September 30, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK THREE: DAY 3



10:15AM
Sausage and egg scramble (3 local farm eggs cooked in butter with 3 sausage patties)
Diet Rite

3:30PM
Pork and chicken BBQ
Diet Pepsi with lemon

7:30PM
Chocolate CarbSmart Ice Cream with whipped cream

9:15PM
Pork BBQ

NOTE: Today was Day 3 of Week three on The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. And I woke up with one of the worst sore throats I've ever had in my life this morning. Plus my body was achy, tired, and generally lethargic for most of the day. It made this LIVE interview I did today on a radio program quite interesting, but I think I came across okay even though I felt so crappy. But I pushed through the pain and made it through my day the best I could. I HATE taking any drugs of any kind, but I took some Tylenol Cold to help nip this thing in the bud. Wish me well!

On the 6-Week Cure front, I did fairly well today except for the ice cream. My throat was on fire and I'd drunk so much water to try to cool it down -- but nothing was taming this beast! Yes, I loved every bite of the ice cream while it gave my throat some much-needed relief. The good news is my weight is coming back down despite the ice cream and Christine continues to excel pushing below a certain goal that she had in place a few weeks back. I'm so proud of her and we even bought her a brand new dress that she will be wearing to a wedding in Nashville we're attending this weekend. She's AMAZING!

September 29, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK THREE: DAY 2



10:15AM
3 local farm eggs fried in butter with 3 sausage patties
Diet Rite



2:15PM
Chicken, boiled eggs, hamburger patties, pepperoni, mayo
Diet Coke with lemon

5:30PM
1-hour youth football refereeing

9:00PM
2 sausage patties

NOTE: Today was Day 2 of Week three on The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. So far, the "Meat Weeks" haven't been too kind to me on the scale. The point of these two weeks according to my understanding is to eat a high-fat, high-protein, very low-carb diet to get the calories up which I have. But maybe I'm eating too much food for this. Plus, I'm starting to get sick and that drives me to want to eat more. Like the shakes weeks, I suppose it'll be a trial and error thing to find out the right balance. On a positive note, Christine is DROPPING the weight now like a lead balloon and I'm so proud of her.

September 28, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK THREE: DAY 1



12:30PM
Chicken, beef strips with green peppers and onions, scrambled eggs with a few veggies
Diet Coke with lemon

5:30PM
2-hour youth football refereeing

7:45PM
100-minute competitive volleyball



8:15PM
2 farm-raised ground pork patties

NOTE: Today was Day 1 of Week three on The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades and the "Meat Weeks" have arrived! FINALLY! As much as I love my sweet treats on my healthy low-carb lifestyle, all those protein shakes these past couple of weeks got pretty old fast. Finding a good mix of the sweet and savory is what makes this way of eating so enjoyable. But I understand the process of going through this plan and it was worth it to get to this point now.

So, basically the next two weeks is designed to increase both fat and protein as well as calories in the diet while significantly lowering the carbohydrate make-up of the foods I am consuming (unlike the moderate-carb, moderate-fat, high-protein diet of the first two weeks that was used to heal the liver). These two weeks will allow insulin levels to stay super-low while your newly-cleaned liver has a chance to mobilize stored body fat and, more specifically, the visceral fat that has accumulated around your organs. I believe this is the most important time in the 6-Week Cure because the first two weeks is like the preparation marathon runners put into training for the race, the second two weeks is the race itself, and the final two weeks is the cool down and post-race routine that is necessary for preventing injury and getting you ready for the next race.

It's gonna be a fun ride and I'm already enjoying eating all kinds of meats with very limited veggie carbs. Today I went out and picked up some pork chops, 80/20 ground chuck, ground lamb, fresh local eggs, sausage and bacon to eat these next two weeks. The plan does allow for a protein shake per day if you desire, but that may be a few days. Three-a-day for the past two weeks has sorta ruined the desire for them right now. I'm sure it'll come back again. THANKS for following in this journey!

September 27, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK TWO: DAY 7




2:45PM
Salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, cheese) with Ranch dressing
2 hamburger patties with cheese and bacon with a little BBQ sauce
Diet Coke with lime
Sugar-free vanilla caramel swirl ice cream

8:15PM
Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil
Dill pickle

NOTE: Today was Day 7 of Week two on The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. Can you tell I was ready for the "shakes weeks" to end and the "meat weeks" to begin? Yep, I kinda jumped the gun and rebelled a little bit today transitioning from Weeks 1-2 on this plan into the Weeks 3-4. And I'm good with that! It's been an exciting first two weeks and I'm looking forward to an even better next two weeks.

The results from two weeks of being on The 6-Week Cure speak for themselves:

Jimmy -- 15 pounds lost -- 2 inches off waist
Christine -- 4.8 pounds lost -- 1 inch off waist

WOO HOO! We lost most of the weight in Week 1, but it was an awesome experience doing this together during these past couple of weeks. Anticipation is in the air about what will happen in the next two weeks and it will be interesting this weekend since we will be attending a wedding in Nashville. Eating this way at home is hard enough, but we'll have some challenges traveling on the road. But we'll manage as we always do.

September 26, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK TWO: DAY 6

10:15AM
Vanilla Strawberry Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil



2:45PM
Prosciutto with various cheeses, strawberries, apple slices
Prime rib center cut with mushrooms, onions, cherry tomatoes, greens
Roasted brussel sprouts
Diet Pepsi with lime

6:30PM
3-ounce beef hamburger patty with American cheese, dill pickle and mayo

10:30PM
Vanilla Strawberry Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil

NOTE: Today was Day 6 of Week two on The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. As you can see, I didn't get in my THREE shakes today and decided to have a small protein-based meal instead. I'm so ready for Weeks 3-4 to begin which the good doctors affectionately refer to as the "Meat Weeks." Sure, you can consume more than just meat, but it's a lot better than all these shakes. BRING IT ON!!!

September 25, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK TWO: DAY 5

10:15AM
Chocolate Vanilla Strawberry Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil and one pastured egg
1/4 dill pickle spear



1:45PM
Salad greens with bacon, tomato, cheese, and Ranch dressing
Green beans cooked in bacon
1/2 rack of pork BBQ ribs
Diet Pepsi with lime
Honeydew melon

8:00PM
Chocolate Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil

10:30PM
Vanilla Chocolate Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil

NOTE: Today was Day 5 of Week two on The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. Christine keeps complaining that she HAS to drink three protein shakes when she's not even hungry. I have explained to her that this is not negotiable according to the plan. Now, Dr. Eades says if you want to skip the meal in a day, that would be fine. But you MUST drink all three shakes during the first two weeks. And it's only two weeks.

Already re-reading about Weeks 3-4 right now and once again it says you MUST eat three meals of at least 3-4 ounces of meat. Christine ain't happy about this either. Well, as much as I love her, she'll get over it because that's how it works. And that really isn't that much food (at least for me!). We shall see how she does starting on Monday.

September 24, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK TWO: DAY 4

10:15AM
Blueberry Chocolate Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil and one pastured egg
1/4 dill pickle spear




1:45PM
Side salad with Ranch dressing
Zucchini and squash veggie blend with butter
Roast beef
Unsweetened tea with Splenda
Honeydew melon with whipped cream

6:00PM
Chocolate Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil and one pastured egg

7:00PM
140-minute competitive volleyball

10:30PM
Chocolate Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil and one pastured egg
1/4 dill pickle spear

NOTE: Today was Day 4 of Week two on The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. Although the weight loss this week has slowed down considerably for both Christine and I, we remain encouraged that this is the right plan for us at this time. It's been an interesting experiment for us to try and we're anxious to see what will happen starting next week.



Quite a few people have asked about what protein powder we are using for our shakes. There it is from EAS and it's just 3g net carbs per scoop. I think it is incredibly delicious and enjoy the chocolate flavor a little more than the vanilla. Actually, I've been mixing the two flavors a lot lately for a unique blend of fruits. We've been running into the opposite issue this week than what we had last week in terms of hunger -- NOT hungry this week at all. Christine says it doesn't seem right that you must drink all three shakes, but I told her that's how it works. Only a few more days left.

September 23, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK TWO: DAY 3

10:00AM
Blueberry Chocolate Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil and one pastured egg
1/4 dill pickle spear



2:30PM
Sliced prime rib steak with grilled onions, mushrooms, green peppers, cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream and eggs
Green beans cooked in hamhocks
Cantaloupe and strawberries with whipped cream
Diet Coke with lime

8:00PM
Chocolate Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil and one pastured egg

10:30PM
Chocolate Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil and one pastured egg
1/4 dill pickle spear

NOTE: Today was Day 3 of Week two on The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. After last week's blazing weight loss, I've noticed something interesting happening in Week 2. It's what my wife Christine likes to call "schizophrenic weight" with funky ups and downs although nothing has really changed. She and I both were up over a pound yesterday and then suddenly today back down slightly again. We're still working the plan exactly, so it's just odd. The thing I told her was to not get discouraged and to keep going with the program. The good news is our waists are still getting smaller. WOO HOO!

You know, I thought adding that raw egg into my shakes was gonna be gross, but it is phenomenal! Not only do I get some extra fat and protein into the shake meals, they're creamy and so much more filling than when I wasn't putting them in there. Because Christine has struggled to get her protein shakes in, I only add an egg to one of her shakes per day and I don't tell here which one. She's a bit skittish about that sort of thing and the less she knows the better. You can't taste it at all. We're also still using the one teaspoon of DAG oil per shake although I'm not really sure what we're supposed to "feel" from doing that. I'm just trusting the plan and working it exactly right now.

Believe it or not, I'm starting to get a bit tired of the "sweet" taste so much so that I've added in the recommended dill pickle to the diet for extra salt and for contrast after drinking the protein shakes. I like sweet-tasting items, but not too much of it. It kinda loses the appeal when you get too much of a good thing like that. Of course, I'm already joking with Christine that I'm gonna be wishing I had something sweet once the "meat weeks" get here starting next Monday. That's okay, though. At least I'll get to eat FOOD and not drink shakes all day. LOL! I'm looking forward to it!

September 22, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK TWO: DAY 2

10:00AM
Honeydew Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil
1/4 dill pickle spear



2:15PM
Salad (lettuce, greens, cucumbers, tomato, cheese) with Ranch dressing
Chopped steak with grilled onions, mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and mayo
Green beans cooked in hamhocks
Cantaloupe and strawberries with whipped cream
Diet Coke with lime

7:00PM
Chocolate Caramel Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil and one pastured egg

10:15PM
Chocolate Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil and one pastured egg

NOTE: Today was Day 2 of Week two on The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. I'm just now getting used to drinking these protein shakes everyday with one meal, so next week is gonna be a complete shock to the system. But maybe that's the point. As much as I like these sweet-tasting shakes, they're getting kinda old. Of course, when I can't have them starting next week, I'll be begging for them.

I've been getting a lot of questions from people about what is in my protein shakes. It's the basic recipe in the book and I'm using the EAS low-carb protein powder in the chocolate and vanilla flavors. I started off with about 1/2 cup water, add one packet of Truvia, one teaspoon of the Enova DAG oil, three scoops of the protein powder, and then some flavoring or fruit along with a raw egg starting today. We've got a blender that mixes your shake up in the glass you drink it out of so I can customize my protein shake from Christine's. She's struggling drinking all these sweet protein shakes down still, so adding the recommended pickle into the mix for more salt has helped her tremendously.

Christine has been a little discouraged by how slow her weight loss has been, but I'm encouraging her to just keep at it because there are other ways to measure success. In fact, one happened today when we measured her waist and it was down a half-inch. WOO HOO! I also was up slightly from yesterday, but that's okay. I'm not at all worried about it and will just keep working the plan. If you worry, then you're only psychologically setting yourself up to fail whether you realize it or not. Take things in stride, stick with the plan, and the plan will work for you. I couldn't be happier!

September 21, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK TWO: DAY 1

9:45AM
Blueberry Chocolate Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil

1:45PM
Chocolate Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil
1/4 dill pickle spear



5:15PM
Half-pound farm-raised ground pork stir fry with broccoli, onions, mushrooms, red peppers, snap peas, soy sauce, and garlic salt
Diet Rite

7:15PM
75-minute competitive volleyball

9:00PM
Blueberry Chocolate Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil

NOTE: Today was Day 1 of Week two on The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. After experiencing a phenomenal weight loss in the first week on this plan shedding 13 pounds and two inches off my waist, I realize this week it might slow down slightly. Yet it wouldn't surprise me to lose another 7 pounds this week. That would be 20 pounds in just two weeks. Wish me luck!

Theres so much curiosity in The 6-Week Cure that Dr. Mike announced last week he would be creating a blog around the subject to differentiate the questions about his Protein Power plan and general low-carb questions with this program. Some have criticized the Eades for this new plan because it isn't following the mandates of a typical low-carb diet (i.e. a two-week ketogenic Induction period followed by a slow progression upward of the healthy carbs), but I think they're on to something here mixing it up in two week chunks. I've been kinda stuck in my own efforts for the good part of the past couple of years and I'm seeing value in doing what I'm doing now.

For the past week, I've consumed a lot more carbohydrates and less fat than I normally would on my low-carb plan. But the results have happened. Does that mean low-carb isn't effective? Of course not. But perhaps temporary periods of adjusting your meal plans can keep your body from adapting to your eating plan. The take-home point I'm getting from The 6-Week Cure book is to keep it varied so your body never settles in on how you are eating. And choosing effective means for getting there will produce for you the best results. So far, so good.

Although I'm not counting calories, I'm seeing that even a slight reduction that happens naturally within the context of this plan is making an impact. Like I've said in previous entries, this first two weeks really isn't as much about weight loss as it is detoxifying your liver and enabling it to mobilize stored body fat out of the body. Yes, I've seen incredible success shedding weight to date, but I think the best is still to come in the next few weeks. It's encouraging to see progress on something like this when it has been so frustrating seeing none for so long. Be encouraged that whether The 6-Week Cure is your answer or not, there is SOMETHING that is gonna work for you. NEVER GIVE UP!

Incidentally, since I started adding in a little more heavy whipping cream into the shakes and a full three scoops of the protein powder, my hunger is no longer there. I think it helps that our one meal comes earlier in the day whether it's for lunch or a late afternoon dinner. That sure makes the shakes easier to consume without worrying about hunger. Christine is also doing better with this and she is back to struggling to get all three of them down in a day. I've been using about two scoops of protein powder with her, so I may back that down. She LOVES the strawberries in her shakes! I love blueberries if you hadn't noticed. One more week of this before we transition to the "Meat Weeks." WOO HOO! Christine says she can't wait!

September 20, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK ONE: DAY 7



12:30PM
2 hamburger patties with tomato slices, pickle, American cheese and mayo
Mixed veggies (squash, broccoli, red peppers, and green beans) with butter
Cantaloupe and strawberries with whipped cream
Diet Coke with lime

3:00PM
Blueberry Chocolate Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil

5:15PM
Chocolate Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil

9:45PM
Strawberry Chocolate Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil

NOTE: Today was Day 7 on the new low-carb diet plan called The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. One week down of "the six-week cure" and I'm so happy to announce the weight loss and waist size losses to you today. Christine and I have been doing this as a means to shed a few pounds and here are our results:

JIMMY -- 13.0 pounds lost -- 2.0 inches shed off waist
CHRISTINE -- 4.0 pounds lost -- 0.5 inches shed off waist

WOO HOO! That's a total of 17 pounds and 2.5 inches gone from our waists after just seven days. We are both VERY pleased with this and Christine has NEVER EVER EVER lost this much weight in a week. Of course, she doesn't have much to lose, so it's a good percentage. She only wants to take off about 20-25 pounds maximum and I'm looking at taking off around 40-50 pounds depending on how well this continues to perform. I can tell already that I'll probably revert back to Weeks 1-2 after the "meat weeks" of Weeks 3-4 as the Eades discuss in their book, but we'll evaluate that in another three more weeks to see if it is necessary. This has been a phenomenal experience and I am excited about continuing on.

We've definitely figured out the hunger thing...eat our meal earlier in the day and then add a little more fat and protein to the shakes as JD shared from Dr. Eades' blog about this. This is an enjoyable experience and I hope others are finding the kind of success that Christine and I have had so far. Share your story in the comments section below!

September 19, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK ONE: DAY 6

8:45AM
Blueberry Chocolate Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil

9:00AM
180-minute youth flag football refereeing





2:00PM
Side salad with greens, cucumbers, cheese, and Ranch dressing
Lemon butter pepper tilapia
Green beans cooked in hamhocks
3 tomato slices
Cantaloupe and strawberries with whipped cream
Diet Coke with lime

5:15PM
Chocolate Caramel Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil

9:45PM
Blueberry Chocolate Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/ 1 tsp DAG oil

NOTE: Today was Day 6 on the new program everyone's talking about called The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. My wife Christine and I are quickly approach the end of Week 1 of this amazing new plan to whittle down your abdomen implementing some scientifically-based principles these noted low-carb physicians have learned over the years to kick start your weight loss and more specifically your fat loss around your midsection!

The first two weeks really aren't about weight loss, but more of detoxifying your liver. They do this with a set of rules to help heal the function of the liver while not putting any undue work on it like gluconeogenesis during the first two weeks. You'll notice that the carbohydrate count is a little higher on this plan and that's by design if you have read the book. Healing the liver is the first and foremost priority so that fat mobilization can ensue and that's what Weeks 1-2 are about on The 6-Week Cure. Although we get to enjoy lots of delicious protein shakes right now with fruit and wonderful flavorings along with one outstanding meal a day, coming up in Weeks 3-4, all there will be on the menu is meat and eggs. Christine is sorta looking forward to that since she misses her salty foods, but it'll be hard on me since I LOVE the taste of sweet and cheese. But I enjoy meat and eggs too, so it'll be a love/hate relationship.

I'm not dismayed by this diet at all, though, because it has shown me something different I can implement in my life anytime I see old habits starting to creep in. The weight loss I have seen so far has been absolutely phenomenal and I cannot wait to see what the next few weeks have in store for both me and Christine. Although Christine's weight loss isn't as large as mine, as a percentage she is doing better on The 6-Week Cure than anything she's ever tried before! AMAZING! Those numbers will be coming up soon, but I encourage you to join us in this journey and share your experiences with us. I've been very open and honest about how this plan has been going for us good, bad, and ugly. Overall, though, I could not be happier with the end results which is all that matters!

September 18, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK ONE: DAY 5

10:15AM
Blueberry Chocolate Power Up! Protein Shake



2:45PM
2 grilled chicken breasts
Mixed veggies (squash, green beans, red peppers, and broccoli) with butter
3 tomato slices
Cantaloupe and strawberries with whipped cream
Diet Coke with lime and lemon

6:45PM
Blueberry Chocolate Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake

9:15PM
Blueberry Chocolate Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake

NOTE: Today was Day 5 on the new program everyone's talking about The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. Lately Christine and I have been dealing with hunger issues and we figured out we need to plan our meal earlier in the day. At first we were doing 2-4 shakes before eating and we were going absolutely bonkers with hunger by the time we got to the meal. Eating mid-afternoon has been PERFECT for us.

Christine is still pining for her salty and in The 6-Week Cure book the Eades note that you can have a half-pickle once or twice a day. So we bought a big jar of them and that's helped Christine immensely. I still haven't heard back about doing a protein broth of sorts like Didirina suggested instead of the sweet protein shakes. I'll be sure to pass on any response about this I get back from Dr. Mike, but I know he and MD are VERY busy right now promoting the new book. Needless to say, we're quite pleased with the results other than the slight hunger for both of us and the salt cravings for Christine. I am so looking forward to sharing the results at the end of one week on Monday.

September 17, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK ONE: DAY 4

8:45AM
Low-Carb Monster Energy Drink

9:30AM
Gave a pint of blood

9:45AM
3 ounces roasted and salted almonds

12:15PM
Chocolate caramel Power Up! Protein Shake

2:00PM
Red pepper omelette (4 eggs, red peppers, four-cheese blend, butter, garlic salt, pepper)
Diet Rite

5:45PM
Chocolate Caramel Power Up! Protein Shake

8:45PM
Chocolate Chocolate Cacao Power Up! Protein Shake

NOTE: We made it to Day 4 following The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades and we had a special treat today. Rather than the whole "3 and 1" plan that is usually prescribed during the first two weeks of The 6-Week Cure, we got the opportunity to consume some extra food since it was our day to give blood. If you haven't read the book or listened to my podcast interview about it yet, then one of the strangest recommendations the Eades make is to give blood. No, it's not to shed that extra pound of body weight, but rather to help you remove a lot of the built-up toxins in your liver.



They recommended in the book consuming something with a lot of caffeine in it (which is a rare treat since you are cutting this out during the first two weeks) to help pull the toxins out even more. The Eades explain in detail about why this is important in their book and during my interview with them, so check them out for more information. But it was fun giving blood and believe it or not this was the first time Christine had EVER given blood in her entire life. She's never weighed enough before and with all of her medical issues throughout her life it was an impossibility. Not today, although I think she wished she didn't because they had a hard time finding a vein in her. Finally they did and she was good to go.

That wasn't an issue for me. The girl wrapped my bicep up and started pressing on my arm and a big vein just popped up and said "HELLO!" She stuck me and I had a full bag within 9 minutes. I used to give blood a lot when I was in college, but I hadn't done it much as an adult. Of course, the incentive to have a parking ticket forgiven in college made it a lot more compelling then. After reading The 6-Week Cure, Christine and I will plan on giving every 60 days to help keep the toxins out of our body so that fat-burning can commence.

Because we gave blood, that enabled us to have another "meal" with real food and Christine took care of that "salty" desire she is missing so much right now. She had some cashews while I chose almonds. They were so good and we enjoyed every bite. Of course, when we got home around midday it was time to consume our first shake of the day, but then we were quite hungry again soon thereafter. I decided to whip up an omelette for our meal today since I hadn't cooked eggs as part of the program so far. Mixed with red peppers and cheese while cooked in butter, it was so delicious with a Southwestern flair. The only thing I would have added if we had the ingredients on hand would have been onions and pork sausage.

The rest of the day we had our shakes and by golly I forgot the DAG oil! Someone in the comments section (Donny, I believe) suggested that maybe the reason Christine and I are so hungry on the plan right now is because we aren't consuming ENOUGH of the DAG oil and he cited that on Day 1 neither of us experienced the kind of hunger we have been the past few days. So tomorrow I'm gonna add a tablespoon to every shake to see what happens. It can't hurt and I'll let you know how it goes.

I can't wait to share the results with you from this so far...they are VERY impressive and will update you on the numbers on Monday. Let's just say between the two of us, we've already lost double-digit pounds in just four days. This is AMAZING!

September 16, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK ONE: DAY 3

10:00AM
Blueberry Vanilla Power Up! Protein Shake w/1 Tbs DAG oil

2:30PM
Chocolate Blueberry Power Up! Protein Shake



4:15PM
Half-pound ground farm-raised pork burger
1/2 cup green beans with butter and garlic salt and pepper
1/2 cup strawberries with whipped cream
Diet Rite

9:30PM
Chocolate Caramel Power Up! Protein Shake

NOTE: Christine and I got up to Day 3 today following The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. We're still working on the timing of the shakes and our meal and you'll notice today we broke down and ate our meal in the early afternoon because we were so hungry for FOOD. That's probably been the hardest thing for me and it's beginning to hit Christine -- despite the notion that you won't feel hunger on this plan, that hasn't been our experience so far. I don't know if we just haven't found our right timing with the shakes yet, but we're not giving up on it.

Now, lest you think we're miserable on this plan, we're not. It's just different for us and anything different can take some getting used to. Christine's issue is she misses the "salty" foods and we're sitting here drinking a bunch of "sweet" shakes. I, on the other hand, am LOVING the sweet shakes because they fill that need for me. It's too bad they don't make a "salty" shake mix for people like Christine who desire that more than the sweet. I'll be contacting Dr. Mike today about suggestions for Christine to get her need of "salty" filled while staying on the shakes plan.

Oh, we had something really crazy happen today with our blender. You know after you wash your blender between shakes how the pitcher can have a slight smell in it? Well, I usually air it out by swinging it back and forth holding the handle and that works fine. Not today! When I started swinging it, the handle broke off, the pitcher slammed to the floor and burst into a million pieces. It scared the living bejeebies out of my cat Smokey and she took off running. I looked over at Christine after it happened and said, "I guess we're getting a new blender today!" LOL! What's funny is we thought about getting a new blender after seeing a pretty cool one at Wal-mart last week. Needless to say, we went out and got that one today after cleaning up all the shards of plastic everywhere.

There have been some questions about the DAG oil used in The 6-Week Cure and Dr. Mike addressed why this oil was so important (and at the same time not so important) at his blog yesterday:

DAG is a different kind of oil. There is no substitute. You substitute a tablespoon of the DAG for a tablespoon of one of the other oils you might use. If you can’t get the DAG, then just use your regular oil. Of all the components of the program, the DAG is probably the least important and can easily be eliminated. A number of studies have shown, however, that adding just a little DAG can boost weight loss, so we added it in because we used it ourselves because we wanted to do everything we could do in the 6 weeks we had to get ourselves ready for our show.

Hopefully that answers the questions you may have about the why and how of the DAG oil. If you're having trouble finding it in your local area, check out this list of stores where the name brand Enova is sold. If it can help you get rid of that "middle-aged middle," then GO FOR IT, right? More updates coming soon, including our one-week weight loss and inches lost totals. Can't wait to share them with you!

September 15, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK ONE: DAY 2

9:00AM
Chocolate Banana Power Up! Protein Shake w/1 Tbs DAG oil

12:15PM
Chocolate Banana Power Up! Protein Shake w/1 Tbs DAG oil

3:00PM
Chocolate Blueberry Power Up! Protein Shake



6:15PM
Half-pound farm-raised pork sausage stir fry with broccoli, onions, mushrooms, red peppers, snap peas, soy sauce, garlic salt, and pepper
Diet Rite

7:00PM
165-minute competitive volleyball

NOTE: Day 2 following The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades and I gotta admit -- I got a little hungry between the protein shakes today and seriously wanted to add a fourth one. But I'm following this plan exactly as prescribed and doing well with it other than a little hunger. Even Christine had issues today with the hunger, especially at night when she likes to munch. It's a good thing to break those bad habits.

One of my wonderful readers sent me the following e-mail regarding the DAG oil I've been adding to my shakes:

Hi Jimmy:

I just read your update on your first day of The Cure, I'm doing it too. I wanted to let you know that we are only supposed to be taking ONE TABLESPOON a DAY of DAG oil, NOT 3 tablespoons a day! The way Dr. Mike explains it in the book is a bit confusing, so I read it over again and he wants you to put ONE Teaspoon in your shake 3 times a day, for a TOTAL of one tablespoon (3 teaspoons=1 tablespoons).

The DAG oil is making me sick, so I have stopped it. On the bright side, I have lost 1.5lbs in 3 days! Yipee~!

EEEK! So, I misread that part and I'm sure others have too. From now on, I'll be adding one tablespoon to just ONE of the shakes each day for our daily intake of DAG oil. That could have been why Christine was having tummy issues on the first day. It's a learning process and we're taking this one day at a time. I'm still surprised how easy this is so far, but we'll see what the results are. We are planning on going to the blood bank on Thursday to give blood as they said to do in the book. THIS IS FUN! Anyone else want to share your experiences so far on The 6-Week Cure?

September 14, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

-- WEEK ONE: DAY 1

10:00AM
Chocolate Raspberry Power Up! Protein Shake w/1 Tbs DAG oil

12:30PM
Chocolate Raspberry Power Up! Protein Shake w/1 Tbs DAG oil

3:30PM
Chocolate Raspberry Power Up! Protein Shake w/1 Tbs DAG oil



6:15PM
Half-pound ground farm-raised pork burger
Mixed vegetable medley (cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots) with butter, garlic salt, rosemary, salt and pepper
Diet Rite

7:00PM
120-minute competitive volleyball

NOTE: Today was the first day of my attempt to follow the abdominal fat-busting concepts shared in the new low-carb book The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. And I have to be honest with you -- I wasn't looking forward to drinking three protein shakes as my "meals" with only one meal filled with REAL food. I'm a food lover and a half, so this was going to be somewhat of a challenge for me. Or so I thought.

Surprisingly, it wasn't bad at all. During my interview with the Eades last week on my podcast show, they said the primary problem most people had with the plan is that they couldn't fit in all the protein shakes and wanted to only drink two of them. Now it wasn't THAT bad for me because I still needed the three shakes. But I didn't have any hunger associated with not eating any food at the times when I drank the shakes.

For my wife Christine, though, who is doing this plan right alongside of me as well, she wasn't so fortunate. Her first shake was around noon, then she had a second one at 3:30PM with me. I cooked up some really delicious local farm-raised ground pork with some awesome low-carb veggies for supper (that was such a nice treat and I was proud of myself for making that!) and then she had to drink her final shake right before bedtime. Christine admitted she had to force it down because she wasn't hungry and even became nauseous because of it. I'm thinking it might have been the DAG oil which can cause that in some people. We will try to space out her protein shakes a little better henceforth to see if we can ward off the nausea.

All in all, it was a good first day on The 6-Week Cure and I'm glad we're doing this. It's something a little different and yet it's still livin' la vida low-carb. During these first two weeks, I notice that they allow for more carbohydrates than a typical low-carb plan like Atkins would in the form of non-starchy veggies and even fruit which we'll be adding into our protein shakes and meals as prescribed by Dr. Mary Dan's amazing recipe choices. We'll be eating this way for the next two weeks before we go to the "Meat Weeks" for the second two weeks. For now, we're quite content with the new plan and look forward to the results.

We took our measurements of our abdomens as well as our starting weight. I'll update the total inches lost and weight shed at the end of each week so you can track our progress. If the preliminary readings from just one day on this plan are any indication, we're well on our way to flattening out our "middle-aged middle." WOO HOO!

September 13, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

8:00AM
Sugar-free Jello pudding with whipped cream
Diet Rite

12:00PM
Ham, tomato with goat cheese, sweet potato, chicken, pineapple cake
Unsweetened tea with Splenda

5:30PM
Turkey, ham, cheese, tomato, lettuce and mayo

9:30PM
2 slices of low-carb bread with Dreamfields pasta, butter and Velveeta cheese
Diet Rite
Sugar-free Jello pudding with whipped cream

NOTE: Last day before starting on the Eades' 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle plan. We have everything ready to go with it except for the leucine. Had to order it online since I couldn't find it anywhere locally looking at GNC, Walgreen's, Wal-Mart and local health food stores. Nobody had it, but I found it online and hope to have it later this week. In the meantime, I've got the DAG oil, protein powder, and all the rest of the stuff necessary to make this plan work. We'll see what happens.

Someone noted that I ate something that wasn't low-carb in my menu yesterday and therefore I shouldn't put it on my menus blog. But that would be dishonest. I've always been very open about what I eat on my low-carb lifestyle and from time to time it's not always perfectly low-carb. GASP! Yes, it's true and so many low-carbers allow some non-low-carb foods to enter from time to time. It's called reality and I chose to make that my food choice. It's not the end of the world and anyone who follows my menus knows those things are few and far between. Knowing I was starting on the new plan starting tomorrow, I decided I wanted to do it. And I did so willingly and happily so. I was my choice.

I'm anxious to see how this new program from the Eades will work and will chronicle my progress here. THANKS for reading!

September 12, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

8:45AM
CarbSmart ice cream bar
Diet Rite

9:00AM
180-minute youth football refereeing

12:45PM
Meatloaf, green beans, squash, broccoli with butter, cantaloupe, strawberries
Diet Coke with lime
Cookie dough ice cream

5:00PM
Cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple with whipped cream
CarbSmart ice cream bar

8:30PM
2 slices of low-carb bread cooked in butter with Velveeta cheese
Diet Rite
Sugar-free Jello pudding with whipped cream

NOTE: The busy Fall season is in full swing now and the Upward flag football ministry at my church started back up again today. I enjoy refereeing this league and it is a HUGE workout for me. Running up and down the field, moving cones, retrieving the football, bending over, etc. is quite the exercise routine and after three hours of it I was plumb pooped out! I enjoyed a nice refreshing lunch and drank a TON of fluids because it was so hot out there today. It'll be freezing by the end of the season in late October, but not yet. Cooler days, ya need to get here fast!

I also attending a wedding for two good friends of mine and it was absolutely beautiful. The pastor turned to the bride and said she looked beautiful; then he turned to the groom and said he looked lucky. LOL! GREAT LINE! At the reception, there were carbs, carbs, and more carbs...but I managed to find some low-sugar fruit to eat to stay on my low-carb plan. Gearing up in a couple more days to begin the 6-Week Cure plan by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades. Looking forward to it on Monday morning! WOO HOO!

September 11, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

1:15PM
13-ounce T-bone steak with A-1
Squash, green beans, broccoli and red peppers with butter
Strawberries and cantaloupe with whipped cream
5 grilled shrimp with cocktail sauce
Diet Coke with lime
CarbSmart ice cream bar

8:00PM
BBQ pork and ribs
Green beans
Sweet potato
Diet Dr. Pepper
CarbSmart ice cream bar

NOTE: It's hard to let this day pass without remembering what happened on September 11, 2001:

September 10, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

12:45PM
Meatloaf
Green beans, zucchini, squash, cauliflower, broccoli with butter
Salad greens with Ranch dressing
Cantaloupe
Sugar-free caramel mousse parfait
Unsweetened tea with Splenda

6:00PM
Hardee's Low-Carb Thickburger
Side salad with Ranch dressing
Diet Dr. Pepper

7:00PM
150-minute competitive volleyball

10:45PM
Strawberries and cantaloupe with whipped cream
Omelette with eggs, cheese, bacon, sausage, ham, mushrooms green peppers, and onions
Diet Coke with lime

NOTE: Busy day...so much going on right now...excited about starting the 6-Week Cure coming up on Monday! Wanna join me?

September 9, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

12:45PM
1/3 pound hamburger patty with American cheese and onions
Salad with Ranch dressing
Diet Coke with lime
Double dark chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips and fudge

8:30PM
Strawberries and cantaloupe with whipped cream
2 slices of meatloaf with ketchup
Squash and broccoli with butter
Green beans cooked in hamhocks
Diet Coke with lime
Sugar-free Jello pudding with whipped cream

NOTE: For everyone who has been asking about how Christine is feeling, she's doing MUCH better now than she was this time last week. She's still got the cough which she's taking prescription medicine for, but the fever is gone and she's able to get out and about. THANK YOU for your concern. I hate to see her suffering and it's good that she's back again!

September 8, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

12:00PM
Taco salad (beef, chicken, taco seasoning, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, guacamole)
Tortilla chips
Diet Coke with lime

2:30PM
CarbSmart ice cream bar
Diet Rite

7:00PM
Crab with cheese, BBQ chicken
Small slice apple pie with vanilla ice cream
Diet Coke with lemon

10:30PM
CarbSmart ice cream bar
Diet Rite

NOTE: I've made up my mind about starting on the Eades' 6-Week Cure plan and I'm doing it starting on Monday next week. I wrote a book review outlining the basic details of the plan and will see how well it works for me. The "3 and 1" plan during the first two weeks will be a bit odd for me since I'm not a big protein shake drinker. But we will see if it nets the kind of results that are anticipated. I don't drink alcohol or take meds and my drinks are mostly caffeine-free. We'll see what happens when I start it on September 14th!

September 7, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

11:45AM
1/2 pound grass-fed beef burger with Velveeta and mayo
CarbSmart ice cream bar
Diet Rite

4:30PM
Hamburger, bacon, cheese, onions, mustard
Diet Coke with lemon

7:30PM
120-minute competitive volleyball

10:00PM
Sugar-free Jello pudding with whipped cream
CarbSmart ice cream bar
Diet Rite

NOTE: Now that we're back home from our trip to Indy, it was hard getting started with my day today. But it was Labor Day and everybody else had the day off practically--so a late start wasn't so out of the question. :)

Pretty much got back into the routine again with my schedule and published a fabulous interview with Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades about their new book The 6-Week Cure For The Middle-Aged Middle. I'm thinking of trying this program starting next Monday. We shall see.

September 6, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

9:15AM
3 quarter-pound steakburgers with cheese, lettuce, tomato, sauce, pickle
Cherry Coke Zero

1:15PM
Russell Stover chocolates
Coke Zero

6:30PM
Cantaloupe with whipped cream
Squash and broccoli with butter
Green beans cooked in hamhocks
Sugar-free Jello pudding with whipped cream
CarbSmart ice cream bar
Diet Coke with lime

10:30PM
Gourmet sugar-free chocolate covered caramels (bought in Indy airport)

NOTE: The blitz weekend to Indy concluded today with us flying back home...well, almost. We were stuck in the airport for four extra hours when our original morning flight was delayed. So we got to eat in an airport for breakfast/lunch. LOL! Oh well, whaddyado? We could go shopping or just hang out. FINALLY, we got on the plane and headed home. Home sweet home at last. Gonna sleep good tonight!

September 5, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

9:15AM
1/2 pound grassfed beef burger with Velveeta and mayo
Diet Rite

2:15PM
Honey roasted peanuts
Coke Zero

6:30PM
Russell Stover chocolates
Diet Pepsi

10:45PM
BBQ pork
Salad (lettuce, greens, tomatoes, cheese, bacon) with Ranch dressing
Diet Coke with lime

NOTE: Well, we made it to Indy! Christine felt great enough to go on the trip to see the American Idol Tour at Conseco Fieldhouse. We flew out of Charlotte to Memphis and then to Indy. Got checked in to the hotel less than an hour before the concert began. Walked three blocks and had a great time. Here's a video of Adam Lambert who was the star of this show. It was a long day...but so worth it for Christine to get her anniversary present that I messed up last month. :)

September 4, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

12:45PM
Naked quesadilla with beef, cheese, tomato, lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, green peppers, onions
Tortilla chips
Diet Coke with lime
Sugar-free vanilla frozen yogurt with blueberries and strawberries

5:30PM
Sugar-free Jello pudding with whipped cream
Diet Rite

8:30PM
Strawberries and cantaloupe with whipped cream, 2 slices of meatloaf with ketchup, mixed veggies (squash and broccoli) with butter, green beans cooked in hamhocks
Diet Coke with lime

NOTE: The day before our trip to Indy! Concerned Christine can't come...but we're hoping so.

September 3, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

11:30AM
Salad greens with Ranch dressing, cantaloupe and watermelon, roast beef, green beans, sugar-free caramel mousse
Unsweetened tea with Splenda

6:00PM
Hardee's Low-Carb Thickburger with lettuce, tomato and cheese
Side salad (lettuce, tomato) with Ranch dressing
Diet Dr. Pepper

7:30PM
120-minute competitive volleyball

10:30PM
Sugar-free Jello pudding with whipped cream
Diet Rite

NOTE: This was the third day in a row Christine was flat on her back sick with whatever it is she is dealing with. I hate seeing her like this because I feel so helpless about what to do for her other than being there for her. And that's what I've been doing. We had plans to go to lunch at this local homemade restaurant today because they promised to make me a sugar-free dessert and Christine wasn't feeling well enough to go. I went and had a fabulous meal and brought her a plate home which she THOROUGHLY enjoyed. It was the first time all week Christine started to feel better. We are so hoping she feels better by Saturday morning when we are scheduled to get on an airplane to go on a trip to Indianapolis. Pray she gets better quickly!

September 2, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

10:00AM
2 local farm pastured eggs cooked in butter with 1 ounce of 4-cheese blend (Monterey Jack, cheddar, Asadero, and Queso Quesadilla)
Diet Rite

2:30PM
1/2 pound BBQ chicken, egg stir fry (scrambled eggs, carrots, onions)
Small slice of apple pie with vanilla ice cream
Diet Coke with lemon

8:00PM
Sugar-free homemade vanilla frozen yogurt with strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream
Russell Stover chocolate
Diet Rite

10:30PM
2 slices low-carb bread with butter and Velveeta cheese
Diet Rite
Sugar-free Jello pudding with whipped cream

NOTE: Christine's fever reached 100 degrees today and she was stuck in bed all day long. We didn't even go to church choir practice which means she is REALLY sick since we NEVER miss that. I've bounced between taking care of her and doing my blog/podcast work this week. I haven't seen her THIS sick in a very long time. Today I ate a little "worse" than I normally would, but I chose to do it. It bothers me to see my wife suffering like she is and I eat when I get upset regarding my Christine. That doesn't make it right, but it is what it is. Pray she feels better soon.

September 1, 2009 Low-Carb Menu

8:45AM
1/2 pound pork BBQ with sauce
Diet Rite

2:15PM
1/2 pound hamburger with cheddar and bacon with mayo
Salad with lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, bacon, and Ranch dressing
Diet Coke with lime
Sugar-free homemade vanilla frozen yogurt with strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream

8:15PM
Big bowl of salad with greens, goat cheese, tomatoes, cheese, and Ranch dressing
4 meatballs with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce
Diet Coke with lime
Sugar-free Jello pudding with whipped cream

NOTE: It's hard to believe that it's September already, but here it is. I don't know if it's the change in the weather or what, but Christine has been having a time coughing and having trouble breathing lately. The doctor put her on Symbicort at $200/month to help, but it hasn't yet. Today she developed a fever and called the doctor's office back about it. They prescribed an antibiotic and a strong cough syrup (another $60). She's feeling pretty awful right now which is difficult for me to watch happen to her. We're scheduled to go to Indianapolis this weekend for a trip...hope she feels better soon. You can send her an e-mail (which she LOVES!) wishing her well at muzikgirl@charter.net.