Text copyright 2015 by Kristen Mancinelli. Design copyright 2015 by Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the Internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
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ISBN: 978-1-61243-421-6
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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IMPORTANT NOTE TO READERS
This book has been written and published strictly for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical advice or to be any form of medical treatment. You should always consult your physician before altering or changing any aspect of your medical treatment and/or undertaking a diet regimen, including the guidelines as described in this book. Do not stop or change any prescription medications without the guidance and advice of your physician. Any use of the information in this book is made on the readers good judgment after consulting with his or her physician and is the readers sole responsibility. This book is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition and is not a substitute for a physician.
This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any trademarked brands or other products mentioned within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The author and publishers encourage readers to patronize the quality brands and products mentioned in this book.
To my teachers, Joan and Toni, who taught me to read thoroughly, observe carefully, and draw my own conclusionseven if we disagree. To Cedar and Higgins, my LA family. And finally to Mark, Michelle, Duncan, Brian, Austin, Aaron, and everyone at the office.
Contents
Conventional wisdom says that if you want to lose weight and get healthy you need to cut down on the amount of fat you consume, control the portion sizes of your food to lower your calorie intake, eats lots of healthy whole grains as well as unlimited fruits and vegetables, and exercise on the treadmill for at least an hour a day. Anytime you want to get serious about your diet and lifestyle, these beliefs automatically become the default. But have you ever stopped to ask yourself why you view them as truths? And when these strategies ultimately fail, do you blame yourself for not having enough willpower to make it work? These are just some of the questions that registered dietitian Kristen Mancinelli challenges you to think about in her book.
My name is Jimmy Moore and I am the author of the bestselling 2014 book Keto Clarity: Your Definitive Guide to the Benefits of a Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet. Ive spent many years researching and personally experimenting with a low-carb, moderate-protein, high-fat diet (aka the ketogenic diet) to examine all the benefits that come from shifting your body from being a sugar-burner to a fat-burner. Its an exciting prospect to think that there is a better alternative to the low-fat, high-carb diets that have dominated peoples dietary preferences. I used to be one of those people who believed a low-fat diet was the way to go and my weight and health suffered. By the age of 32, I had gotten all the way up to 410 lbs, wore 62-inch pants and 5XL shirts, and took three prescription medications before I finally came across the information that you will see in the coming pages. Needless to say, it changed my life forever and Im still (as I like to call it!) livin la vida low-carb!
The interest in using fat and ketones instead of glucose and carbohydrates as the primary fuel source has grown exponentially in the past few years as mounting research shows that the body and brain actually prefer ketone bodies instead of glucose as the energy source of choice. The problem is the vast majority of people have not been exposed to relevant information clearly explained in convincing, everyday language they can learn from and embrace. Until now.
Mancinelli attempts to lift the stigma associated with the ketogenic diet, though medical practitioners are scared to say the k word out of fear of the backlash from patients and colleagues still rooted in the supposed infallibility of more conventional ideas. The fact is our bodies are being flooded with way too many carbohydrates that are raising our blood sugar and insulin levels and increasing the level of inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the true culprit in so many chronic health issues we are dealing with today and yet the focus remains on controlling calories and fat. Does anyone else see whats wrong with this picture? If carbohydrates are contributing to an unhealthy increase in inflammation, blood sugar, and insulin levels, isnt it logical to reduce their consumption in our diets? Of course it is. A bit of common sense should kick in at some point in this discussion.
Im going to warn you right now that much of the information you will read in this book will challenge you to the very core of what you believe and why you believe it in terms of diet and health. But I urge you to keep an open mind, absorb what Mancinelli is sharing, consider the arguments and points she makes with a fresh look, and then adjust your thinking accordingly. You will very likely experience a paradigm shift in your thinking that you will then share with friends, coworkers, and family members who need to hear a voice of truth that could very well change their lives forever.
Obesity and chronic disease are not an inevitable fate if you are armed with the information you need to make the best choices for living an optimally healthy life. This book provides you that information. Its up to you to decide whether to continue accepting the conventional wisdom youve embraced for your entire life or consider an alternative point of view that is backed by solid science. I wish you well in your pursuit of a thriving, healthy life.
Jimmy Moore, author of Keto Clarity
and owner of Livin La Vida Low-Carb
livinlavidalowcarb.com
I grew up during the low-fat diet craze in the 1980s and 90s. I remember as a child hearing about people on the Atkins diet eating a lot of fat and almost no carbs, and I worried for them. Like most people, I thought fat made you fatand gave you heart disease to boot. I held on to that conviction in graduate school, where I studied the science of nutrition and public health. Understanding how the body uses fats and carbohydrates, and the role of insulin, gave me a sense that carbs (in the form of sugar and starch) were a much bigger problem than wed been making them out to be. I remember raising the point once or twice in class: Why did our common nutritional advice not match what we knew about how cellsand ultimately
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