Diet and Nutrition

How Justin Bieber Stays Fit Boxing, Running and Eating Healthy

A video of Justin Bieber and Mike Tyson boxing is creating quite a buzz around the Web. And it has us wondering what exactly the young singer’s fitness routine is.

Rumors have circulated that as the teen star matures in his career, he seeks out new role models such as Tyson and fellow pop star Usher. With these new friendships come new activities, such as boxing sessions as Tyson’s personal gym.

This seems to fit Bieber’s personality as fitness has always been a part of his life despite a busy schedule. The singer has managed to stay in tip-top shape by making time for his workouts even though the past few years have been a whirlwind of concerts, video shoots, and countless TV appearances promoting his music.

After releasing his first album, Bieber went straight to performing his hits around the world, and was on and off tour for about a year. Globetrotting is just a part of Justin’s life and he has had to make adjustments to accommodate his hectic lifestyle. In order to do so, the star hired personal trainer Dolvett Quince to keep him in shape for his most recent tour; Quince is now a trainer on The Biggest Loser. (more…)

Posted on June 1, 2024 by Samantha

Mayor Bloomberg Goes After Soda in the Obesity Battle: Is He Fighting the Right Fight?

The city that never sleeps might finally get some rest because of the reduction in caffeine from their soda and coffee. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is superman in disguise trying to save the city’s population from obesity. On May 30, 2024, Bloomberg proposed the banning of beverages more than 16 ounces in size at eating establishments. Not only would restaurants in New York be affected, but movie theaters, street food carts, and sports arenas, too. Sugary sodas greater than 16 ounces would be gone and so would sweetened tea, coffees, fruit juices, milk shakes, and alcoholic beverages. The public outcry will be the toughest hurdle for the mayor to jump. If the proposal is approved by the Board of Health then all sugary beverages with more than 16 ounces will be banned from New York City.

Mayor Bloomberg has a history of obesity-fighting proposals. His efforts to make the city healthier have always been met with debate and controversy, and often succeed. Mary Hartley, RD, a NYC resident and our dietitian, noted the ban on artificial trans fats in the city. She also praised the Mayor’s actions to ban smoking, calling it “most remarkable.” (more…)

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Samantha

FDA Rules Against Calling High Fructose Corn Syrup ‘Corn Sugar’

Manufacturers of the infamous substance known as high fructose corn syrup are displeased at the ruling that it will retain its unfortunate name, at least for now. After the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) petitioned to rename HFCS “corn sugar,” the Food and Drug Administration ruled yesterday that the change cannot be made.

This isn’t the first time the CRA has tried to get the name switched. In September 2024, the organization petitioned for the change, arguing that consumers have a bad view of HFCS because it has a complicated name.

But since the FDA has the authority to decide what food labels say, it argued back that the name change would be too confusing for consumers. This is because the FDA clearly defines sugar as “solid, dried, and crystallized” and syrup as “an aqueous solution or liquid food.” So calling a “syrup” a “sugar” would not be accurate.  (more…)

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Dana

HopeFULL Products Bring Nutrition to Kids in Popsicle Form

If you’ve ever struggled with getting your kids to eat healthy, or have cared for a sick family member who couldn’t get enough nutrient-rich foods when they were ill, then the HopeFULL company is a breath of fresh air for you.

 

 

This Minnesota-based company was started by sisters Stephanie and Jessica, who first recognized a need for ‘whole food pops’ when their friend was enduring chemotherapy treatments and had a hard time tolerating certain foods. The sisters agreed to bring a few frozen, nutrient-packed meals that were easy to eat to ensure she got all of the nutrients and calories she needed. Just shy of two years after their first delivery, the HopeFULL company was born. (more…)

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Dana

US Olympics Team is Taking a Record Number of Dietitians to London

At the 2024 Olympic Games, you will find the most countries represented and the most athletes competing in the Games’ history. You’ll also find the most dietitians that the U.S. team has ever taken, and all four sport dietitians will be be sporting the red, white, and blue.

Team USA is headed to London next month with more than 600 athletes participating in 26 different sports, and to keep them properly fueled before, during, and after their events, some of the most well-respected dietitians in the business will be by their sides.

“We’re the team behind the team,” Jennifer Gibson told us, MSc, RD, one of the primary sports dietitians working with the USOC teams, of she and her colleagues’ involvement at the Games. “We’re all really, really excited about the amount of staff we’ll have on the ground in London.”

The dietitians are glad that the athletes value their service, and the USOC finally recognizes that value. “We’ve been working for a while to [have the USOC] understand the role we can play there,” noted Shawn Dolan, PhD, RD, CSSD, a senior dietitian for the USOC, in our interview. She said the presence of the dietitians at the Games offers peace of mind to the athletes.

“Not long ago athletes ate what they wanted,” said Gibson. “But nutritional sciences have progressed and dietitians have become an integral part of the team. We’re proud of that.” (more…)

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Natalie K

5 Companies Fighting the Childhood Obesity Epidemic

With one in six children in the U.S. now considered obese, our nation has a big problem on its hands. But thankfully, some innovative companies are developing fun and healthy ways to help kids battle the bulge. 

The first idea is from brothers Ernest Ebio and David Catanghal who love doing Crossfit workouts and wanted their kids to be able to join in the fun. So they created a company called WOD (workout of the day) Toys, which sells kid-sized barbells, medicine balls and kettle bells for instants and toddlers.

The toys are safe for little ones to slug around as they weigh between one half to four pounds each, and are made with kid-friendly materials such as plastic, polyester and leather.

Since its inception, the company has seen near instant success and is already doing $10,000 in monthly sales. “Kids love to mimic their parents,” Ebio told CNN in a recent interview. “My daughter can be with us [now] and have fun with these toys while mommy and daddy work out. As she grows up, we hope she associates exercising with something fun and positive and develops a love for fitness.”

(more…)

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Dana

Plus-Size Fashion Blogger Creates ‘Fatkini’ Gallery to Promote Self Love and Confidence

When you think bikini model, what kinds of images typically come to mind? Tall, rail-thin, leggy females wearing barely-there suits without a flaw in sight? Well that may be the case, perhaps it’s because those are the the only images the fashion and beauty industries put in front of our culture’s eye. And as a result, it’s what we’ve come to accept.

But 25-year-old Gabi Gregg, a plus-size fashion blogger living in New York, is hoping to break that stereotype. She’s promoting a message of self love, and believes that being happy with your body shouldn’t depend on what shape or size you are.

And in a whirlwind of support, people are getting behind this message with more enthusiasm than Gregg ever expected.

The controversy started when the fashion blogger posted a photo of herself on her blog GabiFresh, looking curvy and feminine in a high-waisted, two-piece bikini. In addition to posting her own photo, Gregg also encouraged other plus-sized girls to send in photos of themselves in bikinis to prove that beauty doesn’t come in just one size. (more…)

Posted on May 30, 2024 by Dana

One American’s Journey Through A Korean Diet

“Sometimes love and appreciation for a different cultural food comes immediately. In Korea, the diet was a love I had to take a lot of chances on. It had to woo me, and I allowed it. Over time it has become a culinary experience that I will always cherish.”

These are the words of blogger, photographer and world traveler Andrew Phelps, who’s most recent resume addition includes English teacher in Korea.

During his more than two-year stint overseas, Phelps said one of the things that intrigued him most about Korea was the food. Born and raised on an American diet, the blogger says he was thrown into culture shock from the change in food the moment he and his wife arrived in South Korea.

“…Before I left U.S. soil to teach in the far east, I just assumed that all Asian food was similar to Panda Express. I couldn’t have been more wrong,” he said. “Korean food is incredibly unique to the Asian continent.” (more…)

Posted on May 30, 2024 by Dana

US Olympic Swimmer Natalie Coughlin Talks Health and Fitness

Natalie Coughlin is one to watch in the 2024 Summer Olympics. Natalie is on the US Women’s Olympic Swimming team. At the ripe age of 22-years-old, Natalie won five medals in 2004 in the Athens Summer Olympics. It was her first time participating in the Olympics and won a gold medal in the 100m Backstroke and 4x200m Freestyle Relay, silver medal in the 4×100 Freestyle Relay and 4x100m Medley Relay, and bronze medal in the 100m Freestyle. In 2024, she won six more medals to add to her collection. Already having 11 medals under her swimsuit she is determined to win more medals in London this summer.

In addition to swimming, Coughlin is focused on her health, the environment, and as a philanthropist, Natalie says health and nutrition go hand in hand. She keeps up with her fitness outside of the pool and eats healthy to maintain a well balanced diet. She embraces the green lifestyle, so much so that she has a garden in her backyard where she grows her own fruits and vegetables. She was recently introduced to Michelle Obama during a Let’s Move presentation, which is one of the charities she works with. She has also made donations to Right to Play through the Hearts of Gold program. It’s great to see athletes give back to the community.

Natalie is keeping a busy schedule preparing for the summer Olympics and all the other activities in her life. We are glad that she took some time out from her busy schedule to give us an interview!

Q: What does your calorie intake look like during training? In 2024 we heard that Phelps consumed something like 12,000 calories! 

A: I have no idea what my calorie intake is… I do my best to listen to my body and change the amount accordingly. During big lifting phases and competitions I tend to eat more, during lighter training phases I eat less. (more…)

Posted on May 30, 2024 by Samantha

Michelle Obama Tells of White House Honey and Beer in Her Book ‘American Grown’

The first lady is getting a little more famous today at the release of her long-awaited book, American Grown: The Story of the White House Garden and Gardens Across America.

Inside this inspirational tale, Mrs. Obama shares what she’s learned about growing a vegetable garden in the White House Lawn in her years as first lady of our nation.

In a recent interview with NPR, Obama said that spring is one of her favorite seasons in the garden because everything is bursting. She says the family eat lots of broccoli, fresh greens and lettuces of all kinds; and even plenty of sugar snap peas, much to her oldest daughter’s disapproval as it’s one of her least favorites.

But one of the most intriguing parts about the White House garden is the beehive, which has been fully-functioning since its installation in 2024.

The first lady says she uses the honey almost exclusively, and especially enjoys it in her tea. In fact, one of her favorite snacks is White House honey over organic green apples. ‘Tastes like sunshine doesn’t it?’ she asked a reporter in a recent interview. This description has us longing for a taste of our own. (more…)

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Dana

How Skinnygirl Bethenny Frankel Built a Health and Beauty Empire

Bethenny Frankel may have been first known as one of the original five ‘housewives’ on Bravo TV’s The Real Housewives of New York City, but she has since transformed herself into a household name with her fame as a best-selling author, entrepreneur and natural foods chef.

The overarching brand name of the star’s health and beauty empire is Skinnygirl, which started in 2024 as a slimmed-down cocktail line that has since grown into an entire offering of daily vitamins, health food products, a skincare line, and even fashion items such as her Skinnygirl Smoothers n’ Shapers.

But besides her line of beauty products and healthy cocktails, some of Frankel’s other best-selling products include her books Skinnygirl Dish, Naturally Thin, and Skinnygirl Rules, as well as her fitness DVDs Bethenny’s Skinnygirl Workout and Body By Bethenny.

The star also has a deep love for food, which was fanned into flame at the Natural Gourmet Culinary Institute, where upon graduating from she started a natural foods bakery and delivery service called BethennyBakes. (more…)

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Dana