tid bits and biting my tongue about Atkins Diet

Years ago, I would diet on my own, one thing I ate was salmon out of the can with some lemon or vinegar on it. Wonder if it's still as good as I thought it was then? anyone out there eat that?

ok, easy soup: take a can of Chinese vegetables, drain & rinse. add a can or 2 of chicken broth. Heat & eat.

and what is a "stone", when you say you've lost a stone, I think of a kidney stone.

if you use good ground chuck (beef). you will not need to add eggs or anything to your burgers.
and they will not catch on fire like cheap hamburger meat will. the cheap meat has so much fat in it, it drip into the fire and burns and shoots out flames into your grill.

You can not make the cheese crackers on a

Styrofoam

plate in the micro wave,
the cheese melts and the plate melts all together...

And by the way, you are "grilling"
NOT BBQing!!
BBQ is pork with sauce!!

and NO, you can not have potato salad on Atkins,
or corn,
or bread
or toast,
READ the book!
know what starchy vegetables are PLEASE!!
You can not eat them,
you can not eat flour or sugar

and NO liquor or beer either!!
Not allowed on Atkins!

Why Atkins Diet?

Well, I lose weight very slowly. BUT and it's a big but,
my blood sugar is good now,
my blood pressure is great,
triglycerides are awesome.
In fact all my blood work is so much better,
my doctor told me this just last week.
My A1C went from 8.6 down to 6.1,
which is GREAT for a diabetic like me.
I have cut my insulin dose from 100 units
to 40 units a day.
My hair is not dry and frizzy any longer,
my feet-heel cracks are almost totally gone (healed),
my nails are strong and hard,
my skin is no longer dry and itchy,
it's smooth and sexy.
So for me, it's not just the weight,
but my over all health.
I just wish I had done this 10 years ago.
This diet is used for helping people with all
kinds of health problems like seizures.
I don't look at my weight loss everyday
but look towards this time next year!!
Hope this helps you to decide if this
way of eating (for life) is for you.
My favorite word= commit.
I would say good luck,
but we don't need luck with this, just do it!
P/S the picture is Riley Kate, my grand daughter.
I want to live long enough to see her grow up!

juicy/garlicky chicken breast LOW CARB

I'm going to share with yall how I baked some delicious,

"bone in & skin on" chicken breast yesterday.

I should have gotten a picture, but we ate them up too fast!

I took my baking pan and lined it with foil,

put 4 breast, skin side down in the pan.

put a teaspoon of bacon drippings (bacon fat) on top

of each one (on the bone side)

then a teaspoon of minced garlic on top of that.

Nothing else.

baked it at 300 degrees for 2 hours.

OH my gosh, it was awesome,

juicy and garlicky

then I poured the juice on top of the breast

when I put it on the serving plate.

how easy is this???

The last 30 minutes I turned them over and basted with the juices.
I've been searching many years for a great chicken recipe,
this may be it!
Along with chicken tenders wrapped in bacon and baked.
Those are my favorites now.
Let me know how you like them too.
Hugs from my Georgia kitchen.

A year from now ! low carb diet inspiration

I just read on the Atkins Face Book page,
someone posted:
"A year from now, you'll wish you started today!"
I just love this sentence,
because I keep saying to myself and others,
look to this time next year, not tomorrows weight
on the scale, or next weeks weight.
Look into the future one year for true inspiration!!
We will be healthier, feel & look younger,
and be so proud of our selves too.
So don't just do this "diet" for a week or 2 and decide it's not for you.
Do it for a life time,
because it should be the way we eat always!!

Eating Atkins style is a food lovers dream come true. - Dr. Robert C. Atkins

Amen Dr. Atkins!

Please go all the way to the bottom of this page
for a great list of blogs that I read.
They may inspire you or give you an idea
for a new recipe!!
Sign up to join my blog too!!

Here is the link to Fat Head http://www.hulu.com/watch/196879/fat-head

Clam Dip recipe- low carb

This is one of my very favorite recipes. My mom made it when I was a teenager.
Clam Dip:
1 8 oz package cream cheese (room temp)
1 small can (6.5oz) Minced Clams, drained
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon worstershire sauce
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 tea. pepper
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Mix till smooth, all ingredients except clams.
After it's all smooth, add clams, stir.
Refrigerate covered.
Great with veggies like cut up cucumbers,
celery, broccoli and raw cauliflower.
Also great with potato chips, but we don't eat those any more, do we?
Please go all the way to the bottom of this page for a great list of blogs that I read. They may inspire you or give you an idea for a new recipe!! Sign up to join my blog too!!

Sausage Frittata low carb recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package al fresco® Roasted Pepper & Asiago Chicken Sausage, thinly sliced (or any of your favorite sausage)
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 ounces canned or jarred red peppers, chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons parsley
  
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat the oil in a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and brown slightly. Add the roasted red peppers and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs. Add parsley, pepper, cheese and Tabasco. Stir. Pour egg mixture over sausage and peppers. Cook on low heat for 7-8 minutes until the bottom is set and the top is a little runny.
4. Place the skillet in the oven and cook until the eggs are set and golden brown, about 6-7 minutes.
5. When done, remove and carefully slide Frittata onto a serving platter. Slice and serve.
6. I got this recipe off Allrecipes.com and altered it for us low carbers.
7. Alrecipes is a great recipe site!
   

low carb Chicken Gumbo Soup recipe

Chicken Gumbo Soup

2 tablespoons bacon drippings
3 chicken breasts, cooked, deboned, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cups of chicken broth (juice I cooked chicken in)
1 can (16 ounce) tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup of green peppers, diced
1/3 cup of long grained rice, uncooked
1 cup of frozen okra
2 tablespoons dry parsley
1 dash of Worcestershire sauce

In a large soup pot, add all ingredients.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer
until all vegetables and rice are tender.
About 30 minutes.
I've used this recipe for years, way before I started low carbing it.
You can omit the rice if you think it's too many carbs.
This taste like Campbell's chicken gumbo soup to me.
It's one of my favorite comfort foods!!!

Drink That Water!! low carbers

gotta share:

My hubby never ever used to drink any water. Just coffee and diet drinks all day long. Well, about 2 weeks ago he finally started drinking water, after I harped on him about it for weeks. Now he drinks water all day long, 5-6 bottles!!! and he's loosing weight. He just can't understand, each morning he comes in and says, well I'm down another pound!!! Ha ha, I love it. He does eat mostly Atkins foods, cause that's all I cook, but he eats some crackers and has to have his cookies too. But all this water is making him loose pounds!!! drink up, this proves it to me!!!!

My Pickled Celery Snack recipe low carb

I made one of my favorite snacks today,
pickled celery.
Here's what you need:

1 quart jar w/lid
1 bunch of celery
1-2 teas. salt
1 teas. dried red pepper flakes
vinegar
water

First I wash the celery and cut the ends off.
(I freeze the discarded tops of celery to use in soups or stews later)
I cut each piece into 6-8 inch long pieces.
Then slice it down the middle to make thin pieces.
Put celery into a quart jar and add 3 parts vinegar
(just pour vinegar into the jar, over the celery to fill jar 3/4 full)
and then fill the rest with water.
Add about 1- 2 teaspoons of salt or to taste.
I always add dried red pepper flakes also for a little kick.
Put the lid on and shake jar.
Let this sit in fridge over night,
if you can stand waiting, then dig in.
I really love these celery pickles!!
Rick doesn't care for vinegary stuff so I can eat um all, if I want!!

Sometimes I will add sliced radishes, bell peppers, turnips, carrots ...anything like that is good.

If this is too tart for you, add a pack of Splenda to it to cut the vinegar taste.

Also I hope all yall can find pork rinds/pork skins at your local grocery stores.
They have no sugar and no carbs, very tasty crunchy tid-bit snacks!!

Home made Pizza low carb delish!

Click on the pictures to enlarge them, you may be able
to smell them too!

I start with low carb tortillias,
8 inch ones,
I toast them in the oven first,
then spread Wal-mart
brand pizza sauce on top, about
2-3 tablespoons on each one.
( 2 carbs per 1/4 cup ),
cooked 1/2 lb. hamburger meat
& 1/2 lb. sausage drained it well,
spread on top of sauce, then ...chopped onions and bell peppers next,
sprinkled Mex mix grated cheese on top, baked it again about
15 minutes at 350.
I had olives and hot peppers out to put on top too,
but decided not too this time.
Just put what you like, just be sure you cook the
meat & drain before you put it on the pizza.

These are very easy and cheap!
the pizza sauce is $1.00 at wally world and very good.
I love the thin crust on these.
will try flat out bread when/if I can find any.
Next time I think I'll cook the veggies a little first,
I like them crunchy, but these were too crunchy!
Other than that, they were perfect!

A year from now ! low carb diet inspiration

I just read on the Atkins Face Book page,
someone posted:
"A year from now, you'll wish you started today!"
I just love this sentence,
because I keep saying to myself and others,
look to this time next year, not tomorrows weight
on the scale, or next weeks weight.
Look into the future one year for true inspiration!!
We will be healthier, feel & look younger,
and be so proud of our selves too.
So don't just do this "diet" for a week or 2 and decide it's not for you.
Do it for a life time,
because it should be the way we eat always!!

Eating Atkins style is a food lovers dream come true. - Dr. Robert C. Atkins

Amen Dr. Atkins!

Please go all the way to the bottom of this page
for a great list of blogs that I read.
They may inspire you or give you an idea
for a new recipe!!
Sign up to join my blog too!!

My Pickled Celery Snack recipe low carb

I made one of my favorite snacks today,
pickled celery.
Here's what you need:

1 quart jar w/lid
1 bunch of celery
1-2 teas. salt
1 teas. dried red pepper flakes
vinegar
water

First I wash the celery and cut the ends off.
(I freeze the discarded tops of celery to use in soups or stews later)
I cut each piece into 6-8 inch long pieces.
Then slice it down the middle to make thin pieces.
Put celery into a quart jar and add 3 parts vinegar
(just pour vinegar into the jar, over the celery to fill jar 3/4 full)
and then fill the rest with water.
Add about 1- 2 teaspoons of salt or to taste.
I always add dried red pepper flakes also for a little kick.
Put the lid on and shake jar.
Let this sit in fridge over night,
if you can stand waiting, then dig in.
I really love these celery pickles!!
Rick doesn't care for vinegary stuff so I can eat um all, if I want!!

Sometimes I will add sliced radishes, bell peppers, turnips, carrots ...anything like that is good.

If this is too tart for you, add a pack of Splenda to it to cut the vinegar taste.

Also I hope all yall can find pork rinds/pork skins at your local grocery stores.
They have no sugar and no carbs, very tasty crunchy tid-bit snacks!!

Cabbage Coleslaw easy low carb

Basic Coleslaw

16 ounces shredded cabbage or slaw mix
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 -2 Tbsp sugar substitute
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 teas. celery salt

Mix all ingredients but cabbage in a bowl, the add cabbage.
Toss and refrigerate.


Makes 2+ cups of delicious goodness for 6 servings.

Insulin Resistance good read

Reverse Insulin Resistance with Citrus Peel Extract

New research reported by Dr. Rachel Li indicates that citrus peel extract, which contains specific flavones (Polymethoxylated or PMFs), may help reverse insulin resistance and prevent diabetes. This new clinical research indicates that a daily supplement of citrus peel extract could improve insulin sensitivity and reverse insulin resistance in those who are at risk for developing diabetes.

What Is Insulin Resistance
So what is insulin resistance exactly? Why are citrus peel extract supplements a good idea for at risk patients? The answer is both simple and complex. Insulin resistance is simply the body’s gradual lack of response to circulating insulin in the blood.

Very basically speaking, the pancreas produces insulin to filter glucose (sugar) out of the blood. When we eat foods our blood glucose levels increase (our blood sugar levels increase) and then insulin metabolizes the glucose back into the cells of the body.

In people who are at risk for developing type-2 diabetes blood glucose levels are often elevated routinely due to a couple factors. (1) They eat more and thus their blood glucose levels elevate more frequently and second because blood glucose levels are often high insulin is always working to metabolize the glucose. Eventually if you are overweight or have other risk factors your body slowly stops responding to the insulin and the glucose levels in your blood remain elevated. This is the simple and watered down answer to the question: What is Insulin Resistance?

Signs of Insulin Resistance
How then do you know if you have insulin resistance; and how do you know if your insulin resistance is getting worse? Insulin resistance is characterized most frequently by fatigue. In fact fatigue is the most common symptom or sign of insulin resistance is it wears people out. This is particularly destructive because one of the best treatments for insulin resistance is exercise, weight training, and general physical activity in addition to an insulin resistance diet. Naturally fatigue makes this harder and the death spiral sets in.

Other signs of insulin resistance include mental fatigue characterized by poor memory or creativity, hypoglycemia, and feeling annoyed, jittery, and moody. After eating it is not uncommon to notice extreme fatigue as a sure early sign of insulin resistance. If you feel that these symptoms are present in your life you may want to learn how to reverse insulin resistance sooner rather than later. You don’t want to wait until it is too late.

A Treatment for Insulin Resistance

Citrus Peel Extract
There are many documented ways to reverse insulin resistance in people who care to and are willing to do the work. Reversing insulin resistance is most “easily” done by simply exercising every day and losing weight. It is also accomplished by changing your diet by adding more vitamin K, chromium, and fiber. I discussed just yesterday the concept of insulin production and fiber; check it out if you missed it. Today however I wanted to throw out this little known nugget about reversing insulin resistance with citrus peel extract as it is a lesser known treatment for insulin resistance than the standard laundry list.

Citrus peel extract is obviously obtained from the citrus peels and thus you can easily add it to your diet by grating some citrus peel zest into your dishes but there’s always the option of finding some citrus peel supplements to do the job on a daily basis. As a previously stated clinical research has shown that the PMF flavones in are an effective way to improve insulin sensitivity and reverse insulin resistance. Check out the source below for more detailed information.

Insulin Resistance Resources
Again, citrus peel extract is just one of many ways you can work on reversing insulin resistance. I have a page on this site listing many other insulin resistance treatment options at your disposal. I encourage you to check it out: 11 Ways to Reverse Insulin Resistance. Remember if you don’t identify the signs of insulin resistance and treat it early you may find yourself developing type-2 diabetes down the road.

In addition to insulin resistance a number of other factors can lead to diabetes. Eating too many Brazil nuts and diabetes is one of the lesser known correlations and a more obvious signs might be excess weight. The point being letting these problems spiral out of control is not conducive to living longer. That is after all the point of this site: living longer and healthier lives.

Update - There are of course numerous additional ways to help reverse insulin resistance and stop diabetes in its tracks. If you want more structured guidance on how to reverse the early stages of diabetes, this guide on improving insulin production and reversing insulin resistance may be something that you may want to consider paying for. The sales page linked to above has a ton of info on the program so give it some time to read through it all.

Thanks for reading.

Sources
The Journal of Life Sciences (Vol. 79, pp. 365-373)

BBQ Sauce Recipe low carb home made

My recipe for BBQ sauce:

1/2 c vinegar
3 heaping Tablespoons mustard
1 small can tomato sauce
1-2 lemons juiced and I put the sliced peeling in too
1 stick butter
2-3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teas. red pepper
1 teas. black pepper
1 teas. salt
1/2 c water

Bring to a boil,
stirring, just to melt the butter,
then just take off heat to cool.
I love this and have used it for many years.
You can add your favorite Sugar Free sweetener too.
But I like it tart.
It's great for chicken or pork.
When grilling meat, pork or chicken,
let your meat cook till almost done before
adding the sauce to it. Because tomato based
sauces will burn fast.
I usually add it during the last 10-15 minutes of grilling.
Will keep in the refrigerator for a week or two.
email me any time
bungej@bellsouth.net

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos low carb

Lime Chicken soft tacos

(crock pot and Atkins friendly)

Ingredients

• about 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed
• 1/8 cup vinegar
• 1/2 lime, juiced (I used lemon)
• 1 teaspoon sugar substitute
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or celantro
• 8 (10 inch) LOW CARB tortillas
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican mix cheese
• 1/4 cup salsa

Directions

1. Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar substitute, salt, pepper, onion, garlic and oregano. Simmer for an extra 10 minutes.
2. Heat an iron skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan, warm, and turn over to heat the other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese and salsa.
3. You can throw it all in the crock pot and let it go. I then take out the chicken and shred it. It is so yummy and reminds me of a great restaurant in Arizona.

I got this off Allrecipes.com and modified it some for low carbers

Pecan Chicken or Fish low carb recipe

I'm re-posting this because it's so good!!

I thought this recipe up while eating breakfast one morning.
I have lots of pecans in my freezer, so I wanted to put some to use ,
applying them in an Atkins friendly recipe.
So here it is, it really turned out yummy!!:

1 cup ground pecans
1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 egg (wisked)
olive oil & butter for frying
fish or chicken tenders

I ground the pecans in my blender, it only takes a second or 2.
mix that with parmasan cheese, set aside.
wisk egg in bowl by it's self.
have your oil & butter heating in a non stick fry pan, about 2 tablespoons of each.
dip your fish or chicken in egg,
then dip into the pecan/cheese mixture.
place gently into the hot oils, fry about 3-4 minutes on each side.
The chicken may take a little longer.
Cook on medium high heat,
you want it to sizzle but not burn!!
No salt is needed really, the cheese adds that flavor.

If you are doing chicken:
I like to flatten my tenders out:
I do 2 at a time.
using a large piece of plastic wrap, lay it across your cutting board, put 2 pieces of chicken tenders side by side on top, then fold the plastic wrap over the top of it. I use a wooden mallet
and beat the chicken until almost flat.
By using the plastic wrap, it keeps you from slinging the chicken juice and tiny pieces all over your kitchen!!!
I wipe every thing down with a water/clorox mix when done.
we do not what ecoli growing in your kitchen!!!

Waffle House Breakfast= low carb

OMGosh, my wonderful hubby, Rick, is off and took me
to eat breakfast at one of my favorite places,
The Waffle House.
I bet yall are all laughing now,
I'm a cheap date!!
I always order the same thing, their Fiesta Omelet.
It's 2 whipped eggs with a little ham, onion, jalapenos, and cheese inside.
And it's always cooked to perfection.
I told them no toast.
That omelet is awesome.
I ask our server if they add pancake batter to the eggs?
She was surprised that I ask and said "NO way".
But then she asked the cook for reassurance. He said no also.
I didn't think they did, but I had heard that IHOP does
(add pancake batter) to their eggs.
And I sure didn't want that! Lots of added carbs there at IHOP.
I don't eat out a lot, I'd rather eat at home, I like my cooking
and I know what's in it! But you sure can't be too careful these days.
If you are eating out, ask about the ingredients always.
Most restaurants have a menu with their Nutrition Facts now.
It should have the carbs, sugars, fiber and calories listed
in it along with lots of other information too.
Don't be afraid to ask.
Hope you all have a great day, don't cheat!
Really no need to cheat.....

Weight Loss/Atkins & AA's 12 Step Program

I'm wondering if I should work my 12 steps
(that I learned in AA) into my weight loss diet.
First to admit my weakness and addiction
to food and turn it all over to God.
Well, that feels better already!!
This may work.
If any of you have learned and worked a 12 step program,
you will understand this.
The 12 steps really make you accountable for your own actions.
And makes you stop blaming everyone and
everything else for your problems.
It's really a great way to change your thinking and old habits.
To work all these steps, in order and to the fullest that you are able to
will make you a happy person.
It makes you put things (like your life) into perspective too.

Right now I'm thinking just how un-important food really is.
Why do we worship it and think about it all the time?
I think that's all I'm going to write today.
I have lots to do. But my mind is working overtime now,
back to about 18 years ago, in my many meetings of AA.
I guess I need to get my big book out and read it again.
But I really believe that the 12 step program can work

miracles in your life.
It works if you work it. Keep it simple.
I think it should be mandatory for all people to learn and work
a 12 step program and to take a Prozac capsule every morning.
The world would be a much nicer place!
But, hey, that's just my opinion.
Love yall, have a great day!

• Step 1 - We admitted we were powerless over our addiction -
• that our lives had become unmanageable
• 
  

Low Carb Diet Cures Much

I asked: How has eating Atkins Low Carb Diet affected you?
Below is a list of the results from the 21 people
who answered me on the Atkins facebook page.
It's amazing to me!!

1) makes me feel great!

2) I am getting better with my heart huring and short of breath from doing housework.

3) It has helped to control my bipolar. Almost a year medicated drug free. I wouldnt say cure it because I still have my episodes but it sure made my episodes a very very very rare thing. I am a happy girl!

4)will cure your diabetes if you stick with it.

5)sugar feeds cancer, so I think this will wart off cancer

6) it has made my asthma almost non exsistant as well. I use to use inhalor at least 2 times a day but now I use it maybe one time a month if that!

7) loose weight, if we stick with it

8) It's fixing prediabetes and keeping me off meds. It's also making my body less fat

9)Low carb will cure toe nail fungus! I read an article about it and I have seen it first hand.

10)The Induction version of Atkins has been shown to help reduce and even eliminate epilepsy episodes. It is very similar to that of a ketogenic diet which is prescribed for people with epilepsy.

11)For me, its fixing my Prediabetes and No longer wake up feeling in pain all over and I no longer have stomach pains, heartburn, acid reflux or headaches...

12)Now I'm hoping for an Atkins baby! yes you heard it right low carbing DOES increases the chances of getting pregger for girls like me with PCOS

13) Oh yeah it does my mom was telling me every time she lost weight she got preggo. There is 8 of us so it works.

14) it eliminated all the foods that i can't tolerate, giving me relief from bloating, gas, acid reflux, constipation and diarehea.
15) My blood sugar used to be around 155, now it is 105 with no drugs...also BP is down, I have no tingling in my feet (neuropathy), the pain in my knees is gone, and I have no symptoms of allergies .

16)Much more energy for me, stable blood sugars...hoping to get off the diabetes meds! :)

17)Fat ass disease, cranky ass disease and best off all stop making your husband lie disease when you ask him if these pants make me look fat =)

18) More self esteem and confidence. Feeling sexier. Sadly, it's had no effect on my bp. Still on meds for that.

19) Cured my pre-diabetes, lowered my blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

20) My seizures - gone.

High cholesterol - gone.

Fatty liver - gone.

Endometriosis used to last 10 days/month - now down to 5!

21) Cushing's disease

If you can add to this list, please do in the comment section below.

Monday Thoughts

Good Morning beautiful Atkins followers.

What a wonderful day to continue our journey

towards a healthier life.

I look ahead to next year as great motivation,

not just looking at the scale each day.

Keep your eyes up, looking ahead, not down!

We can do this with each others help and support.

Learn something new today like a new recipe,

try to help someone else do this.

You will be amazed.

That's part of the awesome 12 step program

that AA teaches, to help others,

helps us in the long run.

Play it forward.

Lead by example.

Hugs & much Love!

Mondays are great for a new beginning.

Tim, a Truck Drivers Atkins Story

Truck drivers live to an average age of 55, and thirty drivers are found dead each day in their trucks, according to Dr. John McElligott.

I listen to the SiriusXM "Road Dog" channel on a regular basis, trying to keep up with ever changing regulations in the trucking industry. One of my favorite shows is the Dave Nemo show. Dave's been doing trucking radio since the early 1970's, and is widely known among generations of truckers. He has a close working relationship with Dr. John McElligott, and has him on the show on a very regular basis. Dr. John continuously talks about driver's health (or the lack of it.) Though his claims of 30 truckers per day found dead is probably either a misquote, or an exaggeration, there is absolutely no doubt that truck drivers are among the most unhealthy people in the US, and likely Canada too. I never used to see myself as one of these "unhealthy" drivers. There were so many who were in worse condition than me. Weren't there?

One day I woke up in the middle of the night and was coughing so badly, I was giving myself a headache. I must be getting sick, is what I thought. This went on for several weeks. No signs of being sick, just the coughing that started so suddenly. It actually took about a month of this for me to realize that it wasn't an illness coming on, it was the 2 packs of cigarettes per day that I was smoking that was causing it! Talk about a "Duh!" moment! That got me thinking about everything I was hearing about truck driver's health, and made me realize that I was one of those "unhealthy" drivers that would likely die at an early age, and possibly in my truck while sleeping out on the road! And the only person in the world who could prevent that was me!

The day my life changed.

There are many days in a person's life where you can look back and say without a doubt, "This was the day that everything changed forever!" The day you married your spouse, the day your child was born, the day your grandchild was born, are all memorable days for most of us. For me, one of the days I will always remember, is November 24, 2009; the day I started to take control of my health. Anyone who has stopped smoking knows how extremely difficult it is. Anyone who ever has smoked knows that one of the times that triggers a cigarette craving is when you get behind the wheel, and start driving. Imagine being a professional driver and quitting! Very difficult indeed. But I had a plan. Two days before Thanksgiving, I was scheduled to be home, and would be off for about a week, after being on the road for about a month. That's the day, I thought. Get the first six or seven days under my belt before I head back out on the road. That's what I did, and it worked. After the struggles of the first week were behind me, I wouldn't pick up a cigarette, because I never wanted to go through that first week ever again. One week became two weeks, then three, then a month. It was a hard thing to do, but so worth it.

Many who have ever tried to quit smoking, or even thought about it, know that one of the downfalls is weight gain. Several reasons are given for it, but the most likely one is that when you crave a cigarette, you will tend to replace that craving with something else, namely, food. I knew I was doing it. I knew I would gain weight, but I decided not to worry about that right now. My goal was to throw off that monkey on my back, and I would deal with the weight later on. Not a great plan, but somewhat reasonable. I just had to remember to tackle the weight issue at some point. I sort of forgot about it for a while.

Another wake up call.

Back in 1999, I was working for a trucking company that delivered to a major retail pharmacy, and they asked if I would go to New Jersey to help them out for a week. They would fly me out to Philadelphia, put me up in a motel, and fly me back. Sounds fun, why not? One day, while I was trying to sleep during the day, (so I could drive all night) I saw an interview on TV with this guy who has this diet plan. I was somewhat interested, as I have been overweight all my life. This guy had a plan where you could actually eat real food anytime you were hungry. It wasn't about willpower, it was about making the right choices. It's about eating like our ancestors did, even those of only a hundred years ago. Back then, people simply did not have the heart disease that is so prevalent today. Heart attacks were almost unheard of. What has changed since then? Refined sugar and flour introduced into the mainstream American diet! This guy makes sense. Who is he? As many of you already know, his name was Dr. Robert C. Atkins. I went out that day in search of his book, Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. So much of that book made perfect sense, but it was all news to me. I have to give this a try.

The first week, I kept thinking, there is no way this is ever going to work! All this fat that I'm eating? Everyone knows that fat makes you fat! That bald-headed chick on TV says it all the time! (Whatever happened to Susan Powter anyway?) But after a week, I stepped on the scale...down 10 pounds! In a week? This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I kept it up for a while. Several months of eating low carb soon came to an end. I met the most amazing woman, and she thought I was kind of nice too. All this Atkins stuff was cramping my style. I decided that I would take a short break one day, just one little cheat, and just enjoy a pizza with this wonderful lady, my daughter, and her two sons, all teenagers. That did not knock me out of fat burning mode, (ketosis) though it did slow it down. Well, if it worked once, it will work again, so another cheat day followed, then a whole week, then a month. Fat burning ceased, and weight gain resumed. I thought I would return to Atkins one day. I know it works. One of these days...

January 27, 2011. My company will give me a discount on health insurance if I participate in a "Biometric" screening. Simple blood test, blood pressure check, weight and height. No big deal. I know blood pressure is a problem for me, but it's well controlled with medication, though the dosage had to be raised recently. I was also on medication for high triglycerides. I know I am a bit overweight. (Obese was more like it.) I'll just listen to what they recommend, and move on, because I am so much healthier than I was before. After all, I had quit smoking over a year ago! The results came back instantly and I was shocked. Blood pressure was slightly high. Triglycerides were over 600. Cholesterol was over 200, the machine couldn't even read HDL and LDL for some reason, blood sugar was up to 161 (fasting), and my weight was up to 284. I was given the speech about how to get all these numbers better, and why it was important. I'm sitting there listening to all the "low-fat diet is the key" nonsense, and thinking about what I already knew, "Fat doesn't make you fat, SUGAR makes you fat!" Right then, I decided that I needed to get off my fat butt and do what I have known will work to solve all these problems...ATKINS!!! (Another Duh! moment.)

Stop the Insanity! For Real!

Three weeks later, I had an appointment with my regular doctor. I had real blood work done that day, and the numbers astonished me again. After only three weeks of this Way of Eating (WOE) my blood pressure was normal again, triglycerides were down near 170 (after unwisely stopping the meds on my own,) total cholesterol down to 137, LDL was normal, HDL still a little low, blood sugar down to 106, and weight down to 274. All this after only three weeks on Atkins? That was the day I knew that Atkins would be the way I will eat for the rest of my life. This was proof positive for me that refined sugar and flour were poison to me, and to everyone!

I discovered a page on facebook that was an official Atkins page. There were people there that shared questions, thoughts, struggles, ideas, and inspiring stories. Some of the people asking questions were asking basic questions that I already knew the answers to. I jumped in and gave my thoughts and opinions and shared my experiences with them. I threw in a bit of humor every once in a while too, because with a name like mine, people kind of expect it. Now I have a whole new group of friends. I would love to name each one of them, but I am sure I would forget someone. That wonderful woman that I met back in 2000, the one I refer to as, "My Lovely Bride," calls my Atkins friends, my "Fan Club." When my iPhone beeps, signaling a new facebook message, she says, "There's your fan club again!" But the truth is, I am the one who is a fan. So many people inspire me every day, I think that if I ever decided that I might go back to my old way of eating, I would let all of them down. I refuse to do that to my friends. I especially refuse to do it to my dear family. So here I am. Like it or not. Atkins for life!
Written by Tim Conway, AKA Popeye
on the Atkins facebook page.

Tim is my low carb buddy.
I feel so honored to put his story here on my blog.