Straight from the Email Box

I was pretty sure it would happen, and it has - a flood of email asking all sorts of questions about my return to a low-carb diet (defined as less than 60g net carbohydrate, where I only deduct fiber from the total carbohydrate). With a good number of emails asking the same questions, I'll answer here rather than reply individually.

Q: If you were following a low-carb diet, why do you need to lose 20-pounds again?

• During pregnancy, while following a controlled-carb diet, I gained 60-pounds; after delivery I quickly lost 39-pounds in six weeks, while still eating controlled-carb (about 120-150g net carbs a day), so was advised to do whatever I had to to halt weight loss since it was interfering with my milk supply for nursing. After increasing calories, I lost just one more pound as I tweaked my calorie intake to prevent weight loss and weight gain....and since weaning my son, haven't reduced carbohydrate nor moderated calorie intake enough to lose weight. I haven't gained weight, but haven't lost weight....so, now I am making the necessary adjustments to my diet to lose the last of the weight gained during pregnancy.

Q: How'd you gain 20-pounds if you were eating a low-carb diet

Q: If a low-carb diet worked, you wouldn't need to lose 20-pounds after years of following it! Don't you think you should re-evaluate your diet now instead of doing what isn't working?

• See above

Q: Why does your multivitamin have no iron?

• My diet is rich with meats and leafy green vegetables, therefore has more than enough iron from my diet alone. Since too much iron can be problematic, I simply use a multivitamin without iron.

Q: Don't you get sick of eggs? Any ideas for breakfast other than eggs?

• I'm not a big fan of eggs everyday, but for the first week it is a great option to include since they're packed with essential nutrients, EFA's, EAA's and are filling. For this reason, throughout weight loss they will continue to be a major food in my daily menu. If and when I tire of eggs, I'll skip a day or two and then add them back again. They're simply too rich with nutrients to not eat, in my opinion.

Q: Exposing yourself to all the hormones and antibiotics in animal products is harmful, aren't you worried about that?

• I personally eat only pastured-meats, poultry and eggs from free-roaming (not simply cage-free) chickens; and include dairy that is from low-heat pasturized whole milk that is not homogenized, or raw (cheeses are made from raw milk); dairy is also organic, free of rBGH, antibiotics and grass-fed without grain supplementation. So the answer is, no I am not worried about exposure.

Q: Why do you include the Atkins Shake when you promote eating real whole foods?

• During the first week, as I am focused on establishing ketosis, the addition of a protein shake (free from soy protein isolates) helps me consume enough calories since protein blunts appetite too well sometimes and retricts calorie intake too much. I target my basal metabolic rate as my minimum calorie intake, therefore need to consume at least 1800-calories per day, which is difficult when I'm eating more protein and fat than carbohydrate. I use the ready-to-drink shake since I don't like having to make it myself with the protein powder - it's less "chalky" tasting to me.

Q: Why aren't you posting how much of the food you're eating? I'd like to follow your menus and it would help if I knew how much to eat!

• Because my consumption is based on my individual calorie requirements and not suitable for someone with lower or higher needs; therefore I post what I eat without saying how much of any food I'm consuming. Understand, at the end of the day, with the foods included, I am averaging about 20g net carbohydrate (total minus fiber only) with some days slightly less, but not more.

Q: What is your starting weight?

• I've come to realize the number on the scale is not a reflection of health and therefore do not target a particular weight or BMI. My goal is to be as healthy as I can and right now losing 20-pounds will return my weight to my pre-pregnancy weight where I was comfortable.

Q: Are you exercising daily?

• I chase an extremely active, almost two-year-old toddler around each day - need I say more?

Q: Isn't it unhealthy to eat that much fat?

• Not when your body is using it as its primary source of energy

Q: Aren't you worried about eating so much protein?

• Not at all. Especially when you consider it replaces carbohydrate as the source of the small amount of glucose needed each day.