The Cure Update

My yummy orange sherbert protein shake.
Hey everyone! I'm giving you a quick update on my progress with Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades new program The 6-Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle(I still plan to review the book, but that will have to wait for a bit longer.)

So far I am very pleased. I'm half way through day 3. This first couple of weeks consists of lc meals and shakes. There is obviously much more to it than this, but I don't want to give too much away. That's why you buy the book. :)

So far I've had a 3 different flavors of shakes. Regular Chocolate, Turtle Sundae and Orange Sherbet. Orange has one hands down at this point. But I'm going shopping today for more ingredients so I can try other flavors as well.

The exciting news? I'm really starting to feel the energy pick-me-up AND I've lost 4.2 lbs in 2 days. Not too shabby at all. And it hasn't been hard to stick to. It's actually been just what I needed - simple and planned out. My brain is on overload most of the time anymore and not having to analyze every stinking meal has been like Heaven.

So, will keep you updated on this. Also will get that review soon. Not quite finished with the book yet, but should be shortly.

Support is a key element in success

I know I touched on this subject a bit yesterday, but thought I'd talk about it a little more today. I put this together for my examiner column. You can read it here or there, please just remember to go to my column either way so I get credit. :)

Support is a key element in success
(reprint from my Examiner.com column)


Recently I read an eye-opening article by Dr. Mike Eades, co-author of the popular low-carb plan Protein Power. In this blog post he discusses the difficulties we sometimes have in doing what we know is best for us, diet or otherwise. It all has to do with two areas in our brains called nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and insula. These two areas are activated by different stimuli. NAcc is activated by things that excited you – a new gadget, your favorite foods, etc. The insula is activated by less exciting things – like how much that new ipod costs or knowing you’ll gain 5 lbs over night from eating that donut. It’s kind of the shoulder angel and shoulder devil if you will. The shoulder devil says, “Wouldn’t those cookies taste so good right now? You really deserve to enjoy yourself!” Your NAcc gets excited and makes you seriously consider eating the cookie. But then your shoulder angel, the insula, steps in. “Don’t eat that! You’ve done so well and you know it will make you bloated and feel awful later!” This is the battle you go through on a daily basis, whether it’s food, buying decisions or even ways to spend your time.

Dr. Eades suggests that when surrounded by a high-carb, low-fat society, our insula gets bombarded with all the negative messages about low-carb living that are constantly thrown our way. This nice little area of our brain goes from working for us, in most cases keeping us cautious, to working against us. Now our insula is telling us we should be careful and many people think what we are doing is dangerous. Then the NAcc pushes its way through and convinces you to go ahead and eat that potato because it may not be that bad for you, despite the fact that you’ll regret it later.

Getting daily support and affirmations for your chosen lifestyle is vital to keeping yourself on track. Checking in with like-minded people on forums, through emails, or even just reading blogs and websites, will keep you encouraged. So keep your insula happy by confirming daily in your head what you already know in your heart. Tell that NAcc to take a hike when temptation comes a calling by seeking out your favorite sources of inspiration.

Need some new inspiration? Feel free to check out my favorite blogs and website links listed on the right of this page.

Wow... just wow!

I just read the most awesome post by Dr. Mike Eades. He talks about meditating in the garden of self-loathing and how we follow through with commitments to others, but not ourselves. It is a very inspirational read and I suggest you check it out - especially if you are struggling to stick to your plan.

Go read it here.

Links you should see

Here are some links I've found recently I felt were worth sharing:

Dr. Mike Eades teaches us how to approach our doctors in regards to low-carb plans.

Dr. Briffa discusses the findings that prove there is "publication bias" in regards to study results. (I know. You are all in shock to think a drug company would be misleading about their findings. "Say it ain't so Tater!")

Jonny Bowden has a great post about examining our anchors. Lots to think about on this one!

Mark Sisson discusses a fall favorite - Pumpkin!

Enjoy and I'll try to be back later with more.

Drive-By Blogging

Sorry. All I have time for today is a drive-by. I have a lot of work to do and a lot of schooling to catch up on. So here's the run down...

Must-Reads:

Tired of hearing the old "The Chinese aren't unhealthy and look at all the carbs they eat!!" mantra? Check out this study brought to our attention by Dr. Mike Eades. Then, as Dr. Mike suggests, keep this reference handy for the next time you encounter this question.

Is Candida or yeast sabotaging your weight loss efforts? If you are having problems losing weight, this very well could be the case. Check out this great blog post from my friend Jennier Eloff, author of several fabulous low-carb cookbooks (two of which I'll be reviewing soon). Be sure to check out her other great posts as well and leave her a comment! :)

Dr. John Briffa gives us more evidence that using BMI is just bunk when it comes to assessing health.


Ok.. all I have time for right now. Maybe I can sneak back in later with more.

HAPPY READING!!!

Carbs and Calories

I'm still sick, so I'm going to leave you with the link to a great and very timely post by Dr. Mike Eades:

Low-Carb and Calories

Enjoy!

Two Prizes and One Day Left

Tomorrow is the big day for the Great Start Giveaway drawing! Are you getting excited yet? I know I am! I can't wait to see who will win one of the many great prizes we are offering. But I still have two more prizes to tell you about, so here we go....




CarbSmart was started by Andrew DiMino after losing 50 lbs on the Atkins Diet in 1999. Through his efforts thousands of people have lost weight, keep the weight off and lessen the effects of diabetes. CarbSmart is dedicated to helping everyone who is currently following, or considering, the low carbohydrate lifestyle. Whether you want to lose weight or maintain your current weight, CarbSmart is your one-stop shopping source for low-carb products. They carry everything from books and vitamins to hard to find products like sugar-free chocolate chips! No matter what type of low-carb plan you follow, CarbSmart is there for you. And now one lucky reader will soon have a $50 gift certificate to this fantastic online store courtesy of Andrew DiMino and CarbSmart!



We are also proud to be offering the fantastic book Protein Power Lifeplan by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. Here's an excerpt from the jacket cover:

THE PROTEIN POWER LIFEPLAN offers:

A Three-Tiered Nutrition Plan designed for your level of commitment: the Hedonist, the Dilettante, or the Purist

The latest findings on Insulin Resistance: what it is, how to correct it, and why, once it is corrected, you will lose weight and avoid health problems associated with it

Important information on supplements: vitamin E, alpha-lipoic acid, vitamin C, magnesium, chromium, and coenzyme Q10

Tips for obtaining the optimum health benefits of natural sunlight

A look at the dangers of excess iron storage and how to determine if it is a problem for you

A primer on fat: learn which good-quality fats can reduce elevated cholesterol, lower triglycerides, and reduce the risk of heart disease - withoutt medication

Meal plans, recipes, kitchen stocking advice, and more.

This informative and encouraging book is a must in any low-carbers library! And Thanks to Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades, one of you will have your very own copy! And be sure to check out Dr. Mike Eades and Dr. MD Eades blogs as well! Both are chock full of information, recipes and research to help you along!

Both of these great prizes are up for grabs in our Great Start Giveaway. But today is your last day to enter! We need your submission by midnight tonight if you want to be entered in the drawing. Be sure to check back tomorrow when we list the winners of all the awesome prizes, as well as the answers to those tricky photos you have been wondering about all month! :0)

Good Luck to all of you!

Today's Must See Links

Hello everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday so far. Enjoy yourselves, but don't let the festivities be an excuse to pig out on carbs that will just make you sick and angry with yourself. Stick with the healthy low-carb foods and your body will thank you for it!

This weekend will be crazy for me. The New Year is just around the corner and my daughter's birthday is tomorrow, so my to-do list is rather long right now. I'm going to share a few great links with you today. Enjoy!


It's About Time!
Dr. Mary Vernon has a terrific post here on her blog today. She explains that the American Diabetes Association is finally coming around to seeing the truth. They are coming online today to announce that they have reversed their position on the Atkins diet and the role carbohydrates play in managing diabetes. Folks, this is HUGE! While Dr. Vernon isn't overly impressed, I do feel this is a great step in the right direction for those of us who have been fighting hard for low-carb to get the credit it deserves. This could ultimately help open the door for the public to learn the truth about the health benefits of low-carb living. I fully expect the media to fight this tooth and nail, not to mention all the low-fat zealots and PETA freaks we'll see come out of the woodwork. But in the end I believe the truth will prevail and Dr. Atkins will finally get the kudos he deserves, God rest his soul.


Research suggests overall fat intake has little or no bearing on breast cancer risk
Dr. Briffa has quickly become one of my favorite bloggers. He has some outstanding information and really tries to keep it simple. His latest post highlights recent research that refutes the claim that high fat intake increases the risk for breast cancer. As someone who is already high risk, I want to know the truth about what I can do to try to prevent this horrible disease from getting me. The research suggests keeping insulin levels lower to lower your risk. I'm happily doing that with my low-carb diet. But in the past we were told to manage this with a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. Are they NUTS??? Thankfully I know better and have been enjoying good health with the help of my low-carb lifestyle. But what about all those millions of people who haven't yet heard this? That's why I'm so glad Dr. Briffa, and many others like him, are making sure we know what real science is proving.


You burned off that donut? Think again!
Dr. Mike Eades does a fantastic job of keeping us in the know. This post about exercise and calories truly is a "must see", especially if you are one of those folks who eat something sugary expecting an hour on the treadmill to cancel it out. Sorry, doesn't appear to be that simple.


OK, off to get some things done. Have a wonderful low-carb day!

An essential read for any low-carber...

Dr. Mike Eades is always providing us with interesting and educational material to feast on. Today is no different. Today he's shared with us the "book" that started it all: Banting's Letter on Corpulence.

This amazing letter, put into book form, is a great read for anyone interested in the low-carb way of life. But Dr. Mike doesn't just tell us about it, he's given us our own e-copy. How?

Click here to see what I'm talking about. Enjoy!

And thanks Dr. Mike!!!

Links you may be interested in...

I wanted to share a few of links with you.

Dr. Mike Eades has an outstanding explanation of the metabolism and ketones, which I know you will enjoy. If you've never quite understood why low-carb works so well, or what ketosis really is, this is a post you won't want to miss. He explains it in layman's terms to be sure you really get it.

For those of you who are diabetic, I'm sure you've heard the news about Avandia and it's dangerous side effects. If not, you'll want to check out these posts:

Connie Bennett of Sugar Shock: Is Avandia Going the Way of Vioxx? Popular Diabetes Drug May Raise Risk of Fatal Heart Attacks

Jimmy Moore of Livin' La Vida Low Carb: GSK, FDA Knew Avandia Raised Heart Disease Risk In 2005, But Did Nothing About It