The Livin La Vida Low-Carb Show

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Hello and welcome to another episode of the Internet’s finest low-carb podcast, “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore.”

In Episode 57, our host Jimmy takes a look at the proverbial glass ceiling that keeps many overweight and obese people from fulfilling their career potential. It’s a sad, but true commentary on modern-day society and Jimmy shares his own story of transformation to serve as an encouragement to others who feel mired by their weight and stagnant career.

But first, we’ve got another contest for you! How would you like to win a FREE BBQ grill from Vermont Castings? Listen in to find out how or simply click on the link below. See how your dreaded backyard or current grill on its last leg can net you a brand spankin’ new grill, baby!

LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 57
- Enter to win a FREE Vermont Castings Grill in their “Help My Backyard” contest
- Ohio State University’s Jay Zagorsky’s research into the weight and wealth connection
- Related blog post: “Rising Obesity Costs Warrant A Serious Look At The Low-Carb Answer”
- Related blog post: “Report: Obesity Rise Not Tied To Government Welfare Programs”

Did you miss anything Jimmy said? Don’t worry! We have a complete transcript available…just click on the following link!

Transcript of Episode 57:

Hey there and welcome to Episode 57 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore.” Have you ever wondered whether your weight problem may be dictating how much money you make? We all know subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle discrimination takes place against overweight and obese people in the year 2007, especially in the workplace, so it’s high time we shine the light of truth on this controversial subject and discuss it out in the open for everyone to hear. More about that in just a moment.

First, I wanted to tell you about an incredible opportunity for you to win a FREE Signature Series Grill from Vermont Castings. They are conducting a contest right now called “Help My Backyard” where they are looking for the most worthy recipients of a brand new deluxe grill. If you want to enter, then please visit the show notes section at TheLivinLowCarbShow.com to find a link about how YOU can enter to win. There are three grills being given away as well as some very nice BBQ accessory kits for listeners of this podcast, so be sure to check out all the details. This is rare chance to actually win a cool new grill, so don’t let it pass you by. Check it out TODAY!

I’m going to discuss a topic today that is considered taboo in many circles, but it must be openly talked about for the whole world to see. I’m referring to the subject of how your weight problem can and will determine your current and future wealth. Most people who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of getting heart disease, diabetes and even death. These statistics are indisputable and it’s just a fact of life. The medical costs associated with obesity add an additional $75 billion (that’s billion with a “B”) annually to our healthcare system. Is it any wonder why our insurance premiums keep increasing while benefits continue to decrease in recent years? While I am not blaming people who are obese for putting our country in that position since I used to be among the worst of the worst regarding morbid obesity, I do think that people who think there is no way out of their personal situation should realize that they are not only damaging their health but also their wealth by refusing to do something about their weight. I have felt it personally in my own life and career. I was interviewed by someone in the media just last week and she asked me if people treat me differently now that I have lost a lot of weight. My response to her was that a lot of people are more apt to start a conversation with me now that I’m at a “normal” weight than when I was 410 pounds. Part of that could be that I am more open and confident than I was when I was heavier. But, I am sure a lot of it has to do with the fact that I no longer have this huge visual reminder in my mid-section that sent the message to others that I could not control my eating habits well enough to prevent myself from becoming obese. I can never allow myself to get that way ever again (and won’t!). As for my career, I believe my weight has cost me the opportunity to have a few jobs that I really wanted and my obesity has also prevented me from moving up into higher positions in the jobs that I have held. I told that reporter in my interview that fat people are the only acceptable group of people in the world who are still allowed to be ridiculed and discriminated against at will by our society without repercussions. You can’t do that to someone of a different race, religion or sexual orientation because there are laws against it. But not for people who are overweight or obese.

We (and yes I still feel a kindred spirit with those who are obese because I was in their shoes for so many years of my life) are subjected to hate-filled speech and mocking disdain from friends, family and even complete strangers. Jokes are made at our expense by late-night television talk show hosts and comedians who think it’s funny to put down a fat person. NEWSFLASH! It’s NOT funny. Not one bit. Unless you have been overweight or obese yourself, you have no idea how painful these negative comments can be to a desperate soul wishing there was a way out of their seemingly endless weight gain. It is not a fun experience, but my weight loss success story hopefully provides a glimmer of hope that this fate is not a permanent one either. There are ways to get out of that rut and on the path to better health. With an estimated 60 million Americans who are considered “seriously overweight” today, equipping them with good information that can help them lick this obesity monster once and for all is sorely needed. That’s why I started my LivinLaVidaLowCarb.com blog and this podcast show to continue to declare to the world that there is hope in low-carb living for even the most skeptical of all skeptics. My 180-pound weight loss and subsequent weight maintenance is clear evidence that this way of eating really works.

So what about this connection between health and wealth? Which came first the chicken or the egg? While people who are poor are forced to choose cheaper foods than their wealthy counterparts, there are indications that overweight people spend a lot of wasted money on junk food, extra medical expenses, larger clothes that you keep ripping when you bend over as you keep getting bigger and bigger (I will NEVER go inside of a big & tall store again for the rest of my life charging $45 for a pair of pants I could buy at Wal-mart for $19.99!), and my favorite expense of all–the latest DIET! All of this costs a whole buncha moohla and can perpetuate the problem even further by forcing the obese to buy cheaper and cheaper junk foods which are generally loaded with unhealthy amounts of sugar and excessive carbohydrates. Add to all of this the fact that severely obese people make less money than their “normal-weight” co-workers do and women especially get hit hard on this one. A New York University study that released this summer found that for every 10 percent increase in a woman’s body mass index, or BMI, over “normal” there was a coinciding 6 percent decrease in her income. YIKES! Makes you wanna start walking on the treadmill and munching on some healthy low-carb foods right away, doesn’t it? But when you are overweight or obese, you generally are very depressed about your situation, lack the energy to invest in proper diet and exercise that you know you need, and look for the little conveniences such as fast food over better nutritional choices because you’re just too tired to care anymore. It is a deep hole that can be difficult to pull yourself out of. But since I used to be there and was able to get out of that hole myself, let me tell you that it can and must be done. It is not hopeless if you are willing to convince yourself that this is something that you should do for yourself. Nobody is going to make this decision for you and YOU will be the final say about whether it happens or not. There are no excuses good enough to deny yourself the opportunity to finally get what you want. Whether it is weight loss, better health, or an improved self-image, the decision you make about what you will do will be life-changing for the good or for the worse. Take it from me, I’ve been there. It’s not an easy decision. But you will someday look back and be glad you took that first step forward to get serious about your weight problem. The solution is just waiting on you to get moving (both literally and figuratively!).

As obesity has doubled in the United States since 1980, the corresponding financial impact it has had on those people has been enormous. Ohio State University economist Jay Zagorsky found in a study released in 2005 that “normal-weight” people had twice as much income as their obese peers by the time they reached the age of 39. That’s a scary number and I can personally attest to the veracity of that in my own life. While I have always made enough money to pay my bills, I have been unable to enjoy the financial success that I expected to have by the time I reached my mid-30’s. Even with a Master’s degree I have not been able to move higher than a certain level in my wages during the nearly 20 years I have been a part of the workforce. I KNOW my weight has had a lot to do with that. I am so thankful that I found the low-carb lifestyle when I did not only for the sake of my future health, but also for the wealth potential I can now look forward to. I have made myself a better commodity for any company who needs my services to benefit their bottom line. They can trust that since I was able to bring stability to my personal health that I can also perform the duties they would have me to do in the same manner. The possibilities are endless and extremely exciting! Maybe my dreams of financial freedom will now be realized because of my decision at the age of 32 to start livin’ la vida low-carb. This chapter in my life is still being written. Zagorsky said he has found that people who significantly decrease their body weight (I’d say 180 pounds qualifies for this distinction) may very likely see a corresponding rise in their personal wealth after they lose the weight because of a better salary or a higher-paying job. I’m not only hoping for that to happen, but I’m expecting it. Actually, it’s already started in the past year and I can’t wait to see what happens next. This turnaround in my life is far from over, though. While the dramatic change from 410 down to 230 has been an unbelievable experience in and of itself, I believe the best is yet to come. I have been given the opportunity with this podcast show and in other venues to share with people the incredible benefits of low-carb living. If this way of eating didn’t work for me, then I wouldn’t be making such a big deal about it. But it did and I am. If I have to travel from city to city across this great big world of ours to tell people about how livin’ la vida low-carb can help them, too, then that is what I am willing to do. It’s time to get on the “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Express” everybody to inform every man, woman, and child that obesity is not an inevitable fate. So who’s with me on this?

That’s it for Episode 57 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore.” What do you think about this hypothesis that weight and wealth are somehow interconnected? Is it a valid premise or am I all wet about this? Share your thoughts in the comments section at TheLivinLowCarbShow.com. Come back on Thursday as we feature my interview with bariatric physician Dr. Joan Temmerman who I spoke with at the recent obesity conference in Nashville, Tennessee. If you’ve been enjoying the recent Thursday interviews over the past few weeks, then I know you’re gonna love this one, too. So, until next time, keep on livin’ la vida low-carb!

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