The other day I was running the path through Snow Canyon State Park – it’s an eight mile round trip run, which is a definite challenge for me – and I noticed during the first mile that I kept checking my watch to see how much time had passed. I don’t mean I was checking my watch every mile, I mean I was checking my watch every minute!
Most news related to an actors’ looks as it relates to a role they are taking on has to do with them gaining or losing weight to fit the character. But occasionally you get an actor who gets buff for their role. The most notable fitness transformation on the big screen right now is Jake Gyllenhaal in his role in “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.” And, what sword-and-sandal male lead isn’t cut out of stone anyway? So, the pressure was on to live up to the genre standards.
But, in an interview with Moviefone, Gyllenhaal downplays the difficulty of his physical transformation.
“There was nothing hard about it, man, I was paid to get in shape,” he said.
Is obesity a choice or a disease? Can it be both? Proponents of designating obesity as a disease say that it is a result of genetics and biological factors. On top of that, some diseases cause obesity.
But, opponents say that obesity is not a disease because it is the result of a person’s environment, lifestyle and eating habits.
Disease or not, one thing is sure: obesity is an epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there were 72 million obese people in the United States, and 34.3 percent of adults considered obese.
The proposed soda tax, which would add approximately a penny per ounce to bottled drinks, is under scrutiny once again. New York Governor David Paterson is advocating adding a state sales tax exemption on diet sodas and bottled water. The first draft of the soda tax was projected to make close to a billion each year for the state, but the Senate and Assembly have been against the tax. They are willing to settle for an estimated $185 million that the renovated bill would bring in, with the exemption being listed for diet drinks.
Currently, only Arkansas and West Virginia have passed excise taxes specifically on soda, with Baltimore and Washington considering taxes on sugary sodas.
Guest blogger Amy Applebaum is a success coach whose work includes the Release Your Inner Millionairess coaching program designed to create life-changing breakthroughs in her clients. Amy’s groundbreaking six-step process has helped thousands of female entrepreneurs accomplish goals they never imagined possible. Amy’s coaching success has led to appearances on ABC News, CNN, TLC, and Martha Stewart, to name a few. For more information on Amy’s coaching club, go to AmyApplebaum.com.
Just because you spend 480 minutes a day in your cube doesn’t mean you have to be Jabba The Hut. When it comes to staying healthy on the job, a little goes a long way. Try these surefire solutions for maintaining awesome mental and physical performance at the office:
The apparent increase of incidents of autism spectrum disorders (including Asperger’s syndrome), and the cause of this increase, have been the source of much concern and debate in recent years. Some parents hesitate or even refuse to allow their children to be given standard vaccinations, fearing mercury and other toxins. More recently the medical community is looking into dietary toxicity instead.
Sugars come in three forms – monosaccharides or “simple sugars,” disaccharides, and polysaccharides; however, our bodies can only absorb monosaccharides. When other sugars are ingested, your body must first break them down into monosaccharides.
It was just six short years ago that Amy Parham and Phil Parham had reached their version of the bottom. A struggling business, the care of an autistic child and managing their lives all while both being obese left them feeling like it was a long way up from the bottom.
“Six years ago, I was lying on my couch, gazing though an opening in the ceiling that led to the attic. My eyes slowly became fixated on a wooden beam. I began to wonder: What would it feel like if I hung myself? Could the beam support my weight?,” says Amy at the beginning of her and Phil’s new book The 90-Day Fitness Challenge.
It’s a startling realization that things weren’t always positive for these very happy Biggest Loser season six alumni. Saying that “Every day felt like hell on earth,” Amy and Phil found a little piece of heaven and things started to turn for them in 2024 when they applied for and were chosen for Biggest Loser. The two went on to lose a combined 256 pounds, and remain the record holders as the highest percentage of weight lost by any couple in the show’s nearly ten-season history.
The Parham’s say that the Biggest Loser did so much for them in helping to regain their health, lives and positive outlook that they felt compelled to share those gifts with others. That’s where The 90-Day Fitness Challenge comes from. Two weeks after returning home from their season, they threw together a fitness challenge and were shocked when more than 1,000 people from seven states arrived at the event. “We saw ourselves in them,” remarked Amy, recalling a desire to help each of them.
Listen Now as Amy and Phil discuss more of their post-Loser journey, what The 90-Day Fitness Challenge is all about, and how faith continues to play a “key role” in their lives.
Honey: The only sweetener allowed with the Specific Carb Diet
The Specific Carb Diet was originally created by Dr. Sidney V. Haas more than 60 years ago to treat digestive disorders such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, chronic diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is now being used to treat autism spectrum disorders, celiac disease and cystic fibrosis. It is not a low-carb diet like Atkins. Many find it very restrictive; however, those who experience the health benefits are committed to strict adherence. It is more restrictive and specific than a gluten-free diet. Because it can be overwhelming, I think it is helpful to present the “allowed” foods first. (more…)
I have been thinking about salt lately, and the negative health effects of having too much sodium in the diet. A high intake of sodium can raise blood pressure and increase the risk for heart disease and strokes. On the whole, Americans get too much sodium, ingesting an average of 3,500 mg per day instead of the recommended 2,300 mg per day. Interestingly, the majority of our sodium comes not from salt added at the table, but from processed and pre-packaged foods.
I am excited to see that there have been some recent developments relating to cutting sodium intake in the US. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its plans to decrease salt in the American diet. They are looking to limit the amount of sodium in restaurant meals and prepared/processed foods, starting with voluntary cutbacks by restaurants and food manufacturers. So far, 16 companies have signed on to start reducing sodium in their products. Companies like Starbucks, Subway, and Boar’s Head have said they will cut sodium by 25 percent in five years. Heinz has said they will decrease the sodium in their ketchup by 15%. And others are following suit. (more…)
Memorial Day is fast approaching. It’s a day set aside to honor the men and women who died in military service. As we anticipate the beginning of lazy summer days at the beach, hot dogs on the grill, late nights and frozen treats, many communities celebrate the festivities with picnics. If you aren’t careful, you could easily eat a day – or more – worth of fat and calories in just one meal. Take this easy quiz and see how knowledgeable you are when it comes to making healthy choices at your picnic.
Jaime Pressly is best known to most people for her role as the crazy, albeit frickin’ hilarious, piece of white trash Joy from “My Name is Earl.” And, while she was just playing a role, her recent real-life diet adventures don’t seem to fall too far from her nutty turn as Joy Turner on Earl.
In an interview with Health magazine, Pressly said it only took her three months to lose the 42 pounds that she gained during her pregnancy with her two-year-old son Dezi James.
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