Diet and Nutrition

90 Percent of NBA Players Eat Like Crap; Chris Kaman, Dwight Howard, and Others Clean Up Their Diets

“They don’t care because they’re already built to where they look good. They’re a freak show, they’re ripped, they’re lean and they can jump high, so they don’t care…”

These are the word of Chris Kamen, Los Angeles Lakers player, referring to how nearly 90 percent of NBA players do not eat properly or care about their bodies.

Kamen’s thoughts, along with many other NBA players’, were captured by NBA reporter Ken Berger in a three-part series running on CBS Sports this week. The first article in the series, titled Nutrition in the NBA: Part 1: Lessons Learned in L.A. Help Howard’s Career, closely follows Dwight Howard, former Laker now a Houston Rocket, and many of his former teammates as they undergo a major diet overhaul at the advisement of Dr. Cate Shanahan.

In a nutshell, Dr. Shanahan reports in the article that she watched Howard play in a Lakers’ game last season and while she saw a strong outer shell, what stuck out was how she could compare this professional athlete to a pre-diabetic patient. She said Howard looked like he was wearing oven mitts and she feared he was having a major neurological problem due to sugar intake. Her observations lead to Howard being her prime test subject for a diet change that she believed would improve the entire NBA. (more…)

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Lacy

Mississippi Retains Least Healthy State Title, Hawaii Ranks Healthiest in 2024 Rankings

According to the latest, and frankly most, state health rankings, the healthiest states are mostly found in the western and northeastern parts of the country while the least healthy are in the South. America’s Health Rankings have released their list for 2024, with Hawaii taking the top health spot.

The top three is rounded out by Vermont and Minnesota. At the bottom of the overall list are Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi. To determine the overall health of each state, America’s Health Rankings combined information about individual health choices, environment, public policy and clinical care. States were also ranked on percentage of adult population who smoke, are obese, are physically inactive, and have diabetes.

(more…)

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Elizabeth

Our Favorite Vegetarian Restaurants in Albuquerque

When the state question is about your preference of chile, you know you’ve come to a good place to find great food. What you may not know is Albuquerque, New Mexico is one of the most vegetarian-friendly places you can eat in the entire country. Whether you’re looking for traditional New Mexican cuisine or something further outside your comfort zone, Albuquerque won’t leave you disappointed.

Most restaurants use the freshest ingredients they can find to ensure each dish, meatless or not, is full of signature ABQ flavor. With a host of nationally recognized vegetarian-friendly restaurants, the city is bound to leave meat eaters wanting to eat their veggies – and then some!

Enjoy our picks for coolest vegetarian restaurants in Albuquerque, New Mexico – and be sure to tell them we sent you!

Annapurna’s World Vegetarian Café

A local vegan restaurant specializing in Indian cuisine, Annapurna’s specializes in Ayurvedic vegan fresh food. It’s all organic and made from local ingredients. Each dish is meant to target six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent, which means every vegan and vegetarian dish is bursting with flavor. Desserts abound, too, even featuring a vegan sweet potato pie. And if you need a more centered take on happy hour, join them for Chai Daily Happy Hour.

Yelp Rating – 3.5 out of 5 stars (more…)

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Elizabeth

Our Favorite Vegetarian Restaurants in New Orleans

Vegetarian eating in the Big Easy is easier than you might believe. In what other city could you find a restaurant with a vegetarian menu perfect for date night and a place where even veggie eaters can satiate their hot dog cravings? From fancy to fast, New Orleans offers some of the freshest vegetarian food on the Mississippi.

Each restaurant on our list has its own feel while remaining true to the heritage and personality of the city they call home. So next time you’re taking it slow in NOLA, check out some of the best vegetarian food the city has to offer. Whether you’re looking for lunch, dinner, or a mid-afternoon pastry, New Orleans is definitely the spot for vegetarians to indulge.

Enjoy our picks for the coolest vegetarian restaurants in New Orleans, Louisiana – and be sure to tell them we sent you!

City Greens

Serving up salads and wraps in a city known for its rich cuisine is daring, and it’s exactly what City Greens is doing. Customers create their own wrap or salad filled with pretty much anything they can think of. We’re especially fans of the Raw Shaved Salad with beets, Brussels Sprouts, and fennel. City Greens also posts where each of their ingredients comes from, so there are no surprises about what’s in your meal, proudly alternating the menu by seasonal availability.

Yelp Rating – 4 out of 5 stars (more…)

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Elizabeth

Our Favorite Vegetarian Restaurants in Madison

In a state known for cheese, the likelihood of finding a decent vegetarian restaurant is non-existant. Isn’t it? That’s not the case in Madison, Wisconsin, home of Camp Randall Stadium, the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, and a surprising vegetarian dining scene.

Diners who love their veggies will be happy with the variety of food they can find in Wisconsin’s capital. With everything from burgers to baked goods available, the hard part of vegetarian dining in Madison isn’t trying to find a restaurant, it’s deciding which one to try first.

Enjoy our picks for the coolest vegetarian restaurants in Madison, Wisconsin – and be sure to tell them we sent you.

The Green Owl

“Vegetarian cuisine for people who love food” is their motto, and The Green Owl certainly delivers. One of the only exclusively vegetarian restaurants in Madison, The Green Owl serves up meatless dishes like the popular BBQ Jackfruit sandwich, using the fruit as a substitute for the traditional pork. The restaurant also hosts specialty dinners like a vegan Thanksgiving.

Yelp Rating – 4 out of 5 stars (more…)

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Elizabeth

Bob Harper’s Coming Out Conversation Helped Biggest Loser’s Bobby Find Self-Pride, Weight Loss

The Blue Team may have resisted the temptation of eating waistline-busting food delivered by the diner-working White Team, but that still wasn’t enough to put them on top at the final weigh-in. After an emotional experience on the Biggest Loser Ranch that included a life-changing conversation with mentor and trainer Bob Harper, contestant Bobby Saleem fell below the red line and was sent home.

Today we spoke with Bobby about his decision to discuss his homosexuality on the show, and how he’s been doing since he was eliminated.

This season, trainer Bob Harper had a milestone moment when he announced that he was gay. The admission may not have been a surprise to viewers, but it was a defining moment for Bobby, who was able to share his struggle with homosexuality. Today, Bobby said their conversation was an emotional turning point.

DIR: Was your coming-out conversation with Bob helpful, and if so, what role do you think it played in your weight loss?

Bobby: It was absolutely helpful. Before coming on to the ranch, I felt ashamed of being gay. I never had a role model I could look up to. After my conversation with Bob, I realized that being gay doesn’t make you weak. Now I’m proud of the skin I’m in, emotionally and physically. (more…)

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Dani Stone

Our Favorite Vegetarian Restaurants in Tulsa

Think of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Images of fully-vegetarian and vegetarian-friendly restaurants probably aren’t the first things that come to mind. You might not even think of Tulsa as a place to find quality vegetarian eating, but we’ve put together a list that will definitely prove you wrong. Whether you want your veggies raw, full of Asian flavor, or atop a pizza, you’ll satisfy your meatless desires in Tulsa.

In a state known for old-school comfort food you may be surprised to find the variety of veggie-friendly places. Most of these restaurants also have options for the carnivorous crowd, so if you just can’t give up your meat, there’s still plenty for you to try.

Enjoy our picks for the coolest vegetarian restaurants in Tulsa, Oklahoma – and be sure to tell them we sent you!

Café Samana

While its neighborhood is not where you would expect to find quality vegetarian and vegan eating, at Café Samana that’s exactly what you get. Though it specializes in vegan and vegetarian cuisine, there are menu options for die-hard carnivores, too. However, even they might be convinced to try the tempeh, which is known as some of the best in town.

Yelp Rating – 4.5 out of 5 stars (more…)

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Elizabeth

Raw Macaroon Fudge Bars with Skinny Coconut Oil are a Chocolate Lover’s New Guilt-Free Indulgence

Twitter Party THIS Wednesday night, sponsored by Skinny and Co. Coconut Oil!

Where: Hosted by @DietsInReview on #SkinnyCoCo

When: Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at 8:00p CST

Who: Sponsored by @SkinnyCoco, makers of 100% natural, unrefined, extra virgin, cold pressed coconut oil.
Panelists: @MaryHartleyRD, @BL11Courtney, @MealandaSpiel, @BrooklynFitChik

Win: 4 winners each take home a jar of Skinny Coconut Oil + DIR T-shirts + Baker’s Dozen Cookbooks

Need an indulgent recipe this holiday season that can be enjoyed without packing on the pounds? You’re in luck. These Raw Macaroon Fudge Bars are completely decadent, yet are filled with fat burning coconut oil* and other raw, whole foods that satiate your sweet tooth and keep holiday weight gain in check! The key is incorporating 100% natural, raw coconut oil like Skinny Coconut Oil™.

While coconut oil has only recently come to light as a “miracle oil” – these claims are not without substance. A number of studies have corroborated that coconut oil not only boosts thyroid function and, consequently, your metabolism, but it also manages insulin levels.

Both coconut oil and simple carbohydrates (like those found in “typical” holiday fare) are able to deliver quick energy to the body, yet coconut oil does so without the sharp carbohydrate spike and subsequent sugar crash. That means you can thoroughly enjoy your dessert without inducing a sugar hangover the next morning.

Not only do these Raw Macaroon Fudge Bars utilize Skinny Coconut Oil to maximize metabolism and minimize sugar spikes, they also incorporate other nutrient dense, raw ingredients to produce a dessert that is actually a nutritional powerhouse! (more…)

Posted on December 9, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

Shower or Eat? Nutrisystem Allows Real Hollywood Mom Melissa Joan Hart to Choose Both

Staring down a new year’s resolution looks a little different for actress Melissa Joan Hart this year. Now in what she’s calling maintenance, the star of Melissa and Joey is “no longer trying to lose weight, just to maintain a healthy lifestyle.” That’s her goal for 2024, when she will celebrate a one year anniversary as spokeswoman and client of Nutrisystem.

After delivering her third son in fall of 2024, she, like just about most women, had postpartum weight to lose. She turned to the meal delivery diet, which she calls “a little lifesaver,” and it has helped her get back to her fighting weight, so to speak.

“It’s a simple system for any mom to use,” she told us. “It takes the guesswork out.”

Any mom is faced with the seemingly daunting task of getting back in shape after delivering a child, but in Hollywood, the pressure is almost cruel. Hart told us that this group of famous moms are “ridiculed, almost like bullied,” and says it’s tricky being in the spotlight because “everyone wants to see how fast you can lose it.” She calls the situation unfair, but digresses that “it’s our job, it’s what we do.” And for this busy working (and acting) mom of three, it’s good motivation “to be as healthy as I can while putting my children first.”

She admitted to rushing through breastfeeding in the past so that she could start a crash diet and lose the weight, but that wasn’t the case this time around. Almost six months after delivering her third son, she started Nutrisystem. Thanks to the ease and variety of the brand’s wide menu, the only resolution Hart is taking on this year has a lot more heart itself. “I’m focused on my children and more playtime with them,” she said. (more…)

Posted on December 9, 2023 by Natalie K

Food Blogger Spotlight: Megan from Take A Megabite

Megan is a pizza-lovin redhead who’s known for her unique recipes and food styling. Megan is not only a regular contributor to Betty Crocker, but her blog, Take A Megabite, has also been featured on CNN, Huff Post and Buzzfeed. I forgot to do a name-drop alert, there, but seriously, she’s hot stuff right now.

I was first introduced to this talented foodie when I wrote about my fave food blogger of the year, Billy from Wit & Vinegar.

More about Take A Megabite –

Why did you start your food blog? I started to realize that I wanted to bake, and talk about food with other people who also loved to talk about food. It also stems from growing up with a mom whose cookies were known as the best ever and coming home to homemade bread after school.

When I got older, and my parents moved away, I realized that I couldn’t count on my mom to set me up with homemade jam and bread. I had to make it myself! Food and entertaining has always been a big deal in my family, and now, I like to show my love with food too!

How would you describe your approach to eating/health? I would say my approach is all about balance. I can totally eat cake, but I need to eat plenty of salads and veggies too. If I’m making mac & cheese for dinner, I’ll do my best to pair it with a veggie-filled salad.

(more…)

Posted on December 8, 2023 by Dani Stone

Kristen White Lost 85 Pounds After Defying the Freshman15

When Kristen White moved away to attend college, she defied the odds by losing 30 pounds instead of gaining the dreaded, “Freshman 15.” Faced with a new routine, different foods and, “more natural movement around campus,” Kristen lost weight without really thinking about it. The epiphany that she could lose weight without fad diets and by simply eating in a more mindful way, gave Kristen the motivation to lose more. Now, 85 pounds thinner, she’s excited to focus on her next learning experience, a new baby!

Family strife can have a profound effect on the way we take care of ourselves. Kristen’s parents divorced when she was just nine years old. She recalls this life event being the catalyst for future years of emotional eating. “I didn’t know how to manage all the emotions that stirred up,” she explained. “I did a lot of comforting myself through food. This became a habit that took years to break.” She tried losing weight in high school, but the diets never stuck.

After losing 30 pounds during her first year in college, Kristen felt empowered. For real weight loss, she focused the following:

Getting healthy on the inside; healing old wounds was a huge factor of success for me.
Learning to eat more mindfully (i.e., eating when I was hungry, stopping when I was full).
Learning about food and nutrition so I could understand what would be healthy for my body.
Learning to exercise in a way that I enjoyed.

(more…)

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Dani Stone

Diet and Nutrition

Advertising Disclosure