Olive oil is a fat that all low-carb dieters should be using. Its health benefits are well known and it can help give a great flavor to low-carb foods, but actually buying the stuff can be confusing because of all the choices. Read up on all you need to know about this wonderful oil.

Is that blasted “TruthoMeter” scale telling you you’re fat?

It’s Day 3 of my special edition “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube” video blitz this week and we’ve been having so much fun showering you with video after video about the healthy low-carb lifestyle. And probably the most common reasons people begin low-carb living is for one thing and one thing only–WEIGHT LOSS! They’ve heard about all the amazing success stories of people who have implemented this way of eating in their life and they get all excited about doing it for themselves. But then…little to no weight loss at all! What the heck is going on?!

In Episode 74 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube”, Christine and I hear from people all the time about this subject and wanted to address seven possible areas which might explain why you’re not losing weight. This is by no means an exhaustive list of reasons why you aren’t seeing the scale move, but you might recognize a few of these in your own routine that need to be adjusted. It’s not the end of the world if you are doing everything like you are supposed to and the scale is not moving the way you expect it to (back to those unreasonable expectations we’ve previously talked about) when you remember the end goal of your low-carb eating plan is to be healthy. Shedding fat is merely a side effect of consuming healthy low-carb foods and attaining optimal health is the first priority.

Click here to watch today’s video to see if your low-carb diet is hung up on any of these 7 things.

Chiropractor Dr. Joe Leonardi lost 140 pounds in one year on low-carb

Weight loss success stories are always an encouraging and inspiring way to show other people that they can do it, too! When it comes to low-carb successes, I’m always interested in hearing from people who’ve gone through their own variation of livin’ la vida low-carb. And when the person who has done well with low-carb is a medical professional, I’m especially curious about talking to them. That’s what I have for you today in my latest podcast interview.

In Episode 252 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore,” we hear from an enthusiastic Pennsylvania-based chiropractor named Dr. Joe Leonardi who created a web site called “Fat Then Fit Now” to help others experience the phenomenal weight loss and health success that he did. You’ll hear him talk about how he got to weigh nearly 350 pounds, what got him to start livin’ la vida low-carb, why he decided to eat less fat on his plan than a typical Atkins-styled low-carb diet, the fallacies of the Food Pyramid, exercising on a low-carb diet, finding inspiration in the weight loss journey, and so many other facets of healthy low-carb living. Dr. Joe now offers up his own weight loss plans to help people who struggle like he used to. What an invigorating interview that I’m sure you’ll want to listen to over and over again!

There are FOUR ways you can listen to Episode 252:

1. Listen and comment about the show at iTunes:

2. Listen and comment about the show at the official web site:

3. Download the MP3 file of Episode 252 [55:01m]:

4. Calling (818) 688-2763 to listen via Podlinez

Subscribe to the RSS feed or you can click on the “Subscribe” button at iTunes. If you are having trouble, then watch this video tutorial from my producer Kevin Kennedy-Spaien.

How about that Dr. Joe Leonardi? Are you pumped up about livin’ la vida low-carb after hearing his enthusiasm about this way of eating? Tell us what you think about it in the show notes section of Episode 252. Visit Dr. Joe’s FatThenFitNow.com website, his accompanying blog, and fantastic YouTube videos. Take advantage of his weight loss packages if you are struggling in your low-carb lifestyle.

On Thursday, I have another amazing interview with Dr. Stan de Loach, a diabetes educator in Mexico City. He’s a big proponent of low-carb diets, especially for diabetics. Join us on “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore” later in the week. Wanna do the podcast show a BIG BIG BIG favor? Go to the iTunes page for my podcast and write a review about the show if you are enjoying it (or even if you aren’t!). People read and trust these reviews and I’d be honored if you would share YOUR reviews on iTunes. THANKS SO MUCH! Plus, if you’d like to help continue this podcast show, then consider becoming a financial supporter of this podcast by clicking on the “Donate” button on the side panel of the podcast web site. THANK YOU for helping us spread the message of low-carb living!

Effective weight management isn’t just about not feeling hungry

I heard a radio advertisement for a new weight loss product the other day and it got my mind to thinking about the whole concept of hunger control and the role it allegedly plays for people wanting to lose weight. The commercial prominently promoted the ability of the product to “control your hunger, so you feel satisfied” in your diet. In essence, they were putting forth the theory that simply keeping the hungry bug from hitting you will make you satisfied and lead to weight loss.

But I disagree.

Whenever I hear this subject of hunger control come up in a weight loss marketing ad, it just makes me wanna scream. So, you take a pill or some gimmick food that makes you not wanna eat so you can get through your day without being hungry, but that leads to the million dollar question–WHEN DO YOU EAT?! And once you do eat, WHAT do you get to eat? Interestingly, these questions are hardly ever answered by the manufacturers of these weight loss products.

Click here to read why I believe satisfaction with your food choices is much more important that controlling hunger on a weight loss plan.

Bruce Frassinelli lost 85 pounds on low-carb–and KEPT it off for 10 years!

One excuse I hear quite often from people who are considering the low-carb lifestyle is they think they’re too old to begin such a dramatic dietary change after years of living life as an overweight person. They say their metabolism has slowed down too much, they have to deal with more health issues, they claim they don’t have the ability to exercise like younger people do…so forth and so on. And while I’m not diminishing the validity of these, my podcast interview guest today bucks that trend losing 85 pounds and getting his health back at the age of 59–and he’s kept that weight off for a decade!

In Episode 228 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore,” you’ll hear the powerful low-carb testimony of a man named Bruce Frassinelli, a retired professor of journalism who at the age of 59 decided enough is enough. After an old colleague said to him, “My God, Bruce, you’ve gotten fat,” it became a “defining moment” in his life to do something about it. A friend introduced him to the Atkins diet and the rest is history. He lost that 85 pounds in just six months by following a low-carb dietary regimen along with a daily exercise routine that now has him walking nine miles a day. Regardless of your age, let Bruce’s story inspire you that it’s NEVER too late to do something about your weight and health.

There are FOUR ways you can listen to Episode 228:

1. Listen and comment about the show at iTunes:

2. Listen and comment about the show at the official web site:

3. Download the MP3 file of Episode 228 [32:56m]:

4. Calling (818) 688-2763 to listen via Podlinez

Subscribe to the RSS feed or you can click on the “Subscribe” button at iTunes. If you are having trouble, then watch this video tutorial from my producer Kevin Kennedy-Spaien.

Help spread the word about this podcast: go to the iTunes page for my podcast, click on “Write a Review” and share what the podcast means to you. Whenever a new review is added to iTunes, it is factored into the rankings of the show which is currently sitting in the Top 25 of “Fitness & Nutrition” shows on the Health channel. The show has really hit a good stride in the past year and I’d like to keep that momentum going with your assistance. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

What did you think about this low-carb weight loss success story experienced by Bruce Frassinelli? Is his example a recipe for success that other “older” people could use to reach their weight loss goals? Talk about it in the show notes section of Episode 228. If you want to read more about Bruce’s story, then check out this Syracuse newspaper column about his experience.

Coming up on Thursday, you’re in for a real treat with low-carb neurosurgeon Dr. Larry McCleary, author of the quintessential low-carb brain health book entitled The Brain Trust Program. I’ve had the privilege of interviewing him at my blog in September 2007, this podcast interview includes lots of new research and information about the emerging and evolving epidemic of Type 3 diabetes of the brain and how low-carb nutrition applies so perfectly. He extols the virtues of why ketone bodies are the preferred fuel source for the brain. This could very well become one of the most listened-to podcast I conduct in 2009, so YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS IT!

And for you Facebook fans, in case you’ve missed, my podcast producer has created a “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show” Fan Group where you can connect with your fellow listeners, get the inside scoop on what’s happening behind-the-scenes at the show, and experience previews of upcoming podcasts. We’d love to have you join our Facebook group and join the big, happy family of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show” podcast fans.

One of the most controversial and misunderstood components of the Atkins diet over the years has been the use of what Dr. Robert C. Atkins described in his books as the “fat fast.” The traditional Atkins fat fast includes 1000-1200 calories daily with upwards of 90% of the caloric intake from dietary fat sources. The “meals” are broken up into 200-250 calorie increments to be consumed every 3-4 hours.

Unlike Atkins Induction where you get 20g carbohydrate mostly from green, leafy and non-starchy veggies and you don’t need to worry yourself with counting calories, the fat fast is for those people who are especially insulin resistant and are having trouble losing weight following Induction. Dr. Atkins recognized that some people needed a little extra boost to get their body into fat-burning mode and the fat fast generally did the trick. However, it was not meant to be stayed on for long than a few days.

But last month I interviewed a physician named Dr. John Salerno who worked with Dr. Atkins for a few years and was a willing disciple of the low-carb way of eating. During that podcast, Dr. Salerno mentioned that he put his patients on his own “fat fast” for upwards of four weeks which immediately caught my attention. His reasoning for it was that it produced quick weight loss so you can transition to eating a regular low-carb plan again and that he didn’t see anything especially dangerous or wrong with utilizing such an approach (in fact, he said during our discussion that he himself has used this to shed a quick 15 pounds).

When I inquired about the details of the Salerno Fat Fast, he was willing to send it to me in a nutshell so I could share it with you. And here it is. See my concerns with being on a “fat fast” for this long and why it may not necessarily be wise to go on as a long-term weight loss solution.

Christmas is almost here! Is your low-carb lifestyle ready for it?

It’s the Christmas holiday season and I don’t have to tell you that this time of the year is the most tempting for anyone who is on a low-carb diet. Look around you at the office parties, gatherings at your church, social events with your friends and family…what do you see? CARBS, CARBS, and more CARBS!!! AAAAAAACK! You can’t avoid seeing all these foods and smelling them, so what does a low-carber do? Should you just give up on your diet over the holidays or is this lifestyle change too important to simply throw in the towel in December? We’re gonna talk about this with a low-carb health and food expert today.

In Episode 206 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore,” we hear from Michele Thompson, a freelance columnist and the Food & Health Editor with the SheKnows LowCarb online magazine as she provides tips for surviving the Christmas holidays without compromising your low-carb principles. Although she describes herself as “not a hardcore low-carber,” Michele does offer some invaluable information for what to do about those Christmas parties, what you can eat at these festive holiday meet-ups, and why it is important to stick as closely to your low-carb way of life as possible even during this carb-filled season.

There are FOUR ways you can listen to Episode 206:

1. Listen and comment about the show at iTunes:

2. Listen and comment about the show at the official web site:

3. Download the MP3 file of Episode 206 [31:34m]:

4. Calling (818) 688-2763 to listen via Podlinez

If you wanna make sure you NEVER miss a single episode of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore,” then be sure to Subscribing to the RSS feed or click on the “Subscribe” button at iTunes. If you need assistance about how to subscribe to the podcast, then just CLICK HERE for a video tutorial from my producer Kevin Kennedy-Spaien to show you how.

HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS PODCAST! Visit the iTunes page for “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore” and write a review about the show. This makes a tremendous impact on who accesses the show and we’ve seen a huge influx of new listeners in recent weeks and months because of the efforts of those fans of the podcast who took just a few moments of their time to leave a brief comment at iTunes. THANKS for sharing with others about my podcast and let’s keep it on the front page at iTunes heading into 2009. You guys are truly amazing people!

Although her continued emphasis on eating “high-protein” may not fall in line with what many of us are eating (most low-carb diet are high in fat, not protein), what did you think about Michele Thompson’s advice for getting through the Christmas season? You can talk about it in the show notes section of Episode 206. Visit the SheKnows LowCarb online magazine and check out Michele’s fabulous Christmas recipes to find inspiration in the kitchen for the holidays. And be sure to watch this YouTube video and read this blog post I wrote in 2005 on this important subject. Even my friend Kent Altena shared some excellent Christmas season surviving tips in his own YouTube video a couple of years ago.

Coming on Friday, we’ll have one more podcast interview this week with Jennifer McLagan who will share with us about her brand new book entitled Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, With Recipes. You’ll hear her talk about how wonderful it is for people to be consuming fat! I can’t wait for you to hear this special interview.

Recently I asked my “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore” podcast listeners to share with me who their favorite interview guests were in 2008 and the Top 5 were the following:

1. Dr. James Carlson
2. Gary Taubes
3. Dr. Stephen Gundry
4. Dr. William Davis
5. Dr. Mary C. Vernon

In the next week or so I’ll be conducting follow-up interviews with each of these guests to air as a special “Encore” week from January 5-9, 2009. I’d love to have your questions to ask them during these interviews, so please e-mail them to me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net or leave a comment on our podcast hotline number at 206-202-6516. THANKS again for your help!

Zero-carb diets and pregnancy–crazy or what a healthy baby needs?

Sometimes the most interesting topics of discussion for me to blog about just sorta happen. Such is the case with what I am about to share with you today. It all started when one of my moderators at my “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Discussion” forum named Charles Washington, an avid zero-carb advocate and personal follower, posted his thoughts based on the research he has conducted in response to another member who had recently become pregnant.

Unfortunately, this didn’t sit too well with someone who read this thread in my forum and decided to sign up at my forum as a pretend character named “Ogg.” After a few days of ridiculous and nonsensical posts about this miracle diet of just yak and water, the truth came out: “Ogg” didn’t like that Charles was recommending a zero-carb diet for pregnant women.

When I finally did hear directly from this person, I assured her Charles was not offering any medical advice, but simply sharing from his own research, experiences, and what respected low-carb doctors such as Dr. Barry Groves and Dr. James Carlson have both said previously regarding low-carb diets and pregnancies. She said she didn’t have a problem with “low-carb and pregnancy,” but rather a ZERO-carb diet and pregnancy. Since I have the ability to contact Dr. Groves and Dr. Carlson directly, the woman formerly known as “Ogg” requested that I ask them the following question:

“Is it safe for unborn and newborn babies if their Moms to eat nothing but store bought meat, animal fat and water — and nothing else — for the entire duration of the pregnancy?”

Click here to read what these two well-known low-carb health experts had to say about zero-carb dieting and pregnancy as well as what a mainstream prenatal care expert and popular low-carb blogger have to say about this. Get in on the discussion: is a zero-carb or even a low-carb diet appropriate for someone who is pregnant?

You get excited about beginning your low-carb lifestyle, stock your fridge and cupboard with the delicious foods you can enjoy on this way of eating, read your favorite low-carb book to educate yourself about what low-carb is all about, and get support by signing up at a supportive low-carb forum to interact with other low-carbers. But then it hits you–how in the world am I supposed to feed my family now?! AAACK!!!

In Episode 51 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube,” Christine and I are back with our first brand new non-FitCamp video in over a month to help newbie low-carb dieters figure out how to prepare their healthy low-carb meals while making sure their family is fed, too. Many people believe they have to make separate meals for themselves and their family and it’s just not true. Perhaps if you were on a low-fat or other severely restricted diet like that, you’d be forced to resort to that. But not with low-carb living.

See how easy it is to incorporate low-carb foods into your family meals in today’s video:

Rather than think of low-carb as a “diet” where you have to eat differently than the rest of your family, why not get them in on the action knowingly or unknowingly by making some dishes that are good for both you and them? It’s easy to do it with non-starchy veggie sides prepared well, a high-fat cut of protein that everybody expects to see at a meal anyway (sans the breading!), skip the rolls, and refreshing low-sugar desserts like chocolate-dipped strawberries with whipped cream that’ll have your family BEGGING for more. So, you see, it’s not as difficult as you would think to get your family to eat low-carb with you with some minor modifications.

It’s been a while since our last video, but Christine and I are ready to make lots more for you in the coming months. You can see all of our previous YouTube videos whenever you’d like and you’ll never miss a single episode if you subscribe to our YouTube videos (quickly approaching 700 subscribers and counting!). Share your show ideas with us anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net and don’t be bashful about it. Today’s video was inspired by NUMEROUS e-mail requests, so we really do take your input seriously and may use it in a future episode. We appreciate your support of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube.”

How do you eat a low-carb diet with very little money?

I’ve heard it so much over the years from people considering the low-carb lifestyle. It’s an excuse that people like to use against this wonderful way of eating that has helped me and others get our weight and health under control. You’ve no doubt heard it yourself–low-carb is too expensive! All those meats cost money and I just don’t think I can afford to do this diet.

In Episode 49 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube,” Christine and I share some tips and ideas about how to low-carb on the cheap and show you it’s not really that hard to do at all. Low-carb isn’t all about meat as you well know, but even getting inexpensive meats isn’t difficult if you know what you are looking for. If I had a dollar every time somebody has told me they can’t afford to be on a low-carb diet, then I’d be a millionaire by now!

See how to low-carb on a budget in today’s video:

Got a low-carb topic you want us to make a video about? Send us your ideas at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Catch all of our previous YouTube videos and we’d love to have you subscribe to our YouTube videos. THANK YOU for watching and commenting on our “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb on YouTube” videos.