I come to you today with some pretty big news in the world of “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb” because this is something that you don’t hear about everyday. Believe it or not, it was this quaint little blog post I uploaded to my original Blogger hosting web site on Thursday, April 21, 2005 that officially started what would arguably become the most extraordinary journey of both my personal and professional life. What simply began as an outlet for me to share about my 180-pound Atkins diet weight loss success in 2004 (after everyone I came into contact with kept asking me “how’d you lose your weight?” and driving me crazy!) has morphed into a daily stop for doctors, nutritionists, and educated lay people from all around the world totaling 5 million views and counting. Little did I know way back when just how much this blog would grow and grow over the next five years into one of the top health blogs online today. And from those early days of this blog, I’ve added a Top 20 Fitness & Nutrition iTunes podcast and fun YouTube video channel as well as a whole myriad of affiliated web sites. Additionally, I now have two books, including my latest 21 Life Lessons From Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb where I share many of the ups and downs of blogging about healthy low-carb living. With all of that said, I am so grateful and honored to have you here today to help me celebrate my 5-Year Blogiversary!
Had you told me in 2003 when I weighed in at 410 pounds, wore size 62-inch waist pants, sported 5XL shirts, was on three prescription medications for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and breathing problems, and completely clueless about what healthy living was all about that I’d be the author of a top blog on the subject in 2010, I would have laughed in your face. Jimmy Moore, a HEALTH author?! HA! Back then I’m sure that sounded like a hysterical joke, but here I am today looking back over five of the most amazing years of my entire life. People always ask me why my blog has become so successful in such a short period of time. If I knew for sure, then I’d probably have to write a book about it and sell a bazillion copies. Seriously, though, I have a few theories behind why the “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb” blog exploded in popularity and has sustained there for the past five years. Here are what I think are the keys to my success:
I’m sure there are many more reasons for the tremendous success of this blog about low-carb diets, but the ones listed above I think are the core that explain what makes this thing work. I’ve been very blessed to actually blog for a living full-time since October 2006. Although I’m certainly not getting rich blogging about low-carb as my “job,” that’s not really what’s most important to me. Helping people get good information they can use for their health and weight goals is my #1 goal. If I can pay a few bills and support my wife Christine in the process, then that’s a bonus!
If you’re new to my blog and these annual blogiversary celebrations, one of the things I like to do is give my wonderful readers a chance to win some pretty cool stuff. Yes, it’s my blogiversary, but YOU get the gifts. Ain’t I sweet? Go check out what I gave away to my readers for my 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th blogiversaries. Coming up later this week, I’ll be sharing a full listing of ALL of the prizes you will have a chance to win, including autographed copies of the latest low-carb books, DVDs, and other really cool stuff! But the grand prize is something I just got confirmation on Sunday afternoon from Drs. Mike & Mary Dan Eades and I’m so jealous of whoever the winner will eventually be because I have been REALLY wanting to get one of these since it first came out last year. It’s a SousVide Supreme (a $450 retail value!) and Dr. Mary Dan said she’d even throw in a copy of the brand new SousVide Supreme Cookbook to the grand prize winner as well. This is the biggie prize in my blogiversary and I know you will want to put your name in for a chance to make some of the most delicious low-carb food that has ever crossed your lips (see this post from Dr. Mike with his announcement about the SousVide Supreme project in September 2009)! Be sure to check out the reviews from people in the low-carb/Paleo community of this cool cooking gizmo: Diana Hsieh, Ramona Denton, Fritz Cloninger, Richard Nikoley, and Dave Dixon.
I can tell your mouth is watering already, so let me tell you how YOU can put your name in for a chance to win the Sous Vide Supreme or one of a TON of other great prizes I’ll be sharing with you in the next few days. All you have to do is provide me with the following information which will only be used by me to compile a survey of my readers which I’ll share in May and to the provider of the prize so they know who and where to ship your loot if your name is selected as a winner. Please e-mail me the following information if you would like to win a prize in my 5-Year Blogiversary Giveaway and make sure you put in the subject line “BLOGIVERSARY CONTEST”:
1. Your full name, mailing address (no P.O. boxes please), and telephone number.
2. Which eating plan do you follow? How long have you been eating low-carb?
3. How much weight have you lost following a low-carb nutritional approach?
4. What led you to begin a controlled-carb diet in the first place?
5. Have you read Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes?
6. Are you a diabetic? Type 1 or Type 2? Any family members with diabetes? Who?
7. How and when did you find and start reading the “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb” blog?
8. What is your favorite part of the “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb” blog?
9. Would you be interested in joining us on The Low-Carb Cruise in the future? Why or why not?
10. Name someone you would like for me to interview on my podcast who has not yet appeared?
Zip your answers to those questions to livinlowcarbman@charter.net with the subject line “BLOGIVERSARY CONTEST” no later than 11:59PM ET on Friday, April 30, 2010 and I’ll draw the winners and announce them at my blog on Tuesday, May 4, 2010. Please only one entry per household to make it fair for everyone to win a prize. Be watching in the next few days to see what all I have in store for you. I don’t think you’re gonna be disappointed! Help me celebrate five years of low-carb blogging and join in on this contest start RIGHT NOW. Good luck to you and THANK YOU for being such an integral part of the past five years of my life through this blog. I love you guys and will never ever forget all the incredible people I’ve met from doing this.
