Tag Archives: australia

Australian Raw Diet Couple Will Run a Marathon Each Day in 2024

For a couple in Australia, the new year started off with a goal much bigger than most. The couple plans to run a marathon every day this year.

That’s 365 marathons in 365 days if you need us to run the numbers for you.

Alan Murray and Janette Murray-Wakelin departed from Melbourne on New Year’s Day morning for the first of 365 marathons in 2024. The couple are grandparents in their 60s running to raise money for charities and awareness of healthy living. Their route, and further explanation of their mission, can be found on their site, Running Raw Around Australia.

Janette was diagnosed with breast cancer in her early 50s. She was told she had 6-12 weeks to live, according to a story at Yahoo News. Murray-Wakelin declined traditional treatment and began eating a raw diet to treat her cancer. The couple has eaten a raw diet ever since. In fact, Janette has a book due out this year called “Raw Can Cure Cancer.”

Many studies regarding raw diets contest that one will get maximum nutrients from uncooked vegetables, fruits, and plant proteins. Most studies show that vitamins, phytonutrients, and enzymes are destroyed once they reach temperatures around 120-130 degrees. If these studies are true, the Murray’s will be getting tremendous nutrients to fuel them on their 9631.25 mile journey this year.

Holly Perkins is a personal trainer, with a degree in exercise science and nutrition from Penn State, who shared some insight about the Murray’s lofty goals. (more…)

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Lacy

Biggest Loser Finale Watch Party Recipes from Chef Curtis Stone

Each season of the Biggest Loser, there are a few episodes where a certain Aussie chef makes a guest appearance to help the contestants prepare healthy food that also tastes and looks amazing. The contestants swoon, the fans drool (over the food, of course) and everyone leaves with a few new recipes. Chef Curtis Stone has a way with food that is creative without being complicated and delicious without being bad for you. We like to think it’s a gift!

It seemed only fitting that if you plan on throwing a watch party for the live Biggest Loser season 10 finale on Tuesday, December 14, that you should do so with a meal designed by Curtis. He made several appearances this season, each time leaving us a little more enlightened about healthy cooking. You’ll find below his recipes for pan seared halibut with quinoa and a roasted acorn squash salad, along with a decadent dessert recipe for a cider poached pears.

First though, we spoke with Curtis about what’s next for him, his tips for a healthy party, as well as how the Australians celebrate the holidays.

How has being a part of Biggest Loser influenced your own diet and cooking?

I’m generally a pretty healthy eater and try to exercise and watch what I eat as much as possible. Being a chef and being surrounded by food all day it’s pretty easy to put on weight without even realising it, so I have always been mindful of making sure I stay pretty fit and do everything in moderation. I think The Biggest Loser has really opened my mind up to how easy it is to substitute ingredients that may be lower in fat but taste just as good. 
 (more…)

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Natalie K

Australian Government Supports Jamie Oliver’s New Instructional Kitchen

Australia seems to have recognized what officials in Huntington, Virginia, were fighting against. “…obesity is killing us” Premier Anna Bligh is quoted as saying when discussing plans for Jamie Oliver’s “Ministry of Food” to come to the Queensland town of Ipswich.

Obesity and poor diet are not just problems in the United States– it’s a problem around the world. A Sydney University study reports that two-thirds of men and 50 percent of women in Australia are overweight or obese. Jamie Oliver has said that obesity is the number one killer in Australia. These are not numbers that Jamie can take lightly. He is passionate about educating, improving diet, and saving lives. (more…)

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

America Is Global Leader in Obesity

This September, we’ve seen a lot of initiatives to improve school lunches as back-to-school coincides with National Childhood Obesity Awareness month. Jillian Michaels urged Congress to pass a bill to improve school lunches, The Great American Salad Bar Project was launched by Ann Cooper and Michelle Obama continues to promote her Let’s Move! campaign.

While all these initiatives are exciting, they are also a reminder of how far America has to go before it can consider its population healthy and fit. As the chart by Paul Kendrosky below illustrates, the U.S. is the most overweight nation in the world. Just under 70 percent of our population is overweight. We’re followed by England and Spain. If this trend prediction is correct, 75 percent of Americans will be overweight within ten years.

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Posted on September 28, 2023 by Margaret

Fitness Instructor Gains Weight, Addicted to Junk Food

Paul “PJ” James, 32, of Melbourne Australia is a former model and a fitness instructor. Needless to say he’s in peak physical condition. Well, he was in peak physical condition. That’s because James went on a binge-eating experiment to better understand his overweight clients.

Photo: Sky News

Paul James of Australia via Sky News

James went from 175 pounds to 280 pounds. At least that’s what the article on Yahoo says. I had to convert stones to pounds, but the before/after pictures don’t seem to match that drastic of a change.

To gain that weight James ate kebabs, french fries, bacon, and chocolate milk, presumably not all at the same time. He also gave up exercise. (more…)

Posted on June 3, 2023 by Jason

Australia Considering Tax-Funded Obesity Surgery

lap-bandThere have been varying publicly-funded interventions with regards to the fight on obesity. But none are as direct as the one being initiated in Australia.

The government down under is considering funding lap-band surgery to curb rising rates of obesity. You can’t get anymore directly interventionist than that. If implemented, the plan would have tax payers footing the bill for surgery. Lap-band surgery is where surgeons attach a band around the entrance to the stomach so patients feel full after eating a moderate amount of food. (more…)

Posted on May 11, 2023 by Jason

Biggest Loser: Episode 14

I really enjoyed the episode of Biggest Loser last night. Until the last 10 minutes. But we’ll get to that later.

Not only did the contestants get to go on a fabulous vacation, but the viewers also got to go along. Not just a vacation for our eyes with all of the beautiful scenery, but a break from the same-ole-same-ole. The final five were of course shocked when Allison informed them they’d be going to Australia for a week.

Why Australia? Apparently Biggest Loser has made its mark in about 90 countries. The Biggest Loser in Australia is wildly popular, and behind North America is the second heaviest continent. Trainers Bob and Jillian split their time between the U.S. Biggest Loser and the Aussies. That’s why the trainers were absent in the week 13 weigh in. It also sheds a little more light on why the contestants were sent home for a week in episode 8. Next week, the final four’s last week on campus, no trainers either. Rumor has it the Australians spent some time on the Arizona Biggest Loser ranch earlier in the season.

It was a trying week for the contestants with jet lag, strange gym schedules and not being able to prepare their own food. A trying week for alliances as well. It appears as though everyone has finally figured out Roger is favored to win unless they start treating him as such. Ali rallied Mark, Jay and Kelly to start working to remove Roger- but of course not let him catch on. He’s aware though. Maybe not of the alliance, but that the “brotherhood” is breaking up and there aren’t a lot of people left standing in his corner.

So much happened last night that I thought I’d just hit on a some of the high points.

– Kelly and the Oyster. I’m right there with you sister! I laughed so hard watching Jillian literally shove the slimy guy into Kelly’s throat. Kelly said even God couldn’t make her eat it and Jillian casually responded that she and God are related.

– The night on the town in Sydney looked spectacular. And speaking of spectacular- ALI! Wow, that girl is gorgeous. Good for her for just working it. Putting on an outfit that three months ago she would have longingly passed on the rack. Not last night. She owned it. In case you’re wondering, the restaurant they went to is OTTO and the club is Tank, inside the Establishment Hotel.

– Could see the “brotherhood” bond crack a little as they were about to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Mark apparently has a life-long fear of bridges (gephyrophobia) and refused to go to the top of the 440 foot structure where Allison was waiting. Roger said “to hell with him,” and Ali stood by saying no one was going up without Mark. What happened to Pride on Three, Roger?

– Last Chance Workout. Talk about complete opposites. Bob had the guys next to the water for an intense yoga session. Meanwhile, Jillian was playing drill sergeant and giving the girls a beat down. Anyone else laugh as hard as I did when she was sitting in the tire being dragged by Ali and Kelly yelling “MUSH!”

The challenge last night was pretty intense, the hardest they’ve ever had. A triathlon that I personally cannot imagine doing. Picture these contestants, three months ago- they wouldn’t have either. If nothing else, this was a true testament to the amazing progress they’ve made on Biggest Loser. Swimming 300 yards, running 1/4 mile, bicycle, then running to the Aurora Place building and running up the 44 flights of stairs to the top. Ali and Mark held the lead from the start with Mark eventually pulling ahead. I was so impressed how Mark waited for Ali at the top and then she literally carried him over the finish line.

As these two come to terms with the possibility of being top contenders for the finale that’s just two weeks away, they had to also say goodbye to Jay. Mark and Jay both gained a pound in Australia, during the most unimpressive weigh-in this season. This was quite possibly the most heart-wrenching elimination to date. I was not at all surprised to see Jay step up to be eliminated, but that doesn’t mean I liked it. Check back tomorrow for the Diets In Review interview with Jay.

Cry of the Week: The entire last 10 minutes of the show. Sobbing. So sad to see Jay leave.

Quote of the Week: “I’m going to cut a mean a** rug tonight!,” Mark as they were getting ready to go out in Sydney.

Next Week: It’s the last week on campus. There are no trainers. And an exciting twist that effects the finale.

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Natalie K

Aussie Researchers Find Hunger Switch

Overeating is a complex set of circumstances that range from psychological to simple ignorance about the foods we eat. But, what if when it’s all said and done, doctors could simply turn off your hunger like a light switch?

The answer could lie in a molecule known as MIC-1.

Australian scientists have figured out how to switch hunger on and off using MIC-1. The discovery could stop weight loss in terminally ill patients or produce weight loss in the morbidly obese. MIC-1 is produced by cancers and targets receptors in the brain that switch off appetite.

Sam Breit at St Vincent’s Centre for Immunology, who originally cloned the MIC-1 gene, believes the findings could have a significant impact on a range of appetite-related disorders.

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Jason