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

You asked for it and now you've got it for the very first time in Episode 38 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." It's my first-ever podcast interview and I invite you to listen to it RIGHT NOW:

Allow me to introduce you to a man named Andrew DiMino in Episode 38. He is the President and Founder of one of the most successful online low-carb retailers and brands called CarbSmart and he was gracious enough to sit down for a one-on-one chat with me during my recent visit to Reno, Nevada.

Can't get enough of the podcast? Check it out in a variety of ways 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

I asked Andrew the hard questions and he responded like a champ in a very articulate and professional manner. See what he has to say to the critics who think the low-carb products that are on the market today are just more junk food. He also talks about the history of the name CarbSmart and how it has become a household name. Also, if you lament the disappearance of some of your favorite low-carb products in recent years, then you'll be pleased by something CarbSmart is doing.

Listen and share your feedback about the show. Agree? Disagree? Either way, please tell us what you think!

Tune in on Monday as I share my interview with Leslie Wheeler from the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association about the current state of the BBQ industry and how low-carbers are leading a comeback of sorts for the fine art of grilling.

Labels: Andrew DiMino, CarbSmart, interview, Jimmy Moore, podcast, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show

Greetings yet again all you wonderful lovers of this fantastic way of eating I like to call livin' la vida low-carb! You've reached the highly-awaited weigh-in day here at the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge. If you have been a part of this journey for a while or if you have only recently begun taking action to change your life forever through low-carb weight loss, then I invite you to share your story with us all. Please include who you are (or not if you wish to remain anonymous), tell us about your low-carbing experience, how much weight you have lost over what period of time, and any concerns or encouragement you want to share with the rest of us. We're eager to hear from YOU anytime, so don't be bashful!

For the inspirational message from me today, I wanted to share with you about a book I bought over ten years ago called Reflections From A Mother's Heart. I picked up this very unique gift by a company called J. Countryman for my own mom and gave it to her for Mother's Day in 1997. Little did she know at the time that this "gift" for her would soon become a gift for me and my future kids.

This was a book of memories that allowed my mother to share her life's story in her own words. The 200+ pages were mostly blank waiting to be filled in to a wide variety of questions about mom's life. From the very basic information such as where she was born and raised as well as some of her favorite items right down to personal questions like "What do you remember about your first kiss." (Mom conveniently left the answer to that question blank! :-~ That's probably a good thing! LOL!)

Anyways, I had completely forgotten about this little book I gave Mom a decade ago until she returned it back to me mostly filled with personal hand-written answers to the questions in the book for one of my presents this past Christmas 2006. Reading through everything my mom had written, I learned much more about her than I ever would have imagined. This is HER legacy that needed to be passed down to me and her future grandchildren.

So that got me to thinking. Should those of us who are successful at losing weight and keeping it off after a lifetime of struggling with it write our own story much in the same manner? We could call it "Reflections From A Low-Carb Dieter's Heart" and provide page after page of the difficult questions of what it was like to be overweight or obese, the thing that triggered your weight loss experience, and what you are still doing today to keep the weight off for good.

What do you think about that idea? Wouldn't that be an excellent way to pass down the lessons you have learned to those you love the most? I may pursue that as a project with my publisher, but you really don't have to wait for me to write that book to begin writing down the changes that are happening to you through low-carb weight loss.

Whether you have been eating this way for years or if you just started, begin putting pen to paper about what you are going through. Don't be afraid to be honest about your struggles because one day you will look back on what you wrote with great pride knowing you endured through the pain and struggle to overcome. Nobody said losing weight and keeping it off would be easy--if it was, then NOBODY would be fat! But is is SO worth it in the end.

Where should you start on your own story? Write down in a journal or diary who you are, how much you weigh, and what you are doing about it. Make it a daily or even weekly duty to write about your life and again be as open and forthright as you can possibly be. When you see all the emotions appear in print, it is then that you catch a glimpse of what is deep down within your heart. Those who love you will see the reflections from a low-carb dieter's heart and may be encouraged to start their own journey, too.

I receive hundreds of e-mails a week from people who say they want to get some friend or family member to start livin' la vida low-carb and my heart aches for that to happen. But above everything else, get your own life headed in the right direction and chronicle your experience on paper. One of these days that could very well help your son, daughter, grandson or granddaughter to overcome their own weight struggle. You will leave a strong legacy of healthy living for the next generation to follow for years and decades to come after the good Lord takes you home.

Have you started journaling your own low-carb weight loss story? If not, then hopefully my message today will give you the impetus to get started on this and make it a priority. You long for the best for your loved ones and you are experiencing incredible changes for the better in your own life--so why not share it with them?! :) They'll love you all the more for it.

Don't forget to share your weight loss update in the comments section below. I look forward to seeing how you are doing. SEE YA!

Labels: 30-in-30, book, diet, health, healthy, journal, legacy, low-carb, Reflections From A Mother's Heart, weight loss

I invite you to listen to Episode 37 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." It's about what some British health "experts" came up with recently to deal with the ever-growing (literally!) problem of obesity. Check it out:

I find it quite entertaining to watch a group of people who pretend to have all the answers about a subject like obesity trying to come up with solutions that have absolutely NOTHING in the world to do with the underlying problem. One would think they would want to interview and poll people who were formerly obese and beat it to get a more accurate picture of what really works. But nooooooooo!

Nevertheless, what we find out in Episode 37 is the so-called health "experts" think they know better. HA! Dream on people! If you want to help the overweight and obese, then you need to arm them with knowledge that makes real sense, not idiotic proposals that do absolutely nothing except cause more heartache and headaches! Plus they need to know that what they are doing has already worked for other people.

Get more of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb with Jimmy Moore" by:

1. Listening at the official web site
2. Going to iTunes
3. Calling (818) 688-2763 to listen via Podlinez
4. Subscribing to the RSS feed

What do you think about those six ideas out of the UK for defeating obesity? Will they really work or are they like putting Band-aids on a gaping wound. Share your comments and let me know what you think about these proposals.

Feel free to share what has helped you stay on the straight and narrow while losing weight or what would help you get there. Speak up and be heard! Call our listener comment line at (206) 203-4192. THANK YOU for checking out "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" podcast today. Come back on Thursday for a special one-on-one interview with Andrew DiMino from CarbSmart! Don't miss it!

Labels: experts, Jimmy Moore, obesity, podcast, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show

Taylor Stevens celebrates one year of low-carb success 150 pounds lighter

There are certain dates that are important ones to you within the course of your life here on Earth. Your birthday. Your wedding anniversary. Your graduation from high school and college.

But for those of us who have been overweight or obese and then were finally able to overcome that battle once and for all using a low-carb program, there's another date that becomes extremely important, too. It's the day that you decided to start livin' la vida low-carb and your world was forever changed for the better as a result.

For me, that day was January 1, 2004, but for Canadian model Taylor Stevens it was just one year ago today on March 22, 2006 that she decided the time had come to do something about her weight problem for good.


Pushing 300 pounds was a wake-up call for Taylor Stevens

For Stevens, losing weight was not just an option for her but rather a real necessity since she makes her living as an online model and entertainer. In other words, the fact that her weight had crept up to 270 pounds meant her career could very well be in jeopardy. The intial shock of just how big she had gotten when she weighed herself last year was enough to wake her up to the reality of the problem she now faced.

"Stepping on the scale to realize that I had gotten that big was really hard for me," Stevens admitted. "It was very hard for me to look at myself and what I had allowed myself to become despite the fact that my 'fans' liked me that way."

Even still, Stevens said although she heard a few "rude and insulting comments" from some of her fans as she got bigger and bigger while performing on camera, that merely "fueled the fire" within her to actually do something about it this time.

Her magic epiphany moment to begin livin' la vida low-carb occurred when she was visiting Las Vegas, Nevada in early 2006. For those of you who have ever been to Vegas, you know you literally have to walk everywhere you go to get around. Stevens quickly realized all that walking was wearing her out and taking away the enjoyment of what should be a relaxing vacation.

"I was 270 pounds and my thighs were chafing and I vowed never to let myself miss out on my life because I was unhealthy or unable to do things that should just come easy," she exclaimed.

Thus was borne within Stevens a deep-rooted desire not just to go on a "diet," but to actually radically change her life for the better by making permanent changes that would become her new and improved lifestyle.

"There was no turning back," she said.

She chose to start livin' la vida low-carb despite the immense pressure from her "friends" who kept telling her she was not losing weight the healthy way and to "just have one piece" of some high-carb food she knew she couldn't have. But Taylor Stevens hung tough and and did not allow these minor obtacles to deter her from becoming the eventual success she would quickly become.

By the end of her first month low-carbing, Stevens had dropped an astonishing 29 pounds and then continued averaging about 18 pounds a month weight loss throughout the past year. To say she was astonished at how well her low-carb lifestyle was working for her is an understatement!


WOW, what a difference a year makes--Taylor lost 150 pounds!

So, here it is March 22, 2007, exactly one year to the day that Stevens began her low-carb diet and she is now a beautiful and sexy 120 pounds--an incredible 150-pound weight loss! WOO HOO! WAY TO GO, TAYLOR!!!

She now considers herself a student of the low-carb lifestyle and is constantly reading more and more books to not only educate, but also inspire her to continue on with this new and exciting journey she has taken.

"I have read all Atkins books as well as almost every diet book out there," she revealed.

These days Stevens is following the Atkins diet along with her boyfriend who has seen great success on it as well along with a regular daily exercise routine. Both are fans of my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog (THANK YOU!) and are "inspired" by my own nearly 200-pound low-carb weight loss success story.

"I look at your pictures and I read your book and I thought about my own struggles throughout the last year," Stevens recalled. "I sometimes have a hard time accepting this 'new' me, but it's nice to know I am not alone."

And in case you are wondering, Taylor Stevens does have loose skin issues just like I do following her enormous low-carb weight loss.

"My thighs were huge and now it looks like I may have to have [skin removal] surgery," Stevens noted. "I am not worried though because I would rather live healthier and happier then have fat to fill out my skin."

Amen to that, Taylor! :D

Of course, I think she looks pretty smokin' hot as evidenced by these recent photos shots of her modeling a bikini following her huge 150-pound low-carb weight loss.


Lookin' good on the beaches of Cancun in January 2007

Stevens said she wants to encourage anyone who needs to lose weight to seriously consider livin' la vida low-carb despite what the people close to you may think about this way of eating.

"In the beginning, my 'friends' were supportive, the true friends stayed that way," she recalled. "However, a few of them just were waiting to see me fail. They were endlessly shoving sweets in my face asking me if I wanted any, rather then being supportive."

While she said it was difficult when many of these so-called "friends" were showing their "true colors," the fact is her low-carb weight loss attempt wasn't about them and actually many of the loudest naysayers were fatter than Stevens was!

"That was eye opening," she said.

Describing this struggle as "the hardest thing I have had to go through in my life," Stevens said people who don't have a weight problem could never comprehend the pain and uphill climb that it takes to overcome morbid obesity.

"It was not just a physical struggle it was unbelievably mental and emotional," she concluded. "I had to break through a lot of things inside me in order to succeed."

Man, ain't that the truth! You preach it, Taylor! Thanks to the great support of friends and family, she was able to trudge forward and become the beautiful person inside and out that she is today.

"I had moments where I was really low and I had to dig deep inside me," she admitted. "I looked to the people around me that loved me to get me through these times. AND THEY DID!!!"

Describing her initial low-carb experience as "Hell" as she was coming face-to-face with her addiction to carbs (I think we can all remember our own little "Hell" in those first few days!), Stevens didn't let that deter her from her mission because she knew she was dangerously close to developing such health ailments as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even quite possibly a premature death because of her weight.

"I was so depressed that I couldn't do all the things that my heart really truly wanted to do, wear the clothes I really wanted to wear, and be the person that I knew was underneath all that fat," Stevens exclaimed.

Nowadays, she doesn't have that problem anymore and says she's now livin' la vida low-carb all the way, baby!

"I mean really the variety of food we can enjoy is amazing," Stevens stated.

What is life like for Taylor Stevens in 2007 now that she's 150 pounds lighter?

"I am the same giving, loving, generous person I was before, but I'm just way hotter now!!"

You'll get no arguments from me on that one! LOL! She does believe this experience has given her a "new lease on life" and now she is enjoying life to the fullest. That includes being more active on purpose so she can keep her gorgeous figure looking good for the cameras as she has infused new life into her thriving modeling career with her remarkable weight loss.


Even "The King" agrees Taylor's low-carb diet has made her look hot!

As for returning to Las Vegas...

"It was phenomenal! I walked so much and went to the gym in my hotel every morning because I am now commited to this lifestyle for good," Stevens boasted. "I committed to those that were close to me and most importantly I committed to myself."

For Taylor Stevens, there's just no better way to live than livin' la vida low-carb!

Labels: diet, inspiration, low-carb, motivation, success, Taylor Stevens, weight loss

We'll conclude this special edition of my podcast show this week with Episode 36 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." This is Part 2 of a teleconference call about the now infamous JAMA study showing the Atkins low-carb diet was best among all the diets after one year. It's a little long, but worth every minute to listen:

Picking up right where we left off in Episode 35, we get even more debate featuring the commentary of such low-carb experts as Dr. Mary Vernon, Dr. Eric Westman, Dr. Gil Wilshire, and others in Episode 36. Plus the sound quality of Part 2 is a million times better than Part 1 was, so be sure to listen to this one from start to finish.

Special thanks to RevolutionHealth.com as well as my fellow bloggers Laura Dolson, Kate Welch, and the always entertaining Dana Carpender who contributed to the call with their comments and questions. Also, I appreciate the professionalism by the host of the call Jason Rosenburg as well as the guests Dr. Michael Dansinger (who I will be sharing an interview with soon at my blog) and Dr. James Hill.

Access "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb 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

Do you have any final comments to share about this teleconference call? What should we do next to bring about my recommendation to have the low-carb diet promoted alongside the low-fat diet as equally effective? Share your thoughts about this in the comments section or by calling our listener comment line at (206) 203-4192.

Come back next week for another exciting episode of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" including an interview on Thursday with the founder and president of Carbsmart, Andrew DiMino, who will discuss the state of the low-carb retail industry. DON'T MISS IT! :)

Labels: Atkins, diet, JAMA, James Hill, Jimmy Moore, low-carb, low-fat, Michael Dansinger, podcast, Revolution Health, study, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show

You know what today is, don't you? That's right, it's weigh-in/check-in Tuesday here at The "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge. If you are just joining us here for the very first time, then let me say welcome to you. My name is Jimmy Moore and I have lost 190 pounds following the Atkins diet since 2004.

These days I am trying to encourage people to do what I did by setting a goal of losing at least one pound a week for the next 30 weeks or more. Thus, "30-In-30. I like to repost columns from my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog that will assist you in your weight loss efforts as well as provide an inspirational column every Tuesday right here to help you get through the week.

That's what I'm gonna do right now:

Last week I was attending a huge BBQ convention called the HPBA Expo where there were grills galore to see up close and personal (I've even got one I will be giving away in April). I brought my wife Christine along with me and this trip and she tried to get me to eat a muffin while we were on the plane ride there! What's up with that?! LOL!

Christine said she was nervous and fell back into her familiar routine somehow forgetting I am on the low-carb lifestyle now. Sound preposterous? Try this one for size. When we were in the hotel room last week, I had to access the Internet using a brand new laptop and an unfamiliar WiFi service to be online.

So here I am in new surroundings (albeit for just a few short days) in a hotel room I'm not normally in typing on a computer I've never used. Guess what happened--I fell into some of my old habits from several years back when I first started surfing the Internet in the 1990s! For example, my old e-mail address which I changed two years ago to livinlowcarbman@charter.net was musicbuyer@aol.com. I had this as my e-mail address for over ten years (I used to work as a Music Buyer for a chain of Christian bookstores in Virginia).

Guess what happened when I tried to look up my e-mail account while in Reno--I caught myself typing m-u-s-i-c-b...before I realized I was putting in my old e-mail address to access my e-mails. Why in the world did I do that? It was as if with all the unfamiliar surroundings I had slid into some sort of "automatic" mode to cope with the stress of the situation at hand. Sure, I was having lots of fun and wearing myself out in the process, but it was out of the ordinary for me.

How does this relate to the subject of diet and weight loss? I wonder how many of us, no matter how long we have been on our low-carb lifestyle, sometimes kick into "automatic" mode with our diet. Do you catch yourself doing some of those old habits that made you obese before even now? Man, I sure do from time to time.

When I was trying to stop drinking diet soda as a New Year's resolution earlier this year and then quickly put that foolish idea to an end, I noticed I would walk into the kitchen for no apparent reason and open the refrigerator to look. What was I looking for? Nothing in particular, but I was scouring around for something to eat.

Then I would move to the cupboards and open them wide to see what there was to eat in there. Was I hungry? Nope. Then why in the world was I snooping around in my fridge and cabinets for food? The answer--it was an old habit I used to have when I weighed 410 pounds.

As much as people think you can be cured of your obesity, it's a lot harder than simply dropping the pounds. I knew from the many years my weight has gone way up and way down that the real challenge was going to begin for me when I would start to maintain my weight. Although I look and feel better than I ever have in my entire life right now, deep inside my head still lives that morbidly obese monster who rears his ugly head every now and then.

What triggers this to awaken the dragon from within? In a word, it's change.

Back in 1999, I lost 170 pounds on a low-fat diet but then gained it all back and then some in very short order. Why? Besides the fact that I couldn't stand being constantly hungry and in a miserable mood all the time (from a lack of fat in my diet), I also made some huge changes in my life--got a job promotion, moved to a town 450 miles away, and bought my first home--in just a matter of a few months!

These changes led me to rely on familiar territory and so I started eating like I had before. Although low-fat wasn't the best diet in the world for me, it certainly was a lot better for me than being fat! And yet here I was stuffing my face with garbage. Pure, unadulterated junk. All that work I had invested in improving my weight and health was down the toilet seemingly for no reason at all.

I now am very cautious about ANY changes that happen in my life--good or bad--and how it may impact my low-carb life. Because I am aware of this, I try to constantly be on guard and not allow old habits to slip back into my life no matter what happens. I could be bold and bragadocious telling you I would NEVER stop eating right as I have these past few years. But that would be foolish.

Let's just say I am consciously attempting to avoid letting obese "automatic" mode kick back in as I strive towards making skinny "automatic" mode take firm root. That way, no matter what happens to me, regardless of the situation, I will make the best decision for my dietary choices and keep this weight I have worked hard to lose and maintain off forever and ever.

How about you? Have you ever caught yourself in "automatic" mode doing things you used to do? Please share your stories and how you are able to control yourself. Even if you haven't gotten a handle on it, tell us about it so we can perhaps help you deal with it, too. Let me hear from you everyone! THANKS for your faithful readership!

3-20-07 UPDATE: Well, it seems this topic is one worth hearing more about as my friend and fellow health advocate Charles Stuart Platkin, aka "The Diet Detective," wrote in his post entitled "Life 'Changes' That Can Impact Your Diet." Check it out because he gives some excellent advice about how to deal with these life changes and stay on track with your weight and health goals. :)

Labels: 30-in-30, automatic, diet, habits, low-carb, low-fat, weight loss, weight maintenance

Today and Thursday I have a special edition of my podcast show to share with you. In Episode 35 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore," you will access the first part of an exciting teleconference call the took place recently following the JAMA study from Stanford University showing the Atkins diet was better after one year for weight loss and improved health. Check out Part 1 right now:

You will notice that Episode 35 is about twice as long as normal for my podcast show. Because I was out of town all of last week (and just got home off a red-eye flight this afternoon), we decided to split the recent teleconference call sponsored by RevolutionHealth.com into two parts and it features some low-carb luminaries that you may recognize in Part 1--Dana Carpender, Dr. Mary C. Vernon, and myself all got to ask Dr. Michael Dansinger and Dr. James Hill questions about the low-carb study that shocked the world recently. Tune in for the fireworks!

Access "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb 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

Let me apologize for the poor sound quality of the podcast. It was a recorded teleconference call with people calling in from all over, so the quality is only about as good as a bad phone connection. If you can endure through that, then it is well worth your time to listen and I'd love to know what you think. Provide your comments and state whether you are buying the argument by Dr. Hill that low-carb is only good for temporary, short-term weight loss.

Be sure to listen to the second half of the teleconference call on Thursday which will feature even more famous low-carb researchers and bloggers you will quickly recognize. I even get in another comment or two challenging this "temporary" argument head-on. Don't miss it!

Labels: Dana Carpender, James Hill, Jimmy Moore, low-carb, Mary Vernon, Michael Dansinger, podcast, Revolution Health, teleconference, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show

Take a listen to Episode 34 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" to hear one of my biggest pet peeves:

If using the term "low-carb" is so incredibly offensive to people in the year 2007 (I argue it's not), then what shall we call it instead? That's what I discuss in Episode 34 and I'm curious about what you think of the various alternatives that have been proposed which I discuss in today's show.

Get your fix of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb 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

What do you think about the semantics debate within the community formerly known as low-carb? Are advocates of this way of eating right to try to disassociate themselves from this term because of the negative stigma that has been unfairly attached to it? Or do you agree with me that now more than ever we should stick to our guns and keep using this term to define it the right way? Share your thoughts let us know what you think.

Today I will be working the floor at the Hearth, Patio, & Barbecue Association (HPBA) Expo in Reno, Nevada (read about my interesting plane ride across the country yesterday) to bring you some interesting interviews for future episodes of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." You asked for them and now I'm trying to deliver, so hold on to your hat! The best is yet to come!

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

Welcome to Teeeeeeerrific Tuesday here at the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge as we celebrate another victorious week in the battle of the bulge. Just being in the game and participating in the process of attempting weight loss is most of the battle, so CONGRATULATIONS for making the prudent decision to be a part of this exciting adventure and journey towards better health. I'm so proud of you all just for being here.

Today, I want to talk about the basics with you. Sometimes we get so caught up in the various complexities of an organized weight loss strategy that we totally forget what really works. Have you ever found yourself in this position? Sure you have and we all have. But constantly reminding yourself of what is most important will keep you on the pathway to the eventual weight loss success that you so desperately desire.

Do you remember that classic book that's been out for over two decades now called All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by that very wise and observant man named Robert Fulghum. I remember the first time I started reading some of the stories he shared in that book about how most of life and the lessons therein are actually taught to us in kindergarten.

But somewhere along the way, we lose sight of those very basic, but always crucial axioms about how to live. Is it because we feel so self-reliant as we get older that we don't feel the need to rely so heavily on conventional methods for living? Or are we all that ignorant that we feel like we can REALLY help ourselves? It's a good question to ponder in your own mind and the answer you come up with may explain why you are overweight or obese to begin with.

Think about it. Many children have a natural ability to just know what to do regarding their diet and don't have to think about calories, fat grams, or carbs. They just do what they do best and that's eat. They haven't been tainted by the allure of being thin, the peer pressure to look like a supermodel, or the insatiable desire to be so self-conscious about their weight that they don't eat for days.

Can I get a witness?

Nope! Instead, a child is more apt to simply listen to his body and take the appropriate actions to satisfy that very basic need to get rid of hunger and provide his body with the energy it needs. The last time I was skinny before my weight loss success on low-carb in 2004 was when I was a toothless, freckle-faced 4-year old with my hair sticking straight up in the back.

I pulled out an old school photo of myself from my baby book recently and was so mesmerized by the photo from when I was in kindergarten. How did I go from THAT skinny and healthy little boy and become this 410-pound behemoth monster of a man in the decades to come? It's elementary--I totally forgot all of the things I was doing at that time in my life to keep me thin (there's more to it than that, but you get the drift!).

So, what are some of the diet lessons we could learn from a kindergarten kid, hmmm? Let's take a look at just a few diet tips from a kindergartener:

- Have you ever noticed how kids at this age don't always clean their plate? That's because they only eat when the hunger pangs start and then stop eating once their hunger is satisfied. When hunger goes away, then it's time to stop eating no matter how much food is left and how many hungry children in Africa will starve tonight. :)

- Do you serve portions to your 5-year old like you do yourself? Of course not! You probably give that little one about one or two tablespoons of each food in their meal and amazingly that satisfies them. So why do adults like to pile it on high, especially at those most favorite of all restaurants--the buffet joint!!! Learn to eat the same kind of portions that your kid does and you'll find yourself eating less without even knowing it (which is what psychologist Dr. Brian Wansink was talking about in his book Mindless Eating).

- Children are more apt to want to eat many times throughout the day and not just three set meals as most of us have grown accustomed to. That's because they are listening to their body's natural physiological response to their caloric needs based on the amount of energy they expended and calories they consumed. Of course, they don't know that, but it happens naturally to regulate their metabolism. So, eat several small meals throughout the day, sometimes as many as 8-10 times per day, and keep your energy levels up and your weight down.

- One of the most natural things you see children do today is play. Whether it is jumping, running, skipping, kicking a rock, throwing their hands up in the air doing God knows what (LOL!), etc. Kids will be kids. And that's a good way to burn calories quickly! They don't need to join the gym for exercise because they make it a regular part of their day without a second thought. The adult equivalent to these things include playing a pickup game of basketball, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking as far away from the front door of Wal-Mart as you can, etc. These are "little" things in the grand scheme of things, but they really add up!

The examples of what a kindergarten kid does to keep fit are endless, but I think you get the picture. They just live life and don't worry about the ramifications of their innate desires and intentions. In the case of living healthy, that's a VERY good thing!

I look forward to hearing about how your week went concerning weight loss and your progress in the "30-In-30" Challenge. Have you told others about my challenge to help people lose 30 pounds in 30 weeks yet? If not, how about giving a big shout-out to someone this week and tell 'em about this goofball fella named Jimmy Moore who lost a buncha weight and is now helping others do the same. I'd REALLY appreciate it!

Do you eat like a kindergarten kid or an obsessive adult? Hmmm?

Labels: 30-in-30, challenge, diet, Jimmy Moore, kindergarten, obesity, weight loss

The March of Dimes sponsors WalkAmerica to combat birth defects

There are only a handful of truly remarkable non-profit organizations in the United States today that are doing an outstanding job of raising money for absolutely needy causes. One such organization is the March of Dimes and their amazing work to help save premature babies from being taken from this world as quickly as they entered it.

This is a rather personal issue for me because of my beautiful wife Christine. You see, she was born three months premature and weighed less than 2 pounds at birth back in the early 1970s. The doctors were trying so desperately to keep her alive in the early days of her life that they even gave her too much oxygen causing her to lose her eyesight completely in her left eye and some of her right eye before they caught it. But thank God she survived and would later become Mrs. Jimmy Moore. :)

Premature births is described by the March of Dimes as "the silent crisis" and the more attention we can draw to this worthy cause the better. That's why I am absolutely thrilled to tell you about one of my fellow low-carb bloggers who will be participating in the upcoming WalkAmerica event in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri on April 28, 2007 beginning at 8:00am.

It's 33-year old Amy Dungan (aka "Sparky's Girl") from the "Healthy Low-Carb Living" blog. This mother of two beautiful gifts from God had she calls "the biggest scare of our lives" with her daughter Rachel's birth back in 1998.

Here's the agony and pain that Amy shared about that experience:

"Her heart was not beating correctly. Many times the doctors feared it would stop completely. We spent six heartwrenching days in the hospital while they performed an EKG on her twice a day as well as many other tests. Wires from monitors were connected to Rachel's tiny little body and they seemed to be coming and going from everywhere. The doctors had no answers for us. I firmly believe in prayer and we believe that whatever the problem with Rachel's body was, God healed it."

WOW! Reading about Amy's living nightmare during Rachel's birth that could have ended tragically can certainly bring a tear to your eyes. But the sad reality is this scenario keeps happening day after day and sometimes these newborn babies are unable to receive any of the delicate and necessary tests that Rachel received. That's why what the March of Dimes is doing with their WalkAmerica campaign is so vitally important.

Amy and her sister Lana will be walking the six-mile hike in The Muny-St. Louis Forest Park in late April and they NEED YOUR HELP to raise money. While she has only set a modest goal of $200 to raise, I think the readers at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog can quite literally blow that number out of the water--by a long shot!

With nearly 200,000 visitors expected to visit my blog between now and the time Amy walks in this event, there's absolutely no reason why we couldn't raise $2,000, $20,000, or even $200,000 as our show of support behind what she is doing to help raise money for this noble endeavor to save these innocent children. It's well within our reach and I publicly challenge my readers to give generously.

Amy says she realizes Rachel's birth was a gift from God.

"But many are not so fortunate. I'm sure it was the research and funding from organizations like the March of Dimes that made the treatments and tests my daughter recieved possible. Please help us raise money for this very worthy cause. The very lives of many children will depend on it."

So here is the challenge. Go to Amy Dungan's WalkAmerica page and sponsor her with the best possible gift you can afford. If you can give $100 or more, then I know Amy will appreciate it so much. But even if the most you can afford is $1, $5, or $10, all of those gifts can and will add up.

It's mindboggling to think about, but if everyone who visits "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" in the next two months simply gave $1 towards this effort, then we will have together raised around $200,000! WHOA that's some serious dough people! Can you imagine the possibilities if we all just band together behind this as a show of support for a fellow low-carb blogger?

I'm a big believer in miracles because I have experienced two of the best ones that have ever happened in my life--my 180+ pound weight loss and that gorgeous woman who I now call my wife. Will we see another miracle take place by the time April 28th rolls around? I sincerely hope so and urge you to give from the heart so that the Rachels and Christines of this world have a fighting chance to live.

Labels: Amy Dungan, blog, blogger, Healthy Low-Carb Living, low-carb, March of Dimes, St. Louis, WalkAmerica

The new Atkins Advantage Caramel bars are my personal fave

Have you tried an Atkins Advantage bar lately from Atkins Nutritionals? If not, then you may be oblivious to the fact that the formulation has changed and it's for the BETTER. Much better than they used to be if you ask me. These healthy low-carb protein bars are now a delicious and nutritious snack for those times when you need some low-carb nourishment during your hectic and busy lifestyle.

In fact, just last Sunday when I was on the set of the upcoming George Clooney movie "Leatherheads" as an extra, guess what I brought along with me to tide me over until our break for lunch? Yep, it was a couple of Atkins Advantage bars because they are so convenient and ready-to-eat anytime you feel the hunger pangs calling your name.

Whether it is the original Atkins Advantage bars or the new and oh-so-delicious Atkins Advantage Caramel bars, you can rest assured these bars are the lowest in sugar (only 1g per bar compared with 18g in a Power Bar), highest in protein (a staggering 17g per bar compared with only 8g in the heavily-marketed Slim-Fast bars), and contain more fiber than any other protein bar on the market today (6g per bar compared with nearly ZERO found in the Zone and Balance bars).

As if I haven't given you reason enough already, how about a sweet incentive to try an Atkins Advantage bar for yourself? Would you like to try a FREE BAR?! Yep, you heard me right. You can receive an Atkins Advantage bar at no cost to you compliments of our friends at Atkins Nutritionals. COOL DEAL, huh?!

What's the catch? There isn't one--you REALLY DO get a FREE BAR!

Atkins Nutritionals is so convinced that consumers living a healthy lifestyle will prefer the great taste and superior nutrition of their Atkins Advantage bars compared to any of the other major protein bars on the market today that they want to give you one so you can compare them side-by-side.

Take the Nutrition Challenge and simply share what you currently use as your regular protein bar, a valid e-mail address, and your zip code. That's it!

Once you provide this very minimal information, you will then be taken to a page to print out one of two options to redeem your FREE Atkins Advantage bar--an IMMEDIATE printable coupon that will allow you to Buy One Bar Get One Free OR a downloadable form that you can mail to Atkins Nutritionals for a coupon redeemable for your complimentary bar.

Don't delay on this unique opportunity to get a FREE Atkins Advantage bar because the offer expires on March 31, 2007 and is only limited to the first 10,000 requests. Be sure to write on your redemption form for your FREE bar that you heard about this offer from the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog. :)

In case you missed my exclusive interview with Atkins Nutritionals VP of Nutrition Information and Education Colette Heimowitz last Fall, be sure to read it to see how far Atkins Nutritionals has come enduring through the hardship of a very trying public bankruptcy in 2005 to once again rise to the top of their industry stronger than ever.

Labels: Atkins, Atkins Nutritionals, bar, diet, low-carb, product, weight loss

The media coverage and spin of the stunning new research out of Stanford University published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) confirming the Atkins diet is best that came out earlier this week has continued at a feverish pace in these past few days.

All of this attention reminds me of exactly what happened about a year ago when another JAMA study looked at low-fat diets over an 8-year period and concluded they were completely ineffective for maintaining weight loss and improved health over the long-term. Now these same people are in panic mode and attempting damage control...AGAIN! How much longer will this song and dance charade about the low-fat diet continue? As an intrigued observer of diet and health, I'M LOVIN' THIS!

There have been a few bright spots in the coverage of the Stanford study:

- "Weight of the Evidence" blog author Regina Wilshire's brilliant compilation of quotable quotes from all the so-called "experts" which will have you rolling out of your chair in laughter! Regina, you are GOOD! :) I wish I'd written that!

- New York Times science blogger John Tierney and his outstanding and quite balanced column entitled "The Low-Fat Diet Flunks Another Test." Take a look at the nearly 200 comments that post alone has generated so far. They will be well worth your time to review.

- Mark Sisson's "Daily Apple" blog explains "Why The Atkins Diet Works" and makes a very valid point that if the Ornish low-fat diet had been the one that produced the most weight loss and best improvements in health in that study, then don't you know they'd be falling all over themselves to say, "See, we were right!" But since it didn't happen, they're having to spin it as irrelevant. Thought-provoking piece!

- In case you missed the fireworks that ensued during the RevolutionHealth.com teleconference call debate featuring Dr. Michael Dansinger (who I will be interviewing here VERY soon!) and Dr. James Hill along with a whole buncha low-carb supporters on Tuesday night, then be sure to listen to the one-hour audio of it by clicking here. You'll hear yours truly and others in the low-carb community articulate our message that the low-fat monopoly has got to stop. There's no doubt in my mind that we need more open forums like this one if we are ever going to progress forward with ways to help people take on their obesity.

Okay, so there's been some good coverage along with the bad. That's certainly a change from what is generally an overwhelmingly biased anti-Atkins, anti-fat, anti-meat agenda from the mainstream media. And when I was interviewed for twenty minutes by The Baltimore Sun reporter Chris Emery on Monday about my success on the Atkins diet, I was encouraged that quite possibly he would feature a positive story about a real life major low-carb weight loss success story in his coverage of the JAMA study.

It didn't happen.

In fact, Emery chose not to use my story at all in ANY of the series of articles he wrote about the JAMA study over the past few days. He did include one of my readers from the Baltimore area named Pamela Waltos in this column covering the significance of this new research. I agreed to help him find a Baltimore low-carbers and was happy to help.

But take a look at today's column from Emery. The headline screams "Dieting: Battling the yo-yo effect" and it quickly gets into the story of a man who allegedly "failed" on a low-carb diet. Because don't you know everyone who goes on a low-carb diet like Atkins will OBVIOUSLY gain it back, right?! UGH!

This is why I am happy to see Dana Carpender stepping up to the plate to write a book about people who have succeeded on low-carb and why they did because it's as if people like me don't even exist. Yoo hoo, helllllloooo, here we are people...I lost lots of weight on a low-carb diet and have kept it off for over three years--dare I say it, LONG-TERM! GASP! How can this be?

One quote from the "failed" low-carber in the story is telling:

"Once you start cheating it's a slippery slope. You get lazy and [the weight] starts coming back."

Well DUH! That's why you have to make the low-carb diet your permanent LIFESTYLE change--one of the themes you will hear me repeat early and often here at my blog. And it is a point I made to Emery about my own experience when he asked me specifically where I came up with the idea of a lifetime commitment.

"Dr. Atkins recommends it in his books," I said. "Oh," Emery responded.

You'll notice in Emery's column today that he includes the concept of lifestyle change, but fails to truly illustrate that point with real-life examples. Why would he simply omit a major low-carb weight loss success story like mine when it drives home the very point he is trying to communicate with his column? Personally, I don't care if he used my story or not, but at least share with the readers of The Baltimore Sun that there are many examples of people doing very well over the long-term by livin' la vida low-carb. That's all.

The bottom line is this: If the Atkins diet didn't work for you, then walk over to the mirror to see the reason why. Most people who read Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, embrace the concepts in that book, implement those ideas into their lifestyle, and then commit to doing those things for the rest of their life tend to do extremely well. That's how I lost 180 pounds in one year, but more importantly, how I've been able to keep the weight off ever since.

We need to get people to start caring about losing weight and getting healthy. Until that happens, all the diets and supposed lifestyle changes in the world aren't going to change a thing. If all the obesity-related diseases that have inflicted tens of millions over the past couple of decades isn't enough to wake people up to the reality of this serious problem, then what will?

That's why you will hear me say over and over again that it is the personal responsibility of people who are overweight or obese to stop making excuses for their weight problem and to start implementing strategies to make that happen. If you try something and it's just not for you, then try something else. I earnestly believe there is such a thing as "the perfect diet" and it is tailored to the individual.

The obesity problem will not go away on its own, but we can change the inevitability of this epidemic by providing people with a multiplicity of choices they can feel confident in. If and when that day comes, we may finally see more long-term compliance to a weight loss plan that REALLY works.

But why wait for that? Start livin' la vida low-carb TODAY! It may be just the lifestyle change you've been looking for. Let me know if I can help or encourage you in any way on this amazing journey.

Contact reporter Chris Emery and urge him to write a follow-up column featuring people who have experienced long-term low-carb weight loss success by e-mailing chris.emery@baltsun.com.

Labels: Atkins, diet, health, JAMA, lifestyle change, low-carb, Stanford, study, weight loss

Here we go with my most engaging and controversial podcast yet in Episode 32 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore." If you thought I stirred up the pot before, then you ain't seen nothing yet! Click on the play button below or the "Play In Popup" link to see what I did (unless you're some wacko radical vegan, then I think you're gonna LOVE it!):

Want to have a good laugh today? Watch this video of "Steven the Vegan":


ROTFL! You know, we laugh at a humorous video like this, but can't you just see a vegan reacting that way with such fire-breathing anger that anyone would dare ask WHY they would ever eat that way? No wonder recent study found vegans to be less intelligent than their meat-eating counterparts. They could really use some animal fat in their diet! :)

The most interesting aspect of veganism to me is the fact that so many of them have become so deeply entrenched in their hatred for anyone who would even think about eating an animal product that they have lost sight of why they eat that way to begin with. Instead, they simply want to get all upset and whine whenever they are challenged on their diet.

But, I'm not opposed to hearing from dissenting voices about what I said in my podcast show about vegans today, so please share your reaction to Episode 32 today. If you support a vegan or even vegetarian lifestyle and think you can clearly articulate why you do without making some derogatory comments about the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins and the low-carb diet that he endorsed (like calling people "morons" for doing the Atkins diet), then I'm all ears. Hit me with your best shot, baby!

Want more ways to catch the 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

To go vegan or not to go vegan really isn't a question in my mind. It's a no-brainer to me because there is no way I would have EVER lost over 180 pounds had it not been for all those delicious and nutritious animal fat-laden meats I have consumed over the past three years. Mmm mmm!

That's just a fact that the anti-meat activists are gonna have to deal with. While these people want low-carbers to convince them eating meat is healthy, I simply respond to that by stating convince me it is not.

So what do you think about this? Provide your comments and share your thoughts. You can also share your reaction to today's show by calling our listener comment line at (206) 203-4192.

I appreciate you listening to "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" today. A special welcome to the people visiting today from the Greenville/Spartanburg, SC area who saw my podcast show featured on the news last night. I'm not usually THIS fired up about a topic, but sometimes it takes a little passion to stir people up a bit so they'll stop and think about what is most important to them. That's something you'll always get from me!

This podcast show airs on Mondays and Thursdays right here as well as on iTunes and I invite you to come back again next week when once again we will dive head-first into the wonderful world of livin' la vida low-carb! SEE YA!

Jimmy Moore documented his Atkins diet experience in a book

With all the attention being paid to the Atkins diet today following the release of this major study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, I have to admit I am personally disturbed by what I have witnessed as an antagonistic demeanor amongst the health elites responding to the healthy low-carb nutritional approach.

As I noted in this blog post regarding a teleconference call debate between Dr. Michael Dansinger and Dr. James Hill that took place on Tuesday night (CLICK HERE for the audio), the spin coming from the low-fat diet supporters on this new positive Atkins diet study is this: sure, you can lose weight following the Atkins, low-carb diet, but the impact is only for the short-term--there is no evidence that anyone can possibly stay on a diet like this beyond one year.

Say what?!

In response to that ridiculous claim, I only have to look in my own mirror to know that assessment is about as far away from the truth as it can possibly be. Why? Because I lost 180 pounds in one year on the Atkins diet three years ago. Yep, that's me--Jimmy Moore--and I am all too happy to share my low-carb weight loss success since these so-called health "experts" choose to ignore people like me.

Do you want to take a wild guess what happened to my weight after the end of that one year when I lost 180 pounds? Did I simply balloon back up to 410 pounds again and prove these "experts" were right that people can't keep a low-carb diet up over the long-term? Yeah right! NOT!

Um, I hate to break the news to 'em, but not only have I kept the 180 pounds I lost in 2004 off of my body, but I've dropped an additional ten pounds in the process. And, more importantly, my weight has remained stable for well over two years now--the longest such stint in my 35 years of life where I haven't seen drastic weight fluctuations. Check out my dramatic BEFORE and AFTER pictures!

Unless you've walked in my shoes as a morbidly obese man, then you cannot possibly know how incredibly freeing it is to not have to worry about whether you will have to keep buying new pants because they ripped out in the crotch or new shirts because the buttons keep shooting off of them from that fat belly. Additionally, you never realize how precious having excellent health is until you've seen it seeping out of your body ever-so-slowly and then miraculously have it given right back to you.

That's EXACTLY what the Atkins diet did for me.

While the study participants who were on the Atkins diet only lost a modest 10 pounds in one year, the overwhelming majority of people (like these other low-carb weight loss succes stories) are able to lose A WHOLE LOT MORE WEIGHT when they have committed themselves fully to the low-carb diet as a lifestyle change that they will continue doing for the rest of their lives.

The health gurus think the Atkins/low-carb diet is okay as a temporary fix for weight loss, but don't stay on it for very long because it COULD POSSIBLY MAYBE PERCHANCE lead to health problems. Does this make any sense at all to you? Why would people who successfully lose weight on the Atkins diet want to change the method they used to lose the weight? Do these people think we're all a bunch of idiots or something?

This is an issue that just absolutely baffles me to no end. The double-speak that comes out of the mouths of "experts" purporting to provide dietary advice is glaring. On the one hand they say that it's okay to do the Atkins diet as long as you only do it for the short-term. But then without taking a breath, these same people assert that there are grave concerns over the long-term impact of eating a low-carb diet.

So which is it? That's like saying it's okay to breathe in methane gas into your lungs for an hour, but be sure you don't do it beyond that hour or it may be dangerous. If you truly believe something is hazardous to your health, then does it really matter how long you do it? Of course not! Yet, that's exactly what these people are saying about the Atkins diet. That's what people here in the South call bassackwards!

I know my low-carb weight loss success story is but one example out there, but it should not be dismissed by those who oppose the low-carb approach to weight loss and improved health. As much as they hate to admit it, I'm a living, breathing, alive-and-well example of someone who is living proof they are just plain WRONG when it comes to their opinions about the Atkins/low-carb nutritional approach. In fact, they couldn't be MORE wrong if they tried.

The truth about livin' la vida low-carb (that's the catchy phrase I use to describe my permanent commitment to the low-carb way of life now) is in the dramatic changes that happened in my life as a result of this amazing way of eating:

From 410 pounds to 220 pounds
From 62 inch waist to 38 inch waist
From 5XL shirt size down to XL
From HDL cholesterol of 23 up to 72
From triglycerides of 227 down to 43
From blood pressure of 180/95 down to 125/80
From body fat percentage of 52% down to 11%
From three prescription meds to ZERO in nine months

On and on I could go talking about the dramatic changes that happened to me, but suffice it to say they are endless. It saddens me that people have been pushed away from even trying to lose weight on the Atkins diet because of all the negativity they have heard from the media and the medical community. Let me encourage you to ignore the propaganda machine that is against low-carb and learn the truth about the health dangers of excessive consumption of sugar, refined carbohydrates, and junk food.

If you are overweight, obese, or just plain sick and reading this right now and deep within your heart want to believe the Atkins diet could work for you, then it's time to meet someone who has been through the pain of obesity, taken the steps to begin a new healthy low-carb lifestyle, implemented those changes in his life permanently, and never lost sight of where he has been or how far he has come.

It would be my distinct privilege if you would allow me the opportunity to interact with you via e-mail to bring you just a glimmer of hope and inspiration on this amazing journey. Write to me anytime with your questions or comments at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

You may be interested in some other resources I have available, including my blog, my podcast show, and my book entitled Livin' La Vida Low-Carb: My Journey From Flabby Fat To Sensationally Skinny In One Year. I am so grateful for the chance to share my Atkins diet weight loss story with the world and make it abundantly clear that there are REAL people who have done VERY well on this diet despite what the low-fat spin doctors are saying.

Don't let the media and those so-called "experts" frighten you to the point that you do NOTHING about your weight and health. Do you want to see your health continue to decline? Probably not! But you need to take that first step and do low-carb the RIGHT way by constantly educating yourself about what it is all about and then DO IT!

If you are wanting to find what could very well be the lasting answer to your obesity problem, then how about giving the Atkins/low-carb diet a try. It quite literally changed the course of my life forever for the better and the same can happen for YOU, too!

Yo ho hey there everybody! THANKS for checking in at the "30-In-30" Low-Carb Weight Loss Challenge blog today for weigh-in day. Are you going along well in your low-carb lifestyle? Do you feel you are progressing even if the scale may not say so? Feel free to share your comments about your progress on your low-carb plan.

Today's topic I want to talk about deals with those people in your life who I like to describe as "negative naysayers." Oh, you know who I'm talking about. While these people who are your friends and family may come across as very supportive in your efforts to lose weight and get healthy, the truth is they don't want you to do it with a low-carb diet.

Yes, the constant negative bias against the low-carb lifestyle is one of the biggest challenges you will face when you make this way of eating your preferred method for weight loss. I heard so many of these ridiculous excuses for NOT doing low-carb often enough that I had to devote several pages of my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" book to help people counter each of them.

It really is a sad state of affairs when you are sincerely doing what you think is best for YOU to lose weight and get healthy--and yet people oppose HOW you are doing it! What's up with that?! Shouldn't people applaud your desire to shed the pounds for good with a healthy nutritional approach? Don't count on it!

As much as you and I would love to have the approval of our misinformed loved ones, the fact of the matter is most people don't know enough about low-carb living to understand how and why it works. I think the research that is coming out about it is helping, but we are still a long way from universal acceptance.

So what do you do in the meantime with people trying to bring you down for choosing a low-carb diet such as Atkins, Protein Power, or South Beach? Very simple...just keep on doing what you know is right for you and simply ignore the negativity. Yes, it can be difficult especially if you tend to take things personally.

Remember, though, they aren't hoping YOU will fail in your weight loss efforts (unless they are sadistic or something!), but rather they want their preconceived notions about low-carb diets to be confirmed in your failure. But guess what? This is an opportunity for you to show them that low-carb does work for weight loss and vastly improved health.

We are in a slow turnaround in thinking about low-carb diets in the United States and worldwide. Even with people like me who have lost over 180 pounds and kept it off for several years now, there are the doubters. But that's THEIR problem, not mine or yours. Eventually, they'll discover what we already know--LOW-CARB IS A HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF FOR GOOD!

One of my readers recently sent me an e-mail after I was called an "idiot" for believing in and promoting the low-carb lifestyle at my blog. Here's what she wrote:

There are a lot of young people out there that can eat anything and remain very healthy usually until middle age. They laugh and scoff at those of us who are fat and sick. They blame us for all our deficiencies, because they eat "vegetarian," "fruitarian," "low-fat," "Standard American" diets and are completely healthy and well...for now!

Well, I used to be one of those nitwits but without the laughing and scoffing. I never really thought about why I remained skinny and healthy. I just was.

However, those that laugh and scoff today are in for a really, really big surprise one day, if they don't suffer a massive heart attack at the age of 50 when skiing down the Rockies or participating in a marathon and don't really have time to think about it.

I call it the folly of "some" youth. They say, "Look at me, I'm perfect, indestructible, in-tune, cool," etc. ad nauseum.

Just keep up your good work Jimmy and keep spreading the truth about what low-carb living is all about. Most of us love you and what you are doing exactly the way you are.

THANK YOU! And that's my charge to you. Let these "negative naysayers" (mostly young and stupid-LOL!) have their yukkity-yuk moments about our low-carb diets because their day really is coming. Sooner or later, they'll be running to you for help when they get diabetes, obesity, cancer, or even worse.

You are eating healthier than you ever have before thanks to low-carb, so stand tall, hold your head high, be proud of your decision to eat this way, and NEVER EVER EVER let anyone deter you from moving full speed ahead on this lifestyle change for the rest of your long and healthy life!

The best evidence of the effectiveness of low-carb is in the lives that are directly changed by it. Won't you join me and the millions of others who have tasted the glory of triumph over a lifelong struggle with obesity? Don't you ever give up because your best days are still ahead of you. NOW GO GET 'EM!!!

Do you have a thought to share about any encounters with the negativity and how you overcome them? Please share those with us and don't forget to update your low-carb weight loss progress. :) I look forward to hearing from you today!

Labels: 30-in-30, diet, health, healthy, low-carb, naysayers, negative

It may seem early to start thinking about the best low-carb and health web sites of 2007, but Low-Carb Monthly Magazine is already looking for nominations for the "best" and "worst" blogs and sites focused on the subject of low-carb living. As a regular reader of the various low-carb web sites and blogs online, most of you probably already have your finger to the pulse of who is doing an outstanding job and who is not.

SO SHARE YOUR OPINIONS!

Here is what CEO Mark Moxom from Low-Carb Monthly said about his call for nominations for the prestigious distinction of "the best" low-carb and health sites on the Internet in 2007:

"The world has moved on and things change from month to month. In the last twelve months over 28,000 new low-carb and health web sites have appeared on the Internet, ranging from the mediocre to very good. No one has the time or resources to visit them all on their own, but together we can virtually inspect nearly all of them. Many readers said that they thought we should include low-carb and health blogs as there are quite a number now that are actually very good. Well, we agree and after a little thought and deliberation we have opened up a new category specifically for blogs. So if you want to nominate and vote for your favorite low-carb or health blog as well as your favorite low-carb or health web site--now's your chance to do just that!"

If you would like to see a comprehensive listing of most of the current web sites and blogs in the wonderful world of livin' la vida low-carb, then please visit my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Links" blog and browse around. Tell Low-Carb Monthly who you like the best and who you think is the worst by using this online form.

You may only vote once for each blog or web site you support and despise, so please be sure to use the full web address for each site that you nominate (i.e. www.yourfavoritelowcarbwebsite.com). You will be asked for your full name, e-mail address, city, state, country and nominations for best/worst low-carb web site and best/worst low-carb blog.

Your information will be kept confidential, but will help Low-Carb Monthly track the votes for the various sites entered. This should be fun and nominations are being accepted NOW through May 31, 2007. GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE LOW-CARB BLOGS AND WEB SITES!

Labels: best, blog, low-carb, low-carb monthly, magazine, Mark Moxom, nominate, web site, worst

In Episode 31 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore," I want to share with you one of the most heartbreaking e-mails I have received in the nearly two-year history of blogging. It's a sad story from a young lady who reached out to me when she felt nobody else would listen. Click on one of the links below to hear the disturbing message this beautiful person had to share with me:

While I absolutely LOVE receiving correspondence from people who read my blog or hear about my low-carb weight loss success story, sometimes I get the sense from some of them that I am their last hope and they are at their wits end about what to do about their obesity. Such is the case with an e-mail I received about a year ago and featured in Episode 31 today. My wife Christine makes her big podcast debut in this episode today as she did an outstanding job reading the e-mail from my reader expressing all the hurt and emotion of how she perceives her life to be.

Here's just a taste of what my reader shared:

"I admit to being weak when it comes to doing anything about my weight. How can I possibly save myself if I'm too weak? Some days, I wish I wouldn't wake up...it'd make things easier...maybe for everyone."

Man, can I be honest with you? That e-mail has stuck with me all these months later and still makes me shudder every time I read it. Share your comments about what this young woman predicament and even provide her with the encouragement she needs to come out of her abyss. I don't know if she will ever see it or know how much we care, but that's not gonna stop me from trying.

Here are some of the other ways to catch the podcast:

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

After listening to this sweet soul sharing her sorrowful story about her weight loss struggle, do you see yourself in that same boat? Does the worlds seem so cruel and hateful towards you that you just wish you could die, too? If that's you, then let me invite you to share how you are feeling because the listeners of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show" have been there at one point ourselves.

Don't let this issue bring you down so low that you rob yourself of the joyous, bright future that awaits you. I could have done that when I weighed over 400 pounds three years ago...but I didn't! Instead, I started on a lifelong journey that has me in the best place of my entire life physically, mentally, in my career, and in so many other ways I probably don't even realize yet.

If you feel more comfortable writing to me privately about it, then you can e-mail me anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. I promise you will NOT be ridiculed or shamed because of how you honestly feel about your weight. It's natural to be upset, but I want to encourage you with a personal word of hope and inspiration from my own life. That's my promise to you regardless of how overweight or obese you are.

Be sure to come back on Thursday for "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" as I again take on a controversial topic of interest, especially for those of us who support the low-carb lifestyle--VEGANISM! I can tell you now, fireworks are gonna fly on that one! CHECK IT OUT! :)

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

Independent filmmaker C.J. Hunt is "In Search of the Perfect Human Diet"

Okay, low-carbers, are you ready to lend your support to something worthwhile that could very well impact the health of litterally hundreds of thousands and maybe even millions of people? If so, then you need to learn more about a brand new documentary coming out from an ambitious independent movie producer named C.J. Hunt. The name of this film is "In Search of the Perfect Human Diet" and it's everything that you've ever wanted to see in a movie about the health crisis we face not just in America, but around the globe!

"In Search of the Perfect Human Diet" is still in the process of being filmed right now, but this phenomenal project is going to attempt to come up with the ultimate solution to the biggest health threat of our generation--OBESITY! What a noble cause this is and I want to invite you to be a part of the process because livin' la vida low-carb will be a prominent part of that solution. More about how you can join the effort in a moment.

Interestingly, you'll be pleased to know there are many well-respected and legitimate experts interviewed in the film, including Marion Nestle from New York University, Dr. Michael R. Eades who wrote Protein Power, Dr. Barry Sears who authored The Zone Diet, Dr. Abby Bloch from the Atkins Foundation, Dr. Jay Wortman from the Canadian Inuit Diet Research, Dr. Steve Phinney who has done extensive work on low-carb diets and physical performance, Mrs. Veronica Atkins, Dr. Mary C. Vernon from the University of Kansas, Dr. Eric Westman from Duke University...and the list just goes on and on!

On a personal note, I am thrilled that Hunt asked me if I would share my low-carb weight loss success story on camera, so he will be filming me at the end of this month. What an exciting and humbling opportunity to be in this film with some of the true giants in the diet and health industry! We need more people to get engaged in sharing with the world about what "the perfect diet" is all about because obviously what is being recommended right now isn't working very well.

This remarkable film has an ambitious distribution plan in place, too--Hunt wants to show it on PBS stations all across America, release it to movie theaters before the end of the year, and then release it on DVD in 2008. This is a dream project for people who have been wanting the truth to be told in a compelling format like a documentary film, but there's only one thing keeping that from happening--MONEY!

As you can imagine, something of this magnitude doesn't just happen automatically. In addition to the tenacity to craft the message in a compelling format that interests the general public, it also requires a bit of sacrifice and faith in the overall mission of what is attempting to be accomplished.

Hunt has quite literally poured his heart and soul into making "In Search of the Perfect Human Diet" the most professional and thorough film in support of examining what a healthy diet REALLY looks like. And I'll give you a hint...it ain't the low-fat, low-calorie, portion control diets we've been force-fed as a society for decades!

Watch this film demo to get a taste of what Hunt is doing and at the very least get on the mailing list for the DVD so you can own a copy of this monumental groundbreaking investigative documentary exposing what's keeping the population fat as soon as it is available.

Earlier in this post, I told you that you could lend your support to something worthwhile and join this effort--so here it is! Become a FILM ANGEL for "In Search of the Perfect Human Diet." What's that, you ask? Very simply, it's a way for you to sow a seed of confidence and appreciation into this film to insure it will be seen by those who need it the most and make the kind of lasting impression that Hunt and his team are expecting it to in our culture.

Whether you can give $1, $100, $1,000 or even a lot more than that, the message of this film is much too powerful and vitally important for those of us who are passionate about healthy living to sit on the sidelines and watch this opportunity just pass us by while obesity keeps getting worse and worse. We literally need to put our money where our mouth is and give generously to this noble project. The funds are sorely needed in the upcoming months to help offset the post-production costs such as film editing, distribution, and the PBS broadcast fees (you can't imagine the costs involved with putting this on public television!). Won't you consider donating something TODAY?

In fact, Hunt has put together a special incentive package for donations of $100 or more:

Your name will be in the credits on the film

A complimentary special edition DVD which includes an additional special features, a personal message from executive producer C.J. Hunt, and specially shipped directly to you in a limited edition commemorative case in late 2007

Your name will be credited on the official website

A FILM ANGELS commemorative DVD case

First notice of the film's theatrical premiere

An individualized FILM ANGEL "thank you" certificate

Click here to become a FILM ANGEL or send a check or money order to:

The PHD FILM ANGELS
c/o CJH3 Productions, LLC
P.O. Box 460951
San Francisco, CA 94146-0951

Be sure to tell C.J. Hunt in the comments section or in your snail mail letter that you heard about "In Search of the Perfect Human Diet" from Jimmy Moore at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog. He's a big fan of the work I am doing with my various web sites and podcast show and greatly respects the readers and listeners who have faithfully supported what I am doing on a daily basis to spread the truth. Now he is asking for your help with his documentary.

You've been looking for a way to show your support for livin' la vida low-carb in a way that can have a very real effect on the people around you and across the country. Well, here it is, folks! Please sign up to become a FILM ANGEL as soon as possible and let producer C.J. Hunt know you are behind his efforts to share the truth about diet and health. We've been needing something like this for decades and it looks like 2007 is our time! Let's make it happen people!

Labels: C.J. Hunt, diet, documentary, film, FILM ANGELS, health, In Search Of The Perfect Diet, low-carb, movie, support

Get ready for Episode 30 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" as I'm sure to ruffle more than just a few feathers. It's controversial and you can see what all all the fuss is about RIGHT NOW by clicking on one of the links below:

Alright, now I've gone and did it in Episode 30 today. Yep, if you are one of those people who believe you are perfectly fine being overweight or obese, then this podcast show is for YOU today. I don't mean to burst your bubble if you think you are living a healthy lifestyle, but the fact is you are not.

Share your comments about this touchy subject of "fat acceptance" and tell me why I shouldn't doubt this as a legitimate movement that is helping people. I'm just not buying it because people don't need to accept their fat--they need to LOSE it!

Check out the podcast in any of the following ways:

1. Listening at the official web site
2. Going to iTunes
3. Calling (818) 688-2763 to listen via Podlinez
4. Subscribing to the RSS feed

Are you a member of the "fat acceptance" movement in the United States and want to defend why you are happy with weighing 50, 100, or 200 pounds overweight? If so, then I invite you to tell us all about it so we can understand why you believe the way you do. As a former 400-pounder, I cannot fathom ANYONE who is as morbidly obese as I was simply accepting their weight problem without doing something about it.

THANK YOU for listening today and come back on Monday for another new and exciting episode of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore."

Labels: fat acceptance, health, Jimmy Moore, low-carb, obesity, podcast, The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show