Dr. Oz Shares How to Get the Benefits of Organic Without the Cost

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss Steve Mack/FilmMagic Dr. Oz has long been a proponent of locally grown, organic foods, but in the latest issue of Time , on newsstands today, America’s favorite doctor reminds readers how important certain food additives have been to public health, like vitamin D in milk. He also shares his tips on how to get the benefits of organic food without burning a whole in your wallet. “While locally grown, organic food is always a great option, there are ways to get the benefits of organic without paying the price,” Dr. Oz told That’s Fit. “It’s also important we not discount the public health benefits of certain vitamin additives that have played a role in eradicating diseases. Because of its prevalence in our marketing vernacular, a closer examination of the benefits of ‘organic’ is helpful, and I think it’s important for our national discussion.” Check out Dr. Oz’s tips below for getting many of the advantages of organic food without actually buying organic, then pick up the latest issue of Time for the full story. 1. Avoid synthetic colorants. 2. Choose foods without labels, which are better than packaged foods. 3. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly, preferably with a vegetable brush, which can enhance pesticide removal. Some foods absorb more pesticides than others and are easier to clean. The top five common items that I recommend always be washed are peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery and nectarines. 4. Peel fruit if possible since that removes pesticides and allows you to save money by buying non-organic. 5. Buy seasonal fruits. It lowers your grocery bill. And bear in mind, frozen veggies retain most of the health benefits of fresh ones. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Dr. Oz Shares How to Get the Benefits of Organic Without the Cost

Crack the Fat-Loss Code

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss , All Diets Amazon.com Our Reviewer Says … Carbohydrates have been the focus of several diets, and Crack the Fat-Loss Code is no exception. Chant claims macro-patterning, which means alternating between low- and high-carb intake, teaches your body to look beyond carbohydrates for energy. In the end, this apparently resets your body’s metabolism. As convincing as that might sound, the macro-patterning philosophy isn’t backed by research. At a Glance Outsmarting your metabolism and conquering diet plateaus is what the Crack the Fat-Loss Code Diet is all about. Created by Wendy Chant, certified personal trainer and specialist in performance nutrition, the eight-week diet centers around macro-patterning, in which you alternate between “carb-up,” “carb-down” and baseline days. Essentially, you’re tweaking the number of carbohydrates you feed your body each day so that you can lose 25 pounds in eight weeks. Checklist Cost: minimal. Meals Provided: none. Diet Duration: eight weeks. Fitness Requirements: Daily exercise, including cardiovascular activities and strength training, is recommended. Time Commitment: minimal to moderate. Eating Out: possible. Alcohol: yes. Vegetarian-Friendly: yes. Strict/Flexible Eating Plan: strict. Books: “Crack the Fat-Loss Code” , “Conquer the Fat-Loss Code” Permalink | Email this | Comments

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10-Minute Arm Toners

Filed under: Fitness , Everyday Moves with Denise Austin Arms are great because they are seen all of the time whether you’re in a sleeveless blouses, bikini or dress. Arms are an area that is easy tone up, and, if you’ve hit a plateau recently, you’ll see results quickly. Your arms are also a good indicator as to whether you’re in shape or not. But, if you’re like many people, you may be unsure as to how to get great arms without doing tons of push-ups. Never fear, we have seven great 10-minute moves for you. Some of the moves use dumbbells. If you haven’t used dumbbells, start with light weights, about 3 pounds each. However, if you feel you’re strong enough, try an 8-pound dumbbell instead. 1. Rows Step your left foot out to the side about three to four feet and bend your left knee. Keep your right leg straight behind you. Rest your left hand on your left thigh. Holding both dumbbells in your right hand, extend your arm straight toward the floor with your palm facing your body. Hilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen 2. Bicep Curls with Tweaks Stand with your feet together and knees slightly bent. With a dumbbell in each hand and palms facing forward, extend your arms straight down in front of your body. Lift your arms up toward your shoulders. Return to the start. Maintain good posture and pull your abs in as you lift. Time: 30 seconds. Continue your bicep curls, but turn your hands so your palms are facing each other for hammer curls. Time: 30 seconds. Hilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen 3. Shoulder Medial Delts Front raises: Stand with your feet together and knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended straight down in front of your body. Lift one arm up to shoulder height and then return to the start before lifting the other arm. Continue alternating. Time: 30 seconds. For a challenge, try lifting both arms at the same time. Lateral raises: Alternate lifting tour arms out to the side to shoulder height. Time: 30 seconds. For a challenge, lift one arm out to the side and one arm in front at the same time. Alternate which arms goes in front and which goes to the side. You can also try lifting your arms out to the sides on a diagonal so they look like a V. Hilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen 4.Tricep Extensions The triceps are one of most underused muscles in body — we get biceps worked on a daily basis, but rarely triceps. Many women have flab in back of arms which is why this workout is so effective. ilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen 5. Plank Rows Hold a dumbbell in each hand and position yourself on your hands and knees. Bend your left elbow, bringing the arm up alongside your body. Time: 30 seconds on each side. For a challenge, do this move on your toes. Hilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen 6. Side Plank Sit on the floor with your right knee bent in front of your and your left leg extended out to your left side. Place your right hand on the floor. Lift your body all the way off the floor so you’re balancing on the side of your right knee and hand. Extend your left arm straight up toward the ceiling. Time: 30 seconds on each side. Challenge: straighten your legs and balance on your feet. ilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen 7. Tricep Kickback Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbows so that your knuckles are touching in front of your chest. Turn to the right side, tap your left leg and press your left arm straight behind you, making sure to squeeze your tricep muscle at the top. Then turn to repeat for the left side. Alternate arms repeatedly. Time: 1 minute. To challenge yourself, press both arms behind you at the same time and bend down into a slight lunge instead of tapping your foot. Hilmar Meyer-Bosse / Denise’s Daily Dozen Denise Austin has helped millions of people lose weight. She’s sold 20 million exercise DVDs, authored more than 10 books, and starred in the most-watched fitness show in history! Denise’s mission is to help America get fit - and now she’s online at DeniseAustin.com to motivate and educate people everywhere to eat right and exercise. Visit DeniseAustin.com to lose weight! Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Fit and Fabulous Volunteer Vacations

Filed under: Fitness , Fit Travel Appalachian Mountain Club You’ve got a new requirement on your next vacation: Make a difference. The solution? Take a volunteer vacation where you donate your time and energy to a certain cause. “Volunteering is the best way to travel because you get to know the area and most importantly, the people in a very real way,” said Pam Grout, author of 100 Best Volunteer Vacations to Enrich Your Life (National Geographic, 2009) . Although there are dozens, if not hundreds, of volunteer vacations you can take, here are five that will help you make a difference for the world — and your waistline: Maintain hiking trails : When you volunteer through the Appalachian Mountain Club , you’ll help maintain New England hiking trails. Work might include clearing drainage ditches, cutting back vegetation or building rock stairs. During your downtime, you can explore your location, including Acadia National Park in Maine, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and the Berkshires in Massachusetts. Monitor coral reefs: Every year, Earthwatch Institute takes a trip to San Salvador, a remote island in the Bahamas, to survey endangered coral reefs, document the threat to the health of the reefs, and help test possible techniques to restore them. You’ll work both on land and in water, donning snorkeling equipment to explore the crystal clear waters. Study animals in the rainforest: The Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil will be your home during this adventure sponsored by Biosphere Expeditions . While there, you’ll study jaguars, pumas, ocelots and other species as you walk on jungle paths looking for tracks, kills, scat and the animals themselves; setting camera traps for them; and creating sustainable ways of harvesting and processing forest produce. You should be able to walk up to about nine miles a day in mountainous rainforest terrain. Conserve sea turtle populations: Head south to Costa Rica with United Planet from March through November, and you could help save sea turtles. You’ll work at various locations to protect sea turtle nests from poachers and beach erosion. Your tasks might include night patrols (where you’ll walk roughly three to six miles in the dark on soft, wet sand), turtle behavior assessment and park trail maintenance. Make America more beautiful: Join the Sierra Club on one of its many nationwide volunteer vacations, and you could help restore native vegetation on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (and then use your off-time to hike), protect the endangered ecosystem of the Santa Cruz Islands in California, or do maintenance projects in the national parks in Maui, after which you can hike, snorkel and swim. Want more? Learn how you can use your fitness to make a difference for charities by training for a cause . Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Fit and Fabulous Volunteer Vacations

State Fair Food: Occasional Treat or Dieting Disaster?

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss Getty State fairs are meant to be fun, social and exciting. However, if you’re on a diet, it can seem like a trap. With giant turkey legs and deep-fried Snickers bars galore, you may find yourself having a healthy eating breakdown by the time you finish walking down the midway. Once you have your eye on one cheese stick, you never know when those Spam curds will suddenly be making their way into your mouth. Your food choices are fried, fattening and an overall diet disaster if you don’t eat in moderation. We asked our readers if they thought fairs and carnivals are all innocent fun and games or if they could be contributing to America’s obesity epidemic. Teresa A. I’m going this coming Sunday and I plan to take some of my Eating-Clean food, protein and carb along in a pack. We went last year & everything was ‘fried’, even the veggies. Not a healthy day. It will be better this year. Marnie R. Absolutely another contributor to obesity. It’s totally socially acceptable, and expected, to have crappy unhealthy fat-laden food at local fairs. why can’t there be salad bars and fresh fruit stands in place of fried candy bars and hot dogs? Andrea S. It’s not a contributor to the obesity epidemic unless you eat them all the time. If it’s a once a year thing at the county fair, then no big deal. Caroline Yes, the food on his list is calorically a catastrophe. But you don’t go to the fair every day! You should try to avoid eating unhealthily, but fair food can be a tasty treat. I don’t see the harm in sharing some funnel cake with friends once a year! I think it is cruel to be on a diet and go to a carnival. Everything in moderation! Angela B. Deep fried snickers??? Oh that is just so wrong on so many levels. Nancy Lighten up with the attitude! Life is meant to be enjoyed. If eating a funnel cake at the state fair makes you happy, go for it! You’ll walk off the calories as you enjoy the sights and sounds of the fair anyway. Rachele R. I agree with Andrea. Obesity comes from eating bad food choices all the time…and lack of exercise. All things in moderation. On another note, my husband had the deep fried snickers and said it was OK but not sure what the hype was. I tried a bunch of the fried foods this year, but I wouldn’t do it all the time (once a year at the most but I go to the fair only every few years). The chocolate covered bacon was surprising good. Perfect PMS food. Michael G. The news recently showed the preparation of a deep-fried KLONDIKE bar covered with chocolate syrup! Suicide by Sugar! Molly M. One can always choose NOT to buy and consume these things… What’s in a name? Some believe calling people fat rather than obese is more offensive and could help people slim down. What do you think? Permalink | Email this | Comments

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State Fair Food: Occasional Treat or Dieting Disaster?

That’s Fit Readers Speak Up: Battling the Obesity Epidemic

Filed under: Diet & Weight Loss Getty Alongside the first lady , Americans are speaking up with passion, energy and guts to help battle the growing obesity problem in America . A recent study revealed that the adult obesity rate in two-thirds of the states has topped 25 percent, whereas in 1991, not a single state had a percentage rate higher than 20. Which state is the fattest? For six consecutive years, Mississippi has won that title — with 33.8 percent of the adult population considered obese. However, whether you live in Colorado (the least obese) or Mississippi, it’s important to spread knowledge, education and optimism about helping Americans obtain a healthy weight. How will we combat this epidemic if we don’t start with individual education? We asked our readers how they felt about America’s weight problem and what they would do to battle it. Tina S. People need to start reading labels , seeing what they are feeding themselves and their children. time to get back to the staples . . . meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruits and veggies. Karen B. By making a lifestyle change that lasts a lifetime such as I did. It really is not that hard! And the rewards are priceless Pam S. I did my part to make Texas leaner….lost 65 pounds last year and so far have kept it off. Cheryl A. I think they should start teaching wellness in elementary school and have activities that the families could do together after school. We have family nights for reading, etc. Maybe they should start teaching the fundamentals of proper diet, nutrition, and exercise along with reading, writing, and arithmetic. Susan H. I am entering into my 11 month of weight loss…though steady now. But started at gym in March. I spend so much time in grocery store reading those labels…works for me! Lost 50 lbs and close to 40 inches alone…! toojuls Through more education about food science as it relates to our health. Restaurants can help by making portions smaller ! Find out about the best easily accessible weight loss drink — it increases your alertness, promotes weight loss and is most likely sitting right in your kitchen. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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That’s Fit Readers Speak Up: Battling the Obesity Epidemic

Fast Food Profits in China Up 33%

Move over America, there’s a new fast food super power in town. It isn’t an Ancient Chinese secret anymore. Fast food in China is selling like General Tso’s Chicken at a frat house. In a statement Tuesday, Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, announced profits from China increased 33% in the second quarter. But back in the West, Yum Brands said U.S. profits only rose 10% in the second quarter. Hey, maybe we’re finally wising up. Continue reading…

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Fast Food Profits in China Up 33%

Fast Food Profits in China Up 33%

Move over America, there’s a new fast food super power in town. It isn’t an Ancient Chinese secret anymore. Fast food in China is selling like General Tso’s Chicken at a frat house. In a statement Tuesday, Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, announced profits from China increased 33% in the second quarter. But back in the West, Yum Brands said U.S. profits only rose 10% in the second quarter. Hey, maybe we’re finally wising up. Continue reading…

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Fast Food Profits in China Up 33%

More Calls to Stop Demonizing Saturated Fats

Filed under: Jonny’s Take , Diet & Weight Loss Pornchai Mittongtare, jupiterimages You know Dr. Andrew Weil, right? The grandfatherly, kindly guy with the big beard who is the “face” of integrative medicine in America? The Harvard trained doctor, author of ” Spontaneous Healing ,” editor-in-chief of the journal Integrative Medicine and the founder of the program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona among dozens of other accomplishments. Well, guess what? Dr. Weil has had an epiphany. Or at least that’s what it seems like based on a wonderful — yet completely surprising — article he recently wrote for the Huffington Post. Before I tell you what he said, let me tell you why it’s startling, and also why it’s so important. Weil has long been the champion of low-fat , vegetarian , soy-based diets — as close as you can get to “conventional” wisdom when it comes to diet. Avoid meat, avoid saturated fat , lower your cholesterol , all the usual stuff. So when I began reading the article, which begins with a discussion of a famous Arizona restaurant called Heart Attack Grill , where waitresses in nurses’ uniforms serve up single, double, triple and quadruple “bypass burgers” stuffed with meat and dripping with cheese, and where the the motto “Taste Worth Dying For!” hangs prominently in the restaurant — I expected the usual condemnation of meat, saturated fat and cholesterol. What I, and the readers, got was something quite different. The Heart Attack Grill’s concept is that saturated fat in beef clogs arteries and hamburger meat is among the most heart-damaging foods we can consume. That, it appears, is a given. There’s only one problem. And I’ll let Weil tell it to you in his own words: “It’s not true.” “The saturated fat … in this menu won’t kill you,” he writes in the article. ” It may even be the safest element of the meal.” It gets better. “If you visit [the Grill],” Weil wrote, “I implore you to steer clear of the white-flour buns, the sugary sodas and the piles of ‘Flatliner Fries’ that accompany the burgers in the restaurants signature plates. This is precisely the sort of processed-carbohydate-intensive meal that … is propelling the epidemic of obesity and diabetes in America.” Wow. Let that sit for a minute. America’s most trusted doc, Mr. Vegetarian, Mr. High-Carb Low-Fat diet, is saying what? That we’ve been demonizing meat and saturated fat all this time and really, what’s making us fat and sick is carbs? (Or at least the wrong kind of carbs?) Yup. This is literally a “Nixon in China” moment. For those of you too young to remember, President Nixon was a rabid anti-communist with impeccable credentials in that area. Whatever people thought of him, no one on the planet ever accused him of being a tree-loving liberal or a friend of the communists. Yet Nixon was the man who opened the door to diplomatic relations with China. Many people who lived through that time — myself included — believed that no one else could have done that. It was precisely because of Nixon’s impeccable credentials as a patriot and American that he was able to reach out to “Red China” and pave the way to the resumption of diplomatic relations. Dr. Andrew Weil coming to the realization that we’ve been wrongly demonizing saturated fat all this time, and that diets high in processed carbs are the real culprit in the health and obesity crisis, is a similar revelation. Let me be clear — Weil still has his problems with eating factory-farmed meat, as do I. These problems have to do not only with ethics and compassion, but also with health. It’s hard to recommend mystery meat that’s been shot full of antibiotics, steroids and hormones, and is loaded with inflammatory omega-6 fats . Weil understands that factory-farmed meat and grass-fed meat are two completely different “animals,” and that there may be a way to eat meat in an ethical way, and that in any case, it’s not saturated fat and meat that’s the problem in our diet. Let me also be clear that Weil hasn’t for a moment abandoned his belief, which I share, that we should be eating tons more vegetables and fruits. But really, has that ever been in question, even among the most partisan low-carb advocates? I don’t think so. I commend Dr. Weil. He may have come to this realization a bit later than some of my other colleagues, but the fact that he did — and that he publicly proclaimed it in a widely-circulated article — is worth shouting about. Call me a wide-eyed optimist, but I’d like to think this terrific article is just one more nail in the coffin of the “saturated fat and cholesterol cause heart disease” idiocy that has consumed America and driven our eating habits since the ’70s. Welcome aboard, Dr. Weil! The USDA is also considering a new food pyramid that will call for a whole lot more of fruits, veggies and legumes, but what is it missing? Jonny Bowden, author, nutritionist and weight loss coach cuts through all the misconceptions about diet and fitness to help you transform your body, your health and your life. Visit his Web site to learn more. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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More Calls to Stop Demonizing Saturated Fats

Fit Buzz: How Do You Get Motivated to Get In Shape For Summer?

Filed under: Fitness Corbis Here at Fit Buzz, we ask our users, fans and followers a different diet and fitness question each week . Stay tuned for weekly updates! How do you get motivated to get in shape for summer? Here’s what our readers are saying: Adrianne H. Step on the scale. Lourdes D. Seeing actual progress keeps me motivated, but at 46, it has been slow going and frustrating, still I keep thinking that in another 6 months I will look even better, which keeps me going! Sharon G. Stand naked in front of the mirror…..that’ll get ya going !!! Linda R. Put on something sleeveless! Brooke H. Wedding coming up in October! Michelle W. Bathing suit shopping….ENOUGH SAID…LOL EИяiquєta M. To finally see results getting into a swimsuit…. 1FireCracker1 Shake my butt naked in front of the mirror. Proper motivation indeed. SandiSansom Buy new bikini’s!!! Anny C. My weekly weight watchers meetings. Real food for real life. It’s all about moderation. Fad diets are a temporary fix only. Tina T. I have to always work at my weight… so I stay motivated for lifetime and lifestyle. However, Michael Thurmond’s…Makeover America; formally known as Provida helped me to learn my body type and to eat “real food for real life”…eating in small portion/in moderation. Need a new twist on your favorite summer drink? Try this spiced citrus iced tea. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Fit Buzz: How Do You Get Motivated to Get In Shape For Summer?

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