Monday, June 29, 2009

Ian Marber's Summer Diet: Get Beach Fit in just 14 Days

Telegraph

Beach diet

This diet is designed to help you lose as much as 7lb in 14 days, and gain a flatter stomach. It works in tune with your body, ensuring consistent levels of energy, and thereby avoiding hunger. Suitable for men and women, it is based on 10 simple principles, with easy-to-follow daily meal plans, and delicious recipes for you to make.
All the meals and snacks have been designed with a low glycemic load, so you can achieve low GI, where your body recieves a steady supply of energy and prevents excess glucose being stored as fat, without the fuss. And by eating every two-and-a-half to three hours you will avoid cravings altogether.
Try it: you will like the food and love the results, and the best part is that once you learn the basic principles, you can adopt them in the long term to change the way you eat for good.

Day 1

Breakfast

Hot lemon & ginger drink: fill tumbler with 1 slice ginger, juice ½ lemon, boiling water. Drink when slightly cooled.

Sliced ham with tomatoes & spinach (above): 4 cherry tomatoes, drizzle of olive oil, 45g baby spinach leaves, 1 thin slice ham, cut into strips, 1 slice rye or wholemeal toast. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and roast for 10-15 minutes. Steam spinach. Place tomatoes, spinach and ham on toast and serve.

Morning Snack

250ml vitamin juice:100ml mixed vegetable juice, 100ml carrot juice, 5 sprigs watercress, juice ½ orange, juice ½ lemon. Blitz in blender until watercress is finely chopped.

Lunch

Salad made from one portion raw vegetables, 1 tablespoon chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 1 small can tuna, drained, a little dressing.

Afternoon snack

High-energy smoothie: ½ avocado, small handful watercress, 5cm fresh ginger, grated, 2 sprigs mint, 100ml water, 100ml apple juice, juice ½ lemon. Blend. Stir in 150ml live natural low-fat yogurt.

Dinner

Baked trout & stir-fried vegetables (serves 2): 2 x 200g trout, gutted.1 tablespoon each fresh parsley and coriander.

Dill sauce made using 2 tablespoons reduced-fat fromage frais, 2 tablespoons horseradish sauce, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped.

Heat oven to 150C/300F. Rinse fish and and fill cavity with herbs. Wrap each fish loosely in foil, cook for 15-20 minutes. Put aside one serving for tomorrow's lunch.

For the stir-fry use 300g raw vegetables per person, cut into bite-size pieces.

Day 2

Breakfast

Hot ginger & lemon drink.

Two eggs, scrambled, served on 1 slice rye or wholemeal bread or 2 oatcakes, topped with 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds.

Morning snack

250ml kick-start superjuice:150ml carrot juice, 100ml fresh tomato juice, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, small handful fresh parsley, ½ teaspoon cayenne powder, ½ teaspoon paprika powder. Blitz in a food processor for a few seconds.

Lunch

Cold trout from last night's dinner served with 1 portion of mixed salad or steamed vegetables and 1 slice of rye or wholemeal bread. Two tablespoons reserved dill sauce, or olive oil.

Afternoon snack

250ml high-energy smoothie
(as Day 1).

Dinner

Beetroot risotto with feta cheese & green salad (serves 2): 500ml light stock, 150g rice, 1 clove garlic, 1 stick cinnamon, 150g beetroot (use vinegar-free ready-cooked), ½ teaspoon caraway seeds, lightly toasted, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 100g spinach or kale, coarsely shredded, 1 medium onion, chopped, 1 medium head of fennel, trimmed and cut into thin slices, 2 teaspoons tamarind paste, 150g feta cheese, crumbled.

Bring stock to the boil, add rice, garlic and cinnamon. Simmer for 35 minutes. Drain, remove cinnamon and mash in garlic.

As rice cooks, lightly toast caraway seeds in a frying pan. Remove seeds and add a tablespoon olive oil to pan. Add spinach or kale, cook until leaves wilt. Set aside. Add more oil, cook onion and fennel until golden. Stir in the shredded greens, caraway seeds and tamarind paste. Add rice and beetroot. Set aside one helping for tomorrow.

Day 3

Breakfast

Hot lemon & ginger drink.

Yogurt with toasted oat flakes, seeds & fruit (above): 4 tablespoons live natural low-fat yogurt, 1 tablespoon toasted flakes, 3 tablespoons mixed seeds, 2 tablespoons mixed berries.

Morning snack

250ml vitamin juice (as Day 1).

Lunch

One portion beetroot risotto,
from last night, several sprigs watercress, 1 hardboiled egg, quartered, 1 slice rye bread. Pile risotto on watercress, top with egg and serve with bread.

Afternoon snack

250 ml fruit smoothie: 80g berries, 1 apple or 1 pear, 2 tablespoons no-fat soft cheese, 75ml nut or soy milk, squeeze of lemon juice, pinch of cinnamon. Blitz in a blender until smooth.

Dinner

Chicken or mixed vegetable brochettes & salad (serves 2):

250-300g chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2-3 chunks, 8 button mushrooms, 12 baby tomatoes,
1 medium courgette, cut into
thick slices, 1 yellow pepper, cut into chunks.

For the marinade:1 clove garlic, crushed, 1 tablespoon apple juice, 1tablespoon soy sauce, 1tablespoon tamarind paste, 1tablespoon mustard. Squeeze of lime juice. Mix, and marinade chicken for as long as possible. Thread vegetables and chicken alternately onto 4 metal or soaked wooden skewers. Cook on medium grill or barbecue. Serve with green salad.

Day 4

Breakfast

Hot lemon & ginger drink.

Choice of cereal or ham breakfast.

Morning snack

2 oatcakes or rye bread with
home-made houmous: 1 x 400g can chickpeas, 2 cloves garlic,
3 tablespoons lemon juice,
3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Blitz in processor until smooth. Store in fridge for up to five days.

Lunch

Salmon and steamed vegetables made with 1 salmon fillet, poached or grilled, 300g steamed vegetables. Fresh dill sauce (as Day 1). Choice of 1 slice rye or wholemeal bread or 2 oatcakes.

Afternoon snack

250ml fruit smoothie (as Day 3).

Dinner

Four bean salad (serves 2)

100g broad beans, 100g green beans, topped, tailed and cut in half, 100g mangetout or fresh petit pois, 100g red or orange pepper, 1 x 400g can beans, rinsed and drained, 2 spring onions, finely chopped, handful chopped herbs.

For the dressing: 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons
reduced-fat fromage frais, 1 tablespoon apple juice, 1 clove garlic, crushed, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard.

Steam beans and mangetout for
3-4 minutes. Refresh under cold water. Mix fresh beans, petit pois, pepper, canned beans, spring
onions and herbs in a bowl. Mix dressing, pour over salad, stir well. Serve.

Day 5

Breakfast

Hot lemon & ginger drink.

Choice of egg or cereal breakfast.

Morning snack

250ml kick-start superjuice (as
Day 2).

Lunch

One portion four bean salad, reserved from yesterday's dinner.
1 tablespoon mixed seeds,
1 hard-boiled egg, to add to
salad. Your choice of one portion
of carbs.

Afternoon snack

Reduced-fat fromage frais & peppers on oatcakes: spread two tablespoons of fromage frais onto two oatcakes. Top with two sliced peppers, from a jar, and a little lemon juice.

Dinner

Baked trout & stir-fried vegetables (as Day 1).

Day 6

Breakfast

Hot ginger & lemon drink.

Choice of ham or cereal breakfast.

Morning snack

2 oatcakes or rye bread, with home-made houmous (as Day 4).

Lunch

Salmon and steamed vegetables (as Day 4).

Afternoon snack

250ml fruit smoothie (as Day 3)

Dinner

Butter beans in tapenade with vegetables.

1tablespoon olive oil, 150g small mushrooms, sliced, 8 cherry tomatoes, halved, 2 tablespoons tapenade, juice ½ lemon, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon chilli powder, 1 x 400g can butter beans, 450g mixed vegetables, chopped, few sprigs coriander, chopped.

Heat oil in frying pan and soften onion. Add mushrooms and tomatoes, cook for further minute. Stir in tapenade, lemon juice,
soy sauce and chilli powder.
Add butter beans. Heat for 3-4 minutes.

Steam green vegetables, until just cooked. Put aside one third for tomorrow's lunch.

Serve the rest with butter beans. Scatter chopped coriander on top.

Day 7

Breakfast

Hot lemon & ginger drink.

Cereal or ham breakfast.

Morning Snack

Two oat cakes or rye bread with home-made houmous (as Day 4).

Lunch

Tuna and vegetable salad

½ large can tuna, drained, 1 portion steamed vegetables, from yesterday's dinner, dressing. Mix.Your choice of carbs.

Afternoon snack

250ml high-energy smoothie (as Day 1).

Dinner

Chicken or mixed vegetable brochettes & salad (as Day 2).

BONUS RECIPE

Dinner: Duck breast or smoked tofu salad (serves 2)100g asparagus, ½ teaspoon five-spice powder, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 red pepper, cut into strips, 2 medium chicory heads, or gem lettuce, 2 duck breasts trimmed of fat or 200-250g tofu. A few toasted sesame seeds.

For the dressing: 1 tablespoon olive oil, pinch of cayenne pepper, juice and grated zest of ½ orange, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, squeeze of lemon juice.

Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Mix five-spice powder and ground fresh black pepper with tablespoon of olive oil. Coat asparagus in oil and bake for 5 minutes in oven. Coat peppers, add to oven and cook for further 5-10 minutes. Break up chicory into two shallow bowls. Mix dressing ingredients. If using duck lightly oil hot griddle and cook quickly. Slice into four. If using tofu, toss in oil, and lightly brown under the grill. Divide asparagus and pepper mix over chicory, top with duck breasts or tofu, drizzle with dressing.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Types of Medical Marijuana

budfacts.com

There are two main types of cannabis that is available; Sativa and Indica. Depending on which you choose, will determine the overall effects you experience. Each has their unique characteristics and grow patterns.

cannabis-sativaSativas are known for their length and skinny leaves, making this a difficult plant to grow indoors. Sativas can are tall and round like a massive bush, to skinny and lanky with a few large buds. The long thin leaves are a trademark to the sativa strain. The aroma from this plant varies on the type of strain selected.
The sativa effect is often labeled as uplifting and energetic. Effects of a sativa strain are mostly cerebral. Giving a feeling of cheerfulness and content, as well as providing a good dose of pain relief for certain ailments. A few pure sativas are also very high in THC. These strains are known to have a quite spacey, or hallucinogenic, effect. Some occasions of dizziness or nauseas feeling might occur with a person not familiar with this medicine. Consume only a little bit to sense the overall effects. Sativas are a good choice for daytime use.

cannabis-indicaIndicas are known for their stout appearance. They are bushy and grow short in height. Some variations are compact while others have moderate height and width (not as a sativa plant though). Many look like small shrubs. Indicas produce many side buds. Indicas are the easiest to grow indoors.

The indica effects are most often characterized as a gratifying body buzz. Indicas are great for relaxation, stress relief, or an overall sense of calm and serenity. Cannabis indica strains are highly effective for overall body pain relief, and have proved to be a great treatment for insomnia. Indicas are great for evening medication of many smokers as a sleep aid. A few select indica strains are very potent in THC, and will cause the “couch lock” effect, allowing the medical marijuana patient to simply sit and enjoy the experience of the smoke.

Cannabis strains are available across the whole spectrum from pure sativas to pure indicas, and in every combination in between. From 30% sativa - 70% indica strains, there are 80% sativa - 20% indica strains, and many, many 50% - 50% combinations, as well as others available. With the various selection of types of cannabis, this makes a comparison to wine and its multiple types. Sample the types and taste, smell, feel the difference of the selection of medical marijuana.

Diet: The 7 deadly sins of weight loss


Weight loss tips

I came up with 7 of my top weight loss tips of things to steer clear of and I’d like to share them with you today.

So without further explanation let’s get right to “the 7 Deadly Sins of Weight Loss!”

1. Inflammatory Foods

The big problem with this one is that you may have no idea that the food you thought was healthy for you is actually killing your weight loss hopes! Seriously, we’ve been led to believe that processed wheat flour is actually a whole grain and is good for us… I have news for you – processed wheat flour is not your friend when it comes to total health and weight loss.

2. Cardio

Yes, I said cardio. The days of doing long distance cardio for an hour to lose weight is super inefficient and is a band-aid approach to getting in shape. It works for a while and then your body adapts, injuries set in, your metabolism drops, and the results stop coming…

3. Mini-Cheats

“Mini-cheats” are what I call cheat meals that sneak in day-in and day-out either without you being aware of them, or thinking that they don’t matter. Trust me, they do matter and although no single one will make a huge difference the cumulative effect is devastating and leaves you scratching your head trying to figure out why you haven’t lost weight.

4. Stress

Some people could make the argument that stress can actually cause weight loss… and they would be right, but only temporarily. Stress (a hormone) is one of the top reasons people can’t lose weight even when they’re doing everything else right. Stress can come in many forms and in all areas of your life (work, family, friends, sleep, lifestyle, eating, etc) so be on the lookout.

5. Sugar

I’m pretty sure you already guessed that sugar was going to make the list, but did you know it is arguably the most poisoness substance you consume on a daily basis? I’m not exaggerating either… The problem is it’s everywhere! In fruit juices, soda, processed flour (hidden), alcohol, granola… everywhere – yikes!

6. Lack of Sleep

Why lack of sleep you ask? It’s because a lack of sleep heavily contributes to the stress factor we talked about. And if you don’t get enough sleep you’ll be too tired to make positive and healthy decisions like sticking with your nutrition and exercise program. This is a BIG ONE.

7. Fear of Weights

If a I had a nickel for every person who told me they don’t lift weights because they want to get smaller not bigger I’d probably be sitting on a gazillion dollars (that’s a lot). Here’s the secret we use to help clients lose 5 lbs in less than 7 days: We shock the body by using specific resistance exercises that contribute to more than 30% of their metabolism. You’ll not only create more tone in your muscles, but you’ll prevent the skinny fat look that many runners inherit from wasting away their lean muscle (metabolism).

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

10 'Diet' Mistakes Men Make


examiner.com

Women know from the moment they eye a dark chocolate brownie where it'll end up - their thighs, butt, or stomach. Men, on the other hand, won't think twice about the consequences. They'll wolf down a brownie in two seconds and ask if there's more. If you're concerned about your weight, read more to find out if you're making the same diet mistakes other men are making.

  1. Eating too much. If you finish what's on your plate and then the plates of others, or if you always have seconds, you're in trouble. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to receive the signal that your stomach is full, so stop eating before you're full and wait at least 10 minutes before having seconds.
  2. Portion distortion. Maintaining a healthy weight means eating the right foods in the right amounts. Take 15 minutes to educate yourself about current portion size recommendations and you'll save yourself a lot of calories and a few pounds.
  3. Drinking your calories. Beer, soda, and energy drinks have no nutritional value and can cause dehydration. Current beverage guidelines suggest reducing our consumption of these beverages by at least 75 percent.
  4. Snacking on unhealthy foods. Food is fuel for your body. If foods like beef jerky, potato chips, and buffalo wings were sold as fuel for your car, would you buy it? Guys, it's time to treat your body like the amazing machine that it is.
  5. Eating late at night. Late night Hagen-Dazs binges are not going to help that expanding mid-section. If you must have a late night snack, consider healthy alternatives like cottage cheese and fruit, or natural peanut butter on a slice of whole wheat toast.
  6. Not eating breakfast. A quick and easy breakfast that is a combination of carbohydrates and protein is all you need. Cottage cheese, fruit, and a slice of whole wheat toast will keep your engine running until your mid-morning snack.
  7. Eating whatever you want. As an adult, your body's metabolism has changed significantly from that of the teenager you once were, so you must adjust your caloric intake accordingly.
  8. Eating processed foods. Caveman didn't live off of hotdogs, lunch meats, canned ravioli, and frozen dinners and neither should you. Instead, eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
  9. Not drinking enough water. Factors such a physical activity and climate increase your H20 needs.
  10. Not eating enough. Skipping meals or not eating enough at meals, leads to overeating later. Eating five to six small meals a day, spaced two to three hours apart is really the healthiest way to eat.

Rather than making drastic changes overnight, make small changes over time for long-term success.

Diet and physical activity both play a critical role in controlling your weight so be sure you're getting enough exercise.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Exercise For Love Handles - Is Sex Any Good To Get Rid Of Them?


Good Health Guaranteed

Love handles, excess fat at the sides of our waists. Can sex be used as an exercise for love handles? Err…no?

Having said that, it won’t hurt to try to get rid of your love handles with as much sex as possible. All in the name of research of course. In fact I thouroughly encourage it.

I reckon it’s possible to burn enough calories by having enough energetic sex that you could reduce and rid yourself of your love handles.

The big problem is the amount of crap we eat in between sex sessions. I can’t speak for you but I’m ready to go again in less than a month.

Joking aside sex is a great exercise routine of you can work up a sweat. Nothing like a good bit of sex to get your heart pumping.

Love handles and other fatty deposits are rather more difficult to get rid of. It can be done but it takes willpower and work.

Just look on the net and you’ll find all sorts of exercise for love handles. Some easy and some so complex you may need a Phd to work out how to do them.

In my eyes an all round fitness system is hard to beat. One that easily helps you keep in trim but also lets you eat well without going hungry.

There simply is no substitute for an all round system. Keeps any need for hard exercise down to a minimum.

I use a system like this that allows me to plan ahead with both my exercise and my diet. In fact I generate my diets with a (stress free) push button online meal planner.

I used to struggle with my weight all the time. Actually that’s a lie, I didn’t struggle, I just didn’t even bother as I was convinced I can’t lose weight.

It’s a different story now though. I found a system that works for me. No stingy little meals and no pounding heavy weight down the gym.

It’s a simple all round system that keeps me in trim and will keep you in trim as well. That’s if you want to keep in trim.

A lot of people say they are looking for diet and exercise systems but do they really, really want to find one deep down? Do you?

One side effect of using a system like this is when you do get in shape you have to suffer more sex! Way more sex!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

5 Diets: The Real Secret to Good Health, Ideal Weight, Beautiful Skin and Long Life


(HealthNewsDigest.com) - The Yogurt Diet is based on a compilation of scientific studies as well as the author’s personal experiences. The book corroborates the health benefits of yogurt, not only to help people live a long and healthy life, but also to achieve ideal weight. The key to both is the presence of probiotic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

The tone of the read is colloquial and easy to comprehend, and reflects
the conversational yet passionate personality of the author. Ana narrates
anecdotes from her childhood in Spain, growing up with family and feasting on
the delicious Mediterranean diet, learning to cook, and being in a place where
yogurt was always part of the culture. At the same time, she offers scientific proof
to support each and every claim espoused in the book on the subjects of obesity
and declining health.
The Yogurt Diet stems from the ground-breaking thesis that the growing
number of diseases and the obesity epidemic in the world today are caused by
an imbalance of the intestinal bacterial flora. This is an innovative theory which
the scientific community has been actively investigating in recent years and
discovering a wealth of supportive evidence. The Spanish-born wellness coach
and holistic chef, Ana Luque, is the first authority on the subject to write a
comprehensive book for the general public – complete with both theory and
recipes – that focuses on resolving this increasing and frustrating dilemma.
Various changes that have taken place in industrialized countries over the
last few decades – such as high consumption of processed foods and sugar in
the diet, chlorinated water, stress and lack of sleep, as well as the ingestion of
antibiotics – are, among other causes, the assassins of the intestinal gut flora
needed to maintain health and ideal weight. When this first line of defense in the
body faces extinction, harmful microbes take the opportunity to proliferate. The
result is that the body’s health is compromised, leading to obesity and disease such as infections, allergies, lactose and gluten intolerance, diabetes, infertility,
high cholesterol, arthritis, acne and other skin imbalances, digestive problems
and more.

“The intestinal flora is the heart and soul of our health,” Ms Luque explains
in her book. To correct the growing problem of bacterial imbalance, the author
has created a diet that focuses on both the extinction of damaging organisms
and the proliferation of probiotic bacteria in the digestive tract. The result is a
return to a total balance of gut flora followed by the restoration of radiant health
and ideal weight. Fortunately, this goal is achievable by eating yogurt three
times a day while enjoying nutritious and delicious foods at the same time.
Unlike other diets, The Yogurt Diet does not focus on weight loss, but
rather on reclaiming one’s health. This is inevitably one of the positive results that
naturally and effortlessly occur, which is a gratifying surprise.
The Yogurt Diet is considered among many health experts as the
definitive answer to the obesity and health crises of the twenty-first century, and
something that we have been anticipating for many years.




(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Everything you know about dieting is wrong. We’ve been taught that controlling your weight begins and ends with the stomach, and that dieting is all about creating a better ratio of “calories in versus calories out.” But where do you think this metabolism takes place? The truth is that your stomach doesn’t control your weight at all. Weight loss occurs in your brain.

Eric Braverman, M.D., best selling author of “Younger You” and “The Edge Effect”, uncovers new information to help keep you healthy in his newest title, “YOUNGER (THINNER) YOU DIET”. Dr. Braverman expands upon concepts introduced in Younger You to present a totally new approach to lifelong weight management, where the key is not found in counting carbs, fat grams, or calories.

The key to losing weight, and keeping it off forever, is to literally grow new brain cells. YOUNGER (THINNER) YOU DIET will teach you how to boost your brain chemistry and recreate a younger, more vibrant brain—one that raises your metabolism and burns more calories with every bite. The YOUNGER (THINNER) YOU DIET educate you on how to compensate for a genetic predisposition to gain weight by eating right.

You will learn how to choose foods, supplements, teas, and spices—even hormones and medicine—to avoid the effects of other aging organs that can destroy one’s metabolism. You will learn how to personalize the diet for specific health concerns, such as heart problems, aging skin, weak muscles, and achy joints.

Every process in your body, including weight gain and disease, is governed by your brain’s electricity. Four critical brain chemicals—dopamine, acetylcholine, GABA, and serotonin—insure that this electricity is transferred to the body in the right power, speed, rhythm, and synchrony. If you are deficient in any of these chemicals, your brain will create specific food cravings leading not only to weight gain and ill health but further unbalances your brain chemistry.

One of the foremost experts in integrative medicine, known for his work on the brain-body connection, Dr. Braverman explains that any brain chemical imbalance is reversible once you learn how to address your health head-first. “By retraining your brain, you will be able to get rid of your food addictions and your cravings, so that you are not relying on fattening foods to self-medicate. By changing the foods you eat to those that enhance brain chemistry, you will increase your metabolism and immediately start to lose weight.”

YOUNGER (THINNER) YOU DIET teaches readers which foods naturally boost the body’s production of dopamine, the chemical in the brain that tells the body to start its fat-burning engine. Eliminating the frustration and deprivation of conventional dieting, YOUNGER (THINNER) YOU DIET will help anyone turn back the clock to a slimmer, healthier, younger you.

Proven to help thousands of patients lose weight, reverse aging, and fight disease, the YOUNGER (THINNER) YOU DIET is the key to a younger brain, younger body, and younger (thinner) you.




(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Winston-Salem, NC – The mismatch between today’s typical diets and our genes has been a major contributor to the nation’s health crisis, including obesity and chronic inflammatory disease. Shifting the paradigm to focus on gene-based strategies to nutrition and lifestyle is the goal of Gene Smart Wellness, and its ground-breaking new approach to health and fitness announced today.

The Gene Smart Program officially debuted this week with the publication of The Gene Smart Diet (Rodale Books, June 2009) by Floyd H. “Ski” Chilton, PhD, a pioneer in the study of gene-based nutrition and inflammatory diseases, as well as the launch of a comprehensive new health and wellness web site (www.genesmart.com). Genesmart.com features numerous tools and resources such as diet tips, exercise programs, recipes, nutritional supplements, and motivational success stories to educate consumers and help them get started on the program.

The Gene Smart Program is based on the groundbreaking research of Dr. Chilton, a professor of Physiology and Pharmacology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Director of the NIH-sponsored Wake Forest Center for Botanical Lipids, and Senior Associate Director for Research for the Program for Complementary and Integrative Medicine at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Recent findings suggest our diets and lifestyles are working against our genes rather than with them, resulting in a net effect that has been devastating to our waistlines, not to mention our overall health.

“Clearly, the research has pointed to the typical American diet as the cause of numerous health issues, from obesity to chronic inflammatory diseases,” said Dr. Chilton. “But through proven principles that use our bodies’ own survival systems, we can start to reverse that trend and help people to not only lose weight, but prevent a host of diseases and live healthier, more vigorous lives.”
Dr. Chilton’s latest research in nutrient/gene interactions, as published in the June 5, 2009 issue of Journal of Biological Chemistry, has played a role in the development of the Gene Smart Program, which focuses on five key principles:

Increase Polyphenols -- Eat more dark-skinned fruits and vegetables. Drink more 100% fruit juices, green tea, red wine and dark chocolate.
Add Omegas -- Increase Omega-3 consumption, targeting 1,250 – 1,500 mg of combined EPA and DHA acid per day by eating more fish and through a high quality fish oil supplement. Add 400 - 500 mg daily of a specific omega-6 called GLA.
Increase Fiber -- Increase daily fiber consumption to 14-16 grams for every 1,000 calories consumed, or about 30 grams of fiber for a 2,000 calorie diet.
Reduce Calories -- If you are overweight, reduce your daily caloric intake by 20% to 30% of what is needed to maintain your current weight.
Exercise to Reduce Inflammation -- Exercise at least 5 days a week, for at least 30 minutes, in a specific manner focused on reducing whole body inflammation.

Gene Smart is one of the few wellness programs proven to work in a clinical study. In addition to hundreds of clinical trials from established medical institutions supporting the individual elements of the Gene Smart Program, Dr. Chilton’s research laboratory recently completed an eight-week long clinical study on 68 individuals of all shapes and sizes. Participants following the Gene Smart program lost weight, decreased whole body inflammation, reduced risk of disease, and reported improvements in mood and energy.

Gene SmartTM Wellness (GSW) is a science-based preventative health care company that combines expertise in consumer marketing, behavioral science, and the science of nutrition, inflammation, gene expression and health. GSW develops, markets, and implements programs and supporting products that empower individuals to prevent disease and improve overall health in order to live life abundantly.




(HealthNewsDigest.com) - GREAT FALLS, VA — The American Psychiatric Association says 8 out of 10 Americans are significantly stressed by the economy. Job losses, declining stock and housing markets, terrorism, lack of health insurance, and global instability are all major concerns in this day and age. Worse, the stress resulting from these problems can make us fat and sick: Stress causes obesity, which can lead to diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and even death.

So why does stress make us put on weight? Stress eating, a common but little understood problem, is the culprit, causing us to overindulge in candy, cookies, sugar, and refined carbohydrates. Not only are these foods often high in calories, but they also can make our blood sugar dip so low we want to eat even more. And women are especially at risk: 82% of them overeat versus 71% of men.

A new book, The Stress Eater Diet, aims to stop this harmful cycle. This unique program—created by Robert B. Posner, M.D. and top nutritionist Linda Hlivka explains the dangers of stress eating and provides a solution to reduce and eliminate it. It also consists of sound nutritional advice and plans, exercise suggestions, and expert calming techniques to reduce stress and increase metabolism. Together, Posner and Hlivka have helped thousands lose weight, reduce stress, and lead happier, healthier lives.





reference: foxnews.com
'Red Carpet Ready' 3 Day
Skin Diet

Updated: Saturday, 20 Jun 2009, 9:59 PM EDT
Published : Saturday, 20 Jun 2009, 9:59 PM EDT

MyFoxNY.com - Beautiful skin never goes out of style. Would you like your skin to be as perfect as a movie star's?

Dr. Nicholas Perricone says a 'three day skin diet' can change not only the way you feel, but also the way you look.You can be red carpet ready in just a matter of days.

Fox's Courtney Friel explains (video, below).

The diet consists of foods that will battle inflammation, one of the most common skin problems. Eating salmon twice a day, green salads with lemon juice and olive oil, and fresh fruit will all help to calm your skin and ease inflammation.

Dr. Perricone says an added bonus is losing water weight. "People who follow the three day program the average weight loss is 4-5 pounds. You're not losing 4-5 pounds of body fat, you're losing all this excess water which add beautiful lines to your face once you do that."





Tuesday, June 16, 2009

jOG Controller for Nintendo Wii Makes Players Exercise


i4u.com

A new study has shown that the jOG controller for the Nintendo Wii makes players exercise. The study shows that using the controller for one hour to play a typical Nintendo Wii game involves taking 6,000 to 10,000 steps.

The government recommends that adults take 10,000 steps per day to remain healthy. The jOG controller also more than triples energy expenditure and increased heart rate by 40% compared to playing a game seated.

The jOG controller was launched earlier this year and is an add on controller for the Wii that detects body motion and moves a game character when the player takes a step. The controller is compatible with many existing Wii games.


wii-jog-controller

Wii jOG Controller Features:

  • The signal that controls character movement is blocked until you start jogging on the spot.
  • It has two modes: Jog & Couch Potato.
  • In jog mode you will not be able to move your character until you start jogging. Each step you take lights up the LED on the Jog Controller and gives you control of your character for 1 second (approx).
  • In Couch Potato mode the LED is lit continuously, jogging has no impact on the game and your steps will not be counted on the pedometer.
  • The inbuilt pedometer will keep a record of every step you’ve taken or the number of calories you’ve burnt and display them on the controllers LCD.
  • Clips easily onto your clothes – you’ll hardly know it’s there. Unless you forget to jog.
  • Works with all Wii games that allow you to control the characters movement (e.g. walking) using the nunchuk controller.
  • Some Wii games work better than others so please check out the constantly updated list here.
  • Wii Sport is not compatible.
  • The Jog Gaming Controller has only been tested with officially licensed Wii Remotes and Nunchuks, so it may not work if you’re using a third party controller.
  • Suitable for ages 7 years +.
  • Size: 4 x 4 x 2cm.

75 Reasons to Drink Mangosteen Juice Every Day


Glimpse4you

Establishing a mangosteen dosing regimen can create robust health and vitality, preventing many illnesses from striking in the first place.

WHOLE BODY HEALTH

Strengthen the immune system. The flavonoids & flavones boost other antioxidants, including vitamins C & E, to a more protective level.

Combats inflammation. Helps prevent tissue swelling which can lead to many debilitating diseases & conditions.

Improves cell communication. The Xanthones in mangosteen improve the body’s cell to cell communication to fight disease from attacking & spreading. It also speeds up healing & repair.

Thwarts DNA damage. Xanthones have been shown to thwart DNA damage, lowering risks from carcinogens & mutagens.

Aids the lymphatic system. Helps the lymphatic system eliminate cell waste.

Keeps thyroid functioning optimally. Mangosteen’s energy boosting ability helps overcome low thyroid conditions.

Reduces insulin resistance. Xanthones can help normalize blood sugar levels.

Helps lower body fat. Balances cortisol which can stimulate fat deposits in various parts of the body.

Heals nerve damage. The anti-neuralgic & anti-inflammatory properties help repair cellular damage that causes neurological pain & discomfort, including diabetic neuropathy.

Balances the endocrine system. Favorably affects the balance of hormones & other neurochemicals produced by the endocrine system.

Aids body synergy. Mangosteen’s disease microbial-fighting abilities & immune system-strengthening qualities empower the entire body.

Reduces hemorrhoids. Alleviates the pain & swelling caused by inflammation.

Helps alleviate hypoglycemia. Counters fatigue brought on by low blood-sugar levels.

Relieves psoriasis. Xanthones can help detoxify the liver, which can cause psoriasis.

Helps heal lesions. Promotes rapid healing of topical wounds.

Reduces pain of carpal tunnel syndrome. Stops hand and wrist pain by reducing inflammation.

Relieves neurodermatitis. Mangosteen’s anti-inflammatory properties counteract this scaly & itching skin disorder.

HEART HEALTH

Helps prevent heart disease. Xanthones neutralize free radical damage which may play a role in the inflammatory process.

Strengthens blood vessels. Improves the flow of nutrients to the body’s cells.

Lowers LDL cholesterol. Since mangosteen inhibits free radical damage, it may help reduce LDL oxidation in the blood.

Reduces high blood pressure. Mangosteen’s ability to strengthen heart muscles & help you lose weight may lead lower blood pressure.

Helps prevents arteriosclerosis. Mangosteen’s anti-inflammatory effect may reduce plaque buildup in artery walls.

DIGESTIVE HEALTH

Helps overcome acid reflux disease (GERD). Mangosteen’s antioxidants may help protect & repair the lower esophagus damaged by gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Its acid-suppression effects may reduce stomach content acidity.

Helps heal ulcers. Xanthones kill bad bacteria, fungi & parasites, including H-pylori, the ulcer-causing bacteria.

Relief for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Blocks IBS-causing serotonin in the digestive system.

Helps stop diarrhea. The anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial properties of the rind or pericarp can stop diarrhea.

Can relieve Crohn’s disease. The anti-inflammatory properties can prevent the malabsorption of vital nutrients by preventing damage to the wall of the small intestine.

May prevent diverticulitis. Can prevent infections in the pockets that form in the lining of the colon.

YOUTHFUL LIVING

Boosts energy; improves resilience & increase stamina. Mangosteen’s nutrients provide needed energy.

Slows the aging process. Mangosteen’s regenerative nutrients & strong antioxidants keep cells operating optimally.

Helps prevent dementia & Alzheimer’s. Mangosteen’s flavonoids can stop simple memory loss.

Helps prevent kidney stones. The alkaline quality of mangosteen helps neutralize stone-forming acids in the body.

Helps prevent Parkinson’s disease. Mangosteen’s antioxidant qualities prevent oxidation, a factor in Parkinson’s.

Reduces pain from arthritis. The anti-inflammatory effect can reduce pain.

Repairs damage from NSAID use. Mangosteen has been shown to block the H1 & H2 receptors (histamine molecules linked to allergies & the production of stomach acid) naturally. Its anti-inflammatory properties may reduce stomach acid & protect the stomach lining from acid damage.

Aids in eye function. The antioxidant abilities protect cells from the oxidative damage that leads to aging and disease.

FAMILY HEALTH

Lowers fever. By fighting inflammation, offering immune system support & hydration, mangosteen can help fight fever.

Fights food poisoning. Xanthones can destroy Salmonella typhi.

Soothes sore throats. Anti-inflammatory effect can offer relief.

Helps heal mouth & canker sores. The natural antibiotic, antiviral & antifungal ability combats the pathogens that cause these sores.

Fights bad breath. Antibacterial properties help fight bad breath caused by bacteria.

Helps lessen migraines. Mangosteen can potentially correct abnormal serotonin functions in blood vessels that lead to migraines.

Relieves toothache pain. Anti-inflammatory effect can help relieve this pain.

Acts as a natural sleep aid. Helps balance hormones, which aids in balancing the sleep cycle.

Improves ability to deal with stress. Helps balance hormones like cortisol, which is overproduced during stress.

Improves mood & reduces depression. Acts as a “mood elevator” by correcting brain chemical imbalances.

Aids muscles and joint health. Pain can be reduced by the anti-inflammatory properties of mangosteen.

Helps clear acne & skin blemishes. The detoxifying & anti-inflammatory properties of mangosteen can prevent & clear up skin problems.

Treats bug bites, burns & poisonous plant contact. When made into a paste, the anti-bacterial & anti-inflammatory properties can relieve pain & swelling.

Relieves sprained & strained muscles & ligaments. Mangosteen can be massaged onto skin for topical relief.

Relieves stomachaches. Anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties relieve stomachaches caused by bacterial infections.

Relieves bronchitis, emphysema & pneumonia. Mangosteen’s anti-viral, anti-bacterial & anti-fungal effect can reduce the frequency of lung infections & other pulmonary diseases.

Works as a decongestant. Mangosteen’s anti-inflammatory properties help as a decongestant.

MEN’S HEALTH

Helps prevent male infertility. Mangosteen’s anti-inflammatory & anti-oxidant strengths can counter infertility due to stress, pollution & free radical-related factors.

Helps prevent prostate enlargement. The antioxidant punch of mangosteen’s Xanthones may be a powerful weapon in the fight against an enlarged prostate.

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Relieves urinary difficulties. The rind from mangosteen can relieve cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), caused by a bacterial infection.

Offers a gentle laxative effect. Unlike harsh laxatives that irritate the bowel, it heals and unblocks areas of bowel restriction.

Minimizes PMS. Reduces symptoms of moodiness & inflammation.

Relieves menopause symptoms . Removes stress from the body & helps maintain adequate levels of estrogen, thus slowing the effects of menopause.

Reduces menstrual swelling . The anti-inflammatory properties of mangosteen may counteract this bothersome side effect of PMS.

Reduces pain from fibromyalgia . Mangosteen exhibits a neurological pain-reducing effect.

Reduces pain from osteoporosis. Mangosteen’s neurological pain-reducing effect can offer relief from osteoporosis.

CHILDREN’S HEALTH

Helps relieve asthma. Mangosteen’s anti-viral, anti-bacterial & anti-fungal effect can reduce the frequency of lung infections & other pulmonary diseases.

May prevent ADHD & food allergies. Studies have found a strong connection between hyperactive behavior & food allergies. Mangosteen stops antigen/antibody reactions & reduces the body’s allergic reactions. It may also help reduce lead in children’s bodies which is linked to ADHD.

Builds stronger teeth and bones. Mangosteen aids in the efficient conversion of sunlight to vitamin D.

FIGHT DISEASE

Prevents gum disease. The anti-bacterial effect helps prevent gum disease.

Combat tuberculosis. Xanthones can overpower the bacteria responsible for causing TB.

Reduces lactose intolerance side effects. Mangosteen’s anti-inflammatory ability can reduce side effects, such as bloating & abdominal cramps.

Helps prevent dysentery. Effective fights Shigella, the bacterium that causes baciliary dysentery & the amoeba that causes amoebic dysentery..

Helps prevent multiple sclerosis (MS). Balances levels of tryptophan, serotonin and melatonin & prevents oxidative damage.

May thwart cancer. Xanthones have demonstrated anti-tumor properties in leukemia, liver, stomach & lung cancer, breast cancer & colon neoplasms.

Relieves Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). Anti-inflammatory properties can relieve the cause of holes in the mucosal membrane, strengthening the body’s defenses.

Helps prevent cystic fibrosis (CF) infections. Mangosteen’s antioxidant & anti-microbial abilities may prevent excesss mucus found in CF.

Prevent lupus-related symptoms. Anti-inflammatory & autoimmune strengthening qualities can help lupus symptoms.

Counteracts Myasthenia Gravis. Counteracts the symptoms of this autoimmune disease by strengthening the immune system

Sunday, June 14, 2009

“Eco-Atkins” diet is good for health and good for the environment


www.examiner.com

June 13, 8:09 PM ·
A diet low in calories and carbohydrates, but high in plant proteins, helped overweight individuals lose weight and improve cholesterol levels. Complete information is available in the June 8 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
The authors discuss the “dilemma relating to the proportion and source of fat, protein, and carbohydrate that constitutes the optimal weight loss and cholesterol-lowering diet”. Atkins style diets emphasize reduced carbohydrates and increased animal protein. These diets are indeed effective for weight loss. However, diets high in animal protein tend to increase low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or “bad cholesterol”.
The “Eco-Atkins” diet is low in carbohydrates, and it emphasizes plant-based proteins. This diet aided in weight lose, and it also aided in reducing LDL cholesterol. This diet is more suitable for individuals with concerns about heart disease.
Plant proteins are plentiful in soy, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds. These foods can form the basis of a healthful diet.
Plant proteins also have a smaller environmental footprint than animal proteins. Beef is the most energy intensive source of protein. Beef production requires huge inputs of energy and water. In most cases, beef production also includes considerable amounts of hormones and antibiotics. Feedlots produce mountains of waste that pollute rivers and ground water.
Pork and chicken are only somewhat less damaging to the environment. Production of dairy products and eggs have the same issues that are shared by all factory farms: accumulations of waste, routine use of antibiotics, and energy intensive feeding practices.
The Eco-Atkins diet offers a healthful and environmentally friendly alternative to the standard diet. Many ethnic cuisines offer tasty and interesting meals centered around plant proteins. Dishes from south of the border feature beans as a protein source. Indian and Ethiopian cuisines incorporate lentils and peas. Asian foods often include tofu. Exploring plant-based foods is a great way to enjoy greater health and have more interesting meals.


Monday, June 8, 2009

Dudes Don't Diet

healthkicker

When pitching to men, weight-loss companies don't use the d-word

"Men have their own vocabulary for cutting calories, and it does not include the word 'diet,'" says Karen Miller-Kovach, chief scientific officer at Weight Watchers International and the author of She Loses, He Loses: The Truth About Men, Women, and Weight Loss.



"Women love the word 'diet,' but you don't hear men saying, 'My diet starts Monday,'" says Miller-Kovach. "Men tend to say they need 'to get in shape.'"

Men's aversion to the word diet is not lost on the soft-drink industry. When introducing a new diet soda targeted at men, Coca-Cola called it Coke Zero, which some in Europe dubbed "bloke Coke." Similarly, Pepsi One is also sugar-free, targeted to men and scrupulously avoids the d-word.



Less ostracized for being overweight, men tend to be slower to acknowledge it. "Generally a man has to be obese before he considers himself even a little overweight," Miller-Kovach says. "And men diet less often.

"Men are oblivious that their weight is even a problem, but when they realize it, it's like the invasion of Normandy," she continues. "Men are problem solvers and very dogmatic about weight loss."

Men also tend to emphasize exercise, stressing not that they want to be "skinny" or "thin" but rather "fit" or "lean," she says.

Miller-Kovach does see men's attitudes about dieting beginning to shift, though. There is, of course, Jared Fogle, the spokesman hired by Subway after he lost more than 240 pounds on a strict diet of their sandwiches. But she says the bigger shift came with the popularity a few years ago of the Atkins diet. Men found eating the recommended steak, chicken and bacon agreed not just with their palates but their machismo -- and dieted more openly then ever.



Although the Atkins diet drove the low-carb craze in 2003 and 2004, its popularity has dropped precipitously. But, according to Kim Evenson, svp of marketing and sales at eDiets.com, "we still see a really strong appeal for Atkins with men."

Founded in 1996, eDiets.com helps clients choose from among more than 20 weight-loss plans, an approach the company calls "nondenominational dieting," Evenson says. And the site recently added the eDiets' meal delivery plan, which resembles NutriSystem and Jenny Direct, a new option from Jenny Craig.

"A lot of times women are looking for more community support and engagement, whether online or offline," Evenson says. "But men don't say, 'So Bob, how's it going? How can I better support you?' That's not locker-room talk. Men like meal delivery, where there's a simple approach that they're able to follow."

About 10 percent of eDiets' customers are men, a number Evenson says has grown steadily from 1,000 men in 1998 to nearly 10,000 today. Although the company hasn't designed ads for men per se, it does advertise in some male-skewing media, including Discovery's Science Channel, whose audience is about two-thirds male.

Along with low-carb diets, the most popular category with men on eDiets is what the company calls "medical/special condition plans." Such programs, prompted by a finger-wagging physician, are designed to lower cholesterol, improve the heart or manage diabetes.

How often do you hear guys use the word diet? What word do you hear most guys use when referring to a diet?

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Don't Flush Yet Keep a "Poo Log" Body Waste Gives Clues Regarding Your Health


msnbc.msn.com
Why is it that when it comes to bathroom habits, guys seem to turn into a bunch of 12-year-olds ("Just taking the Browns to the Super Bowl!")? But even if potty talk grosses you out, flushing and running isn't the best strategy either. Docs say that what's in the toilet can provide important clues to your health. Yale gastroenterologist Anish Sheth, M.D., the author of "What's Your Poo Telling You?" and "Poo Log," says, "What comes out tells you a lot about what's going on inside." Here he explains what you should look out for. Take a deep breath. You can handle this.

Flush factor consistency
What you should see: A stool that's compact yet soft enough to be passed very easily

What you shouldn't: A bowel movement that's broken up or watery


An ideal download shouldn't require a lot of pushing or straining, Sheth says. To achieve that, drink plenty of water and get at least 25 grams of fiber per day. On the other hand, stools that are looser than a Rock of Love contestant can signal food intolerance. The most likely culprits: the milk sugar lactose, the artificial sweetener sorbitol (found in sugar-free gum), or the wheat protein gluten. A food diary can help you determine whether grilled cheese, Orbit, or whole-wheat pizza crusts are to blame. If changing your diet doesn't get results, see a GI specialist. Your symptoms could be caused by a bacterial infection or an allergy.

Flush factor color
What you should see: Cocoa, mahogany, burnt umber, cafe au lait...

What you shouldn't: Regular appearances from hues that aren't in the brown family

Sheth is down with anything brown, but says not to worry if something you ate temporarily changes a stool's color. Blueberries and beets, for example, can tint your business blue and red, respectively. Persistent red or black stools, however, are often caused by blood in the digestive tract, which may signal stomach ulcers or hemorrhoids. Yellow floaters occur when there's fat in the stool, which means your body is having trouble digesting food properly. And pale gray stools typically result from gallstones. If an abnormal palette persists for more than a day or two, keep a record and take it to your doctor.

Flush factor shape
What you should see: A single, banana-like shape

What you shouldn't: A pencil-thin stool

"One long piece means you're getting enough insoluble fiber, which adds bulk to your stool," Sheth says. To get your fill of the rough stuff, have a bowl of bran cereal for breakfast, or snack on broccoli dipped in hummus. Skinny BMs can indicate a serious problem — namely, rectal cancer. See a doctor for a colonoscopy if your deposits are persistently scrawny or become thinner over several weeks.

Eat This, Not That's 14 Health Foods That Aren't :(


1. Bran Muffin


420 calories
20 g fat

Eat this instead!


Ham, egg and cheese on an English muffin
300 calories 12 g fat

Bran muffins are comprised of two things your body doesn't want in the morning: sugar and refined flour. Both will work to spike your blood sugar, which signals your body to start storing fat and sets you up for a mid-morning crash. And with only trace amounts of fiber, there's nothing healthy about this misunderstood muffin. The breakfast sandwich, on the other hand, is a surprisingly great way to start your day. Besides having fewer calories, fat, and carbs, it also offers about 20 grams of protein, which we really need in the morning to jumpstart our metabolism.

2. Chicken Caesar Salad

(Dinner-size portion)
900 calories
60 g fat


Eat this instead!

Grilled chicken on mixed greens 400 calories 20 g fat

Caesar salads suffer the consequences of two natural disasters: a flood of fatty dressing and a blizzard of Parmesan cheese and croutons. Even a Caesar side salad before a meal can cost you up to 500 calories. Skip the emperor treatment in favor of a simple grilled chicken breast tossed in a bed of mixed greens tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is a vast improvement over the treacherous Caesar dressing, and the absence of a Parmesan sea means that you'll save nearly entire meal's worth of calories by making this simple swap.

3. Tuna Melt

900 calories 50 g fat

Eat this instead!


Roast beef or ham sandwich
500 calories 15 g fat

Plain tuna out of the can is healthy; tuna doused in mayo, shrouded in melted cheese, and slicked with another layer of dressing is not. Both ham and roast beef are packed with protein and are super satisfying and surprisingly lean, which means you can eat the same size sandwich and save 400 calories and 35 grams of fat.



4. Chicken Wrap

700 calories 35 g fat

Eat this instead!

Grilled chicken sandwich
375 calories 15 g fat

The wrap itself is the real offender here, dense with fast-burning carbs and containing up to 400 calories. It's a tortilla shell pumped with a bunch of modified starch and fat. Plus the huge surface area means more room to slather dressing and pack in more cheese and meat than your typical sandwich. Definitely not a health food. A grilled chicken sandwich on a bun offers a great balance of fat, carbs, and protein, plus having a bun instead of a huge tortilla provides some much-need portion control. Bonus: Nix the mayo in favor of BBQ sauce or salsa (which is the ultimate fat-free, low-cal condiment).

5. Turkey Burger

850 calories 50 g fat

Eat this instead!

7-oz sirloin steak
350 calories 20 g fat

People hear turkey and automatically think lean and healthy, but depending on the type of ground turkey and toppings used, one of these poultry patties can be every bit as fatty and caloric as a beef burger. Sirloin, on the other hand, is one of the leanest cuts of meat available, which makes for an incredibly satisfying, protein-enriched meal that will keep you feeling fuller, longer. Who wouldn't want to make this swap?

6. Fruit Smoothies

600 calories 120 g sugars

Drink this instead!


100% fruit smoothie
350 calories 75 g sugars

Many fruit smoothies contain added sugars and high-fructose corn syrup, which means they're more milkshake than smoothie. The key here really is in the name: A 100% fruit smoothie made with plain yogurt instead of ice cream or sherbert will contain nearly half the calories and significantly less sugar, plus it will provide all of the vitamin and antioxidant capacity that a smoothie is supposed to have.

7. Granola Bar

200 calories
15 g sugars

Eat this instead!


1 oz cheddar cheese with Triscuits
150 calories
5 g sugars


Ever wonder what keeps a granola bar together? The makers of one of America's favorite (and most misunderstood) snacks use mostly high-fructose corn syrup as their glue, which in turns quickly raises blood sugar and cancels out any of the potential benefits you might otherwise get from the oats. By switching over to good old-fashioned cheese and crackers, you swap out sugar and calories for protein and fiber. Talk about a great deal!

8. Pasta Salad

300 calories 20 g fat

Eat this instead!


Egg salad
200 calories 14 g fat

When the main ingredient for a snack or a side is pasta, you're asking for trouble. That's because pasta is made from highly-refined flour, which means quick-burning carbs and a huge spike in blood sugar. Not only does it save you a hundred calories, but the egg salad replaces those troublesome carbs with healthy protein, which helps fill your belly faster and keeps your metabolic fires effectively stoked.

9. Yogurt with Fruit on the Bottom

190 calories 30 g sugars

Eat this instead!


Plain yogurt with fresh fruit mixed in
110 calories 15 g sugars

You wouldn't start your morning with a can of Coke, would you? Then you should pass on these troublesome yogurt cups since they contain as much sugar as a soft drink. Almost all of what comes directly from the "fruit" is high-fructose corn syrup. Yogurt and fruit can be a great way to start your day, but do it yourself by mixing a cup of nonfat plain yogurt with a half cup of mixed berries.

10. Bagel with Cream Cheese

700 calories
40 g fat
13g saturated

Eat this instead!

Cheese omelet
425 calories
18 g
6 g saturated

Bagels are bogus. The bread is bad enough, containing 300 calories and 60 grams of carbohydrates, but tack on the liberal cream cheese schmear (by our survey of popular breakfast chains, up to 4 ounces for a single bagel!) and you're "harmless" breakfast snack just got worse than a Whopper. The omelet swap will save you nearly 300 calories, plus provide a surge of metabolism-driving protein. And a recent study from the University of Connecticut found that eggs can help raise HDL (good) cholesterol.

11. Pasta Primavera

800 calories
40 grams of fat (12 g saturated)


Eat this instead!

2 slices veggie pizza
400 calories
20 g fat
6 g saturated


Yes, there may be a few vegetables in this popular pasta dish, but there is also a ton of butter, cream, and quick-burning carbs from the mountain of noodles. If you want to stick to pasta, look for red sauce-based dishes like pasta pomodoro or penne arrabiatta (chili-spiked marinara). But ultimately, even a few slices of cheese or vegetable pizza turn out to be a relatively smart choice when the craving for Italian food strikes. Unlike the nearly bottomless pits of pasta most restaurants serve up, pizza comes in a naturally portion-controlled form: two slices and you're done. Just be sure to opt for regular or thin crust; both pan and deep dish pizza have nearly twice the calories.

12. Dried Fruit

175 calories
45 g sugars


Eat this instead!

Fresh fruit, like an apple or a peach
70 calories
15 g sugars


Okay, so dried fruit won't totally derail a day of good eating (unless you put down an entire bag of banana chips), but it's far from being a harmless snack. First, because the dehydrating process sucks most of the volume from the fruit, you can eat cups of the stuff, and 600 calories later, still not feel any fuller. More troubling, though, is the fact that companies like Sun-Maid and Ocean Spray almost invariably add a ton of sugar to the fruit, making Craisins closer to candy than Mother Nature's original intention. In this case, the choice is clear: Stick to the real stuff.

13. Fish Sandwich

600 calories
30 g fat
11 g saturated


Eat this instead!

Chicken sandwich
300 calories
13 g fat
4 g saturated


Fish is healthy. Fish battered, fried, robed in cheese, and bathed in tartar sauce is decidedly not. The lesson? It's not about the star ingredient, but the supporting cast
in this case a cadre of fat-bearing miscreants. We've seen too many chicken- and fish-based dishes ruined by overly assertive (and caloric) accoutrements. To that end, make sure your next chicken sandwich is grilled (avoid any menu item with the word "crispy", the restaurant industry's euphemism of choice for fried food), dressed with fresh produce, and topped with a low-cal sauce like barbecue, or even ketchup and mustard.

14. Margarine

Margarine (1 Tbsp)

100 calories
11 g fat
2.5 g saturated
2.5 g trans fat


Eat this instead!

Whipped butter (1 Tbsp)
50 calories
6 g fat
1.5 g saturated


In their haste to remove saturated fat from butter, margarine makers created a monster
a soft, spreadable sludge loaded with trans-fats, a dangerous lipid with more concerning links to heart disease than saturated fat. Stick with the real stuff, but pick up whipped butter from brands like Land O' Lakes instead; by whipping air into the butter, manufacturers decrease the caloric density of a tablespoon of butter, plus it makes for easier spreading.

reference: eatthis.menshealth.com

Ok I compared the Nutritional Facts of a McDonalds Fish Sandwich vs. McDonalds Grilled Chicken Sandwich. One factor they swap a white bread bun with a honey wheat bun for the chicken.





You can see the biggest difference in the Calories from Fat. Guess I am swapping over to the grilled chicken.

Pocket Workout for iPhone | Review: iFitness for iPhone | Edibles Review Video

macworld.com
Many of the fitness apps available for download in the App Store try to cover different aspects of your workout regime, from offering instruction videos to counting the calories you’ve consumed and burned. Pocket Workout, in contrast, is only concerned with one thing—tracking your workouts and measuring your progress toward a stated goal.


Sticking to Schedule: After you set your target goal in Pocket Workout, you also set a workout schedule, including what days you’ll workout, what exercises you’ll do, and how long your program will continue.

In that sense, SaltLick Labs' $2 app is a sort of computerized personal trainer. The developer even calls the main part of its program the “personal trainer,” acknowledging Pocket Workout’s focus.

But this personal trainer isn’t right for everybody. Pocket Workout seems geared toward intermediate users people that already know how to perform calisthenic exercises. The app does not provide any instructions on how to perform any of its nine workout routines—no written commands, no photos, and no videos. There’s not even a Web link to definitions, so users wondering what “kick backs,” “wide pull-ups,” or “flutter kicks” are—let alone how they’re performed—will have to conduct that research on their own. To be fair, Saltlick Labs makes this all clear on Pocket Workout’s App Store page; still, the omission of even a simple description or some type of illustration limits the utility of this app for some users.

That said, if you know how to perform basic calisthenics, Pocket Workout can help you along as you chart your progress. When you first launch the app, it asks you to setup your personal trainer. You enter your current vitals—height, weight, and BMI—and take “before” photos for comparison purposes. After you set your vitals, you’re ready to get started with the personal trainer.

Every workout in Pocket Workout is designed around a target goal and a schedule. After you set a target goal, you also set a schedule with the number of times per week you want to work out and the number of weeks you want to continue working out. Pocket Workout includes a thorough help file to walk you through any questions about the setup of the personal trainer.

Workout plans may last for as little as one week or as long as one year. All workouts are comprised of different exercises—you can choose as many or as few as you’d like. You can add exercises from Pocket Workout’s database, where they’re divided by difficulty, or you can enter your own exercises. Adding exercises is easy, though I couldn’t find a way to remove any from the database.

The ability to add multiple individual exercises to a single workout plan is a key feature of Pocket Workout, since the app can only remember one complete schedule at a time. Still, Pocket Workout does keep track of all your goals, targets,and vitals as you complete your workout schedule. The app provides charts to graph your progress in each category: weight, BMI and so forth.

Pocket Workout also includes Twitter integration via a “motivation” page full of tweets from other users using the software to track their workouts. You can tweet your progress right from within Pocket Workout.

Pocket Workout is an ideal application for business users or frequent travelers that are already familiar with these types or exercises. Beginners will likely want to see examples of how the exercises are performed, something you’ll find in an app like iFitness, but not in Pocket Workout at this time. Still, Pocket Workout delivers what it promises—it’s a good exercise tracking tool for intermediate users or anyone that already exercises and wants an effective way to chart their progress.

Pocket Workout is compatible with any iPhone or iPod touch running the iPhone 2.x software update.

Review: iFitness for iPhone

Starting a workout routine, especially at a gym or health club that probably includes sophisticated weight and resistance machines, can be an intimidating prospect. Deciding what exercises to do and then figuring out how to do them can be difficult, especially if you don’t have a personal trainer and the club is understaffed or overcrowded


Pumping Iron: When you tap on an exercise in iFitness (in this case the decline close-grip bench press), you are first presented with two images displaying its setup and sequence of motions.

But using iFitness for the iPhone and iPod touch can be a great help to newbie gym-goers. The app from Medical Productions includes simple graphics and instructions for more than 150 exercises, and sports an elegant interface that can be easily tapped (no pun intended) between sweaty sets. For those with a passing familiarity with weight machines and free weight techniques, iFitness’s breadth of exercises, descriptions of what muscles are being worked, and logging capabilities may be appealing.

iFitness packs a lot of capabilities into a $2 app squeezed onto the 3.5-inch diagonal display of Apple’s mobile devices. When considered simply as a reference, iFitness is impressive. Each of its exercises can be accessed via three list views: by muscle group (abdominals, arms, back, and so on); by muscle (tap a body part, and the name of the muscle comes up; the second tap brings you to exercises for that muscle); and alphabetical by exercise name (starting with “ab crunch on a ball,” and ending with “Zercher squat”).

When you tap on the exercise, you’re presented with a graphic including two images of a person performing the exercise. These images are often sufficient to provide a basic understanding of how to complete the exercise. But if you want more information, you tap a quote mark icon at the top of the screen, which brings you to the flip side of the graphic, and a text description. The text is in a medium-sized black font on a white background, which makes it easy to read.


Exercise Regime: iFitness includes nine programs or routines, designed for beginners, travelers without access to weight machines, and goals such as weight loss and abdominal defining.

After you’ve finished the exercise, you can then tap on a pencil icon at the top of the screen and enter in the weight lifted (when appropriate), the number of reps, and notes. These are then added to your log, which you can view by date or by exercise. You can also edit your log and, to get a “big picture” view of your progress, view a graph of your progress and e-mail your log data to yourself. The data is sent quickly and arrives as a CSV-formatted attachment, which you can then view with a desktop spreadsheet application. The desktop display is simple and elegant.

iFitness includes nine routines (with more to come, according to the developer). These include routines for the beginner, abdominal defining, weight loss, muscle building, strength building, and more. There’s a “business” routine that includes only exercises you can do without gym equipment. (Many of the exercises require you to use free weights or weight or resistance machines). Each routine includes not only a list of exercises, but also a suggested number of sets and repetitions.

The program also includes the ability to add your own custom exercises, with the two-sided card format as the program—you can import images, include details about the target region, the target muscle, and the difficulty, and provide a name for the exercise and a text description. This capability might make iFitness especially appealing to physical therapists who would like to add exercises and create custom workouts for their patients, and to sports coaches as well. When you add your own exercises, they’re seamlessly integrated into iFitness’s list of all exercises in alphabetical order and by muscle group.

The app does have a few shortcomings. Some of the exercises simply don’t lend themselves to a two-photo graphic depiction, and could benefit from a four- or five-photo sequence or a short video. In addition, many people begin fitness programs with weight loss as a primary goal, yet the app doesn’t yet provide even simple weight tracking capabilities.

“Doesn’t yet” is the key phrase here: these are minor criticisms of an outstanding app supported by a developer who frequently updates with new features and capabilities. For both beginning and intermediate fitness enthusiasts, iFitness is a compact, handy, and surprisingly thorough exercise guide and log, and is especially attractive when you consider its price tag.