healthy living

Andrew Rubalcava runs the health and fitness site Go Healthy Go Fit. Since adopting a Paleo lifestyle, Andrew has gone from 13.2% body fat at 192 lbs. to 6% body fat at 165 pounds.

1. Eat food that has lived a good life.
If you’ve ever seen a time-lapsed photo of a flower’s journey from bloom to whither, then you already have a perfect example of how your food should have lived. Whether it’s a vegetable, a fruit or an animal, they all have one thing in common: They lived! Start by eating only these foods and the rest will follow.

2. Just because it isn’t plastic doesn’t mean it’s real food.
The concept of modern food packaging is meant to fool you into thinking what you are about to eat is “fresh”, and therefore guilty of being real by association. “Packed fresh” and “over processed” do not cancel each other out. Be wary of packaged goods.

DietsInReview Guest Blogger, Melanie Berezan, aka Crazy Legs, is the co-founder of GirlGetStrong.com.  A restless writer, entrepreneur, traveler, and a bit of a weird wife (sorry honey!). Slightly insane mum of four cool little people who are either angels or monsters depending on the day’s medication. Proud owner of 10 terribly twisted and calloused running toes, and most of all an avid fan of fun!

Here are 10 ways that brides can reduce stress before their big day:

1. Invest in a wedding planner.  Yes, this costs money, but it is money well spent. A good planner will coordinate the big details, take care of the little details and let you enjoy your day.

2. Think small. If you can’t afford a wedding planner then aim to keep your wedding simple, and better yet, small. Small is intimate!

Dr. Nancy Snyderman is the NBC News chief medical editor as well as the author of the recently released “Diet Myths That Keep Us Fat: And the 101 Truths That Will Save Your Waistline and Maybe Even Your Life.” This comprehensive and incredibly formative read provides clear, scientifically-proven, and practical advice that can lead you to a healthier and happier life.

We had the pleasure of talking with Dr. Snyderman about her book as well as her own diet and weight struggles. Here is what this medical expert, mother, journalist, and author had to say about what it takes for us to be truly  healthy.

In your book, you coined yourself a professional dieter, in addition to all of the professional and personal roles that you undertake. What inspired you to write, Diet Myths That Keep Us Fat?

First off, I am every woman. I am every female who has ever struggled with her weight and who probably still has those extra few pounds to lose.

It is one thing to recycle your daily newspaper and bring your own tote bag to the grocery store but when it comes to making over your diet and lifestyle behaviors, each of us has our own comfort-level with what it means to be green. While many believe that going green means giving up everything from their favorite hamburgers to swapping out their car for a bicycle, Sophie Uliano,  the author of The Gorgeously Green Diet as well as its predecessor, Gorgeously Green, shares with us simple steps that anyone can take to add more green living in their life.

We had the opportunity to speak with Sophie who believes that her plan which is more of a “live-it” lifestyle plan rather than a diet can be followed by anyone who is passionate about taking care of herself (and the planet).

Listen to the interview below

Dramatic Relief is another technique for lifestyle change that has been adopted by anti-obesity and healthy living campaigns. It has also been used frequently in anti-smoking campaigns. Dramatic Relief can be used no matter your goal, and is designed to help move you from the Contemplation stage to Determination and towards Action. Dramatic Relief works by creating an experience of increased emotion which is followed by a relief from that emotion if a step towards life change is taken. Dramatic experiences can include anything moving such as testimonies, psychodrama, and media campaigns. These type of ad campaigns use uncomfortable emotions, such as fear, disgust, or guilt, so people are motivated to do something not to feel this same way again.

It is the idea used in “reverse thinspiration,” or when someone puts a picture of themselves at their highest weight on the refrigerator. It’s the reason we call loved ones after watching a sappy movie or go clean the kitchen after reading an article about salmonella. It’s hard to imagine driving your kids through a fast food restaurant and not portioning their servings after driving by one of these billboards: