Diet and Nutrition

Doctor Oz Chimes in on the Organic vs. Conventional Produce Debate

Dr. Oz Show LogoBe sure to tune in to Dr. Oz onThursday, October 4 for a segment dedicated to the controversy surrounding organic foods. Are the headlines true, that they are not any more nutritious than conventionally grown foods? Are organic foods not worth the cost? Dr. Oz speaks to a pediatrician who is angry about what he calls the public’s deception concerning the dangers of pesticides in food.

Recent news stories have reported on studies showing few differences between organic and conventional produce. Other studies, however, have found links between pesticides and ADHD, early-onset puberty, and even arsenic-laced rice. See what the doctor thinks about the benefits and misconceptions of organically grown fruits and vegetables. (more…)

Posted on October 3, 2024 by SarahS

Julia Kozerski Documents 160-Pound Weight Loss With Her iPhone

Julia Kozerski, 28, doesn’t share a weight loss story like many others. Over the course of a year, not long after her wedding in 2024, Julia embarked on an incredible weight loss journey that left her half her original size. In the process of losing nearly 160 pounds, Julia documented the entire experience in an unlikely place: In dressing rooms using her iPhone.

Julia works as an advertising and marketing manager in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and received her bachelor’s degree from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. It was during her time spent there, mostly researching beauty, body image, and identity, that she underwent her incredible transformaton.

To slim down, Julia says she stopped eating junk food and cleaned up her diet. She also began counting calories and weighed and portioned her food to stay on track. For exercise, she began walking and biking, also employing a BodyBugg, which she wore to help keep track of her daily calorie expenditure.

As an artist and photographer, it felt natural for Julia to document her body’s changes. Though she never meant to share the photos publicly, she later released them as two artistic galleries on her personal website JuliaKozerski.com. Snippits of the more than 200 photos taken in dressing rooms between 2024 and 2024 can be found in “Changing Room.” The mostly nude series titled “Half,” documents her body’s changes in a much more intimate way.

We recently spoke with Julia to gain a more in-depth look at her inspiring journey. (more…)

Posted on October 3, 2024 by Dana

The Perils of Food Porn: How Lustful Food Photos Affect Our Appetites

We’ve all been there: It’s late, you’re scrolling through Pinterest and you see a sexy photo of an ice cream-topped brownie with a thick drizzle of fudge running down the side. On top? A hefty mound of fresh whipped cream and plenty of strawberries. Immediately, you’re sucked in: You need that brownie.

Whether this has happened to you or not, you’ve likely heard of the phenomenon that’s now commonly known as “food porn.”

As a food blogger and food gawker myself, food porn has affected me over and over again. Just this summer while visiting friends in Portland, I stumbled across a photo on Pinterest of a chocolate chip skillet cookie. In that moment, I decided I absolutely had to have some for myself. Hours later I was happy as a pig, mindlessly eating my own thick slice of ice cream-topped cookie pie.

Pinterest isn’t the only website pimping out its tantilizing food photos. In fact, it’s just the beginning. Dozens of other food sites like Foodgawker, Tastespotting and Dessert Stalking host a wide array of tempting food photos, with the cheesiest, gooey-est and most comforting shots often gaining the most attention.  (more…)

Posted on October 2, 2024 by Dana

Mindfully Eat Your Way to Weight Loss This Fall

In many parts of the country, fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year. Other bonuses of the season including being able to exercise outdoors without fear of heat stroke and the holidays are quickly bringing family an friends together. However, that’s also a downside. With the holidays comes the lure of many enticing foods that will quickly pack on the pounds. Fad diets that promise quick weight loss may show results at first, but many times lost weight is regained as soon as the holiday decor is taken down.

Before this holiday season gives you even more reasons to overeat, change your bad eating habits in favor of ones with lasting weight loss.

We spoke with Susan Albers, PsyD., a clinical psychologist and author of Eating Mindfully, to hear her advice on how to achieve weight loss goals through permanent changes in eating habits.

“Seventy-five percent of overeating is caused by emotions, yet most of our diets focus on food, which is why they fail,” she said. “They don’t teach what to do for cravings or slip ups.”

Instead of another diet failing, focus on what she calls mindful eating. It’s not a diet with menus or recipes, instead it’s about changing psychological habits. “It’s more about how you eat than what you eat,” Dr. Albers said. (more…)

Posted on October 2, 2024 by SarahS

Dietitian Cheryl Forberg Returns to Biggest Loser in Season 14

One of the most important people behind the scenes at Biggest Loser left at the end of season 12. Changing directions at the show and within her own life lead Cheryl Forberg, RD away from the ranch for the first time since the show’s inception. But when NBC called her out of the blue last month and asked her to return, Cheryl says, “I said yes in about three minutes.”

“Yes, Cheryl is back and we’re looking forward to a great season,” said an NBC spokesperson, confirming the dietitian’s return.

It’s obvious that Biggest Loser is a place this renowned dietitian and chef can call home. When she announced her departure last November there was a lot of shock. She told us then that the seven-plus years she’d worked on the show, helping to co-author the contestants’ nutrition program, was the longest working relationship she’d ever had. Apparently, the “enriching” and “unique” experience she had couldn’t keep her away. The contestants are likely better off for it.

“She’s a very warm lady who is always there to help us even to this day,” said Mark Pinhasovich, the season 10 at-home winner, upon learning of Cheryl’s return.

Cheryl has already been out to the ranch to meet the newest batch of contestants, who will debut in season 14 this upcoming January. With a week or two of filming and training already under their shrinking belts, they’ve no doubt already gotten a heavy dose of Cheryl’s medicine. Early impressions are good from her viewpoint.

“I just spent a few days with the new cast and I love them all,” she told us. “Their positive energy and enthusiasm is contagious and I’m certain you’ll feel it when you watch the first episode.” (more…)

Posted on October 2, 2024 by Natalie K

Brain Neurons Influence Weight Gain and Diabetes

Jason Knapfel manages content for the WeightWise Bariatric Program in Edmond, Oklahoma.

If someone tries to motivate you by telling you that weight loss is “all in your head,” they may be right in more ways than one. A lack of AgRP brain neurons has been linked to a greater potential for being obese or developing diabetes. However, that outcome may be linked to your diet… If a study on mice can be shown to have a parallel to humans.

According to a research report published in The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Journal, lack of AgRP-neurons, brain cells involved in controlling food intake, led to obesity if the mice studied were fed a regular carbohydrate diet. However, when the animals are raised on a high-fat diet, they end up leaner and healthier.

The different outcomes are due to how the AgRP neurons influence the way the body breaks down and stores nutrients. Mice that lack the brain neurons don’t adapt well to a carbohydrate diet and appear to have a metabolism best suited for a high-fat diet. (more…)

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Jason

Christina Aguilera Embraces Life as a “Fat Girl”

The woman made famous for her amazing voice has been getting much more attention lately for her voluptuous figure. Thirty-one-year old performer and mother Christina Aguilera is much curvier than she was when she first burst onto the scene as a teenage singing sensation in 1998.

Earlier this year, Christina was slammed for her weight after making concert appearances in scantily clad ensembles revealing a much curvier figure. Specifically, she drew much attention for her appearance at the Michael Jackson Tribute Concert after uncomfortably donning a tight corset and fishnet stockings during her performance.

The star admitted to drinking more after going through her divorce from former husband of five years, Jordan Bratman, and being lax on her diet.

Her poor diet choices and junk food binge eating slip-ups added up to lots of extra calories and plenty of weight gain. As a result, Aguilera’s weight has fluctuated drastically over the last several years.

Proof of this came just months after her Michael Jackson Tribute appearance when she was photographed looking much slimmer and seemingly “back on track” in terms of her health and her size. (more…)

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Dana

Plus-Size Model Robyn Lawley Embraces Size 12 Figure, Lands Ralph Lauren Campaign

You wouldn’t know it from looking at her tall, lean figure, but 23-year-old Robyn Lawley is a plus-size model who has been deemed the “plus-size wonder from down under.”

At 6-foot-2-inches tall, Lawley is a size 12 and breaking stereotypes left and right with her curvy physique. Just this year, she became the first plus-size model to land a campaign with legendary clothing designer Ralph Lauren.

The model appeared on Good Morning America recently to discuss her growing success not only as a model, but also as a figure of health and beauty for women all over the world.

(more…)

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Dana

How to Cook with Tofu

Tofu used to scare me, but now we’re quite comfortable with each other. I pick up a package once a month or so to add as a nice meat-free protein source to my favorite recipes. I find it works best in dishes with very high flavor profiles, such as sweet and spicy pad thai, since tofu lacks much taste on its own but absorbs seasonings well.

Though tofu can be tricky to master at first, once you get the hang of it it can prove quite useful as an alternative and cost-friendly meat alternative in your diet.

Health benefits: Tofu is a bean curd that’s made by adding mineral salt, such as calcium sulfate, and water to a soybean “mash.” The salt makes the protein and fiber in the soy turn thick and smooth, and it’s then pressed in to a block for packaging. Tofu is a great and cheap source of calcium and vitamin E and is very rich in protein. One half-cup serving contains nearly 10 grams.

Tofu also boasts such benefits as lowering bad cholesterol, alleviating symptoms of menopause, and even lowering risk of cancer when eaten regularly.  (more…)

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Dana

Julie Ragland Invested in Herself to Lose 54 Pounds in a Year

Sometimes life can catch us off guard, whether for good or worse. Julie Ragland (right, in the photo) can testify to this truth. Her journey through weight gain and weight loss were not in her original life plans, but she’s managed to give this story a happy ending. With many positive changes since spring 2024, Julie has gone from depressed and weighing 243 pounds to being a spirited, happy woman who weighs 189 pounds. She says she’s not done losing weight (with 25 more pounds to go), but her weight loss to date has given her back much that she lost.

Julie admits that life was good leading up to 2024. Weight was not an issue for her, she had been an athlete playing soccer, volleyball, tennis, and was also a cheerleader. However, this all changed when her family was overwhelmed with many tragedies. Julie admits to falling into a depression that came with “a huge weight gain.” This weight gain manifested in struggles through many areas of her life.

Julie told us, “I struggled with my body image and the way that I thought that others perceived me because of my weight. I didn’t hang out with friends much because I was ashamed of my weight gain and I thought I was being judged.”

Julie stopped shopping for clothes because it only fueled her depression. She said she’d only buy shoes or purses, but never clothes. However, it was the clothes that caused Julie to see things differently.

“My Ah-ha Moment came when my size 18 jeans started getting tight on me and I REFUSED to put a 2 in the front of my size!” (more…)

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Lacy

Pimp That Recipe: The Ultimate (Healthier) Chocolate Chip Cookie

By Abra Pappa for NutritiousAmerica.com

What is more delicious than warm chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven? Not much I tell ya, not much. We all should have a reliable, delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe in our back pocket to wow impromptu guests and convince our kids that we are, indeed, super mom.

Trouble is most cookie recipes begin with ingredients that need..well.. pimping! I encourage you to push beyond your baking comfort zone to try this nutrient dense, crazy delicious treat. The ingredients here should easily be added to your arsenal of real food, health promoting pantry staples.

So let’s pimp that recipe! (more…)

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Nutritious_America