Is your low-carb diet relying too much on Ketostix?

One of the most interesting tools we have at our disposal when we start livin’ la vida low-carb to let us know whether we are doing it right or not is a testing strip that measures ketone levels called Ketostix (there are other brand names for ketone sticks, but this one from Bayer is the most common). Basically, here’s how it works: you can check your urine on this testing strip to see how many ketone bodies you are excreting out of your body. Ketones are present when you are in ketosis which is instigated when you keep your carbohydrates at a ketogenic level (usually under 50g carbs daily).

I recently asked a group of low-carb experts the following question–“Is Ketosis Necessary On A Low-Carb Diet?” That seems to be a “well duh” kind of question which is why we use things like Ketostix to see whether we are in ketosis or not. But where people seem to get most confused is with the color of the testing strip. If it’s light pink, then I must be doing something wrong. My Ketostix need to be dark purple if I am experiencing “deep” ketosis, right? I get these kind of questions every single week and they miss the point of the testing strips.

In Episode 47 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube,” Christine and I seek to better explain the purpose of Ketostix by telling you what they are for, what the various colors actually mean, why showing no ketones on these strips may not be a bad thing, and how you can virtually guarantee your body is in ketosis. I’m astonished by how many people are still so concerned about the results of their Ketostix, but hopefully this video will clear up some of the miscommunication.

Find out all you need to know about Ketostix in today’s video:

Noted biochemistry professor Dr. Richard Feinman from SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, New York provided a very succinct explanation for how these Ketostix are supposed to work:

“There is a continuum of ketosis. In fact, one of the features of ketone bodies is that, unlike other fuels, glucose and fatty acids, they can be present in plasma over a wide range of concentrations. What is true is that Ketostix measure ketonuria (ketones in the urine) which may or may not give you an accurate view of plasma ketone bodies. If ketone bodies are used as fast as they are made, you may never see ketosis.”

This should give those people who see pink or even beige on the ketone testing strips hope that they are indeed in ketosis even if the tests say otherwise. The bottom line you should remember is that Ketostix are merely a low-carb guide to provide proof that you are livin’ la vida low-carb in a ketogenic state, but they’re really not that necessary if you are keeping your carbohydrates significantly reduced below 50g daily. When you are doing that, then you WILL be in ketosis. Hopefully this clears up some of the confusion about why some people seek purple and others see pink or beige.

“The Biggest Loser” 4 contestant Isabeau Miller

Also in today’s video, Christine and I share about our upcoming trip to Nashville, Tennessee to attend “Biggest Loser” 4 contestant Isabeau Miller’s FitCamp. Since landing in the final four last Fall on the hit NBC-TV weight loss reality series, Isabeau Miller has taken her passion for her own personal weight loss journey and is now helping others who struggle with obesity like she once did before Jillian Michaels got a hold of her tail and whipped it into shape. Today she is a personal trainer and is giving me and several of my readers a chance to experience what it was like to be on “The Biggest Loser” over a special two-week period.

The first session of FitCamp in July just concluded and our session in August will commence on August 17th. We will be doing a daily video log of this experience and sharing it on YouTube as part of a FitCamp series of videos. Isabeau said she will not be allowed to be videotaped because of contractual obligations from her stint on “The Biggest Loser.” But I’m gonna ask permission from the other people who will be there going through this experience with me to talk about how FitCamp is helping them. I am super-excited about this, especially in light of my recent 30-pound weight gain I’ve experienced. Perhaps this will get me back to where I need to be. I sure hope so.

We LOVE making videos for you and doing them on topics that YOU care about. Tell us your show ideas for future videos by e-mailing them to livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Check through all of our previous YouTube videos to make sure we haven’t already tackled your favorite subject! While we were away last week, there was a sudden surge of people decided to subscribe to our YouTube videos and now we have well over 600 subscribers! WOW! Join in on the low-carb fun on YouTube and help us spread the positive message of livin’ la vida low-carb to the masses!

One of the most fascinating things I have noticed since I began blogging about the healthy low-carb lifestyle back in 2005 is how amazingly diversified the low-carb community is about the “proper” way a low-carb diet should be done. The definition of “healthy low-carb living” varies depending on who you talk to. In fact, if we had a room full of 100 low-carbers I would bet you’d have at least 50 or more different versions of livin’ la vida low-carb. And that’s okay because individualization of the diet is what makes it work in the long-term.

Some people believe you should only eat whole foods all the time. And for the most part, that’s a good philosophy to live by. In fact, if you look at my low-carb menus then you will see that’s precisely what I eat the vast majority of the time. Of course, I also like to add in some chocolate and other treats from time to time to enhance my low-carb lifestyle. It’s what helped me lose 180 pounds in 2004 and I’ve been doing it ever since.

So, imagine my discouragement to see the following recommendations for getting my weight to reduce from my low-carb doctor this week:

1–no low-carb “treats” or substitutes for otherwise high-carb food (although sugar-free Jello and other desserts such as we allow our patients would be okay in limited amounts)
2–foods should be chosen from those listed on the “No Sugar, No Starch” guide we give patients
3–adequate protein (as determined from lean body mass) should be consumed, but care should be taken not to exceed protein requirements
4–portion-control and calorie-restriction should be implemented, as determined by BMR

Click here to find out what I think about this advice from my low-carb doctor for helping me bring down my weight.

Christian custom of communion includes bread and wine

When you first start livin’ la vida low-carb, it’s almost impossible to think about all the ways your life will change overnight. Sure, you know you’re not allowed to eat bread, pasta, sugar, candy, juice, rice, and just about anything sweet and starchy. You do it willingly because you realize that changing your lifestyle is about making healthier choices for your body so you can honor the temple that God has entrusted you with.

As a Christian low-carb dieter, it never occurred to me when I began this new way of eating in 2004 that it would make me choose between honoring God with one of the most important sacraments that Christians participate in or honoring my commitment to low-carb living. I’m referring to the act of communion where you consume a small cracker or unleavened bread wafer representing the body of Jesus and a small cup of grape juice or wine symbolizing Christ’s blood sacrifice for our sins on the cross.

So what does a low-carb dieter who is a believer in Jesus Christ do when it comes to celebrating and participating in this holy act of remembrance? Find out what I think is the right thing to do about this and be sure to read the comments from other Christians in the comments section by clicking here.

Don’t you know that your body needs carbs in order to function properly?! Come on, you idiot low-carb supporters, how can you tell people to cut down or even eliminate most of their dietary carbohydrate intake from things like healthy whole grain foods like brown rice and pasta and even fruits and vegetables? What kind of reasonable diet would suggest you remove whole categories of foods like this in order to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle, hmmmm? Well? WELL?!?! How about it Mr. Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Man?!

Siiiiiiiiiiggggghhhhh. That, my friends, is just a typical day in the life of what I put up with in my e-mail box most of the time. People have become so incredibly misinformed about diet and health that they are content with merely repeating back the same old diatribes from those so-called health “experts.” It really is a pity that more people can’t learn to think for themselves by getting all the facts, analyzing them carefully with the intent on learning the truth, and then applying that knowledge to their own personal experience while sharing it with others. That’s what I try to do here at my blog and all my other projects.

It certainly gives you more credibility if you constantly remain a student of health whether you are a doctor, dietitian, nurse, or even a low-carb blogger. I may not have a bunch of letters after my name (although I do have an M.A. in Public Policy…does that count?), I have worked hard to NEVER stop soaking in every bit of information that I can about health so I can share what I discover with you. Then, hopefully you can take that knowledge, apply what is relevant to your own life, share it with someone else, and continue to education further. We live in an age of information and ignorance is no longer a viable excuse–especially on the subject of diet and health.

In Episode 45 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube,” Christine and I wanted to share with the YouTube viewers about a word that is inextricably linked to low-carb dieting, but you really don’t hear about it much outside the realm of low-carb research. The word is gluconeogenesis and I contend every single person who is on a carbohydrate-restricted or even a zero carb diet needs to know about this word. I’ve blogged about it and even did a podcast show on it, but this is much too important a concept for people to miss. Although gluconeogenesis (GNG) is rather complex from a metabolic standpoint looking at all the biochemistry that’s involved. Check out this T-shirt from The Nutrition & Metabolism Society that illustrates all the pathways involved with GNG:

Order one of these “geeky” shirts TODAY by clicking here

Learn more about gluconeogenesis in today’s video:

Since I uploaded this video to YouTube, there has been some confusion about what I shared in it about how the protein is converted into glucose. My friend Charles Washington, the zero-carb half-marathon runner who recently wrote a guest blog post said it seemed like I was saying that ALL protein gets converted to glucose. I certainly don’t want to mislead anyone in that direction because it’s not a one for one ratio of conversion. Dr. Eric Westman from Duke University says the studies he has seen say for every 2g of dietary protein consumed, one gram of it is converted to glucose/sugar/carbs. So it’s about a 2-1 ratio of conversion which could cause SOME people problems who are especially carbohydrate sensitive (like me!).

This is what I was referring to when I said eating too much protein could POSSIBLY stall your weight loss if you are especially sensitive to carbohydrate whether through eating them or through gluconeogenesis. In looking at some of the reasons for my own struggle this year to get my weight back down despite doing all the right things, gluconeogenesis has come up as a possible culprit for my difficulty. Perhaps for me I need to be eating LESS protein than I currently am while increasing my fat and keeping my carbs to a minimum. This isn’t a universal thing for everyone and could be genetic in nature. I’ll be blogging more with an update about my weight and health situation very soon.

You guys are awesome for watching our “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube” videos and we appreciate hearing your comments about them and suggestions for future topics at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Don’t miss our previous YouTube videos and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube videos if you like what you see. THANK YOU for all of your support and, as always, let us know how we can help you along in this journey to better health. Keep on livin’ la vida low-carb!

Creating a menu of food choices on the Induction phase of the low-carb lifestyle can be somewhat of a challenge to the newbie. We’ve all been there wondering what in the world we’re gonna eat with those 20 grams of carbohydrates in our meal budget. It can be intimidating if you’re not used to eating this way, but with a little guidance about what you CAN eat will make this process a whole lot easier.

In Episode 41 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube,” Christine and I finish up with our dos and don’ts of Induction series we started in Episode 38, Episode 39, and Episode 40 by giving some last minute tips and reminders summarizing all we’ve shared over the past few weeks. Then we give you some easy-to-follow Induction-friendly menu planning for people who aren’t sure what they’re supposed to be eating on this important starting phase of livin’ la vida low-carb. This will get you started off right!

Get help with your low-carb Induction menus in today’s video:

The main point you want to remember in your menu planning is to eat fat and protein at each meal and keep your carbs to a bare minimum primarily from non-starchy and green leafy vegetables. If you do that, then there’s no reason why you can’t be a phenomenal weight loss success and experience vast improvements in your health that go beyond anything you could have ever hoped or imagined. Trust me, it WILL happen if you do this right. MAKE IT HAPPEN for yourself and reap the benefits of healthy low-carb living.

THANK YOU for watching our “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube” videos and we’d love to hear your video ideas and feedback anything by e-mailing us at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Access our archive of over 40 previous YouTube videos and be sure to join the nearly 500 people who subscribe to our YouTube videos so far. There are brand new viewers each and every week, so I hope you become a part of that growing community. You guys are the best and make the work I do such a pleasure. God bless you!

Basics, basics, basics! If you don’t even know the bare-bones information about the Induction phase of livin’ la vida low-carb, then you can never fully experience all the wonderful benefits this way of eating can afford you. It’s one of the reasons why I have been dedicated to sharing this information in my latest YouTube videos. While this doesn’t replace what you can learn from Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution or Protein Power, for example, hopefully it will get you started the right way.

In Episode 40 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube,” Christine and I yet again continue what we started in Episode 38 and then in Episode 39 discussing some more of the dos and don’ts of low-carb Induction. In this episode, we discuss the beverages you can drink during Induction, what vitamins you should take during this phase, whether alcohol is permitted or not, and how much food you are supposed to eat. Whether this is brand new and old hat to you, let this be a great refresher course about low-carb Induction.

See even more dos and don’ts of low-carb Induction in today’s video:

We’ll be sharing some more tips and advice about low-carb Induction as well as menu planning ideas for Induction in our next YouTube video. Let us know what you’d like to see in future videos in our “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube” series by e-mailing your ideas to livinlowcarbman@charter.net. Check out our previous YouTube videos and subscribe to our YouTube feed. We are thankful for your support of our videos, so THANK YOU for watching!

Understanding the basics of low-carb Induction is essential to your success on a carbohydrate-controlled diet. This minimum two-week period where you are transforming your body from a futile carb-burning pariah into a supercharged fat-burning powerhouse is arguably the most important facet of your entire low-carb lifestyle. If you can figure out Induction and do it well, then there’s no reason at all why you can’t be success livin’ la vida low-carb for life!

In Episode 39 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube,” Christine and I continue what we started in our previous video discussing the Induction phase of low-carb living. Getting down these basic dos and don’ts of low-carb are essential to your eventual progress in both weight loss and improved health. Today’s video is merely Part 1 of a series of upcoming videos we will be conducting on this subject. If you get this, then YOU GOT IT! And when you truly “get it,” there’s no stopping you!

See some of the dos and don’ts of low-carb Induction in today’s video:

This video shares some excellent low-carb Induction snack ideas to complement your low-carb meals, explains what the most important macronutrient to restrict is, shows you which fats and oils are preferred, details how to make a great low-carb salad, and reveals which sweeteners are best when you are livin’ la vida low-carb. You should reference these videos about Induction over and over again whenever you need a quick refresher course. Coming up in our next video, we’ll talk about what you can drink, vitamins, fish oil supplements, alcohol, and SO MUCH MORE!

Watch all of our previous YouTube videos and be sure to join the ever-increasing group of subscribers so you’ll never miss the new episodes of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube” when we upload them. E-mail us what’s on your mind anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net and be sure to tell everyone you know about our videos. We love making them, so share ‘em with others!

Anyone who is considering livin’ la vida low-carb absolutely needs to start with at least a two-week period of what the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins called Induction. Too many people underestimate the importance of this initial period of low-carb where you are trying to get your body into fat-burning mode, aka ketosis. But it is more valuable to your success than you even realize. So, what do you eat on Induction?

In Episode 38 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube,” Christine and I attempt to answer that question with practical advice for anyone who is considering or wants to be refreshed on the basics of low-carb Induction. It sounds easy to just keep your carbs low by eating meat, eggs, and cheese all day, but Induction is so much more than that as you will find out in this informative video we made for those who would like to begin Induction.

Look at all the food you can eat on Induction in today’s video:

I get so many e-mails from people who just don’t know what to eat on their low-carb lifestyle. Part of the reason for this lack of knowledge is they haven’t read any low-carb books to know how to do this way of eating correctly. Let me reiterate it here: READ THE BOOK!!! It’s okay to have a basic understanding of livin’ la vida low-carb, but why limit your education to a few bits and pieces here and there?

Get Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution for all the details about the Atkins diet. Or you can choose a book like Dr. Jonny Bowden’s Living The Low-Carb Life if you are unsure of which low-carb plan you want to choose. With all low-carb plans, the Induction phase is VERY important, so don’t neglect it! We’ll be expanding on the subject of Induction again in our next video on YouTube, so be looking for that coming soon.

Our YouTube videos continue to attract new viewers each week, so you can see them all by clicking here. We are quickly approaching 500 subscribers to our videos and you can join that group by subscribing to our videos for yourself and see the new episodes of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube” within minutes after they are uploaded. As always, e-mail us your feedback anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. THANK YOU for your support!

Have you ever wondered what an actual low-carber keeps in his refrigerator, freezer, and cabinets? Better yet, many people have asked me what I keep in my cupboards. So today I wanted to share a peek into where I keep the low-carb foods that go inside my body. This video was a load of fun to make and I think you’ll enjoy it, too!

In Episode 35 of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb On YouTube,” Christine and I give you a quick tour through our kitchen showing you a sampling of the kinds of foods that make up our low-carb lifestyles. The audio of the video didn’t download to my desktop for some reason, so we had to do a voiceover in the studio. Although it wasn’t what we originally wanted, I think it turned out pretty good. ENJOY!

Walk through the Moore household in today’s video:

Watch our previous YouTube videos and don’t forget to subscribe to our videos, too. E-mail us anytime at livinlowcarbman@charter.net.

The Eades at the 2008 Nutrition & Metabolism meeting in Phoenix

After being surrounded by a virtual who’s who of low-carb royalty at the recent American Society of Bariatric Physicians and Nutrition & Metabolism Society conference in Phoenix, Arizona in early April 2008, it’s now time to share a few of the interviews I conducted while I was there. I shared Part 1 of my chat with Protein Power authors Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades on Monday and can’t wait for you to hear Part 2 today.

In Episode 134 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore,” the Eades talk about some of the more absurd dietary delusions of one Dr. Dean Ornish, the bias that exists from people when looking at the latest scientific studies, Dr. Mike’s response to the brouhaha that arose between him and Anthony Colpo a few months back, and the tortuous yet effective intermittent fasting concept. This podcast is chock full of a goldmine of content that I hope you will absorb and enjoy!

Click on the “LISTEN NOW” link below or download it to your iPod to hear Episode 134:

I probably could have gone on for hours upon hours talking to this remarkable couple about livin’ la vida low-carb. They are living legends in the world of low-carb living and I appreciated their gift of time to me so I could share their wisdom with you in these podcasts this week. THANK YOU Dr. Mike and Dr. Mary Dan for this opportunity and I hope to see you again at future Nutrition & Metabolism Society meetings.

Get amazing interviews like this one anytime by:

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

Do you have any response to what you heard from the incredible Mike and Mary Dan Eades this week? Share whatever is on your mind in the show notes section of Episode 134. Be sure to stop by the blogs of both Dr. Mary Dan Eades and Dr. Mike Eades for even more inspiration and scientific analysis of the latest research. They are low-carb national treasures.

Coming up next week on “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore” is another interview from Phoenix with biochemistry professor and co-editor of the Nutrition And Metabolism journal Dr. Richard Feinman. I did a blog interview with Dr. Feinman in 2006, but this was the first time I got to sit down with him for an audio interview. He’s a fascinating intellectual and I think you’ll enjoy what he has to say in next week’s two-part podcast on Monday and Thursday. See you then!