I will never forget when I was 13, I was astonished how my uncle stayed so thin and he never finished what was on his plate. I remember saying to him, “How do you know when you are full?” He replied, “I eat until I am satisfied and then stop.” I remember thinking, “What are you talking about?” I have never understood that concept and I still don’t. I am a member of the “Clean Plate Club.” I feel like I have been out of touch with my body for a very long time, about 30 years since I was 13 when my mother passed away.

By overeating enough at the right times I could go to sleep or just “veg” out in front of the TV with food. As I got into my mid-20s I noticed that I had a lot of gas and was going to the bathroom a lot. Years went by and I was never able to correlate what was going on with my body in relation to what I was eating. At some point I just surrendered and said to myself, “This is just the way my body is.” Meanwhile I was struggling with food and always feeling hungry.

In 1999, after I found a 12-step group for compulsive eaters, I learned a new way of eating and started eating three meals a day. That is where my work began in relation to my eating issues. I stopped eating white sugar and white flour. That is also when I learned about eating different vegetables.

Stay tuned as Rob will continue discussing his weight loss journey in Part 2 of his Listening to My Body series.

Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.

If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.

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Achieving Health by Listening to My Body, Part I

The New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center in Boston, Massachusetts has a new program aptly titled “Move It!” to help kids get some exercise, and a little fun with seals while they’re at it.

Five northern fur seals will be featured in a new exhibit at the New England Aquarium. The seals can run on their flippers and dart around the water at great speeds. But how exactly does this entice kids to get active?

Panels around the aquarium will show seal movements such as stretching, jumping and swimming, explain the ways the moves are similar to humans and encourage kids to “Try It!”

“You can almost see a child in front of the exhibit, gyrating, trying to mimic the seal and saying, ‘Well this is pretty cool,’” says Paul Boyle, an environmental biologist and a vice president at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “Then they go home and they may roll around in the backyard and then they may start to, you know… run.”

Even if it doesn’t ultimately lead to better fitness for kids - it sounds more like fun than breaking a sweat - kids will learn something new and be outside away from the TV and video games for once.

(via: Yahoo)

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Kids Get Fit with Seals at the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center

Recent research has shown that spices like turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper and countless others contain specific compounds that may help to stave off diseases. Here’s your guide to the best grilling spices to give your July 4th feast more nutritious flare!

Turmeric: Numerous studies have linked turmeric to reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol, and preventing and treating cancer cell growth. Curcumin, the substance in turmeric that gives it its trademark yellow color, is the magic compound behind most of these health benefits. To get the benefits of turmeric, add a few dashes to your Fourth of July potato or egg salad.

Cayenne Pepper: Capsaicin is the powerful compound in this fiery spice that imparts its heating qualities that have been linked to increasing metabolism, improving blood circulation, clearing nasal passages and jump-starting a sluggish metabolism. Cayenne pepper is also an excellent source of Vitamin A, a disease-fighting antioxidant.  Sprinkle a few meager dashes on pineapple rings, peach, nectarine or plum halves or mango wedges. Grill the fruit for a few minutes on each side and finish with a squeeze of Vitamin C-rich lime juice for a healthy twist on summer fruit.

Garlic: A member of allium family, garlic is one of the most beloved culinary condiments. Linked to preventing heart disease, boosting the immune system, regulating blood sugar levels and possessing antibacterial properties, it is no wonder that garlic has been used for medicinal purposes since 2560 BC. Add whole garlic cloves to chicken, steak, fish or veggie marinades before setting them on the grill. Or chop garlic finely and add it to ground meat, turkey or salmon to give your burgers a flavorful flare.

Ginger: This pungent spice has been shown to quell nausea, decrease joint pain from arthritis and reduce cholesterol levels making it a powerful ally in the fight against heart disease. While many sushi lovers are familiar with pickled ginger, for a speedy but tasty marinade, slice ginger in thin slices and add in soy sauce, sesame oil and a spoonful of honey. Let chicken breasts or steak rest in the marinade for 30 minutes and grill until done. Or try the Biggest Loser’s recipe for grilled salmon burgers with fresh ginger.

Happy grilling and happy Fourth!

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4 Flavors to Spice up Your July 4th Cookout

How to Avoid a Calorie Festival This Fourth of July

Meet our new dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield as she introduces some savvy tips for not only minding your diet this 4th of July weekend but still managing to let food play a small role in these memorable events. She reminds “it’s not about the food - it’s about the people you’re with.”

Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest Yields Frightening Nutrition Facts

No matter how much you overeat this weekend, it can’t be anywhere near as bad as what the contestants at the annual hot dog eating contest will ingest. Take a look at the nutrition facts for 66 hot dogs and buns if you need any kind of reassurance that seconds at the picnic aren’t a good idea!

Dance Your Ass Off Premiere Recap

Each Monday night this summer you can tune in to Oxygen to watch 12 men and women shake, rattle and roll off the weight. Check-out this Biggest Loser meets Dancing With the Stars hybrid.

Ruby Season 2 Premieres on Style Network July 5

Wind down your holiday weekend with America’s newest sweetheart - Ruby Gettinger. Down 150 pounds since her first season, Ruby’s back to take on even more weight loss and several new life experiences.

Five Reasons Women Should Lift Weights

As one mom to another, Carmen debunks some common myths that keep women from lifting weights. Find out why this can be a beneficial addition to your fitness plan.

Mike Morelli Answers Your Diet and Fitness Questions

Mike’s first order of business at DietsInReview.com is to answer your questions. Hear straight from Mike tips and advice for weight loss, and how his brother Max is doing!

Food Inc. is Hungry for Change

If Super Size Me wasn’t enough to scare you into eating smarter, then this new documentary is sure to do the trick. Food Inc. unveils the dark and dirty underbelly of our food industry. As the movie’s byline suggests, “you’ll never look at dinner the same way.”

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Weight Loss News In Review - Week of June 29

Here are some tips for a happy and healthy picnic:

• Eat with your eyes! Enjoy the look of all the food that’s there and pick out what you think you will enjoy that will also nourish you.

• Stick to one plate. It’s OK if you see something that looks “rich” and “off limits,” you shouldn’t feel deprived from what you put on your plate. Choose a small portion and balance out the plate with healthy salad greens, fresh vegetable crudite, and some lean protein like chicken. Take your time to enjoy every bite. Stop when you feel full.

• Lay off “the sauce”. Not only is alcohol a source of empty calories, but it can really lower your inhibitions and take you totally off track. If you’re going to be at a party for several hours, start with a sparkling water and keep your alcoholic drinks to one or two servings.

• Make it mostly healthy. If you’re hosting, you have a ton of control. Make sure there are veggies, fruits, salad greens, and beans incorporated in the foods you’re serving. Keep the chips, pretzels, and sodas on the small side. If you’re not hosting, bring a couple of healthy dishes. If you love egg salad and potato salad, health-if-y it by using nonfat Greek yogurt as a base and just a tablespoon of mayonnaise for flavor.

Have fun this Fourth of July! Make sure to share your good stories of achieving your healthy eating and exercise goals so you can inspire others to follow your lead! If you need a little help and support, ask a friend for some encouragement and check out more holiday diet tips here at DietsInReview.com.

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How to Avoid a Calorie Festival This Fourth of July

Available to all Curves members, this new plan offers monthly classes that teach you how to rev up your metabolism, eat all day long and enjoy a variety of foods without gaining weight. Curves experts know that diets that forbid certain foods never work in the long run. Therefore, their Weight Management Plan shows you how to safely and satisfyingly incorporate your favorite eats into your weight loss plan while not sabotaging your efforts to meet or maintain your weight loss goal.

The plan starts out as a 30-day plan that teaches you how to lose weight and keep it off. Once the 30 days are up, you will have just the tools and knowledge needed to maintain your goal weight. The maintenance phase allows you to eat 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day without gaining back an ounce of what you lost! Key to this generous daily calorie allotment are regular visits to a Curves gym to keep your metabolism stoked and your muscles lean.

To learn more about Curves new Weight Management Plan, contact a local Curves in your area, or sign-up for Curves now.

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Curves New Weight Management Plan

With varieties like Cherry-Grape and Strawberry-Orange, different taste buds are pacified. I chose my standard, default flavor of Mango-Peach and saved it for the end of an especially strenuous Muay Thai class. Served well-chilled, it had a pleasant flavor and the bits of fruit that I’d been skeptical of were refreshing. (Although, oddly enough, the fruits in the Mango-Peach juice that I’d sampled were not those named, but instead pineapple and pear.)

No matter. After I’d had about one-third of the juice, I added in a scoop of protein powder and was delighted by the yumminess that ensued. It was every bit as good as a Tropical Smoothie, my treat of choice after class - and much cheaper and I think healthier. It was also a smaller portion and something I could keep in my boxing bag.

Each 6.75 ounce bottle has 120 calories, 0 grams fat, 2 grams fiber, 40% RDA of Vitamin A and 60% RDA of Vitamin C. All-natural, low in calories and with two servings of fruit, this is a beverage that I’ll cheerfully buy again.

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We Love Fruit 2 Day

Ninety percent of the time, COPD is caused by long-term smoking. The condition is characterized by a progressive decline in lung function which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Previous research has suggested other health benefits like cholesterol reduction, fighting cancer, and improved bone health, but this is the first time it’s been linked to reducing the risk of COPD.

“It has been suggested that flavonoids from soy foods act as an anti-inflammatory agent in the lung, and can protect against tobacco carcinogens for smokers,” says the Japanese study’s author Fumi Hirayama. “However, further research is needed to understand the underlying biological mechanism.”

(via: MSN)

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Study: Soy Reduces Risk of COPD

Below is a workout routine that will help enhance your golf game and will help you drive the ball further than you ever have. The workout focuses on the major muscle groups that play a key role in the golf swing. These muscle groups consist of the core, hamstrings and quads, upper back, shoulders, and the forearms.

The core is used for strength and power while the quads and hamstrings are used to maintain good posture and prevent lower back and knee injuries. The upper back, shoulders, and forearms are used for spine and club control. I recommend performing two or three sets of 20 repetitions to increase muscular strength as well as endurance. Good Luck!!

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The Golf Workout

I am constantly trying to find ways to integrate more activity into my busy schedule. Today, I decided to take my own advice and popped my iPod into the dock while I set out to clean house. Normally cleaning takes me a lot of time because I get bored and distract myself. Dancing let me have fun and also showed me where I still need some work. Ideally, as a dancer, I should be able to keep my feet moving despite what my arms are doing, but I caught myself standing more than once while scrubbing my cast iron skillet. Of course the best part of it was how much I accomplished. It is June and in the 90s in Indiana, but there were still sweaters on my bedroom floor - not any more!

Turning on the Timba for a few minutes every day can bring me more joy, more cleanliness, more activity, and increase my dance skills. Even if salsa isn’t your dance of choice, find the music that moves you, combine tasks, and maybe even practice your moonwalk.

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Dancing Through Your Chores is a Great Workout