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tdsollog Health Bulletin: NYC Health Department Launches Calorie Education Campaign: Limit Calories to 2000 per day Oct 7, 2008 9:19 AM Health Bulletin - Limit Calories to 2000 per day NYC Health Department Launches Calorie Education Campaign To maintain a healthy weight, most adults need no more than 2,000 calories a day October 6, 2008 – "Read 'em before you eat 'em," the Health Department advises in a new campaign launched today to help New Yorkers make the most of the city's calorie-posting rules. Under the New York City Health Code, chain restaurants are now required to post calorie counts for food items on menus and menu boards. The rule took effect this summer, after a federal court upheld it and an appellate court refused to delay enforcement while the industry tries again to overturn it. The new campaign – five ads appearing in 1,000 New York City Subway cars for the next three months – is designed to help New Yorkers see how quickly fast-food calories add up. Many are unaware that a typical adult needs only 2,000 calories a day to maintain a steady weight. Even fewer know how easy it is to overshoot that goal while eating on the go. The campaign shows how deceptive appearances can be. One poster shows an apple raisin muffin that looks harmless but carries a stout 470 calories – nearly a quarter of an adult's daily allowance. "If you're eating it as a snack," said Cathy Nonas, director of the Health Department's Physical Activity and Nutrition program, "you may want to split it with a friend." Nonas, a registered dietician, will host a blog on calorie counting later this week at nyc.gov/health. "Many people end up overweight just by going with the flow," said Nonas. "Now that this information is available in chain restaurants, it's easy to make healthier choices. Once you set a daily calorie budget, there are lots of ways to live within it." As the new ads make clear, you don't have to give up all indulgences to eat fewer calories. By ordering a diet soda and a small order of fries with your cheeseburger, for example, you can cut the caloric impact by half – from 1,250 to 670. The Health Impact of Calorie Listing in Chain Restaurants Obesity is a leading cause of preventable death in NYC. Eating too many calories causes weight gain – which can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and other serious health problems. New Yorkers eat more than a third of their calories away from home. To help them make healthier choices in restaurants, the New York City Board of Health passed a regulation requiring chains to post calorie information on their menus and menu boards. When people have access to calorie information, they use it. Health Department surveys have shown that when restaurant patrons use calorie information in deciding what to order, they average nearly 100 fewer calories in each meal purchased. The Health Department estimates that posting calories on menu boards and menus will reduce the number of people who suffer from obesity by 150,000 over the next five years, preventing more than 30,000 cases of diabetes. To learn more about a healthy diet, physical activity or how to lose weight, please visit nyc.gov/health. ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Release # 066-08 Monday, October 6, 2008 CONTACT: (212) 788-5290 Jessica Scaperotti/Sara Markt, PressOffice@health.nyc.gov
tdsollog Diet Scams: Avoid them - tips from the Federal Trade Commission Jul 1, 2008 10:46 AM DIET SCAMS In America alone, 50 million people go on a diet every year. More than 15 percent of those people--about 8 million--try to do it in a structured program with supervision. The only real solution is simple: eat fewer calories, exercise more (or become more physically active), and you'll lose weight. Nevertheless, if someone offers a way to avoid a sacrifice that dieters don't want to make, people have a tendency to believe less-than-logical explanations. That's one reason why the diet industry rakes in about $40 billion per year from Americans alone. Staying Scam Free The Federal Trade Commission monitors weight-loss scams and false claims. Here are some of the commissions warning signs of diet scams: Claims of losing two or more pounds per week. Products that promise you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight. Permanent weight loss. The ability to block fat or calorie absorption. Weight loss of more than three pounds a week for more than four weeks in a row. Claims that the product works the same for everyone. Creams, patches, wraps, earrings, and things to be worn or applied to the body to lose weight. It's true. Companies sell magnetic earrings that supposedly work on pressure points around the ear to stimulate weight loss. Eye glasses and other products that hang on the ear are also available. Not surprisingly, no measurable weight-loss results have ever been recorded from these in any scientific tests.
NatureMadeLisa 5 Ways to Lose Weight While Watching TV Jun 11, 2008 9:04 AM Today I ran across an article (link to article) over at ThinkSlim that suggested an easy way to lose weight during TV watching is to do an easy chore during commercial breaks like vacumming or unloading the dishwasher. This got me to thinking of some of the little exercises that we can do to still fit our shows into our schedule, while getting fit :-) 1. Do tricep pushups during the commercial break. On the edge of your couch or coffee table, simply raise and lower your body weight. 2. If your house has stairs, take two or three trips up and down. If you can find something you need to bring upstairs, even better! 3. Stand up and walk in place. Any movement is better than none, so try to walk during commercials, and then 4. Try interval training! Try to do an exercise for every 30 or 60 second commercial. Try jumping jacks for 30 seconds, then switch it up to push-ups, etc. 5. Butt clenches! If you can’t get yourself off the couch, simply squeeze those cheeks together :-) Do you have any others you would like to add?
tdsollog Energy Drinks: Taste for Quick Boost Tied to Taste for Risk May 27, 2008 5:25 AM Taste for Quick Boost Tied to Taste for Risk By TARA PARKER-POPE Published: May 27, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/health/27well.html?th&emc=th Health researchers have identified a surprising new predictor for risky behavior among teenagers and young adults: the energy drink. Super-caffeinated energy drinks, with names like Red Bull, Monster, Full Throttle and Amp, have surged in popularity in the past decade. About a third of 12- to 24-year-olds say they regularly down energy drinks, which account for more than $3 billion in annual sales in the United States. The trend has been the source of growing concern among health researchers and school officials. Around the country, the drinks have been linked with reports of nausea, abnormal heart rhythms and emergency room visits. In Colorado Springs, several high school students last year became ill after drinking Spike Shooter, a high caffeine drink, prompting the principal to ban the beverages. In March, four middle school students in Broward County, Fla., went to the emergency room with heart palpitations and sweating after drinking the energy beverage Redline. In Tigard, Ore., teachers this month sent parents e-mail alerting them that students who brought energy drinks to school were “literally drunk on a caffeine buzz or falling off a caffeine crash.” New research suggests the drinks are associated with a health issue far more worrisome than the jittery effects of caffeine — risk taking. In March, The Journal of American College Health published a report on the link between energy drinks, athletics and risky behavior. The study’s author, Kathleen Miller, an addiction researcher at the University of Buffalo, says it suggests that high consumption of energy drinks is associated with “toxic jock” behavior, a constellation of risky and aggressive behaviors including unprotected sex, substance abuse and violence. The finding doesn’t mean the drinks cause bad behavior. But the data suggest that regular consumption of energy drinks may be a red flag for parents that their children are more likely to take risks with their health and safety. “It appears the kids who are heavily into drinking energy drinks are more likely to be the ones who are inclined toward taking risks,” Dr. Miller said. The American Beverage Association says its members don’t market energy drinks to teenagers. “The intended audience is adults,” said Craig Stevens, a spokesman. He says the marketing is meant for “people who can actually afford the two or three bucks to buy the products.” The drinks include a variety of ingredients in different combinations: plant-based stimulants like guarana, herbs like ginkgo and ginseng, sugar, amino acids including taurine as well as vitamins. But the main active ingredient is caffeine. Caffeine content varies. A 12-ounce serving of Amp contains 107 milligrams of caffeine, compared with 34 to 38 milligrams for the same amount of Coca-Cola or Pepsi. Monster has 120 milligrams and Red Bull has 116. Higher on the spectrum, Spike Shooter contains 428 milligrams of caffeine in 12 ounces, and Wired X344 contains 258. Mr. Stevens points out that “mainstream” energy drinks often have less caffeine than a cup of coffee. At Starbucks, the caffeine content varies depending on the drink, from 75 milligrams in a 12-ounce cappuccino or latte to as much as 250 milligrams in a 12-ounce brewed coffee. One concern about the drinks is that because they are served cold, they may be consumed in larger amounts and more quickly than hot coffee drinks, which are sipped. Another worry is the increasing popularity of mixing energy drinks with alcohol. The addition of caffeine can make alcohol users feel less drunk, but motor coordination and visual reaction time are just as impaired as when they drink alcohol by itself, according to an April 2006 study in the medical journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. “You’re every bit as drunk, you’re just an awake drunk,” said Dr. Mary Claire O’Brien, associate professor in the departments of emergency medicine and public health services at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Dr. O’Brien surveyed energy drink and alcohol use among college students at 10 universities in North Carolina. The study, published this month in Academic Emergency Medicine, showed that students who mixed energy drinks with alcohol got drunk twice as often as those who consumed alcohol by itself and were far more likely to be injured or require medical treatment while drinking. Energy drink mixers were more likely to be victims or perpetrators of aggressive sexual behavior. The effect remained even after researchers controlled for the amount of alcohol consumed. Energy drink marketers say they don’t encourage consumers to mix the drinks with alcohol. Michelle Naughton, a spokeswoman for PepsiCo, which markets Amp, said, “We expect consumers to enjoy our products responsibly.” well@nytimes.com
NatureMadeLisa Eating Healthy in an Imperfect World May 21, 2008 1:06 PM In my baby steps I'm taking to a healthier and better life, I realize that I often let excuses get in the way. Time, money, work, and a wedding in less than 30 days are the main culprits as of late :-) However, today I read an interesting article on Web MD, that gave the following tips to "Eating Healthy in an Imperfect World" and thought I'd share. They are as follows: - Cook a bigger batch of food on the weekends, and refrigerate or freeze for weekday consumption. - Set an alarm for mealtimes. Even if you're buried in a project, don't skip meals; designate a time to eat. - Try not to do anything else while eating. Mindless consumption prevents the enjoyment of food. When that happens, people tend to eat more and eat unhealthy alternatives. - Put fresh or dried fruit where you can see it to remind yourself of your goal to eat healthy. Bananas, grapes, and apples make handy and nutritious snack items. - If at a restaurant, turn down the supersize option, and choose baked and broiled instead of fried. - Order the lunch portion at dinnertime, and hold off on fatty condiments. - Keep handy snacks around, such as fruits, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, trail mix, carrot or celery sticks, wraps, and sandwiches. Do you have any tips to share for eating healthy in an imperfect world? If so, please share!

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Health Bulletin: NYC Health Department Launches Calorie Education Campaign: Limit Calories to 2000 per day
Diet Scams: Avoid them - tips from the Federal Trade Commission
5 Ways to Lose Weight While Watching TV
Energy Drinks: Taste for Quick Boost Tied to Taste for Risk

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