Popular topics:
Diet News, Diet Reviews, Diet Shows, Diet Tips, Diets in Review, General

Archive for April, 2008

0

Calling all Choco-holics

heather by
heather

April 30, 2008
posted to Diet News.

Welcome to Diets in Review! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

If I had to dream up my ultimate dream job it would be to eat chocolate AND get paid for doing it. Well, I think I’ll be turning in my 2-weeks notice because a team of British researchers are recruiting participants for a study that involves eating chocolate daily for one full year all in the name of science. The purpose of the study is to investigate any effects gained from consuming flavenoids, the compound found in chocolate since flavenoids have been found to reduce the risk of heart disease among certain people.chocolate

Unfortunately for me, two of the requirements for the study are that you must be past menopause with type 2 diabetes. If you know of anyone who fits the profile, loves chocolate and also has the good-hearted intention of furthering medical research, check out this call for study participants.

I would be very curious to speak with these 150 ladies one year from now and see if their love of chocolate has dwindled or stayed steady. You must wonder if the guilt is taken away and the ingestion of each bar is consumed out of necessity rather than free-will, how will our brains and emotions respond to that? Will we derive the same pleasure from it? Or will our sweet, endorphin-releasing indulgence be reduced to a mere required routine that is enjoyed a bit more than the daily habit of brushing our teeth or taking our multi?

What do you predict for these ladies?

0

Health Magazine’s Restaurant Report

Jason by
Jason

April 30, 2008
posted to Diet News.

Last week I reported on the resistance of chain restaurants in New York to post sensible disclosure of their food’s nutritional information. Well, Health magazine has taken the proactive approach and published a list of 10 top choices, when they could find restaurants willing to divulge their nutritional information.

Backed by a panel of experts, Health magazine went through 43 chains that matched the criteria of having more than 75 locations across the U.S. Here are the top 10 (with some interesting surprises):

1. Uno’s (yeah, the deep pan pizza place)- The home of the deep pan pizza also has a penne bolognese with just 16 grams of fat.

2. Sweet Tomatoes- While all-you-can-eat buffets aren’t normally thought to be healthy, Sweet Tomatoes has all kinds of healthy options at their salad bar, and even some at their soup bar.

3. Ruby Tuesday- While Ruby Tuesday is home to a number of beef burgers and fried food options, you can also order a veggie or turkey burger.

4. P.F. Chang’s- Chinese takeout packs some serious caloric punch. But if you can go to a higher end option such as P.F. Chang’s, you have better options like the carb-free vegetarian lettuce wraps.

5. Bob Evans- The well-known greasy breakfast haven also has plenty of low-carb, low-fat entrees.

6. Mimi’s Cafe- This café-style restaurant has some healthy options, like the chicken & fruit.

7. Romano’s Macaroni Grill- The Italian chain has plenty of refined carb choices, but there’s also the Italian sorbetto and biscotti: just 330 calories and 4 grams of fat.

8. Chevy’s Fresh Mex- High sodium counts are always a concern when dining out, but Chevy’s lives up to the “Fresh” in its name. Grilled Fish Tacos are a better option than a thick cheesy burrito.

9. Olive Garden- Like Macaroni Grill, there are plenty of pasta options to lead you astray. But there are also choices like the low-fat capellini pomodoro (644 calories and 14 grams fat).

10. Denny’s- This is probably the biggest surprise of them all, but the same place where you get sausage and pancakes, offers grilled-chicken-breast salad, or even tilapia with rice and veggies. Each have less than 15 grams of fat.

Check out the article at CNN.com for details as to why these establishments made the grade.t

0

National Walk at Lunch Day

Brandi by
Brandi

April 29, 2008
posted to Diet News.

National Walk at Lunch DayWednesday, April 30, be sure to pack comfortable walking shoes for work- and maybe skip the suit. Blue Cross and Blue Shield has announced its annual National Walk @ Lunch Day event- encouraging people across the country to leave their cubes, desks and drawn-out meetings that leave you sitting and stationary for hours on end, to enjoy a walk with co-workers.

“Physical activity is vital to the well-being of all Americans. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that just 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as a moderate walk, at least five times a week can result in significant health benefits, such as lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and improving the health of muscles, bones, and joints.” - From the BCBS site

Find out if your employer is sponsoring this event- and if not, grab your favorite co-workers for a walk and enjoy the fresh Spring weather outside.

1

Oklahoma City loves junk food

Brandi by
Brandi

April 29, 2008
posted to Diet News.

To add insult to injury- Oklahoma City/Tulsa showed up as the number one “junk food obsessed city” on a new Forbes list. Correct me if I’m wrong- but aren’t Taco Bell tacos junk food? Even if they are on a “healthier” menu?

I’m not trying to beat-up on Oklahoma City today. I love that city- I went to college at OU. It’s heartbreaking to see how poor the health is due to obesity, 27% of the population according to this Forbes report.

Also on the list:
1. Memphis
2. Birmingham
3. San Antonio
5. Detroit
9. Kansas City
13. New Orleans
16. Atlanta

While the Oklahoma City Mayor, Mick Cornett, is encouraging his city to lose a million pounds and get off the list of fattest cities in the US, there seem to be a lot of obstacles. Allowing Taco Bell to partner with the OKC Million Pound Challenge seems like one that could have been avoided. Oklahoma City should stand as an example for the many other cities it shares a place with on the obesity list.

What do you think about the cities on the list? Are weight loss efforts taking place in your own hometown? What do you think about Taco Bell partnering with OKC?

2

Lose Weight, Get Rewarded with Fast Food

Barb by
Barb

April 29, 2008
posted to Diet News.

Somehow that just doesn’t quite sound right, but it’s true. Today’s Daily Oklahoman has a half-page advertisement from Taco Bell tying into the Mayor’s million pound challenge. Since we don’t really seem to be doing too well (average of 4.02 lbs lost over four months), Taco Bell is offering a little motivation. “When the milestone of 100,000 pounds is reached, we’ll give a FREE Fresco Taco to everyone in OKC!”

Taco Bell offers a Fresco menu with nine items under 9 grams of fat that is advertised on the home page of the OKC Million. If you sign up for the challenge, there’s a coupon to get a Fresco taco now. That would make two Fresco tacos, one now and one when Oklahoma loses 100,000 lbs.

I’ll leave it up to the experts to figure out whether nutritional values of the company’s Fresco menu is good or bad for dieters, but I think I better stay away for now. It’s just too hard to stop at just one!

0

Phones that keep you healthy

heather by
heather

April 28, 2008
posted to Diets in Review.

Ever dream about having a little person over your shoulder to remind you when you need to take your vitamins, eat your veggies, or get to the gym? Well Wellsphere, the online destination site for healthy living, created a new device called the Wellphone which sends wellness tips, reminders, and logs your diet or exercise progress to your phone. You can pre-program your Wellphone so that every three hours it alerts you to get up from your office chair and take a mini-walk around the building.

To check out how to get this free service, you have to sign up to become a member of Wellsphere. If you’re someone who loves playing with their phone and needs motivation to nudge you to make better food choices or to encourage you to exercise, the Wellphone might be just the friend you need.

1

Mt. Whitney Climb, Pt. 5

Jason by
Jason

April 26, 2008
posted to General.

My destiny is set.

Mt. Whitney awaits me, and two fellow travelers. On June 7th, 8th and 9th we will make our trip to the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states.

After spending 30 minutes on hold to reserve three spots out of only about 100 that were left, I felt like I was a teen again trying to score floor seats for the Van Halen concert.

Mt. Whitney Hike

I should probably be scared as hell, but I am making progress in my training, which is helping with my confidence. In fact, I went on my first serious hike this past weekend. And it kicked my butt. Six miles of hilly terrain in Auburn, California, and the first mile was practically straight up. With 15-18 pounds on my back, it was certainly tailor made to test my fitness level.

While I made it out pretty much unscathed, only a little calf soreness in the following day or so, I have some serious work ahead of me. I was pretty weak (maybe even nutritionally depleted) that night at dinner. So it goes to show that endurance training is not just about the exercise, but how you handle your delicate nutritional needs. If six miles was a challenge, wait until I have to nearly double that… two days in a row… at elevations I’ve never been to in my life.

I better start looking for my next hike.

1

New York City Restaurants Fight City Hall

Jason by
Jason

April 25, 2008
posted to Diet News.

I ask you this: if chain restaurants are concerned about anything other than their bottom line, why would they avoid posting their nutritional information?

But, that’s what’s happening in New York City, as chain restaurants are fighting the mandatory nutritional posting ruling put forth by city officials.

They make highfalutin claims for their objections. For instance, The New York Restaurant Association says that the regulation violates their First Amendment rights. I’m no constitutional lawyer, but that seems like a load of bunk to me. You and I know that the only real reason they object is that, God forbid, the populace might think twice before ordering that 500-calorie, heart-stopping burger.

People will most likely continue frequenting their establishments. But at least they can make the most informed decision possible. If people demand the right to know what is being sold to them, is that so intrusive? At least some of us believe it’s not just for the common good, but for the common sense. Even when we feel like occasionally taking an off-day from healthy eating, and indulge, at least we know what we’re getting into.

The delay has only been requested for three days, so it’s not indefinite by any means. At that point, the courts will sort out the arguments.

The moral of the story is, the only thing large restaurant chains care about from a consumer perspective is that you, well, consume. I know, it’s a bit of a generalization, and not all corporate movers and shakers are evil-doers. But if they wanted consumers to make knowledgeable decisions, and stood behind their products as safe for human consumption, there should be no resistance.

2

Zrii - Liquid Nutrition

Amy by
Amy

April 24, 2008
posted to Diets in Review.

A new product is about to hit the market in the next couple of months but will only be available through network marketing and will not be found in any of your larger chain retail stores. As a holistic health counselor, I always have my eye out for products that are hitting the market that will benefit my health and the health of my family, friends and clients I work with. As we all know from all the advertising around us (does anyone remember there being at least 3 Superbowl ads for health drinks this past February?), companies are jumping on the bandwagon to break into the market place, even Coca-Cola isZrii advertising coke with vitamins.

As luck would have it a product crossed my path that is changing peoples’ lives and as soon as I heard all the amazing benefits and testimonials from people, I knew this was not just another marketing scheme. It is a health drink called Zrii™, which is a new nutritional drink supplement whose main ingredient – the Amalaki fruit - is regarded as one of the world’s most powerful rejuvenating foods and which has been revered above other foods in traditional ayurvedic medicine. Ayurveda, which means “science of life”, is a 5,000 year old medical system from India, which aims to create balance in all areas of health. It is commonly referred to as the Mother of all Healing Systems.

The Amalaki super food is a fruit no bigger than the size of a golf ball that is found at the base of the Himalayan mountain range in India. Ayurveda describes the fruit as the most important botanical for promoting cellular rejuvenation, enhancing immune function, and increasing vitality. In addition there are six complementary botanicals, all of which when paired together provide more amazing benefits than each ingredient individually. They are as follows:
Ginger: Improves digestion, absorption and assimilation
Turmeric: Improves circulation and digestion; noted anti-inflammatory effects
Tulsi: Improves digestion and intestinal health
Jujube: Calms the nerves
Schizandra: Enhances mental function and memory
Haritaki: Helps nourish tissues

The Chopra Center for Wellbeing wholeheartedly endorses Zrii, The Original Amalaki. For those of you who are not familiar with Deepak Chopra and the Chopra center, Deepak is acknowledged as one of the world’s leaders in the field of medicine, body and mind. He served as the chief of staff at Boston Regional Medical Center and began to incorporate western medicine. In 1996, he founded the Chopra Center for Wellbeing with David Simon, MD, bridging the miracles of the west with the wisdom of the east. The Chopra center promotes the use of Amalaki to support better health.

To learn more about Zrii and to learn more about how you can be not only incorporating Zrii into your everyday life but sharing it with others as well please visit eatlivelaugh.myzrii.com. The testimonials on Zrii are outstanding and I am so happy to be able to share this wonderful product with you.

Don’t miss the DietsInReview.com Zrii Review.

0

Which Meal-Based Diet Plan to Try?

Barb by
Barb

April 24, 2008
posted to nutrisystem, jenny craig, bistro md, meal based diet and biggest loser meal plan.

That’s the big question. The three plans, The Biggest Loser, Jenny Craig, and NutriSystem, all had pros and cons, as well as a fairly wide price range. Unfortunately, their web sites don’t always tell the whole story, so in each case I called the company directly to find out more.

biggest loser diet bistro md

The Biggest Loser Meal Plan

  • Price: $99. for five days, plus $24.95 shipping
  • Calorie Count: 1000 - 1400, low carb, low fat, high protein, diabetic friendly
  • Shipping: Weekly
  • Food: Frozen in a vacuum-sealed package
  • Meal Plans: Only one plan is available, menus are on a four-week rotation
  • Commitment: Food is delivered on a weekly basis and can be canceled at any time

Impressions:
The web site is not very informative, although when checking the Bistro MD web site, I found a lot more information available. The Biggest Loser Meal Plan is part of Bistro MD, but the meals/menus vary slightly. The weekly menu plans are shown on the web site, but I never found the nutritional values.

It was also difficult to get through to a customer service representative to ask questions, I’m assuming that’s because the newness of this plan and the finale of the television show has overwhelmed their system a bit. One of my questions was on the shipping, I asked if shipping can be combined since there are two of us taking part. I was told yes, so that will take the cost down a bit.

jenny craig

Jenny Craig

  • Price: $14. - $19. a day, depending on the food picked, plus membership fees
  • Calorie Count: Depends on the foods picked. Meal plan is approved by the Diabetic Association
  • Food: Combination of frozen and non-frozen foods, approximately a 70 to 30% ratio.
  • Meal Plans: Apparently there are different menus and choices to pick from, I wasn’t too clear on how one decides on a menu.
  • Commitment: After the initial special offer of ten weeks for $20., a year’s membership is purchased for $359., you can go off and on the diet during this time.

Impressions:
If a community will help you lose weight and stay on track, Jenny Craig appears to have that covered. Their web site has forums, buddies, blogs and recipes. Once on the plan, a dieter is assigned a consultant to check in with weekly on the phone or the web. The photos and nutritional counts of the various meals looks great. In fact, I got a little hungry just checking out the web site.

When calling it’s a bit of a hard sell, but I still couldn’t get the bottom line on costs. I was told several times that the year membership fee includes discounts on the food and will wind up paying for itself.

nutrisystem

NutriSystem

  • Price: From $263. to $342. a month depending on the how many months and discounts are available.
  • Calorie Count: The various menus have different calorie counts
  • Shipping: Every 28 days
  • Food: Vacuum sealed, shelf-stable
  • Meal Plans: This diet plan had numerous options to choose from, men/women/senior/diabetic/vegetarian
  • Commitment: No contract, but food is shipped in monthly quantities

Impressions:
NutriSystem appears to be the most affordable, and had numerous plans for different diet needs. Their web site has basic information, including the menu foods (along with photos and nutritional counts) success stories, etc. It appears the real substance of the web site is in the members-only section with online classes, chat rooms and counseling. Membership is free, but I choose not to join.

There are substantial discounts on the meal plans and shipping if more than one member in the family takes part.

The Bottom Line:
Even though the price is highest and I don’t care for the one-size-fits-all approach, I decided to try out The Biggest Loser Meal Plan. I like the idea that it’s a five day plan and we won’t mess-up the plan when we go out on the weekend. I also liked the frozen food approach instead of shelf-stable foods. When reading various comments and reviews of the Bistro MD plan (same company), the overwhelming consensus was the food was great. Obviously, if the food doesn’t taste good, the diet’s not going to work for us. It was also a plus that ordering for two, helped the final price come down a bit with the combined shipping.

Right now we’re waiting for the first shipment, as well as a return call from customer service on a billing problem.

I’ll let you know how that goes in a few days.

Follow along with Barb as she shops for meal delivery diets and begins using Biggest Loser Meal Plan.

« Previous Entries