October 28, 2010 Low-Carb Menu

8:30AM
2 scoops of Mark Sisson's Primal Fuel Dark Chocolate mixed with water, and ice

10:00AM
60-minute cardio-yo-lates (10 minutes brisk walking, 50 minutes of Pilates/yoga)

1:00PM
2 cups spinach leaves with 2 hardboiled eggs, 1 slice crumbled bacon, 2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, and 4 Tbs Ranch dressing, grilled asparagus with 1 Tbs butter, 1/4 pound hamburger patty with 1 slice of American cheese, 2 Tbs mayo, 1 Tbs mustard, and 8 slices of dill pickles

7:00PM
120-minute competitive volleyball

9:15PM
2 slices Julian Bakery Smart Carb #1 bread cooked in 1 Tbs coconut oil with American cheese

CALORIES: 1903
TOTAL CARBS: 54g
NET CARBS: 19g

NOTE: The great Dr. William Davis from "The Heart Scan Blog" wrote a very nice column this week about my new "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show Fan Club" for my podcast where he described me as "The Great Connector" in the low-carb world. Dr. Davis was very kind to share how I have brought together some of the best voices supporting this way of eating unlike anyone else in the low-carb community and I was very grateful for what he wrote. However, one of the people commenting anonymously didn't think too highly of me because my weight is currently at 282 pounds. Here's what the anonymous reader wrote:

Jimmy is indeed a great connector and does well with podcasts and interviews but his own diet - and as a consequence his weight - remains a problem. He remains obese and as such is not a great advert for low carb.

Interesting comments and I obviously felt compelled to respond:

Yes, I weigh more than I would like to at this moment. This is not a secret and I've been quite candid about this publicly because there are many who face the same frustrations of doing everything right and yet seeing very little progress on the scale. While I'm seeking to rectify those issues by lowering my calories to 1800/daily and engaging in regular exercise, the fact remains my health is immaculate.

High HDL, low triglycerides, low percentage of Small LDL particles, stable blood sugar, normal blood pressure, a heart scan score of ZERO, abundant energy and so much more. While the focus tends to be on weight as the key measurement in someone being healthy, I think that's as shortsighted as telling someone a low-fat, high-carb diet is the only way to lose weight and be healthy. Again, I'd like to weigh less than I do now but it's difficult to argue that the way I'm eating isn't making me healthier than when I weighed 400+ pounds in 2004 on three prescription medications.

Several others chimed in with comments in support of my work that puts the focus on health more than weight loss. And that's the tricky balance when you're talking about low-carb living--what's more important when it comes to communicating the purpose of it? Weight loss or health? I choose health and eventually the weight loss will follow. That's the continued journey I am traveling at this very moment.