Before & After Pics
Wanna see what Jimmy Moore looked like at 410 pounds? Check these out:
BEFORE pictures
The BIGGEST he ever got!
Trying to look cool through the fat
I give up, I know I’m morbidly obese!
How did I let myself get THIS big?!
Thankfully, Jimmy didn’t stay that way when he lost 180 pounds on the Atkins diet and here is what he looked like after just one year on that amazing low-carb experience:
AFTER pictures
With his beautiful wife Christine
Dressed up with a reminder of what he used to look like!
Since a few years have passed after his 180-pound weight loss, updated photos of Jimmy will be added here from time to time:
CURRENT pictures
NOVEMBER 2005: Jimmy with his darling wife at CarbSmart book signing
NOVEMBER 2006: Jimmy with his older brother Kevin at Thanksgiving
MARCH 2007: Playing an extra in George Clooney’s Leatherheads
MARCH 2007: Looking quite serious in a posed professional photo
MARCH 2007: Smiling professional photograph
APRIL 2007: Jimmy with George Clooney Look-A-Like Greg Helker
JUNE 2007: Jimmy with Steve & Mariah Yu from THE INSPIRED movie
OCTOBER 2007: Jimmy hanging out in his front yard
NOVEMBER 2007: Jimmy with his mother Judiann on vacation in the Smoky Moutains
JANUARY 2008: Snowball fight with Christine in the front yard
JANUARY 2008: Posing with the “fat boy” pants for a local newspaper story
FEBRUARY 2008: Jimmy singing karaoke on the first low-carb cruise to Mexico
FEBRUARY 2008: Dressed up with Christine on the Carnival cruise to Mexico
APRIL 2008: Interviewing Dr. Richard Feinman in Phoenix, AZ for his podcast show
APRIL 2008: Being interviewed for a documentary by Melanie Vogel
MAY 2008: Giving a talk about low-carb in Durham, NC
JULY 2008: Yes, Jimmy has blonde hair sitting with his buddy Charles Washington
DECEMBER 2008: Jimmy and his wife Christine enjoying a meal out with friends
JANUARY 2009: Jimmy on the beach of Progreso, Mexico
JANUARY 2009: Jimmy and Christine eating dinner on the 2nd low-carb cruise
JUNE 2009: Jimmy enjoying some broccoli with a big chunk of butter
JUNE 2009: Jimmy acting silly at a friend’s baby shower
OCTOBER 2009: Jimmy and his wife Christine all dressed up for a formal wedding
OCTOBER 2009: Jimmy with “Biggest Loser” contestant Isabeau Miller at her wedding
OCTOBER 2009: Jimmy with FAT HEAD filmmaker Tom Naughton
OCTOBER 2009: Jimmy gets his pulse checked by Tom Naughton (FUNNY!)
THANKS for all of your encouraging comments about this continuing livin’ la vida low-carb experience. Jimmy is in this for life, baby, so keep checking back for even more updated pictures. 
Jimmy,
The new blog looks great! Very easy on the eyes and great navigation! Peace out blogger!
Hiya Jimmy & Christine,
just wanted to say hi, and an insperation your you tube videos have been, were in the uk and there isnt much in the uk for the atkins dieters, both me and my partner have been on the diet 2 weeks today and have lost 1 and a 1/2 stone each.
So thanks for inspiration.
love the vids
regards
rich and donna in the uk
HEY JIMMY & CHRISTINE! YOU GUYS LOOK GREAT! WE MISS YA HERE IN VIRGINIA BEACH! YOUR STORY HAS INSPIRED ME TO GET BACK TO LIVINLAVIDALOWCARB!! KEEP DA FAITH!!
MICHAEL W.
IN HIS EVERLASTING GRIP!!
What’s up, Mike! We’ve been back to VA Beach several times and have thought about you guys every time we come. Jennifer is about to have a baby, so we’ll be back there to see the family soon. YOU CAN DO IT with low-carb, so come back often for encouragement in your commitment to this lifestyle, buddy. SEE YA!
–Jimmy
Jimmy-
These photos are incredible. You’re way more inspirational than that guy from Subway. We all know that five dollar footlongs are mostly carbs anyway.
-James
Jimmy here in the uk people are confronting their Drs with the reason why they are losing weight – some then say well its just because you’re doing a low Kcal diet because Low Carb = Low Kcal.
We’re then saying OK. But why is it THIS low kcal diet that is working ? Why not when i did all your stupid low kcal diets?
Is it because it is we’ve been told a lie? Carbs produce insulin if then not burnt off = fat/adipose tissue.
You confront them with that and you can see them sh*ting in their pants ! It gives me such a buzz !
You’re an inspiration Jimmy. Keep on fighting these lying B*st*rds !
Keep sharing the truth with those doctors, Alan! If only the American public would be so brazen to confront their docs in the same manner–I’d LOVE it!
–Jimmy
Jimmy -
Sorry to disappoint you but I just looked at the most recent pictures of you (late 2008) and you are overweight, if not obese (medical definition here, not an opinion). Could you please tell us your current weight and height, so readers can put your nutritional advice in perspective? For the same reason that people should ignore financial advice from bankrupt individuals, people should ignore nutritional advice from overweight individuals – they have limited credibility. People should only take nutritional advice from very fit and lean individuals.
THANKS for your concern, David. But I post all of my daily menus and current weight every single day for all the world to see at my menus blog. I have blogged quite openly and extensively about a 35-pound weight gain that happened in 2008 following my decision to start lifting weights in December 2007. The creatine I was taking along with several stressful situations in my life (a failed IVF cycle where my wife and I were trying to get pregnant, the death of my 41-year old brother, etc.) have also made it difficult to get the weight off.
In November 2008, I went on a “sweet”-free challenge and in just two months I’ve lost 25 pounds. As of today I weigh 239 pounds on my 6′3″ body frame–only 9 pounds from the weight I was at the end of my original weight loss in 2004. If someone chooses not to read my blog because they deem me too fat and irrelevant when it comes to health and weight loss, then that’s their prerogative. I’m not making anybody read what I write here and it’s a free country.
But as long as I have this platform, I’m gonna share the truth about livin’ la vida low-carb because that never changes regardless of who the messenger is. Am I a perfectly fit and trim individual? No. But I used to weigh 410 pounds five years ago and I’ve kept off 160 pounds of that weight ever since. Do you know many people who lose significant triple-digit amounts of weight who are able to keep it off over the long-term? It’s very rare.
One final thought for you: what does my weight have to do with promoting the positive and healthy benefits of low-carb living so that others can benefit?
–Jimmy
Jimmy,
Don’t let the bastards get you down!
These idiots who don’t know struggle just don’t know!
Re: David’s comment. Baloney! If you were reading a blog about the loss of leg and how to deal with it, would you want it to be by someone who had never gone through the process? Or would you learn more by following the story right from the beginning, from the original loss of the limb through the surgery and recovery, the fitting of the limb, and the trials and tribulations of learning to use it — and in particular the little triumphs along the way and how they were achieved?
I haven’t followed your blog from the very beginning, but I wish I had. I’m sure I could have learned something helpful from it every day.
To David: You can’t just drop in and insert yourself without following what has gone on with Jimmy over the past four years! He has changed his entire body and continues to work on improving his health. If you think it’s all about weight then you’re really not understanding the process here or the full benefits of converting an unhealthy body to a healthy, vibrant body. That’s what its all about. There are so many thin and unhealthy people walking around with clogged arteries and pending or undiagnosed problems. I would invite you to read his blogs and listen to the many experts he interviews on his podcasts – like Drs William Davis, Mary Vernon, Barry Groves, Michael and Mary Dan Eades, Eric Westman, etc. There is a wealth of health information that you have never heard on Oprah or read about in Men’s Health or Redbook and aren’t likely to. He has been methodically laying out for us the dangers of excess insulin, which is something that is finally beginning to come to the forefront of mainstream medicine. Hear what the real experts (doctors who have worked day in and out with overweight and diseased patients) have to say on achieving optimal health. Then go read their books. Each of our bodies are different and mysterious and the goal is to unlock the lifestyle that will lead to your personal best weight and optimal internal health.
Actually the pictures you site are clearly those of a thin and healthy man. But if you’re going to form an opinion based on a couple of pictures, then you are ignorant and should educate yourself.
Marie
Lots to take in.
You may be interested in the first gathering of professionals in Houston, TX Jan 22,23 to discuss food addiction, the latest science and protocols….see http://www.foodaddictionprofessionals.org
Let me know what you think!
Do you do public speaking?
Yes, I do, Colleen. Although that week this gathering is happening I’ll be on a cruise ship to Mexico with a bunch of my fellow low-carbers. THANKS!
–Jimmy
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I spent more time reading your blog after seeing the responses to my post. It is clear that your weight has followed a yo-yo pattern for the last few years. This is nothing to be proud of. Clearly, your diet is not working since you are still overweight/obese. Jimmy, you have reached your plateau several years ago and have not been able to reach a healthy weight ever since. You probably have to lose another 60-70 pounds before you can start considering yourself healthy (a weight of 170 lbs would give you a BMI of about 21 at 6′3). You don’t need to exercise a lot or starve yourself to get to a healthy weight of 170 lbs, you just need to eat the right healthy food (I know since I did, I am 6′1 at 155 lbs, down from 240 lbs a few years ago). I am still looking for examples of healthy, fit and lean individuals who practice the Atkins diet without exercising like crazy – I think they don’t exist. If you can refer me to their websites, I would really appreciate and would be willing to reconsider my opinion.
Well, David, I’m sorry you don’t I’m healthy, but every doctor who has looked at my HDL, triglycerides, LDL particle size, and other health markers say I am the epitome of a healthy man thanks to the low-carb lifestyle. Do you think my health is somehow WORSE now after losing 180 pounds on the Atkins diet than it was in 2004 at 410? Surely you jest.
As for exercise, it’s an important part of a healthy lifestyle regardless of what your diet consists of. Nobody says to “kill yourself” with tons of cardio, but getting in enough high-intensity, interval training and resistance training helps to burn fat is essential to success. Some people have a much harder time than others because they are especially insulin resistant, something you fail to acknowledge in your derogatory comments about me.
But since you asked, I’m happy to tell you about other low-carb bloggers who have been and are still being successful on a controlled-carbohydrate nutritional approach: Mark Sisson, Kent Altena, Muata Kamdibe, and so many more than you’d care to know about.
One final thought for you David. If you don’t like my example of the healthy low-carb lifestyle, then why do you keep reading and leaving comments here? Do you have like a “man crush” on me or something?
–Jimmy
I seldom comment on blogs, but I have to speak up here. To the fellow named David; the loss of 180 lbs is a herculean accomplishment that I would say qualifies this blogger to talk about weight loss. Even though I have never weighed over 225 and have never had a life threatening weight problem, I read this blog to find good advice so that I never reach 400 lbs. As for ideal bodyweight, I found out that I was considered overweight by the government standards even though I can run 5 miles with a decent time and complete some of the crossfit workouts with good time. Some people are genetically determined to be heavier than others.
I would like to respond to some comments. I am not trying to insult anyone, pick a fight or get anyone angry. If someone felt insulted or angry, please be assured it was not my intent. I also do not want to restrict anyone from their right to free speech.
Like everyone reading this blog and other dietary websites, I want to learn more about healthy eating and the different diets out there, including their respective advantages and disadvantages. I am not defending or attacking any particular diet. However, I am looking for documented factual information about how different diets work in real life.
The Atkins diet and other similar low carb diets like Zone and South Beach represent very interesting concepts that I am exploring. Jimmy’s site is one of the few sites where you can actually find someone who has actually lived and documented this diet. I feel his site contains a lot of useful and interesting information. Having said that, Jimmy has put out a lot of personal information about himself, so I believe questioning him is fair game.
I think what Jimmy has accomplished in the past is very impressive. Losing over 180 pounds is not a small task. However, a lot of people keep coming back to that fact as ultimate proof that his diet work and seem to miss the big picture that I am trying to paint. Losing 180 pounds is one amazing chapter of Jimmy’s life. He deserves a lot of respect for that. But that was then, several years ago.
Now, he is at around 230-240 lbs, which for a 6’3 man is still not an ideal weight by any accepted medical metric. It is right on the edge between overweight or obese. I am not saying it’s bad or that Jimmy has to do something about it. He is a free man in a free country and can do as he pleases. However, I am pushing back on his claim that he is healthy or living a healthy lifestyle which is what is implied in his blog.
Is Jimmy today in better health than a few years ago when he was 410 lbs? Of course. That is not the question. What I am saying is that Jimmy is still overweight/obese a few years after adopting his life changing diet. I think it’s fair to say that it’s not working that well for him at this point in his life from a medical standpoint. Any competent medical doctor would tell Jimmy that he still has a lot of weight to lose in order to have a normal healthy body (BMI range of 18.5 to 24.9 for most people who don’t have excessive muscular mass).
I think one the great things we have with blogs is that people can have healthy debates (no pun intended). I disagree with Jimmy that his diet is healthy for him and he disagrees with me. And that’s ok. Since the vast majority of the bloggers of this site like Jimmy, most are taking his side and that’s fine with me. It still does not mean that Jimmy is right and David is wrong or vice versa, this issue is not subject to a democratic vote. I am not telling people to ignore Jimmy or ignore all of his advice. Clearly, if you are extremely obese, Jimmy’s approach can help you to some extent.
However, if you are looking for a true solution (simple diet, no hunger, regular but non-excessive exercise) that brings your weight to the sweat “healthy” spot (BMI around 20), I think Jimmy’s approach is not the right solution (or at least Jimmy’s experience is not proving you that his way is a way to get there). What I am telling people is to realize that Jimmy is not a good model to follow if you want to be healthy. Now, do you need a single digit body fat percentage or low BMI of 18.5 to talk about healthy diets and nutrition? Of course, you don’t and that’s not what I meant.
However, if the best you can do with your BMI is 30 and you use your personal experience as a claim that what you preach works, you can expect some push back. Again, don’t shoot the messenger here. All I am pointing out are facts. Jimmy is still overweight/obese and his diet is not helping him get to a healthy weight (BMI of 20, which would be about 170 lbs for Jimmy). My advice to everyone: be curious, be open minded and don’t be afraid to hear different ideas. If you don’t put your beliefs to the test, you will not know if you are right.
Final thoughts. Sorry Jimmy, I don’t have a crush on you. Thanks for the links. I have not read much but they are not as robust as yours so it’s hard to draw conclusions. Also thanks to all the bloggers who responded. It’s nice to see so much interest. I also like the fact that everyone remains polite even when they disagree.
THANKS for clarifying your comments. We will agree to disagree about your conclusions, but I appreciate your feedback nevertheless.
–Jimmy
Comment to Dave
Came across this site while searching for something else and read this thread
Hate to tell you David-but whether or not you meant to insult or pick fights-you did, because your attitude was very sarcastic and disdainful
…and not to be rude myself-but where I come from (real life and not silly theory) any man who is 6 foot and only weighs 155 is called a skinny, scrawny, string beany pipsqueak and very few women would waste their time with them-so maybe you need to get off the computer, climb out of your bmi induced world of misinformation and figure out some way to do something with your body or lack thereof
Can you say pork roast, wild salmon, and eggs?
Good-cause that is your grocery store list-write it down and, turn off your computer and Grow man, Grow!
David, you are a moron. For anyone to look at his “after” pictures and declare him “obese” is ludicrous. You state BMI as if it, in itself is an indicator of health. Look at the numbers that count, such as his cholesterol and blood pressure. He’s probably healthier than you are…and he’s actually living his life while he’s at it. Sour grapes, man. Grow up.
I think it is great all the weight you have lost. I have been on low carb diet for 6 months. Currently, I have lost a total of 30 lbs. I enjoyed your blog. Keep up the good work.
THANKS so much for dropping by, Deborah! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!
–Jimmy
Hi Jimmy, well done on your fantastic weight loss journey, you have really inspired me to keep going! I started my low-carb diet on 3 January 2009 and have lost 27 pounds already!!!! Your before and after photos are marvellous! I want to thankyou for your honesty, time and inspiration! You rock!!!
greetings from abbotsford,british columbia,canada,
thanks for all the insperation.I really enjoy your You
Tube segments.1 month,down 12 (damn;those potato
chips are evil).Keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing your journey. As a low-carber myself, I can say from experience: it absolutely works. For those who are considering the low carb lifestyle: educate yourself (I recommend reading and following Adkins New Diet Revolution or Protein Power.) As a Biology major, I can say to detractors of this plan, READ the research! Find out WHY low carb is in no way the same as a traditional ‘diet’ and get a firm understanding of how the chemistry of your body actually works. It is insane to base your opinions solely on testimonials (there are “testimonials” and “before and afters” for every idea you can imagine.) Blogs like this are wonderful for spreading the message and offering encouragement, information, and support. Thanks again, Jimmy!
THANKS Angela! Keep fighting the good fight.
–Jimmy
Jimmy,
I’m simply blown away. I’m sure you hear it all the time, but GREAT JOB! I’m down 40 pounds now myself (long way to go), but pictures like this give me the inspiration to keep on going.
You, sir, are truly a credit to all the low carbers out there
THANKS Ryan! And kudos to you on your weight loss and the work you are doing at your web site. VERY NICE!
–Jimmy
I have been on the low-carb eating plan for about a week now, and I have noticed that when I get up out of a chair I am not stiff like I usually have been. I have also noticed this improvement when I get up out of bed in the morning. Has anyone else on low-carb eating noticed this phenomenon?
WOO HOO, Susan!!! That is outstanding. It’s the reduction in inflammation that is helping you get your life back again. I’m so happy for your results!
–Jimmy
I was hoping that this excellent result was from the low carb way of eating and not from me injecting my own hopes! By the way, I just finished reading “Good Calories, Bad Calories”, and I found it to be a great source of information. My husband, who is close to full-blown diabetes is also on low carb eating an is also beginning to see similar results.
WOO HOO! Keep it up, Susan.
–Jimmy
congrats on all your success jimmy….i too have started on my low carb better living journey….45 pds since october….really appreciate your candor and helpful info…its been sooooo helpful in showing me that i can do it…..quick question? do you still support dreamfields pasta? just curious…
ps. david? get a life. prefably your own.
THANKS Bobby! I will use Dreamfields from time to time, but not as often as I once did. I just don’t miss pasta anymore.
–Jimmy
It is amazing your weight loss and your ability to handel the carb moments of l,ife, It helps to listen to your interviews, keep up the good work
Jimmy–
So very sorry to hear about the loss of your brother and your disappointments with fertility treatments. I think most people who live life and have feelings understand that these things will affect our weight and appearance for a season. Especially if it has been a struggle in the past. I’m sure that your readers greatly appreciate your openness. Blessings to you.
THANKS so much, Audrie! God has been gracious to Christine and I through these struggles and has given us the strength to carry on. Thanks for your thoughts today!
–Jimmy
I was wondering if you might have a suggestion for my daughter-in-law. She is trying to support her husband by also eating the low-carb fare that he is eating, however, she is genetically inclined to be a bit thin, and now she is losing even more weight. How can she eat a low-carb diet, support her husband’s efforts and stop losing more weight. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks – Sue
THANKS for your comments, Sue! Sure your daughter-in-law can support her husband on his low-carb lifestyle just like my wife Christine did on mine when I was losing weight in 2004. The only difference is she’ll be able to eat a few more carbs than your son will. While he’ll be keeping his intake down to 20g daily to begin and up to 50g during weight loss depending on his tolerance for carbohydrate, she will be eating probably upwards of 100-125g carbs with the foods she typically eats. While she may not want to lose weight eating low-carb, the health benefits from reducing her carbohydrate intake will be amazing! Let me know how it works out for both of them.
–Jimmy
Jimmy,
I have lost 40 pounds to date on a moderate carb diet. I am now ‘ready’ to step it up and consume even less unhealthy carbs. I would like to thank you for sharing your story. It’s not always easy trying to find real information. Sifting through the bs is a pain. Thank you so much–I’m extremely proud of you.
M
That is so very kind of you and I wish you well as you shift to a lower-carb nutritional approach. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Let me know how I can help in any way.
–Jimmy
If David still comes back and reads this: Are you seriously judging Jimmy by his height and weight alone and ignoring his lab numbers? Seriously? That’s the best you can do? What if he were a bodybuilder and weighed 230 at 6′3″? You think it can’t happen? I bet you it can. Even with him not having “perfect” body composition, though, if his labs are good then what’s the problem? So he doesn’t look like the Governator. Big deal. I bet you don’t either.
People everywhere make this fundamental error. IT IS NOT ABOUT WEIGHT. I have a LiveJournal account and someone on my friends list is an obese woman who runs marathons down in New Zealand. If you’ve ever seen Kate Harding’s BMI photos over at Flickr she once documented a fat woman who is a triathlete. The triathlete later asked her to take the photo down because she was being hounded left and right by jerks who didn’t believe she was physically fit and wanted to take potshots at her. If this were really about “health” there’d be no reason to pick on fat people who eat right and get exercise. What I think is actually going on here is we have many, many sad and bitter people who can’t make fun of others for being black or female anymore (OK, maybe a bit of the latter but it is losing its “political correctness” more and more by the day), but it’s still OK to give fat people crap, so they jump at the opportunity.
If you really cared about people’s health then you wouldn’t harass them, because being destructive to someone’s mental and emotional equilibrium isn’t healthy for them either.
And you want to know something else? Yes, I would listen to financial advice from someone who was bankrupt, if they were telling me how they got that way and what I should avoid doing if I wish to avoid their fate. Everybody has something to teach in this world even if they are not the epitome of success and happiness. Why don’t you shut your yap long enough that you can listen.
One more thing, speaking of “free speech”: The First Amendment only applies to the government. It does not apply to blog owners. Jimmy has been more than courteous to you allowing you to comment here. Why don’t you repay the courtesy, which I see you at least have not commented in a while, and find something better to do. I see you made another common and fundamental error of assuming that because what Jimmy writes here is in public view, that means the public owns him and can do what it likes to him. He is a lot more patient about that than I am; anyone who ever tried that on my blog would be shut down quick, fast, and in a hurry, and not just in keeping with the blog name, either.
Jimmy,
I just bought some virgin coconut oil, as the benefits appear to be substantial. Could you please let me know the easiest way to ingest it on a daily basis? I know that you can saute foods with it, but I do not necessarily cook everyday.
Thanks! :>)
Sue, you can eat it straight up with a spoon. I have!
–Jimmy
I found that if I mix the coconut oil with a little sf vanilla syrup then spread it between plastic wrap and stick it back in the fridge to harden, that during the day that I can just break off a piece of it for a nutritious treat.
An inspiration, LOVE the pics!
It sure is amazing – - the things that you discover when you begin a journey to improve your health! My husband and I just finished watching “Weird Connections” on the Science Channel. One of the subjects that they discussed was the discovery that people who emit ketones do not get bitten by mosquitoes as often as other folks! They stated that you could produce ketones by taking MCT that you can buy at the Supplement store. I knew that ketones were good for you and this information helps to bolster my resolve to get those ketones working for me, especially during the mosquitoe season! :>)
Hello all, just awhile ago I typed in sugar addiction. Ever since the holidays I’ve been thinking that I was going to do something about getting rid of the extra spare tires I am toting around.Hasn’t happened yet. Last year I did have some success with Atkins but I never reach my goal..Now I feel as though I’ve got no control over the sugar that I eat daily.I am middleaged, married and my husband loves to cook..Help!
Hey Bobbie, cutting the sugar is only half the battle. You also have to get rid of the foods that turn to sugar in your body like starchy foods–even some fruits and veggies. YOU CAN DO THIS!!! It’s not impossible and it is SO worth the effort.
–Jimmy
Thanks for your website. Sorry for your recent hardships. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. Diet question- I was wondering which fruits I must avoid. When I search this on the internet I find much conflicting information. I know that berries and figs are okay but what about apples, peaches and honeydew? Thanks.
Outstanding question, Lila! Fruit is one of those things that if you are in the weight loss mode it is best to avoid entirely. The sugar content in most fruits is much too high and counterproductive to your desire to shed fat.
But in the later phases of the weight loss when you are approaching goal, then fruits like berries and melons in small amounts can be added back into the diet safely. Once you are at goal, then you can consume limited amounts of any fruit you want, but you gotta be aware of the sugar/carbs that are in them.
A whole banana, for example, contains 29g carbohydrate. EEEEK! I don’t eat bananas to say the least. Be smart about your food choices and you’ll reap the benefits of livin’ la vida low-carb!
THANKS for writing!
–Jimmy
Thanks Jimmy. For now I am cutting out all fruit and just eating non-starchy vegetables, meat, fish, chicken, eggs and oils in addition to lemon, vinegar, herbs, spices (no sugar or msg) and mustard. I lost about 65 pounds doing low carb but these final 15 pounds are just not coming off even with intense exercise. I have recently cut out dairy, so we will see if that helps. Is there anything that I am forgetting? I am really struggling here to lose this last bit of weight. Please help me!
Lila, just work the plan and it will work for you. NEVER GIVE UP!
–Jimmy
Hi… I just wanted to make a quick comment on the whole “Jimmy’s fat” discussion as brought up by David and others at various times. After one week of low-carb dieting, I weighed myself this morning and came up at 399.5 lbs., down from 410. This is the first time I’ve weighed less than 400 lbs. in a long time. But the point is that my height is the same as Jimmy’s (6′3″) and my start weight is the same as Jimmy’s was (410).
However, I haven’t weighed less than 200 lbs. since I was a kid, even when I was not remotely obese! In fact, after hiking almost 2000 miles of the Appalachian Trail in my 20’s, I weight in at 225, and I promise you that there wasn’t an ounce of fat on me. In fact, one of the major problems when you do that sort of long-distance hiking over mountainous terrain is that you literally can’t carry enough calories to maintain your body weight. I remember coming down from the mountains and eating whole half-gallons of ice cream–not due to carbohydrate addiction or what have you, but simply trying to avoid losing any more weight. And with all that exercise, and stress, and everything else, I still weight 225–almost 30 lbs. over what the insurance companies will tell you I should weigh.
So, when people like David come along with their BMI charts and tell me that the absolute maximum I should ever weigh is 196 lbs., I just have to laugh and say “it ain’t gonna happen.” If they insist, I challenge them to measure my wrists and elbows and see just how “heavy” my bone-structure and build really is. (Yes, Virginia, I really do have “big bones”, although not 410 lbs. big.)
Now, I’ve never met Jimmy, and don’t know what his bone structure is. But please interpret this as a plea not to pay too much attention to the charts. What really matters is two questions:
“Is my weight keeping me from doing the things I want to do?”
“Is my there legitimate reason to believe that my weight presents a danger to my health?”
If the answer to either one of these questions is yes, then by all means lose more weight. If it’s no, and you want to lose weight anyway, then you have an eating disorder, no matter how much you weigh.
–Patrick
Awesome site, Jimmy. You’re an inspiration. I’ve been consuming less than 15 carbs per day for a week and a half now. I haven’t noticed any change, and actually haven’t even stepped on a scale for months so I can’t comment on the amount of weight I may have lost- BUT the difference in the way I feel is astounding! I feel refreshed and energetic and my ridiculous appetite has subsided. I don’t have the urge to binge on unhealthy foods anymore. It’s great to be able to wake up in the morning and actually feel well rested! It’s amazing how much changing your diet can affect your life in such a short time. Best to you in all things.
-Dustin
CONGRATULATIONS Dustin and welcome to livin’ la vida low-carb. The best is YET TO COME for you, my friend, so KEEP IT UP!!!
–Jimmy
Jimmy, I get so much inspiration looking at before and after pics. Could you post different people who used low carb before and after pics. posted side by side. Thank you for all your hard work. Remember you come first…if the internet or any other part of your life becomes “too much” you owe it to yourself to do what’s best for Jimmy.
THANKS for the gentle reminder about taking time away for me to be me. I have good boundaries set up to keep me grounded while still pumping out quality content on a consistent basis. As for the before and after pics and stories, I feature a LOT of them at my blog here, but you can see even more in this special thread at my discussion forum. Thank you again for your comments!
–Jimmy
Jimmy,
I have just started (Again!) the low carb way of life. I only get frustrated at night when I want something sweet or crunchy. I got the series of South Beach diet cookbooks, and George Stella’s as well, then I accidentally discovered your blog while looking for a low carb bagel recipe. I find it to be interesting and refreshing. I put you in my favs! Thanks for any input that will help me in my quest to lose weight.
Sue, welcome to my blog and to livin’ la vida low-carb! You have found a great place to connect with the latest information about healthy low-carb living and I’m so happy to have you among my readership now. For low-carb recipes, you DEFINITELY need to check out Kalyn’s Kitchen for South Beach-friendly ones, Linda’s Low Carb Menus & Recipes for general low-carb dishes, and all the bestselling low-carb cookbooks from Dana Carpender. You’ll be glad you did! THANKS again for finding me!
–Jimmy
Hey Jimmy, you didn’t throw away that Bugs Bunny tie, did you? That’s my favorite cartoon. And if I ever get to have you at my house for dinner, I will take you done to the Bugs Bunny museum down the street from me.
You know, I might still have that tie somewhere, Mary! I’d LOVE to see the museum someday.
–Jimmy
Jimmy… you and Cristine make my day : ) since I recently rediscovered low carb living I have felt wonderfully in control…and hopeful! I had previously lost close to 70lbs on W.W. and then stalled… not because of being close to goal…I still don’t know why… anyway… I find that my new approach to low carb living has been benefited by my stint with W.W. … Something about all the previous point counting I did has made me more aware of what and when I was eating… making me more grateful and creative with those seemingly low 20 carb grams! I’m really having fun this time! Thank you for all you do for us…your “friends” in the lifestyle… and know you are in my prayers…
Jimmy,
I am reading your book for the second time. I went on low carb 2 years ago and felt GREAT and lost much of my “over” weight. Then, THEN I though I could go back and eat like all my friends. The weight slowly crept back on. Hit me in the head with a skillet! DUH! I simply have to learn that low carb has to become a lifestyle choice and not a “diet”. Now I have to “relearn” again! I am back reading here and researching your links and learning, learning, LEARNING! Is it true that you have a new book coming out? (or is it already out?)
Thanks again, for this site, for the encouragement and the inspiration. You “rawk”!
THANKS so much, Dee! Yes, I have a brand new book coming out soon called “21 Life Lessons From Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb” and it is available for pre-order RIGHT NOW on the front page of my blog along the left-hand side. Click on the link and you’ll be one of the first to own a copy that has been autographed by me. You can do this if you stick with it for life. NEVER GIVE UP, Dee!
–Jimmy
Thanks for sharing your journey. I have been LC for just under two years. 100 pound weight loss, with 50 more to go. You are an inspiration. Ignore those who question your ability or credibility to blog on this topic. If they have never experienced benefits of LC or the temporary setbacks we sometimes have, they just won’t understand.
Keep up the good work – kudos to you!
Joe in Virginia
THANKS so much, Joe!
–Jimmy
Hi, Jimmy I commend you and definately respect and admire what you’ve done. I have to agree with David on some level. Like he had first mentioned, you wouldn’t take financial advice from a person who is bankrupt. That is true, but you did lose 180lbs and for someone who wants to lose weight, you are overqualified to educate someone on weight loss. Now, if you are still trying to lose weight to get to your ideal weight(not necessarily BMI, as it doesn’t take muscle weight into account) and haven’t been able to do so, then overcoming a weight plateau is not something you may be able to lecture about. I am 6′1 and 218lbs, my bmi says I should be about 175-80, but I have a lot of muscle and I believe I should really be about 190 to be deemed normal and not overweight(by fat) I have lost 40lbs and while I can tell someone how to lose weight, if they are in the same predicament I
am in, struggling to reach their goal but getting stuck. Then I can’t expect them to take my advice. A lot of people were attacking David and I don’t believe he came off as ignorant, I just think
maybe he phrased what he was trying to say incorrectly. I think he came across as someone doing research and was just being blunt. I still understood what he meant. While you may have lost 180lbs, having a gut still takes years off your life and that what he was getting at. It’s not ideal health and you may still be at risk for health problems, than if you had the appropiate amount of bodyfat. A lot of ppl were responding saying David was wrong because it’s not about weight, yet they were citing your weight before and after as a support for their argument, while David explained that he meant health-wise and not numbers.
Fair enough, Marc. But I still put my health marker numbers up against anyone every day of the week. Can I improve? Always. But I’m light years better than I was at 410.
–Jimmy
Jimmy,
I just came across your website tonight. I went out and purchased the Atkins book. I am going to read it from cover to cover, like you suggested. I sure hope I am successful.
You are an inspiration, thank you for being out there!
Carla
Carla, I’m proud of you! You’re gonna do great and I’m here for you anytime you need help.
–Jimmy
Jimmy,
Can you comment on this conclusion of the nutrition committee of The American Heart Association:
There is overwhelming evidence that reduction in saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, and weight offer the most effective dietary strategies for reducing total cholesterol, LDL-C levels, and cardiovascular risk. Decreases in saturated fat should come at the expense of total fat because there is no biological requirement for saturated fat. It would seem to me that the diet you recommend in this blog goes against the AHA.
Absolutely the diet I advocate goes against the ADA recommendations –because they are WRONG!
–Jimmy
Do you have any reference or medical study to back your claim that this conslusion of the AHA is wrong?
I often highlight the most recent research supporting high-fat, low-carbohydrate nutrition at my blog. You can visit the respectable scientific research journal NutritionAndMetabolism.com for much of the latest research.
–Jimmy
Definitely don’t think that a low carb diet is for me but congratulations on your massive weight loss. I think that there really is no ‘one size fits all’ approach dieting as we all seem to metabolise at different rates. I seem to respond better to high fibre diets for example. It’s all about finding what suits you but that doesn’t mean you can’t be inspired by other people!
However, I have to say that Patrick’s opinion is slightly extreme! I am 154lbs at the moment which is fine for my height (5ft 7″) and I want to ditch the wobbly bits and tone up from here, dieting to acheive this as it doesn’t fit to his points does not mean I have an eating disorder!
When I was dx w/Type 2 diabetes in March and immediately went off refined sugars and white bread/pasta, I also lost the morning stiffness within a week of starting to control my blood sugar (coincidentally hugely reducing my daily carbs).
After 6 months on a flexi low carb diet (45# wt loss) I found my HDL had improved and triglycerides much improved but LDL was worse. When I actually tabulated the saturated fats I had been eating and faithfully recording but ignoring, I found I had been eating an average 45g saturated fats/day. So my new plan is to substitute more plant fats in for the saturated, take a fish oil supplement and a fiber supplement and see where I am in 6 weeks. Also, I have been sidelined by major surgery and have not exercised for nearly three months and will only slowly be getting active again, so that should help as well.
Jimmy, I hate to see you dismiss a whole food group, fruit, for weight loss. It was fruit I missed the most at first (bread was a close 2nd!), and I worked hard to find a way to add fruit back in to my diet, in part for my sweet tooth but in part for all the trace nutrients they have.
As a diabetic losing weight, I am able to enjoy fresh or frozen (no sugar added) apples, blueberries and strawberries in moderation without much rise in my blood sugar if I eat them as a snack one hour after a meal or as a mid-day snack with a protein food like walnuts, cheese, or strained yogurt. Dried fruits like figs, prunes, apricots and cherries also work. And I have been able to enjoy these while both keeping an excellent A1c and losing more than a pound a week on a 2000cal (more or less) meal plan (calories abt 20%carb, 60%fat, 20%protein).
I don’t think I could sustain for the rest of my life a diet that did not include lots of fruit daily (for instance yesterday, an apple, 1/2c blueberries, 1/2oz dried cherries, 2 prunes), and there may be others out there who will not even try low-carb if they think they have to give up bread/pasta AND fruit!
Donna, I don’t know what’s so virtuous about “lots of fruit daily,” but I do enjoy my fair share of fruit. In fact, I just had some apples and cantaloupe and LOVED it on my healthy low-carb lifestyle. And there are amazing substitutions for both bread and pasta (Julian Bakery and Dreamfields, for example) that are deliciously low-carb! There’s really NO excuse for NOT livin’ la vida low-carb. THANKS for writing!
–Jimmy
Certainly I’m used to thinking of fruit as “good for you” (i.e. virtuous) but mainly I think of it as one of my pleasures, something that keeps me happy and that I want to keep as part of my life going forward. I will eventually try some of the special low-carb breads/pasta, but I am right now just trying to make do from the aisles of my local grocery — in part because our budget has no room for premium foods now that it has to include diabetic supplies.
I wish nothing but the best for you, Donna.
–Jimmy
Jimmy, GOOD JOB! I’ve done a couple bouts with LC (100 lbs lost and then gained after I met my pasta loving wife…)
We’re restarting the low carb life style now, let’s see how things go! Just if I can keep her away from the candy isle.
Donna,
I too an diabetic (type 2, dx in Jan 09) and I immediately went back on a low carb diet. A1C dropped from 7.8 in Jan to 6.2 in October. Avg fasting blood sugar went from 150’s down to 120’s. HDL went up by 20 pts, LDL dropped by 30. Over all cholesterol went to 190.
Dont remember exact triglyceride drop, however I remember that it was enough to make my Dr think it was messed up in the lab.
You dont need premium foods, (such as low carb bread/pasta) shop smart and buy meat and canned/frozen veggies on sale.
I do suggest to you as a fellow diabetic back off the fruits and eat more non starchy (dark green) veggies. They will help stabilize your blood sugars much more than that glucopage you’re probably taking now…
Jimmy, do you have doctors who follow your diet and have cured people from heart disease, diabetes type 2, some cancers, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, osteoporosis, auto-immune disease and hundreds of other medical conditions? That to me is the real measure. Not some books by someone with a PhD or some article or some interview. A real doctor who has cured hundreds or thousands of patients. Please give us one or two references we can call and consult. I am not sure they exist.
Simon, thank you so much for writing and I appreciate your question. However, it is one of the most oft-repeated questions I have heard about livin’ la vida low-carb over the years and has been answered many times over. The answer is YES and I invite you to take a look at all the physicians listed at my List Of Low-Carb Doctors blog with hundreds of practicing trained medical professionals using carbohydrate-restriction with patients to deal with all of those health conditions you listed. Additionally, I address the latest research on how low-carb handles those health problems as well in my new book 21 LIFE LESSONS FROM LIVIN’ LA VIDA LOW-CARB. I encourage you to continue the education process and stay on the cutting edge of information about this subject because it truly is fascinating!
–Jimmy
Jimmy, I apologize if my question was not clear. I meant references to real general practitioners (MD) who have documented records and history of disease reversal through agressive low-carb nutritional advice. While some of your doctors may fit the bill, there is nothing on their clinic link that mentions any success they might have had with patients. There are several doctors out there (not low-carb) who have literature and case studies to support their medical approaches. I was wondering if you know of any doctor with documented proof that this low-carb nutritional approach has led in hundreds of occasions to disease reversal. For example, it would be nice to have a doctor that has helped hundreds of patients reverse and cure their diabetes type 2 through low-carb nutritional change (and without drugs). The same goes for reversal of heart disease without drugs, risky bypass surgery or angioplasty – just on plain low-carb nutrition. And so on for other medical conditions. I hope this clarifies my question. I am a big believer that we can reverse a lot of our diseases through proper nutrition. I want to know which doctors out there are committed to low-carb nutritional excellence and successful with their patients following that approach.
I’m curious which doctors you can name who have “reversed” heath conditions scientifically. Definitely talk to Dr. Mary C. Vernon, Dr. Eric Westman, and Dr. Richard Bernstein as three solid examples of physicians who have metabolically cured their patients of Type 2 diabetes with low-carb.
–Jimmy
Joel Fuhrman has hundreds (if not thousands) of documented cases of disease reversals on his site: Diabetes type 2, heart disease, lyme disease, osteoporosis, obesity, asthma, depression, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, migraines, etc. He also had other physicians review his patient files and he has written in the peer-reviewed scientific litterature. However, he is not low-carb. He is focused on micronutrient density per calorie. Do you have any doctor website to recommend who have accomplished something similar following a low-carb diet? My point is that losing weight is not the most important thing. The most important thing is to have the nutrition that allows you to avoid/reverse medical conditions and live healthfully to your maximum potential. If low-carb is so great, please give us one or two website references where doctors are successfully doing it for every patient that walks in the door.
THANKS Simon! Please see my previous comment for doctors who are reversing the effects of Type 2 diabetes with the healthy low-carb nutritional approach. And of course this is much more about health than weight loss, something I’ve said quite often here at my blog over the years. As for Joel Fuhrman and others like him who make such claims, I don’t buy it. They’re just vegetarian propagandists with an agenda to push. No thanks…didn’t work for me.
–Jimmy
Jimmy, I checked the doctors you mentioned and could not find a website that supports your claims about how they helped their patients. Can you give us a link that provides such information? Don’t get me wrong, I like the low-carb approach. I just wish we had a doctor who has demonstrated its value to human health in a way that is easy for any of us to simply read and study. There are so many books out there, it’s hard to know which one is right or wrong. However, having a website where doctors publish their successful stories is a very powerful way to understand what was wrong and how it was corrected. As you know, certified board physicians could lose their medical license if they made inaccurate claims on their website. This would be a serious offense. Maybe there is room for more than one nutritional way to get it right and reverse severe health conditions. That’s what I am after. I am looking for the low-carb ultimate proof and documented cases that this great diet works.
Simon, you can contact ANY of the physicians on my low-carb doctors list and they’d be happy to share about the success they’ve seen with their patients. Check out Dr. James E. Carlson, Dr. Richard Bernstein, Dr. Eric Westman, Dr. Mary C. Vernon and all the others. You’ll have all the proof you’ll ever need!
–Jimmy
Dear Jimmy,
I have been a (Noncompliant) Type 2 Diabetic for about 3 years. Last April, my sugar level got up to around 250 and my A1C was about 7.8.
I told my wife that I wanted to be around and intact (if you know what I mean). This didn’t seem like a problem with no solution. If my sugar levels were too high, then stop eating carbs. I reduced my intake of carbs pretty dramatically and my sugar levels dropped into the 90’s in the evening and and about 110 in the morning almost immdedately. In addition, my weight has dropped from 233 to about 200.
Here is my question: I am continuing to live low carb and my sugar appears to be under control, but, I am not losing any additional weight. I have been at my current level for about 3 months know. Any idea why my weight doesn’t want to drop any lower?
Thanks for the help,
Rick
PS I have purchased Julian’s Smart Carb #1 and #2 breads. Excellent recommendation.
Rick, CONGRATULATIONS on your success using low-carb for blood sugar control. It’s wonderful to know that doing something as simple as reducing your carbohydrate intake can make such an incredible difference in regulating blood sugar and insulin levels. Regarding your apparent lack of weight loss, many factors can come into play, including thyroid issues and undiagnosed hormonal problems that you may not be aware of. I’ll be blogging about an at-home thyroid test soon that may help you as you try to seek answers. In the meantime, it sounds like this way of eating is doing phenomenally well for improving your health. NEVER GIVE UP!
–Jimmy
Jimmy
I spend a lot of time at Whole Foods and noticed that in their health section, they sell a lot of vegetarian books, Fuhrman books, Neal Barnard, John Robbins, etc. No Gary Taubes, Atkins, Weston A Price or books you recommend on your blog. What’s up with that?
Unfortunately, the “health” industry has bought into the lie that eating vegetarian is the ONLY way to be healthy. Atkins etal are still viewed as fad diets sadly and so they are shunned. I do believe the tide is turning…but it is ever-so-slow!
–Jimmy
Amazing You have given me such hope. Thank you!
Sure! Let me know if I can help you anytime.
–Jimmy
Jimmy,
I saw you on Neil Cavuto’s show this evening and checked out your website. Well done! Kudos.
I have started the Atkins diet several times in the past 10 years and can only get to 2, possibly 3 weeks before I cave in and return to carbs and seems I go to a higher weight than when I started. Any tricks for getting beyond week 2 or 3?
Currently at 312 and trying hard for 200 by the end of 2010.
Thanks,
PQ
THANKS for watching me on Neil’s show today, PQ! It was an honor to be interviewed by one of the best in the biz.
As for following a healthy low-carb lifestyle, you have to commit to doing this forever and ever amen. If you “return to carbs,” then you have to expect to gain back the weight. It’s like I said on the show, you have to make specific cuts in your diet in order to attain the health you desire. Those cuts include sugar, flour, and even starchy veggie carbs and whole grains that are promoted as healthy. They are not.
You really have to find a plan that will work for you, so start reading all you can on the subject and start with http://www.controlcarb.com/ccn-lifestyle.htm. Check out my blog here, my http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes podcast, my http://www.youtube.com/livinlowcarbman videos, and visit my support forum at http://www.livinlowcarbdiscussion.com for encouragement in this permanent and healthy lifestyle change. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
–Jimmy
Hi Jimmy and Christine,I waut to thank you for your YOUTUBE videos, my husband and i are on adkins, but we were getting rather bored with out meal plans. I know there is more out there than what we were doing, but your funny easy to follow cooking videos are great!!!! I love them!!! ive lost 30 pounds on adkins so far and have another 80 or more to go.i look forward to seeing more recipes.
thank you!!!!!
Awesome job, Tammy! I’m so proud of you. Thank you for your kind comments about our videos.
–Jimmy