Diet fact, fiction or maven's way?

I usually find the ‘diet factss’ just as lame as the bullshit they replace. So, here’s my take on the debate as presented in Women’s Health:

The advice: Chug eight glasses of water a day.

Why it’s useless: Peeing every 20 minutes seriously interferes with life.

The real deal: Believe it or not, the eight-glass quota isn’t etched in stone. Yes, we need to be well-hydrated, but if your urine is clear or close to it, you’re probably getting enough fluids. If your No. 1 is neon yellow, lighten things up by adding one or two glasses a day. Once your body adjusts to getting more fluid (and you don’t have to run to the can every 10 minutes), add another, says Karen Benzinger, R.D., a dietary consultant in Chicago who specializes in health care. And don’t forget that all liquids—including tea, juice, even the tonic in your vodka drink—help keep your body sufficiently saturated. 

Maven’s way: Yes, indeedy. Look at your pee.

Click to read more ...

Don't get tricked by so-called 'healthy' hamburgers

The fast food franchises are slugging it out in an attempt to out-huge each other, largely in response to Carl’s Jr. and its iconic jaw-dropping burgers. The Carl’s $6.00 Burger tips the calorie scale at 890 calories, before you even add the drink and fries.

The new McDonalds’ Angus Deluxe Burger is bigger than a Big Mac, and sets your diet back by 750 calories. By comparison the standard McDonald’s hamburger, that I grew up on, is 250 calories.

The McDonalds regular hamburger actually has fewer calories than any other menu item - less than their wrap sandwich offering even. In fact, most of the fast food salads start at more calories than the regular hamburger.

No wonder we weren’t all obese back in the day. A burger was also an occasional treat.

Click to read more ...

Controlling your weight at the juice and smoothie bar?

Maybe not. In fact, you’re probably adding a lot of calories that you’re simply not aware of and they aren’t doing anything to decrease your overall appetite.

As eating on the run became more popular, smoothies and freshly squeezed juices became a quick, easy way - or so people thought - to get nutrition on the go. Time to let this diet busting myth go.

Click to read more ...

Making better food choices: posting calories

I’ve been able to hear the wailing of the Libertarians all the way from New York City and across this great land … “OMG, you’re going to force us to have more information available on the food we eat!” Yes, surely this will put every restaurant out of business, or not.

According to the University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, June 2009 issue,

Click to read more ...

Health and wellness factoids

Courtesy of the University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, April, 2009 issue:

For the first time, more Americans are obese than merely overweight. about 34% of us are now obese, up from 23% two decades ago, while the percentage for overweight has stayed at 33%. And 6% are severely obese, double the earlier number. For someone 5’8” tall, overweight is 165 to 196 pounds, obese is over 197 pounds, and severely obese starts at 263 pounds, based on body mass index (BMI). To figure out where you stand, go to the BMI calculator at the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute.

Click to read more ...

Restaurant smoke and mirrors produce calorie nightmares

Having lost over 30 pounds and kept it off for about ten years, I’ve gotten good at dodging the calorie landmines found on most restaurant menus - but I got caught off guard with this report. Who knew that the prime rib dinner at Outback Steak House was healthier than the salmon?

Watch this and prepare to be afraid … very afraid:

Click to read more ...