This is How Your Hot Dogs are Made [Video]

2012 Goals!

2012 was a great year. Accomplished many things health wise. I've completely stopped eating meat and chicken. Still eat seafood, need a little variety.

March I placed second in a weight loss challege.

In June I started working out at Train Studios. They emphasize on core training using ropes, kettle bells, TRX and your own bodyweight. My waist dropped 2 inches and my shirt size went from XL to L.

2013 will bring many changes including juicing. My biggest goal is to be down 60 ibs by my 1 year annivesary at Train Studios.

Would you eat a stack of 16 sugar cubes?

This website breaks down the sugar content in common things you eat and drink.


http://www.sugarstacks.com/

More Than Half In 39 States Will Be Obese

We Americans already know how fat we are. Can it get much worse?

Apparently, yes, according to an advocacy group that predicts that by 2030 more than half the people in the vast majority of states will be obese.

Mississippi is expected to retain its crown as the fattest state in the nation for at least two more decades. The report predicts 67 percent of that state's adults will be obese by 2030; that would be an astounding increase from Mississippi's current 35 percent obesity rate.

The new projections were released Tuesday by Trust for America's Health with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Trust for America's Health regularly reports on obesity to raise awareness, mostly relying on government figures.

The group's dismal forecast goes beyond the 42 percent national obesity level that federal health officials project by 2030. The group predicts every state would have rates above 44 percent by that time, although it didn't calculate an overall national average.

About two-thirds of Americans are overweight now. That includes those who are obese, a group that accounts for about 36 percent. Obesity rates have been holding steady in recent years. Obesity is defined as having a body-mass index of 30 or more, a measure of weight for height.

Trust for America's Health officials said their projections are based in part on state-by-state surveys by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1999 through 2010. The phone surveys ask residents to self-report their height and weight; people aren't always so accurate about that.

The researchers then looked at other national data tracking residents' weight and measurements and made adjustments for how much people in each state might fudge the truth about their weight. They also tried to apply recent trends in obesity rates, along with other factors, to make the predictions.

Officials with Trust for America's Health said they believe their projections are reasonable.
And New York City's health commissioner agreed. "If we don't do anything, I think that's a fair prediction," said Dr. Thomas Farley whose city banned just supersize sugary drinks to curb obesity.
Trust for America projects that by 2030, 13 states would have adult obesity rates above 60 percent, 39 states might have rates above 50 percent, and every state would have rates above 44 percent.
Even in the thinnest state — Colorado, where about one-fifth of residents are obese — 45 percent would be obese by 2030.

Perhaps more surprising, Delaware is expected to have obesity levels nearly as high as Mississippi. Delaware currently is in the middle of the pack when it comes to self-reported obesity rates.
The report didn't detail why some states' rates were expected to jump more than others. It also didn't calculate an average adult obesity rate for the entire nation in 2030, as the CDC did a few months ago. But a researcher who worked on the Trust for America's Health study acknowledged that report's numbers point toward a figure close to 50 percent.

CDC officials declined to comment on the new report.
Whichever estimates you trust most, it's clear that the nation's weight problem is going to continue, escalating the number of cases of diabetes, heart disease and stroke, said Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health.

By 2030, medical costs from treating obesity-related diseases are likely to increase by $48 billion, to $66 billion per year, his report said.
The focus of so much of the ongoing debate about health care is over controlling costs, Levi said. "... We can only achieve it by addressing obesity. Otherwise, we're just tinkering around the margins."
___
Listed are 2011 obesity levels followed by the Trust for America's Health projections for 2030. States are listed in order from the highest to lowest projections in 2030:
Mississippi, 35 percent, 67 percent
Oklahoma, 31 percent, 66 percent
Delaware, 29 percent, 65 percent
Tennessee, 29 percent, 63 percent
South Carolina, 31 percent, 63 percent
Alabama, 32 percent, 63 percent
Kansas, 30 percent, 62 percent
Louisiana, 33 percent, 62 percent
Missouri, 30 percent, 62 percent
Arkansas, 31 percent, 61 percent
South Dakota, 28 percent, 60 percent
West Virginia, 32 percent, 60 percent
Kentucky, 30 percent, 60 percent
Ohio, 30 percent, 60 percent
Michigan, 31 percent, 59 percent
Arizona, 25 percent, 59 percent
Maryland, 28 percent, 59 percent
Florida, 27 percent, 59 percent
North Carolina, 29 percent, 58 percent
New Hampshire, 26 percent, 58 percent
Texas, 30 percent, 57 percent
North Dakota, 28 percent, 57 percent
Nebraska, 28 percent, 57 percent
Pennsylvania, 29 percent, 57 percent
Wyoming, 25 percent, 57 percent
Wisconsin, 28 percent, 56 percent
Indiana, 31 percent, 56 percent
Washington, 27 percent, 56 percent
Maine, 28 percent, 55 percent
Minnesota, 26 percent, 55 percent
Iowa, 29 percent, 54 percent
New Mexico, 26 percent, 54 percent
Rhode Island, 25 percent, 54 percent
Illinois, 27 percent, 54 percent
Georgia, 28 percent, 54 percent
Montana, 25 percent, 54 percent
Idaho, 27 percent, 53 percent
Hawaii, 22 percent, 52 percent
New York, 25 percent, 51 percent
Virginia, 29 percent, 50 percent
Nevada, 25 percent, 50 percent
Oregon, 27 percent, 49 percent
Massachusetts, 23 percent, 49 percent
New Jersey, 24 percent, 49 percent
Vermont, 25 percent, 48 percent
California, 24 percent, 47 percent
Connecticut, 25 percent, 47 percent
Utah, 24 percent, 46 percent
Alaska, 27 percent, 46 percent
Colorado, 21 percent, 45 percent
District of Columbia, 24 percent, 33 percent

TRAIN HARD!

I started at Train Studios on June 4th and today I'm down 13.7 ibs. Check them out.

Fake Meat Never Tasted So Good

Fake Meat Never Tasted So Good: We Taste-Test Subway's New Vegan Subs, and Like Them

 
Photo courtesy of Compassion Over Killing

Pity the vegetarian on a long road trip. In the grand scheme of American fast food, there really aren't many palatable meatless options. If you're a vegan, it only gets more difficult to find proper sustenance in the types of restaurants that dot strip malls and highway exits.

In that, Subway's 33,000 nationwide stores have always been something of a blessing. The fast food sandwich monger has always provided its Veggie Delite to vegetarians, but that was about it. But now, there are more options to be had—and these will even appeal to vegans.

In partnership with animal rights group Compassion Over Killing, Subway recently rolled out three all-vegan sandwich options—and much to our luck, they're being tested in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia market. Since I sent Ben to taste-test Burger King's Bacon Sundae (short Ben: it was gross), it fell on me to head down to a Subway Café on Massachusetts Avenue today and sample the new vegan alternatives.

First off, a disclaimer: I don't go to Subway very often. But in the totality of American fast food, I would choose it over some of the competitors. I suppose I like the variety as much as I enjoy pretending that it's really healthy. (It's not as unhealthy as some fast food joints, but it's also fast food—and there's always plenty of extra calories secretly hidden away in its offerings.) Additionally, all words of praise here have to set to a fast food standard: good means good relative to other fast food options; we're not pitting Subway against Citronelle, after all.

My first choice was the Sweet Riblet. And why not? Non-meat meat products have certainly improved over the years, but their consistency and flavor can leave just about any meat-eater wanting. I approached this sub skeptically; I really like ribs, after all, so fake ribs just wouldn't make the grade. Or so I thought.

Though the ribs emerge from a vacuum-sealed pouch that's quickly microwaved before being unceremoniously plopped on your choice of bread—there are five vegan options: Roasted Garlic, Sourdough, Light Wheat English Muffin, Hearty Italian and Hearty Italian White—they tasted like, well, ribs.

No, a real rib aficionado wouldn't be fooled if served Subway's vegan alternative unaccompanied on a dish, but sandwiched between the bread and toppings you'd hardly fault someone for thinking they're not eating the real thing. The barbecue sauce slathered on the "ribs" even had a pleasant smokiness to it, and I had no problem wolfing down the six-inch Sweet Riblet sub. (It did have an odd aftertaste, but I've learned that plenty of meat substitutes do.) I can see this becoming a go-to option whenever I stop into a Subway, as rarely as that happens.

The Italian Black Bean sub was a little less compelling, mostly because there wasn't much to it—a halved Morningstar black bean patty is the star of this sandwich. Also thrown in the microwave, the patty became unpleasantly chewy, almost gummy. It wasn't bad—the patty itself is nicely seasoned, after all—but there wasn't much setting it apart.

I didn't get around to trying the third offering, the Malibu Greek sub, mostly because I'm not about to stomach a full foot-and-a-half worth of Subway—ever.

I'd say Subway is on the right track with its three vegan options. The standard Veggie Delite sandwich is passable, but it fails on one key point—the vegetables at Subway don't ever seem very good. The vegan alternatives—at least the Sweet Riblet—make you feel like you can pack your sandwich with something a little tastier, heartier and animal-friendly.

If you want to try the sandwiches yourself, these are the participating locations:

D.C.
555 13th St NW, Washington, DC 20005 -- 202-347-4616
455 Massachusetts Ave, NW (1st Floor) Washington, DC 20001 -- 202-638-0348
550 First St., NW, Washington, DC 20001 -- 202-661-6639

Maryland
8145 Main St, Ellicott City, MD 21043 -- 410-418-4330
5520 Research Park Dr, #107, Catonsville, MD 21228 -- 410-455-5222
300 Sentinel Dr, #100, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701 -- 301-490-6553

Virginia
320 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314 -- 703-879-4321
2361 Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA 22314 -- 703-879-4321

Big numbers in March! Broken records..

Biggest month since I've been keeping track of workouts since 8/2010! 

5 Easy Ways to Lose Weight

Losing weight can be easy, though not entirely effortless. Family members could form weight loss goals together which could motivate each person to lose weight. Weight loss can seem to be tough if you make it an individual activity but if you involve your family or friends in it, weight loss can turn out to be more successful for you.

Involving your loved ones in your weight loss regime is just one way to go about it. Here are 5 more easy ways to carry out a weight loss routine.

1. Cut out juice and soda from your diet

Wash down your meal with water, not sugary drinks. You could have a glass of orange juice at breakfast but throughout the day, water should be your primary drink.

It is estimated that an average American consumes an extra 245 calories each day from soft drinks. This makes it nearly 90,000 calories or 25 pounds a year.

Not only are these drinks sugary, they also fail to satiate your hunger the way food does. The calorie consumption from them does you no good.

2. Keep a record of every morsel you have

Keep a palm-sized notepad with you to record everything you eat during the day. Many cell phone apps, nowadays, allow you to keep a digital record of your daily food intake. Studies have found that those who keep a culinary log tend to eat 15% less than those who don't.

3. Switch to ordinary coffee

Morning coffee is not only effective in waking you up; it is also very good at wrecking you diet. Indulgent coffee drinks from coffee joints have hundreds of extra calories because of whole milk, whipped cream, sugary syrups and sugar.

An ordinary cup of coffee with skim milk might not taste as great, sans the loads of calories, but at least you know your morning cup of java is not contributing to your weight gain.

4. Take a walk before dinner

This couldn't be any easier! Walking will you burn calories. In addition, it will cut your appetite. A study of 10 obese women, conducted at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, found that 20 minutes of walking reduced appetite and increased the sense of fullness equivalent to a light meal.

5. Get weight loss supplements

In consultation with your dietician, you could come up with some weight loss supplements that you could take to aid in weight loss. ECA stack is popular these days. ECA stack or any other slimming pills can be taken to supplement your exercise and diet regime, not replace it.

Red Meat Can Be Unhealthy, Study Suggests.

I haven't eaten meat or chicken in over a month. Yes I miss it and it's hard. But the study below reinforces why I stopped.

Eating a lot of red meat may shorten your life, while consuming more fish and poultry may extend it, a new study suggests.


Red meat is associated with a higher risk of dying from heart disease, cancer and any other cause, the researchers reported.

For many people, red meat is a primary source of protein and fat. But meat has been associated with increased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers in other studies, the researchers noted.

"We should move to a more plant-based diet," said lead researcher Dr. Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. "This can substantially reduce the risk of chronic disease and the risk of premature death."

For the study, Hu's team collected data on more than 37,600 men who took part in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and more than 83,600 women in the Nurses' Health Study.

Over 28 years, almost 24,000 of the study participants died. Nearly 6,000 of the deaths were from cardiovascular disease and more than 9,000 were from cancer, the researchers found.

Hu's group calculated that for every daily serving of red meat, the risk of dying increased 12 percent. Broken down further, the researchers found the risk was 13 percent for a serving of unprocessed red meat and 20 percent for processed red meat.

A single serving is about the size of a deck of cards, Hu noted.

By replacing a daily serving of red meat with a serving of fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy products or whole grains, however, the risk of dying was lowered, the researchers said.

The risk of death decreased by 7 percent for fish, 14 percent for poultry, 19 percent for nuts, 10 percent for legumes, 10 percent for low-fat dairy products and 14 percent for whole grains, the researchers found.

If people ate less than half a serving of red meat a day, deaths during the 28 years of follow-up could have been reduced by 9.3 percent for men and 7.6 percent for women, the researchers noted.

The report was published online March 12 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

A representative from the beef industry took issue with the findings.

"The scientific evidence to support the role of lean beef in a healthy, balanced diet is strong and there is nothing in this study that changes that fact," said Shalene McNeill, a registered dietitian and executive director of nutrition research at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

"Research clearly shows that choosing lean beef as part of a healthful diet is associated with improved overall nutrient intake, overall diet quality and positive health outcomes," she added. "Overall, lifestyle patterns including a healthy diet and physical activity, not consumption of any individual food, have been shown to affect mortality."

"This was an observational study," McNeill also noted. "Observational studies cannot be used to determine cause and effect."

Another dietary expert said cutting back on red meat might not be a bad idea.

Samantha Heller, a dietitian, nutritionist, exercise physiologist and clinical nutrition coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Conn., took issue with the notion that meat is somehow intrinsic to the human diet.

"'But we are born carnivores,' is the cry I hear when I suggest that my patients and students reduce their intake of red and processed meat," Heller said. What most people do not realize, Heller said, is that humans are not designed to handle the huge amount of saturated fat, iron and other compounds in red and processed meats that they consume.

"A diet high in red and processed meats deluges the body with inflammatory compounds like saturated fat and nitrites," she said. Over time, the body's best efforts to cope with the influx of unhealthy compounds are overwhelmed.

"We get heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases," Heller said. "There are numerous studies showing a link between eating red and processed meat and chronic diseases and death."

Research suggests that going meatless even a few days a week can significantly reduce the risk of these devastating diseases, she said.

"Cut back to eating red or processed meat once or twice a week to start," Heller said. "On other days, substitute chicken, fish, beans, soy, nuts, whole grains like quinoa, and low or nonfat organic dairy for your protein sources."

2nd place winner "8 Week Weight Loss Challenge"!

It became a family affair, my sister came in 3rd, me in 2nd and my brother-in-law 1st! I lost a total of 15.5 ibs. Due to me taking January off for my birthday, I was surprised to be that close. Great fun!

70-Year-Old Woman Finds The Fountain Of Youth! (This Is How)

Worked hard in January.

Numbers came in strong in January. Now ready to move forward on my skinny campaign. Between the holidays, birthday and other celebrations, I fell off my mark. I'm back in full effect starting tomorrow.

The Truth Behind Six Cholesterol Myths

High cholesterol is a commonly misunderstood subject. Learn the facts here.

Do you know what your cholesterol levels mean, or the difference between good and bad cholesterol? Clearing up your confusion and understanding the dangers of high cholesterol can help you keep your levels within a healthy range, lowering your chances of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Meanwhile, everyone 20 years and older should get a cholesterol test once every five years — it’s a simple blood test that your primary care physician can order to determine if you have high cholesterol levels.
Sorting Out Cholesterol Myths
First, it’s important to separate fact from fiction about cholesterol.

1. Cholesterol is a bad thing. Your body needs cholesterol to function; it keeps cell membranes stable and aids in the production of certain hormones. “Patients need to understand that cholesterol is required for health,” says John Willard, MD, medical director for cardiovascular services at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth. Cholesterol only becomes a problem when too much of it circulates in the blood and builds up inside arteries, leading to a condition known as atherosclerosis. If too much cholesterol builds up, that artery becomes blocked, and a heart attack or stroke can occur.
2. Everyone should aim for the same cholesterol levels. “There’s not one particular number for everyone,” Dr. Willard says. “It depends entirely on what your risk factor profile is.” People with no risk factors — such as being a smoker, having diabetes, or having high blood pressure — should try to get their levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, under 160 mg/dL. High LDL cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease. High levels of HDL, or “good” cholesterol, on the other hand, protect against heart disease and are desirable. However, if you have two or more risk factors for heart disease, your LDL cholesterol should be under 130 mg/dL. Those who already have heart disease, or those who have diabetes, should aim even lower, for LDL levels under 100 mg/dL.
3. High cholesterol is caused mostly by diet. The biggest factor in a person’s cholesterol levels is heredity, Willard says. The liver is supposed to remove excess cholesterol from the body, but genetics play a large part in its ability to keep cholesterol at a healthy level. “If your liver works perfectly, you’re one of the lucky people who can eat whatever you want and your cholesterol will be perfect,” Willard says. “Most of us have varying degrees to which it’s not quite as effective as it needs to be.” For those people whose livers are just slightly under par, a healthier diet can be the solution, reducing cholesterol levels by 10 to 15 percent.
4. It’s always better to control your cholesterol through diet alone than with medications and diet. While this may be an option for people whose cholesterol levels are only slightly elevated, those with significantly high cholesterol levels or a history of vascular disease (like atherosclerosis) may need something extra, like a statin, to lower their cholesterol. “If they try to control it just through diet, they’re not going to reach their target,” Willard says. “Plus, these meds have additional healthy effects. They decrease inflammation and the risk of having a heart attack, independent of what their cholesterol levels are.” While there are potential side effects to statin drugs, like muscle damage, they are extremely rare. “If you look at the number of patients having adverse effects, those numbers are tiny compared to those that have heart attacks because their cholesterol wasn’t controlled,” Willard says.
5. Margarine is better for cholesterol levels than butter. Margarine is made from vegetable oil, so it contains no cholesterol, unlike butter, which is made from dairy products. However, Willard says, margarine is also high in trans fatty acids — substances that raise your LDL cholesterol while lowering the levels of HDL cholesterol in your blood, putting you at risk for heart disease and stroke. A healthier option: monounsaturated fats like olive oil and canola oil, which can lower your “bad” cholesterol levels. Willard also recommends trans fat-free spreads with low cholesterol content; Smart Balance is an example of such a product.
6. Children can’t have high cholesterol. “Like adults, if their liver works partially, their cholesterol may be elevated, but not so bad that they have the onset of vascular disease as children,” Willard says. However, he adds, when children with high cholesterol become adults, they are more likely to experience cardiovascular problems at a younger age than their peers. As with adults, children can lower their high cholesterol levels somewhat by exercising regularly and following a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and foods low in saturated fat. In rare cases, children can also have a potentially fatal disease known as familial hypercholesterolemia, an inherited condition in which the liver is unable to remove cholesterol from the bloodstream. This disease may be suspected if a one or both parents have very high cholesterol levels, or if the child has a total cholesterol level of over 250.

With all the information floating around, you need to remember that your doctor is the best source for advice on your cholesterol levels and how to manage them.

How to Maintain Fitness Over 40 With Less Weight and More Energy

Maintaining fitness over 40 is easier than you might think. Whether your fortieth birthday is rapidly approaching, or even if you are older than forty, you may be wondering whether you'll ever recapture those youthful, vital feelings that come with being completely healthy and in great shape. Sometimes it feels as though society gives us permission to let ourselves go after we hit the "Big Four-Oh" but we don't have to give in. The fact is, most of us will live to be octogenarians or nonagenarians, and some of us will live to be over one hundred years old. Can you imagine living a sedentary, unhappy life for nearly half a century or longer? Luckily, fitness over 40 years of age doesn't have to be difficult; all it takes is a small amount of effort.

Fitness Over 40: Recapture Lost Energy, Regain Your Youthful, Trim Appearance, and More
Have you ever wondered what happened to the energy you used to have? Do you wake up feeling fatigued rather than refreshed, or discovering mysterious new aches and pains that make you worry that life will never be fun again? Are old problems getting worse instead of going away? If so, imagine yourself finding your way back to a younger, more energetic, healthier feeling you. It really is possible.
If you are over forty and suffering from an ever-expanding waistline and other bulges, then you might be feeling as though your social life is over. If the only clothes that seem to fit lately have elastic waistbands, comfort panels, and other features designed to make living with a high percentage of body fat more tolerable, then you might think your fashion choices are diminishing as you get older. Don't worry - it's not too late to retain your youthful appearance and maintain fitness over 40.

The fact is, there is a simple and effective way to get your life back on track and enjoy all the things you have worked so hard to gain over the years. It does require some effort on your part - after all, no one has developed a magic pill yet!

• You will need to keep an open mind, and be willing to learn about how your choices affect your energy level, your waistline, and your health in general.
• You will need to be willing to try new foods
• You may need to change your attitude about exercise - many of us think we've got to work up a real sweat in order for benefits to occur, and that simply isn't true.

All it Takes is a Personal Commitment to Fitness Over 40
By making a personal commitment to yourself to give your body the tools it needs to rebuild cellular structures properly, get rid of accumulated toxins, and replace old habits with a new and empowering mindset, you really can regain a youthful appearance, improve your energy, enjoy life more and keep your fitness over 40. Best of all, you don't have to do it on your own. A new program, Happy and Fit Over 40, provides you with all the tools you need to make positive, lasting changes. By this time next year, you could be looking at a whole new you...all it takes is a commitment to yourself.

31 days of fasting.

Here I go again starting the first of another month with a diet. I got goals to make and fasting is the only way I can reach them. Of course there are pros and cons to fasting, but it works for me. When I eat anything, a trigger is set. It's hard to stay focused, where when I'm fasting it's a mindset.

ONE YEAR!

I started this blog a year ago today. My BMI was 37.6 when I started and today it's 35.9. I had it as low as 34.5 in August, but going to Jamaica set me back. The new goal is to get to 24.9 by 1/27/12 which will be my 50th birthday. Follow me and see how I do.

How To Lose Weight: Is It Easy? NO! That Is, Unless You Know How To Diet Correctly

No one would suggest that losing weight is easy. The facts are in: it takes commitment, time, and change. However, we may be able to take some of the difficulty out of the task by making a few simple adjustments.

The last three decades have shown a remarkable increase in the percentage of people who are overweight or obese. Eating has become the national pastime. We eat when we socialize, watch TV or movies, work (isn't someone just always bringing donuts?). We eat to reward ourselves, to relieve frustration, to calm our nerves, to busy our hands, and, we drink "pop" with abandon, and so on.
The problem with this constant eating is that we have lost touch with the natural, inborn triggers that tell us when we are hungry and when we are full. Eating, for most of us, has no relationship with hunger. We eat because the food is there...we keep eating because there's food left.

The nutrition laboratory at Cornell University tested the theory that we will naturally stop eating when we are "not" hungry. They created a "bottomless soup bowl" which was constantly refilled by means of a hidden tube at the bottom of the bowl. They served soup from a regular bowl to half of a group and soup from the constantly refilled bowl to the other. What happened? The diners eating from the automatically-filled bowl ate 73% more soup than the normal bowl group. Clearly, we eat because the food is there.

Further, we don't concentrate on the food during the process of consuming it. Our minds are fully engaged with something else...TV, chatting, reading...we can call this "mindless eating" (unfortunately it is anything but "fat-less" eating).

Yet another problem is that we eat too fast...a sign of the times in which we live perhaps. Still, the negative effect of that habit, weight-wise, is that even if we are aware of our brain-activated "full signal", we will have eaten more than necessary by the time the neurons have gotten the message...all because we are eating too fast.

Another theory that has been shown by numerous studies is that we eat up to 45% more from large plates than we do when the same amount of food is served in smaller plates. We seem to feel that the plate should be filled...if it is not, we are left feeling unsatisfied or even deprived. Also, the larger the plate or bowl, the larger the portions we will automatically dish up.
So, what's the bottom line? There are several simple steps we can take in order to help with our quest toward weight loss.

1. Develop a habit of "mindful" eating. When we eat, let's eat...nothing else. If we're going to consume calories we might just as well fully enjoy each bite. (If we don't fully enjoy each bite, perhaps it's time to put the fork down?)
2. Have scheduled eating times...three small meals and healthful,satisfying snacks in between (vegetables, fruits, reduced-fat cheese, whole grain breads and crackers, a handful of nuts).
3. Eat when you are aware that you are hungry. Don't munch just because the food is there.
4. Eat slowly and focus on the signal you will receive from the brain that you are full. Then, stop eating.
5. Use smaller plates and bowls for serving food.
While losing weight may not be easy, perhaps we are making it a lot more difficult than it need be?

Heavy:Season 1, Ep. 1 - Tom/Jodi

I watched the documentary Heavy. I talk about how I'm morbid obese according to the BMI charts. Watching this truly showed people who are morbidly obese. I am obese, but I setting to get to my goal weight by any means necessary.

McDonald's Move May Make Healthy Business Sense

by Scott Neuman

Correction July 26, 2011

The original version of this story reported that milk would be included in Happy Meals by default. Milk will be among the beverages available with Happy Meals, but the choice will be left to purchasers.

A McDonald's Cheeseburger Happy Meal with the new apple slices option is shown Tuesday. McDonald's Corp. says it is adding apple slices to every Happy Meal, part of the chain's larger push to paint itself as a healthy place to eat.

When McDonald's announced Tuesday that it would make the standard child's Happy Meal more healthful, company officials said they were responding to the desires of their customers. But the move also makes business sense, analysts say.

"This is good publicity, and if you sell more Happy Meals, you're likely selling more Big Macs to the parents," says Peter Saleh, a restaurant analyst with Telsey Advisory Group in New York.
Sam Oches, an associate editor with QSR Magazine, a fast-food industry trade journal, says McDonald's won't say how many Happy Meals they sell, but they're rumored to account for about 10 percent of sales.
"They do more than $32 billion in sales every year, so Happy Meals are potentially a $3 billion chunk of that," Oches says. "That alone is more revenue than a lot of big restaurant chains."
For McDonald's, it's about holding on to a loyal customer base, one that has grown up being exposed to the Golden Arches.
"McDonald's has done great through the recession, they continue to grab market share and have had the cash to remodel their restaurants, while some of the other fast-food restaurants have struggled to keep up," Saleh says.
But the competition hasn't been standing still. The National Restaurant Association launched a similar initiative for healthier kids' choices earlier this month, pre-empting McDonald's. Among those signing on to the "Kids LiveWell" campaign are Burger King, IHOP, Denny's, Cracker Barrel and Sizzler.
And somewhere out there is an apple supplier who is even happier than the kids.
"The sheer size of McDonald's supply chain is kind of nuts, really," says Oches.
"You've got 14,000 stores, serving apples in every Happy Meal," he says. "You do the math. It's huge."
To be sure, healthier options at McDonald's have long been there for the asking. A parent could request fruit or milk instead of a soft drink, but most opted for the traditional meal by default. The big change is that the new Happy Meal will automatically include a quarter-cup of apple slices and about half as many french fries as before. Upon request, parents can hold the fries and get twice as many apple slices instead.
The move also should help ease criticism the company long has faced. In a study released in November, the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University listed the most nutritious Happy Meal at only 30th on a list of the healthiest meal combinations. The study was critical of the fast-food industry for its unhealthy kids' menus and for directing the power of its marketing at children.
"We found some pretty remarkable things," says Kelly Brownell, the center's director. "The average preschooler is subjected to 1,000 advertisements each year for fast food. No amount of education from school or from parents can compensate for that."
"It's a reasonable first step," Brownwell says of the changes.

Nuvigil - Why would you take this?

With all the listed side effects, why would you even take this?

What important information should I know about NUVIGIL?

• NUVIGIL may cause serious side effects including a serious rash or a serious allergic reaction that may affect parts of your body such as your liver or blood cells, and may result in hospitalization and be life-threatening. If you develop a skin rash, hives, sores in your mouth, blisters, swelling, peeling, or yellowing of the skin or eyes, trouble swallowing or breathing, dark urine, or fever, stop taking NUVIGIL and call your doctor right away or get emergency help.
• NUVIGIL is not approved for children for any condition. It is not known if NUVIGIL is safe or if it works in children under the age of 17.
• You should not take NUVIGIL if you have had a rash or allergic reaction to NUVIGIL or PROVIGIL^® (modafinil) Tablets [C-IV], or are allergic to any of the following ingredients: modafinil, armodafinil, croscarmellose sodium, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, povidone, or pregelatinized starch.

What are possible side effects of NUVIGIL?

• Stop taking NUVIGIL and call your doctor or get emergency help if you get any of the following serious side effects:
  • Mental (psychiatric) symptoms, including: depression, feeling anxious, sensing things that are not really there, extreme increase in activity (mania), thoughts of suicide, aggression, or other mental problems
  • Symptoms of a heart problem, including: chest pain, abnormal heart beat, and trouble breathing
• Common side effects of NUVIGIL are headache, nausea, dizziness, and trouble sleeping. These are not all the side effects of NUVIGIL.
• Tell your doctor if you get any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. Talk to your doctor for medical advice about side effects.