Weight gain should be your call to action, not your downfall
We have now officially made it through the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays yet again and how many people are willing to stand up and say they stuck to their low-carb lifestyle 100 percent every step of the way? Anyone? Well, I know some have and I congratulate them for their persistence in their healthy lifestyle change. It is certainly a place where many people would like to be.
But for others, maybe you’ve added on to the weight gain you had prior to the past couple of months and you’ve decided the time is right to do something about it. Welcome to the next chapter in your journey to better health and I hope to offer education, encouragement, and inspiration to you as you begin this great adventure! It’s not always gonna be a smooth ride, but you’ll never regret going down this path for yourself.
When you’ve been livin’ la vida low-carb for quite a few years and lost a significant amount of weight like I did in 2004 shedding 180 pounds, people often wonder if your body weight just magically stays the same year after year without any fluctuations at all. Oh, don’t I wish it worked that way! The reality is that even when you are doing everything you know to be “right” that helped you lose the weight to begin with, sometimes the weight will begin to creep back on again ever-so-slowly. It’s not a sudden thing just as weight gain doesn’t happen overnight.
But what if you seem to be doing everything right and there’s no weight loss? Or even worse — WEIGHT GAIN! Is it the end of the world? Do you just pack up your efforts towards living a healthy lifestyle and say the heck with it all? It can certainly feel that way at times and I can personally attest to the frustration that comes with gaining back some weight.
As I documented many times in 2008, a sudden 30-pound weight gain just refused to budge and come off of my body no matter what I seemed to do. In fact, the issue continued in 2009 and got even worse with another 20-pound weight gain for a total weight gain of 50 pounds over the past two years. What the heck is going on here?! This isn’t supposed to be happening.
I’m having a full thyroid function panel run using Dr. William Davis’ Complete Thyroid Profile Home Blood Test Kit to try to find out some answers to this. But until the results come in, I am working on making a few subtle changes to tighten up my low-carb lifestyle here and there by doing those things that have produced the best results over the past couple of years of tinkering. I started back today drinking protein shakes, cutting way down on my overall fluid consumption (something suggested by Dr. Robert Su during my visit with him last week in VA), and being extra careful about the carbohydrates I am allowing in my mouth. These are all things I recognize I need to work on that may help turn the tide of what is happening. Beyond any medical reason that we find, I know what to do when it comes to healthy low-carb living.
Of course, I will always STRONGLY believe in a natural, grass-fed and organic whole foods-based diet that is consists of a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb nutritional approach with a level of calories that keeps you from being hungry. That will never change for as long as I will live because I have seen too much good that has come from it. Maybe some people have a tendency to consume more calories than are necessary because old habits begin to creep in again, but that doesn’t mean anyone needs to go to drastic levels under 1200 daily to make weight loss happen. That’s just not necessary.
Speaking of health, that’s the one bit of good news in this whole scenario with my weight being elevated. My LDL cholesterol particle size is primarily the large, fluffy kind, my HDL “good” cholesterol is well above 50, my triglycerides are below 100, and a CT heart scan of my arteries a few months back showed zero plaque buildup! I still don’t take any prescription medications anymore, although I love taking my supplements that are working with the foods I eat to do my body a lot of good: CoQ10, iron-free multivitamin, fish oil, magnesium, acidophilus, vitamin D3 gel caps, MCT oil, and EGCG.
So, while it is a bit dismaying to see the weight creeping up a bit and the clothes fitting tighter than before, I’m not giving up or losing hope. Not now, not ever! Although I will admit it is frustrating for this to happen, the thing that keeps me going is knowing that I am being pro-active about this and taking every measure possible to bring it under control. Sadly, many people go back to eating sugar, flour, and all that other carbage that they just don’t need when the scale stops cooperating. But I know better and am motivated by my stellar health.
Regardless of where you are in your low-carb journey, keep your chin up. You might have been knocked down hard in 2009, but that’s okay. It’s time to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and begin anew on your own personal journey to a healthier YOU. There will be a lot of messages trying to entice you to do this, that, and everything else in between over the next few weeks to shed the pounds, but I say don’t even put the focus on the weight loss. Start living healthy and the nice side effect of weight loss will spontaneously happen. You are worth it and deserve nothing less than the best. Be encouraged to NEVER GIVE UP no matter how hard it may seem.
Despite my setback over the past couple of years which I’ve talked about openly here at my blog many times, I’m still jazzed that I’ve kept off a triple-digit weight loss and still care enough about what I’m putting in my mouth to keep the junk out and the nutritious stuff in. Whatever 2010 has in store for me, I can feel confident that I will continue making those better choices for myself even as I try to figure out what may be happening with my weight gain issues. I’ll be interviewing former Biggest Loser Season 3 winner Erik Chopin next week who knows a thing or two about weighing over 400 pounds, losing a significant amount of weight, and then gaining most of it back. I hope to squeeze that one into the podcast schedule in late January 2010.
I had Christine take a couple of photos of me today without my shirt on to show you what I look like now. You’ve been fairly warned:
By the look on my face, you can tell I’m not a happy camper right now with how my body looks. UGH! That gut is so repulsive to me and it seems to be the place on my body where I’ve gained most of the 50 pounds. Some of it is still the excess loose skin from my original weight loss in 2004, so it looks worse than it could be. But I’m not satisfied staying this way and am taking appropriate measures to bring my weight back down again. I will not be assigning any kind of “goal weight” or other such nonsense like that because my weight is not really important to me.
Being healthy, feeling great, staying active, eating nutritious high-fat, low-carb meals, and looking good all play a role in this equation. If that means a 50-pound weight loss to get me there, then so be it. Maybe it will be 60, 70, or even 100 pounds. I’m not gonna put this in a narrow box and expect to accomplish what I have set out to do. The sky is the limit and I’m ready to take it on. Won’t you join me on this journey that will never end for the rest of your entire life? What a ride it will be and you’ll be better off as a result.
Now that I’ve thrown it all out there (LITERALLY!) for everyone to see, I’d love to hear your feedback. Have you struggled with your weight and find yourself in a similar predicament of wondering what’s going on? Have you overcome a situation like this before and want to offer up some friendly advice for your fellow readers? I also welcome your feedback via e-mail anytime if you don’t want to share publicly. I understand what you are going through and am right there with you when it comes to dealing with the reality of weight management. Together we will beat this one pound at a time!
Jimmy I feel for you. I was about 30 lbs overweight and the low carb has broght me down probably half way. I think low carb is part of the answer but there is still a missing piece for some of us because everyone I know seems to lose some weight but not all the weight. I am trying to mix intermitten fasting with the low carb and see what that does. I have also read if you are allergic to something maybe like a certain food that it can cause you not to lose weight also. This thing is definitely hard to figure out. Let’s believe that when you post pictures again at the end of 2010 we can compare and see the great improvement you made!
THANKS so much, Steve!
–Jimmy
Hi Jimmy,
Too many folks get discouraged after a gain and give up. But you are taking ACTION, and sound very determined. I applaud your honesty, and am totally rooting for you!
I recently celebrated losing 100 pounds (with 160 more to go), and part of the credit goes to you, for all the low carb info and inspiration you share here.
2010 will be a great year, I am excited!
Thanks Jimmy,
Loretta
=^..^=
WOO HOO, go Loretta on your weight loss accomplishment! Keep up the great work and THANK YOU for supporting my efforts to get it going again.
–Jimmy
Hi Jimmy, wish you the best of luck getting the extra weight off. It is brave of you to post your picture here. Your blog has certainly been helping me with my weight loss. I’ve still got a way to go but I’ve been making good progress for the past several months and I’m feeling great.
If you’re struggling at this point perhaps some changes to the way you low carb might be in order? Ever considered going a bit more primal and ditching some of the more processed low carb products? Just a thought.
Thank you, Glen! Yes, that’s part of some of the changes I’m making.
–Jimmy
Jimmy buddy. I appreciate a lot how you’ve recognized my blogging efforts, giving me honorable mention in your top-10 list of real giants.
So let me see if I can help, just a bit. Of course, you already know my approach is paleo, which for most of us is low-carb by default (Kitavans are 70% carb but paleo), including me at about 70/20/10 f/p/c.
Here’s some hopefully helpful thoughts that come to mind, if you can consider one, all, or a selection.
- Drop the sweet empty-cal beverages. I think you already know that this helps.
- How about meat only for a time, as a self-experiment, to see if it kicks you into fat loss?
- Intermittent fasting. I have been a huge self-experimenter in this area, and of my total 60 pounds loss, at least 40 of it is from this. But I was very radical. I was doing upwards of 30-36 hour fasts, prior to intense workouts. I got such high resolution into hunger it was quite enlightening. in a fasting workout (virtually all of them), I can bring on hunger at will and have it go away at will, in minutes or seconds, just by varying intensity.
My fasting links:
http://www.lijit.com/search?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lijit.com%2Fusers%2Frnikoley2&q=fasting&type=blog
- Have you considered (and from your post I sense you are) that the “metabolic advantage” has limits? Plenty of study and anecdotal evidence suggests that people spontaneously lower caloric intake on low-carb and paleo. Of course, fasting does that by design, and frankly, I’m far more tuned into going a day hungry than constantly. One of the most common things I heard from paleo practitioners is that “I’m never hungry.” So, perhaps hormones regulate fat accumulation/dissipation, but maybe just as or more important is how hormones regulate hunger.
- I don’t do the big fasts as often anymore, having gotten within 10-15 pounds of ultimate goal. Now I do more of an eating window, i.e., 12PM – 8PM, no food in-between. Frankly, I’m never hungry enough before noon (sometimes a bit) that I can’t make it to then.
Anyway, if I can think of more I’ll pop ‘em up.
My hat is off to you for publicly airing this Jimmy. And I wish you nothing but well. And Christine too.
THANKS for your thoughts, Richard! I’m actually doing a few of those things as well as other elements that have shown to work well for me in the past couple of years. I will be tackling this thing methodically and will get it done.
–Jimmy
Bravo, Jimmy. I applaud your willingness to share your weight gain, pictures and all, with us. Many of us, myself included, are having similar challenges on the weight loss/health front. Just today I have launched myself on DANDR induction again. I have been eating low carb for 2 1/2 years now, but have been creeping up in weight again. I know this is what I want to do for myself for the rest of my life, so I need to learn to control what I put in my mouth. Your willingness to share with us is encouragement many of us need right now. Thanks my friend.
Cathy
THANK YOU, Cathy! You can do this and I’m cheering you on to great success too!
–Jimmy
I am there with you also. You are so brave!I I lost weight after my divorce six years ago doing Body for Life (60lbs). I started graduate school and gained 30 pounds of it back because of all the stress and lack of time to exercise. I couldn’t go back to that diet and be hungry again. I finished my degree this December and for the last few months have been educating myself and experimenting with low carb. I started with the GO diet in October and lost eight pounds very quickly and have just stalled since then. (Hopefully just due to cheating once on Thanksgiving and on Christmas day and more time to add back in my weights) . Now that I know what derailing effect that has on my body and how good I feel when I faithfully keep to the rules–it keeps me going. I have been devouring your past podcasts and youtube videos and I just want to say thanks. Your post today inspired me and I hope this new year will be a new start for all of us!
THANKS so much, Allison! We need to start being honest with each other and ourselves if we’re ever gonna learn what we need to about weight and health management.
–Jimmy
Couple of observations. You have been eating more wheat products recently than you used to. Hence, Steve’s comments about allergies could apply even though you have no overt symptoms. Carbs above a certain level are causing your insulin levels to increase causing fat storage. Hence, the return of hyperinsulinemia.
The one thing you have going for you is a history of all your meals. Some kind of pattern/reason may reveal itself if you give it enough analysis one would think.
THANKS for your thoughts, JD! Like I said, I’m tightening up those problem areas to see if we can get this under control again. I appreciate your thoughts.
–Jimmy
Gee Jimmy, I feel for you. It’s a scary thing to see the scale creep up when you feel you are doing it right! I gained 8 pounds in three days this week (Christmas eve, Christmas day, and the day after) and I didn’t even deviate from my low carb eating. Ate LC but just more than usual – so it sure is easy enough to gain weight even on LC.
My loss is a constant struggle. I still have over 100 pounds to lose, and I have been gluten-free, sugar-free, PUFA-oil free, low carb for all of 2009. Yet it seems to take me WEEKS to lose even a single pound. Every ounce is a major battle.
Last month I ended up being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, and I’m now trying to get my thyroid under control. Maybe that will help. I *have* actually lost 40 pounds in calendar 2009. But I really thought, at the beginning of the year – that I could lose 100+ if I was really strict! I wanted to be thin for the 2010 LC cruise, but it ain’t gonna happen.
Hang in there, Debbie! The key is you are not giving up and that’s very important. I can’t wait to meet you on the low-carb cruise in March.
–Jimmy
Hi Jimmy! I think you are smart to look into the thyroid panel. I am very thankful that I came under the care of a very enlightened doctor this year. He went beyond the typical thyroid screening tests and looked at the full panel. His theories include keeping his patients in the top 30% of the “normal range”. Since I was in the low bottom 30% he began treatment with Armour thyroid. I feel so much better since starting the treatment and the weight has come off more readily. We have adjusted my dose (increased as needed) over the last 11 months to keep me in the top 30%. I am so thankful because most doctors would have said I was in the “normal” range (which I am/was) and would not have prescribed treatment. Thankfully there are doctors who will think outside the box and not mearly treat everyone the same!
Also, you may want to look into candidiasis. The book “The Yeast Connection” by Dr. Crook is very informative about this condition. I also began treatment for this and have had great strides of improvement to my health (coupled with LC eating, of course!). If you do a google search for yeast connection quiz, you will come upon a screening tool to see if you may be dealing with a yeast overgrowth in your system (which impedes weightloss and contributes especially to gut weight gain).
Regardless, thanks for being an inspiration to so many people! I look forward to sharing the journey with you!
THANKS Bonnie! Dr. Davis will be instrumental in helping me interpret those results. In the meantime, I’ll do what I know I can do in my diet to help. Thank you for the information.
–Jimmy
Hi Jimmy,
If I remember correctly, you had great success with one of your “experiments” in the last 2 years and that was “sweet free”. Unfortunately, you gave it up after a few weeks and wrote that you “felt miserable” doing it. Maybe you can revisit that strategy with more determination? Here’s a study (per Dr Eades twitter page) that seems to show artificial sweeteners satisfy taste but not important areas in brain scans and may even provoke hunger! Good luck in 2010. Link: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20427391.900-sugarfree-satisfaction-finding-the-brains-sweet-spot.html
THANKS Michael! I’m imploring a series of strategies that have been shown to work for me before to work on this. I appreciate your input and support.
–Jimmy
Jimmy, It’s a coincidence that I prepared two protein shakes to bring to work this morning for breakfast and lunch. I, too, am going to watch my food intake more closely now that the holidays are over. I lost 80 lbs. about 4 years ago after reading your first book, and have managed to keep them off. I did gain 12 lbs a few months ago, but I went back on the Atkins Induction phase and lost it within a couple of weeks. I’m only 5′ 2″ tall, so 12 lbs. is a lot for me. I now try to keep my weight within 5 lbs of my goal. Yes, it is a constant struggle, but eating low-carb has made it easier for me to maintain my weight. Since you are so tall, 50 lbs. isn’t as much to you as it would be to me, and I’m sure you’ll be able to lose it. I’ll be reading your blog and listening to your podcasts in order to follow your progress. Good Luck! Sandy
I appreciate it, Sandy! I’m well on my way now. Check out my progress at my menus blog.
–Jimmy
Well, you’ve certainly demonstrated your willingness to share! I have two suggestions. Intermittent Fasting seems to work well for me. I’m not eating much less in the way of calories, but am eating no more than two meals a day. It is definitely improving my blood sugars (I’m a diabetic). Suggestion 2 is to get a glucose meter and test before meals and two hours after you eat to see what happens. A diabetic has an edge in managing this stuff because he can tell in a moment how his sugar level is doing. You might figure out that it is a particular meal time that gives you trouble or particular foods. This is how I cut out carbs to begin with – by seeing what they did to my blood sugar.
THANKS for your thoughts, David! I’ve actually done both IF and testing my blood sugar. May try them both again during this process. This will get done!
–Jimmy
Jimmy, you’re doing very well. I know how disheartening it is to deal with rebounding, but you can look with pride to the fact that you have maintained the majority of your loss for five years. You can also take pride in sticking to your guns in terms of your perspective. You’ve taken it on the chin a few times in 2008, but you’ve done so with incredible grace.
I’m in a similar situation to yours, but I have a much longer distance to goal.
I lost really well a couple of years ago, regained most of the weight I had lost in late 2007 and 2008, began correcting the rebound in late 2008 and early 2009, and then began rebounding again. I’m now possibly at my heaviest – “possibly,” b/c my clothes fit the same as before. I don’t know if I knew my correct previous high weight.
I follow the Anti-Jared, and the thing I find so striking about him is he does not advocate any particular WOE. He acknowledges what he must do to succeed, but he also acks that others can do other things. Keeping this mind, I’m going back to what worked best for me, but with a few modifications.
I have to count both carbs and calories. I don’t care how low carb is supposed to work. I know for sure that low-carbing does not negate the concept of energy balance (for me). My huge mistake last time was in cutting my calories too much. When I began losing weight a few yrs ago, I was nearly 400 lbs, but I put myself on an 1800 cal plan, way too low for a man of my size (even at my goal of 250 lbs). I’m taking a more moderate approach now.
I’ve worked out a whole approach that will incorporate several strategies. I’m journaling my progress, and I’m excited about the journey ahead.
Keep up the good work, and thank you for setting a good example through your transparency.
THANKS for your encouragement, OnPoint! I KNOW you can do it too and we’ll both succeed in 2010. Let me know how it’s going for you.
–Jimmy
Jimmy, I keep coming back to your site because it is so honest. Thanks again for everything and I wish you the best of luck on the new plan.
I know volleyball is your game but have you tried any weight training.
Also looking at you diet i notice very little fish. Is that a personal preference or is there a reason.
Thanks
John
I appreciate it, John! I do love my volleyball, but I’m not opposed to doing weight training. My old personal trainer contacted me recently and said he opened up his own gym recently to train clients. I may take him up on that, although my current finances are a little worse than they have been. As for the fish thing, yes it’s a personal preference thing. I’d take beef or chicken over fish every day of the week. But ideally I should include it in there every once in a while, too. We’ll mix it up some as I begin anew on this journey. THANKS for your comments!
–Jimmy
You can do it, Jimmy!
I have to! THANKS Lora!
–Jimmy
Hi Jimmy, courage is what comes to mind. You’ve got it…we all need it. I was diagnosed one year ago as Type 2 diabetic. 280 lbs and miserable. Started the low carb life and lost 40 lbs. 40 to go. You have inspired me as well as Blaine Jelus from Fit-TV. I get it and I am living it. Now I have stalled for 4 months. I didn’t change anything. Very frustrating. At least I did not gain any back but now I must take it to the next level. Any suggestions? Also, what do you think of “whey low”?…………GOOD LUCK MY FRIEND
THANKS Bubba! I saw your same comments on my YouTube channel today and offered up a video that may help you. Check it out!
–Jimmy
No advice here, Jimmy. Just support and encouragement as I join you on the journey while I try to figure out what’s going to work for my body and get it to shed these extra pounds. I’m frustrated that I am part of the statistic of Americans who gain almost 10 lbs. over the holidays.
Happy New Year and here’s to a great 2010!
You will get it done, too, Sonya! This is our time.
–Jimmy
Hi Jimmy. Kudos to you for accepting the fact that some changes need to be made and for focusing your efforts to that end. Your willingness to go “public” with this is courageous and will no doubt help countless others. I wish you all the luck in the world and hope you find what works. I’m sure you will get bombarded with suggestions and advice. I hope you don’t mind if I add to that.
I’ve had Type 1 (T1) diabetes since the age of 10 (1974). I’m now 45 years old and have been on Dr. Richard K. Bernstein’s low carb diet since May 2003. I’ve always said if you want to study why low carb diets are far superior to any other diet for overall health and weight control you need to study T1 diabetics. It is so painfully obvious when you look at the difference between before and after low-carbing in a T1 diabetic. A T1 diabetic is totally dependent on injected insulin. Before low carbing I injected over 60 units of insulin a day (and I ate no where near the carbs that my doctor thought I should be eating), on a low carb diet my requirement for insulin dropped below 20 units a day. Before low carbing my blood sugars were all over the place with lows below 30mg/dl and highs above 500mg/dl, on low carb my blood sugars are much easier to control and I can maintain them between a narrow range of 65-90mg/dl almost 100% of the time (as long as I stick with the diet – which I do). This is just a few examples of the changes facilitated by a low carb diet in a diabetic, but this is what happens in a non-diabetic as well. It is just not as obvious but for sure the benefits to health are the same whether you are diabetic or not.
As you know Dr. B advocates his diet for non-diabetics as well as diabetics. As a matter of fact a good part of his clients are non-diabetics that come to him for help with weight control. I think his diet may help you for a couple of reasons and it is probably not too much different than what you are already doing except for the fact that there are a few restrictions, but these restrictions are beneficial. He advocates no more than 6 gram CHO with breakfast, and no more than 12 grams CHO for lunch and dinner. I’m sure you are already counting carbs so this would not be much of a change. His diet has no restrictions on fat. The biggest thing is protein. He advocates establishing a meal plan. You eat a portion of protein food at each particular meal that will provide satiety (but not stuffed). Once you establish the amount of protein at each particular meal you keep that amount the same everyday. So let’s say you figure out for you that you need 5 ounces of a protein food at breakfast, 4 ounces with lunch and 6 ounces with dinner. You keep this the same each and everyday. Why is this important? It is important because he advocates adjusting the amount of protein that you eat to facilitate weight gain/loss and or maintenance. If the amount of protein you decide on does not facilitate weight loss you adjust the amount of protein down. So with his diet there is only one variable to adjust. I was not obese by any means when I started his diet back in 2003. I’m 6’ tall and I weighed 188lbs when I started. The first year I lost a considerable amount of weight. I got down to 145 lbs which was way to skinny. I added more protein to my diet and gained weight back to my current weight of 172lbs.
Best of luck to you Jimmy! Hope this helps!
Mark
Mark, I appreciate your insights and certainly think you are on to something with your suggestions. I’ll likely do some Bernstein-eque methods through this process, so thank you for the reminder. Incidentally, I will be sharing an interview with Dr. Bernstein next Monday as part of my “Encore Week” with brand new interviews featuring the best of the best from 2009. I hope you get a chance to listen. THANKS again!
–Jimmy
Jimmy, Thanks for your excellent forum, blog, and internet sites. My concern is that the following items on your low-carb menu since December 18 are causing your liver and muscles to release stored energy, increasing insulin levels and subsequently causing the weight gain you are dealing with? Since 12-18-09: Diet Coke with lime, 2 bites of chocolate cake, Sugar-free chocolate creme cookies, Sugar-free lemon cookies, Splenda-sweetened diet soda, Diet Coke with lime, Sugar-free chocolate wafer cookies, Diet Coke with lime, Splenda-sweetened diet soda, Sugar-free chocolate cream cookies, Diet Pepsi with lemon, Splenda-sweetened diet soda, Diet Coke with lime, Diet Coke with lime, Sugar-free chocolate wafer cookies, Splenda-sweetened diet soda, Sugar-free chocolate cream cookies, Coke Zero, Diet Coke with lime, Diet Coke with lemon, Sugar-free chocolate cookies, Splenda-sweetened diet soda, Diet Coke with lime, Hershey’s chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, Diet Coke with lime, Splenda-sweetened diet soda, Splenda-sweetened diet soda, Diet Coke with Splenda, Splenda-sweetened diet soda, Diet Coke with lime, Sugar-free chocolate cookies, and Splenda-sweetened diet soda. Thanks again for promoting low carb living as “the good life.”
THANKS Al! You’ll notice in my newest menus those things have been removed. Thank you for sharing your concern and I look forward to interviewing you about your book later this week.
–Jimmy
Hello Jimmy, first of all I’d like to commend you for having the courage and integrity to disclose and even show in pictures this weight gain. And also to thank you for this entire wonderful blog, which was my initial entry gate into low-carb living, allowing me to take control of my own body and weight back (24 pounds shed over 6 months, and stable BMI of 21 ever since).
Now, two things strike me when examining your food log: first, you eat a lot more than anyone I know – and I mean this in terms of raw quantity. I know base metabolism differs between everybody, and that you’re a tall guy, but the amounts still top even what other tall, big guys I know do eat. This is just a thought. (Also, there’s quite a bit of cookies and soda in there – say, you do drink more water than any other beverage, don’t you ?)
Second, it seems from a quick glance across this log, that you don’t usually eat at fixed hours but end up having your lunches and dinners a bit scattered all over the day, day after day. We french people tend to have them at very regular times, maybe this can have a significant effect ?
THANKS Jesrad! Both of the issues you bring up are rectified in the menus starting on Monday this week. Significantly less overall amount of food and at regular intervals. Here’s hoping that helps do the trick for me. Thank you for your feedback and CONGRATULATIONS on your success.
–Jimmy
I have been following your blog for several years and it seems that nearly every January or so, for the past four or five years, you have reported weight creep for yourself in the preceding year. Each year in response you have adopted a new weight reduction program, which usually has some initial success, but ultimately results in another weight creep report from you as the year comes to an end.
As discouraging as I am sure it has been for you, as one of your readers I am impressed by your continuing efforts to try something else when you don’t get what you want.
Your blog has certainly affected my thinking about weight loss and control. I have come around to believing, as you have often said, that what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for all. But as an expansion on that thought, I have also seen that what doesn’t work well at one time for someone, may work remarkably well at a different time. We are all different, and we are also all different today than we were at times in the past. What didn’t work for us before may work now.
I think it is regrettable that all the major weight-loss proponents tend to demonize anyone who advocates a system different than their own. Judging by the websites of many many practitioners of many many different weight-loss programs, there is certainly “more than one way to skin a cat” successfully in this game.
I wish you success in finding a program that works for you, and I encourage also keeping an open mind in your search. I occasionally find things where I never thought they could be, and sometimes find them in places where I had already looked. Good luck to you, Jimmy!
That is an excellent point, 2bluesky2! I have had a hard time reconciling why something that worked for me in 2004 no longer works now. Now I get it and am working on something different than what I did before. THANKS for sharing your thoughts today.
–Jimmy
Hey Jimmy…..I already said most of what I had to say back on the discussion boards. But, I just wanted to point out, that one of the reasons that you are so inspirational and motivating, is that you NEVER throw in the towel, you are always working to find YOUR path on this journey. And, I see you researching and following reasonable approaches that make sense to an average joe like me.
Like someone else posted, I’m less than interested in all the “chemistry” behind low carb. I KNOW that in 45 years, low carb was the ONLY woe that took weight off my body and was not torturous to follow.
I also appreciate that you take a common sense approach, rather than seek a cult like following. When folks are desperate (and I think I am right now…LOL), they are looking for any answer and all reason can be thrown to the wayside. You have been the voice of reason for me on more than 1 occassion, and you are again….today. So, again…Thank You!
I’m trying to convince myself to stay committed to my LC WOE. And, when I stay committed, maybe my reward will be a ticket to the low carb cruise
Thanks for all you do.
Dee
Thanks so much Dee!
–Jimmy
You are a brave man, Jimmy Moore. It takes a lot of courage to post pictures especially during weight gain phase. I believe in you 100 percent and even though you have been reluctant to change your way at times, you are still a man of reason. I think deep down you know whats it all about when it comes to weight loss. After all you did it before and you will do it again. hang in there!
THANKS Vadim! I WILL do it again and be even better because of it.
–Jimmy
Jimmy,
Thanks for posting this–and I just wanted to add another voice of support. I will be keeping track of your new approach, and thinking of you as I do some of the same things! I’ve stalled with the typical “carb creep” over the last year, and am more and more cognizant of the problems with artificial sweeteners. Back on induction since Xmas, needing a belt again already, and feeling great.
Louise
THANK YOU Louise! I’ve cut out the diet sodas so far and done fairly well. We will prevail in 2010. NEVER GIVE UP my friend!
–Jimmy
Hi Jimmy,
Thanks for having the courage to post. Most people that are in the position of “expert” don’t have the courage to fess up. You and Dr. Eades are two notable exceptions.
Richard Nikolay already covered anything that I might have said from a dietary perspective.
Just some observtions that relate to my own low-carb/paleo experience. I too suffered a rebound of weight gain when I tried to introduce various low-carb/imitatiion sweet products into my diet. You have been consuming “low carb” pasta and other foods that imitate sweets. In my experience, they lead to weight gain just like the real things. I have no science or studies to back this up, just my own experience.
Exercise. Depleting glycogen stores that must be replenished and improving hormones related to appetite is the “two punch” in the one-two combo of low carb eating. Individually they are good but they are better together. It takes intensity. Slow/steady will not do it.
Best of luck.
THANKS Michael! You’ll see my new menus starting this week are better than before and I’ll be adding in some HIIT and weight lifting again soon. It’s gonna happen and I appreciate your help.
–Jimmy
Jimmy,
I come from the same “school” of thought as Richard, e.g., paleo and I agree with his recommendations.
-I eat a light breakfast, sometimes skip it. Usually 5 eggs, berries/raisins (and bacon if I have time).
-I eat a decent sized lunch, sometimes light if I ate breakfast, I hard ever skip lunch though.
-For dinner, in addition to meat, I eat (w/ appropriate h/t to Mark Sisson) I eat a Big Ass Salad.
-If want to snack, I’ll cook up some hamburger paddies or more meat of one kind or another.
One thing that has really helped me lean out over the last couple of months was to avoid dairy all together. I stopped drinking milk when I went paleo, but still ate cheese on a salad or when I drank wine a few times a week. I found though that I began eating cheese quite frequently, and actually would want wine to give myself an excuse to drink wine so I could eat cheese.
Well, I just said to myself 2 months ago unless it’s on a dish served to me by someone else (without grains), that is the only time I’ll eat cheese or have dairy of any kind. No yogurt, no cheese on salad, no cheese with wine. Cheese and most dairy do cause an insulin response though maybe not high on the glycemic index. Some people in the “paleo community” have recently begun to discuss FAGE (greek thick yogurt). Good, fine for them. I know for me, FAGE would be like a gateway drug, and it would lead to me buying blocks of cheddar.
I don’t eat nuts either anymore.
By giving up the dairy and nuts, and just focusing on vegetables (from my Big Ass Salad with my DeVany recommended celery during very meal), fruits (mostly berries in the morning, with an apple thrown in every other day), and meat/eggs, water, coffee, and wine on occasion (with grapes no cheese), I have really leaned out.
Try eating that way, and do a McGuff like work out. I think some the sugar free drinks and snacks and stuff could be just for birthdays or thanksgiving, and I still think it’s OK for someone to use them regularly perhaps during their transition to a low-carb lifestyle, but I agree with Richard, just stick with water (with either coffee or tea, with wine occasionaly if that’s your thing). This has worked for me really well over the last couple of months.
THANKS for your input, Zach! You’ll notice some of the very changes you suggested in my latest menus.
–Jimmy
Jimmy,
Wow you are so brave! I’ve always wanted to do what you did here and I never have gotten up the courage to do it. I am so proud (and possibly jealous) of your courage. Anyhow, I just wanted to praise you for really putting yourself out there (metaphorically and figuratively) and wish you all the luck on your journey. I wish I could provide helpful tips, but in reality I’m in the same boat as you. I lost over 50 lbs and kept it off 2 years ago, but I still have about 25 lbs (give or take) to get rid of and I feel stuck. I can’t see the finish line, but I know I have to get further down the course than this. I’ll be following your progress, and hopefully making some of my own. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Melissa! But I NEEDED to do this for me more than anything else. I’m glad it is encouraging people like you and this has got the juices flowing in me to do whatever it takes to make it happen. I will succeed because I have such wonderful people supporting me like yourself. THANK YOU!
–Jimmy
Hi Jimmy-
Another big thanks from someone who’s been inspired by your progress and your long-term commitment to health.
For the last several months, I’ve been committed to a weekly weigh-in, and publicly sharing the results. Having a structure which encourages me to keep evaluating my progress, and setting a goal every week, seems to really keep me focused.
I set up a spreadsheet on google docs to track all this, and I find it very motivating. If anyone’s interested in copying it, feel free to drop a comment at my blog (link above). I’m one third of the way through a 180lb weight loss (64 lbs so far), so it’s a long-term project.
Jimmy- My one upswing since I started keeping track with this level of detail was correlated with starting drinking Nasty-tame diet sodas again. I see from previous comments that you’ve cut those again, and I hope that gives you the success you’re looking for!
Here’s to 2010 being a year of continued health and weight-loss for all of us here, especially you Jimmy!
Thanks friend!
–Jimmy
Jimmy,
I only have the suggestion as others: To go more clean eating (ditching the processed stuff). My family now supports my way of eating because they have seen results, and they have been the target of when I choose to eat off plan ( awful gas). Haa haa! Sad, but that is the only way I won over my husband to prove that I simply cannot handle the high carby mess. I truly feel so much better when I go back to basics of eggs, cheese, meat, and veggies. (Of course mayo, ranch dressing, olive oil, butter, etc.) I think the more I tweak things to resemble some of my “OLD” favorites, I get out of control and I want more and more of those.
Anyway, praying for you brother!
Great comments, Sheila! Take a look at my latest menus, you’ll see I’m doing those things that have worked for me in the recent past. I appreciate your input.
–Jimmy
Hey Jimmy,
You know I’m behind you 100% my friend. Keep doing what you do and we’ll be cheering you on as you lose this weight!
THANKS Amy! I’m gonna get ‘er done! BRING IT ON, 2010!
–Jimmy
Have you tried the Eades diet? I ask because it specifically targets excess weight in the middle.
THANKS Joe! Yes, I did the “6 Week Cure” back in September/October 2009 and did very well during the “Shakes” weeks (although overall the moderate losses I saw didn’t sustain), so that’s what I’m doing in my current menus that started again on Monday this week. It’s working pretty well this time again and I’ll likely continue on to keep the momentum going. I appreciate your input!
–Jimmy
Hi Jimmy,
Thanks for sharing information not only about the sunny side of lowcarbing but also about the bumps in the road so to say. Sometimes it can even be frustrating to read all the success stories of people losing losing pounds “by the minute” when your own track record doesn’t look too good even though you seem to most things right. One need to know that not everyone has a plain sailing, but that there are ways to overcome difficulties. Kudos!
In my three and a half years of lowcarbinig I have only managed to shred off about 40 pounds, most of them in the first year. One can’t just let the years pass by like that, so I’ve decided to give some extra effort the next coming months to see if I can get som better results. I’m willing to try almost all the tricks in the book and will follow your blog with great interest, as usual, to see if you come up with “new things” that can be useful to me as well.
I hope to lose close to fifty pounds before May 22nd (this year, hahaha) and to be fit enough to complete the Gothenburg Half Marathon on that day.
As I said I hope to read som good tips and advice on your blog soon (definitely need them…) and I will update on my progress on http://www.fetsmart.com/blog/ should anyone be interested to follow my struggle…
I wish you and your readers a great 2010!
Pay close attention to meal timing and frequency. Sticking to a strict schedule of 3 meals a day with 5 to 6 hrs between meals works magic for me. I also find that adding some dairy like cottage cheese speeds weight loss up for me. I have a very low functioning thyroid (as per blood tests)….that works much better when I follow my own advice. My low thyroid function makes me much more sensitive, so unlike many following the low carb diet I will not lose much weight munching on protein and fat all day. After one week of strict carb counting I was down about one pound. After one week of restricted carbs coupled with reduced snacking I was down four pounds.
THANKS for sharing your experience, Marie. I’m glad you’re doing what works for you and that’s what I’m doing myself right now. I appreciate you checking in!
–Jimmy
Jimmy, you are the best.
You are always willing to share your journey and not just the easy moments. You represent millions of people, inclding myself, who may do everything right but, still hit a bump now and again. You never give up or lose hope. You evaluate the situation and attack it from a different angle.
I have gained some of my weight back due to an increase in carb intake. Stress = less focus for me. I am going to cut out all sweets and focus on eating more primal. A challenge I didn’t take back when you did. I know I can accomplish my goal.
You are such an inspiration. Cheers to 2010!
Hey Jimmy!
I’ve been low-carbing for about 10 years. I dropped 40, had a baby, gained 60, dropped 40, had another baby, gained 60, dropped 40. You do the math. I felt like I was right back where I started but that’s not true. I work out. I cook more. I set an example for my kids. I wasn’t doing any of that before. And then I dropped another 40. (Go me!) Throughout my journey, I’ve learned some things along the way and the biggest thing: is don’t give up.
You know what they say: The most successful people have failed the most too. The difference is they keep trying and never give up. You put yourself out there day after day and I for one appreciate the accountability level of posting your pictures. I know it’s difficult for you to look past the gut and what-not, but what I see in those pictures is Courage and Perseverance. You’re still an inspiration, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Whenever I feel like giving up, I log in to see who else is fighting the good fight. That’s you, dude.
Peace & blessings to you and yours in 2010!
Lolla
THANK YOU so much, Lolla! You encourage me by your example and kindness.
–Jimmy
Hey Jimmy, feel the love.
I admire your courage for airing your setbacks.
Best wishes and may you lose to your heart’s content.
I’m having a bit of an uptick of my own, so I’m working out harder and I’ll consider going back to induction levels.
You rock Jimmy and Christine too!
My uptick is nothing compared to yours. I am inspired!
Peace 
Please never give up on your intended victory!
It is a win/win/win victory!
-Kenwood-
Thank you for your encouragement, Kenwood.
–Jimmy
I remember seeing your blog years ago, when I stumbled into low carb eating. No matter the setback your achievement is amazing.
I’m with you! We all find things that work, and others not so much. The only difference is how we view our “failures”. Within every setback is the opportunity to learn, and view it with a lens of positivity. Don’t get down on yourself, you’ve come a long way.
THANKS so much Ann!
I’m NEVER giving up on this.
–Jimmy