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My 2011 Pursuit Of 230 Challenge Update With Peculiar Blood Sugar Testing Results

Since January 3, 2011, I’ve been on a newfound journey to revitalize my low-carb lifestyle in a major way like I haven’t attempted since my original 180-pound Atkins diet weight loss in 2004. Like that year when I was a man on a mission to get my 410-pound body healthier once and for all, I’ve been gung ho with a specific strategy for making it happen this time around. Since I’ve already experiencing the health benefits of this way of eating for many years now and I am very well acclimated to shunning sugar and starchy carbohydrates with ease, it really hasn’t been that big of a struggle for me to take on the challenge of eating primarily grass-fed beef, pastured eggs and coconut oil in my diet (with just a little dark chocolate at the end of the day for good measure). You’ll recall I’m also avoiding soy, artificial sweeteners, wheat and dairy, engaging in purposeful intermittent fasting, and not really obsessing over calories but being careful not to over-consume them for the energy needs of my body.

The results so far in just about a month of doing this have been utterly amazing. As of my latest weigh-in on February 4, 2011, I’ve lost a total of 20 pounds on the way to getting back down to at least 230 pounds again. Of course, I’m not gonna stop there if there is still weight to be shed, but it’s my short-term goal to strive for by April 1. Whether I actually hit that goal by then or not is not really as important as seeing movement happen in the right direction again which I’ve struggled and toiled with over the past few years. It seems that struggle has come to an end as I’ve found the right mix of things to do to make fat loss happen again in a way I haven’t seen since 2004. This whole process has made me really examine closely what made me so successful seven years ago as I try to replicate those habits in 2011.

I have noticed something about myself during this new journey that I didn’t really know before. While I knew I was super-sensitive to consuming carbohydrate, it seems that at least for me I have to go very low-carb along with my high-fat, moderate protein intake to experience weight loss. I’ve long thought I could get away with 20-30g carbohydrate daily, but even that seems to be problematic for someone like me. Taking in less than 10g carbohydrate per day seems to be the magic number for me because the weight is moving downward and I’m actually getting smaller, too, as I’ll share in the photos below. And although I’m not counting calories as part of my new routine, they are naturally being reduced as a result of the satiating properties of both the fat and protein I am consuming without the insulinogenic effects of carbohydrate in my diet. This combination is my current recipe for success!

Check out these one-month before and after photos to see how quickly the fat is melting off of my body:


If there’s THAT much of a difference in how I look after just one month, can you imagine the changes that will be seen in three, six or even twelve months from now if I keep this up? It’s extremely exciting for me to see such progress and this is motivating me to continue on for as long as it takes to get the body I want and deserve. And it’s not just my low-carb eating habits that are helping me with these changes–I’m still doing interval workouts twice a week, strength training twice a week, a couple of yoga classes for stress management twice a week, and competitive volleyball once or twice a week. I love my active lifestyle and feel myself getting stronger, faster, and more energetic than ever before! Well, imagine that considering I’m consuming so few carbohydrates (what conventional wisdom says is the food we need for fuel) in my diet. If I’ve proven nothing else with my experiment so far, you certainly can’t say eating a very low-carb diet makes you lethargic, fatigued and depressed. Far from it!

Since I’ve been on this extraordinary new very low-carb, real foods-based weight loss plan for success for just over a month now, I thought it was time for me to take a snapshot of what’s going on with my blood sugar levels throughout the day. As I noticed during my “eggfest” experiment in 2010, my blood sugar issues that included bouts with reactive hypoglycemia seemed to vanish quickly. And with my previous apprehension to intermittent fasting a few years back, I didn’t think I’d find myself trying it again. But maybe my body is ready for it now more so than it was back then. Whatever it is, I’m able to eat my last full meal of the day around 2:00pm and not eat my next full meal until around 9:00am the next morning without any hunger or weakness of any kind. This is a complete 180 from what I experienced doing IF in 2006. But I’ll take it! I really didn’t know what to expect from my blood sugar readings, but I know the diet I’m currently consuming is all about keeping insulin production as low as possible in an effort to allow fat-burning to commence. This trend should easily show up in my blood sugar readings and I think you’ll notice very quickly how effective my high-fat, moderate protein, very low-carb nutritional approach is working to make that happen with the results of my testing the past couple of days:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011
10:00AM–Overnight fasting blood sugar–65
Breakfast–3 pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs extra virgin coconut oil
10:15AM–Blood sugar–73
10:30AM–Blood sugar–74
10:45AM–Blood sugar–71
11:00AM–Blood sugar–73
11:15AM–Blood sugar–84
11:30AM–Blood sugar–80
11:45AM–Blood sugar–70
12:00PM–Blood sugar–73
12:15PM–Iced tea sweetened with stevia
12:30PM–Blood sugar–79
12:45PM–Blood sugar–75
1:00PM–Iced tea sweetened with stevia
1:15PM–Blood sugar–72
2:00PM–Blood sugar–66
Lunch–1/2 pound grass-fed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs extra virgin coconut oil
2:15PM–Blood sugar–69
2:30PM–Blood sugar–75
2:45PM–Blood sugar–69
Iced tea sweetened with stevia
3:00PM–Blood sugar–75
3:15PM–Blood sugar–73
3:30PM–Blood sugar–73
3:45PM–Blood sugar–74
4:00PM–Blood sugar–75
5:00PM–Blood sugar–82
6:00PM–Blood sugar–69
Take my daily supplements/fish oil
7:00PM–Blood sugar–72
Begin playing competitive volleyball
8:00PM–Blood sugar #1–104–Blood sugar #2–96
8:45PM–Took sleeping supplements (magnesium, L-Trytophan, and GABA)
9:00PM–Blood sugar–81
9:15PM–Consumed two ounces of sugar-free dark chocolate
10:00PM–Blood sugar–68
11:00PM–Blood sugar–69

How’s that for a wild day? First the good news: My blood sugar levels before meals, after meals and in between meals was relatively constant. This is something Dr. Richard Bernstein talks about quite often is that your blood sugar levels really shouldn’t fluctuate that much even after eating a meal–if they do, then you’re eating too many carbs. Even the iced tea with stevia I drank at midday didn’t have any negative impact on my blood sugars. Some people have hypothesized that even natural sweeteners like stevia can raise blood sugar levels, but that clearly isn’t the case with me. I was most impressed with my blood sugar control after consuming a half-pound of ground beef cooked in coconut oil. Pretty darn steady!

Now for the “bad” news (don’t know what to make of it): What the heck happened during volleyball? Without consuming a single morsel of food my blood sugar spikes 30 points in an hour? I thought it was a bad reading, so I washed my hands again, cleaned my finger with an alcohol swab and tested again. The reading was lower, but still statistically higher than it should have been. I’m still scratching my head on that one. If anyone has a theory about why blood sugar would rise simply by playing a game of bump, set, spike, then I’m all ears. The day ended with blood sugar levels right around where they were when I woke up that morning. All in all, I’d say it was a good day. It was so much fun doing that testing (yes, I had lots of holes in my fingers!) that I decided to do it one more day to see what would happen:

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2011
8:45AM–Overnight fasting blood sugar–80
9:45AM–Blood sugar–78
10:45AM–Blood sugar–75
Breakfast–3 pastured eggs cooked in 1 Tbs extra virgin coconut oil
11:00AM–Blood sugar–79
Iced tea sweetened with stevia
11:15AM–Blood sugar–78
11:30AM–Blood sugar–76
11:45AM–Blood sugar–74
12:00PM–Blood sugar–75
12:15PM–Blood sugar–73
12:30PM–Blood sugar–77
12:45PM–Blood sugar–82
Iced tea sweetened with stevia
1:00PM–Blood sugar–80
2:00PM–Blood sugar–81
3:15PM–Blood sugar–72
3:30PM–Lunch–1/2 pound grass-fed ground beef cooked in 1 Tbs extra virgin coconut oil
2:45PM–Blood sugar–69
Iced tea sweetened with stevia
3:45PM–Blood sugar–77
4:00PM–Blood sugar–65
4:15PM–Blood sugar–81
4:30PM–Blood sugar–81
4:45PM–Blood sugar–80
5:00PM–Blood sugar–79
5:15PM–Blood sugar–80
5:30PM–Blood sugar–80
5:35PM–15-minute weight lifting, 20-minute interval training
6:15PM–Blood sugar–63
Iced tea sweetened with stevia
Take my daily supplements/fish oil
7:30PM–Blood sugar–71
8:00PM–Consumed two ounces of sugar-free dark chocolate
8:15PM–Took sleeping supplements (magnesium, L-Trytophan, and GABA)
8:30PM–Blood sugar–77
9:30PM–Blood sugar–71
10:30PM–Blood sugar–72

Another fascinatingly peculiar day of blood sugar testing! The thing that really stood out the most to me on this day more so than Monday’s readings was how stable the blood sugars remained all day long. And they stayed really low with the highest reading of the day only measuring 82. There are some people who would kill to have that as their fasting blood glucose number in the morning! Other than the 63 reading that happened right after I finished exercising (riddle me this Batman–why would weight lifting and interval training DROP blood sugar when doing volleyball would raise it?), my low for blood sugar today was just 71. That’s only an 11-point difference in my blood sugar from the time I woke up until the time I went to sleep. WOW! That’s what I call controlled blood sugars, baby!

The take-home message I get from all of this finger-pricking, blood drawing over a two-day period is this: my eating and exercise plan is keeping my blood sugar levels (and ostensibly insulin levels) steady so that my stored body fat can be used as fuel for my body, melt away excessive body fat accumulation, and allow me to experience tremendous weight loss success on the scale. With my exercise, I know I am gaining muscle mass while burning fat and it’ll be exciting to watch all of the physical changes happen in the coming months (and from the dramatic change in demeanor on my face from the before to after pictures above, it’s obvious this is also having a tremendously positive psychological effect on me emotionally as well). You can follow my daily progress in my diet and exercise routine by visiting my low-carb menus blog where I am chronicling my weight loss with weekly weigh-ins on Fridays. Will I make my goal of 230 pounds by April 1, 2011? You’ll just have to tune in to find out!

Special THANK YOU to Tropical Traditions for providing me with the grass-fed beef, pastured eggs, and coconut oil during my current challenge. Shortly after they read about my challenge last month, they said they’d like to supply me with the food I need to be successful in this endeavor. THANKS so much Tropical Traditions!!!

February 9th, 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Category: 1
  • Haggus

    Bravo! Keep it up Mr. Moore!

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      THANKS bud!

      • Nina Bolinder

        Jimmy,
        Good luck with your goals this year. I heard your new pod cast tonight and really enjoyed it. I was reading something you wrote a few years back when you were having very low blood sugar levels on low – carb. It purked my interest as my husband is experiencing this as well.
        He has been on Jenny Craig for some time so he decided to switch to low carb after reading THE LIBERATION Diet by Kevin Brown. More wholsesome eating with low carb. as you are probably aware. 1 hour after eating a high fat breakfast he experiences faintness, bendy knees, sweatiness, palpatations etc, sick feeling. Haven’t checked his BS but pretty sure it is low. Any suggestions for him as we do not want to go back to Jenny Craig. He doesn’t feel well with the high fat – low carb. because of what is happening to him. Any advice?
        Thanks Jimmy! Our household is getting into the low carb way of life thanks to you.
        Nina Bolinder

        • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

          THANKS Nina! It’s difficult to determine exactly what is happening with your husband without seeing precisely what he’s eating, when he’s eating and any exercise he’s doing. Email me at livinlowcarbman@charter.net and I’ll be happy to take a look to see if we can help. I address the reactive hypoglycemia issue (which is what it sounds like your husband is dealing with) in a couple of podcasts with Dr. Keith Berkowitz. Go to http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes and type in his name in the search box to find those. Looking forward to hearing from you!

        • http://carbsanity.blogspot.com/ CarbSane

          Nina, your husband is probably one of those people who don’t do well on very low carb. Just bringing his carb intake up a small bit will probably resolve the issue. Something like the Jorge Cruise plan or Optimal Diet/Kwasniewski may be better suited. I’m talking carbs in the 50-100g range and he can start slowly to keep that as low as possible for weight loss.

  • http://mylowcarbjourney.com Hank Garner

    Awesome progress, Jimmy!

    I had the same kind of result after running. I ran 2 miles moderately then ran sprints for another mile. When I stopped running I tested BG and it was 30 points higher. Go figure. I attributed it to my body mobilizing fat for energy. If anyone else has a better theory, I would love to hear it.

    We are rooting for you Jimmy!

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Hank, I thought the same thing about the fat entering the bloodstream and/or glycogen stores raising the blood sugar…but why wouldn’t it also happen after weight lifting and intervals where it went DOWN? Very odd.

      • Edward

        This is just a theory, and it may be false, but what about gluconeogenesis?
        The liver converts protein into glucose when it is needed (mostly by the brain). Maybe that is it? When you are doing aerobic exercise your cortisol levels rise and preferentially burn muscle over fat. The body needs the glucose for energy, thus the protein from the muscle is converted to glucose in the liver and it floods your bloodstream. I don’t test my glucose levels, so I can’t verify.
        Do you weight train fasted?

        • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

          I’m sure GNG plays some role in this, Edward. When I weight trained in the example in this post, it was two hours after eating. But sometimes I do it in a fasted state as well. I’m changing things up to keep my body guessing.

  • http://mylowcarbjourney.com Hank Garner

    Odd indeed. I wonder who could definitively answer that???

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Mary Vernon, Steve Phinney, Jeff Volek…they’re in my Rolodex, so I could ask them. I want to test again when I go play volleyball next week to see if it happens once more before bothering them about it.

  • Rip

    Congrats!

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      THANKS Rip!

  • http://waterlily11.blogspot.com Suzan

    Awesome progress! I remember someone on one of your podcasts talked a lot about glycogen and exercise, but I can’t remember who it was. Maybe Mark Sisson or Rob Wolfe? Anway, congrats, you are an inspiration!

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      THANKS so much! Robb talks about that subject a lot.

  • Marci Wyzdyx

    FWIW: Hank & Jimmy had glucose spikes during aerobic exercise, not during strength training. Could heavy breathing contribute directly or indirectly to the spike?

  • Rishara

    Wow, those are some great blood sugar numbers. I wouldn’t worry about the small spikes, as all your numbers are well under 100. I’m not sure you can get any more normal! :) I am diabetic and would jump for joy if I got numbers even close to yours.

    As for the volleyball, if you exercise on an empty stomach, your liver can freak out and dump some glucose into your bloodstream for you. I also can’t remember the exact mechanism, but Dr. Bernstein does address aerobic vs strength training in his book and why aerobic exercise can cause diabetics issues.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Not really “worried” about the spikes, but found them curiously interesting. I know my BS numbers are spectacular and will continue on this path. I’m doing my body a LOT of good.

  • workoutprof

    Jimmy,
    Competitive athletes often see their blood sugars rise during events – more so than in practices. The combination of the stress hormones adrenaline (incrased glycogen breakdown) and cortisol (insulin resistance) keep the blood sugar in circulation rather than in cells. Your blood sugars are amazing. It must be nice to have beta cells! :) Best, Wendy Pogozelski

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Ahhh, Dr. Pogo to the rescue with the answer! THANKS for the biochemistry lesson. :) I’m LOVING my results.

  • Bev

    Wow! Keep it up! You’re a man with a mission! :o )

  • http://yelling-stop.blogspot.com/ Tuck

    Congrats, Jimmy. Great to see.

  • Lauren Grosz

    Lookin good Jimmy! This is really exciting because it pinpoints just how specific some people might have to be to get their desired results.

  • Nick P

    Hey Jimmy,

    I was not surprised by your BG bump when you worked out.

    When I have normal BG, and then work-out, my BG level will rise. I think this is from your body’s natural reaction (some call it adrenalin), but I don’t think this is abnormal. The BG rise comes from your stored BG supply. This provides you with extra energy when you need it. As a diabetic, it’s not unusual for me to see my BG spike from short term athletic events. For me, I have been told it is better to run a mile to catch a bus, then to run a block to catch it.

    Hope this helps….

  • Marlee

    Great job, the difference in your pics is amazing.
    Wow, seeing your blood sugars is really telling me I need to get my butt in gear. Since I’ve been keeping track the last month or so I’ve not seen a number lower than 100 :( I’m doing traditional Atkins. I’m guessing I’m going to have to drop my carbs.. I’m doing around 20-30 right now.

    How do you plan to eat after your weight loss period? Are you going to have to stay this restrictive?

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      For the time being I’m sticking with this. We’ll see what happens after I reach my goals.

  • http://welldonechef.com Jason Sandeman

    Here is an answer from a T1 Diabetic. Your blood sugar rises in response to your body’s demand for energy. The reason you don’t see a rise after working out with weights is because your pancreas secretes insulin to deal with the problem, and resistance training makes your body more sensitive to insulin. In a T1 diabetic like me, I need to watch the BG spike and deal with it after by injecting insulin.
    Your fasting numbers are bordering on hypoglycaemic numbers there. I would FREAK if I woke up with a 65. 80 is around what I would call normal.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      That 65 was an anomaly…Tuesday it was 80.

  • Johannah

    Jimmy,
    I have read and experienced this myself, that if you exercise while fasting your blood sugar rises (liver making energy for you) while exercising while fed will lower it. Perhaps it was the length of time since eating that made the difference.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      No doubt since I was in a fasting state.

  • Romi Bose

    Those blood sugar numbers are insanely good.

    I’m curious though, what meter are you using? And, if you are able, could you try using a different meter?

    I found that I had a huge difference (10-15 points) when I want from using a Bayer Contour to using an Accucheck Aviva. The latter was much closer to lab readings. The Bayer constantly measured me too low.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Using the Reli-On from Wal-Mart. I know it’s not the best but fits the bill for my purposes.

      • Romi Bose

        Actually, that meter does well in the rankings. You must just have simply amazing blood sugar numbers and a pancreas that loves you.

        • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

          As long as I keep feeding my body well, this should continue. Thank you!

  • http://www.holdthetoast.com Dana Carpender

    Very impressive before-and-afters, Jimmy.

    I blogged today about going to a new doctor yesterday; he’s convinced I’m still running higher insulin than I should. I know I’ve had some high fasting BG on arising — nothing huge, but in the 110 range. He’s convinced it’s my liver going overtime on the gluconeogenesis thing, thereby triggering insulin release. Heaven knows it ain’t dietary. My 1 hour post-prandial, when I think to take it, is always, always, ALWAYS below Dr. Davis’s 120 cut off, and usually around 100. (Just did one, an hour after supper; 102.)

    Anyway, my point is your sugar could be coming from your liver. Argh.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      And that’s okay Dana. :)

  • http://www.straightforwardhealth.com David

    For high intensity exercises your body still needs to burn glucose. Since you are not taking any in through diet it is forced to dump glucose into the blood stream from the liver. The body is able to break down protein (either from food or from unused soft muscle tissue) into a sugar. This is the body’s natural form of maintaining blood glucose levels. Otherwise strenuous exercises would deplete your blood of sugar and you would be hypoglycemic (which is just as bad as being hyper-glycemic). If your blood sugar goes too low you will go into a coma, so don’t hate on the little guys for going into your blood to keep you alive, lol.

    You have to remember, even though low carbing is great, insulin and sugar are not the devil. By reducing dietary carbs we are able to lower our dependency on them by becoming much more efficient in the use of sugar as a fuel.

    Also, cheating on low carb is extremely counter-productive. When you eat low carb your insulin response is much slower because it is adapted to a much slower rate of carb introduction. I can attest to this because I ate two slices of pizza for a cheat meal and my blood sugar shot up to the 190′s. Granted it did go back down quickly, but those are the kinds of spikes that can cause organ damage. So if you want to go off low carbing it must be done slowly so your body can re-adapt to the new carb intake.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Thanks for the education, David.

  • http://www.foodforprimalthought.com Laurie D.

    Looking good! Those are great blood sugar levels! Did you see last Friday’s post on MarksDailyApple about the amazing weightloss of “unconquerable” Dave? http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-unconquerable-dave/
    Sounds like you are on the same path!

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Thanks Laurie! I posted a link about Dave on my Fun-Filled Friday post last week.

  • http://relievemypain.blogspot.com Lori

    Jimmy, your experience also refutes the old chestnut that we all need at least 130g of carb every day so that our brains don’t get foggy from low blood sugar. There are *doctors* out there who still believe this.

  • http://raysawhill.com Ray Sawhill

    Congrats Jimmy. Excellent results, very visible in the photos too. What single change would you say has made the biggest difference for you?

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      I think it’s the totality of it all, Ray.

  • Green Eggs and Ham

    Looking at the image at the header of this article, I really dig the color of the nail polish. Only you could pull that off, my man!

    Seriously, congratulations on your great results!

    Finally, would you mind sharing the exact “sugar-free dark chocolate” you consumed on Monday, 2/7?

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      The name of the chocolate isn’t important. Just know it is sugar-free, dark chocolate, and yummy. :)

  • Terri

    Just curious if you are monitoring your BF %. You aren’t eating a whole lot of calories or protein (relatively speaking) and have been losing very large amounts of weight. Is it mostly fat? I see you are strength training, which obviously can help prevent muscle loss while dieting.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Not obsessing over measuring Terri. Just weighing and doing my thing.

  • John Kennedy

    Awesome Jimmy, I wanted to just let you know that your before and afters show a big difference. GOOD for you :)

  • http://www.tkayfeelgoodcafe.com Teresa

    It happens to me sometimes as well.. I was told by the Doctor that my blood sugar dropped to low and its my body way of keeping my levels from staying to low. I was told to eat a little something before workouts and sometimes I have to get up and eat a little something at night sometimes as well. I was told its not good for your levels to get so low that your body does that..

  • http://leanmeanvirilemachine.com Darrin

    Dang, buddy! You are kicking seven kinds of ass here! Really happy for you and looking forward to seeing how this works for you in the long run.

  • tracey

    Jimmy

    I am diabetic and I too spike when I hit my limit in exercise. There must be something with you and volleyball that you get more of work out than the interval and weight training. I can do weights and it doesn’t effect my blood sugars at all. If i push cardio, then it will rise. But if i push myself in water aerobics it doesn’t rise that much. Since you are not a diabetic, you come down faster. With me my body will rise close to 80 – 100 points and then takes me about 1/2 a day to recover. Our bodies are so unique!! It all has to do with the liver like David said. But you can tell by your photos that you are burning the fat! Way to go and keep pushing!

  • Lynne

    Have you tried these?

    98% Dark Stevia Chocolate Bar

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Wicked…98% eh? Sounds like they’d taste like coffee. Do you like ‘em?

  • Star

    Congrats first off!! Second, I recall reading several discussion threads about this from both T1 and T2 on the Dr. Bernstein forum. As I recall I had the same problem when working out on an empty stomach especially, in those threads they discuss why, but many including myself found that taking a few small smarties (basically same as glucose tabs in formulation and speed of absorption) before and/or halfway through a workout curbed those rises.

  • Michel

    “Blood sugar spike” when exercising is due to cortisol and primarily adrenaline (epinephrine). Glucagon will (in turn) be released resulting in more glucose to support the stress/exercise. The more the stress or intensity of the exercise, the more glucose will be release (and burned). Your body simply adapts to “supply and demand” and to maintain hemeostasis – if you burn too quickly without a “glucose spike” you would faint due to hypoglycemia (too low blood sugar). Any kind of “sprint-like” activity or even mental stress (like stage fright or a job interview, etc) will raise cortisol and catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine). Sprints in particular raise catecholamines in no time resulting in increased free fatty acids (triglycerides, due to lipolysis) and glucose in the blood – simply to support the effort. Do more quicker – burn more quicker.

  • Theresa

    Fantastic before and after photos. I can’t believe how little loose skin you have despite losing so much weight! That is just great! I see people who have had much less to lose that have needed surgery. Man, you are such a role model for the rest of us!

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Teresa, I think that will be seen if I can get most of the fat off my body. I had what seemed like a lot of loose skin after my 180-pound weight loss, but perhaps I needed to keep going. That’s what I’m gonna do this time and see what happens to that skin. Thanks for your encouragement.

    • http://ofLabRatsAndMen.blogspot.com tracker

      I read somewhere that the skin will (for the most part) shrink up if you give it time, somewhere in the neighborhood of a couple of years. Don’t know if that’s true or not, not having tested it. I’ve lost a lot of weight (was once 270 lbs and now am 180) and don’t have much in the way of loose skin, but I’ve also done it fairly slowly and have had plateaus (at 225 and 200 lbs) where my weight was the same for a while.

      The body is an amazing thing that can repair itself if you give it a chance.

  • Kathy Patel

    Dear Jimmy,
    I’m a great fan of yours. I can’t get enough of your information. But I am worried about you.
    I know you are a believer so what about what God had to say about all this. Please read Gen 2:9 and Lev 3:17 and how about Daniel Chapter 1.
    I would be much happier if you were eating a variety of vegetables with your protein. Where is your fiber. Weight loss doesn’t have to be this fast or this drastic. Be good to yourself. All your fans want you to succeed and thrive.
    God Bless,
    Kathy

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Thanks for your concern Kathy, but my aim isn’t for speed…it’s effectiveness. After all of the other methods I’ve attempted the past few years have ended in futility, this is the first one to really get me going again. I covet your prayers as I go through this next step in my journey. When the time comes I may consider adding back in foods if I feel they will help me.

    • http://ofLabRatsAndMen.blogspot.com tracker
  • Bob Kaplan

    Hi Jimmy,

    I had similar readings when doing hill sprint intervals. Go hard (~100% of VO2 max) for 1 minute, rest for 3 and take glucose reading in the rest window. Went up to 115 at one point with otherwise dialed-in BG numbers. As the intervals progressed, the BG numbers ebbed and flowed with an overall downward trend. I think this is a natural physiological response. Fight-or-flight, we are running for our lives all of a sudden and the body dumps BG into circulation via mobilizing hormones to give us the energy to stoke our anaerobic pathways with high-octane fuel to flee or battle, and over time, at least with my hill sprints, the muscles start taking in the glucose, and BG in the circulation begins to fall and presumably so do the levels of mobilizing hormones – at least when compared the first jolt.

    I don’t think it’s much different than looking at the short-term partitioning of TGs/Fatty Acids moving in and out of the fat tissue. During cardio, presumably fat mobilization will be exceeding deposition, while the inverse will be true later in the day at some point. What we’re worried about is a chronic condition in which deposition is exceeding mobilization in terms of obesity. With the BG readings, you’re taking a snapshot of what’s going on during an acute stressor. And I don’t think there’s chronic or pathological implications to the temporary increase in BG when sprinting once in a while for an otherwise ‘unbroken’ system.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      THANKS Bob! That was my thinking, but I had never really heard anyone explain it before.

  • http://none Gerard Oneil

    Do you really have that much confidence in those meters. I have a relion ultima. One time,as a test, I took two readings on the same large drop of blood less than a minute apart. The numbers were 93 and 155. Again this was the very same drop of blood. I called the 24 hour toll free number. The woman that answered was very friendly and knowledgeable.She agreed to send me calibrating liquid. You use the fluid like you would a drop of blood. And the numbers should fall within a certain perameter if the meter works right. But get this……the parameter is a large number…like 50 points, thats 50 points. Wouldn’t that make any test almost meaningless. My meter passed, but my confidence in that meter fell with parameters that large.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      THANKS for sharing your experience, Gerard, but for my purposes of using this meter it worked beautifully. No great disparity in readings for me.

  • Peter Silverman

    My inderstanding is:

    If you don’t restrict calories you’ll probaby regain your lost weight.

    If you do restrict calories you’ll probably regain your lost weight.

    I say probably becausenI really haven’t a clue.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

  • Faith Ellens

    You’ve already come such a long way already. I admire your courage and perseverance. My dad’s diabetic but he doesn’t have this kind of dedication like yours. Good luck, Jim!

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      THANKS Faith!

  • Rusa

    Aren’t you concerned that you are not getting sufficient nutrients (vitamin C?) on such a restricted diet? Maybe you should add some organ meats as well.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Not concerned at all. I get plenty of vitamins and minerals in all the plethora of supplementation I take daily. For now I’m sticking with this plan, but will consider adding other foods down the road. THANKS for your input, Rusa!

  • http://followingmynose.blogspot.com/ Patty

    I think you are probably getting far more nutrition from your high quality meat, eggs, and fat that most people are when eating a variety of conventionally raised food. And it sure seems to be working for you! Maybe it even plays a factor in the lack of loose skin? :-)

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      You’re probably right, Patty! When I lost weight in 2004, I ate mostly conventional meats and such. The higher quality food may be the trick to help me reach my ultimate goal of not just health but to look good too.

  • Bob

    Great job! It’s encouraging to see those kinds of results in just a month. That was what got me “hooked” on low carb in January of 2010. Lost 31 pounds in 31 days. That was enough to keep me going and eventually lost a total of 75 pounds last year. When I started I was skeptical, to say the least. However my GP said I had to get my weight, cholesterol, and blood glucose under control or insulin was in my future– the “near future”. I started doing some research and came across Dr Bernstein’s website.
    Read Dr. Atkins book and decided since my body had reached it’s current(January 2010 that is) unhealthy state attempting the lowfat Ornish way over the last 20 years I could give a month to low carb and see what happens. Now I’m at the weight I was at in college. I’m still learning a lot and give all the kudos to the low-carb way. Love what you are doing to spread the word!

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      THANKS Bob and CONGRATULATIONS. Keep up the GREAT work! :)

  • http://carbwars.blogspot.com Judy Barnes Baker

    Hi Jimmy.
    I notice that you have added regular use of stevia to your menus. Have you looked into the possible effects of stevia on insulin production and blood glucose? Below is some of the info I found on it:

    Stevia can cause hypoglycemia in some people and it may increase insulin sensitivity and delay the absorption of glucose from the intestines. As a result, it can change the effectiveness of diabetes medications and interfere with the timing of injected insulin, making it essential for those with diabetes to consult with their doctor before using it. It is also said to lower blood pressure, so those on medication for hypertension should seek medical advice about using stevia.

    Note: A study published in Denmark in 2000 demonstrated that stevia has the ability to stimulate insulin secretion via a direct action on beta cells. The researchers concluded that it may have potential as an anti-hyperglycemic agent in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
    Footnote: Jeppesen P.B., Gregersen S., Poulsen C.R., Hermansen K., “Sevioside acts directly on pancreatic beta cells to secrete insulin: actions independent of cyclic adenosine monophosphate and adenosine triphospate-sensitive K+-channel activity,” Metabolism 2000 Feb;49(2):208-14. Abstract at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gove:80/entrez/query/fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10690646&adopt=Abstract

    And here is a quote form a nutritionist at the Mayo Clinic:
    “What we currently know is that it is probably safe in moderate doses. However, until we have more research, women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should probably avoid using stevia. Similarly, people taking diabetes or blood pressure drugs should use stevia with caution because of the risk that it might cause hypoglycemia or hypotension when combined with these drugs.”—Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., Mayo Clinic Nutritionist http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stevia/AN01733MayoClinic.com

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      THANKS so much, Judy! In 2010 I came off of diet sodas successfully for the first time and just last month I was able to get off of Splenda. While I am aware of the concerns you mention regarding stevia, I think it’s a good transition for that day when I can say goodbye to it as well. The progress I’m seeing in my weight loss encourages me that I’m on the right track and I look forward to seeing what happens next. If you only knew how difficult it was for me to switch to stevia after using Splenda for so long…you’d acknowledge this as the miracle that it is! LOL! Thank you for your input!

  • Lynne

    “If you only knew how difficult it was for me to switch to stevia after using Splenda for so long…you’d acknowledge this as the miracle that it is!”

    Why was it necessary to switch? What’s wrong with Splenda (or Equal for that matter)? Dr. Richard Bernstein has no issues with either sucralose or aspartame (tablets or liquid), and the Drs. Eades recommend sucralose. On Mark’s Daily Apple, there is a recent post on sweeteners with the conclusion that “So far as I can tell, according to the literature there isn’t an appreciable insulin effect from most sweeteners.” You yourself tested your blood glucose while consuming the sodas and other products with sweeteners and had no reaction, much to the surprise of all of the people who had been hounding you to get rid of them. When you did ditch them, you didn’t magically lose weight. So, why are they so terrible?

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      From that perspective, you are correct. But in my desire to consume as much natural, real foods as possible, Stevia is the best option.

  • http://carbwars.blogspot.com Judy Barnes Baker

    Actually, I didn’t mean to criticize. I thought the stevia might be at least partially responsible for your recent success. There seems to be a wide range of opinions about whether it is a good or a bad thing. It does seem to have a medicinal effect. That’s another area that you can perhaps shed some light on with your experience.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      I knew you were offering up help Judy. Thanks so much!

  • Bob

    How did you get so huge on low carb?

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Low-carb had nothing to do with it. I was MUCH larger than this BEFORE I started on a low-carb lifestyle.

  • Ruth Baer

    Jimmy, I am wondering if you are on this weight loss regime because you gained some of your weight back? I’m just trying to understand. I started eating low carb at the beginning of January 2011. So far I have lost and gained the same 1 lb. In other words, zero weight loss. However my blood sugar is stable, my yeast problems have disappeared and I’m sleeping well. But I did start this program to lose fat and so far, no change. How low carb are you going to lose the fat? Less than 20g/day?

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      Yes, Ruth, I gained back around 60 pounds of my original 180-pound weight loss in 2004 over the past few years and this new effort is a way to reign in any bad habits that might have slipped in and allow me to return to a better weight for me. My health markers are all spectacular, but the fat in my midsection needs to go. I realize having been a former 400-pounder that I fight an uphill battle, but it can be won. Right now my strategy is high-fat, moderate protein, and less than 10g carbohydrate daily. If I can’t lose weight eating this way, then there is something much more serious happening metabolically. The good news is, I am losing and that’s my primary goal right now.

  • dean

    I’m in the same boat. I have to drop below 15g daily. I think in my 50s I went passed the tipping point of insulin sensitivity. I had several years of insomnia related to hormonal changes, high stress job, a major back surgery that created a kind of perfect storm of cravings. Aging of course also makes our carb sensitivity increase. I now have to not only stay away from most things that have a sweet taste, regardless of usable carbs, I must avoid the kitchen and reading cookbooks, etc, that signal insulin to secrete and trigger cravings to eat. It’s no fun, but I am just thankful I figured it out. I can live with it; compared to many things I could be dealing with, this at least now I know what to do, it just the way my body is. No more or less. I spent almost half my life as a thin person, so this increasing hyperinsulinemia can affect anyone.

  • David Porter

    You have touched on a whole new area of interest – paleo/low-carb diets for those with reactive hypoglycemia. There is very little on the internets addressing this particular combination. I’m not sure the standard paleo/low-carb diets are 100% suitable for those of us with reactive hypoglycemia. There are all kinds of issues, for example how exercise can cause a blood sugar crash which in turns stimulates cortisol and then makes it hard to sleep – totally counter-productive! I hope someone smarter than me can put their mind to this soon.

  • Ashevillian

    Lynne,

    Please give these a look and let me know what you think:

    http://www.womentowomen.com/healthyweight/splenda.aspx
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvFRLIjOLOU

    I’ve had bad experiences with artificial sweeteners — Aspartame, in particular. For me, any amount of Aspartame causes a crushing migraine with visual disturbances. Then again, I am very chemically sensitive. (This includes colognes, perfumes, scented candles, air fresheners, etc.) So, although some people may not outwardly experience any discernable ill-effects, it’s still a man-made chemical and it not real food. Why gamble?

    Perhaps others are more trusting, but I have no faith in the FDA to police what ingredients go into the products we consume. Notice that I did not say “Food,” because food does not come in shrink-wrap. Look at the FDA’s record with drugs and the ADA’s stance on Mercury-containing fillings. Mercury is the most toxic, non-radioactive element around. Yet, magically, when placed in our mouths, it’s suddenly safe? Vioxx was tested, right? For how long? Not long enough, obviously.

    I believe that testing the interaction of all food ingredients would be a good idea. That is, test for the effects of one ingredient alone, then adding another, then another. In the same way, this should also be done with medications. However, I don’t believe that either is done. How many senior citizens do you know that take one pill to counter-act the side-effects of another pill? Where does it end? In many cases, it’s the symptoms that are treated, not the underlying condition.

    Okay, so I’m on a tangent. Sorry.

    Bottom-line, in my opinion, is that, except in certain conditions, man-made items have no place in our bodies. Sure, there are medical conditions that may necessitate a medication. I get that. However, if we can correct the underlying malfunction, we can, in many cases, help our bodies improve its condition. Then, maybe we can move-away from the medications.

    Stated another way, our bodies were not designed to metabolize Aspartame, FD&C Red 40, Monosodium Glutamate, etc. There are all nutritionally-void toxins (in my personal, non-medical opinion) and have no place in our bodies. Give your bodies what it was designed to use and you may be surprised by the results. I hope this is the case. True health is not just the absence of disease.

    DISCLAIMER: The aforementioned statements are my opinions alone. I am not a Doctor. Definitely consult with a qualified healthcare professional. More importantly, find one that’s informed with both sides of the issues and will apply their own critical thinking.

  • Ashevillian

    Sorry, I meant to also link the following YouTube video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgIj7Gayb54

    However, today is three-for-one day:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNL1WUF88oU
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBiG2LsP9Sc

    Obviously, I have my own opinions on the matter. It may be correct, it may not. My intent, however, is not to convert people to my way of thinking. Rather, I hope to give people more information to consider, so people can make their own INFORMED decision.

    Thanks and be well.

  • Philip Gower

    Jimmy, Keep up the good work ! You have inspired me to keep on dropping from 196 lbs to 145 lbs in a year. Then I hit a plateau. Now I am reducing further using blueberries and whipping cream in am daily,with some coffee, eggs and cream in early pm, and various meats and dark green vegetables 4x a week. Now I have dropped to 140 lbs, feel great, and continue to walk the dogs in hills for 2 hours daily. The nice part is I don’t feel hungry even on the days I pass on the meat ! I do take supplements. I have experimented with taking a slice of whole wheat bread, but after getting stabbing pains in my stomach, I am clear I don’t ‘need’ those carbs !! I don’t have a machine for BS but got a reading in the 80s when I had it checked. I am not clear what the concern is for dairy…I use organic creams and butter as sauce on vegs. and at 73 yrs have no meds prescribed.I used oatmeal for some time,but have stopped that grain too.

    • http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com Jimmy Moore

      GO PHILIP!!!