Daily Diet Blog

September 30, 2007

Body Image in Hollywood

Filed under: Dieting Trends — EatingToLive @ 9:51 am

Unfortunately, Hollywood women are subjected to a very strict set of rules when it comes to their weight. A size six in Hollywood on a woman is considered “big”. Need I say more? Any other area of the country considers this perfectly normal size to be a great place to be, but Hollywood women think they’re fat if they don’t fit into a size two or size zero. Add to that the fact that the camera does add about ten pounds, and you’ve got young actresses, and old, starving themselves and getting skinny through almost any means necessary.

It appears that one of the latest casualties of the “I’m fat” mentality is unfortunately (reportedly) Ms. Britney Spears, at least if you believe certain tabloid reports that she freaked out about how she looked in her bikini-type ensemble at her much criticized VMA performance. Reports came out that she screamed she looked like a fat pig backstage, and ensuing reports are saying she is taking large amounts of diet pills and caffeine so that she doesn’t eat, which almost inevitably always backfires on people who are trying to lose weight, and at the very least is totally unhealthy.

At the least, they should try a natural appetite suppressant or another natural alternative that targets fat and appetite such as the popular and effective Proactol, before resorting to harmful stimulants in mass quantity. This is bad for your heart, and can make one’s temperament change drastically. People can become almost addicted to highly caffeinated diet pills, and when they crash, they crash hard. Some report feeling depressed from taking them, especially after they wear off, so they’re not a good thing to take too much of.

Britney’s apparent struggle with her body image, which, to be honest, probably is not the Hollywood ideal, but is representative of what most women look like in the US, especially so soon after she’s had two children, is common in Hollywood and many young actresses have spoken about their constant struggle and resentment against the ridiculous weight standard, and yet, they still support it by maintaining the ideal.

Some actresses that deserve kudos for thumbing their nose at this ideal, and have a gorgeous body and exude self confidence that is sexy anyways, are Kate Winslet, Catherine Zeta Jones, Katherine Heigl, and others as well, whom unfortunately I can’t think of right now, but nonetheless, they are out there, and they look fabulous and sexy, even though they’re not a size zero.

September 27, 2007

Money for Weight Loss?

Filed under: Diet and Weightloss News — EatingToLive @ 6:12 am

Studies have shown that (surprise!), people are motivated by money to start losing weight, and they will actually lose the weight if they are offered a money award for losing the weight.  Heck, I’d lose five pounds if someone offered me a thousand bucks or something.  Don’t know about if it were only $100, but for a grand, sure! 

The study focused on companies that have offered their employees money for weight loss.  The groups that were offered monetary compensation for reaching weight loss goals lost significantly more weight than groups who were not offered any sort of monetary gain at the end of the weight loss goal.  They were offered things like increments of money for losing so many percentage points of body fat, or for every pound they lost, they would earn a certain amount. 

The amounts of money were not really too significant in the piece about this interesting weight loss incentive from employers to overweight employees, so maybe it’s just the competitive side of people, that they want to out-earn their fellow dieters, that spurs on the larger weight loss in those that are promised financial gain from losing the weight and the body fat.  There was no mention if diet aids like herbal weight loss pills would be allowed, although I am very curious whether that would deem any financial reward null and void or not.   

Funny things act as incentives for all of us to lose weight.  For one person, it may be strictly a health issue, while for others, it’s more of a cosmetic issue and they just want to look really good and impress their friends, or fit into those ittie bittie clothes.  For me, it’s a combination.  I’ll admit that I’m kind of vain, and I want to look good in the mirror when I’m standing there in my underwear and bra, but the bigger part of eating right for me now that I’m getting older is to feel my best, at my peak energy levels, and have my skin glowing and feel excited to be alive and tackle each day as it comes.  That’s what’s important! 

September 24, 2007

Can Antioxidant Juices Help with Dieting?

Filed under: Dietary Supplements — EatingToLive @ 8:23 pm

I’ve had this fascination recently with antioxidant juices, ie those juices that usually come from exotic fruits in far away places, that claim to contain huge amounts of the infamous antioxidant compound that has claimed to be the next coming in the world of health and well being, and anti aging.  And what about dieting?  Might the curious little antioxidant have a benefit when it comes to dieting and weightloss? 

Well, while I don’t really think that antioxidants have a huge effect on weight loss or actually suppressing the appetite, I do think they can provide some really great benefits in terms of increasing energy levels naturally by helping us to eliminate free radicals, those nasty cells that cause healthy cell damage, so that we can focus more of our energies on, well, energy, instead of fighting off free radicals and other things that inhabit our body that aren’t so good for it. 

Antioxidants are in many multi vitamins now, so you can get some of them via vitamin, but ultimately, the best source of serious antioxidant power is through eating actual foods like fruits that are bright in color or very, very dark in color, tend to have a multitude of antioxidants in them . They also tend to taste very good, and the good thing is, antioxidant rich foods tend to be excellent for our weightloss because they are usually nutrient rich as well as high in fiber (pulp and fibrous filling in fruits).

Fruits and berries that are naturally high in antioxidant compounds that I know of are blueberries, acai berries, mangosteen fruit, noni juice, broccoli, and other darkly or richly colored fruits and veggies tend to be very rich in these magical little compounds.  They are an excellent addition to the diet, and the healthy eating may inspire more healthy eating, so I say eating an antioxidant rich diet is a win-win situation in the world of health, anti aging, and weight loss. 

September 21, 2007

Diet and Arthritis

Filed under: Diet and Weightloss News — EatingToLive @ 10:13 pm

You are what you eat and this adage is of value to control a number of different conditions that ail us.  There’s a nutritional approach to the alleviation of the stiff inflamed joints that cause pain and suffering to people diagnosed with arthritis. 

One such diet was developed by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical Center.  It is appropriately called the Johns Hopkins diet.  In clinical studies, researchers found a 25% decrease in stiffness, overall discomfort and swollen joints in the participants who adhered to the diet.  The Johns Hopkins diet includes two or more servings per week of cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring or cod.  The diet is a healthy diet rich in protein and rich in the good fats like omega- 3 fatty acids and lower in carbohydrates.

By adhering to a diet such as the Johns Hopkins diet, you would be eating a healthy balanced diet low in the “bad” fats and carbohydrates.  Inevitably, you would shed pounds if you strictly stayed on this kind of diet.  Weight loss would relieve the stressor of the extra pounds on your bones and joints.  The result would be a win-win situation.  Besides helping you with the discomfort of arthritis by loading a lot of omega-3 fatty acids into your diet, this plan would help you to lose unwanted pounds.  You would look and feel better and the added bonus would be better relief from arthritis symptoms.

Most other dietary advice from alternative medicine literature have similar kinds of diets.  Most agree that you should avoid saturated fats, white flour and sugar, red meat, ham, chemical additives, yeast, milk and dairy products.  All of the above items are more likely to increase inflammation and invoke allergies.  Avoiding these foods will, again, lead to weight loss as a pleasant feature as well as work as your own natural arthritis remedy.   All nutritional literature agreed on advising a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

September 18, 2007

Arkansas Report Card for Weight Seems to Help Some Students

Filed under: Diet and Weightloss News — EatingToLive @ 12:22 pm

I thought this concept was a very original one, and also one that may help prevent a lot of young people from taking the path of being overweight and making the wrong food choices for their entire lives. Arkansas had implemented, just a few years ago, a system where they would give school students a “report card” on their weight and let them know if they were heading in the wrong direction to nip it in the bud early on, instead of contributing to the rising obesity epidemic here in the US.

And it seems to be boding well with some students, many of whom are taking it seriously and being proactive in starting out on a better diet and beginning exercise regimens so that they can keep their weight in check, as well as curb the extra pounds. The state began the program, which is essentially a tracking program where the state is able to track trends in young people’s weight.

When student’s get on the wrong path, they are told so through this “report card”. Some say it may hurt the child’s self esteem, but I think that in the long run, it is helping that child tremendously and preventing the potential for a lifetime of health troubles associated with being overweight. Overall, the state’s program has been helpful, as shown in the decline of obesity numbers, but the program is currently in jeopardy as weight ins are now less often and the ability to opt out is more readily available.

September 15, 2007

Low Fat, High Flavor Turkey Chili

Filed under: Low Cal Ideas — EatingToLive @ 8:10 pm

I’m going to be making something soon that I have not made all summer, because for us, it’s more of a fall and winter recipe that we enjoy, due to the name of the dinner as well as that instinctual “socking in” instinct all us Ohioans get around this time of year.  It’s chili, but with a healthy spin. 

Chili, in itself, is actually a fairly healthy dish to begin with, but when you make it with ground turkey and add some healthy black beans, which in my opinon don’t cause the gas that traditional chili kidney beans do, you’ve got an even healthier treat with the added benefits of tomato sauce, which is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, and the added fiber of the beans.

Here’s how I make my turkey chili.  I get a good chipotle turkey chili spice package that you can buy at World market.  I chop up at least one medium sized onion in small pieces (I think this is important - smaller pieces impart more flavori in my humble opinion).  I use yellow onion, because it is supposed to be more glycemically neutral than the white onion.  That’s up to you though.  It may only make a fraction of difference, for all we know. 

I then buy about three large cans of tomato puree - I like organic, with some Italian seasoning for extra kick.  I also buy a small can of diced tomatoes as well, to add some more substance and extra texture.  My boyfriend likes to add corn, but I’m leaving that out this time in favor of a more low carb dish that’s less junked up. 

I put one to two cans of black beans, preferably organic, in my chili, and that’s with using about 2-3 pounds of ground turkey.  I like to brown my turkey with the onion, that way it gives the turkey itself a little more flavor, and your onions are flavored as well.  I also add a little pepper to the browning process for extra flavor. 

Once the turkey is browned, I drain it and the onions, set it aside in a strainer, and then take it and dump it in my big stock pot or a big sauce pan, depending on how much I’m making.  Also, if you want a little extra flavor, you can buy some Italian sausage that’s made with turkey and brown that along with the ground turkey.  You would have to take it out of its casing to do so, but it’s even tastier.  You’d just have to cut back on the ground turkey then. 

Ok, so next, add your cans of tomato puree to the mix, then I add a couple teaspoons of ground garlic, for some extra health benefits.  Now, the fun part.  Spice to taste, and I say that because I’m never a specific measurement kind of cook.  Just keep seasoning, keep tasting, and when it tastes good, voila, you’re done!  Add your beans to the mix, and any combination of the following seasonings :

Pepper

Chipotle chili seasoning

Chili powder (necessary)

Tabasco - I like the Chipotle Tabasco personally

Onion salt or onion powder, garlic powder

Seasoned salt - use sparingly obviously, too much sodium if not

I personally like to add some italian seasoning as well, and will often add some oregano and basic, just to add a little more healthiness to it.  Cilantro is wonderful also, although that is more of a traditional mexican seasoning.

To add a touch of spice, I also will add one small can of diced chilis

I will also usually add a dash of olive oil, to add some healthy omega 3 fatty acids, which help to make you feel fuller faster, and also help to protect your heart, circulatory system, and also aid in joint health. 

There you go, a nice, cheap and easy meal that can be reheated for days to come, and gets more and more flavorful as it sits in the fridge!  This is one of our favorites, and you feel good after you eat it too. 

 

September 12, 2007

Skinny : It Is All in the Genetics

Filed under: Diet and Weightloss News — EatingToLive @ 7:47 am

Well, mostly, at least that is what some researchers are saying. They are saying that they’ve discovered what they dub the “adipose gene” that makes thin people stay thin by reducing their percentage of overall body fat, pretty much no matter what they eat, and the lack thereof in bigger people causes them to be fatter. At least that’s how they’re trying to simplify the ballooning waistlines of Americans.

I’m sure there is truth to this hypothesis, but there are also other factors such as poor food choice, over eating and lack of physical activity that weigh heavily on the increasing obesity epidemic. The adipose gene was found not only in mice, but also in other living creatures, and tests were done to find out whether the creatures with this “adipose” gene would thrive or starve in famine and when there is an abundance of food available, whether they would stay lean.

You guessed it, they did die off in famine, but they did very well in feast, as they were trimmer and better able to move around and accomplish things than their counterparts who lacked the same gene structure and had more body fat. People with bad copies of the adipose gene, combined with good copies supposedly are usually of a medium weight, while those that have good copies of the gene, or an absence of the gene, tended to be able to eat like a horse without gaining a pound, and maintaining substantial fat loss. 

You probably know someone like that, who seems to stay thin no matter what they eat. I know, you probably envy it too - I would! I definitely have bad copies of this gene if this is not all bunk, ’cause I gotta work to keep those bad pounds off, and I certainly have more than my share of body fat!

September 9, 2007

“Biggest Loser” Show Encourages Contests

Filed under: Diet and Weightloss News — EatingToLive @ 6:03 pm

The reality TV show called “The Biggest Loser” is incredibly popular these days, and it’s followed up in popularity by another series that encourages weight loss and offers a nice prize at the end for those who lose the most weight called “Celebrity Fit Club”.  This type of reality of TV seems to offer endless fascination here in the US, where obesity and the ongoing battle of the bulge is a topic of discussion over and over, and yet seems to be getting worse and worse.

The reality TV shows that are all about weight loss and the challenge to lose the most weight, as well as the idea of a reward at the end of the tunnel to those that push themselves the hardest and become the healthiest by losing the most weight, has encouraged those at home to start and join weight loss contests. 

A popular theme amongst friends, and also at work, weight loss contests offer a great opportunity for group encouragement in losing weight and feeling great, and they also offer an extra incentive by making the weight loss evident through peer evaluation.  Let’s face it.  You’re going to be more likely to try harder to get those stubborn pounds off by exercising and using discipline in your eating habits every week if you’re being “weighed in” and others will be able to view your progress, right? 

I know that alone would provide me with the motivation necessary to keep plugging away and not to give in to the temptation of eating those slices of pizza or that dip of ice cream.  Weight Watchers and other “clubs” sort of use this philosophy by weighing their clients at set time intervals so they can hold themselves accountable for keeping that weight off.  Very good idea.  Not for everybody, but it’s a great concept. 

September 6, 2007

Genaslim Review

Filed under: Diet Reviews — EatingToLive @ 4:29 pm

OK, my boyfriend and I cannot seem to stop eating everything in sight that is bad for us, so I decided to take a proactive step and buy a natural appetite suppressant and try it out.  Since I’m an experimenter at heart, I decided to not go for Hoodia, which usually works very well for me, and try something else.  So I did a little research, and found that there was a different succulent plant that was supposed to be good for natural appetite suppression, so decided to give it a whirl. 

I decided on the natural appetite suppressant pill called Genaslim.  It is a medium priced diet aid that is all natural, and contains a compound called Slimaluma, which is derived from a succulent plant much like Hoodia, but it an entirely different plant in origin.  It comes in capsule form and I actually had a little reflux the first few times I took it, and it is very potent tasting.  I think the potent taste is the ECGG that was added to it.  I wasn’t exactly thrilled that it also had Green Tea (ECGG) in it, but oh well. 

I really wanted something that was completely non-stimulant in nature that would just control my appetite in a natural way that didn’t make me feel all jacked up like stimulants such as ECGG usually do.  I have to say, it’s not giving me heart palpitations, but it is making me feel slightly queasy when I take it. 

This may in fact just be my own system reacting to the substance, or it may be the way it “suppresses” the appetite, by creating a slightly uncomfortable feeling in the stomach so that you eat less not because a chemical is turned off in your brain hunger center, but more so because it creates a little bit of gastrointestinal distress.  This may just be me, again, and I will admit that I can get gastrointestinal distress from things sometimes, but it’s a side effect that I don’t really like. 

You are supposed to take two caplets per day, and take each one of those one hour before lunch and one hour before dinner, respectively.  This is another slight drawback, since I wanted something that I could take any time between meals and achieve the appetite control I wanted all day long.  It did slightly work to curb the amount of food I ate, but I haven’t noticed any weight loss yet. 

I also am noticing that the appetite suppression aspect seems to already be wearing off of me in just a few days, but this could also be due to the fact that I recently went on my period.  I think next time I might opt again to try a hoodia supplement or hoodia gum since this seemed to do the trick more for me personally. 

September 3, 2007

A Healthier Donut?

Filed under: Health News — EatingToLive @ 9:11 pm

Well, yes, in terms of healthier for your cholesterol, and also probably healthier for your heart, BUT donuts are still fattening, and still a big no-no food, trust me.  Dunkin Donuts has been the latest fast fooder to jump on the trans fat ban wagon by announcing that they are now making all of their famously delicious donuts with a trans fat free oil.  Donut eaters rejoice, but don’t think this justifies cramming more of those luscious, fluffy empty and non-filling calories down your gullet!

It’s announced that it will be re-doing about 5o menu items or so, and then maybe they will do more if this new trans fat free thing works.  Trans fats have received a lot of bad press lately, for a good reason.  Trans fats are what’s called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils that actually make those bad junk foods taste better, but they are also highly addictive, if you ask me, and they are also likely responsible for the increasing cholesterol rates here in the US, and almost certainly a contributing factor to the growing and not getting better obesity trend in the US.

The fats were dreamt up so that they could create a partially artificial oil with a better taste and longer shelf life, and voila, they came up with one of the worst and most sinful foods or byproducts in the history of modern food.  It’s right up there with MSG, which I can’t figure out for the life of me why that hasn’t been banned yet - that and artificial sweeteners made with saccharin and other chemicals. 

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