Diet and Nutrition

Will a Trillion Less Calories Reverse Obesity Epidemic?

The childhood obesity epidemic is on the rise and on the minds of food makers. Recently many of the nation’s largest food companies said they will reduce the calorie counts of their products by more than 1.5 trillion calories in order to stem the rising national problem. In conjunction with Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign against childhood obesity, the companies made the announcement through the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, which is a coalition of retailers, food and beverage manufacturers and industry trade associations.

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Posted on May 25, 2024 by Carmen

Drink This, Not That Review

The authors of the best-selling Eat This, Not That! series have returned with their latest book, Drink This, Not That: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution, an eye-opening guide that uncovers some unsightly truths about your favorite sips. Just released on Tuesday, May 25, 2024, Drink This, Not That will make you second-guess whether or not you want to chug a day’s worth of sugar in your beloved morning coffee drink.

David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding, editors for Men’s Health magazine, have not just divulged some of the crazy nutrition statistics of many of the most popular (and unhealthy) American foods, but they have backed up their fact-findings by offering us healthier yet still tasty alternatives. While their previous books have covered foods we eat with forks, spoons or even our hands, in their newest release, Drink This, Not That, they are focusing on what we are sipping through straws.

The truth sometimes hurts, folks, so just be aware that many of the nutrition stats are far from pretty.  (more…)

Posted on May 25, 2024 by heather

Pesticides in Foods Linked to ADD

We all strive to get our kids to eat healthy foods – we push fruits and vegetables every chance we get. But could that actually be harming our kids? Recent studies seem to point to this troubling thought. Exposure to pesticides used on many foods – including frozen blueberries, fresh strawberries and celery – appears to boost the chances that children will be diagnosed with ADHD.

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Posted on May 24, 2024 by Carmen

Tune In: Jillian Michaels on The Doctors

Tune in this Tuesday, May 25 to The Doctors when Jillian Michaels comes by to give you her best health advice and tips.

Celebrity fitness guru Jillian Michaels joins The Doctors with a step-by-step action plan to get the body you’ve always dreamed of. Find out how to jump-start your metabolism, curb your cravings and flatten your tummy for good.

Michaels will share some of her expert tips from her book, Master Your Metabolism, which is an organized diet and fitness plan that focuses on eating foods that support your metabolism and hormones.

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Posted on May 24, 2024 by heather

Tune In: The Obama’s Workout on the Rachael Ray Show

Tune in this Monday, May 24 to the Rachael Ray Show when the Obama’s personal trainer, Cornell McClellan, shares the President’s and First Lady’s workout tips for staying in shape.

If you wish you had sculpted arms that look like First Lady Michelle Obama’s, then it’s time for a White House workout.  

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Posted on May 24, 2024 by heather

Sound Therapy for Weight Loss and Giveway Offer

The ReMind Weight Loss MP3 Player

Guest bloggers, Jill Slane and her husband, Rod, developed Prescription Audio in 2005. Prescription Audio offers a wide variety of portable MP3 and CD programs that promote healthy living through natural wellness. For more information, visit Prescription Audio.

Does it ever feel like your mind is literally working against you when you’re dieting? That’s probably because it is. Many of our choices about what, when and how to eat are subtly and overtly influenced by a host of factors every day – including work schedules, sleep patterns, travel time, exercise plans, available food options, their relative costs, advertising, our families and peer groups, along with many other influencers. 

Our bodies are so stressed by the rigors of modern life we often switch our brains to autopilot without even noticing when faced with thousands of daily decisions. That’s one reason why it’s so hard to break habits and partly explains why we have to literally retrain our minds to achieve long-term dieting and health success.

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Posted on May 23, 2024 by heather

Pesticides and Organic Produce

Guest bloggers, The Nutrition Twins® Tammy Lakatos, RD, CDN, CFT and Lyssie Lakatos, RD, CDN, CFT are authors of The Secret To Skinny and Fire Up Your Metabolism.

Our clients often ask us if they should be concerned about the pesticides that are used on their produce. 

Here’s what you should know.

Most pesticides contain several toxins. Pesticides cause cancers in cell cultures and in animals. They may also cause hormonal changes which can cause additional harm. Studies also show pesticides increase the risk of cancer in humans. The National Cancer Institute found that farmers exposed to pesticides tend to have higher than expected rates of cancer of the lymph, blood, lip, stomach, skin, prostate, brain, testes and soft tissue.  

Naturally, you’re probably wondering—should you stop eating fruits and vegetables?
No. Their benefits far outweigh their risks. However, weigh your risks of specific fruits and vegetables. Start by taking a look at the list of fruits and vegetables below. The ones that we call “The Dirty Dozen” are the ones that contain the most pesticide residues. 

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Posted on May 22, 2024 by GuestBlogger

School Lunch Program Asks Kids to Cook

Childhood obesity has been a hot button topic years in the making. From the First Lady’s interest in the issue, to Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution show, America is well aware of how school lunches and nutrition are affecting our youth.

A new documentary series, Food Forward, which focuses on the ever-changing food system and its effect on different populations, recently visited Pacific Elementary School near San Jose, California to film their school lunch production. Every day, the fifth and sixth grade students make 100 meals from scratch with the help of staff. That’s right, the kids are involved in the cooking! (What a novel idea… home ec, anyone?)

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Posted on May 20, 2024 by Rebecca

Becky’s Amazing 100-Pound Weight Loss

One of the biggest struggles for people who have dealt with weight issues all of their lives is the emotional element. Feeling insecure about one’s weight, and being ridiculed in the process, is a double whammy that keeps many people in the grips of obesity.

Emotional issues weigh on the mind, and keep us stuck in a rut, unable to make healthy changes. Kids can be cruel, and this played a part in Becky Danto’s early struggles with weight.

“I kept getting bigger and felt more and more like an outcast,” says Becky. “A so-called friend of mine found out and ridiculed me – I remember being called ‘orca’ and a ‘cow’ on the school bus. Needless to say, high school couldn’t have ended fast enough.”

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Posted on May 20, 2024 by Jason

Celebs Deny Baby Food Diet Use

© Paul Buck/epa/Corbis

There has been a gossip buzz lately regarding the so-called Baby Food Diet, and what Hollywood celebrities are following the diet to keep their impossibly thin figures. The highest profiled celebrity to be associated with the Baby Food Diet is Jennifer Aniston. But, the former Friends star has adamantly denied the claims.

“I’ve been asked lately, ‘Jen, what’s this baby food diet all about?'” says Aniston. “I kept thinking: That’s the strangest question ever.”

The Baby Food Cleanse, created by celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, entails eating 14 servings of pureed food every day, with a normal healthy dinner to cap things off. So if the diet was created by a high-profile trainer, one would think someone is doing it. It’s just not Jennifer Aniston.

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Posted on May 20, 2024 by Jason

Ultimate Bigger Loser Prize Pack Giveaway

If you missed out on winning our biggest prize pack of Biggest Loser goodies a few months back,  now you have another chance!

Just in time for the Biggest Loser finale, included in this giveaway is everything you need to get started and become your own Biggest Loser. The only thing additionally required is for you to take the necessary action. (more…)

Posted on May 19, 2024 by heather