more of you. As always, I appreciate your support and feedback!

Labels: eggs, Fact-Filled February, low-carb, podcast, protein, satiety, show, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show

THANKS for joining us today for WEIGH-IN DAY at the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge." Somebody asked me this week how and where they are supposed to check in. RIGHT HERE in the comments section of this post. Just click on the comment link at the end and share your progress with all of us. We can't wait to hear from you!

Building on the theme of last week's column, I'd like to discuss that joyous day that everyone who has ever gone on a weight loss plan continually strives for--REACHING YOUR GOAL! WOW, what a feeling it is to reach the pinnacle of your journey and say emphatically that you DID IT! WOO HOO!

But in the weeks, months, and years following that whoosh and emotional high that comes from losing weight, especially a SIGNIFICANT amount of weight like I did, something rather odd starts to happen: temptation to overeat still exists, old habits find their way back into your routine, you let your guard down by allowing one too many "indulgences" in your life as a reward for your success, so forth and so on.

While there's certainly nothing wrong with having one or two bites of something in a week's time that aren't necessarily low-carb friendly, when you make them a habit during your maintenance program they can consume you to the point that you'll notice your weight start to creep back on again.

That's why I prefer to stay solid "on plan" and put my planned splurges on the calendar rather than having them be spontaneous. Some people call it controlled cheating. I don't like that phrase because "cheating" implies there is something wrong with it. If done every once in a while, then it's not going to be harmful to you and may very well keep you on your low-carb program much better than 100% strict all the time--both during weight loss and weight maintenance.

To that end, weight loss is just the beginning. It's the maintenance phase where the rubber meets the road because you will need to find that happy medium between being super strict versus loosy goosy. There is a proper balance for YOU that may take some frequent changes to stay at your new weight.

I will admit that even now after keeping my weight off for as long as I have that I can STILL feel guilty about how I feel. Ironically, I don't even have to eat anything "bad" on my low-carb lifestyle...I can just FEEL like I'm doing bad and find myself drifting into a dangerous mental state that would make me lose my focus.

Thankfully, I have been able to recognize when this happens and slap myself back into reality again with little to no repercussions from it. That's maintenance in a nutshell. Get out of "weight loss" mode and get into "eating healthy" mode. The two are not mutually exclusive, though, and both are predicated on lifestyle changes.

Tell yourself "I'm gonna get healthy" and watch how you will naturally and even instinctively gravitate towards what you know you need to do. It's amazing how that works, but it does. When you are prepared to eat this way for the rest of your life, then you are setting yourself up to be a long-term weight loss success.

Does this mean all will be peachy keen without ever having to worry about your weight again. Not hardly! But the ups and downs are as normal as the sun rising and setting each day. They do happen and you must be ready to avoid discouragement.

I wrote in my book that the best way to see yourself through a difficult time in your weight loss journey is to just trudge forward with what you already know works. That's what worked for me and still helps me to this day.

Maintenance doesn't have to be a creepy and mysterious jungle that you must now figure out how to navigate through. Reach your weight loss goals is a must, but then you keep doing what got you there to keep the weight off forever. Avoid the temptation to go back to your old ways because they OBVIOUSLY weren't working and most likely were not healthy for you either.

One final thought: Don't underestimate the little changes you are making in your health now that will impact you down the road. Pushing yourself to exercise regularly is a good habit that will pay off later in life. As does quitting sugar consumption and eating healthier foods on a regular basis. These small actions will pay BIG dividends in the years to come.

Don't try to be like a runway model stick figure, but rather make health your main priority regardless of your weight. That's my motto as I navigate through the weight maintenance phase of my life and it's keeping my weight off forever. The same can and will happen for you!

Feel free to respond to anything I have written today and please check in with your "30-In-30" progress, okay? I can't wait to hear from you! SEE YA!

Labels: 30-in-30, goal, lifestyle change, low-carb, maintenance, temptation, weight, weight loss

I'm already up to Episode 25 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" and you can listen to it RIGHT NOW (click on any of the links below to feast your ears on the latest podcast):

More "Fact-Filled February" coming your way today as I turn to the subject of dietary protein. Did you know there has been a whole host of research coming out showing how protein is important for people desiring weight loss? Yep, that's right and it may surprise you WHY that is the case. Listen to Episode 25 and leave your comments about it with me!

These are the ways you can access "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show":

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

Share your experiences eating a high-protein diet and how it has helped you lose weight and get healthy. Episode 25 explains the science behind it, but I'd like to hear from YOU about how eating this way has made a difference in your life.

Tune in on Thursday as I continue the protein theme when the topic of the podcast will be on eggs--YUMMY! You won't want to miss it! Spread the word and tell everyone you know to tune in to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." THANKS for your support!

Labels: Jimmy Moore, low-carb, podcast, protein, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show, weight loss

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.

Labels: doctors, food, inspiration, Kimkins, low-carb, motivation, success, weight loss

LISTEN NOW to Episode 24 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" by clicking on the PLAY IN POPUP link below (REMINDER: You DON'T need an iPod to listen!):

Episode 24 of my podcast show looks at the subject of dietary fat. Is it good for your heart? Of course it is, but did you also know that fat has been found to improve MENTAL health as well? Not very likely since most of the media and so-called health "experts" don't want you to know what's GOOD about eating fat. You'll learn all about it as we continue "Fact-Filled February" on "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore."

Share your reaction to today's show by writing your comments in the show notes section of Episode 24 or by calling our listener comment line at (206) 203-4192. You KNOW you have an opinion, so go ahead and share it!

Wanna know how to access the podcast show? Here's how:

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

Do you know people who are scare spitless to eat ANY fat at all? Do they seem a little mentally, er...um...unstable? Maybe you could coax them into listening to Episode 24 and then letting us know what you think.

Come back next week for more "Fact-Filled February" episodes on Monday and Thursday and keep telling others about my podcast. I REALLY enjoy this format about as much as I do blogging (if that's even possible!). Are you listening? How about a shout-out, eh? :)

Labels: diet, Fact-Filled February, fat, Jimmy Moore, low-carb, podcast, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show

After five weeks off diet sodas, I decided to add them back to my diet!

On my 35th birthday on December 27, 2006, I made the fateful decision to stop drinking diet sodas for good. Why? Because I wanted to and felt at the time that it was a logical progression in my weight and health management routine.

I've always said losing weight was priority #1 and I have kept the weight off long enough now that I'm evaluating areas of my diet and fitness that can be examined to continue improving upon my lifestyle. It's a good lesson for anyone who is livin' la vida low-carb to take things incrementally rather than trying to change everything is one swell foop!

That is what led me to look at my diet soda intake seriously and make some appropriate changes in my consumption habits. Although I was not experiencing any apparent negative consequences to my weight or health from drinking these calorie-free bubbly drinks, I thought I would give it a go in 2007 to ditch them for good.

Or at least that was my goal.

I actually listed "stop drinking diet sodas" as one of my very few New Year's resolutions to start the year. Unfortunately, though, since I was not seeing or feeling any benefit from being off of diet sodas completely for over a month, I was extremely disappointed. In fact, my weight didn't get better, but worse--climbing back up to 229 pounds again! EEEK!

So, I decided last week with the blessing of my wife Christine to end my self-imposed diet soda embargo and started drinking diet sodas again. Christine commented that she thought it was probably a good idea since they seemed to help me more than hurt. As of today, I have been drinking my sugar-free, Splenda/ACE-K sweetened fizzy drinks (like my favorite Diet Rite brand!) again and couldn't be happier.

In fact, guess what else?! In the week since I started drinking diet sodas, I have already lost 5 1/2 pounds and feel so much better than I did when I wasn't drinking them. And whether anyone else wants to admit it or not, that's what matters. Nobody is going to tell me what's good for me but me. Say it with me now, "That's just the way it is!" :D

Yeah, yeah, I can hear a small minority of dieting purists telling me how "empty" and "unhealthy" drinking diet sodas will be for me, but I just don't care about that opinion because it doesn't hold true for me. The bottom line is they provide me with intangible benefits that keep my weight and health on the straight and narrow. Nobody can convince me otherwise, which is why I'll keep drinking them from now on.

If somebody doesn't like that, then nothing is standing in their way of cutting out diet sodas from their life. But don't criticize my decision to keep drinking them when it's obvious they have been an integral part of my low-carb weight loss success and continuing maintenance. There's no doubt about it!

The truth of the matter is that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with drinking diet soda as part of your healthy low-carb lifestyle as long as you stick with the ones sweetened with Splenda/ACE-K, including Diet Rite, Diet Coke with Splenda, Diet Cheerwine, and Pepsi One, among others. I'll still avoid aspartame-infested diet drinks like Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Coke Zero, etc. because I am not very fond of Nutrasweet for health reasons. I'll just leave it at that for now!

Think about it logically for a moment: Which is healthier for you--sugary soda or diet soda? DUH! This shouldn't even be a debatable subject because there's just no doubt about it despite what this idiotic psychiatrist says about how "healthy" drinking regular Coca-Cola is for you.

You may have heard about this study claiming diet soda makes you fat, but I've never heard anything more absurd! During my 180-pound weight loss in 2004, I drank LOTS of diet soda along with my regular water consumption and I have kept on drinking these diet sodas for most part over the past couple of years.

They didn't make me fat, but kept me sane while I transitioned off of regular soda to diet soda. Sure, I will admit I need to discipline myself to limit my number of diet sodas to a reasonable daily number--say 3-4 instead of the 8-10 I was drinking. But that's still better than the 16-20 sugary sodas I USED to drink before my low-carb lifestyle.

It's all about choices and I'm making better ones now. Rather than cut them out completely, I will gladly continue drinking my diet sodas if they are instrumental in keeping me a weight loss success for the rest of my life. That's where I am now and I couldn't be more pleased.

Do you have any comments or reaction to my decision? I'd love to hear what you have to say. Hit me with your best shot if you think I'm crazy for drinking diet sodas again. Or if you are like me and have found success using these calorie-free drinks as part of your healthy low-carb lifestyle, then share your story, too.

Click on the comment link and let us know what you think!

Hellllllllooooooooo everybody and welcome to Teeeeeerrific Tuesday her at the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge. If you missed my post from last Tuesday about the redirection of this blog, then please go back and read it to understand why the format has changed.

But the mission is still the same--encouraging people who are following the low-carb lifestyle to stick with the plan in an effort to lose 30 pounds over 30 weeks. If you need to lose less than that or much more than that, then simply adjust your goal to lose X pounds in X weeks.

For example, if you need to lose 10 pounds, then try to do it in the next 10 weeks. Or for 50 pounds, attempt to shed the weight in the next year. Sounds easy, doesn't it? :) SURE IT IS!

Weigh in on Tuesdays here and let us know how you are doing--good, bad, or ugly! It was a little disconcerting to learn that some people felt too ashamed to report their progress because their weight loss had stalled out or even gone in the other direction. It's hard to encourage you if we don't know what you're going through, so don't be a stranger. :)

You'll be pleased to know I made ONE change in my diet this past week that will surprise the bejeebies out of you when I tell you what it is and I lost 5 1/2 pounds to get back down to 223 1/2. I'm not gonna tell you right now what it is, but be looking for my post about it very soon at my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog. I couldn't believe it when it happened, but it did. Stay tuned.

What's my role now in this new and improved "30-In-30?" The same as it has always been...providing helpful encouragement to YOU while you are going through this journey. Today I have a message that is a little deep, but could get you over the hump of your struggle to lose weight once and for all. Stick around, because this is gonna be a good one!

We all know the secret to lasting weight loss and weight maintenance success is implementing a permanent lifestyle change, right? For us, that's low-carb living! But saying it is one thing and doing it is another concept altogether.

Did you know that RIGHT NOW you have all the power and ability within that body of yours to be successful at WHATEVER you want to achieve? You REALLY do! All you have to do is want it so badly that you can taste it and invariably it will happen for you. That was my mindset when I lost 180 pounds in 2004 and it has served me well over these past few years maintaining that weight loss.

Wanna know a secret, though? Shhhhh. If you want to lose weight, then DON'T focus on LOSING WEIGHT! HUH?! Say what?! Have you gone absolutely nuts on us, Jimmy? Well, maybe. LOL! But stick with me on this point because it's gonna blow your mind.

When you make weight loss the focal point of all that you are doing while on low-carb, guess what happens when you no longer need to lose weight? That's right, you keep wanting to LOSE WEIGHT even when you don't need to any longer. This can lead to frustration, a feeling a failure, and ultimately, gaining back the weight in absolute disgust because you could not accomplish your goal of weight loss.

Nevermind the fact that you may have lost 50, 100, or even 200 pounds! The fact that your mindset was on weight loss the entire time, that was what drove you either consciously or subliminally. This is why people who go on a "diet" invariably fall flat on their face because it's all about getting from Point A to Point B rather than having an open-ended timeline with no boundaries. Free yourself from ever being in "weight loss mode" again.

In a similar vein, think about this: The reason you got to be overweight or obese was because you thought like a fat person. Have you heard the old saying, "Whatever you think, you are?" Well, it's 100% true, no doubt about it! Even if you aren't actively thinking to yourself, "Yep, I'm gonna think and act like a fat person," you very well may be doing it automatically from years of indoctrinating yourself to it.

To remedy this, what should you do? Well, DUH, this one doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out! The answer is to meditate and dwell on being skinny. If you begin thinking this way, then something miraculous happens in your mind. You REALLY start to believe it and you BECOME it.

Even more freaky is the fact that as you lose weight, you will start to notice OTHER people calling you "skinny," "thin," or "good-looking." Just this past weekend at church, a guy came up to me all these years after I lost my weight and said, "Hey Skinny!" WOO HOO! THANK YOU! Not five minutes later, a woman said to me, "Are you still losing weight, Jimmy?" HA! How about that?

See, others will notice and convince you that you are on the right track even if you still feel like you are "fat." We are our own worst enemies when it comes to shedding the pounds and getting healthy. Get your thoughts in order and watch everything fall into place for you in ways you can only imagine right now. IT CAN HAPPEN if you exude the confidence necessary to produce results.

Stop making excuses for why you can't lose weight because ANYONE can do it. Your metabolism isn't slower, you don't have the "fat" gene from your family, you can't blame your low-carb diet for not working when you haven't given it a chance to work--those are all destructive negative fat thoughts that have no business being in the mind of a once and future weight loss success story!

Whatever you believe is true, whether it actually is or not, will become reality for you. If you think you CAN'T lose weight, then you are right. If you are confident that obesity will become a thing of the past for you, then you are right as well. If losing 30 pounds in a period of 30 weeks is what you strongly desire for your life, then guess what will happen? YOU WILL DO IT! Believe it, receive it, and then achieve it!

While we may think food is what caused us to get fat in the first place (and sugar, white flour, starchy foods, carby whole grains, and processed foods have certainly played an active role in it), the truth of the matter is YOU are what caused the weight to pour on by refusing to acknowledge your personal responsibility in it to begin with. We loathe in our own self-pity and mask our pain with the preferred drug of millions--FOOD, FOOD, AND MORE FOOD!

Why do we do this to ourselves, hmmmm? If you throw in the towel every time the water gets a little hot in your life, then you will never progress forward with ANYTHING you wanted to do in your limited time on Earth. Your hopes, your dreams, and future plans--POOF! Instantly vanquished, suddenly disappear, dissipating like a foggy mist on a cool morning when the sunshine starts bearing down.

If you fret over needing to weigh 150 pounds when 175 feels good for you, then don't be surprised when your weight goes up above 200 in the not-too-distant future. That's why I am not a bit concerned about my weight hovering around 220 right now although I have a goal of 199 that I'd love to meet. It'll happen when it happens since the bulk of my weight loss has already been accomplished. I'm not dwelling on my weight loss because I feel healthy and plan on staying healthy for the rest of my long and prosperous lifespan (thanks to the low-carb lifestyle, of course!).

Worrying about my weight will merely put the focus back on the weight loss rather than on the change that has happened within me. Who cares what anyone else thinks about YOUR weight and health because frankly it is NONE of their business. If you feel comfortable at the weight you are at, then GOOD FOR YOU! Don't let ANYONE discourage you or guilt trip you into thinking you must weigh a certain amount. You do what's right for YOU!

Yes, I know this is a bit of a deep message, but one that needed to be said. Eat like you are already a thin person and simply try to make healthy choices for yourself. Forget the weight loss and zero in on those nutrient-dense low-carb foods that will allow you to eat deliciously and better than you have in your entire life. It really is the best "diet" you will ever go on in your entire life!

Do you know what will happen next? You'll reach your weight loss goals faster than you ever thought possible, feel happier and healthier than EVER before, and see life through the eyes of someone who KNOWS he can be anything he sets his mind to without limitations. You deserve that in your life and should never compromise and just settle for second best. YOU CAN DO IT!

I know I've given you a lot to think about today, but I welcome any comments, feedback, or stories related to anything I have shared in this column. Remember, if you want to leave a comment, but don't feel comfortable giving your name, that's okay! You can do so anonymously and nobody will know who you are.

Just let us hear from you today, okay? I look forward to your response!

Labels: 30-in-30, challenge, health, inspiration, low-carb, motivation, weight loss

LISTEN NOW to Episode 23 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" by clicking on the PLAY IN POPUP link below (REMINDER: You DON'T need an iPod to listen!):

Continuing on with the "Fact-Filled February" in today's Episode 23, I highlight TWO research studies that came out recently about the impact of a high-protein, low-carb diet on muscle mass. Both of these studies were published in highly-respected journals and share the truth about this controversial subject.

Tell me what you think about these studies by commenting in the show notes section of Episode 23 or by calling our listener comment line at (206) 203-4192. Nothing would please me more than to hear from YOU!

Tune in to my podcast show anytime 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 heard the alarmist "warning" to avoid low-carb diets if you are wanting to build muscle? Are you worried some of your weight loss while livin' la vida low-carb is actually muscle? Get the lowdown straight from the researchers who tested it for themselves and concluded muscle mass is PROTECTED. You can react to these studies and share your experience following a low-carb program while exercising.

Keep listening to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" podcast every Monday and Thursday this month for more "Fact-Filled February" episodes about the latest research. THANKS as always for your listenership at my podcast and readership at my blog. Questions or comments about the show? Contact me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

Labels: exercise, high-protein, Jimmy Moore, low-carb, muscle, podcast, research, study, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show

Project PCOS providing top-notch resources and health support

I'd like to tell you about a brand new resource for women who suffer from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, commonly referred to as PCOS. It's called Project PCOS and I am excited to make you aware of the fantastic work they are doing to educate, encourage, and support anyone who has been impacted by this condition--whether they know it yet or not!

Launched on February 1, 2007, the Project PCOS web site set out as its goal to bring greater awareness to this sometimes misunderstood ailment by promoting it to the public, medical professionals, and even health and government leaders (they are encouraging people who support their cause to even e-mail, call or meet with their legislators) through a progressive online petition drive for 1 million signatures. Also, for a nominal donation of $1, you can leave your comments for others to see in the One Million For PCOS campaign.

For those 10 percent of women and girls who suffer from PCOS worldwide, Project PCOS wants to be there for them giving comfort, support, and dependable information to help them deal with it through the use of creative online chats, forums, educational programs, newsletters, directories, links, podcasts, downloadable files, and so much more. Best of all--IT'S FREE!


Ashley Tabeling is extending her PCOS Pals Yahoo! community

The vision for Project PCOS came from the passionate desire by a woman named Ashley Tabeling a few months ago to give people a one-stop shop on the Internet for finding anything and everything they were looking for about PCOS. She went out and found some of the biggest leaders in the PCOS community to help her with this ambitious plan, including Linda Harvey from PCOS Today Magazine, Tarra Hartl, a long time PCOS advocate and co-founder of PCOS Living, Tammy Dolak, a PCOS community advocate, and Branden Simbeck, an IT specialist and PCOS advocate.

With modern advances in communications technology, Tabeling and her team believe this new venture will revolutionize how people learn about, treat, and care for people suffering from PCOS. Since about half of all women who have this condition are never officially diagnosed, Project PCOS is hoping to reach many of those women to help them understand what is happening to them and doing something about it before the symptoms get even worse.

Specifically, PCOS is a rather complex hormonal disorder that does not have a cure as of yet (although, I highlighted this study at my blog last year that found a low-carb diet can lower insulin levels and improve the metabolic and reproductive outcomes in women with PCOS). If PCOS is left untreated, then it can lead to other more debilitating conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, endometrial cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and kidney problems. Click here to read more about what PCOS is and the most common symptoms.

The medical advisor for Project PCOS is Dr. Dennis Gage, who reveals the unfortunate fact that PCOS is often mislabeled which also can lead to terrible medical issues such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. This is why having all the information about PCOS in one place, just as Project PCOS was set up to do, is going to be crucial as more and more are afflicted with it in the coming years.

Interestingly, PCOS patients will be able to go to the Project PCOS "Ask The Expert" page and get trusted answers to any question about PCOS from medical professionals who specialize in treating PCOS. Some of the experts who have signed on to help with this include Dr. Charles Glueck, the Director of the Jewish Cholesterol Center, Dr. Dennis Gage, author of The Thinderella Syndrome, Julie Lenz, a PCOS coach, Dr. Katherine Sherif, co-director of the PCOS Center at Drexel, Martha McKittrick, a nutritionist, Monika Woolsey from After the Diet, Kelly Bliss from KellyBliss.com, Drs. Deborah and Spencer Ward, Hansi Halloway, Ms. Plus Sized NC 2004, Tulin Reid, founder, PCOS Living and plus-size model, Dr. Shahab Minassian, Director of Drexel Fertility, Dr. Samuel Thatcher, author of PCOS The Hidden Epidemic and Claire, the great-granddaughter of Dr. Irving Stein from the Stein-Leventhal Syndrome. An truly impressive list of the best of the best indeed!

If you are a medical professional or want to volunteer your services to help with Project PCOS, then please send an e-mail to information@projectpcos.org. Or, you can also e-mail Ashley Tabeling directly at atabeling@projectpcos.org for more information about this exciting new health resource.

Learn more about Project PCOS by reading their Q&A page and keep checking back for more updates in the coming weeks and months as the site grows. Sign the petition (IT'S FREE!) and get involved if you care about giving more attention to this awful condition. THANKS for your support of this worthy cause!

LISTEN NOW to Episode 22 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" by clicking on the PLAY IN POPUP link below (REMINDER: You DON'T need an iPod to listen!):

"Fact-Filled February" kicks off today in Episode 22 with an awesome survey of real low-carbers from the fantastic Active Low-Carber Forums who participated in a scientific study looking at exactly why people who go on a low-carb diet eat. There were some rather surprising results found in this study conducted by Dr. Richard Feinman and I encourage you to listen to today's edition of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" to hear all the sordid details.

Share your reaction to this survey by commenting in the show notes section of Episode 22 or by calling our listener comment line at (206) 203-4192. Don't be bashful, express yourself!

You can access the podcast show 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

How has your diet changed since you started livin' la vida low-carb? Do the changes that Dr. Feinman found in his study match your own experience? Share your comments and let me know what you think.

Breaking down the ignorance is what I am attempting to do with the "Fact-Filled February" series this month, so be sure to listen to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" podcast every Monday and Thursday in February. THANK YOU so much for all of your support for this podcast which, like my blog, seeks to educate, encourage, and inspire people to lose weight and get healthy before it is too late. Let me know what you think about the show!

Labels: Active Low-Carber, forums, Jimmy Moore, low-carb, podcast, research, Richard Feinman, survey, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show

I am both criticized and praised for the way I write the posts at my blogs. 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 "30-In-30" to begin with. 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 handfull of nuts. I also know I am eating past the comfortable level and into the stuffed area at times--even though it is low-carb/high-protein, it is still WAY to much for me to be eating.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Labels: 30-in-30, blog, diet, inspiration, low-carb, motivation, struggle, weight gain, weight loss