Diet and Nutrition

Joe Cassise Lost Nearly 100 Pounds with “Borrowed” Inspiration

A spark clicked in my head, and I thought maybe I can use this to lose weight. Maybe this is a sign.

That’s how Joe Cassise described his weight loss epiphany. Did he come to this healthy affirmation after an impassioned speech by a friend? Did he watch a particularly heartwarming episode of The Biggest Loser, or see a motivational bumper sticker on the highway? No.

Joe’s weight loss story begins with a poor choice, but ends with a new outlook life, and a staggering 90 pound weight loss.

Joe Cassise describes himself as a mostly typical teenager. Already on the heavy end of the scale as a child, Joe said his weight really skyrocketed in high school due to lack of exercise and eating fast food twice a day. After high school, he enrolled in cosmetology school and started a relationship that would take its toll, both mentally and physically. “I guess I just let myself go at a young age, he said.”

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Posted on March 29, 2024 by Dani Stone

Don’t Believe the Hype of Super Food Powders! Dietitian Says They Aren’t Worth It

Lucuma, camu, maqui – their names alone sound like something exotic and wonderful. In fact, they’re some of the more common “super food” powders that many people are adding to their diet for added nutrition.

However, they may not be as beneficial as claimed. Many of these powders aren’t quite what they appear to be. Dr. Mike Roussell discussed some of the reasons to avoid these powders in Shape Magazine.

“The trap that we fall into with many of these super food powders has to do with their exotic origins and the nutritional buzzwords attached to them,” he told the magazine. “There is something alluring about these foods being used by ancient cultures in faraway jungles that causes us to assume that they must be better for us than the ‘regular’ foods we are currently eating.”

That’s really the gimmick of super food powders. Sure, some of them may include nutrients that do wonders for the body, but those nutrients aren’t exclusive to the powders. They can be found in more common foods as well. (more…)

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Elizabeth

Chips Made With “Healthier” Ingredients May Not Be as Healthy as You Think

When the snack time munchies strike, you know that a handful of potato chips isn’t the way to go. Instead you reach for chips made out of quinoa, sweet potatoes, or veggies. But are they really a better option?

Unfortunately, just because a chip is made out of something traditionally considered healthy, it isn’t a guaranteed healthy snack choice. The process used to make chips, no matter what they’re made out of, can strip many of the foods’ natural health benefits.

When looking for the perfect crunchy snack, it’s important to pay close attention to what’s on the nutrition label and in the ingredients list. For example, our friends over at Shape Magazine found a chip made from quinoa (a normally fiber-rich food) that contained essentially no fiber per serving. However, the chips did have 9 grams of protein and just 12 grams of carbohydrates per 20-chip serving. (more…)

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Elizabeth

Algae, Peas, and Crickets: 3 New, Sorta Out There Sources of Protein

Athletes need protein—it’s a must. According to a recent article from Runner’s World, athletes can expect fatigue, loss of muscle mass, and heightened risk of injury when protein consumption is low. (The article recommends 0.55 to 0.77 grams per lb of body weight, meaning a 130-pound person should eat 72 to 100 grams of protein a day.) Meat is often the first protein people consider, but studies confirm it’s not necessarily the best option. So, why not try something new?

Check out three of the newest forms of protein to hit the market:

1. Blue-green Algae: Forget steak, eggs, or even tofu, you can get your protein from algae. ENERGYbits has hit the fitness scene with tiny little bits made of spirulina, a blue-green algae. The bits contain a complete protein with the algae, glucose, and nitric oxide. The company claims that these three ingredients can provide an athlete with the rapid access to glucose and protein for top performance. Additionally, the bits claim to give the body an energy boost that many have to use caffeine or chemicals to achieve. ENERGYbits’ protein concentration is at 60% which is very hard to find in most protein sources. A lot of research states that spirulina contains the highest concentration of protein in the world.

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Posted on March 28, 2024 by Lacy

4 Easy Ways to Fight Cellulite at Home

I was perusing the internet recently when I came across something that has been haunting me lately: The C word. You all know it, and you all don’t love it. That’s right: cellulite. Everyone hates cellulite, and as I have gotten older, I have certainly grown to be just like everyone else. Cellulite may be natural, but it is the worst!

Here’s what it looks like up close. Basically, when your fat is pushed up against your skin, it sometimes presses through fibers in your tissue, giving it a wrinkled, dimply appearance. It’s the same fat as anywhere else on your body, but because of these fibers it looks totally different.

But there is good news! There are ways to combat cellulite, and it’s not just about exercise.

AVOID: Alcohol, foods high in sugar, foods high in salt, fried foods, sugary alcohol beverages, and packaged snack foods. I hate to break it to you, guys, but these things that we already know are bad for us really, truly are bad for us. Especially in regards to cellulite. If you don’t want cellulite, don’t give in. (more…)

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Jessica Tholmer

Our Top 5 Recommendations on What You Can Eat Instead of Taco Bell’s Breakfast

Taco Bell launches its long-anticipated (or dreaded) breakfast menu tomorrow, and it’s about as healthy as you’d expect. Though receiving good reviews on taste, Taco Bell is not going to do your health or waistline any favors with their breakfast options.

Though I personally wouldn’t recommend eating Taco Bell any time of day, breakfast there is definitely something to avoid. The breakfast options fit right in with the rest of Taco Bell’s menu when it comes to calorie counts and sodium content.

Instead of rushing out to try breakfast at the nearest Taco Bell, why not make something better for you? Here are some of the Taco Bell breakfast items, and our suggestions of what you could eat instead.

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Posted on March 26, 2024 by Elizabeth

3 Hot New Celebrity Diet and Fitness Reads: How You Can Eat and Exercise Like the Stars

Being a celebrity certainly doesn’t necessarily make you an expert on anything in particular (except maybe acting, or putting together awesome outfits), but it puts you in a good position to draw attention toward a particular issue. Like your diet. Which is why so many celebrities choose to share their diet plans and health regimens with the world in book form.

This makes a lot of sense to me—the general public admires a particular celeb for their smokin’ body, so why not share their wealth of personal information? Sure, they might not be certified nutritionists and the like, but chances are they’ve worked with dozens of them and have come to form their own opinion on what is good and not-so-good their—and yours.

Here are some favorite new health reads by some very familiar faces!

The Body Book, by Cameron Diaz

We already featured Body Book, but it is worth noting again that Diaz has recently released her first book, and it is a delightful read. Packed full of simple healthy tips and tons of personality, Diaz is definitely a person we can look to for body acceptance and surprisingly good eating advice. This girl is grounded and her outlook on food is too.

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Posted on March 26, 2024 by Jessica Tholmer

Jillian Michaels Teaches You to “Maximize Your Life”

Everyone knows Jillian Michaels as the butt-kicking, brutally honest trainer on “The Biggest Loser” who can help contestants shed hundreds of pounds. She has a no-nonsense approach to exercise and healthy eating—which she’s written best-selling books about—but she’s really known for getting to the root of why so many of us are overweight and tackling the psychological issues around eating. That’s why I was so excited to get the chance to see her live!

For the second year in a row, Jillian is traveling around the country, speaking to thousands of loyal fans. She launched her Maximize Your Life tour in Denver, Colorado, earlier this month. The experience is described as this: Jillian shows how to harness your potential, kick-start your goals and live an exceptional life—sharing her keys to health, success and happiness. No hype, no false promises: Just results.

Tickets for the Maximize Your Life tour start at $25- and you can get a special VIP ticket for around $175. A VIP ticket includes the best seats in the house and a special meet & greet session with Jillian after the show. If you’re wondering what else you’ll get for the price of a ticket, here’s a few facts about the show and a preview of what Jillian shares with the audience: (more…)

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Lauren Martin

12 Ways to Add Some Excitement to Your Eggs

By Team Best Life

Need a quick and healthy meal? Crack open some eggs. Eggs are a good source of high-quality protein, with about 6.5 grams of protein per large egg. And the yolk contains the antioxidants that protect the eyes as well as choline, a nutrient crucial for healthy brain function. (One egg a day is safe for most people; the cholesterol in eggs doesn’t seem to affect blood cholesterol as much as saturated fat.)

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Posted on March 25, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Concerned or Curious About Children’s Nutrition? Join the ABC Twitter Chat with Dr. Richard Besser

Get ready to jump over to Twitter: On Tuesday, March 25, 2024, from 1-2 p.m., ET, we’ll be joining ABC News and ABC News’ chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser for a live tweet chat called “Feeding Your Kids the Right Way: First 5 Years of Life.”

On tap for discussion: everything from breast feeding to a vegetarian diet for children to the importance of organics to dieting for young children.

Have questions or opinions you’d like to share? It’s easy to join:

Step 1: Go to Twitter

Step 2: Search for the hashtag #abcDRBchat

Step 3: Follow the conversation or chime in when you’ve got something to add! (more…)

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

We Knew Chocolate was Good for You, Now We Know Why

Chocolate – even a small amount is the perfect cure for a bad day, the best dessert, and a great gift. In addition to being one of our favorite indulgences, it doesn’t hurt that dark chocolate is also good for you.

We’ve known dark chocolate is good for the heart for some time, but we haven’t known exactly why. Now two studies have revealed for the first time, what exactly is so great about dark chocolate when it comes to our health.

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Posted on March 24, 2024 by Elizabeth

Diet and Nutrition

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