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Archive for June, 2008

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Top 5 Shoulder Exercises

Matt by
Matt

June 30, 2008
posted to Fitness.

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The shoulder (deltoid) is an important part of the body. It allows the body to lift the arms and control arm movement. It is made up of three parts:

deltoids
- The anterior (front) deltoid serves to raise the arm upward in front of the body
- The medial (middle) deltoid raises the arm upward to the side
- The posterior (back) deltoid raises the arm upward behind the body.

Here are the top 5 shoulder exercises:

Shoulder Press
cable, stability ball shoulder press balance and stability, weight training
reciprocal cable shoulder press on stability ball with neutral grip and 1 leg up
(Click on image to view this exercise…)

Front Raise
cable front raise weight training
alternating cable front raise
(Click on image to view this exercise…)

Lateral Raise
dumbbell shoulder side raise weight training
dumbbell shoulder side raise with neutral grip
(Click on image to view this exercise…)

Rear Deltoid
dumbbell reverse fly weight training
reverse dumbbell fly
(Click on image to view this exercise…)

Rotator Cuff
tubing shoulder external rotation weight training
shoulder external rotation with tubing
(Click on image to view this exercise…)

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Germany’s Obesity Battle

Jason by
Jason

June 30, 2008
posted to Diet News.

For many of us, it’s the land of beer, strudels and schnitzel (usually breaded and fried veal). Maybe the rich food and Oktoberfests are catching up with Germans.

Germany is looking to reverse the country’s obesity problems with a massive government initiative. The program will cost almost 50 million and includes:
Oktoberfest
- Education on healthy eating and sports
- Tougher standards for school lunches
- Voluntary measures for the sweets industry to stop targeting children under 12 with advertising
- Clothing companies to stop using “anorexic” models
- Computer game manufacturers are being encouraged to develop products that make players move about

There’s political opposition from people who believe it will just create a bureaucratic mess.

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Look who is talking about DietsInReview.com

Brandi by
Brandi

June 30, 2008
posted to Diets in Review.

startup memeIt looks like the reviewer became the reviewee this week. Startup Meme is a blog that follows sites on the move, and apparently found DietsInReview.com to be worth sharing with its readers. Here, you can read their review of Diets In Review.

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Top 10 Ways to Beat Boredom During Exercise

Matt by
Matt

June 28, 2008
posted to Fitness.

Are you finding it difficult to get out of bed in the morning for your daily walk and making up excuses to skip the gym on the way home? Even the most dedicated exercisers occasionally get bored with their routine. In order to beat this common boredom, you have to keep your workouts fresh and fun. Here are a few new ideas for you.

1. Get a partner: working out alone gets rather boring and a partner will push you to your limits

2. Set a goal: either it be a marathon or a 5k, just strive for something to keep you motivated

3. Add variety: Run one week, bike around the lake/neighborhood the next: just switch it up

4. Take a break: take a week off and enjoy yourself then hit it hard next week

5. New toys: try using a heart rate monitor and try to keep your heart rate in or above your target heart rate zone. 220 - age = max heart and 60-80% of that number is your target heart zone. If you are 25: 220-25 is 195 (max HR), take 60-80% of that and your target heart rate zone is 117-156.

6. Get new shoes or new work out attire

7. Switch gyms: try a new facility and see how motivated you are: it works

8. Monitor your progress: keep track of your work outs and keep challenging yourself

9. Sign up for an event to train for

10. Switch up the diet: set a cheat day after a solid week of diet and exercise

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Guest Blog: Veggie Breakfast Bircher Muesli

Brandi by
Brandi

June 27, 2008
posted to Vegetarian, Guest Blog and Recipes.

We’re pleased to have with us again Monica Shaw, a freelance writer who specializes in science, health, fitness and food. She is the primary author of the website and blog, SmarterFitter.com.

In my last post I discussed some of the staples of the vegetarian diet. Today I delve deeper into the bowl of oatmeal and get into the specifics of breakfast, the most important meal of the day! It’s true, and I’m not the only one who thinks so.bircher muesli

Maximillian Bircher-Benner was a Swiss doctor who used natural (and mostly raw) food to treat patients at his sanitarium in Zurich. Bircher believed that a healthy life depended on one’s harmony with nature. He also believed in breakfast.

In 1900, Bircher invented the now famous “muesli cereal”. His original recipe is vastly different from the sugar-coated, toasted muesli we typically find in the grocery store today. Instead, Bircher combined soaked oats, fruit and nuts with grated apple and lemon juice to create a naturally sweet breakfast cereal designed to energize and heal the body.

The following recipe is my daily go-to breakfast, but feel free to experiment with different combinations of fruit and nuts. Bircher Muesli is stunning with natural yogurt and honey, but it’s also good plain or topped with fresh fruit. It’s also great on the road. Whether you’re traveling to work from the gym or a to a campsite in the backwoods, a big bowl of muesli packs well into a waterproof container and requires no heating or cooking.

Bircher Muesli Recipe
Serves 2

Ingredients:

85 grams jumbo oats
5 grams flax seeds
10 grams sliced almonds
2 apricots, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 apple, grated
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Soak the oats, flax seeds, almonds and apricots in just enough water to cover for 12 hours.
Blend the soaked stuff with everything else (or mix in the grated apple by hand for a chunkier texture).
Serve with toppings such as fresh fruit, kefir, nut milk or raw honey.

You can find more of Monica’s vegetarian recipes at SmarterFitter.com.

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What to Eat? When to Eat?

Bernie by
Bernie

June 26, 2008
posted to Bernie and Diet Tips.

“What to eat? When to eat?” These are the all too familiar words that I often find myself muttering now-a-days when planning meals. Prior to my participation on “The Biggest Loser” I never planned meals, I ate whenever and whatever. I was baffled by my weight; “It wasn’t like I was spending all my time eating. Why was I overweight?”

When with my “skinny” friends most of our conversations revolved around food; “When are we going to eat? What are we going to eat? Where are we going to eat? Who is going to make it? How are they going to prepare it? What ingredients will it contain?” the questions were never ending. It was frustrating; my friends were the ones talking about food, practically obsessing, and I was the one gaining weight, almost as if I was paying the price for each of their food-filled conversations.

What I realize now is, that what I thought to be a strange food obsession was actually their way of planning out their meals, only they were doing it subconsciously. I, however, am not that fortunate. I have to make the very conscious decision of planning each of my meals and snacks. Initially this was hard and extremely time consuming, but in the end it has been well worth the effort. I have not only been able to maintain my weight, but more surprisingly find that I am looking forward to the meals I have planned. I have been able to remove the guilt I previously associated with the food I ate, because I now know that the meals I am eating not only taste good, but also are good for me.

Now when I get together with friends I am able to contribute to the food discussion and actually offer suggestions instead of sitting back and waiting for a decision to be made, so that we could go eat. “What to eat? When to eat?” are important questions to ask not just to lose weight and maintain weight loss, but most importantly to provide you piece of mind come mealtime.

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Top 15 Most Popular Celebrity Diets

Brandi by
Brandi

June 26, 2008
posted to Celebrities and Diet Reviews.

Everywhere we look we’re barraged with images of Hollywood celebrities and their gorgeously toned bodies. We always hear about the latest diet and weight loss crazes to come out of Hollywood, and how these stars shed impressive weight in almost no time at all. We’ve got the skinny on the 15 most popular celebrity diets. While most of us can’t afford their trainers and personal chefs, you can find the truth behind these diets and if there’s one that will work for you. Some aren’t the healthiest, but others offer a smart approach to weight loss.

jenny mccarthy 1. Weight Watchers
Even Hollywood can’t resistant this tried-and-true, super-flexible weight loss program. Jenny McCarthy and the former Duchess Sarah Ferguson both owe their leaner figures to the Points.


kate hudson2. Atkins Diet
The original low-carb crusader took the likes of Renee Zellwegger, Kate Hudson and Calista Flockhart back to its dieting lair. Singing sensation Rihanna has been known to follow a low-carb diet.


jessica simpson3. 5 Factor Diet
Created by celeb trainer Harvey Pasternak to help schedule-crunched celebs eat properly while touring or on set, his mini-meal, mini-exercise approach has wooed Jessica Simpson, Katherine Heigl and Kanye West.


jennifer lopez4. Eat Right 4 Your Type
It’s Dr. Peter D’Adamo has created a customized diet that is designed around each individual’s blood type. Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez and Elizabeth Hurley have all taken the good doctor’s advice to heart… and waist.


queen latifah5. Jenny Craig
With a counselor to lead the way and meals delivered to their homes, or rather mansions, Queen Latifah, Valerie Bertinelli, Kirstie Alley and even Joy Behar have lost considerable weight following Jenny’s plan.


denzel washington6. Master Cleanse
It has a few names- Maple Syrup Diet or even Lemonade Diet, but one-name stars like Beyonce and Denzel have followed this week-long liquid diet in an effort to cleanse and detoxify their bodies, and also lose weight.


thom yorke7. Vegan
“Just say no to animal products” is the anthem you’ll hear a host of stars like Pamela Anderson, Thom Yorke, Andre 3000, Alicia Silverstone, Natalie Portman, Heather Mills and Casey Affleck singing.


jessica biel8. 3 Hour Diet
Trainer Jorge Cruise advises stars like Jessica Biel and Heidi Klum to eat every three hours throughout the day. These lucky ladies get to eat all day, nearly anything they want, have enviable figures and fall in love with two of music’s hottest guys.


mandy moore9. Hollywood Cookie Diet
It might sound like a fairytale ending to a movie script, but Mandy Moore and American Idol’s Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson manage their weight with sweet little cookies. The cookies replace breakfast, lunch and mid-day snacks.


nick carter10. NutriSystem
A meal delivery diet that has been the saving grace of men and women like Dan Marino, Nick Carter and Larry the Cable Guy, as well as Marie Osmond. Just like these stars, there are critics on both sides of the line.


reese witherspoon11. Baby Food Diet
Reese Witherspoon, Marcia Cross and Jennifer Aniston show that this diet is as easy as taking food from a baby. The small portions in a broad range of organic flavors easily help these ladies put their hunger down for a nap.


carrie underwood12. Vegetarian
Unlike their vegan friends, these stars just refrain from eating meat. Carrie Underwood, Prince, Tobey Maguire, Christina Applegate, Eddie Vedder and Paul McCartney can often be found cruising the grocer’s produce section.


cameron diaz13. The Lunch Box Diet
If you spot Cameron Diaz carrying a lunch pail, she hasn’t decided to go back to school. She’s just keeping plenty of fresh veggies, fruits, lean proteins, nuts and other healthy snacks close at-hand, to regulate blood sugar and lose weight.


kristen davis14. The Zone Diet
Where can you find Sex and the City’s Kristen Davis, Cindy Crawford and even Demi Moore? In the zone, the diet zone that is. They’re watching their weight, and protecting themselves against chronic illnesses.


madonna15. Macrobiotic Diet
If Madonna only had four minutes to save herself, hopefully her adherence to a holistic lifestyle and eating only whole, organic foods will be her best protection. While to most it will seem restrictive, the Material Girl finds it to be quite freeing.

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Getting to Know the Core

Matt by
Matt

June 26, 2008
posted to Fitness.

The “core” consists of several different muscles that stabilize the spine and pelvis and run the entire length of the torso. These muscles stabilize the spine, pelvis, shoulder, and provide a solid foundation for movement in the extremities (arms and legs). The muscles that make up the “core” are Rectus Abdominis, Erector Spinae, Multifidus, Internal/External Obliques, Transverse Abdominis, Hip Flexors (which consist of several muscles as well), and the Glutes.

Training the muscles of the core corrects postural imbalances that can lead to injuries and the biggest benefit of core training is to develop functional fitness (fitness that is essential to both daily living and regular activities).

See more of Matt’s Fitness Tips, or email him your own questions.

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Wordless Wednesday: School Lunch

Brandi by
Brandi

June 25, 2008
posted to Children and Teens and Wordless Wednesday.

school lunch

Fight for healthier school lunches.

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Food Fight: Pasta vs. Pasta

Brandi by
Brandi

June 24, 2008
posted to Food Fight.

food fight

Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the very first DietsInReview.com Food Fight. You won’t get messy, but you will be a little more informed. Every two weeks (alternating with Food Finds), we’ll present a food match-up: two similar foods, both claiming to be the healthiest option, will go head-to-head in our nutritional ring to find out which prevails as the best. We’re looking at a three-round match: Nutrition Facts, Taste and Ingredients, Cost and Accessibility. So, let’s get started.

Our first Food Fight is between Fiber Gourmet Light Pasta (FG) and Barilla Plus (BP) pasta.

fiber gourmet pasta barilla pasta

FIGHTER NOTES
Fiber Gourmet says it is “the world’s first ‘light’ or reduced-calorie pasta with 40% fewer calories. It has been engineered to taste like “regular” pasta, but offer more nutritional value.

Barilla Plus is a multigrain pasta, endorsed as part of the Bob Greene Bestlife diet. It offers a good source of protein and ALA Omega-3.

ROUND 1: Nutrition Facts
Serving size, printed on the package, based on 2oz. of uncooked pasta.
Calories: FG = 130, BP = 210
Fat: FG = 1g, BP = 2g
Sodium: FG = 120mg, BP = 25mg
Total Carbs: FG = 42g, BP = 38g
Dietary Fiber: FG = 20g, BP = 4g
WW Points: FG = 2, BP = 4

Fiber Gourmet seems to lead the round, based on having significantly less calories, more fiber and less fat than its competitor. The near 100mg more of sodium found in FG is definitely cause for concern. Barilla Plus does have calcium and more iron, where the FG does not.

fiber gourmet pasta

ROUND 2: Taste and Ingredients
This is a tough round because each person’s personal preference will vary. I only eat whole grain pasta, and often the Barilla. I’ve grown accustomed to the taste. The Fiber Gourmet was definitely the right pasta for someone who enjoys that “traditional” starchy white pasta taste. It did seem a bit pasty to me, but firm and when blended with sauce was not too bad. The Barilla has a taste that does vary from the “traditional” pasta, but not so much that its a turn off. It’s not grainy and actually has a lot of flavor, it also cooks to a perfect al dente stage and tastes great no matter what it is in.

FG only comes in a fettucini-style noodle, but in flavors like whole wheat, classic, spinach and tomato. BP only comes in its regular multigrain pasta, but in six noodle styles.

As for ingredients, both have great lists that don’t call out any concerning items. Both have semolina, niacin, iron, riboflavin and folic acid. The FG has modified wheat starch and wheat gluten, while the BP has a grain and legume blend with lentils, chickpeas, egg whites, barley, flaxseed, oats and a few other items.

This round goes to Barilla Plus.

ROUND 3: Cost and Accessibility
Fiber Gourmet is available in 23 states in a variety of health food and chain grocery stores. Individual bags in store will vary, but cost about $3.00 for an 8oz. package. Their site lists each store in which you’ll find it. It’s also available for purchase online in bulk for prices ranging from $18.49 to $44.99.

Barilla Plus is sold in major and private grocery chains across the U.S. and the site lets you search availability by ZIP code. 14.5oz. packages sell for about $3.00 each. Online retailers like Amazon have it available in two-packs for $6.00.

This round goes to Barilla Plus.

barilla plus pasta

POST-MATCH COMMENTARY
There is no doubt that Fiber Gourmet is a quality product- especially for those looking for a traditional white pasta flavor, with healthier nutritional value. However, due to taste, its wholesome ingredients and greater accessibility, we deem Barilla Plus the winner of the Food Fight: Pasta.

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