April, 2009

Obesity Speeds Dimentia

Tuesday, March 10 (HealthDay News) — Obesity and its common companions — diabetes and heart disease — can work together to speed dementia and other brain ills, a series of new studies shows.

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America’s Unhealthiest Restaurant’s

Your favorite fast food restaurant is often like your favorite city: Visit some neighborhoods and you live the high life. Visit others and you’re just plain asking for trouble. And that’s where Eat This, Not That! comes in: We’ve analyzed and graded 66 different chain restaurants—fast food and sit-down—to determine which ones have healthy options, and which could turn out to be diet disasters.
What we found will surprise you. Specifically, some of the fast food joints you’ve come to think of as terrible for you actually ranked alright—McDonald’s scored a B+, for example, so the Micky D’s drive-thru just might be your fast-lane to weight loss. Something even more shocking, though: more than half of the sit-down restaurants we graded ended up with our lowest scores!

To separate the commendable from the deplorable, we calculated the total number of calories per entrée. This gave us a snapshot of how each restaurant compared in average serving size—a key indicator of unhealthy portion distortion. Then we rewarded establishments with fruit and vegetable side-dish choices, as well as offering whole-wheat bread. Finally, we penalized places for excessive amounts of trans fats and menus that tempt you with fat-laden desserts. Hey, if the neighborhood is crowded with shady characters, sooner or later, one of them will jump you.

Here’s our restaurant report card for some of the unhealthiest restaurants in America. It’ll help you stay on the safer side of town.

D+
Baskin-Robbins
We thought we’d see some improvements after we identified Baskin’s Heath Shake as the Worst Drink on the Planet. All they did was lower it from 2,300 to 1,900 calories, leaving an almost equally egregious drinkable disaster to set back unsuspecting sippers. It’s typical of the menu there; B-R’s soft serve is among the most caloric in the country, the smoothies contain more sugar than fruit, and most of what Baskin sticks into a cup winds up with more fat than what’ll end up on your plate at a steakhouse buffet. Check out our complete list of the 20 Unhealthiest Drinks in America to see the other liquid offenders. If you learn how to make smart choices when you sip, you can lose a few pounds a month—without giving up your favorite foods, or ever dieting again.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY: With frozen yogurt, sherbet, and no-sugar-added ice cream, Baskin’s lighter menu is the one bright spot. Just be sure to ask for your ice cream in a sugar or cake cone—the waffle cone will swaddle your treat in an extra 160 calories.

D+
Carl’s Jr.
Most fast-food restaurants today are making at least some attempt to offset their bulging burgers and deep-fried sides with healthier options such as lean sandwiches or yogurt parfaits. But Carl’s Jr. is swimming against the nutritional tide, trying to attract those with hearty appetites and less concern about fat, salt and calories. The lightest item on the breakfast menu, for instance, is the Hash Brown Nuggets—but even they have 21 grams of fat, and 5.5 of them are trans fats. (As a rule, you should try to get 2 grams or fewer of the stuff in an entire day!) The burgers are worse, and there’s not a side on the menu that hasn’t been given a long, bubbling bath in their trans-fatty frying oil.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY: Find another place to grab lunch. Failing that, you should settle on either the Charbroiled Chicken Salad with Low-Fat Balsamic Dressing or the Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich—the only sandwich on the menu with fewer than 400 calories.

D+
Denny’s
Too bad the adult menu at Denny’s doesn’t adhere to the same standard as the kids’ menu. The famous Slam breakfasts all top 800 calories, and the burgers are even worse. The Double Cheeseburger is one of the worst in the country, with 116 grams of fat, 7 of which are trans fats! (This explains why it made our list of the worst burgers in America (and what you should eat instead). Make sure you try to avoid it (and all others on the list) whenever possible.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY: The Fit Fare menu gathers together all the best options on the menu. Outside of that, stick to the sirloin, grilled chicken, or soups. For breakfast, order a Veggie Cheese Omelet or create your own meal from a la carte options such as fruit, oatmeal, toast, and eggs.

D+
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen’s taste for excess rivals that of other fast-food failures such as Carl’s Jr. and Hardees. But unlike Carl’s, DQ offers an avalanche of ice cream creations to follow up its sodium-spiked, trans-fatty foods. Here’s a look at one hypothetical meal: a Bacon Cheddar GrillBurger with Onion Rings and a Small Snickers Blizzard is a staggering 1,740-calorie meal with 2,640 mg sodium and 83 grams of fat—2 grams of which are trans fats.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY: Play solid defense. Skip elaborate burgers, fried sides, and specialty ice cream concoctions entirely. Order a Grilled Chicken Sandwich or an Original Burger, and if you must have a treat, stick to a small soft-serve or a small sundae.

D+
Ruby Tuesday
The chain earned its fame from a hearty selection of hamburgers. The problem: They average 75 grams of fat a piece—more than enough to exceed the USDA’s recommended limit for the day. Even the veggie and turkey burgers have more than 850 calories! The chain rounds out its menu with a selection of appetizers that hover around 1,000 calories (supposedly to be split 4-ways), a smattering of high-impact entrées like potpie and ribs, and a sloppy selection of salads that is just as bad.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY: Solace lies in the three Ss: steak, seafood, and sides. Sirloins, salmon, and shrimp all make for relatively innocuous eating, especially when paired with one of Ruby Tuesday’s half dozen healthy sides such as mashed cauliflower and baby green beans. Other than that, impersonate Mick Jagger and think about occasionally saying goodbye to Ruby Tuesday!

D
Chili’s
From burgers to baby back ribs, Chili’s serves up some of the saltiest and fattiest fare on fast-food row. In fact, with 3,810 mg of sodium and 122 grams of fat, Chili’s Smokehouse Bacon Triple Cheese Big Mouth Burger earns the distinction as being one of the worst burgers in America. The Guiltless Grill menu is Chili’s attempt to offer healthier options, but with only eight items and an average sodium count of 1,320 mg, there’s meager hope for nutritional salvation.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY: There’s not too much to choose from after you omit the ribs, burgers, fajitas, chicken, and salads. You’re better off with a Classic Sirloin and steamed vegetables or broccoli. Another decent option is the Chicken Fajita Pita with Black Beans and Pico de Gallo. A lot of the appetizers, while delicious, are worrisome too—one from Chili’s made it on our list of Worst Appetizers in America.

D
Uno Chicago Grill
Uno has some serious strikes against it: The chain invented the deep-dish pizza, they encouraged gluttony with their Bigger and Better menu, and in 1997 they faced false-advertising charges for erroneously claiming that some of their pizzas were low in fat. They’ve cleaned up some of the more conspicuous health hazards and have increased nutritional transparency at all of their stores, but from appetizers to desserts, this menu is still riddled with belt-busting fat.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY: First off, cast aside the bloated breadstick that Uno tries to sneak onto most plates. Next, choose flatbread over deep-dish pizzas—it could save you more than 1,000 calories. Beyond that, stick to soups or entree items served with Mango Salsa.

D
Chevy’s
Don’t let the made-fresh-daily shtick distract you; Chevy’s massive portions push many of the meals beyond the 1,000-calorie threshold. The taco trader’s menu has three strikes against it: 1.) the consistently high amount of fat in its entrees (the average salad has 67 grams); 2.) the outrageous salt levels that make it difficult to find a meal with fewer than 2,000 mg of sodium (you should get around that amount in an entire day of eating); and 3.) the chain earns its poor score by failing to offer complete nutritional disclosure. It provides no information for its appetizers or quesadillas, for instance, and although it maintains it uses trans-fat free oils, there’s no trans-fat data for the full entrees.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY: The best items on the menu are the Homemade Tortilla Soup, with just 393 calories and a full 26 grams of protein, and the Santa Fe Chopped Salad, which has only 470 calories when you order it without cheese. If you can’t resist an entrée, order it without all the fixin’s—tamalito, rice, sour cream, and cheese. That should knock more than 300 calories off your meal.

D-
On the Border
On the Border is a subsidiary of Brinker International, the same parent company that owns Chili’s and Romano’s Macaroni Grill. It should come as no surprise then that this chain is just as threatening to your health as its corporate cohorts. The overloaded menu offers appetizers with 120 grams of fat, salads with a full day’s worth of sodium, and taco entrées with an horrific 960 calories—and that’s the calculation without rice and beans. Border crossing is a decidedly dangerous enterprise.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY: The Border Smart Menu highlights four items with fewer than 600 calories and 25 grams of fat. Those aren’t great numbers considering they average 1,800 mg of sodium apiece, but that’s all you’ve got to work with.

D-
Romano’s Macaroni Grill
For years now we’ve been on Romano’s case to clean up the menu at the beloved Macaroni Grill. So far we’ve had no luck. This Italian grease spot serves some of the worst appetizers in the country, offers not one dinner entrée with fewer than 800 calories, and hosts no fewer than 60 menu items with more than 2,000 mg of sodium—almost an entire day’s worth of the salt! A select few menu items earn the restaurant’s Sensible Fare logo—a fork with a halo over it—but unfortunately these items can still carry up to 640 calories and 25 grams of fat.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY: Macaroni Grill will let you build your own dish. Ask for the marinara over a bed of the restaurant’s whole-wheat penne, and then top it with grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. Just beware their salads—one of them made our list of America’s Worst Salads!

D-
Baja Fresh
It’s a surprise Baja Fresh’s menu has yet to collapse under the weight of its own fatty fare. About a third of the items on the menu have more than 1,000 calories, and most of them are spiked with enough sodium to melt a polar icecap. Order the Shrimp Burrito Dos Manos Enchilado-Style, for instance, and you’re looking at 5,130 mg sodium—that’s more than 2 days’ worth in one sitting!

SURVIVAL STRATEGY: Unless you’re comfortable stuffing 110 grams of fat into your arteries, avoid the nachos at all costs. In fact, avoid almost everything on this menu. The only safe options are the tacos, or a salad topped with salsa verde and served without the belly-busting tortilla bowl.

F
Applebee’s, IHOP, Outback, T.G.I. Friday’s
These titans of the restaurant industry are among the last national chains that don’t offer nutritional information on their dishes. Even after years of badgering their representatives, we still hear the same old excuses: it’s too pricey, it’s too time-consuming, it’s impossible to do accurately because their food is so fresh, or we have too much variety. Our response is simple: If nearly every other chain restaurant in the country can do it, then why can’t they?

During the winter season it seems as though we tend to gain an extra few pounds we’d like to lose. Many of us tend to gain this extra weight around the holidays. It’s not difficult to figure out that if you ate sweets, high fat holiday dishes, or had a few drinks during special events – that’s probably why you gained a few pounds. Also, many of us become less active outdoors, yet remain sedentary indoors during the cold season.

The good news is, if you know that’s why you gained weight – then you know how you can get it off! Obviously, once you start following your Diet Center program again – avoid those high calorie treats, and participate in outdoor activities (ex. walking, bicycling, swimming, gardening, etc) you can start losing the weight. Add some physical activity to the mix and you can boost the process along. So there’s no need to worry about a little winter weight gain. The first day of Spring is almost here. You can make it the season to lose the winter weight you may have gained.

Research shows that consuming at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day may reduce the risk of obesity, hypertension, heart disease, and 35 percent or more of all causes of cancer! Consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables helps provide many vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber and complex carbohydrates. All of which play a role in the everyday functions of our bodies. Consuming five servings a day is a good, simple goal that your Diet Center program can help you meet. However, some people still find it challenging to consume their servings of fruits and vegetables.

Whether you’re home or out, there are many ways to include fruits and vegetables in your day. Try to keep convenient fruits such as bananas, pears or apples around. Fresh vegetables such as baby carrots and salads are available pre-washed and ready to eat. Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are also convenient options to have around. If you get bored consuming fresh fruits and vegetables as they are, you can experiment with recipes. Toss fruits on yogurt, cereal, salads, and even meat dishes. Add veggies to entrees and omelets. You can also make dips and salsa.

At restaurants, there may be a limited healthy selection of fruit and vegetable dishes. Don’t be afraid to ask your server what else may be available. Many restaurants have fresh fruits and veggies in the kitchen. Most places are happy to accommodate special requests. Aim for five fruits and vegetables a day to help you achieve a healthy weight and healthy body!

Exercising in the mornings can prove to be beneficial in maintaining a good routine that helps promote weight loss. Research has shown that over 90% of people who consistently exercise, do so first thing in the morning. Morning exercise routines help boost your metabolism for the day, and can keep it up and burning extra calories for up to 24 hours. People find that exercising in the morning provides them with more energy for the day. Many people also find that they have a healthier mindset and healthier appetite (they’re not as hungry throughout the day). Another advantage of exercising in the morning is that there are less chances of something disrupting your schedule.

How many times do you plan anything at the time you wake up? Try planning to wake up a little earlier for morning exercise. It’s a lifestyle change that can really bring about positive results for your physical and mental health, as well as your weight loss.

Do you position yourself as a victim or a hero when it comes to controlling your weight? A victim would have thoughts such as, “ I’ll never reach my weight goals,” “I’ve always been overweight,” or “Making changes in my lifestyle won’t help me now.” Thinking like a victim affects your actions. If you think making changes in your behavior will not help, why would you want to make any? If you feel like you don’t have the power to do anything about your weight, then you probably won’t bother to take any steps to lose pounds.

It’s time to start positioning yourself as a “hero!” Start taking responsibility for your weight. Accept the power you have to make better food choices and become more physically active. Changing your attitude and believing that you have the strength to reach your weight loss goals, can help you become your own hero.

When vacations come around, many people give up their weight management efforts. A lot of people feel that food restriction means depriving themselves during their break. Instead of giving up, aim for maintaining your progress. Meaning, maybe you won’t lose weight, but you can try not to gain any either. This will provide you some satisfaction and make it easier for you to restart your program when vacation is over.

In order to do this, try to maintain your exercise program and eat moderately. You can walk, jog, or stay at a facility with a workout room or swimming pool. Set a date after your vacation for when you will resume your program. Try to maintain one or two behaviors that will help you maintain your weight. For example, you can eat slowly, drink eight glasses of water daily, or limit your alcohol. Allow yourself treats, but consume them in moderation. This way you won’t feel deprived and you’ll avoid eating excess. Mentally review your successes daily, and avoid any negative thoughts. What is important is that you enjoy yourself, you’re prepared to cope with the interruption, and you know how to get started again.

A small peach can be a sweet, nutritious treat. One small peach is low in calories, fat and sodium. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin C and provides fiber as well. Vitamin C helps with wound healing, boosts the immune system, and contributes to healthy skin. Fiber helps you feel full, helps control blood sugar levels, and helps reduce the risk of various diseases. Try enjoying a peach with seafood, poultry dishes, salads or cereals for added nutrition. You can also dice up a peach and blend it with a fruity Diet Center Gold Premium Protein Supplement. A small peach can add a little nutrition power that promotes better health and weight loss!

Spring is officially here this week! It’s the traditional season for cleaning. Taking time to clean your home will help you burn extra calories!

Check out some of these chores and how many calories you could be burning:

• Sweeping: burns 220 calories per hour
• Mopping: burns 220 calories per hour
• Vacuuming: burns 175 calories per hour
• Scrubbing floors: burns 400 calories per hour
• Washing windows: burns 250 calories per hour
• Painting: burns 135 calories per hour

These figures are based on a person who weighs 150 pounds. The more you weigh, the more calories you’ll be burning! While you’re getting rid of dirt in your home, you can be burning extra calories and losing extra pounds too!

It is very frustrating to feel like our weight loss is not happening as fast as we would like it to be. High expectations and unrealistic goals can cause unnecessary pressure and disappointment when goals are not achieved. It’s hard to remain patient when we don’t find ourselves progressing.

One good way to address this is by setting practical, achievable goals. First, accept the fact that reaching your weight loss goal is not something that can happen overnight. Changing your eating behavior and lifestyle is not any easy task. Next, think about the guidelines of your Diet Center program. What habits do you need to work on (drink more water, limit sodium intake, practice portion sizing, stop skipping meals, etc.)? Make a list of the behaviors you need to adapt. Then, put these items on a realistic timeline. For example, you can start keeping track of your water intake today, and be drinking at least 64 ounces by the end of the week. Maybe next week, you can start meal planning to fit at least three meals a day in.

Making behavior changes can be overwhelming, so it’s important to try to develop patience. Approaching small goals, one at a time can help you appreciate the smaller achievements that will help you reach your ultimate weight loss goal. Setting realistic goals can help you develop the patience you need to stay on a path of success!