Tune in this Thursday, February 25 to The Oprah Show when Kirstie Alley pulls up a seat next to Oprah to discuss her new television reality series, Kirstie Alley’s Big Life.
Last year, Kirstie discussed her 75-pound weight regain on Oprah and also hinted at her new weight loss product company, which was still in the works.
Today, the former Jenny Craig spokesperson is back, a bit slimmer and much more motivated as she once again carries the very public torch for women all around the country who have cycled through the weight loss and weight gain battle numerous times.
Oprah’s cameras give you a sneak peak inside Kirstie’s Big Life series, which will premiere on March 21 on A&E.
Check your local listings for exact show times.
Also read:
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
I must confess that until this week’s episode, I have only seen Ruby sporadically, and usually only parts of each episode that I stumbled upon. My first impression was that she was so sweet. She has the stereotypical Southern charm, and such a sweet disposition that you can’t help root for her.
Ruby’s show is a 180 from The Biggest Loser, in that it doesn’t share the same combative nature or personalities that are antagonistic. It’s not a competition, rather a sort of open diary as you watch Ruby go through daily struggles and triumphs.
The early drama in season three of Ruby is her struggle with repressed childhood memories – her entire first 13 years. This episode, she and her friends took a road trip to her childhood home in Mississippi. The interesting twist is that she is facing her demons in more ways than one. Not only is she investigating her mysterious childhood, but Mississippi is also the heaviest state in the country, and in Ruby’s case, filled with dietary landmines.
“Happiness is eating,” says Ruby about her fellow Southerners’ view of life. And that’s the challenge she faced in her travels. She faced enablers and other obese people, one after another. The owner of an all-you-can-eat buffet said that her restaurant has healthy food… and you don’t know whether she believed it, was purposely deceptive, or just being coy. Another lady espoused the healthy antioxidants in chocolate while dangling a milk chocolate dessert of some sort under Ruby’s nose.
Then there was a friend of a friend who was 500 pounds. And it’s nothing short of jaw-dropping when you hear the level of denial he is in. He starts his conversation with Ruby saying that he doesn’t eat too much food, just the wrong food. Then he proceeds to say that on any given day he eats 6-7 eggs and a pack of bacon… for breakfast.
The show culminated with Ruby hiring a private investigator to search for the mysterious Dr. Duke, someone she trusted as a child. Her PI turned up well over 200 potential candidates. Whether or not the doctor holds any clues to Ruby’s mysterious childhood, we’ll have to wait for future episodes.
Learn more about Ruby here on DietsInReview.com, including more about her OurLife Health diet and videos from previous seasons.
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Ruby Recap Season 3 Episode 2: The Search for Her Missing Childhood
I rarely travel with my children, but when I do, I’m often left looking for something for them to “do,” an activity to allow them to get moving and be active, a way to enjoy some exercise and fitness and avoiding sitting in the room watching cruddy television. When I travel, I always find the gym and take advantage of all the activities, so why shouldn’t my kids have the same options?
If I was lucky enough to be able to stay at Trump Towers New York, I think I’d be one of the first to take advantage of their newest exercise program geared toward kids ages six and up. After all, getting kids moving should be a primary focus for all of us, for creating good habits that will last a life time.
From the press release: “We are pleased to debut our new kids’ fitness curriculum at a time when the health of this country’s children has moved to the forefront with First Lady Michelle Obama’s ‘Let’s Move‘ campaign,” commented Trump International Hotel & Tower New York’s own First Lady, General Manager Suzie Mills. “We deliver Five-Star service to every guest, no matter his or her age, and these additions provide an invigorating and enriching dimension to the existing Trump Kids program.”
The four programs range from swimming to boxing, Wii sports to weight training. Now, I don’t expect that one or even a handful of visits will be enough to start a child on the road to a lifetime exercise – but as a part of a daily routine, I think that the hotel chain deserves props for moving in the right direction. Ideally, I’d love to see every hotel, every school, every club, every location that kids can be found at doing everything that they can to help America’s children develop healthy habits.
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
February is American Heart Month. It’s a time to bring awareness to heart disease and stroke, the number one killer in the United States, so you and the people you love don’t become a statistic.
Many people are not aware of the DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), recommended by the National Institutes of Health.
In recent DASH studies, adding fruits, vegetables and dairy products lowered blood pressure readings – even when the sodium was as high as 3000 mg per day! Every millimeter the blood pressure falls reduces the risk of heart attack and strokes for people with high blood pressure. So believe it, small changes will get you big results. Your everyday decisions matter.
The DASH “diet” is based on an eating plan rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and low-fat or non-fat dairy. The eating plan follows heart healthy guidelines to limit saturated fat and cholesterol. It focuses on increasing intake of foods rich in nutrients that are expected to lower blood pressure, mainly minerals (like potassium, calcium, and magnesium), protein, and fiber.
The DASH Nutrition Numbers
Before you get out your calculators or press the panic button, follow these simple tips to get started:
If you want some more help, a dietitian can evaluate your eating habits and make recommendations in line with DASH. You should also search the Internet for DASH-friendly recipes.
The DASH eating plan has been proven to lower blood pressure in just two weeks. Best response came in people whose blood pressure was only moderately high, including those with pre-hypertension. For people with more severe hypertension, who may not be able to eliminate medication, the DASH diet can help improve response to medication.
If you know someone who would benefit from this information on preventing heart disease, please share it. This article is part of a series on simple things everyone can do to keep their heart healthy and strong.
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
Tune in this Monday, February 22 to the Rachael Ray Show to find if those extra pounds you’ve been carrying around have nothing to do with will power, but rather with how your brain operates?
One overweight viewer is letting Rachael Ray’s doctor scan her brain and the results may surprise you.
Dr. Daniel Amen’s Change Your Brain, Change Your Weight is an online questionnaire to help predict the areas of strengths and vulnerabilities of the brain that can strengthen or weaken your ability to lose weight. Change Your Brain, Change Your Weight is a great start to helping you evaluate the health and well-being of your brain and body.
Plus, former Olympian Summer Sanders reports from British Columbia with an exclusive look at how the world’s top athletes eat at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Check your local listings for exact show times.
Also Read:
Change Your Brain, Change Your BodyObesity Leads to Fewer Brain CellsHealthy Brains Come from Healthy FoodObesity May All Be in the Head
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Tune In: Change Your Brain Change Your Body on the Rachael Ray Show
One of the newest and most buzzed about new weight loss books released this year is The Perfect 10 Diet by Dr. Michael Aziz. In the book Aziz suggests he can help readers lose 14 pounds in just 21 days by following his weight loss plan that focuses less on the haves and haves nots of dieting and more on stabilizing 10 key hormone levels.
You can see Dr. Aziz today on The Doctors, where he’s discussing The Perfect 10 Diet and how you can implement this into your own life to balance hormones and get your weight under control.
Some of the pros and cons of The Perfect 10 Diet include:
PRO
Promotes the eating of real foodCON
You can learn more in our full review of The Perfect 10 Diet.
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
hCG therapy is a highly controversial practice for those who want to lose weight. While many have found success with shedding pounds by receiving hCG injections, the FDA has only authorized their use for infertility and reproductive issues.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone that supports the normal development of an egg in a woman’s ovary, during ovulation. When hCG is injected into the body, it literally tricks the body into thinking it’s pregnant, thereby mobilizing certain hormones and fat stores, using glycogen, fat, and protein in the process for fuel.
But the FDA has not approved the use of hCG for weight loss treatment, obesity therapy or determined that the use of hCG contributes to an individual’s loss of body fat.
The FDA, in combination with the National Institute of Health and the manufacturers of hCG, have gone on the record stating that “hCG has no known affect on fat mobilization, reducing appetite or sense of hunger, or body fat distribution,” and also put forth that “hCG has not been demonstrated to be an effective adjunct therapy in the treatment of obesity and does not increase fat losses beyond that resulting from caloric restriction.”
Aside from those warnings, hCG clinics are popping up all over the country. Many of them are run by medical doctors, while a number of them are run by a non-medical staff.
Since DietsInReview.com recognizes that it is your choice to select a weight loss plan that matches your goals and lifestyle, it is our mission to provide you with objective information so that you can be make the safest and healthiest decision for your health. Here is what we found regarding the availability, protocol and access to hCG.
hCG can take the form of a cream, which is self-administered, and it is also available in an injection form. Since hCG is a prescribed drug, it should only be administered by a medical doctor; if it’s not or if you’re getting it from some other non-medical source, such as an online source, you might be risking your health.
When administered in a health clinic, typical beginning protocol is 26 days of 26 injections. Individuals must come in to the office or clinic daily to receive their injection. Most doctors who specialize in this will limit the number of the injections given at 40 years of age because the body appears to develop hCG immunity rendering them ineffective. Also, menstruating women should not receive any injections during their period, but the strict 500-calorie diet is still followed.
Just like with any product or service on the Internet, you can practically find and purchase anything. hCG kits, injections, and clinics are no different. Doing quick searches will yield a plethora of websites and clinics that claim to sell you or administer the hCG injections or the cream.
Like with any supplement or product, it is important to speak with your primary care medical doctor before beginning any new treatment plan.
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Those who are very familiar with me and my work know that I have lots of cooking tips and tricks up my sleeve, along with some pretty unique recipes. They also know that I have a deep love for the decadent. Recently, I sent out a “Call for Questions” as part of my monthly newsletter (sign up for free at DevinAlexander.com if you haven’t already)—I wanted my readers to tell me what questions they wanted to me to answer and/or write about in upcoming newsletters and blogs. While I was open to any and all cooking questions, inquiries about my 55-pound weight loss and maintenance, and even questions about my personal tastes, etc., what I did not expect was to receive literally thousands of emails from people asking, “How do you stay motivated?”. I kid you not, though I’m most known for cooking, over 80% of the questions were about motivation.
Since motivation has been on my mind almost non-stop this week and so many people seek “answers,” it seems obvious that this should be the topic of this week’s blog.
I’ve found motivation in tons of places over the years. Being a busy person, like so many of you, I admit that it truly is easy to lose. And I know that motivation is a very personal thing. What motivates one person just might not motivate another. But there are definitely a few key actions that have helped me over the years. Here are the top three:
1. Bye Bye Boy Ts: Many years ago, I used to live in Boy Ts and men’s flannel or oxford shirts. It was my subconscious way of hiding my body. I didn’t like it so I just hid it. Then I resolved to forever get rid of all tees that weren’t made for a woman (replacements didn’t need to be tight, just have shape) and to stop wearing men’s clothing period (unless I was actually at my boyfriend’s wearing his—we all know that can be sexy). It forced me to resolve that I was going to take care of myself and be proud of how I presented myself to the world—that “reminder” of what I actually looked like helped me make better food choices that were a lot less harmful to my figure.
2. Create Buddy-Hood: Truth be told, I’m almost NEVER able to get myself to the gym by myself. When I have a bit of extra cash, I hire a trainer. When I don’t, I make workout “appointments” – whether it be selecting a class at a local gym that I actually put on my calendar or just “booking” a reliable friend, I know that I will keep the appointment when it’s with someone else. And, as extra motivation, it never hurts if your workout buddy is either a) a hot member of the opposite sex (why is it that great eye-candy makes workouts go so much faster?) or b) someone who inspires you in some way so you finish your workout mentally refreshed as well as physically.
3. Get a BodyBugg or other calorie-monitoring device. I find my BodyBugg to be insanely helpful in keeping me motivated. I can’t help but feel guilty about not burning enough calories in a day if I have an ever-present band around my arm reminding me that I strive to be my prettiest (most fit) self!
Hopefully, one of these tips will speak to you and get you moving. If number three appeals most, be sure to check back here because I’m soon going to be giving a BodyBugg away on DietsInReview.com. If one of these other tips helps, great. If not, be sure to start following my free monthly newsletter (I’m going to have a guest “Loser” (as in Biggest Loser contestant) or trainer sharing more motivation each month starting with March’s newsletter!)
Happy Cooking…and Moving!
Devin
Read more from Chef Devin:
Essential Kitchen Tools for Healthy Cooking
How to Stock a Healthy Kitchen
Recipe: Boneless Buffalo Strips
Chef Devin Alexander is the author of several healthy cookbooks, including The Most Decadent Diet Ever! and The Biggest Loser Cookbook.
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
Hollywood stars are gorgeous and fit and seemingly fabulous in every way. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No matter how much we hate them for it, we’re still constantly curious about how exactly they go back getting “those arms” or “that butt.”
A few darlings of the Hollywood set have opened up about using star fitness trainer Tracy Anderson to whip them in to shape. Via Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP newsletter, a long-time follower of Anderson’s workout method, Kristin Davis, co-starring in May 28’s “Sex and the City 2,” Courtney Cox, of ABC’s “Cougar Town,” and fashion designer and philanthropist Donna Karan explain why the Tracy Anderson Method works for them.
The best news? With her DVD series, which the stars use too, you can work on your Hollywood body at home.
Courtney Cox says her fitness philosophy “is to be active in life and enjoy what I am doing. I have always loved exercise and feel that being active is important to maintain not only physical health but mental health as well.” She started using the Method when she saw the results friends were enjoying. Courtney says during each of her hour-and-a-half Method workouts she is challenged mentally and physically. Using the Method, Courtney says “I have seen amazing results that I never thought were possible. My butt has lifted, my arms are sculpted, and my skin is tight and actually clings to the muscle again.”
As for Kristin Davis, her fitness philosophy involves thinking healthy and seeking exercises that don’t bore her to death. Kristin became intrigued by Tracy when she saw “how strong she looked without being bulky,” and then learned that she shared a philosophy with Tracy that women shouldn’t use heavier weights than three pounds. “The thing that I am most impressed with about Tracy’s Method is that it really does elongate and tone muscle,” Kristin tells Goop, “I’ll notice that when I rest my hand on my leg, I feel a muscle in a place that used to be soft. And that amazes me.”
Fashionista and long-time yogi Donna Karan says her fitness philosophy “incorporates mind, body and soul.” She learned about Tracy Anderson through a friend, and found that she and Tracy “shared the same passions about women and their bodies;” with Donna trying to dress them beautifully and Tracy helping them re-sculpt their bodies. She enjoys using the Method for herself because she claims it’s never boring, she sees results and it keeps her mind and body engaged.
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Gwyneth Paltrow’s New Year’s Butt by trainer Tracy Anderson
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Why Kristin Davis, Courtney Cox and Donna Karan Love the Tracy Anderson Method
Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross, mom to three-year-old twins, has teamed up in conjunction with Mott’s to work with Kaboom.org, a charity that helps to encourage kids to spend more time outdoors. Kaboom!, whose vision is to have a playground within walking distance of every child in America, donates funds to help make this dream possible for communities.
Founded in 1995, the organization works with communities to create safe playgrounds, skate parks, ice rinks and even to renovate aging athletic fields. Community members create videos explaining the need for a playground and can be awarded up to $5,000 in funding. In addition, the Kaboom! website offers knowledge and experience to anyone interested through online toolkits, training and technical assistance.
Cross feels that this partnership is necessary for kids, and she’s urging moms everywhere to get their kids to a playground for a fun time. She feels lucky that her girls don’t need any encouragement, adding, “I just open up the gates and let (Eden and Savannah) go.”
Why not take a few minutes yourself and join your kids on the playground – weather permitting, of course! Monkey bars, swinging, sliding – all have benefits to kids of every age! Use Kaboom! to find a playspace near you!
Also Read:
Desperate Housewife has Healthy Body Image
NFL Fights Childhood Obesity with Fuel Up to Play 60
Burning Calories is Child’s Play
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. If I were, by now, I’d have no more than 10% body fat, I’d be able to do the Dwi Pada Sirsasana yoga posture, I would meditate 30 minutes every single day, I’d never ever raise my voice at my kids, I’d send birthday cards, on time… But since I’ve liberated myself of the concept of New Years’ resolutions years ago, I have accomplished none of these things.
However, clearing clutter has been a general resolution that I’ve kept up with very nicely (I’m even a little overzealous). And, should that be on your [...]
Clearing Web Page Clutter in 2 Seconds With “Readability” is a post from: The Succulent Wife's Favorite Things
Yoga teaches you to listen to your own inner voice. It is a process of awakening and attunement that defines personal integrity by the depth of each students’ connection with themselves. Through pain, pleasure, injury, ecstasy and bliss yoga invites practitioners to travel down the rabbit hole of personal discovery so that they may find their wonderland within.
Feeling the inner body deeply allows yoga practitioners a daily window into their own soul. By regularly tuning into this internal level yogis can actually feel the alignment or misalignment of their actions. The body’s wisdom lies in its pervasive truthfulness
and the yogi’s wisdom lies in the ability to listen to the body’s sometimes superior sense of self. The body is perhaps the most physical form of the mind and the spirit and in fact outwardly and inwardly tells its story with clarity and precision. Practitioners learn to delineate messages from their inner world from whims of fancy and desire through years of dedicated practice. It is a delicate tightrope to walk the line between healthy guidance and destructive old habits that die hard.
Yoga postures or asanas give practitioners a chance to access the spiritual through the physical. This long, arduous task of internal awakening makes it possible for dedicated practitioners to excavate layers of themselves. Yogis cross the bridge between the physical and the spiritual through a path interlaced with the fire of pain, the release of trust and the freeflow of love. Each physical posture presents a series of tests and challenges that heal the body and train the mind. In the small moments where practitioners make contact with the eternal part of themselves they gain access to a more deeply tuned-in way of living, being and acting. It is in this undulating state where the flow of life actually begins.
Yoga is a sanctuary where you learn to listen to your body. Like a holiday from the limiting, negative thoughts that run on auto-pilot at the back of the mind yoga helps amplify the true nature of your mind and soul within. This heightened faculty of
listening allows you to actually hear not only the body but also the mind. When your capacity to listen is at its greatest and most refined you have the ability to listen directly to your soul and seek its constant guidance. At the depths of your being lies a place where you already know all the answers to your deepest questions, a state of being so serene it remains calm even amidst the most terrifying traumas of your life and a mind so vast it encompasses the entire universe both good and bad in a field of love.
While on a daily basis it is often hard to hear the musings of the subtle language of soul, with regular yoga practice it is possible to attune your vibrational sensory perception to follow the messages surface from the deep. All the greatest ideas are in some sense channeled from this soft space within, not generated by a mechanistic world without. The miracle of yoga is that it provides regular people like you and me a way to literally gain access to the sacred inner world of spirit. Without this check-in I would sometimes quite literally be lost. While I do not get it right every time and certainly there are moments when I think I am receiving a deep message only to find that I am just feeding an old negative behavior, yoga helps me get better at listening to, trusting and having faith in the soft, but persistent voice within.
While the tradition of yoga is intensely bound to the sanctity of the teacher-student relationship, the words and guidance of the greatest teachers are meant as sign-posts that lead students to the discovery of their own true voice within. The presence of every yoga master raises the bar for the possibility of a better life for each student and is a starting point where we can begin. The ending point of this age-old tradition, the ultimate goal of eternal peace, must be an individual experience gained through the hard work and good fortune of each practitioner. Years under a teacher’s divine guidance can best give you the gift of finding your highest teacher within. No sacred teacher wants you to do what they say just because they said so or because you read in an ancient scripture. At its best yoga is a non-dogmatic, non-religious path towards self-realization. All yoga is experiential by definition because no one can live your awakening for you. No matter how many times you read it in scriptures or hear it from your teacher nothing is real for you along the path of yoga until you actually feel it in your own body, mind and soul as a call to action. There is no one who can know your own journey better than yourself and no one who can answer the hardest questions of your life but yourself. Teachers and tradition illuminate the path ahead for you, but you have to take each step with your own two feet. Once you dig deep enough and touch the eternal nature within you hold the key to lead yourself out of darkness into your own salvation.
Yoga seeks to unify the practitioner with the deepest level of themselves through a harmonization of body, mind and soul. When the mind is quiet, the body is healthy and the soul is free every living being can experience what is their birth right, that is, a state of boundless happiness, limitless joy and compassionate power. The entire process of yoga is one of remembering who you really are. In the glory of our true nature we trust the innate goodness of our being and learn to listen to the quiet voice of belief that comes from our deepest sense of self. Against a mountain of evidence to the contrary and doubt that cripples generations you have one thing to hold onto, a soft, subtle, but courageous voice that dares to say I think I can.
About Kino MacGregor
Kino MacGregor is a small business owner (www.miamilifecenter.com), yoga teacher and freelance journalist who has produced two yoga DVDs and is currently working on her first book, Inner Peace, Irresistible Beauty to be released late April 2009. For complete details please see www.ashtanga-awareness.com.
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Asbestosis is a disease of the lung that’s directly associated with the exposure to the toxic product asbestos. If you have asbestosis it’s a scarring of the lungs tissue or a fibrosis if you happen to hear that specific term.
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When we first heard that Biggest Loser cast and alumni were following a detox for the new year, we kind of shook our heads. Biggest Loser has such a balanced approach to eating and fitness that we thought this just goes against what they stand for. Then we did our homework! This is actually a detox a lot of us should probably do to start the new year in a healthy way.
Starting today, Monday, January 4, several members of the Biggest Loser family are starting this detox plan, including Ali Sweeney, Heba Salama and Hollie Self, among others.
How does it work? They’re giving up the following for one week:
“Some friends of mine at Biggest Loser and I wanted to start off on Monday, Jan 4th focusing on health and clean simple foods,” says host Ali Sweeney on her Facebook page. “We’re calling it a ‘detox‘ though i guess it’s not really.” She admits that the program sounds brutal, but that they’ll all feel really good when it’s done.
It’s primarily a vegetarian and whole foods eating approach for an entire week, plus the restriction of sugar, caffeine and alcohol. A lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and water.
Unlike the detox and cleanse products that have swept the online marketing world this past year, this is one approach that is sound and will certainly set you up for success as you continue with a health eating and workout regimen for the remainder of the year.
Sign-up for the Biggest Loser Newsletter!
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Tune in this Monday, January 4 to the Rachael Ray Show when the author of the 400 Calorie Fix reveals the four shocking items in your kitchen that could be derailing your New Year’s resolutions to lose weight.
Think it’s the obvious like Doritos and cookie dough ice cream? Think again. Prevention magazine’s editor-in-chief, Liz Vaccariello, stops by to show how things like how the lights in your kitchen and the color of your plates may be causing you to eat more.
The 400 Calorie Fix is an easy and simple weight loss plan designed by the health and nutrition experts at Prevention, which shows you how you can eat four, 400-calorie meals a day to lose weight.
You can also earn a chance at winning a free copy of the book when you watch the show.
Check your local listings for Rachael Ray Show air times in your area.
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
Tune in this Monday, January 4 to the Dr. Oz Show to learn about the ultimate diet.
As a kick-off to the healthy intentions of the New Year, Dr. Oz and his colleague, Dr. Michael Roizen, will give you just the information, tips and advice you need to successfully lose weight.
Sharing tips from his book, YOU: On a Diet, this well-known doctor will show you how to create a meal plan that will not only trim inches from your waist, but will also improve your health and satiate your appetite. You’ll also learn how to develop and stick with an exercise plan that helps to boost your metabolism and reduce stress.
In the book YOU: On a Diet, Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen explain why the body stores fat and how cutting just 100 calories a day can help you lose a pound per month.
Check your local listings for exact show times.
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
Tune in this Monday, January 4 to join The Doctors 2010 Health Challenge and make this your healthiest year yet!
The Doctors challenge you to quit smoking, drop those extra pounds and relieve undue stress.
Whatever your health goal is this year, The Doctors have the facts, advice, suggestions and most up-to-date health information to help you make those dreams a reality. So tune in to the daytime talk show this Monday and get to work on those New Year’s resolutions.
Check your local listings for exact show times.
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
It’s one thing when a restaurant like Subway comes out with a “diet plan” (thanks to customer Jared Fogle) when the stores are stocked with fresh vegetables, whole grain breads and lean meats. It’s quite another when fast-food giant Taco Bell announces their own version. 
At the entrance of 2010, just as everyone was scrambling to make their weight loss resolutions, Taco Bell announced its new Drive-Thru Diet, based on its Fresco menu.
The “star” of the new Drive-Thru Diet is Christine, a woman who lost 54 pounds in two years by reducing her calorie intake by 500 calories a day, as well as her fat intake. Her very brief story from the Taco Bell Web site leaves much to be desired, being nothing more than a paragraph echoing the copy from full-page magazine ads. She reduced her calories and one vice she didn’t want to give up was fast-food, so she started ordering from Taco Bell’s Fresco menu instead of the traditional menu.
That’s all the background you get. The fine print indicates that Christine’s resutls aren’t typical, and that the Drive-Thru Diet is not a weight loss plan. It also says you should “pay attention to… regular exercise.” There is no mention of what Christine’s exercise regimen looked like while regularly consuming fast-food tacos.
The Fresco menu from Taco Bell debuted in 2008, offering eight menu items that were 20-100 calories lower than regular menu items. The menu, now with only seven items, includes a variety of tacos and burritos ranging from 150 calories to 340 calories.
Now, one 150 calorie crunchy taco doesn’t sound like trouble. But who eats one taco? It’s not like you can pair that with a garden salad or fruit cup, Taco Bell doesn’t offer those items. To get full at lunch, you’d have to order a couple. If you order water, that’s zero calories, but most people order soda. You also have to take in to account the nutritional quality of the ingredients used. You’d of course want to order chicken over beef, ask for extra tomatoes and lettuce, skip the fatty cheese and any condiments, and maybe even score some extra salsa. The white flour tortillas wrapping the burritos aren’t doing anyone any favors either.
Dr. David Katz, director of medical studies in public health at Yale University, told ABC “I also suspect that most people hoping to ‘be’ Christine will be very disappointed, just as most Jared wannabes are. These are likely people who made a dramatic commitment to lifestyle change, and simply relied on a particular source of convenience food as part of their strategy. That doesn’t make that source of convenience food the solution!”
Just as Taco Bell clearly states, this is not a weight loss plan, and shouldn’t be pursued as one. Sure, if you find yourself in a situation where you have to eat fast-food, this menu might make a decent replacement if you can’t find anything else. But fast-food tacos are still fast-food tacos.
Kelly D. Brownell, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, also offered this friendly reminder to consumers via ABC: “This is preposterous. This is the same Taco Bell that has the Volcano Nachos (almost 1,000 calories), that boasts about the 1/2 pound cheesy potato burrito, that has systematically encouraged people to eat between meals with their 4th meal campaign.”
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
Women lose weight differently than men. At least, that’s the way it often appears. Men can just decide to cut out dessert and drop a pants size in a week, and yet, women can work out and eat as cleanly as possible, but look at a dessert and gain five pounds. It’s just not fair, is it? Why is this, and how can women stack the odds to be a bit more in their favor?
The reality is that, as a whole, men are larger and have more muscle than women, thanks to testosterone. Men are genetically designed to have a higher percentage of muscle and less fat, which works in favor of keeping them fit and allowing them to eat more calories. Several popular diet plans have taken these principals into account and have created programs specially designed for women. Here are some of the best diets for women:
This program helps members by introducing healthier choices and physical activity into their lives. Weight Watchers was made popular by its POINTS system, which helps members learn how to have the foods they love and still lose weight. With in-person meetings, online support and even the new iPhone app, Weight Watchers is always there for support and guidance.
This successful weight loss program uses the glycemic index to help you lose weight. With prepackaged meal options shipped directly to you, including some of your favorite foods like burgers and pizza, this diet is light on calories and heavy on satisfaction and results.
One of the most popular diets for women, Jenny Craig has the success rate to back up its claims of being a leader in the diet world. By offering prepackaged, portion controlled meals, Jenny Craig takes the guess work out of what to eat and retrains the dieter to understand correct portions of appropriate foods. With local in-person meetings or phone support, there is always someone to help you stay on the right path.
Jillian Michaels Master Your Metabolism
Created by the fitness guru, this is a three-step program designed to repair the damage that years of fat-free foods, artificial sweeteners, diet sodas and processed weight loss foods have done to your hormones and consequently, your metabolism. Jillian Michaels calls these “frankenfoods.” This is a no-nonsense, informative and effective program that retrains your body to rely on natural foods, smart eating, and healthy lifestyle habits in order to restart your metabolism and transform it into a fat-burning machine.
One of the most exciting plans ever created, Drs. Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen help people identify a realistic approach to slimming their waistline, and not necessarily losing weight. The basic premise of removing over-processed foods, those containing high fructose corn syrup, anything that says hydrogenated, trans-fats and other food ingredients that do more harm than good and replacing them with whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats creates a sound and solid diet that can’t help but have a positive affect on a body.
A comprehensive diet overhaul, the Gorgeously Green diet is the first of its kind to tie environmental awareness in with weight loss. With three different levels, you perform a complete kitchen purge where you rid your fridge and pantry of unhealthy eats and replace them with upgraded staples. This diet encourages you to create a fitness plan and eat a natural, preservative free, whole foods-based diet.
Not an official diet, this book recommends that you use a diet of your own choosing and, instead, address the behaviors that might be causing you to cheat and be unsuccessful on whatever diet you’re on. For many people, embracing, understanding overcoming the internal struggles can be their best advantage in losing weight.
According to a recent study released by the American Diabetes Association, a diet rich in Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs) will help reduce abdominal fat. By adding MUFAs to your diet, you can help your body trim fats. The diet also has you add Sassy water (water blended with ginger) and advocates drinking large portions throughout the day. For MUFAs, each meal will include food items like avocados, nuts, olive oil and even chocolate.
Offering workout stations that require just 30 minutes to complete and found in busy storefronts, the Curves program offers a convenient way to use their female-only gyms. The gym also features a weight management program that can help you lose weight and improve your nutrition. For an additional cost, you get an online component which offers more support and motivation to succeed.
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
Well, 2010 is here and it’s time to start those New Year’s resolutions. A popular resolution by many people is to increase their fitness level. Well, the first step to doing so is finding a gym. Finding the right gym is a difficult process and in some cases a huge hassle. Follow these simple steps below and you will find the right gym/health club.
Beginner’s Guide to the Gym:
Step 1: Research several gyms/health clubs and find a few that satisfy your needs/wants.
Step 2: Visit each of those gyms/health clubs and tour them to see if you like or dislike the environment/equipment.
Step 3: Sit down with a membership representative and figure out if you want to do a month-to-month or yearly plan.
Step 4: Use a personal trainer! Most gyms/health clubs offer free personal training sessions for new members. Take advantage of this to get new fitness tips and answers to your questions. (Learn more about How to Find the Right Personal Trainer.)
Step 5: Set a goal. Setting a reasonable goal is the biggest part of this process. Don’t shoot the moon right out of the gates. Start slow and progress to more difficult workout routines. This will help motivate you and give you something to strive for. Reward yourself every time you meet your goal, this will keep you on track and give you something to look forward to.
Step 6: Get on a three to five day workout routine to help you stay committed and on task. I recommend doing cardio before weights, but figure out what works for you and go with it!
Step 7: Switch your workout every four to eight weeks to maximize your results. If you keep the same routine, your body will adapt and a plateau effect (slow or no progress) will occur.
Step 8: Make friends at the gym. Every gym that I have worked or worked out at seems to be like an extended family. Feel free to ask other members/employees questions if you have any. Everyone is there for the same reason, to get fit!
Step 9: Don’t ever give up! Losing weight/gaining weight takes time. Stay dedicated and motivated.
Step 10: Have fun and sweat it out!
If you’re new to the gym, you might also benefit from reading:
The Dos and Don’ts of Gym Etiquette
One-Month Beginner Cardio Program
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
2009 was a terrific year. 2010 is going to be better. How do I know? Because I’ll be eating my way to a prosperous 2010.
Whether it’s long noodles for longevity, lentils for wealth and abundance,…
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Me: I should post the turkey sandwich with the cranberry sauce. Everyone will have leftover cranberry sauce to use up.
Me: Nope. Too much like Thanksgiving. I’ll go with the Southwest…
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Jeff and I have been starving ourselves for the last two days. Well, not actually starving. We did have our morning coffee. Oh, and I sneaked in a couple of double chocolate pomegranate cookies…
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Hello Everybody,
Many thanks to all of you who participated in this year’s Eat Christmas Cookies event! You brought sweetness and joy into the kitchens of people around the world. May your…
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You may think given my adoration of Christmas cookies, that I don’t make anything else for the holidays. That’s not true. I make cake. No, not fruit cake. Bad, bad childhood memory. I prefer this…
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Have you ever wondered why it’s called “salt water taffy” when there’s no salt water in it? How about how to make gummy bears or homemade marshmallow chicks (yup, I’m talking about Peeps)?
If so,…
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I’m happy to introduce you to Nicole Docimo, an artist and blogger living in Davis, California. On her blog, Blue Bicicletta: Art and Illustration, Nicole writes engagingly about the joys and…
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Chances are good that over the next couple of weeks, you’ll be attending a few holiday parties. You’ll be needing hostess gifts. Flowers, wine, and fudge are all fine, but truffles are better….
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Thanks to dedicated bloggers, bakers, and chefs, vegan baking is no longer shrouded in mystery. With vegan blogs, cookbooks, and restaurants, anybody can try out vegan food, including vegan cookies….
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Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market in California, Arizona, and Nevada believes that fresh, wholesome food should be “simple and affordable.” In addition to their regular year-round products, Fresh…
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If you have any shame about your weight or fear of not completing your weight loss goals, you may be tempted to not share your journey with those around you. Too often, we try to do everything on our own and not accept the help of those that love us. Maybe it is not because you are embarrassed or afraid to disappoint, perhaps you just do not want to bother someone with your problems. Just like I have to remind myself that I am not Wonder Woman, it is OK to accept and even ask for help.
Recently, I chastised my mother and aunts for taking on too much and trying to prepare the entire Christmas meal by themselves. With a family of 50, that is quite an undertaking, but also unnecessary. I suggested that they each delegate to their children (and grandchildren); however, because they are used to caring for all of us, they were not entirely comfortable asking for help.
So with the help of Facebook and text messaging, I was able to delegate and organize an extensive menu in three days with the participation of four generations. (Have I mentioned how fabulous my family is?) I even turned to Twitter for recipe ideas since I was left with ‘cranberries.’ Of course, I’m not writing about the wonders of social media…
Undertaking any life change is hard work. If emotional issues are involved with your weight gain, it can be even more painful. It is OK to ask for support and assistance. It is very likely that your friends and family want you to be healthy as much as you do. They can support you emotionally by sharing your experience with them if you can. Sometimes people who want to be supportive can say the wrong things because they do not know what to say. If this a hindrance for you, there may be other ways that you can allow those who want to support you to help you through this process.
Can you let someone cut up veggies for you? Can your children help you measure out snack portions into small containers? Can you ask a friend to hold you accountable for your workouts? Will a family member help fund your gym membership? Maybe you need to delegate some of your other tasks and responsibilities so you can focus on weight loss? Can you hire a housekeeper during this time period? The cost is minimal compared to returns you will receive for investing in your health.
How can you delegate?
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
As we move into the new year with many focuses shifting to dieting and calorie counting, I wanted to make sure that you take the time to focus on one very important, often overlooked, area.
Vitamin L is probably not a vitamin you have heard of before. The reason for this is vitamin L is not a vitamin you can get through eating the right foods or from taking capsules. You can’t get vitamin L from the sun’s beautiful rays. Vitamin L stands for “love” and is equally important in our health and well being as the vitamins our bodies need to function.
Love can mean so many different things to different people, but we all know how good it makes us feel inside to know that someone cares about us. I have always found it to be equally important to show your love as much as it is to receive it. It can be those little gestures that mean the most and get us feeling warm all over. Here are some ideas to get you spreading the love (vitamin L) around.
Remember it’s the little things that mean the most. Spread the love around and it will come back to you. Love can lift our spirits and help turn our day around.
Stay tuned next week, 1/8, as the vitamin guide concludes with zinc.
Post from: Diets in Review Blog
You’re on Facebook. We’re on Facebook. We should get together! Joining DietsInReview.com on Facebook is just one of the many ways you can stay connected with our health and wellness community. And it’s so easy because we’re in the one place you’re already hanging out.
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There are a number of ways you can stay connected with DietsInReview.com, and YouTube is one of them. Subscribe to our channel to be the first to know when we’ve loaded new videos.
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Yes, we’re doing it, too! There are a number of ways to keep up and interact with DietsInReview.com, and Twitter is one of them. We love tweeting because it helps us stay connected with our readers and fans in a unique and personal way.
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I mailed a check today to the Seva Foundation in the amount of $200 asking it to be used specifically for the Kilimanjaro Center for Community Ophthalmology. You can read about the eye clinic here.A big hug and thanks to:ShelleyBoband Svastifor their donations!If anyone else wants to donate, please DO NOT send the money to my Paypal account, send it diretly to Seva as per the instructions in my
Lots of good advice here, but my three favorites are nos. 21, 33, and 37.HEALTH:1. Drink plenty of water.2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like beggar.3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants. 4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.5. Make time to meditate.7. Read more books than
photo ©Loba Landscapes, 2009An oldie but a goodie that I think is appropriate for this time of the year….Making Room for New GrowthWhenever I talk on mindfulness meditation (or mindfulness training as I call it now) I always throw out these questions: how many of you are working on automatic pilot? are you so comfortable that you have become numb to the present moment? "How much pruning do
This is all that any of us really need.Merry ChristmasHappy Holidayspeaceshantiasalaam ‘alaykumMAY ALL BEINGS HAVE HAPPINESS AND THE CAUSES OF HAPPINESSMAY ALL BEINGS BE FREE FROM SUFFERING AND THE CAUSES OF SUFFERINGMAY ALL BEINGS NEVER BE PARTED FROM FREEDOM’S TRUE JOYMAY ALL BEINGS DWELL IN EQUANIMITY, FREE FROM ATTACHMENT AND AVERSIONThat is my wish for you.<!– AddThis Button BEGIN –>
I believe that all yoga is healing if applied in the right manner. No one called Krishnamacharya a "yoga therapist" and you were surely not able to become certified as one back in his day. When I took my first two courses of study at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, we listened every day to the stories of private students about how the particular style of yoga that is taught at KYM is a
(originally uploaded by http://www.flickr.com/photos/macchick1/)I’m leaving the country for eight weeks in 15 days so I’ve been feeling a bit scattered, making my lists and checking them twice. I have to sit down soon and concentrate on writing my dharma talks for Africa — one is an introduction to mindfulness meditation and the other is "Buddha’s Four Foundations of Mindfulness and how they
Did you know that two-thirds of the 45 million blind people in the world are female, yet women receive less than half of eye care services?The Kilimanjaro Center for Community Ophthalmology in Moshi, Tanzania (KCCO), supported by the Seva Foundation, was to be the recipient of the money I was going to collect from each western participant in my Yoga Adventure in Africa in February. KCCO’s
I’ve been writing this blog since 2005 when I decided that nothing would stop me from traveling to the heart of yoga. On March 25, 2005 I entitled my first blog post "no turning back". I was reminded that I started planning for my trip in 2004, only two years after I became a teacher. I smiled when I read that first post today because I remembered my naivety about India. I wore my rose-colored
My blogging time here is growing shorter. Thirty-three more days and I step on the plane for a yoga adventure of a lifetime (and yes, this woman of a certain age still feels blessed to be able to do this.) I’m starting out in Chennai, my second home, at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. Taught by Desikachar’s senior teachers, I will have four private classes a day in meditation, pranayama,
ancient stone carving of vrksasana at the UNESCO World Heritage Site,Mahabalipuram — more than 100 years oldphoto © 2005 Linda-SamaKeep those comments comin’ as you read the second installment of Svasti’s guest blogger post. I give my sincere heartfelt thanks to Svasti (my yoga sister in more ways than one) for taking on the challenge! By the way, one of my classes at the Krishnamacharya Yoga
Interested in learning more about how The 100 Calorie Diet can help you solve your weight problem once and for all? The 100 Calorie Diet Book reviews are all over the web and I’m posting a few today. To learn more about The 100 Calorie Diet, The 100 Calorie Diet …
It’s about time to get serious about losing those extra pounds! Feel great and lose weight with The 100 Calorie Diet, The 100 Calorie Diet Food Counter and The 100 Calorie Diet Cookbook. You can start losing weight and feeling great today with The 100 Calorie Diet. Learn more by clicking HERE!
Let’s …
I have more information for all my peeps out there in the blogosphere about The 100 Calorie Diet. Here is an excerpt from The 100 Calorie Diet’s Welcome letter:
Welcome to The 100 Calorie Diet and Food Counter family! We are very happy to be working with you towards your …
Know what I love? Comfort foods! One of my favorite comfort foods is Meatloaf. Check out my 100 calorie meatloaf recipe.
Susie’s 100 Calorie Meatloaf
1 Lb. 95/5 Ground Beef – 800 Calories
1 Onion, Chopped – FREE
2 Sliced Bread, Crumbled – 100 Calories
2 Small Eggs – 100 Calories
Salt, Pepper and Garlic To …