2 eggs cooked with butter and cream cheese
12:45PM
2 eggs cooked with butter and cheddar cheese
4:15PM
2 eggs cooked with butter and cream cheese
7:45PM
2 eggs cooked with butter and cheddar cheese
EGGS CONSUMED: 8
DIET SODAS: 0 (ZERO!!!) DAY 5 DIET SODA FREE!!!
NOTE: It's now day 17 of my eggfest and my calories today were as follows: 8 eggs (640 calories) with 8 tablespoons of butter (800 calories), 2 ounces of cheddar cheese (180 calories), and 2 ounces cream cheese (200 calories) for a total of 1820 calories. And, boy oh boy, you would think I was eating some kind of garbage diet with the way some people are responding to my eggfest. Check out this e-mail I received from a reader today:
I read about your recent weight gain. In my opinion, you are going in the wrong direction. The "eggfest" just sounds crazy in my opinion. I think you should look at other options.
Hmmmm...I've been on this eggfest for a little more than two weeks, lost over 20 pounds, given up my diet soda and virtually all of my addiction to sweet stuff, feel absolutely fantastic, am never hungry, and my clothes are fitting better already...and I'm supposed to "look at other options" simply because this guy things what I'm doing is "crazy?" Can someone explain the rationale behind this? And when I decided to throw excerpts from this e-mail up on Twitter and Facebook, the floodgate of opinions came pouring in. More than 75 responses and counting have come in from people who either support what I'm doing or offering up reasons why they think it's not such a good idea. The back and forth on this one has made for very interesting reading if you wanna check it out.
One of the criticisms from well-meaning low-carb supporters about my eggfest is the claim that it is making me deficient in certain vitamins and nutrients that my body needs and that I'm putting myself on track for cardiac arrest and even death. But I have a question for anyone who believes this is true: What about those people who eat a low-fat diet? Or how about those who are totally disengaged from eating healthy and are stuffing their mouths daily with fast food, soda, candy, and other carbage? Where is the carnage in the streets of people keeling over eating THAT kind of nutrient-devoid diet? With my eggfest, I'm getting plenty of fat, adequate amounts of protein, and very few carbohydrates at all. Is anyone seriously contending that the eggfest is unhealthy compared with those other ways of eating? Surely you jest.
In case you are wondering, yes, I do take a battery of vitamins which I've done a YouTube video about previously:
Since we did that video in 2007, I have also added in Vitamin D3 gel caps to my supplements:
One other supplement I started taking recently is iodine after interviewing Dr. Jorge Fletchas on my podcast last year. In all, these vitamins give me an incredible boost of nutrition to go along with whatever diet I happen to be consuming at any given moment. I've ditched all the fake foods from my diet now and am having real, whole, fresh free-range eggs from a local farmer, real butter (and soon will be switching to raw butter now that I've found a supplier), and full-fat cheddar and cream cheese (again switching to raw cheese). I would argue the eggfest is HIGHLY SUPERIOR in nutrition than the chosen diet of most of the population. And don't forget it was Dr. Mike Eades who brought up the case study of an 88-year old man in a nursing home who ate 24 eggs a day for many years during an interview I conducted with him and Dr. Mary Dan Eades a couple of years back:
Sometime soon I will contact several low-carb nutrition and medical experts I know to get their feedback on what they think about my eggfest. Fred Hahn of Slow Burn fame chimed in on the claims about an all-egg diet being harmful, whether the eggfest is causing more harm than good for the low-carb community, and if he thinks this is a fad:
Eggs have a good deal of choline in them and choline helps mobilize body fat. The only problem I see is that you might wind up hating eggs for the next ten years! You are NOT giving the LC community a black eye. Fad diets are only fads if they come and go quickly. Eating eggs has been around for quite some time I believe. But if you eat other meats it is not going to harm fat loss. I think your recent fat loss is mostly due to your quitting diet soda.
I responded to him that I lost 14 pounds the first week of doing this while still drinking the diet soda and that the weight loss has actually slowed down somewhat since I gave them up less than a week ago. But I know that ditching them in the long run is best for my overall health. And I'm STILL NOT CRAVING THEM! Utterly incredible for this sweet-a-holic-and-a-half! Okay, it's time for YOU to be brutally honest about how you feel about my eggfest. Do you see anything wrong with it as long as I'm enjoying it and sticking to it to retrain my body to begin making and wanting healthier choices? I want any and all comments on this one. THANKS for sharing!
Here's a fantastic e-mail I received from a longtime reader of my blog:
I've been following your menus blog for the last few days. I am so happy that you have gone all these days without artificial sweeteners, and that you do not crave them. I feel that your body chemistry is really going to normalize, and that everything is going to get better for you both weight and health wise. It is clear that the egg diet is giving your body something that is satisfying your nutritional needs in a new way.
Now don't get me wrong. I am not telling you how to eat or how to "improve" the diet you have chosen, even though telling Jimmy Moore what to eat seems to have become a cottage industry over the internet this last week. I am just applauding your good choices!
I'll share this with you. My wife used to have a terrible craving for sweets. But she has given up sweets in all their forms. She does not miss them. And she has never used artificial sweeteners. But she does eat a LOT of good pastured butter. And she continues to lose weight, more every month.
I'm proud of ya, buddy!
AWESOME STUFF! Here's another egg pic to help brighten your day today! ENJOY!
38 comments:
How's the heartburn? My heartburn continued for some time after I stopped drinking soda, but gradually just faded away.
If it is working for you, keep doing it. I don't like eggs THAT much that I could eat nothing but eggs all the time but that is me and you are you.
I once asked my son's pediatrician of 18 years if he had ever seen a case of scurvy. Hr had never seen scurvy in his 20+ years of practice. You would think with some of the lousy diets kids eat these days he would have seen at least one case. Nope. Which to me just shows you that it is hard (not impossible) to eat a nutritionally deficient diet even with bad food choices.
Thanks for your input, JD! I'm ADORING this eggfest or I wouldn't still be doing it. And beyond the weight loss, giving up the artificial stuff I was eating has been the most monumental change...and it's BECAUSE of the eggfest I've been able to do that.
Here's my take, and it is just my opinion...
Dr. Atkins himself recommended short term solutions (Fat Fast) to help stimulate weight loss in the most stubborn or sensitive patients.
That said, I would not personally undergo this type of diet without being in my doctor's care or advisement to ensure no negative consequences. I personally don't have the access the to diagnostic tests to ensure that outward symptoms or appearances are in congruence with internal processes. It is too easy to ignore or imagine outward symptoms into appearance or away to be sure. Is that pain in my hip real, sign of electrolytes imbalance or just effects of my workout?
So perhaps the real questions are how long to do this fix and
how often to be tested. My off the cuff answers would be 2-4 weeks at most, which could be extended after diagnostic tests and how you felt (both day-to-day and during/after an exercise session). If your body excels and your low carb supporting doctor agrees, you can certainly extend the eggs-periment. (sorry)
Finally, what would you say to a person seeing results on a sausage-cheese diet? I could not do an eggs diet, but given the variety of non-commercial sausage types, I could do that one. Is simply seeing weight loss results (size and pounds) enough?
BTW - when was the last time you exercised (lifted weights, resistance training, cardio)? I don't see any listed recently. Are you putting it off until after the Eggsfest?
Egg-cellent points to ponder Kent! Let me respond to what you've shared. I'm not viewing this eggfest in the same manner as the fat fast because the calories are MUCH higher and I'm doing it for a longer period of time. It's probably closer to what Dr. John Salerno suggests in his Silver Cloud Diet which can stay at this level of eating for months. I have consulted with several doctor friends and like I said in this post, I will be asking point blank what many of them think about this eggfest to get their response.
How long will I do this fix? I dunno. I figure to give it at least a month just to see how it goes. But if it is producing weight loss, ketosis, and even improvements in my lipids (which I won't know until AFTER I've done it for a period of time and get tested), then I'd consider that a success. I have had virtually no problems with this plan except for heartburn and that has gotten markedly better.
And while I'm doing eggs, someone else could certainly do a meatfest with just eating grass-fed meats for a period of time. It's the same concept. Finding what works for you that you can sustain for a period of time is the key. When you've been trying over and over again to halt the rise in weight, it's gratifying to find something that just feels right. And that's what this eggfest has been for me.
Finally, on exercise I have not been doing much of it by design these first couple of weeks. I wanted the diet itself to kick into high gear. Now that it's going well, I will like be adding in some Slow Burn workouts (almost finished with the book) and perhaps some HIIT. I think these in conjunction with my hyperketogenic nutrition and ditching of the artificial sweeteners in my life will kick my body into high gear for fat-burning like it hasn't experienced since 2004.
THANKS for your input, Kent!
Like I mentioned before, I think this eggfest is essentially the same as the 6 week cure. On that plan, the shakes serve as reasonable facsimile for meat, it is essentially an all meat diet in disguise. I don't think there's too much difference, really, between an all egg diet, an all meat diet, or some combo of the two.
The big idea of the 6 week cure is to give your body just fat and protein to deal with, for the most part, and to eliminate booze and caffeine. You don't drink, so you're ahead of the game there.
So, based on all that conjecture, I'd bet a lot of your initial weight loss was visceral fat. Which should only improve now that you've dropped the caffeine laced soda-pops!
At any rate, I'm with ya all the way, Jimmy. In fact, I'm kinda sorta doing my own version, eating mostly meat and eggs, with a few other things thrown in from time to time. Still enjoying my coffe and adult beverages tho...
Congrats on quitting the diet soda. I quit over a year ago and it makes me so gassy and bloated if I try to drink it now that it keeps me away if I even think about craving it.
As for the eggs, hey whatever floats your boat. As long as you are supplementing with high quality vitamins and it is working for you (meaning you feel good and full of energy) than that's great. My only thought is that weight loss that fast always comes back. Being a personal trainer (and low carber!) I see it all the time with every fast fat loss diet. Once you end the eggfest you will need to be diligent about keeping it off by making those healthy choices.
Good luck!
Curious take, MrFreddy! Adding in the butter and cheese is what makes this eggfest so much more enjoyable for me. And it is something I could stick with as long as I'm not having cravings for anything sweet anymore. That's been the bonus in this whole thing so far!
Tash, thanks for the tips and I totally agree. That's why I'm not in a hurry to switch to anything else just yet while this is still so pleasurable and effective. I'll likely first add back some grass-fed beef to my menus and maybe some spinach to my eggs at some point. But I'm not quite ready to do that yet.
Eggs are one of the few foods that offer almost complete nutrition in a tidy little package! How misguided some are!
See the table on this site:
http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Egg_Yolk.html
In addition, cholesterol in foods does not necessarily create our own high/low cholesterol. That's primarily genetic
Well said fatfreeme!
Mark, it's still there...but getting MUCH better! :)
Hi Jimmy!
I joined you in your "eggs'travaganza a week ago and I have noticed a big difference in how my clothes fit! I am happy you are having great results with it.
Good job on quitting the diet soda habit, too!
Lora, that is so cool! KEEP IT UP!!! This eggfest has done me much more good than harm, so I'm glad I'm doing it.
Ok, I'll chime in, too. Brutally honest, right!?!?
One of my biggest concerns about doing things like this eggfest, that are usually pinned with labels like "drastic", "fad" and "unhealthy", is when eveybody starts cautioning somebody to be under their doctor's close supervision while doing it.
Few doctors I have met know much about nutrition. Even when regurging the "standards" they learned in medical school, they know shocking little about the why's and wherefore's... and they don't appreciate somebody like ME challenging them.
Most doctors still whip out their crosses and garlic when I say "low carb" in their offices...
When I find a doctor who is willing to think and learn and not just "practice" big-pharma-subsidized-lipid-hypothesis medicine...
When I find a doctor who is willing to listen and not just lecture...
When I find a doctor who is willing to advise and not just dictate...
THEN, I'll CONSIDER listening to him and his advice. I am through listening to doctors who base my treatment more on AMA dogma (like the lipid hypothesis) and big pharma's claims (like everybody needs statins) than my needs, my choices and the quality of MY LIFE.
In my opinion, Jimmy is on the right track! He is eating real food, with real nutrients. He has doctors who are on the right track.
When eggs become less than optimal, he'll make adjustments until he finds the new optimal.
Go Jimmy!!
Ramona, I know I can always count on you to be brutally honest warts and all! LOL! THANKS for sharing!
Hi Jimmy,
Have you ever added up the average number of calories in your 'usual' diet and compared it to your 'eggfest' diet.
I think you would have the same weight loss on any diet that provided 1800 odd calories a day.
Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan and a dedicated low-carber but my own experience is that you still have to have a calorie deficit to lose weight (Dr Eades says this).
I tried heavy whipping cream in coffee and just put on weight every day for a week.
All the discussion about your eggfest is moot really. Obviously you are not eating like this forever and if it works to get the weight down quickly and you are enjoying it then why not.
You have inspired me to give up Diet Coke, on day 2 now and am drinking soda water in its place, so far so good.
My only other artificial sweetener is Equal in coffee, how people drink coffee without something in it to sweeten is beyond me.
Anyway we are here to talk about you not me.
What I am wondering is what is going to be on the menu for the first non-eggfest meal?
Love your podcasts. I just wish they were more frequent.
Hey Jimmy,
You may have already heard it, but your naysayers should definitely listen to the March 24 discussion on Nora Gedgaudas' podcast. It's about Type ONE diabetes. It's all good, but you'll probably be very interested in the testimony of "Dana" (about 34-35 minutes into the podcast), who is successfully treating her diabetes with a ZERO carb diet: 80% of calories are fat (saturated, primarily animal variety) and 20% are protein. All of her stat's have improved.
http://www.voiceamerica.com/voiceamerica/vepisode.aspx?aid=45216
Earlier in the podcast they explain that what you are doing is essentially the way diabetes (of all forms) was treated before insulin medication became available. This isn't just a fad diet to lose weight - this is good medicine!
THANKS Neil! I have no doubt that I'd be losing just as well on an isocaloric low-carb diet consisting of other foods besides eggs, butter, and cheese. But the allure of the eggfest is its simplicity and consistency in attaining the proper number of calories. It's so easy for the calories to add up when you consume meat because you just never know how much is in it. With eggs, you do.
The bottom line is I am enjoying it, it's gotten me off of diet soda and artificial sweeteners, and when I'm ready to transition to a more traditional low-carb nutritional approach, I think it'll be a little easier because I did this. It will likely be grass-fed beef instead of eggs for the meals later in the day and perhaps some spinach leaves in with the eggs. But when that days comes, I hope to have the same laser-focused approach that I do now.
Keep up the great work on the diet soda abandonment...I KNOW how hard it is, so make it happen. As for more frequent podcasts, you just gave my producer a headache! LOL! Twice a week is plenty for him, although we are coming up on a weeklong event coming next week where we'll have FIVE big interviews to share April 5-9, 2010. :)
Joan, you are exactly right! This is how they treated diabetes prior to the discovery of insulin. And even Dr. Thomas Seyfried told me in my podcast interview with him last year that a very high-fat ketogenic diet helps prevent cancer, too. This "fad" nonsense talk is just needless scare-mongering for no good reason.
Hi Jimmy,
With such low carbs, are you getting night cramps at all?
If so, what are you taking to overcome them?
Great going - I've noticed a few of my low carb friends seem to have increased their egg intake lately!
Thanks.
There was this guy Charles who went on an all meat fast.
Yeah, Bill, but he doesn't eat eggs (says they make him hungry) nor does he consume cheese. So this is not the same as what that guy was doing.
THANKS Prue! No leg cramps at all...but I've been pretty low-carb for long enough that I didn't expect it.
I have been doing the Eggfast too. although I like coffee so I have real cream also. I do not have as much butter but I do have the same amounts of cheese and eggs. I figure the real cream makes up for a slight reduction in butter. This plan works! Im never hungry and feel energetic. Thank you Jimmy Moore!
I could understand all this upset about your way of eating if you had suddenly gone to low fat or were only have chocolate bonbons!! It seems as long as I have known of low carb, different ones have gone on all eggs cooked in coconut oil or butter to get the scale moving in the right direction.
It seems like you ate low carb all this time, but the problem was again not eating regular times, too much sweets even low carb, and the diet soda. It seems like the diet soda makes ME crave sweets more than regualr soda..go figure.
So I am on day two of eggs, meat, cheese, and no sodas...which is how I originally did my induction. You inspired me to realise that what works will still work!!!
You go , Jimmy, and keep us all motivated to keep trying.
It seems to be working for you.I don't think I would be able to do it without butter either. Congrats on dumping the diet sodas, that's a huge step.
Best of luck
You'll enjoy these videos of people who RELY on animal fats for their health yet they don't look fat to me. In particular, Barry Groves has been eating high fat, moderate protein, and limited carbs to keep his weight down for over 50 years. Dr. Campbell-McBride used dietary changes to reverse her son's autism symptoms. She explains why eggs and butter are among the gut healing foods. And of course, you know Sally - she explains that eggs, butter and cheese were considered sacred foods among primitive people (who were also extraordinarily healthy):
Video's of Sally Fallon Morell, Natasha
Campbell-McBride and Barry Groves speaking in London, March 21 2010, are now
available for free on vimeo. Video's of Sir Julian Rose and Jadwiga Lopata are
to follow later in the week, along with audio from the Q&A session.
http://vimeo.com/wisetraditionsuk
Hi Jimmy. Day 4 of my eggfest and was doing good until I cracked my eggs this morning and they were less than desirable if you know what I mean. I cracked new ones and managed to get a few mouthfuls down, along with my 1 oz of cream cheese. Has this happened to you before and, if so, how did you overcome and get back to eating eggs? I'm thinking I may have to change my "eggfest" to a "meatfest".
Thanks for your feedback, and keep up the great work! You are inspiring so many of us. A forum that I belong to has started up their own "Jimmy Moore Eggfest Challenge"! We love you Jimmy!
Hey Lianne,
You know, I haven't had any level of disgust for eggs yet and that's because I LOVE MY EGGS!!! People haven't believed me that I am an egg fan par excellence--I really am! :D I think changing to a "meatfest" is a great idea if you think you can do better with meat. I will be transitioning to meat soon, but I want the same principles to apply. THANK YOU for your encouragement and that's so cool that others have been inspired to start their own journey. :)
Fascinating stuff, Joan! THANKS for sharing!
Good job Jimmy!
Carl
THANK YOU Carl!
I appreciate it, Bill! The butter helps. :)
I appreciate it, Granny! You nailed it my friend and I'm now taking corrective action to fix these problems. I wish you well in your own journey. :)
Paul that's fantastic! And yes, cream in your coffee is fine. :) It's all in the same fat family as cheese. :D
Hey Jimmy, with respect to my earlier post about the eggs being less than desirable, it was because they were streaked with blood, which turned me off. Before that I love my eggs, especially mixed with butter and Frank's Red Hot sauce.
Have you experienced getting eggs like this and, if so, how did you get past it?
Thanks!
Lianne, I've never experienced that, but I could see how that would turn you off to them.
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