Mr. Low Body Fat's Blog Has Moved!!!

Well, after exactly one year of blogging, I've decided that I needed a new look and address for my site. Please head over to my new and improved blog by clicking on the my blog's new header below.

www.mrlowbodyfat.com

This will be the last post that I will make at this address, so make a note of the change, and I'll see you guys over at our new home!

Fat Loss Stories of Inspiration: Mike Boyd (440lbs - 187lbs)

I've decided to change the name of not only this series, but to my blog's tag-line too. I think there has been too much of an emphasis on weight loss fellas and it really needs to stop. When you say that you need to lose weight, what you are really wanting to lose is not simply weight but stored body fat! I know that this may sound like I'm splitting hairs, but I'm not.

Focusing primarily on the weight loss on a scale opens you up for a host of problems. First, you can be easily suckered into programs or weight loss aids that promise fast weight loss, but they never tell you whether you will be losing more fat than lean tissue. Second, when you focus on losing weight, instead of fat, you're more than likely going to look saggy and soft as you slim down, which is something that I'm sure you and your significant other don't want!

So, from here on out, this series will no longer be "Weight"Loss Stories of Inspiration, but will be now known as Fat Loss Stories of Inspiration because losing fat is the real goal. Also, I am now encouraging you guys to "Feed your brain to lose the fat!" OK, now let's move on to our next story. Oh, before I forget, I'm going to highlight at least one inspirational story a month; however, some months, like this one, I may spotlight more.

* * *

It had to be around 2006 when I first came across Mike Boyd's website. I was absolutely blown away by his transformation. Mike started his journey at a staggering 440lbs in 2005, and by 7/2007 he was weighing in at @187lbs!! Oh, and he did this through changing his eating habit and weight training only!

On his website, Mike explains that one of the main reasons he started his journey was because his doctor told him that either he lost the weight, or they would have to amputate his leg, which had horrible water retention problem that would have him visiting the hospital every 2-3 weeks. Mike remembers exactly what his doctor told him on one of his visits to the hospital to have, yet another, infection in his leg treated:

My doctor was blunt and to the point. He said "Your [sic] going to lose your leg"... and in the next breath he said "IF you don't do something NOW and I mean right NOW to change your life". Knock knock... reality check...

Well, this was more than enough to cause Mike to re-think his current situation and to, eventually, plan out how he was going to tackle his weight problem. However, the very first steps were the most difficult for him because of his size. He jokes on his site that he was only able to do 1 minute of cardio his first day. Hey, this clearly shows us that we all have to start somewhere, right?

Below, Mike explains the ordeal he went through just to get the mail at his job:

I could not walk to the mailbox and when it came time to clock out at work every night I would go through this unreal routine, which was extremely stressful, and challenging to me both mentally and physically. I would leave my desk and walk 27 paces to the waiting room then sit down, because I was extremely out of breath and scared that I was going to pass out. I had extreme anxiety over the fact that I could not breath or catch my breath so I had to make sure that I did not do anything over the absolute minimum to stress myself. Next after a few minutes rest I made my way to my vehicle and started it up then drove around the back of the building. I rested another few minutes in the car then I walked 20 steps into the waiting room where the Time clock was and parked my butt on a chair for 3-4 mins until I felt I was rested up enough for the journey back out to my vehicle.

Shortness of breath, pain in the legs, fear of passing out, all did not deter Mike from his goal of finally losing the weight and being the father he always wanted to be to his family. So he endured, and with the help of Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle program, Mike added weight resistance to his cardio routine and started to clean up his diet.

Well, as they say, a picture (or two) is worth a thousand words, so I'll let you guys see how Mike transformed his body from this guy:

To this guy:

OK, you can close your mouth and pick your jaw up off the floor now .... LOL!

Mike and I traded a couple of emails back in 2007, but I haven't heard from him this year. So, I'm not sure how he is doing in his new body. But, the determination and desire that he has shown in losing so much fat (over 200lbs to be exact!) leads me to believe that Mike is doing just fine. Also, he has a note at the top of his website to his visitors:

Mike has waged a personal WAR against Body fat and reclaimed his Life! Its all about Burning the Fat and feeding the Muscle as Tom Venuto can attest to! Over 200 Lbs of Fat put to rest. New goals continue to re-kindle my spirit as 2008 moves on. Stay tuned, my story is still unfolding!

I think it's safe to say that Mike is still on point with his fat loss and overall transformation. Guys, feel free to go to his website to see more pictures and to read more about his story.

Hands down, Mike's transformation inspired me more than any other one I've come across on the internet!

Weight Loss Stories of Inspiration: Series Introduction

When I started blogging close to a year ago, I wanted to create an image for not only me to aspire to, but for other obese and overweight guys to aspire to also. Let's be upfront and honest about something. Having low body fat makes your body work and operate much more efficiently.

Sure, most guys want washboard abs and that's their man motivation. However, there's just no getting around the fact that once you're carrying around less stored fuel, your body can do many more things effectively. You become more flexible and feeling light on your feet beats the hell out of having pains in your knee joints and hips.

So, when I receive emails from guys all over the world telling me their weight loss success story, I can't help but to feel as if we are all connected in this battle against the bulge and journey to re-capture our health.

In honor of this connected feeling fat guys all over the world are experiencing, I've decided to start a new series that will highlight many of these stories of Average Joes who got tired of being fat and decided to do something about it! Let's start with our first Story of Inspiration, shall we?

“Kung gusto, maraming paraan; kung ayaw, maraming dahilan.” Translated roughly, it means: “If you really want to, you’ll find lots of ways; if you really don’t, you’ll find lots of ways not to.”
- Filipino Proverb

For this series introduction, I wanted to highlight a guy that emailed me all the way from Quezon City, Philippines after seeing my interview on CNN. In 2007, Erik Dayrit, a 28 year-old graduate student, weighed 293 and @ 40% of that was fat! Once he saw that he was getting close to the dreaded 300lb mark, he decided that he needed to do something to lose the weight because at a height of 5'9, Erik knew that he was classified as morbidly obese.

It was at this moment that he knew he could not blame anyone but himself for being obese. In his email, Erik explains:

I was looking for someone or something to blame but I eventually realized that the way out of this mess was all up to me. Nobody told me to have an extra serving of rice every meal or to have a midday “snack” of Big Mac, large fries and caramel sundae. I did this to myself and I can undo it if I really wanted to. That was my epiphany. I’ve tried to slimming down before but all were half-hearted attempts to please someone – my parents, my relatives or my friends – but it was different this time. I’m doing this for myself.

No matter how you slice if guys, it comes down to personal accountability and doing it for yourself this time!

So, Erik had an epiphany that he needed to lose weight, but, as I've mentioned before, having an epiphany isn't enough. You need a plan of action, and that's exactly what he did:

Before, I always reasoned out that I had no time to go to the gym since I was both working and studying. But since my epiphany, I’ve managed to allot at least 8 hours of gym time per week. My regimen usually involved a lot of cardio combined with some heavy lifting. As for my diet plan, I settled for the Chrono Diet since it was the most convenient plan for me. Basically I ate more during breakfast, some during lunch and a little at supper. After a visit to a nutritionist, I also learned how to monitor what I ate. I introduced myself to foods that I’ve never touched for a long time – oat meal, wheat bread, fish, veggies and fruits. In the past, I used to say, “Life is short so eat, drink and be merry!” before having a huge slice or two (or three) of cheesy, all-meat pizza and mug of ice cream float. But now, you’d have to move heaven and earth for me to even get near that stuff again. I’ve modified my eating mantra to: “Life is short so don’t gorge food that will shorten it even more.”

Erik's modified eating mantra is definitely words to live by.

One thing that I'm going to enjoy about this series is that you are going to hear stories from men from all walks of life, who use different approaches to lose the weight, but one consistent theme is the following equation:

An epiphany + an intelligently designed plan + desire & determination = sustainable results

So, what about Erik's weight loss? Well, let's just say that at the time of his email to me, which was less than a month ago, Erik is down to 174lbs with 21% body fat, and he has maintained this weight for the last two months. He also participated in his first 5K this past May, which is incredible considering that one year earlier he could barely climb a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing!

Now, Erik has cut back considerably on his cardio and has incorporated heavy weight training into his routine, which is something he said that he should have implemented sooner. Erik and I share a common goal of getting a ripped physique, complete with visible six pack!

Nevertheless, Erik's transformation is nothing short of amazing. I think his before and after pictures speak for themselves ...

Congratulations Erik on your outstanding transformation and inspiration to Average Joes all over who want to lose the weight.

Fellas, if you have a weight loss story of an Average Joe that you'd like for me to showcase, please email your story and send before and after pictures to muata@mrlowbodyfat.com.

My Weight Gains & Losses By the Year - Part II

Well, it looks like in addition to the other new features I already have planned for my new and improved blog, an integrated Discussion Forum will also be added. I really appreciate you guys taking time out to let me know how my blog can better serve you. I've posted another poll that I'd like for you to answer; as always, thanks in advance for helping me out.

OK, before continuing with Part II of this series, I wanted to share some exciting news. I've been in contact with Lyle McDonald, the author of The Rapid Fatloss Handbook, and he has agreed to let yours truly interview him! I'm pretty stoked about this interview because I've read just about all of Lyle's books, and the guy knows his stuff. If you're not familiar with him, all you have to do is Google his name, and you'll come across countless articles that he has written about topics ranging from ketogenic diets to how to get rid of stubborn fat, which you guys know that I'm still battling with.

Speaking of which, stubborn fat that is, starting next Monday (7/7/08) I will begin following the dietary protocol detailed in Lyle's Rapid Fatloss Handbook for 12 days. I'll explain the ins and outs of everything Monday of next week. As a matter of fact, I'm going to blog daily about my latest experience in attempting to further reduce my body fat percentage. However, I'm going to blog about it at my new Training Blog. I will continue to update it this week, so expect a mess if you decide to check it out before next week.

Alright, let's continue with my slow walk to weighing over 300lbs and what it took for me to lose, and most importantly, keep the weight off:

1998 - 2000: I like to think of these years as my discovering all the fascinating things about Southern California. Now, I'll be the first to admit that you either love it or hate it out here. I've had many of my friends come to visit from other parts of the country, and they were either ready to move in with me or were calling to arrange an earlier flight. So, I guess I just fell in love with all the different cultures and, of course, the cuisines that came along with them. I started dating a woman who was an OK cook, by her own admission, but man did she know where all the great restaurants were.

I'd never had Thai or Japanese food before, and when I found out that Taco Bell wasn't authentic Mexican food, I was floored! But, I think what took the cake was this Greasy Chinese joint in downtown LA that's actually a city landmark. Man, all these new dishes and let's not mention the desserts, tickled my taste buds. For some reason, I just didn't remember tasting such light and fluffy icing on cakes that actually had fresh fruit in the middle. And how could life be complete without eating pan dulce or, my favorite Mexican ginger bread, cochinitos?

As you can imagine, eating all these new foods only added to my already obese frame. As I celebrated bringing in the new millennium in Kingston, Jamaica, I had gained close to 20lbs in the two years I had lived in California. Oh, and I gained this weight while following a predominantly vegetarian diet. And for the record, it sucks being fat, but it really sucks being a fat vegetarian!

2000 - 2002: I started off 2000 weighing in at my highest weight, at that time, of 288lbs. In the back of my mind, I knew that I was quickly approaching the BIG 300, but I knew that I wouldn't let myself get that fat. So, I became desperate and consumed with trying to lose weight. You know the feeling guys, and our usual response: balls to the walls workouts! Yeah, I hit the gym and played tennis, only to hurt myself time and time again. I remember hurting my knees so badly that I actually went to the Emergency Room. I waited more than 2 hours just to have a doctor, who was around the same size as me, tell me that I needed to lose weight. Talking about the pot calling the kettle black!

Like most of you, I was desperate and tried pretty much anything that guaranteed that I would lose the weight. Whether it was Xenadrine, Ripped Fuel, Metabolite, the Lemon-Molasses Fast, Cabbage Soup Diet, taking hundreds of dollars worth of supplements I picked up from a Naturopathic Doctor, which included drinking de-ionized water with activated charcoal, I tried it. That's right, I was actually taking a scoop-full of charcoal to help cleanse the walls of my intestines, "Where all the fat is attached", he assured me. Besides making my crap look like peppered steak, I'm pretty sure it didn't work for the fat since I was still 288lbs.

Then, before I knew it, I got wind that my lady's niece had a friend who had lost a ton of weight taking prescription weight loss pills she got from a doctor in Tijuana, Mexico. She had lost more than 60lbs without doing a lot of exercise, so I was more than anxious to make a trip across the border. The Doctor's office was nice, clean, and very modern, so I felt comfortable with the information and diet suggestions he gave me. I was given a three month supply of diet pills, and made an appointment to return in 3 month's time to pick up another prescription and for him to monitor my weight loss progress.

Well, I probably went to see the good doctor a total of two times, and when 2001 rolled around I was down to 240 lbs.! I had dropped more than 40lbs following this routine. I would drink a meal replacement twice a day and eat one solid meal, which was usually lunch. After taking my second set of pills after lunch, the thought of eating literally made me nauseous. I had never experienced such a powerful appetite suppressant in my life. And, my energy levels were through the roof. I would go to the gym and stay on the elliptical machine for more than an hour at a time!

This was a great period of my life because I was smaller than I'd been since finishing graduate school. I had to go out and buy new clothes because all of my old clothes were falling off me, and I was starting to get more attention from the ladies too! I felt like a new man, but there were a couple of things that stayed with me like the proverbial albatross around my neck.

First, I knew that I could not continue to take pills for the rest of my life, no matter how easy they made it for me not to eat and, therefore, lose weight. Second, I hated the fact that I was soft and had hardly any muscle definition. This sucked because I really wanted to walk around shirtless, but there was no way I would do that with the man boobs I was sporting. Well, everything eventually came to a head when I found out that the pills I had been taking were basically speed! It was no wonder I was like the energizer bunny in the gym . . . I guess I was in my own Requiem for a Dream.

I stopped taking the weight loss pills towards the end of 2001, and the weight gain that ensued even surprised me. No, I wasn't surprised that I was regaining my weight since I went from eating one meal a day back to my usual three a day, with plenty of snacking in between. What surprised me was the rate in which I regained the weight, and the extra weight that also tagged along.

When it was all said and done, I ended 2002 weighing in at 310 lbs.! Honestly fellas, I'm sure that I weighed more than this, but I got off the scale once it hit 310. I could not believe that I had re-gained all of my lost weight plus 20lbs more.

2002 was a good year for me professionally and personally, since I was in a new relationship; however, these things could not overshadow the fact that I had allowed myself to reach a weight I swore I'd never get to. Well, not only did I get to the forbidden weight, I kicked down its door!

* * *

Guys, I'm going to blog about my five year weight loss journey, one year at a time in upcoming posts. So, stay tuned for the rest of this series over the next couple of weeks ...

My Weight Gains & Losses By the Year - Part I

Well, I see that the majority of folks who voted want me to blog daily about my experience following Lyle McDonald's diet as outlined in his The Rapid Fatloss Handbook. I plan on doing this in a couple of weeks, so please stay tuned to more details about this. Thanks for those who voted, and please take your time to answer the new poll that I've posted ...

So, when you start a weight loss journey, many people who have already made the trip tell you the importance of journaling or keeping some sort of record of your weight loss as the months go by. Well, I can't say that I disagree with that advice; however, I'm not going to act as if I took meticulous notes like a Medical student or anything like that.

Actually, when I go back through my weight loss notebook (Sorry I'm old school and like to initially put my notes down with pen and paper before moving to the computer) I notice that as the years of my journey passed, the more detailed my notes became. This only makes sense because there were times, as you'll see in a minute, that I would lose weight seemingly at will, and then I went through droughts where I couldn't shake a pound off! But, you may be thinking:

Man, who has time to journal and write stuff down?

Unless, you're independently wealthy, I would venture to say that no one has the time, especially guys who have a family. Nevertheless, the question really becomes who is willing to make the time to journal?

Look fellas, you don't have to go out and buy a Franklin Planner to chart your progress. Simply buy a cheap spiral bound notebook from WalMart or the Dollar Store. Hey, I'm using an old journal from a student I had many moons ago who never picked up her journal at the end of the semester! LOL! I guess that one of the perks of being an teacher ...

The longer you keep your journal, the more it will turn into a place to jot down how you feel, your thoughts (negative & positive) that you're having on a particular day, etc. OK, I'm purposely avoiding using the word diary here because we're men, and we don't write in diaries, right? Of course we don't, so the information that I'm sharing with you below comes from my very manly weight loss journal/training log/idea and feelings recorder ;)

I've actually given you a time-line of my brief time on this earth and the causes of either my weight gain/weight loss. I strongly recommend that every guy does this at some point on their weight loss journey; you might be surprised what you discover.

* * *

1971 - 1981: This represents the first ten years of my life. I was always seen as a husky kid with big thighs like my mama, as my family was happy to tell me. Even though I wore husky jeans from Sears, my mom kept telling me, and everyone else, that my chubby physique was baby fat and I would grow out of it.

1983 - 1988: The good ole' teenage years where I finally started to grow taller and lose the baby fat. It was during these years that I got into break-dancing, popping and locking. The extra activity, along with my love for playing basketball, helped me to keep my weight between 170-180 at a height of 5'11''. During these years, I never felt fat or had love handles, but I knew I was not extremely athletic even though I loved to play b-ball!

1988 - 1992: These were my undergraduate years in college, and the years that I, unfortunately, started my adult weight gain and loss journey(s). The first two years of college I gained @ 25-30 pounds, which averaged out to the freshman and sophmore 15! While pledging a fraternity on campus, my weight dropped back to 180, but it was short lived because I lost the weight as the result of eating once a day and having to exercise like crazy for the majority of the semester.

My weight loss was very short lived because once I "went over" or became a member of the fraternity, I went back to the usual upperclassman diet of beer, pizza, and fried chicken. So, the weight I'd lost while on line came back with a vengeance, and, of course, it brought along friends with it! When I graduated, I was tipping the scale at 225lbs, which was more than 50lbs heavier than when I entered college!

1992 - 1994: Entering graduate school was a very stressful time for me. I went from being well known at my small, at that time, campus, to being basically a nobody at my new school. This not only bruised my former senior and BMOC (big man on campus) ego, but it caused me to start using food as a crutch for my depression. This is when I can say that my ED (eating disorder) started. Oh, and working in one of the college's cafeterias didn't help either!

After completing my Masters Degree in 1994, I had yo-yo'd with my weight only to complete my program 20lbs heavier than I was when I entered. But, I had no time to think about that because I went straight from my Masters program right into my PhD.

1994 - 1996: A series of "life happens" events had me going from having my own car and apartment to living in my aunt's basement and catching the bus to school. This extra stress caused me to eat more, especially junk food; I didn't exercise, and guess what happened? I promptly gained another 20lbs before leaving my program ABD (all but dissertation) and starting my new teaching gig at my alma mater.

One thing I can remember about this two year stretch is that when I first moved in with my aunt, I was wearing a size 38-40 pants. Since I was a poor and struggling college student, my cousin gave me a couple of pairs of his old jeans. I remember putting them on and being happy because they were size 42 and too big for me. "At least I'm not wearing 42s", I thought to myself. Unfortunately, by the time I was ready to teach my first college class in the Fall of 1996, I weighed 265lbs and I was wearing at least a size 46!

1996 - 1998: Coming back to teach at my old undergraduate school seemed like a good idea at the time, but it soon turned out to be one big stressful mess! I don't remember my grad school counselor telling me to take a class on BS College Campus Politics 101 or How to Mind Your Own Business When You Don't Have Tenure 102. I wish he had because my young ass didn't know the whippin' I was in-store for!

It was during this time that I thought I had finally found the answer to my weight problem. I was good friends with the college's assistant basketball coach. This guy had played on a NCAA team that went to the Final Four, and he had played professional ball overseas. So, I knew that I was going to get proper training and diet advice. Man, was I wrong about that. This guy embodied the "No pain No Gain" philosophy in a 6'10 frame. I endured 2 months of being tortured by this "coach", and I did lose about 20lbs through replacing one of my meals with a Spirutein shake, since Spirulina was the supplement flavor of the month at the time, and eating rice, steamed veggies, and baked fish damn near everyday.

This victory was short lived, as my trainer was fired (hmmm, I wonder why) and after the torture I endured training with this guy, I was much happier in a Pizza Hut's booth than in the weight room. So, of course I re-gained the lost weight, and an extra five pounds!

In July of 1998, I packed up and headed west to a teaching position waiting for me in sunny Southern California weighing 270lbs! It was now 10 years since I first started college, and I was 100lbs heavier, wearing long African clothing that fit me loose to cover up my fat ass and protruding belly.

* * *

OK guys, I'll complete my rollercoaster weight loss journey next week when I'll detail my slow walk to weighing over 300lbs. I'll also detail how much weight I lost per year from the start of my journey in 2003 until now.

Country Biscuits w/ White Gravy .... MLBF heads South

Before telling you guys about my trip South, I want to thank everyone who answered last week's poll question. It's really good to know that I'm not alone with the issues I've had in the past and continue to have with food. Please note that I've posted a new poll that I'd like for you to take. Thanks in advance for participating.

OK, let's move on to this week's post:

Even though I will proudly tell you that I'm a Californian, I'm really a transplant from the East Coast, with deep roots in the South. And, did I have a ball this past weekend re-connecting with these roots at my mother's 70th birthday party.

My brothers, sister, and I actually wanted to send mom on a cruise or to some exotic locale, but she wasn't interested. Mom told us that she simply wanted to be around her family on this special day. And, that's exactly what we gave her--a mini-family reunion!

This trip was extra special for me because it was the first time I had seen many members of my family in well over 10 years; also, I had a new wife that everyone had heard about and was excited to meet. And, to top it off, many of them had seen my CNN interview and was seeing the new Muata for the very first time. Let me give you some highlights from my trip to the "dirty, dirty" as the urban youth there call it ... ;)

Crystal was a bit nervous about flying since this was only her second time on a plane, but I assured her that our economy airline was not only 98% on-time but pretty safe too. While sitting in the really narrow chair, I couldn't help but think back to how much I hated to take the plane when I was fat. It was really embarrassing having your thighs press up against the button to recline your seat when you're not trying to lean back. Man, I can't count the number of times I got reprimanded by a flight attendant for not having my seat's back in its "upright and straight position". It wasn't until I started to use a trick I picked from a radio personality out here that I was able to avoid this; he mentioned that a soda cap top would fit over the recline button to keep your thigh from accidentally pressing it.

One thing that I can clearly remember about being fat and flying is the fear of having to use an extender belt. There were times when I would have absolutely no more slack in the seatbelt, but I would force it to snap close because I refused to ask for an extender. I guess I saw this as a small victory for me because only fat people use the extender belts anyway. So, I would fly in this uncomfortable position just to continue to fool myself.

Well, on a much happier note, I was so shocked at how my former fat ass (literarlly) could easily fit in the seats and fasten the seatbelt. Guys, there was enough slack that I could've probably made an extender belt from it! I was so stoked that I snapped a picture before they made me turn my cell phone off.

While I was relishing in all the new found room I had in my crappy seat, a woman sat in the seat next to me. I would say she was in her early 30s, stood about 5'4 and weighed over 300lbs. It was a surreal experience for me, and not because she was obese. Hardly! My trip down south confirmed that the 66% figure that we throw out about the number of obese and overweight folks in this country is on the low end of the scale!

What made the experience unreal was watching how uncomfortable she was in her seat. She shifted from one side to the next, sat forward, all knowing that she would never be comfortable in a seat built for someone who weighs at least 100lbs less. It put a lot of things in perspective for me sitting next to her.

Now, for those of you who have never been to the South, let's just say that their idea of a salad is usually the slaw you put on your hot dogs or hamburgers! Or, at least this is usually the case with my family. So, I knew that I was going to be eating food that I normally wouldn't; however, unlike most people who lose weight and fear regaining the weight, I was far from worried because I had a plan.

Listen, I hadn't been to the South in quite sometime, so that means there were certain foods, like biscuits and gravy, that I knew I was going to eat. Hell, that's like going to Jamaica and not eating Ackee and Saltfish, their national dish. So, not enjoying some of those southern delicacies was not an option for me on this trip! My plan? Very simple ...

First, I checked out my brother's house for a good place to workout. He has a nice home gym complete with cardio machines and free weights, but you guys know me. I went outside and found that the previous owners had put up a wooden swing and slide set that, get this, had plastic gymnast rings! After going over and making sure that it could support my weight, I knew I was in business.

Every morning (YES every morning!), I woke up around 6am, went outside and did my joint mobility exercises, warmed up for 3 minutes with shadow boxing and dancing to my favorite salsa tunes. I'm sure his neighbors thought I was crazy to be exercising outside, but I just loved how clean the air was. OK, so after warming up, I did a simple circuit/complex of the following:

• Hindu Pushups
• Hindu Squats
• Chin ups
• Plyo/explosive Squats
• Static hanging knee raise

I did 3-4 complexes w/ 60 seconds rest between each one. I finished everything off with 100 jumping jacks and another 3 minutes to cool down a bit before going back in the house.

Since I had my training routine set, the only thing I really concerned myself with was the amount of food I would eat over the weekend. Fortunately, my days of gorging myself simply because the food is there are over and that I can appreciate good food without going overboard. And this was a good thing because there was enough good food at Mom's b-day party, complete with a whipped cream filled strawberry cake and a super rich chocolate cheesecake!

My mom's party was a success and people could not believe how I look now. They let me know how proud they were of what I'd accomplished and how I want to help others. It really made me feel good to know that many of my family members were watching CNN the first time my interview aired. I guess my 1 minute and 43 seconds of fame was enough for many of them to want to start their own weight loss journey. A good friend of the family took professional quality pictures that I'll post when they're ready because I want you guys to see how sexy my mom looks at 70!

Before flying out of Atlanta on Monday night, Crystal and I were treated to a tour of CNN by the producer who interviewed me for my interview, Matt Sloane. As I said in my last post, it was an incredible experience seeing all the behind the scenes activities that goes on with one of America's largest news organizations.

And, before heading out to check out The World of Coca-Cola (note: the Beverly is DELICIOUS!!) and the Georgia Aquarium, Matt was nice enough to pose with me in front of the CNN sign. He's busy working on their 2008 Fit Nation Tour. Folks in Seattle, WA may see a familiar face on the bus! Sorry about the poor quality of the picture, but it was taken with my cell phone.

So, did I ever get my country biscuits and gravy? Well, yes and no ...

OK, we get to a nice down home southern restaurant for breakfast one morning, and I order what I came South to eat, and you know what? The biscuits were so damn big that I was only able to get through 3/4ths of the first one while the other one simply hardened along with the cold white gravy covering it. I never thought I'd see the day when two biscuits cover an entire plate!

Oh, did I mention that this was a side order? There's no wonder why our southern states have some of the heftiest folks in the country ....

Mr. Low Body Fat to be featured on CNN!

Well guys, I told myself that I wasn't going to say anything until after my interview with CNN's Matt Sloane, but I just couldn't wait to share the good news!

I'm not sure if you guys remember, but I blogged about how my pictures were posted on their Fit-Nation website last year. One producer told me that they wanted to do a longer piece on me at the beginning of this year; however, I never heard anything back from them. Since I truly appreciated the exposure they gave me, I really didn't think much of not hearing from them.

Well, all that changed Monday when I received an email from Matt! After exchanging emails, he decided that he and his crew will come out and let me tell my story; this time for TV! He is also interested in getting footage of me training (I don't workout!) since, as you guys know, I consider myself a bodyweight culturist and highly recommend folks master their own bodyweight first. Matt seems really interested in seeing my minimalist routine.

I don't know when my interview is going to air, but I will definitely keep you posted.

Thanks to everyone for all of your support and encouragement. I'm pretty pumped for the interview, as I feel that I'll have a much wider audience to encourage to "Feed their brains to lose the weight!"

**Update**
Matt and Chris, the CNN guys, just left my place with more than enough footage. They were really cool guys as they created a very down to earth atmosphere, which I really needed. Hey, I've never been interviewed on camera before. LOL!

Anyway, my interview will air next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8:30 am EST on CNN's Fit Nation segment. It will also be featured on CNN's Fit Nation webpage. Fellas, if you want some added motivation, go to this site and read and watch some of the great weight loss success stories. I'll be posting video of behind the scenes footage of my interview next week. Tomorrow's my 37th birthday, so this was a great early b-day gift!

Interview with Jimmy "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" Moore

OK Guys, today I am very happy that for my first of a series of interviews I plan on conducting this year is with no one other than a personal friend, an online mentor, and all around good guy. Yes, I'm talking about The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man himself, Jimmy Moore. Jimmy has been on the forefront of not only the low-carb movement, but the movement to allow people to have more than just a high-carb, low-fat choice in losing weight and maintaining it.

Jimmy's personal weight loss story of losing close to 200lbs prompted him to start a blog, write a book, and become one of the most recognized health bloggers on the internet. His very informative and entertaining blog, Livin La Vida Low Carb, has been visited by thousands of viewers across the globe and continues to gain popularity as folks are starting to take notice of the healthy, low-carb, lifestyle that continues to help many overweight folks lose the weight.

Most people don't know that it was because of Jimmy's encouragement that I decided to start my very own weight loss blog. That's right, if it wasn't for Jimmy, there would be no Mr. Low Body Fat's Blog! And since I started in August of last year, I can tell you that I've bugged Jimmy more than I had in the two years I'd been following his blog! OK, let's move on to the interview where I ask Jimmy a couple of questions about his weight loss, his blog, the Kimkins fiasco, as well as other hot topics:

1. Jimmy, welcome to my blog and thanks for agreeing to be the very first interviewee for my blog; I really appreciate it. Alright, I know that you have written a book about your inspiring 180+lb. weight loss journey; however, could you give my readers a re-cap of how you went about losing, and keeping off, so much weight?
   
   Well thanks for having me today. I always count it a privilege to share my story with others and help them in any way that I can. It's all a part of my desire to give back for the miracle that has happened in my life as a result of losing as much as I did. My personal weight loss journey began the exact same way that most of us who have attempted to lose weight has--I was dissatisfied with how I looked and felt, I was on the brink of putting my health in permanent jeopardy, and I felt hopeless that there was any way out of this deep hole I had dug for my life. But there was one thing different about this time that I had never done before. I decided that the choice I would make to lose the weight would be something I would do for the rest of my life to keep the weight off. If you merely go on a diet to lose weight just so you can get back to eating the way you did before, then hear me out on this--YOU WILL FAIL! On January 1, 2004, I decided after trying to figure out which nutritional plan was going to enable me to lose weight and then continue eating that way long after the weight loss ended that I was going to go on the Atkins diet. And when I say Atkins, I'm not just referring to meat, eggs, and cheese.
   
   There is so much more to this way of eating than that as you will discover in Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution. If you claim to be doing the "Atkins" diet and never even bothered to open the book, then you are NOT doing the Atkins diet. You can't possibly know how to do a diet that you've never even read. READ THE BOOK and absorb all the lessons that the late great Dr. Robert C. Atkins shared therein. You're weight loss journey will be that much better if you do. When I started, my weight was 410 pounds, I had a size 62-inch waist, was wearing 5XL shirts, was on prescription medications for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and breathing issues. I was quite literally a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode at the age of 32. My brother Kevin had suffered a series of three heart attacks within the span of a week that nearly killed him when he was the exact same age, so I was deeply troubled and worried about my own health for the future. Unless you've been morbidly obese, you cannot even begin to understand the enormous pressure of living this way. You don't want to be fat, but that's exactly where you are. It is quite literally a lonely, bleak, and miserable existence from quite arguably some of the most intelligent, loving, and caring people you'll ever meet. These are the people who are overlooked by our society, but they have just as much to contribute as their leaner counterparts.
   
   As for my Atkins lifestyle change, it started off pretty rough during those first few days, but I was determined that this time failure was NOT an option. The sugar withdrawals I endured gave me bad body aches, headaches, and such that I felt like I was detoxing from a cocaine addiction. I've never taken drugs, but in those first few days and weeks of the Atkins diet, I could finally imagine what it would be like to break an addiction to drugs. This one had a deep stranglehold on me just like the worst recreational drug you could ever take. It took a little while for my body to adjust to ending my sugar addiction, but when it did the real benefits of livin' la vida low-carb began in earnest. After one month on the Atkins diet, I had lost 30 pounds. I thought to myself, WOW, this diet really works! But I hadn't seen anything yet because in month two another 40 pounds were gone from my rapidly shrinking body. Holy cow, is this REALLY happening to me? By the end of ten weeks I had lost 100 pounds and I went on to lose a total of 180 pounds in 2004 despite a 10-week weight loss stall right smack dab in the middle of the year. I persevered despite the pain, despite the mental challenges, and despite the fact that I had lost weight and gained it back before. It was gonna be so worth it for me this time and I had a feeling something major was about to happen for me in my life.
   
   Four years later, I'm living a dream life: after losing all that weight that changed my physical life, I decided to start my "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog in April 2005 to share with others about my weight loss success and to help keep myself accountable. It's kinda hard to gain back your weight if you have a whole buncha eyeballs watching you on a daily basis at a blog. Of course, I also wrote that book you mentioned to tell my story in greater detail since people were curious about how I did it. Writing a book was one of the most gratifying experiences of my life and I'm ready to write even more books this year and beyond. As the blog audience continued to grow, I was approached about doing a podcast show and started "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" in October 2006 which now has over 100 episodes. My wife Christine then started joining me in August 2007 for some fun and educational new YouTube videos about low-carb living to reach a new audience of people who had never heard of me. Finally, last month I released a brand new sugar-free, low-carb dark chocolate raspberry bar called "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Bar" from the makers of ChocoPerfection. I like to stay busy with all of these things because it motivates me to continue doing the things that got me here so I can not just keep the weight off, but to maintain my health for many years to come. Livin' la vida low-carb is not just about getting skinny--health is the PRIMARY reason anyone and everyone should be eating this way. Weight loss is a nice side effect of the low-carb lifestyle.
   
   
2. I think that it is safe to say that more people probably know you more as "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man" than your real name. What caused you to start your blog and the whole "Livin La Vida Low-Carb" concept?
   
   I'm not ashamed of nor do I run away from the branding of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" in as many avenues as possible. If someone finds my blog, podcast, YouTube videos, chocolate bar, or anything else that I've done and can change their life like I did, then the work I invest is all worth it. And from the hundreds of e-mails that I receive on a daily basis, that's precisely what is happening. Nothing is more satisfying than knowing you are playing an instrumental role in the success of others and that's what keeps me going regardless. The story about how my blog got started is that it was almost by accident. I was already a contributing opinion writer at a web site called CommonVoice.com where most of the columns were about politics (I have very little interest in that subject now--EEEK!). But after this enormous weight loss, I had written a few columns about my weight loss progress and success. Because anything posted to CommonVoice.com showed up in Google News searches, it captured the attention of lots of people who were interested in learning more about my story in a more intimate way. And everyone I ran into wanted to know, "How'd you lose weight?" A friend of mine who has a very successful political web site had decided to try his hand at blogging in early April 2005. I had heard of a blog, but really wasn't that familiar with them at the time. Commonvoice.com was a pseudo-blog because I could write whenever I wanted about what was on my mind. But seeing this new blog from my friend got me to thinking that this would be an excellent way to get the word out about my weight loss success, give me an outlet for writing about those experiences, and enable me to connect with others who struggle with their weight and health.
   
   And thus was born the concept of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." It's something that has flourished beyond anything I could have ever imagined. People are looking for someone they can relate to who understands them without being judgmental or preachy. That's why my motto is to "educate, encourage, and inspire" others as they begin this journey for themselves. That's what I was about then and what I'm still about today.
   
   
3. Again, following your lead, I'm thinking about doing a video blog of my 12 week "In Search of Sandow" Body Transformation" that I'm currently doing. Well, you've recently ventured out into the world of video blogging on youtube along with your lovely wife, Christine. What made you try such a different type of media? What are some of the pros and cons you've experienced so far with video blogging?
   
   Absolutely, you should start doing YouTube videos. Just make sure the quality of your production is the best it can be. Get good lighting, make sure your sound is as clear as possible, look directly into the camera when you are speaking, and just be YOU! It's a great avenue for how-to videos like what you are wanting to do, so GO FOR IT!!! Why did I decide to start doing YouTube videos? Simply put, it was a new audience of people to reach with the message of "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb." There are people who live on YouTube and so that is an attractive place to capture new faces to the concept of low-carb. And quite frankly I was disappointed at the lack of quality information about low-carb on YouTube. Other than my fellow 200-pound Atkins diet weight loss success story and friend Kent Altena (bowulf) who had posted a series of how to do Atkins videos in 2006, there was nothing positive on there about living the low-carb life. I mean, come on! We all know how wonderful this way of eating is and how much it can change your life. It was high time that even more voices in support of livin' la vida low-carb made their presence felt. And so I did and got my wife Christine to join me (which was amazing since she is a big-time introvert married to an ultra-extravert). But we've had a blast with these videos.
   
   Pros? Definitely, you can reach new people who would probably not find you otherwise. But once you got 'em hooked on your videos, they'll start checking out your blogs, podcasts, and other entities to continue the learning process. Plus, it is another way to have an outlet for sharing about my success. It's been almost three years since I started my blog and there are STILL brand new people finding out about the work I am doing. I never assume that everyone knows about "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" because there are hundreds of millions more who don't. YouTube is yet another way to tap into that pool of people. Cons? It takes time to record and produce a YouTube video. First we come up with what we're gonna talk about, then we start recording the 10-minute video speaking almost exclusively extemporaneously because we don't want to sound scripted or robotic. Anyone who watches our videos will tell you that the unexpected is what they enjoy most about our videos. But this does open the door for leaving out some important things when you don't go by a rigid format. I think the trade-off is worth it, though, because people connect with the reality of how we present ourselves. Nobody is snoozing through our videos. :)
   
   
4. Jimmy, like you, I'm a big fan of the Biggest Loser. I've been hooked since the first season. I know that you have blogged about the show on numerous occasions and communicated with some of the contestants here in the US as well as internationally from the show. I really enjoyed your recent interview with Pete from the second season. So, why are you such a fan? Why am I such a fan of The Biggest Loser?
   
   It's simple: that television show is changing the lives of real people for the better. You and I both know the pain of being morbidly obese and the struggle to overcome that major obstacle in our lives. The process is not easy, but it's not impossible either. I especially like the fact that they give people hope for a future they didn't know existed yet and an opportunity to see exactly what they can do when pushed to display the strength they have within them. The connection people make with these contestants rooting them on as they lose the weight and get their health back is what makes this the most wildly-popular weight loss show in the history of television. The trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels as well as some of the nutrition experts on the show like Dr. Michael Dansinger recognize the value of individualizing a diet plan that will work for each contestant. The monolithic low-fat, low-calorie approach to eating is not espoused on the show although I wish they would make it more explicit that they tailor the nutritional aspect of the contestants to maximize their ability to shed the pounds. And every single winner of The Biggest Loser in the United States and Australia has implemented some sort of a carbohydrate-restricted diet which tells me this way of eating is indeed a very viable way to help bring about weight loss and improved health.
   
   Wanna know what my dream show idea for The Biggest Loser is? Low-fat vs. low-carb! Put half the contestants on a high-carb, low-fat diet a la Ornish and pit them against a team of contestants following a high-fat, low-carb diet. Talk about a runaway, slam dunk for livin' la vida low-carb and what great television that would make! But you and I both know that'll never happen because that would create such a demand for low-carb that the sugar, grain, and junk food industries would probably go out of business overnight. That wouldn't be such a bad thing, ya know? :D
   
   
5. I think it's safe to say that you have interviewed some of the biggest names in the low-carb movement, as well as the diet industry as a whole. OK, describe the absolutely worst interview that you've had. Now, of course I'm not expecting you to reveal the person's name, but just tell us what made it such a horrible experience. The more detailed, the better . . . ;)
   
   I'm gonna be honest with you...I haven't had a "worst" interview. Whenever I am given an opportunity to speak with someone on my podcast show or send them interview questions for my blog, it is an honor to have a chance to speak with others who have much more knowledge and wisdom about diet and health that I do. So I remain humble and respectful because they took the time to talk to me. Not many people have the almost instant access to a whole array of experts at their fingertips, but I do and I am very grateful. It's all about cultivating those relationships with the people so they will feel comfortable speaking with you anytime. One such extreme example of this is low-fat diet guru Dr. Dean Ornish. Back in 2006, I tried to get an interview with him to share with my readers at my blog. He agreed to the interview after about six months of working out the details (he got married that year, so he was a little busy). Finally, in October 2006, that interview took place although Dr. Ornish was still a little concerned that I would try to twist his words into saying something he didn't say. But I assured him I recorded the interview and would write what he said verbatim. And I did. That experience enabled me to cultivate a cordial relationship with him that continues to this day. In fact, Dr. Ornish has a new book that recently released called The Spectrum that incorporates some of the areas of commonality he and I talked about during our first interview and he came to me about doing a second interview. We'll definitely be working out the details on that very soon.
   
   I suppose the worst experience I have had TRYING to get an interview with someone is Dr. Joel Fuhrman. He is a well-known vegetarian author of the book Eat To Live and an outspoken critic of the Atkins diet, so I wanted to interview him to ask him some specific questions regarding his opposition to livin' la vida low-carb. Since I had interviewed Dr. Ornish, a much more famous low-fat vegetarian than Dr. Fuhrman, I didn't anticipate getting an interview would be an issue. But the webmaster for his blog Gerald Pugliese rather bluntly responded back to my request by saying "you're a nobody--just a lowly blogger like me." It's interesting that I'm such a "nobody" because they sure do talk about me and link to posts I have written quite a bit. Oh well, it's their loss and it makes you wonder what they're trying to hide. If he's worried about having his core nutritional beliefs challenged, then he should be afraid--VERY AFRAID!
   
   
6. Alright, now switching gears back to a more serious topic: online weight loss scams. To those of my readers who are not familiar with the whole Kimkins fiasco, please go here for a rehash. OK, instead reliving all that madness Jimmy, could you try and help me understand why people continue to support this big fat fraud? I mean, come one, she's been outed and forced to come clean. What do you think?
   
   I wish I knew why in light of all the evidence showing the Kimkins diet fraud which was created by a morbidly obese 300+ pound woman named Heidi Diaz who has been a well-known scam artist for years is still so attracted to this plan. It is basically a ZERO fat, ZERO carb, protein-only diet that is causing some really dangerous health complications to happen in the desperate and unsuspecting dieters who try it. The calorie intake of the people following this plan as Diaz, who is neither a doctor nor a nutritionist, wrote it out is around 500 a day. Yikes! This diet is nothing more than a one-way ticket to anorexia and death due to malnutrition. I suppose people are so desperate for weight loss that they'll even try something this drastic to see if it will work for them. It's a sad day in our society when people are more concerned about weight loss than they are about improving their health. The latter is worth so much more to your body long-term which is why I emphasize that fact more and more in all that I do. National television exposure of the fraud as well as an ongoing class action lawsuit against Diaz will eventually come to a head and hopefully bring this diet imposter down for good. For the sake of the tens of thousands of people who got sucked in by this scheme, I can only hope that day will be sooner rather than later.
   
   
7. Jimmy, I was excited to see that you have decided to make 2008 the year that you get serious about resistance training because you're not happy with the way your body looks. I can fully relate as I have experienced the same thing after losing over 100lbs. What was the catalyst that caused you to post shirtless pictures of yourself to your readers? I mean, what kind of guy would have a blog and show shirtless pics of himself? ;) No, seriously, what made you want to pursue a more lean and svelte look?
   
   Actually, I was so ready to get going with this that I started back in early December 2007 because I wanted to do this for real this time. I've been wanting to build upper body strength ever since I lost my weight in 2004, but didn't really know where to start. Despite losing a massive amount of weight, I've never felt comfortable with the way my body looks. Yes, I'm no longer that morbidly obese man that I once was, but I don't feel comfortable walking shirtless on the beach anytime soon. Why? I've got a belly full of loose skin and I'm just plain weak from the waist up. My legs have always been strong from carrying around 400+ pounds for so many years. But now it's time to work on my arms, shoulders, chest and abs. The problem for me was I am utterly clueless about where to start. Doing cardiovascular exercise on the treadmill or elliptical machine is easy--you just hop on and start sweating! LOVE IT! But lifting weights and doing resistance training was a mystery. Am I doing it right? How do I know which exercise to do to work a specific muscle group? How often can I workout so I can start firming up areas of my body? Is there such a thing as too much weight lifting? All these questions and more have swirled around in my head ever since I lost weight and quite frankly I had never received an answer to them until recently.
   
   
8. I know that you've recently hired a personal trainer to help you reach destination lean. I think this is a great idea Jimmy, and I'm not saying this because I've decided to study to be a certified personal trainer. So, how is it going? Do you find that you are more motivated to push yourself when you have a trainer? Could you give my readers an idea of a typical workout routine?
   
   The main thing that has helped me this time around is hiring a personal trainer. Sure, there are lots of books and instructional videos out there which are excellent resources to use. But the personal touch of a trainer has committed me to doing this for real this time rather than hoping it will happen and then giving up in frustration. I've got a one-year contract with a trainer, so I HAVE to do this. If you are unsure about what to do to shape your body, lower your body fat, and get fit, then a personal trainer can help you get going the right way. I'm a little more than a month into this and have already seen a BIG difference in my biceps and shoulders. My chest, abs, and the rest of my arms still have a lot of work left to be done, but we'll get there. The ball is rolling and I'm ready for the ride.
   
   
9. Jimmy, you are always sharing with your readers exciting low-carb news before it breaks to the major media outlets or those stories that never make it. So, what are some new things on the low-carb horizon that you think my reader's should be on the look out for?
   
   There's always so much going on that sometimes it is difficult for one person (ME!) to fit it all in. But I try my best to write about the most important stories that people should be aware of as they are happening. It makes my blog the "go-to" place for all things low-carb and I've purposely done that by design. Sure, there are other excellent blogs like yours, Regina Wilshire's "Weight Of The Evidence," Dr. Mike Eades' "Health and Nutrition," and many others who have their niche. And mine is to write as much as possible about livin' la vida low-carb so that you'll never be in the dark about what's happening with this way of eating. Hmmmm, is there anything new on the low-carb horizon you should know about...oh, yes, there is. Just as there was in January 2006, a brand new scientific sessions conference on carbohydrate restriction is scheduled for sometime this year and guess who one of the major sponsors of that conference will be? Yep, it's the American Diabetes Association who just this year has decided to promote low-carb alongside low-fat diets for diabetics. This is a major deal because much of the low-carb research has been about disease control with conditions like diabetes rather than weight loss. Losing weight is a given now on low-carb diets, so the researchers are now much more interested in the health improvements. This conference will present all the latest science behind livin' la vida low-carb and I personally look forward to being there to actively report on what is happening behind-the-scenes. It's truly exciting for those of us who support low-carb living!
   
   
10. HOT SEAT QUESTION: OK, Jimmy, you are my "blogger" mentor and good friend, but I have to put you on the hot seat. This is something that everyone I interview has to experience. So, let's get to asking the hard question(s). I see that you have a new livin la vida low-carb chocolate bar, which you guys can check out and purchase here. While I'm happy that you are starting to offer branded products because of all your hard work in getting your name out there, I feel a bit ambivalent about you offering a candy bar to your readers and viewers. As a business venture and offering an alternative to the sugary bars out there, I can see why you would feel this gap, with obviously a good tasting product--the reviews are glowing. However, do you think that you are sending a mixed message to your audience, especially in light of your new commitment to exercise? Hey, is there a LLVLC protein bar/shake or something more health-ful in the works?
    
    Nah, that's not a hot seat question! I'm happy to talk about my amazing new low-carb chocolate bar. "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Bar" is indeed a VERY healthy product that I am proud to have my name on because it is only made with the highest quality of ingredients, including coconut oil, cocoa butter, chickory root for fiber, and so much more. There are plenty of excellent protein-based shakes and bars out there to power you up for your workouts, but that's not the purpose of my bar. This chocolate is designed to give you the decadence of a gourmet European bar without all the sugar that generally accompanies it. With most low-carb chocolate bars these days infested with inferior sweeteners like the stomach-busting sugar alcohol maltitol, I am proud to offer a dark chocolate raspberry bar that people who need a little sweet in their life can enjoy without the guilt. After all, what would life be like if you couldn't eat chocolate, hmmm? :)
    
    Jimmy, I can't thank you enough for your time in allowing me to interview you for my blog. You have inspired me, as well as countless of others, on my weight loss journey with your passion and getting the message out to the lay person approach. Please keep on doing what you're doing Bro and know that you have a home here and are more than welcome to stop by any time.
    
    You are VERY welcome, Muata! Take care!