Atkins Recipe and a Contest

Hey everyone! Just a quick post to tell you about my latest on Examiner. I gave a quick review of the new Atkins penne pasta and a yummy recipe. Just keep in mind that the penne is really suited to someone on maintenance. But it does taste great and if you are wanting the occasional pasta treat, this will work nicely.

Atkins Chicken over Penne

I also wanted to let you know that Atkins is having a great contest right now. If you like coming up with recipes then this contest is for you. Looks like lots of great prizes.

Atkins Recipe Contest

Hope you win! :)

Atkins announces return of peanut butter products

(Reprint from my Examiner column)

The recent peanut butter scare had manufacturers pulling products off the shelves faster than you can say salmonella, and with good reason. While many companies, like Atkins Nutritionals, believe the products they recalled were more than likely safe, no one wants to be the company that wasn’t careful. For that reason many low-carbers had to say good-bye to their favorite snack bars for a while. But rejoice oh deprived ones! Atkins has just announced the return of all things peanut butter-ish.

Atkins Snack Bars Now Available at Atkins.com and in Stores Nationwide

DENVER, CO. (March 2, 2009) - Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. ("Atkins"), with its market-leading, weight-management products, announced that your favorite Atkins(tm) bars are back! Atkins has moved quickly to replace those bars voluntarily recalled in the nationwide recall. New bars are now available for purchase at atkins.com and will be in retail stores across the country by mid-March.

"We've worked quickly to replace your favorite Atkins bars so you can resume enjoying our delicious products," said Jennifer McGhee, VP of Marketing for Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. "We are confident that our ingredients and snack bars are inspected and certified to be safe, wholesome and nutritious."

The following reformulated Atkins bars are now available for purchase:
• Advantage® Chocolate Peanut Butter
• Advantage® Peanut Fudge Granola
• Advantage® Peanut Butter Granola
• Day Break(tm) Cranberry Almond
• Day Break(tm) Peanut Butter Fudge Crisp
• Endulge(tm) Peanut Caramel Cluster

Visit Atkins.com for more information.

Atkins voluntarily recalls peanut products

Reprint from my Examiner column



While Atkins Nutritionals believes all of it's peanut containing products to be safe, they have decided to pull some of the products in their line just to be safe. Below is the press release and contact information, should you need it.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ATKINS(tm) NUTRITIONALS PARTICIPATES IN VOLUNTARY PEANUT RECALL

DENVER, CO. (January 31, 2009) - On January 20, Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. (Atkins) announced that none of its products were affected by the widely publicized recall of peanut butter and peanut paste processed at the Blakely, Georgia facility of Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), and linked to an outbreak of Salmonella related complaints and illnesses. On January 28, 2009, PCA unexpectedly expanded its voluntary recall to include all peanuts and peanut products processed at its Georgia facility. Although Atkins products contain no peanut butter or peanut paste sourced from PCA, four Atkins products do contain granulated peanuts, or peanut pieces, sourced from PCA's Georgia facility. As a result of PCA's expanded recall, Atkins has determined to voluntarily recall these four Atkins products out of an abundance of caution because they contain granulated peanuts recalled by PCA. While Atkins has determined to voluntarily participate in this recall, purely as a precautionary measure, out of concern for our consumers and retail customers, we are confident all our products are safe. Atkins requires extensive laboratory testing of all ingredients used in every Atkins product, and our finished products are also rigorously tested. As a result of Atkins' food safety protocols, and the extensive laboratory testing on all Atkins products, no Salmonella contamination has been found in any of the Atkins products subject to this recall, but the Company is taking this step to assure our consumers that food safety is our highest priority.

Only the following products are subject to this voluntary recall:

Advantage Chocolate Peanut Butter

Advantage Peanut Fudge Granola

Day Break Peanut Butter Fudge Crisp

Endulge Peanut Caramel Cluster

For Advantage Chocolate Peanut Butter bars, only products manufactured after April 2008 are subject to the recall and detailed information pertaining to affected lot numbers is available at www.atkins.com.

No other Atkins products are affected by this recall. Atkins apologizes to consumers and retail customers for the inconvenience resulting from this recall. If consumers find that they have any of these products in their possession, they are asked not to consume the products. Consumers seeking a replacement or refund for recalled products should call Atkins Consumer Hotline number, 1-8.... Atkins intends to update this notice as the situation develops.

People infected with Salmonella can have some or all of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious disease, including headache, joint pain, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

NOTE: If you are one of our Great Start Giveaway winners and will be getting the Atkins gift pack, we have removed all bars that were included in the recall and are replacing with them with other options. The folks at Atkins even mentioned tossing in some extra goodies for you. :)

Atkins bars could be yours!

Well, we are down to the final day of the giveaway AND the final prize. Hopefully you have sent in your entry and are ready for the big announcement tomorrow. :)

Today I want to tell you about a nice gift pack put together by the generous folks at Atkins Nutritionals. Three readers will each win a gift pack of Atkins bars containing the following:



Atkins Endulge Peanut Butter Cups

Atkins Advantage Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Atkins Endulge Caramel Nut Chew Bars

Atkins Advantage Peanut Fudge Granola Bar

Atkins Advantage Marshmallow Mudslide Bar

Atkins Advantage Chocolate Chip Granola Bar

Atkins Advantage S'mores Bar

I've tried all of these flavors and liked every one. How can you go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate?? :) While not something you should eat everyday, you can use Atkins bars and shakes for quick snacks or on-the-go meals when you have no other healthy options. I use them when I need to and they have been a lifesaver at times when I was starving and it would be a good while before I had access to low-carb food. I know some people are really against the low-carb "frankenfoods". But let me tell ya, they are certainly better than giving in to the ice cream and cake at Timmy's birthday party. And if used wisely, can be a tool to help you with your weight loss goals.

Never tried Atkins products? Here's your chance! As I said before, three lucky winners will get a gift pack with each of the aforementioned bars. So today is your last chance to send in an entry and win one of the many great prizes we have this year. Don't wait too long or you just might miss out!

Researchers Study Flies, Find a Gene Controlled by Sugar and Protein

This interesting study, which I found on one of my favorite sites, Science Daily, was conducted by several researchers from Germany. They found a gene in flies that is controlled by protein and sugar.

Researchers have discovered a gene in flies whose activity rises and falls depending upon the amount of protein and sugar in the insects' diets. The findings, reported in the April issue of Cell Metabolism, might shed light on the way the insects' bodies--and perhaps those of humans too--handle dietary extremes, including high-protein, low-carb diets like the Atkins, according to the researchers. These findings are also yielding new clues about the links between diet and life span.

To see the original article in Cell Metabolism you can go here. I'm not going to pretend to understand this study completely. My first impression is that they believe that protein causes stimulation of this gene they call tobi (target of brain insulin) and sugar causes a decrease in function of said gene. They are indicating that over-stimulation of tobi, which by this logic would be caused by too much protein, will "cause severe growth defects and a decrease in body glycogen". They believe that flies who's tobi levels are lower are viable (fit to live and grow).

While it's nice to read articles, as in Science Daily, that explain the findings of such studies, I also highly recommend you find the original study and interpret it for yourself. Many times you'll find that the authors of these articles have interjected their personal beliefs towards the findings. Big media does it ALL the time. Just take a stroll around the internet and read the headlines. Many times they are overblown to grab your attention and make you read the article. More often than not you'll find something misquoted or taken out of context. (I'm not saying Science Daily did this... it's just an example.)

With this particular study, Science Daily gives no author but states the following:

Adapted from materials provided by Cell Press, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

This leaves no clue as to who compiled this article. But whoever they are, it seems as if they have slipped in some personal ideology. No where in the original did I find mention of "extreme diets" like Atkins. They compared protein and sugar. Yes, more protein and less sugar are some components of a low-carb lifestyle, but I fail to see how this is the same.

But I digress.

I found this study fascinating and will be watching to see if it scientists can find this same gene in humans. My only objection with their statements about the possible link between human genes and fly genes is that it's based on the theory of evolution. I prefer to build my scientific facts, not on theories, but on other facts. Again this is a personal conviction that you may not have. You may believe fully in evolution. (That's your right and I'm not here to argue that.)

"The current study indicates that proteins may have a greater effect than sugars on insulin signaling, and evidence is growing that quality and not only quantity of calories taken in has an influence on life span," the researchers said. "Therefore, teasing apart the relative contributions of dietary proteins and sugars in insulin signaling should prove insightful."

I've always said that quality is more important than the quality when it comes to calorie consumption. This is why I believe that a low-carb approach works so well for most people.

Again, I don't pretend to understand this research fully. I'd love to hear your thoughts and interpretations of this study. Maybe you can bring something out that others have missed. If you'd like to share your opinions we'd love to hear from you! Just leave a comment and we'll start a discussion. :0)

Quick Weight Loss Update

Just giving you a quick update. This week I've gotten back to Atkins Induction, cut out all frankenfoods with the exception of my EAS shakes, tried to control my emotional eating tendencies and used my new food scale to help keep track of things.

Is it working? I'm feeling better and I've dropped 6 lbs. Yes. It's working wonderfully. And I haven't even started my Slow Burn program yet. I can't wait to see more muscles and less jello. Now I just have to keep it going! :0)

Weight Loss Tips Interview

Last week I was interviewed by a website called Weight Loss Tips. I'm very honored that they felt my story was worth sharing. When they contacted me about the interview I felt sure they had me mistaken for someone else.. LOL.

So here it is! If you poke around the Atkins category you'll see some other low-carb bloggers that I'm sure most of you know very well! I feel privileged to be among such company!

Have a great weekend all! Hopefully I'll see you Monday!

I've finally done it..

OK, I've finally decided to give video blogging a try. I've been hesitant because, quite frankly, I only wanted a video of me on this blog, not out in YouTube land where everyone and their dog might come across it. Makes me uncomfortable. So Blogger comes out with this feature to add video and I get all excited and film a short blogcast. Then when I try to upload it, it doesn't want to work for me. Go figure. So I finally caved in to the YouTube craze. We'll see how it goes.

The quality isn't great, but I'll work on fixing that. I filmed this with my digital camera, so it keeps trying to re-focus every time I move. Hope you don't get dizzy! LOL

So here it is. A quick review of a couple of frankenfoods. Tell me what you think? I'm an amature, so go easy on me. :0)

I just have too many questions...

After doing some extensive research online, and reading until my eyes hurt, I feel it's best if I pull away from the whole Kimkins thing. I'm going to remove the ads and sit back and see how this thing plays out. I'm very uncomfortable with some of the things I've been seeing and reading. Until I find out the truth, I'm pulling the plug.

Will I still eat the way I have been? Yes. I've realized that I eat more like Dr. Atkins suggests in the 1972 version of his Diet most of the time. A few days of the week it's Kimkins like eating. This combinations seems to be working for me. I feel it's very sad that I can't openly recommend anything related to Kimmer's plan, which might actually help someone, without being attacked or sucked into the whole controversy. So, for now, here it will end.

Am I ready to jump on the "I hate Kimmer bandwagon?" No. I'm a little too grown up for that, thank you. I quit joining in groups like that when I was in high school. I do wish she'd clear the air on some MAJOR issues that have been brought up. It would honestly make life easier on many people. But I can't force her. And all this fighting is only making everyone involved look bad. I've lost respect for several bloggers, who I consider my friends, simply because of the way they have conducted themselves in this whole affair. I feel quite sure I've been blacklisted myself because I won't say Kimkins is evil - or worse yet because I won't attack Jimmy Moore over his affiliation with it all.

I'm not interested in destroying people over this. If I feel it's worth discussing, then I'll certainly do so. But I refuse to stoop to the level of name calling and slander.

So from here on out it will be back to business.. without Kimkins ads. In time, I'll decide on where to go from here. Until then, I need answers.

A reader asks "Where do I begin?"

I recently got an e-mail from a nice reader who is interested in trying the low-carb lifestyle, but wasn't sure where to begin. I thought it might be a common question so I've decided to share my answer here.

She writes:

hello,
my name is ____ and I have been thinking of trying the low carb lifestyle! I don’t really like meat ..chicken and fish only and I just don’t know where to begin. I have _____ pounds to lose but more important I have a daughter that could lose at least ____ pounds. if I start losing I think she will follow. and pointers would be great . things that you eat that help. any info would be greatly appreciated.

thank you ....

My response:

Hi ______,


My first advice would be to decide on a plan you want to follow. It's vital you pick a plan and follow it to the letter when you are first starting out. After you've been doing that plan for a bit you can adjust things here and there and see how it works for you. But it's generally not a good idea to tweak a plan until you've seen how the original plan works for you.

I only have experience with Atkins and Kimkins(which I no longer recommend), so that's all I can really help you with. If you'd like to see a summery of the most popular plans, please feel free to visit my website and look them over at www.healthylowcarbliving.com/plans.html .

Assuming you are going to do Atkins, you should buy the book Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. It generally runs about $6 and can be found for even less at used book stores. (I also have a link you can use to buy it from Amazon.com on my plans page I mentioned above.) You also may want to opt for just borrowing one from a library. Read it from cover to cover. I can't stress this enough. The reason I'm so adamant about this is because it's vital that you understand how your chosen plan works. It makes it much easier to make the correct choices if you understand WHY you are making those choices. It will also help when naysayers try to discourage you and tempt you to stray from your plan. If you have sound scientific information rooted in your mind, then you can brush off the "you'll kill yourself on that diet" comments. You'll know better. You'll be informed while they are spouting myths they've heard from the media, who've never bothered to check out their claims either.

The first few days can be rough when starting the low-carb lifestyle. Your body is detoxing from all the simple carbs and junk it has been consuming for who knows how long. Some people refer to this as the induction flu. You may experience fatigue, headaches, achiness.. everyone is different. Or you could be like me and just have cravings for everything you know you can't have. :0) Think of it as if you were coming off of drugs. It's tough.. but once you have it out of your system, you are better off! Whatever you experience, and you may experience nothing, I urge you to give it a full week. By then you should have everything out of your system and should start feeling incredible.

You will have then reached a state of ketosis. Please don't confuse this with ketoacidosis, which is a dangerous condition sometimes seen in Type 1 diabetics. It's NOT the same. Ketosis is simply the state your body is in while burning fat for fuel. It's harmless and quickly suppresses the appetite. This is part of the beauty of a ketogenic diet - your appetite is naturally suppressed (better than any pill works!) and you burn fat as your preferred choice of fuel! You will hopefully also experience the coveted energy surge that so many have had once reaching ketosis. (I have and I love it!)

I would recommend getting in at least your daily 64 ounces of water. This does three things for you.:

1.It keeps your body hydrated, which helps keep your skins elasticity intact.
2.It helps flush toxins and fat.
3.it helps with the only low-carb complaint in the media that actually has some truth to it - bad breath.

Let me explain #3. Ketones seem to cause bad breath in some individuals. Not in everyone, and not all the time, but many have had to keep sugar free mints around just in case. Drinking plenty of water has always helped me with this. I noticed when I drank adequate amounts of water, my breath was always much more pleasant. Brushing often seems to help as well. It's a small price to pay and I've never heard of it being so severe that someone quit the diet altogether.

I also recommend a good multivitamin and calcium. These are things you should be taking no matter how you eat.

Exercise is not really an option. Sure, you can skip it - but I think you'll be happier if you do some sort of workout. Even if it's just going for a walk. When you first start losing it's difficult to get motivated to move. But as you lose you'll find that it gets easier to move about, and soon you actually FEEL like moving! Any kind of exercise is helpful and will speed along your weight loss efforts.

As for what I eat, it varies a lot. Let me just say that you can't go wrong with grilled or baked meat and some low-carb veggies. That is mostly what I eat right know and I'm losing quickly.

Don't let yourself get bored! There are tons of low-carb recipes online you can try and many great low-carb cookbooks as well. Some of my favorites are by Karen Rysavy and Dana Carpender. Experiment and have fun trying new things!

A word about low-carb products: They can be a great blessing in a low-carb lifestyle, but that can also be a curse. Don't add anything in that is not on your list until you see how your plan is working. Some people can eat all kind of extra stuff and lose, others are too sensitive to them and will not (Example: ME). Remember that these items were always meant for maintenance or to be used in moderation during the weight loss phases. Too much of a "good thing" will hinder your progress.

My final words to you would be this. Don't think of this as a diet - think of it as a permanent way of living. If you are only doing this until the weight is gone, there is a very real chance you will gain it all back.. and maybe more! That's the last thing you want after you've worked so hard, right? So make the decision that this is the way you will live from here on out, and don't let anyone deter you from that goal. I honestly believe you'll find you made the best decision for your health and happiness.

I wish you the best and will be glad to help anytime I can. I also hope you daughter follows your example!
Feel free to e-mail me anytime. :0)

Best wishes!
Amy

Do any of you have any tips for someone just starting out that I may have missed? If so, I'm sure this reader would love to hear them! Please share them in the comment section of this post. Thanks!

My future....

Since I've shared before and current pictures, I thought I'd give you a glimpse of what I'll look like at my goal weight of 135 lbs. This picture was taken in March of 2003, when I'd lost almost 50 lbs with the Atkins diet. My skirt is a size 4!! I couldn't wear 4's consistently, but I could wear 6's in everything. I'm hoping to get the same results this time. :0)

Quick update..

Scale said 178! That's one more lb gone!

I did pretty good last night. the dinner choices were pizza, chips, soda, cookies and veggies w/ dip. I had about 3 broccoli pieces, one taste of the dip (can we say Nasty???) and picked the toppings off of two pieces of pizza. I then dug an Atkins bar out of my purse, ate it, and deemed myself full.

The rehearsal was long and exhausting. Turns out I probably will only see the first few minutes of the wedding because I have to leave to get the gazebo set up for the reception. Yep.. I'm setting up the cake and all. I promise not to stick my fingers in it. :0) You can bet I'll be having another Atkins bar tonight. LOL

Later!

May 24, 2007

I'm down again today. The weight gain the scale showed yesterday, which was just under 1/2 a lb is gone. So now I'm back at 179 even.

I'm feeling a bit better than I did yesterday. I walked on the treadmill this morning for just over 30 minutes. I seemed wear out quickly, which I guess could be because of TOM. Usually when the 30 minutes are up I've kind of caught my second wind and can walk a while longer. Today I couldn't seem to find that extra umph. I also did 10 minutes of Pilates for my stomach. It doesn't sound like much, but believe me, I'll be sore tomorrow.

I'm not as hungry today as I have been the last couple of days. I made it through the whole morning without needing a snack to get me by.

I've really been craving some Chocoperfection bars lately. Maybe I'll make those one of my rewards after reaching goal. :0)

OH... I have to tell you this! It's just so sweet. My daughter just asked me if I was ready for lunch. I said yes and that I'd finish up typing and make us all something to eat. She just came back in with a cold can of Diet Coke and a chicken salad sandwich (on toast) for me. She even wrote on the paper plate in marker "I Love You Mom!" She melts my heart when she does things like that for me. I hugged her and thanked her. I asked her if she wanted my sandwich because I couldn't eat bread. She said yes and started laughing because she'd forgot about the bread part. She then comes back in with a plate for me, just chicken salad this time, and a fork. Isn't she the best!

Last night we finally got the grill I won put together. I haven't take a picture yet, but I will soon. We have to buy a couple of propane tanks today so we can use it. The hardest part will be figuring out what I want to cook on it first! :0) I'm thinking of inviting family over on Memorial day for a big cookout.

Ok.. lots to do today so I'd better get going. Keep me in your prayers tonight. I have that wedding rehearsal and dinner. I hope I can resist the temptation. It's not so much the food.. but more the social eating pressures. I feel awkward when everyone else is eating and I'm just sitting there. I also worry the host/hostess will think I'm being rude or don't like their food. LOL

The way I do it...

I've decided to write a quick post in answer to Katiep's question left in the comment section of my last post. I thought It might be beneficial for others who are wondering the same thing, which is what am I doing to lose weight.

First let me say that I'm doing the Atkins plan, which is considered the most "radical" of the low-carb plans. At present I'm doing a plan closer to the 1972 version of Atkins, than the newest version. My carbs are pretty low most of the time. I'd venture to guess they are regularly under 20 carbs. The reason I say "guess" is because I really don't know. I'm no longer keeping track because I tend to obsess over it, which seems to do me more damage than good. I have a good knowledge of what I can and can't eat, as well as the carb counts in most foods. So I look at my food choices and just mentally tally my carb counts in the meal. Sometimes I go over 20, sometimes I don't reach it. But I do not write it down or let a few grams of carbs bother me. I did that last time and I almost drove me nutso.

As an idea of my menu, here's what I normally do:

Breakfast: EAS protein shake

Mid-Morning (after workout): EAS protein shake (this is something I just started doing a couple of weeks ago)

Lunch: smoked turkey with melted cheddar/colby on top (just enough to fill a small plate - no huge portions) OR small bowl of chicken salad (I'd be glad to share my recipe) and a pickle, OR small salad and baked fish.

Mid-afternoon snack: I try not to snack between meals unless I just really feel hungry. (The after workout shake being the exception) If I do it may be a protein bar, shake, or a few ounces of cheese. I try to choose something that will last me a while.

Dinner: Grilled meats and veggies. Sometimes I'll make one of my favorite lc dishes, like Green Chili and Jack chicken. This meal will vary a lot with me since it's the meal that we almost always eat as a family.

If I am hungry between dinner and bedtime, especially if I'm wanting chocolate, I'll make my favorite flavored coffee (decaf) and sip on that through-out the evening. It really helps keep me from mindless eating.

I'll admit I don't drink near enough water. I'm a diet rite junkie. It's my biggest vice. But it could be worse so I don't concern myself over it too much. If I did drink more water I would almost bet the farm I'd lose even faster. I've seen it happen before that way.

This is just to give you a general idea. I don't count calories and I don't worry about fat.

My workouts are pretty simple right now. I spend a minimum of 30 minutes a day, but usually an hour, on my treadmill. I do this 6 days a week. I do try to make those 30+ minutes count by pushing myself enough to be sure I work up a good sweat. I am usually in dire need of a shower afterwards.

I'm also sure to take my supplements. I take a multi-vitamin, chromium, fish oil, and calcium. The calcium and multi really need no explanation. The fish oil helps with depression, as does the chromium. The chromium also has been shown to help metabolize fat. I have a book that tells all about this. I'll have to find it and share some info from it soon.

That's pretty much it. I keep it simple. I try not to indulge in lc sweets or lc junk food very often, although I do occasionally.

Do keep in mind that I still have over 45 lbs to lose. As I near goal, my loss will slow down and I'll have to be patient to see the lose last 10 lbs or so disappear. There's a chance I'll have to work a bit harder at it as well. But I NEVER plan to go back to counting like a maniac and panicking if I accidentally eat a crouton.

I don't fight my body, I work with it. I just try to live, have a good outlook, and be content where I am at right now, knowing that with each passing day I'm losing weight and seeing progress. And as long as I stick with it I'll be just fine. I think sometimes we slow ourselves down by stressing over it.

So anyhoo.. that's what I do. It's not scientific. It may not even make sense to some, but it works for me and I'm happiest doing it this way.

I'd be more than happy to share recipes, suggestions, etc with anyone who'd like me to. I used to moderate a low-carb forum several years ago, so I'm used to helping people with their menu's and such.

The Honest Confessions Of A Carb Addict

(Hey everyone! I'm now a regular columnist for www.lowcarbnewsline.com! This is my first article. Please let me know what you think!)

Hi. My name is Amy Dungan and I'm addicted to carbohydrates. I can't really say when or where the problem began. I'm sure I could trace it all the way back to my childhood somewhere. I may never be sure. What I do know is that simple carbohydrates are a huge problem for me. One taste of chocolate cake - just smelling french fries - will start my mouth watering and send my willpower into a tizzy. It's not that I want to eat junk food or be unhealthy, it just seems like I have no control over myself when the cravings hit.


I first realized I had a serious problem back in 2001. I was desperate to lose weight. I had health problems that frightened me and only got worse with each pound I gained. I had a 5 year old, a toddler, and a husband to live for. I couldn't allow myself to go to an early grave. I envisioned someone one finding me unconscious, face down in the ice cream. What I was doing to myself wasn't fair to any of us. How do I take care of my family when I can't even take care of myself?


While doing Internet research on some of the health issues I was having, I came across a website that told about the trials of being hypoglycemic. It sounded very much like some of the suffering I had been enduring. But the author didn't stop there. She continued to tell how she overcame these maladies by going on a no-sugar, low-glycemic diet. At the time it sounded like an impossible task for me. How could I give up sugar? How could I live a normal life that way? It just didn't seem realistic. What I failed to see was that I wasn't currently living a normal life, at least not a happy one. My life consisted of fatigue, pain, IBS, mood swings, severe depression and a general lack of the will to live. I was blind to the answer that was in front of me. I was also scared to give it a try. What if I just failed again? I filed the information in the back of my mind and continued my search for the magic bullet.


A few months later I came across a copy of Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. I sat down to read and spent the first few pages laughing. I was a disciple of the low-fat mantra. There was no way this low-carb stuff could be healthy or even help you lose weight. After reading further I started suspecting that someone had been watching my every move. It was as if he'd written that book just for me. I was the poster child for carb addictions. My mind flashed back to all the foods I preferred. The many times I was embarrassed because I couldn't seem to stop eating, even though I was full. The shame I felt as I hid in the bathroom while eating a candy bar, fearing that someone would notice and lecture me. The fatigue after a large meal filled with simple carbohydrates and starches. Tears filled my eyes as I realized I truly had a problem. I also experienced a huge sense of relief. I finally had an answer. All of my adult life I blamed myself for my lack of control. I berated myself for eating when I knew I shouldn't. I would become depressed over my weight, and eat high-carb foods to make myself feel better. I was in a vicious cycle.


I realized low-carb was my only hope. I spent many hours researching and asking questions. I think I lurked on every low-carb forum in existence. When I started Atkins in Nov. of 2001 I was loaded down with an arsenal of information and recipes. It didn't take long for me to realize I was on my way to a better life. In 2003 I reached goal and maintained for several months. But I failed to realize a very important truth--just as a recovering alcoholic can never go back to drinking, neither can a recovering carb addict go back to carbohydrates.


My backsliding started small. I'd have some pizza crust here, a small plate of pasta there. What I didn't notice was how often I'd started craving the very foods I had so religiously avoided for 3 years. It snowballed rapidly. The addiction once again had me in its grips.


I won't bore you with the details, but in January 2007 I started back at square one. Thankfully, I'm quickly losing weight and regaining the ground I've lost in the last couple of years. But I've learned a valuable lesson: once an addict, always an addict. As Dr. Atkins said, one bite really can be the kiss of death. Trust me on this one. It's a lesson you don't want to learn the hard way.

Sore losers...

Boo Hoo, cry me a river. Here's a tissue...

Ya know, there is nothing worse than a sore loser. They whine about how unfair something is or they talk about lack of equality. Just suck it up and admit you didn't come out on top this time! Why am I talking about this? Because of this article on Yahoo. By now I'm sure you've heard all about the JAMA study comparing diet plans and their effectiveness. As great as that is, I don't want to talk about it. You can find plenty of wonderful and informed blog posts on that topic. What I want to discuss is the whining by the other diet creators. Such as...

The study "had a good concept and incredibly pathetic execution," said Zone diet creator Barry Sears.

There may be a measure of truth in this complaint. I wasn't there to see how they conducted this study so I can't say he's completely off base. But it's still sounds like whining. This study seemed to be based on how things happen in the real world. We can't have a dietitian watching our every move to make sure we follow the plan to the letter. It's not realistic.

It's a lot easier to follow a diet that tells you to eat bacon and brie than to eat predominantly fruits and vegetables," said Dr. Dean Ornish, creator of the Ornish diet.

As for Ornish.. ugh. Where do I begin? First, he obviously is still determined to fabricate the myth that Atkins is not about fruits and veggies. He is spouting the same old lies about Atkins being an all meat and cheese diet. Second, he's admitting that Atkins is easier to follow, which frankly cracks me up. Mr. Ornish is 100% correct and this is probably the only time I've ever agreed with him. As has been mentioned a bazillion times, protein and fat fill you up and keep you satisfied. THAT is why it's easier to stick with a low-carb plan. So.. would you like a little cheese with that whine Mr. Ornish? Oops.. for give me. I forgot. You think cheese is evil. How about some tofu then.

Shouldn't everyone be happy that we are learning what may or may not help literally millions of obese people across the globe? Yes.. regardless of the findings, curing disease and helping people regain their health should be the number one concern. Why do these other diet gurus care so much that their plans didn't make the top rating? I can sum it up in 5 letters: M-O-N-E-Y. If a study comes out saying this is the best way to do something, people run like lemmings to try it. They know that most people won't do their own research and therefore will be influenced by the latest headlines. This means less book and product sales for them. I wouldn't be surprised if we see another mini low-carb craze for a while. I just hope this time people will actually read the books, educate themselves and do it correctly.

I'll be the first to admit that low-carb isn't for everyone. There is no one-size-fits-all diet plan. We have to find what works for us and make it happen. While I felt awful on a low-fat diet, and yes I'll complain about what I went through now and again, I do not condemn those who use low-fat to take care of themselves. All we want, as low-carbers, is the same respect that is given to other diet plan followers and acknowledgement of our specific health needs. Is that really too much to ask?

OK.. now I'm whining. Pass me those tissues.

The proof is in the pudding!!!

OK, I really shouldn't be on here again. I have soooo much to do. But I just couldn't help but share this. I'm a regular reader of many blogs and I just found a great post on Dana Carpender's blog.

A new study by the Journal of American Medical Association is now showing that Atkins is actually the best way to lose weight. You can read about it by clicking here. Now this is no big surprise to us, but maybe, just maybe, we will finally start seeing some positives in the media about this way of life. I'm not gonna hold my breath, because I know how stubborn some people can be. But hey.. it's a start, right? This certainly isn't the first study that confirms this, but this one is getting loads of attention.

I was a participant in the CCARBS study that just finished up a couple of months ago. It was great to be a part of such a ground breaking study and I can't wait to see what the findings are.

Keep your eye out for more great studies that prove you can succeed with Healthy Low-Carb Living!

My dinner tonight - Skillet Pizza!!!

I'm posting this for those of you who love pizza as much as I do. I love a good thin crust, gooey pizza - loaded with toppings. The following is the next best thing!

Skillet Pizza

Needed:

• Mozzarella Cheese
• Toppings of Choice
• 10 inch non-stick skillet

Set pan over medium high heat. Add a layer of Mozzarella cheese to the bottom of the pan. When the cheese starts bubbling, add toppings (don't overload it or you'll have a tough time later). Tonight I just added pepperoni.



Start watching the edges of the cheese. Once the edges start to brown, you can use a spatula to lift the them, as seen below.



Once the edges are browned all the way around, you can carefully slide the spatula under the "pizza" and slide it off onto a plate.



Let the pizza cool just a bit so the cheese will firm up. Then you can use a pizza cutter to slice it up. Now you can pick it up with your hands and eat it just like a regular pizza. It gives you all the taste, but leaves out all the carbs!




Now I didn't give carb counts with this because it will really vary with what you put on it. You can spread your cheese in the pan before you put it on the heat to see how much it will take to cover it. Then dump the cheese in a measuring cup so you'll know your carb counts. Measure out your toppings as well.

This is a nice treat for those times you are dying for pizza. It's great for plans like Atkins. Just remember that you can over do cheese on Atkins as well, so don't eat more than one of these in a 24 hour period. And if you notice you aren't losing as fast after eating these, then only make them an occasional part of your plan, since too much cheese can stall some people.

Enjoy!

Monday.. bleck!

First I'll start off by telling you that as of yesterday's weigh-in, I'm down 2 more lbs! Whoo hoo! I've finally broke into the 180's! It seems like it's been forever since I've seen those numbers. Saturday I pulled a box of clothes out of my closet and started pulling out some smaller sizes. Most of them fit or will fit very soon so I left them out. Then I packed the rest up and put them back in the closet for later down the road. I feel like I've gotten a whole new wardrobe!

I'll try to get some exercise in today, but I'm not too sure it will happen. Not only is it Monday, but I woke up to find that it's that time of month that we women always dread (unless of course you have some worries about possible babies.. then you'll find women doing the victory dance in the bathroom). The one reason we'd all like to go back in time and strangle Eve before she ever got close to that tree! So anyhow.. I'm not feeling so hot today. You know all those symptoms listed on the PMS relief bottles? Yeah.. if you looked those up in the dictionary you'd see a picture of me. I'm the poster child. I just took some Advil and we'll see if they do the trick. But if they don't stop the pain.. I'm headin' right for the hard stuff - Pamprin. Then I'll sleep solid for about 2 days. So if I don't check in until Wed. you'll know I'm still in a PMS-causing, drug-induced stupor. And note that I'll be completely happy that way. :0)

Surprisingly, I found that the scale stayed the same today despite my affliction. That's a bit unusual for me. I tend to retain water like a camel. Low-carb has helped me with so many things.. but sadly my craving for chocolate and comfort foods during this time is not one of them. I won't cheat, but I'll probably overeat on sugar free chocolate.


Other news: I went to my new dentist today and he seemed really nice. I go in Wed. morning to have the first crown put on. They will fit me for the crown and apply a temp, which will take about 1 1/2 hours. Then in two weeks I can go back in and have the permanent one put 0n. It looks like I may not need quite as much work as the other dentist said. I'll only have about $1500 worth of work to be done, instead of the $4000+ the other dentist was talking about. Thank the Lord for dental discount plans! I won't be having the cosmetic stuff done any time soon, but it's an option I can look at once this necessary stuff is paid off.

OK... off to lay my achy body down and let the pills do their stuff.

Trying a new approach..

If you are like me, sometimes you need a good kick in the pants to get you started. Yesterday I think I found the place to get the kick from. I've been a member of the Kimkins community for a while now. I always thought of it as too strict for my tastes and figured I'd just lose slower, but be happier if I stuck with Atkins. Now I'm thinking maybe I need something a bit more radical to get me going. Kimkins just started a "boot camp" for her members and I joined yesterday. It's a very strict program of low-carb/low-cal and daily exercise. I honestly don't know if I can do this, but I'm going to give it a try. If it proves to me too much for me I can always go back to good old Atkins again, which will be my maintenance plan no matter what I lose the weight on. Wish me a great first day!

ADDED ON SEPT. 19, 2007: I have deleted almost all references to kimkins from this blog, except those I felt might be useful in fighting what we now know is a scam! I do not, nor will not ever again, advocate Kimmer or her diet plan. Please stay away from this plan. Do lots of reading and educate yourself. There is much to be learned from all of this. Thanks.