Diet and Nutrition

Tune In: Dr. Oz’s Ten Weight Loss Commandments on The Dr. Oz Show

Tune in this Friday, March 12 to The Dr. Oz Show when Dr. Oz reveals his ten weight loss commandments for healthy and long-term weight loss.

Forget fad diet tips. Toss out the window rules like “only eat fruit for breakfast,” and get out your scrolls when Dr. Oz guides you along your weight loss goal with his expert suggestions for helping you to lose weight, eat well and keep it off.

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Posted on March 8, 2024 by heather

Healthy Chinese Food is Possible

Is it possible to have healthy Chinese food? Just because you see a couple broccoli bits in that dish does not mean it’s healthy. In fact, Chinese takeout is among the worst offenders of the healthy eating guidelines; saturated fat and salt are through the roof with some dishes.

Case in point: an order of General Tso’s Chicken can set you back 1,600 calories, 3150 mg sodium (exceeds 2100 mg per day limit) and 59 grams of fat (11 grams saturated – heart clogging kind – about a day’s worth).

But don’t fret just yet, maybe you can have your fortune cookie and eat it too. Watch this video to learn how you can have healthy Chinese takeout.

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Posted on March 7, 2024 by Rebecca

6 Must-Have Gluten-Free Resources

Last week I kicked off the gluten-free series with an overview of what gluten is and what it means to have celiac disease, meaning living a gluten-free life. One of the biggest challenges faced when trying to live gluten-free is actually avoiding gluten altogether. It is hidden in so many foods and products which can make navigating the shopping aisles extremely treacherous, especially for those suffering from celiac disease.

Below I have listed some of my favorite resources and online go-tos. I would love to hear from all of you as to what your best resources are so we can share them with everyone! Please comment or email [email protected] with your top resources. I’ll be highlighting and reviewing specific products in next week’s issue.

Living Without Magazine: This magazine and its newly launched website have been an amazing addition into my home. I honestly run to the mailbox the day it arrives as the pages are filled with recipes and articles for all that suffer from food allergies and sensitivities. (more…)

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Amy

McDonald’s Now Offering Weight Watchers-Approved Meals in New Zealand

Fast-food giant McDonald’s has been up against a wall in recent years as consumers have demanded healthier food options, not just from them but food producers in general. New salads, grilled chicken options and even fruit as side dishes have graced more of the chain’s menus. Now in New Zealand, Weight Watchers-approved menu items will be available. “The partnership is a reflection of the work we have put into changing the face of our business and menu,” says Mark Hawthorne, McDonald’s New Zealand Managing Director.

It’s the only McDonald’s market in the world to offer these menu items with Weight Watchers’, a world leader amongst diet brands, seal of approval. Three meal combinations are available for a total of 6.5 Weight Watchers POINTS. Weight Watchers Points are a proprietary calculation based on a food’s calories, fat and fiber; the lower the value, the “healthier” it is for you. These combos are as follows, keep in mind these are from the New Zealand menu:

  • Filet-O-Fish, Garden Side Salad and medium diet drink or Pump mini
  • 6 Pack Chicken McNuggets (includes nugget sauce or ketchup), Garden Side Salad and medium diet drink or Pump mini
  • Sweet Chilli Seared Chicken Wrap, medium diet drink or Pump mini (more…)
Posted on March 4, 2024 by Natalie K

Promoting Prom Weight Loss a Disservice to Teen Girls

With all of the eating disorders that are diagnosed in teenage girls today, I was really surprised to see this headline at The Chicago Tribune online: How to Lose 10 Pounds Before Prom. While the article did have several good nutritional key points – getting enough sleep, avoiding high calorie coffee drinks or sodas, and try out new fitness challenges – the overall message of this article was negative and possibly harmful. I was disappointed that a reputable news organization of this magnitude posted a piece that was more worthy of a gossip magazine. (more…)

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Carmen

Enjoy Eating with Dave Grotto’s 101 Optimal Life Foods

Want to live long and prosper? Of course you do! So don’t miss this amazing interview with dietitian and author of not one, but two books that can help save your life and give you an optimal life!

In this interview, Dave Grotto, author of 101 Optimal Life Foods, and I discuss common mistakes dieters make – like having the “good foods, bad foods” list. Dave gives his perspective on where consumers are getting it right (like buying healthy foods) and where they are getting it wrong (forgetting to cook it or overcooking). Finally, you don’t want to miss his three favorite foods he would bring if he was stranded on a desert island and trying to survive (and stay happy) while waiting for help to come.

Listen now, then read on to learn how to get a copy for yourself!

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Posted on March 4, 2024 by Rebecca

Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Campaign has Personal Foundation

Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move fitness initiative, the rallying cry to end obesity in children in this generation, is rooted in her own childhood, she says. The current emphasis in discussion of the initiative has been on the nutrition element, but in the coming weeks, the fitness element will be unveiled.

“If kids are naturally active, they shouldn’t have to worry about what they eat. That’s how it was when we were growing up. Nobody talked to you about nutrition. You ate your vegetables. You ate what was on your plate. And you went outside and played. There wasn’t a need for structured activity,” she says in an interview from her office. “The physical education piece is about exploring that. In our nation, what happened? What have been the cultural trends that have led us away from that regular exercise and activity that kids used to get?” (more…)

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Carmen

The F-Factor Diet

The American Dietetic Association has named March National Nutrition Month. But to help us think a bit more deeply about our eating habits, the ADA has a second message that coincides with the themed month: Nutrition From the Ground Up.

So if you’re wondering if that means eating more foods from nature, you’re right, and if you’re thinking that this message is a call to build a healthier diet, you’re also right.

One of the foundations of developing a healthy eating plan is consuming plenty of plant-based foods, or foods from the ground. And while fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are full of disease-fighting vitamins and minerals, they also share the common denominator of containing fiber.

We now know that most Americans don’t get enough of the 25 recommended grams of fiber a day, but rather than relying on the new line of processed foods that are added with synthetic fibers, which can cause gastrointestinal distress and may not offer the same health benefits as fiber in its natural form, we thought we would focus on a diet that is all about helping you eat more fiber: The F-Factor Diet.

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Posted on March 3, 2024 by heather

National Nutrition Month: Nutrition From the Ground Up

Every March the nutrition chatter is kicked up a notch. It’s largely due to National Nutrition Month® (either that or spring is upon us and we’re thinking of shedding some clothes and pounds).

National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. One month is not nearly enough time to think about eating healthy and exercise, but I’ll take what I can get!

The theme for March 2024 is “Nutrition From the Ground Up.” I love this theme because it aligns with what I believe is missing in the nutrition conversation – a healthy foundation. (more…)

Posted on March 3, 2024 by Rebecca

Carnie Wilson Partners with The Fresh Diet and Dr. Oz

UPDATE 12/02/10: Carnie Wilson was fired as spokesperson for The Fresh Diet due to weight gain and promoting her own cheesecake business.

Carnie Wilson, daughter of beloved Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson, is a mom of two daughters. In the spotlight from a young age, her weight has been a much commented upon subject. The star of the GSN show Carnie Wilson: Unstapled, Wilson had gastric bypass in the 1990s when she was over 300 pounds. Her weight fluctuated since, hindered by a 70-pound weight gain in her first pregnancy and 60 pounds in her second. Describing herself as a life-long sugar addict, she says that she never learned to eat correctly and used her pregnancies as a convenient excuse to eat the foods she wanted.

Now she’s partnering with Dr. Oz and Fresh Diet, a food delivery company, to lose the extra weight in a healthy manner. Wilson says that she’s struggled her entire life with good diet choices. (more…)

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Carmen

Tune In: Carnie Wilson on The Dr. Oz Show

Tune in this Wednesday, March 3 to The Dr. Oz Show when Carnie Wilson pops by for an update on her weight loss.

Recently, TV host, star of Unstapled, author and pop icon Carnie Wilson appeared on the show desperately in need of expert assistance as she not only admitted her addiction to food, but realized that her health was once again at risk as a result of her weight.
Posted on March 1, 2024 by heather