Tracy Rose's Blog

Posted by Tracy Rose

Lifetime recently aired the pilot for their new show, Drop Dead Diva. This comedic drama centers around the life of a formerly thin girl who is involved in a fatal accident and is sent back to live as a plus size lawyer by Heaven's gatekeeper (who acts as her guardian.)

Thrown into her new life, Jane has to get used to her new body, how to dress, how to handle food issues and how her friends and coworkers react to her. She does it all with a sense of humor. She may be a size 16, but she starts to see that she is well respected in her job and is amazed at her own intelligence. Getting used to her new body is an adjustment though.

Drop Dead Diva is interesting because it does show real life problems of an overweight woman. When she returns to visit her old thin friend, for example, the friend has a hard time accepting her. She is even reluctant to go out with her because she knows she won't get passed through the line at the club. Another example is how hard she has to work to gain respect in her career. Jane dresses professionally and looks put together at work, but getting people to take her seriously is another issue. At one point a coworker sets an entire plate of donuts in front of her as they are meeting with a client to purposely embarrass her.

It's nice to see a show that features a plus size woman as the main character. We've seen the overweight side kick over and over. It's about time a show dealt with the issues of an overweight woman from her perspective.

Posted by Tracy Rose

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the days are getting longer. It’s spring and that means one thing….summer will be here soon! Need a little extra motivation to lose weight? Think of yourself in spring and summer clothes. Can you see your body in shorts? How about a bathing suit?

There is no better time than spring to reevaluate weight loss goals. Go back and reread what your goals are. See how you have progressed. If you have been slacking, it’s time to get back on track and get fired up about your weight loss.

That’s exactly what I intend to do too. It’s been a long, cold winter and it has been too easy to use that as an excuse to hibernate in the house the last few months. I need an extra push to stay motivated and lose weight. Getting outside to walk is a start. Making it fun for the family is even better.

I’ve signed me and my kids up for a Marathon Club at their school as a first step towards getting us moving more. I’ve also decided to start geocaching again. We have had fun finding these buried “treasures” before.

While these activities won’t magically make the weight disappear overnight, it is a step in the right direction. I also know that, aside from losing weight, exercise makes me feel good. This winter has left me feeling sluggish. I’m tired of feeling that way and am excited about recommitting to outdoor exercise.

Posted by Tracy Rose

1. Make it fun. If you dread your workout and think you will die if you have to go another day eating dry, tasteless food, you aren’t going to stick to the plan. Instead, make losing weight fun. Try out new activities and menus that keep it exciting and new.
2. Stay in the spirit. Many people fall into negative thinking when they don’t see instant results for their weight loss efforts. Stay positive. Remind yourself why you want to lose weight and how good you feel when you eat right and exercise.
3. Enlist the help of family and friends. You don’t have to tackle your weight loss journey alone. Whether you choose to mall walk with friends, call them for support in your weak moments, exchange healthy recipes or celebrate with them when you reach your goals, having weight loss buddies is essential to your long-term success.
4. Set realistic goals. If your goal is simply to lose weight, it is not specific enough. Break down your big picture goal into smaller, more manageable goals. Create separate categories of goals for diet, motivation, fitness and exercise. Your goals may be to lower your cholesterol by 20 points, lose a size or to accomplish a more strenuous workout. Whatever your goals are, they should be specific personal goals for yourself. Also make sure to revisit your goals to check off what you have achieved, revise goals and set new ones.

Sticking to your New Year's resolution to lose weight isn't impossible. It just takes a little planning. Using these tips will help you stick to your diet and reach your weight loss goals.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Many people who see Bariatric surgery as an option hit a road block when they try to get their insurance companies to cover the cost. What the companies may not realize is that losing weight through Bariatric surgery can actually pay for itself over time because the individual will experience fewer health problems.

Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon Endo-Surgery didision sponsored a study on this topic. They found that health care companies do benefit from investing in weight loss surgery for qualified candidates. Most surgeries can be done for less than $20,000. While that seems like a steep number, consider the alternative.

Overweight people require more health care than people at a healthy weight. They nedd more doctor appointments, prescriptions, tests, treatments and hospital stays that the aveage person. The more they weight, the more likely they are to experience health problems realted to their obesity.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Could you be overweight because of your lack of faith? Linda Benge says that fad diets are what makes us fat and relying on God for help is the only diet you'll ever need. Her book, The Diet to End All Diets (Tate Publishing, 2007) is a small baberback that is packed with advice about feeding your soul, becoming whole again and the power of prayer. "Eating right can be a wonderful adventure with the Holy Spirit instead of endless torture," (15.)

Benge writes from experience after finding success in losing weight by relying on God and faith instead of fad diets. "I am trusting God to bring my body to balance," (69.)

Lines of scripture appropriately accompany each chapter. The book itself is nicely laid out, but it lacks substance. Like Overeater's Annonymous, many dieters take on the motto that they will accept the things they can't change and do their best to work on the rest. This goes along with the idea of trusting in a higher power to help you through the tough times.

The question is how much are we respnsible for and how much do we turn over to our higher power. Trusting in God to bring us a blanced, healthy body isn't going to work unless we do our part. Eating right, exercising and adopting a generally healthy lifestyle are essential for weight loss. When you are doing all you to lose weight and you hit a platteau, that's the time to work your hardest and trust that the details will work themselves out.

Having faith and a strong belirf is God is very motivating for some people though. The Bible is also filled with scripture that applies to a healthy life and body. Benge's book is filled with quotes that dieters can throughout their weigh loss journeys.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Obesity and depression often go hand in hand. Weight gain makes people bad about themselves. Depressed people tend to not take care of themselves as well. It becomes a circular situation of overeating and feeling sad.

Research by Sarah Markowitz, MS shows how closely obesity and depression are linked. She also suggests, however, that these conditions can be treated together. Exercising more and reducing stress are two things you can do starting now to improve both conditions.

Dieting to lose weight has a bad effect on depression and many antidepressants actually cause weight gain though. It's important to be careful when devising a treatment plan. You doctor, however, can prescribe something to treat the obesity and depression without worsening either condition.

Posted by Tracy Rose

I have been overweight since elementary school, but it took me a long time to realize that love has no size boundaries. Overweight women are not too big to date. There is always someone out there who will appreciate you for who you are.

As a teenager I had a hard time dating. I hated my body and felt different than the other girls my age. My weight was one season I didn't date, but the underlying reason was how I felt about myself and my weight.

By the time I reached my 20's I was feeling a little more comfortable about who I was. I found that the better I felt about myself, the more attractive I became. Self-acceptance was my ticket into the dating world. Guys weren't as concerned about my weight as I thought they would be.

Now in my 30's (and recently divorced) I have experienced a whole new level of attention. I decided to give online dating a try. It turns out that I am not too big to date. While I was hoping to find someone who would love me for who I am despite my size, I found that some men actually find overweight women attractive.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Xerisan is a new option for non-prescription weight loss pills for the severely obese. It contain four key ingredients that work together to maximize your weight loss success

1. Phaseolus Vulgaris, a bean extract that is known as a carb blocker

2. Calcium Pyruvate, an ingredient that has shown good results in doubling people's weight loss efforts

3. Synephrine, a stimulate that raising metabolism and provides energy

4. Chromium Picolinate, a common ingredient in diet pills that burns fat and carbs.

The ingredients combine to stimulate the metabolism, suppress appetite and reduce your calories and fat. Combined with diet and exercise, Xerisan can be a useful weight loss tool.

Research Results on Phaseolus Vulgaris

According to a recent study, "Phaseolus Vulgaris extract produces significant decrements in body weight and suggest decrements in fat mass in the face of maintained lean body mass." The study concluded that, "Phaseolus Vulgaris extract appears to be a safe and effective aid to consider in weight loss/ maintenance programs."

The Verdict on Xerisan

Though Xerisan is noted as an expensive over-the-counter weight loss supplement, it has no known side effects. Research shows that Xerisan can help severely obese people lose weight when used along with a proper diet and increased exercise.

Int J Med Sci. 2007; 4(1): 45-52.

Published online 2007 January 24

Posted by Tracy Rose

Just about every woman I know struggles with her weight or with food issues of some sort. So it doesn't surprise me that a new survey by Self Magazine and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that 31% of women have used diet pills, laxatives or purged after eating to lose weight. Nor does it surprise me that 3 out of 4 women have issues with food or their bodies.

I have personally fought the weight loss battle since I was a kid. I have a sister, friends and support group members whoa re also overweight. Not one of us is happy with our bodies, yet despite dieting attempts, the weight either won't budge or we lose weight temporarily and gain it all back.

The study also found high percentages of women who ate less than 1,000 calories per day to lose weight, found that being overweight caused them to be unhappy, have tried cutting out complete food groups to lose weight or have an emotional eating problem.

I'll be the first to admit that I have an unhealthy relationship with food. I am a self-proclaimed emotional eater. I eat because I learned at a young age, as a sensitive and self-conscious child, that food was my friend. Food would never turn on me or let me down. Depending on food to lift my mood became a behavior problem and it is difficult to change.

This study proved that I am not alone in my weight loss struggles. In fact, most women have food issues or are unhappy with their bodies.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2008, April 23). Three Out Of Four American Women Have Disordered Eating, Survey Suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 27, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2008/04/080422202514.htm

Posted by Tracy Rose

I recently came across a study that found 50% of obese girls were less likely to go to college. Certainly not because of their lack of intelligence, motivation or interest. The reason obese girls are opting not to go to college is because they lack the self-confidence and self-esteem.

I see this as a sad reality. As a once overweight college student myself, I guess I was in the other half of the equation that wanted a better life for myself, regardless of my size. Education is important and nothing should stop young women from reaching their educational goals.

What concerns me is that if women choose to opt out of college because of the way they look, what else will they drop out of in life? What kind of life do we lead if we stay locked up at home, wishing we were skinny? That's not the kind of life I want to life. I want to lose weight and be healthier, but my life does not stop because I am overweight.

I urge overweight women to go to college and make that commitment to yourself. Going to college was empowering and it was a great time in my life. Not to mention that my weight was not an issue with people after I graduated high school. A little maturtiy goes a long way.

Reference:

Economics of Population Health, 2008

http://businessshrink.biz/Psychology of Business/2008/03/06/obese-girls-50-less-likely-to-attend-college-than-non-obese/

Posted by Tracy Rose

In a beautiful setting far away from home and the Biggest Loser ranch contestants were put to the test. This wasn't the common vacation. They were taught how to eat healthy while on vacation by shopping local fresh food markets, but they also had to train harder than they ever have and completed a triathlon.

Contestants reaches new highs in their weight loss journeys this week as they pushed their fears aside and took the bull by the horns. Kelly made herself proud by just being able to complete the triathlon. Mark not only put aside his fear of bridges to participate in the challenge, but he also put his need to win aside in an emotional gesture during the challenge. Mark and Alli had been neck and neck the whole race, so when he was close to the finish line he stopped and waited for her. They crossed the finish line together with her carrying him on her back.

Sadly for Mark, the vote was between him and his brother this week. They both gained one pound this week. Many tears wre shed as his brother Jay asked the other contestants to write his name down and vote him out this week. Mark had sacrificed himself earlier in the game and earned his way back in, so it was Jay's turn to take one for the team.

Posted by Tracy Rose

One pound. It doesn't seem like much in the big scheme of things, but on the Biggest Loser ranch, one pound is all it takes to stay or be sent home.

This week on the Biggest Loser, Jay won $10,000 in a food challenge. He was then given the choice of keeping the money or buying a one pound pass with it to use for the weigh in. Because of the value of one pound in this game, Jay chose to cash in the money for the one pound pass.

The girls took the weigh in by storm this week and were, in fact, the biggest losers. I couldn't have been happier with the outcome. Jillian pushed these two to their limits and they came out on top with the top two scores for the week.

Dan was sent home this week because he only lost one pound and fell below the yellow line. It was just another reminder of how important that one pound difference really is.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Last night on the Biggest Loser, Jillian (the trainer) stood up for one of her teammates (Brittany) in a big way. Allison (the host) pointed a question about the game to Brittany and Jillian jumped to her defense. She told them Brittany had a difficult weak and begged everyone to just back off. That is the clean version of what happened. Jillian let her have it and really cussed her out.

Although I think Jillian's comments were inappropriate, I was happy to see someone standing up for Brittany. I am rooting for Brittany to win. She was part of the two person team with a stranger in the beginning. Her and Bernie formed a solid bond quickly and it was difficult because this was the first week since Bernie was sent home.

I can relate to Brittany because there have been times when I have put my full effort into eating right, exercising and making lifestyle changes to lose weight and the weight did not come off as easily as it did for everyone around me. Brittany even has Jillian stumped, at times, because she is following the dietary guidelines and we see her kicking butt during her workouts, but two pounds is all the scale will reflect as a loss when the others are pulling 4-8 pounds.

While I think Jillian could have handled herself better at the weigh in last night and it was good Biggest Loser drama, I was happy to see her sticking up for Brittany.

Posted by Tracy Rose

The author of the South Beach Diet, Arthur Agatston wrote a companion book called the South Beach Diet Cookbook. The South Beach Diet is a complete resource for low-carb dieters.

There is an overview of the South Beach Diet that describes good and fad carbs, good and bad fats, how to reduce fat and how to eat enough of the good stuff so you feel full and stack on track with your weight loss goals.

Next is a section on how to shop for success on the South Beach Diet plan.

The three phases of the South Beach Diet are outlined.

Lastly, the cookbook is filled with recipes that will fill you up, increase you health and help you lose weight. The recipes are interesting and different enough that you won't feel like you are on a diet program.

Recipes:

*Fire Spice Salmon

*Souffle stuffed chicken

*Caribbean ratatouille

*Chocolate-swirled cheesecake

*Peachy walnut torte

Posted by Tracy Rose

As if I needed another reason to head South for the winter, a recent study shows that cold weather effects our metabolism. Keeping your metabolism fired up is key to losing weight. It is how you burn extra calories.

Living in a cold climate area can be depressing. I have spring fever already. I crave the fresh air, outdoors walks and warmer air. Aside from the benefits of natural sunlight, it seems there is yet another reason to head south for the winter.

According to a new study by the University of Chicago, "A strong correlation between climate and several genetic variations that appear to influence the risk of metabolic syndrome (Science Daily, Feb. 17, 299).

Basically what happens is your appetite and energy balance are effected by cold temperature. this causes us to move less, eat more and gain weight. Living in a cold climate place makes weight loss a bit more challenging. It doesn't mean you have to move or throw in the towel on your weight loss efforts, but it is good to get outside as much as possible and expose yourself to natural sunlight. Make a conscious effort to eat healthy and exercise daily to keep your energy up and metabolism burning.

Posted by Tracy Rose

People who are overweight or obese have a special type of addiction. Food addicts wear their addiction on the outside. It's too easy for people to make assumptions about overweight and obese people based simply on the way they look. Extra abdominal fat tells others that you have a lifestyle to support it, like having an addiction to carbs and sweets.

It's not as easy to look at someone who is of average weight and see be able to tell what their issues are. Maybe they are OCD, an alcoholic or are addicted to pain killers. The difference is that their addictions are worn on their bodies like a badge of dishonor.

When losing weight becomes the battle of your life, it's easy to think that trading addiction might be the answer. Smokers often gain weight when they stop smoking. Should I start smoking to lose weight? People who smoke pot seem to have a higher metabolism. They are able to eat a lot and still maintain a low BMI and keep the weight off. Should I trade addictions so I can lose weight too?

The answer to losing weight is not to trade one addiction to another. Instead of trading your addiction for food for another unhealthy addiction, try swapping it for something healthier. Make exercise a part of your daily routine and use that to manage your stress when you would otherwise be reaching for food to sooth your emotions.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Feeling frustrated at the end of the day when life isn't going quite the way you expected, it's easy to turn to food to fill the void. Food has a strong emotional connection for many of us and it goes back to our infancy and childhood when we are taught that food is a way to soothe negative feelings.

If you have never experienced true happiness, you may be over-reliant on food as a crutch to get you through the emotional highs and lows of life. My guess is that is not working for you. Instead, by eating more food than your body needs and eating for the wrong reasons has caused you to gain weight and be even more unhappy with yourself. it is a viscious cycle of feeling bad, soothing those feelings by overeating and then feeling guilty about it.

Finding true happiness in your life is the cure for emotional eating. Until you find that inner peace, you will likely continue to fill the void with excessive amounts of food. the problem is that food is not the answer. It isn't your stomach that needs to be filled.

Work at surrounding yourself with like-minded, positive people. Work hard to make the life you want and take time to enjoy the little things in life to find happiness and lose weight.

Posted by Tracy Rose

The couples version of the Biggest Loser has had it's share of twists and turns. The contestants this season never seem to know what to expect. They can be on a different team tomorrow, can be dumped by their trainer, can be sabotaged by temptations and even lose their partner and have to go it alone.

Who knew weight loss could be so competitive. The contestant this season, perhaps spurred on by Neil's water weight gain tactic last season, have come in prepared to play the game. They know they need to stay longer to have the best scenerio for weight loss and to have a shot at the title and grand prize and they mean business.

The game continues to change on this season of the Biggest Loser too. They went from teams of two to two teams and now, rather than voting out a team, they are voting out individuals, splitting up the couples that came into the weight loss game together for support.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Posted by Tracy Rose

On January 1, the biggest loser kicked off its season premiere on NBC. Not surprisingly, the biggest loser has a few tricks up its sleeve. Last week they introduced nine teams of couples that range from siblings and friends to a divorced couple.

They were surprised to find out there would be a 10th team made up of two people who were strangers. This could be an unfair advantage for the 10th team because their emotions wouldn't get in the way of their weight loss.

One thing I noticed right off the bat is that Kim was missing. All 10 teams are training together with both trainers, Jillian and Bob.

Another big change on the Biggest Loser of the season is the scale. The normally gigantic scale just got bigger. Actually, it was split into two scales and their combined weight ( or combined weight loss) is the number that counts.

The interesting thing about the first weigh in is that the two couples who are afraid to weigh in because they couldn't stand up to the competition actually came in on top. All the couples lost weight , but it was clear who needed to go home: the father and daughter team.

The daughter wanted to be on the Biggest Loser campus desperately and she felt it was necessary to lose her way in hell per day lose weight so he can be around a while longer. He, on the other hand, made it clear that he did not want to be there. You would not put in extra effort at the workouts and he is much as told to the contestants that he is ready to go home. Even though he lost the good amount weight for the week, the other teams decided that this team should go home.

Posted by Tracy Rose

1. Fad diets are fading. Buyers don't want to avoid a major food group anymore, like herbs or deer he cannot lose weight.
2. Functional foods have gained popularity in 2007. Foods and drinks that are sensible, but also contain extra things aid your overall health. Adding acai to yogurt is one example of this. People are looking for side benefits from the foods they eat.
3. Families have started working together to lose weight. Parents are helping their obese children by being a good role model. Working out together, cooking light family meals and counting calories together are always their families are dieting as a team.
4. Health concerns are on the rise. Dieters want to shed pounds, but they also see the bigger picture and want to reduce the risks associated with obesity. Dieters want to lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, reverse or prevent diabetes and work to lengthen their life span.
5. Foods labeled light, less fat, low sodium and alike continue to be in high demand by dieters.
6. Bottled water also continues to be a hot trend. Flavored water, protein water and oxygenated water or popular buys in 2007.
7. Exercising in moderation is something we've heard from many experts in 2007. The trend of moderate exercise is catching on as people realize they don't have to spend two or three hours a night at the gym. Instead, people a started to park further away from the door, walked during their lunch hour, take the stairs instead of the elevator and a number of other things to get them moving during the day. The idea is that the little bits and pieces of exercise you do throughout the day add up and they do count as exercise.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Are you overweight and trying to conceive? A new study shows the link between obesity and infertility. that obese women have a harder time getting pregnant naturally.

According to the study by Dr. Jan Willem van der Steeg the likelihood of getting pregnant is reduce 4% for every notch above 29 BMI. Obese women had a much harder time getting pregnant that those with a BMI of 21 to 29.

The chances of spontaneous pregnancy are greatly limited by body fat and chances are further reduced with aging. Since women tend to put weight on as they age, this means that older women were trying to get pregnant will have less chances of success.

If we take this news to heart, it would make sense that losing weight and lowering your BMI will increase your chances of getting pregnant. Weight loss was not a part of the survey, but it is likely to help with infertility.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Community members, businesses, schools and organizations like The US National Institute of Health, The Association of Children's Museums and The Action for Health Kids, just to name a few, have joined forces in a program called We Can!

The We can! Program is rapidly spreading through communities across the US. The aim of this program is to help childhood obesity. The acronym We Can! stands for Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition. If It was created for children ages 8-13.

The We Can! Program is to designed for children, parents and families to develop healthier lifestyles. Since 12.5 million children and teens in the US are overweight, a program like this is in high demand. The We Can! Program website features tips for parents, advice for family activities, ways to create an energy balance and how to eat following the DASH diet plan.

Look for a We Can! Program to help fight child obesity in your area. If one doesn't exist yet in your community, the We Can! website will walk you through how to get one started.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Cold Lasers are the newest wave to hit the weight loss scene. As docotrs and scientisits continue to search for a way to speed up metabolism so people can burn more calories per day and lose more weight, light therapy has become a hot topic.

Light from a low level laser is said to work much like light therapy for poeple suffering from SAD. Seasonal depression is ogten caused by shortened daylight and less time spend outdoors in the colder months. People reported feel better when they are exposed to more sunlight. Similarly, cold lasers provide patients what they need to lose weight.

"Cold laser light has been thought to stimulate tissue and help tissue to heal more rapidly. Many doctors use the comparison of taking a sick plant and putting it out in the sun in describing how they believe laser light helps to heal tissue in the human body. Laser light penetrates the body and is thought to stimulate metabolic process in the body.," according to an article in Medical News Today.

Posted by Tracy Rose

A study at Temple University by Dr. Robert Whitaker shows a link between neglected kids and childhood obesity. The study shows that children eat because they feel stress.

Looking back on my own childhood, I can see why I would've turned to the food for comfort. There are things going on with my family were out of my control and I worked hard to please everyone, yet still felt like something was my fault. The only way to relieve my stress was to bury myself in a bank of candy or cookies.

While there is no cure for obesity, we never have more evidence that points to parental decisions or lack thereof as the reason for it.

The growing epidemic of childhood obesity says a lot about the nature of the majority of the parents in our society. The fact that people in general are much busier these days than they ever have been and you can see where kids might be neglected or at least feel like they are.

If there is any truth to the study done by a doctor would occur, the answer to childhood obesity lies within strengthening parenting skills and putting the focus on property nutrition and exercise.

Posted by Tracy Rose

From a child's point of view, Halloween is only an excuse to eat handfuls of candy. From a parenting standpoint, however, too much candy makes our kids hyper, ruins their teeth and drives up our dental bills and fills our kids with nutritionally void food choices.

It is possible to prevent weight gain at Halloween and to steer clear of unhealthy food choices like candy.

• Serve a healthy dinner.
• Prepare a healthy, high fiber snack for post-trick-or-treating.
• Trick-or-treat with friends or extended family to make it more fun.
• Work together to make your own Halloween costumes.
• Carve or draw faces on your pumpkins together as a family.
• Choose something to pass out to trick-or-treaters that doesn’t contain sugar.
• Sort candy by categories and make a chart to compare how many suckers, hard and is, chocolate bars, pieces of gum or meal coupons you receive for Halloween. This is a great man's project for elementary age kids.
• Watch a favorite Halloween movie together.
• Create your own Halloween decorations up and put them up.
• It is Halloween is a time to discuss healthy eating habits of your children.
• Allow some candy and teach her children about portion control.
• Assist your children and brushing their teeth immediately after eating the candy.

With these tips you can prevent weight gain at Halloween. Candy is far from the only thing to think about at Halloween so get creative. Have fun with your family instead of putting the focus just on candy.

Posted by Tracy Rose

In September, Portionpals.com hit 250,000 customers and they hope to become the top-selling stocking stuff for this holiday season.

What are Portionpals?

Portionpals are a five pack of silicone discs that in sure you get the right portion size. The discs can also be used as cutting boards, making it even easier to measure exact portions of food. They are portable and easy to clean.

Portionpals is designed to take the guesswork out of measuring portion sizes. By limiting portion sizes, dieters will be able to better measure the amount of total calories they are taking in on a daily basis. Portion tails are a great and inexpensive (around $18) weight loss tool.

Portionpals and Michael George

Poor portion tails was founded by Paris De’Jan who recently added Michael George to the campaign. Michael George is a celebrity trainer who has worked with Christian Slater, Julianne Moore, and Meg Ryan, plus a list of many more.

Posted by Tracy Rose

After a tough week of emotional highs and lows, a cookie challenge and having the teams split up into four equal teams of three, Neil shocked all of the Biggest Loser contestants with his weigh in.

Water Weight Gain

The remaining contestants on the Biggest Loser confronted Neil at the campus after the weigh in. He was caught knowing a little too much about the weight of a gallon of water so he came clean and confessed that his weight gain was no accident. He purposely drank two gallons of water before the weigh in. His reasoning in doing so was to keep the blue team members safe. He promised them before that he would do whatever it took.

Reaction to Neil's Weight Gain

The remaining contestants on the Biggest Loser are disappointed and disgusted by Neil's actions. Bob, Neil's trainer, couldn't even stay in the same room with with Neil because he was so angry he couldn't even see straight. Bob felt it was a reflection on him.

Jez Pays the Price for Neil's Weight Gain

Perhaps the bigger shock is that the other teams chose not to vote Neil out this week. Maybe they think they have a better chance against Neil in the finals than they would against another contestant. Unfortunately, Jez was sent home in an untimely fashion due to the prank that Neil pulled.

Weigh In Takes Pressure Off of Amy

Meanwhile, Neil's weight gain took some of the pressure off of Amy, who fought with her trainer, Kim, and decided to train with Jillian instead. Having trained with a new trainer, Amy was hopeful for a larger weight loss, but she stayed the same.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Since Kim (the red team's trainer) was ready to break out in tears at the weigh in on The Biggest Loser, I am looking forward to seeing how she reacts next week when she finds out that her team, even after she warned them, could not come to a unanimous decision on who to vote out. It came down to two votes for Amy and two votes for Phil. With the final vote cast and the tie in place, the red team lost the ability to choose and put their fate in the blue team.

It wasn't an easy thing for the blue team to send someone home either. Everyone respects and likes Phil, but every contestant sees him as a treat, and rightly so. They agree that he is the one to send home because he will continue to lose weight at home and becasue he would be able to be the Biggest Loser if he stayed on the show.

I was shocked because I thought for sure Amy would be the one leaving the Biggest Loser Campus this week. She has not shown 100% effort and has displayed an attitude at times. It would also make sense to send her home, from a team standpoint, because she was slow at the challenges and was losing the least amount of weight.

Phil was my pick for the winner of the Biggest Loser this season, so I was sad to see him go. His update showed that he has lost an additional 49 pounds since he returned from the Biggest Loser campus and I am interested to see how much progress he is able to make before the final, live weigh in at the finale.

Posted by Tracy Rose

When your motivation runs dry and you have trouble staying on track with your weight loss goals, consider participating in a weight loss fundraiser for thirst relief.

Charles Allen had a brilliant idea when he created Weight Loss 4 Humanity and teamed up with Thirst Relief International to set up clean water systems with money raised through weight loss.

Obesity is a troubling epidemic that causes a host of health problems, including death and more than two million people die each year because they don't have enough clean water to drink. That's why Allen came up with idea to combine the two efforts.

How to Make Your Weight Loss Efforts Count

1. Sign up on the website.
2. Make the commitment to lose weight.
3. Print a plegde sheet from Weight Loss 4 Humanity.
4. Pass the pledge sheet around to friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to solicit donations. The recommnedation is $5 per pound that you lose.
5. At the end of the 5-week program, weigh-in and collect monies due.
6. Report funds raised to Weight Loss 4 Humanity and they will take care of the rest.
7. For each $5 donation you will be able to save one life.

If losing weight for yourself isn't enough to keep you motivated, consider the pride you'll feel being able to save a handful or 100 lives. The more pledges you take and weight you lose, the more water will be available to those who have a desperate need for it.

"Think not what weight loss can do for you...but what it can do for the world."

Posted by Tracy Rose

Studies are always being done on the use of good carbs, bad carbs, or no carbs while dieting and their effect of lock of on weight loss. The results are often conflicting and this is evident by browsing the weight loss books in your local bookstore. You’ll see books to argue why you should omit carbs from your diet to lose weight, why carbs are important for brain function and how your body needs them whether you are dieting or not and why some carbs are considered good carbs and are recommended while dieting.

Deciding which advice to take about carbs and weight loss can be difficult. The arguments for good carbs, bad carbs or no carbs can be quite convincing.

If you change your mindset, however, and look at your weigh loss as a lifestyle change rather than a temporary diet, you will realize the importance of moderation. You can eat good and bad carbs in moderation. A cookie isn’t going to ruin your diet and more than a slice of double fiber whole wheat bread will. The key is to keep your calories under control by eating small portions of the foods you enjoy.

The other thing to remember is to develop a healthy relationship with food you need to stop labeling foods as good or bad, including carbs. The carbs aren’t bad for your diet; it is the behavior that needs to be changed. Binging on a whole bag of cookies can ruin your diet and that is what gives carbs a bad name.

Posted by Tracy Rose

They may not have been chosen for a team the first day on The Biggest Loser, but that may work to their advantage. Six contestants who everyone assumed were sent home had been secretly training with Jillian and prepared to reenter the house as the black team.

Unlike the red and blue teams who worked out in the 24-hour gym, Jillian trained the black team on the beach. Instead of lifting hand weights, they were hauling logs (and eventually Jillian) across the beach. If you’ve seen the first two seasons of The Biggest Loser you know that Jillian means business and will literally sit on the contestants back to make them work harder. She pushes people to their limits and challenges them to do beyond what they ever thought possible.

The Biggest Loser Twist was revealed after two weeks. The black team had been training on the beach with Jillian in intense heat and they were eager to arrive at the Biggest Loser Campus. The black team was waiting for weigh in when the red and blue teams marched in. The black team brought their attitude since they felt they had something to prove to the other teams. The red and blue teams were not happy to see Jillian and the black team and vowed to pick them off one by one.

The weigh in went pretty much as expected. The red team lost, but the blue team didn’t win. The black team won, much to the disappointment of Bob, who worked his blue team hard to beat the Biggest Loser record and win the first two weigh ins.

The black team proved their worthiness to be a part of The Biggest Loser but they haven’t made any friends by entering the campus two weeks into the game.

Posted by Tracy Rose

The Fat March finale proved that obese contestants were able to walk more than 570 miles, from Boston to Washington, D.C. The pressure they felt from the exhausting walk took a toll on their bodies, as well as their friendships.

There is a clear division among the team on theFat March and the tension is palpable. Contestants even throw around the idea of forfeiting so that no one gets any money at the finish line. Just the thought of this angers the other contestants and tempers flare.

Despite knee injuries and overwhelming fatigue, six Fat March contestants were able to complete the journey with the encouragement of the trainers. They crossed the finish line and were overjoyed to see their families and loved ones waiting for them and cheering them on.

Each contestant that was either voted off or had to quit due to injuries cost the team $10,000 from the jackpot. Only six contestants remained after 40 plus days of walking and camping. They were rewarded with $40,000 each and then hopped on the scale to see their real rewards from the journey.

The women averaged a 50 pound loss each, which is a good amount of weight to lose for a little over a month. The men lost as much as 85 pounds in the same amount of time. Their transformations are obvious and their excitement is contagious. Suddenly the long walk and the pain all seem worth it.

Contestants hope to serve as an inspiration to couch potatoes everywhere to get up and start walking. Though the Fat March was on for a short season, I thought it was inspiring for overweight people. It showed that anybody can lose the weight if they jusy commit themselves, even if they start their walking journey at more than 400 pounds.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Contestants won our hearts on the Biggest Loser when they shed just as many tears as they did pounds. The one question that fans and critics alike continue to ask is “did they keep the weight off?”

The contestants on the Biggest Loser were sheltered in a way because they were able to escape their jobs, environments and families to focus only on themselves. They worked out for hours a day and learned new eating habits. But could they keep it up once they returned home to the pressures of their daily lives. Could they maintain their weight loss?

Alison Sweeney presented herself as the new host on the Biggest Loser special. Sweeney talked to former constants and mentioned one or two changes in their lives since they lost weight and asked them weigh in on the larger-than-life scale.

One thing they had in common is that they made healthy living a permanent lifestyle change.

• Marty, the former teacher, kept off 125 pounds and became a fitness trainer.
• Eric, who had lost 214 pounds, maintained a loss of 176 pounds. He sold his deli to work with obese people.
• Pam kept off 60 pounds and completed a triathlon.
• Pete lost a total of 160 pounds and happily showed off his six-pack abs. He is helping kids fight obesity and works with an adult exercise group.
• Wylie kept off 97 pounds by working out with intellectually disabled people.

After an update on Matt and Suzie, (who are now married and have a baby) Marty proposes to Amy while she is on the scale and she accepts.

Previews for the next Biggest Loser promise bigger challenges and bigger losses Jillian returns to the show with a twist. Six contestants were sent packing, only to form a separate team with Jillian.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Many people I’ve talked to, women in particular, have a hard time setting a goal weight for themselves. Either they have never seen their adult body at a healthy weight or it has been several decades and several pregnancies since they have and they don’t have a realistic idea of what they should weight.

Most people turn to their doctors for weight loss advice who are still using the old BMI charts that are not only outdated, but aren’t very accurate.

Dr. Steven Halls created a new way to find your ideal body weight. He simply asked people how much they would like to weight at the moment. From this data, he devised the “People’s Choice” Ideal Weight Formula. Just type your height, weight and age in the calculator and it will not only tell you the medical recommendation, but also the average size people just like you would want to weigh.

I've broken my weight loss goal into 10 pound increments with an ideal goal weight that is much higher than the medical recommendation. I have been overweight since childhood and have had two children, so it is unlikely I will ever see 107, much less 141. My goal is very close to the people’s choice ideal weight, which makes me feel more comfortable with my decision.

While your ideal weight is ultimately going to be a place where you feel comfortable in your own skin and are free of health risks associated with obesity, be sure to set realistic goals.

Posted by Tracy Rose

As someone who has been overweight since childhood, I have always considered my extra baggage as a cosmetic issue. I have always wanted to lose weight so I could look better. I was tired of shopping in the tiny plus size sections in department stores or in overpriced specialty stores for clothes that fit but never flattered.

Recently I had a health scare, however, that made me realize my excess weight is a health issue. I experienced severe chest pain twice in one day. Of course, heart attack was a possibility that did cross my mind because I am at risk with high cholesterol. I had an EKG, which looked fine. My doctor prescribed an antacid and he scheduled me for a cardiac stress test. The idea of heart trouble at my age due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise is a scary thought. Scary enough to make me take losing weight more seriously and to take the focus off of the way I look and focus on my overall health and how I feel.

Reading and reviewing fad diets makes dieting more confusing. Everything seems like it would work to help me lose weight, but I know in my heart that the only way to lose weight and become a healthier person is to eat natural foods, increase my fruits and veggies, cut back on the sweets I eat and commit to daily exercise. I have actually done this in the past and was able to lose 45 pounds. For some reason I got off track after eight months of doing well and was not able to get back on track for a length of time. Now it is time to eat for heart health.

Posted by Tracy Rose

In a recent Missouri hearing, Gary Stocklaufer and his wife Cynthia were denied the right to adopt Gary’s 3-month-old cousin. While courts generally like to see children placed with family members whenever possible, the judge ruled that Gary was not fit to adopt because he weighs 500 pounds.

The question now is whether the decision is considered weight discrimination or if there is a valid concern for the long-term care of the baby. Gary is a successful father for his now 7-year-old adopted son. He doesn’t let his weight interfere with his relationship with him. He is also showing amazing effort at losing weight in order to adopt the baby. He has already lost 35 pounds and is going to have gastric bypass surgery to further reduce his weight.

While obesity is rarely the sole reason for not allowing a family adoption, it is possible and legal since weight discrimination is not protected like other forms of discrimination.

The court’s concern is for the long-term care of the child. Obesity carries many risks, including early death. Weight loss surgery is equally as risky. Placing the baby in a home he will be able to stay and grow in is ideal. The other concern is that obese parents are poor role models for their children. Authorities think kids will learn unhealthy habits from obese parents.

The Stocklaufer’s have filed a motion for a new hearing and intend to fight for their right to adopt this baby they know they can love and care for.

References:

abcnews.com

myfoxkc.com

Posted by Tracy Rose

Modeled afterThe Biggest Loser, The Fat March consists of 12 contestants who want to lose weight. The team is led across nine states by two trainers, Steve Pfiester and Lorrie Henry.

You may thing there is no glory in walking 570 miles across the US while spending nights in a tent, but losing weight is not the only prize on Fat March.

$1.2 million dollars is at stake. The money is a prize pool to be divided by those left at the finish line. The catch is that everyone has the chance to vote someone out each week. The cost for letting a team member go is $10,000 though.

Fat March is made up of six stages. Stage one lasted eight days, in which time marchers lost between 4 and 16 pounds each.

Shane, a marcher who started at 519 pounds was voted out at 503 pounds. Though he hadn’t reached his first goal of getting into the 400’s, his trek was cut short due to stress fractures in his feet.

The goal of Fat March is not only to lose weight, but to keep the team in tact and cross the finish line together to maximize the prize money.

Did they make it to Washington? Did they lose weight? Did they win big money? Check out the Fat March Finale for answers.

Posted by Tracy Rose

A study done at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University found that everyone experiences cravings. The findings showed that even dieters have frequent cravings.

Researchers claim that this information can help dieters control their weight because participants in the study who lost the most were able to give in to their cravings on occasion and get right back on track.

They also found that those who had strong cravings were actually craving high density foods. Participants who lost more weight actually craved low density foods. What other studies and doctors have labeled carbohydrate craving syndome may actually be calorie addiction.

What does this mean for dieters? It tells us that the number of times we have cravings doesn’t change over time. It is our reaction to the cravings that counts. You can lose weight by choosinglow-fat, low-calorie alternatives that mimic the taste of the food you crave. It also tells us that if we give in to our cravings occasionally, you will feel less deprived on your diet and will be less likely to crash and binge in the long run.

References:

Medical News Today

Tufts University

Posted by Tracy Rose

A study by UK researchers shows that an obesity gene, FTO, is the reason so many people are overweight. People with a common variant of the FTO gene tend to accumulate more fat.

“Perhaps being fat, for many people, is more to do with the way you were born, rather than the way you conduct your life.” (Medical News Today)

News about the fat gene makes sense for a lot of people who have been deemed lazy even though they can’t lose weight despite their best effort at diet and exercise. This study says that it isn’t your fault you are fat; it is in your genes.

While this takes some of the blame away from obese individuals, it should not be used as an excuse to overeat or slack off on their exercise program. Consuming too many fat grams, too many calories, and simple carbs while leading a sedentary lifestyle will affect your weight with or without this gene variant.

The study on the obesity gene and the idea of being born with a greater likelihood of getting fat brings hope for new weight loss drugs that can target this gene and reverse the affect.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Everyone is born with brown fat. Brown fat burns energy and creates heat. The brown fat stored in an infant’s neck helps keep them warm. By adulthood, however, the brown fat is gone and only the only evidence of the brown fat is left in the white fat cells.

The depletion of the brown fat is why it is harder for people to lose weight or maintain their weight as they grow older. The body changes and burns less energy, making it necessary for you to either work harder to burn them off or eat fewer calories.

A study by scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center and Children’s Hospital of Boston found that brown fat is needed to fight obesity. By reversing the body’s nature process of reducing and eventually eliminating the brown fat, overweight and obese individuals would be able to lose weight effortlessly. It would also reduce the growing epidemic of childhood obesity.

This is great news for people with metabolic syndrome who have trouble losing weight, despite efforts at diet and exercise. The additional brown fat would allow them to fire up their metabolism and finally lose weight.

Tests are still being done to determine the impact of reversing the brown fat cells and how it would affect the rest of the body, but the research shows promise for fighting back against obesity and obesity related health concerns.

Posted by Tracy Rose

The Sugar Solution Cookbook by Ann Fittante (Rondale, 2006) is the perfect companion for The Sugar Solution. Together, these books create a well-rounded weight loss porgram that is designed to keep your blood sugar level.

If you have ever gone from eating freely to following a meal plan like The Sugar Solution Cookbook, you know the difference a level blood sugar makes. In the past I have felt very out of control with my hunger and cravings, but by following a similar weight loss plan, I was able to level my blood suagr and I could immediately feel the difference. It made losing weight a reality for me too.

I found many recipes I am interested in making from The Sugar Solution Cookbook, but my first attempt was the Banana-Stuffed Cinnamon French Toast that is pictured on the front cover of the book. Not only does it make a nice presentation, it was easy to make and it was deliscious. It was a real treat for my family. I didn't even add the light syrup indluded in the recipe. i found that adding the fruit topping was enough to give it a great taste. It has instantly become a new family favorite.

The Sugar Solution Cookbook also features basic facts about the weight loss plan, shares success stories, tips on how to stock your kitchen for the recipes included, and a day by day breakdown of what to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack. The recipes are made up of soups, meals, vegetrian dishes and even desserts.

I highly recommend keeping a copy of The Sugar Solution Cookbook on hand for reference and for trying new recipes that will help you lose weight without sacrificing the taste.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Judges put an X on many acts claiming to have talent before approving the Plus size Pussy Cat Dolls and pushing these ladies through to the next round of auditions.

They all seemed to be impressed by this group of overweight women in skimpy clothing, dancing and singing to "Lady Marmelade." The women were attractive enough and sang well enough, but the question is: should plus size acts be accepted? Will the public vote for them?

From the sound of the audience's reaction they will. The crowd seemed to love them. But more than anything, I think they were excited to see something different. I know I am sick of seeing juggling acts, magic shows, outrageous acts and sweet singing kids. The Plus Size Pussy Cat Dolls were the cure for something different.

I have a conficted opinion about this though. As much as I would love to see overweight or plus-sized women succeed in this world and change how the world sees us, I would also prefer it be done in a more conventional manner. Maybe it is just the prude in me, but I don't think you need to expose too much flesh on TV to get your point across that big is beautiful. For me, it would have been more beautiful if they dressed in nice clothes and sang their hearts out.

I do give the Plus Size Pussy Cat Dolls a big hand though for being brave enough to go on a show like America's Got Talent to be judged.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Celebrity Fit Club, Season 5, Men vs Women has finally come to an end. Although I am normally a fan of this show and the expert panel, I was disappointed that this season was robbed by Dustin Diamond who refused to play by the rules of Celebrity Fit Camp and ate whatever he wanted to hold his own personal experiment on the show. The problem is that the show was founded on teamwork and team weight ins. Dustin had no interest in being a team player. Some weeks he even gained weight.

Though Dustin didn't impress me with his cocky attitude and minimal weight loss, others did prove it to themselves that with hard work and support they could lose unwanted pounds. Maureen lost more than 22% of her body weight, making her the individual winner of Celebrity Fit Club 5. Ross lost an impressive 37 pounds and was able to tuck his shirt in and wear a belt.

The focus of the finale was no different than the entire season of Celebrity Fit Club though. Weight loss was not the only topic since Dustin caused more drama (surprise!) by mimicking and making fun of Cledus and Brat. They, in turn, got defensive, and rightly so. Dustin wanted to be sure than no amount of weight loss by any other contestant on the show would top his dramatic antics, wearing wigs and grabbing his crotch.

The other celebrities aren't the only thing Dustin mocked either. He made fun of the entire process of Celebrity Fit Club by eating whatever he wanted and refusing to exercise. "I can eat crap and lose weight," he said.

He had his own experiement over the course of the season to see if he could lsoe weight without doing anything. He pulled off a 13 pound loss in the final weight in. The judges, however, were not impressed, especially after hearing he had been taking fat blockers.

I can only hope that next season has a better cast with people who actually want and need to lose weight. I'd also like to see them put more focus on Dr. Ian's book, the Extreme Fat Smash Diet.

Posted by Tracy Rose

I recently discovered www.zafu.com where I answered a series of questions about fit, style and my body and the site generated a list of 12 pairs of jeans that would be a perfect fit for me.

Plus-size jeans that fit and are in style are nearly impossible to find. You could literally go to countless stores and spend hours trying on different sizes and different brands of jeans and still go home empty-handed and disappointed.

Zafu is changing the way plus size women shop for jeans, as well as how they look and feel.

At Zafu, you’ll be asked to answer questions about your:

• Waist gape
• Seat
• Stomach
• Body shape
• Thigh
• Crotch
• Stats
• Wish list

Once your information has been entered, the site goes to work finding the perfect fitting jeans to match your answers (and your body). Within minutes you’ll get a list of jeans that will be a perfect fit for you. The brand name, style and price are listed, as well as online retailers you can click on to immediately purchase the jeans.

I found the service that Zafu provides very helpful and I now know what brand will suit me best, as well as what style of jeans will compliment my figure and provide the effects I am looking for in a good pair of jeans.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Dr. Phil's guests were beyond overweight. They were morbidly obese with a high risk of death. The woman he spoke to weighed 500 pounds. She had a hard time walking and was basically confined to her house. Though it was difficult and painful for her, she could go out using a wheelchair that was too small for her. The big issue with her case was how she was treating her 15-year-old daughter and making her take all the responsibility around the house --- even emptying her mom's bathroom bucket that was kept in the living room! It was obvious she needed help with her weight, but I'm not sure Dr. Phil could get through to her because she seemed to be defending her behavior and saying she was happy and content with herself, just not her body. Being in denial, she may have a harder time losing weight and keeping it off.

Dr. Phil's next guest was a 35-year-old man who was estimated to weight 1000 pounds. He was confined to his bedroom and relied on freinds for help. His mother didn't understand and sent him hundreds of dollars worth of food. He was in pain and realized that he could just not wake up tomorrow because of his obesity. He even had a heart attack without realizing it. He wants and needs help, but first he needs to address his enablers to make sure they don't sabbatoge his efforts at losing weight.

Dr. Phil gave these contestants the resources and knowledge they needed to get started a healthier new lifestyle. He equipped them with the tools they needed to lose weight. But more than that, he restored their hope and he may have saved their lives.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Alli (Orlistat) is the first over-the-counter weight loss pill approved by the FDA. It has been designed to absorb fat as part of a plan that includes healthy eating and exercise. Alli claims to prevent a fourth of your dietary fat from being absorbed in your body.

Alli only works if you follow the complete program, including exercise and eating a sensible diet. It is not meant as a substitute for healthy eating and is not intended to absorb a quarter of your quarter pounder.

Support is another key to weight loss success while using Alli. My Alli Plan was designed to offer support and help you lose weight.

Of course, no dietary aide comes without possible side effects. For potential Alli users, the side effects could be a deterrent. A common side effect is loose, watery stool. It is also stated that this can strike unexpectedly. This could be an embarrassing problem and you would have no control over when it would occur. Oily spotting is not a pleasant side effect, but it is what happens when the fat is moved through your body quickly rather than being absorbed.

Posted by Tracy Rose

You’ve likely seen the ads on TV telling you milk your diet and how consuming three serving of milk prodcuts per day can help you shed unwanted pounds. Milk products are wrapped in measuring tapes with a well-defined mid-section, like your waist is supposed to be. These weight loss ads for milk , however, are now banned by the Federal Trade Commission due to false advertising according to Fat News.

Though milk does do a body good and may prevent people from gaining weight, there is not significant proof that milk can actually help people lose weight. At best, the ads have been deceiving. Milk may be a better tool for weight maintenance than for weight loss specifically.

While you may continue to milk your health, don’t rely on milk as a weight loss product. As a general rule, don't rely on any type of advertising to base your health information from. Research the claims for yourself and test the validility of the claim. Go to reliable sources and get their opinions as well.

The milk ads will now focus on the health benefits of drinking three or more low fat milk products per day instead of the weight loss benefits, taking us back to the idea of building stronger bones, healthy teeth and a good dose of vitamin D.

Further research is needed to prove the weight loss benefits of milk.

Posted by Tracy Rose

According to Meme Roth, from the National Action Against Obesity, Jordin Sparks is a bad role model for teenage girls because she is fat. When she looks at Jordin, the latest winner crowned the American Idol, she sees the health risks posed by her weight, like diabetes and high cholesterol.

The debate has begun as others weigh in on their view of Jordin and whether she is fat or not. Most viewers do not agree with Roth. Although Generation O is facing an obesity epidemic and something should be done to promote health and wellness, there are an equal number of teenage girls suffering from anorexia and bullemia. Girls get to an unhealthy low weight in an attempt to fit the image media protrays as beautiful.

I think Jordin Sparks is a beautiful young teen and she deserves to win every bit as any thinner contestant. I don't see her as an obese teen. Instead, I see a strong, healthy teenager with a lot of confidence. Good for her, I say. I am tired of seeing these ultra thin women and teens in the media and having people think that is what is "normal." The normal size for American women is a size 12 or 14. It is not realistic for everyone to fit into a size 2 mold to fit the media's expextations.

Furthmore, I don't see why weight is even an issue at all when it comes to American Idol. It is a singing competeition, as Simon remeinded viewers week after week. Should size and shape matter if you have the perfect voice and are able to entertain an audience? I don't think so. Lakisha was a crowd favorite and she didn't fit the size 2 mold, neither did former American Idol winner, Ruben.

I think that Roth was out of line by making statements about Jordin being obese and a poor role model. If anything, she is a positive role model who is working hard to make her dreams come ture, finsishing her education, is happy with herself, is passionate about singing and dresses appropriately for a 17 year old girl. Until now American Idol has celebrated diversity on the show and they try to have a wide variety of talent and look in the final 12. I only hope that comments made by Roth won't change that in the future.

Jordin Sparks deserves to be in the spotlight, is a fione role model for other Gernation O girls and had every right to be crowned the winner of American Idol.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Like many of their cartoon predecessors, Shrek and the other members of “Shrek the Third” are associated with McDonald’s happy meals. Their faces cover the boxes and kids can find a Shrek toy inside.

Shrek can also be seen on recent ads for Pop-tarts, cereal, candy and other junk food. Kids are into eating these products because the lovable ogre is featured on them. Parents feel pressured to buy the unhealthy choices for their kids to avoid a fight and put their kid’s health at risk.

Parents aren’t the only ones complaining now. After seeing a new commercial with the characters from “Shrek the Third” encouraging kids to “get up and play an hour a day,” the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is voicing their opinion. They believe that Shrek is a poor choice for a role model for kids. They think that being the spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services is a contradiction to his associated with ads for unhealthy food choices, therefore sending kids mixed messages about what to eat.

While Shrek may appear to be one unhealthy ogre, it is important for kids to see the balance between seeing his face on junk food and seeing commercials with him telling kids to get moving. Occasional treats are fine, but making healthy food choices and daily exercise are important. Even obese kids and adults need to move and be active.

I woudln't say that Shrek is a health role model, but I do think kids need to see the balance and that people of all sizes and shapes need to exercise.

Posted by Tracy Rose

According to a recent Penn Sate study, people lost more weight usingthe Volumetrics diet. The study proved that eating a cup of soup or a big salad before a meal works to fill you up so you will consume fewer total calories with your meal.

Eating something low in calories (with a high water content) before eating a meal can curb your hunger. You can get the same effect by drinking water or snacking on a handful of almonds before a meal. The idea is to fill up on light choices to fool your stomach into being satisfied.

The problem with this type of diet, and I have made many attempts at it over the years, is that foods with high water content give you a false sense of fullness. To me it feels more like bloating. I feel uncomfortable because of the bloating and the full stomach, while still craving the foods I used to eat. In addition, drinking a lot of water and eating a lot of low calorie, high water foods will keep you running to the bathroom all day.

Though the volumetrics diet may prove to be a healthy weight loss plan, it has a negative effect on my weight loss because as soon as I feel deprived, I want to make up for it with a lot of the foods I love. Typically, this leads me off track and causes me to gain weight. After many attempts at the volumetrics diet, I have learned the hard way that it is simply not for me.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Celebrity Fit Club is an interactive, user-friendly online support community based on Dr. Ian Smith's book, The Fat Smash Diet.

The online support from Celebrity Fit Club is interactive and offers a personalized diet program based on the success of the Fat Smash Diet. The Celebrity Fit Club Web site:

• Provides support through an online community with similar weight loss goals.
• Demonstrates exercise techniques through video instruction.
• Shows you how to eat healthy within the Fat Smash Diet guidelines.
• Allows you to create personalized progress charts for a visual of your success.
• Provides articles, tips and success stories about weight loss.
• Offers fast Fat Smash Diet friendly recipes.
• Provides a shopping list you can check off as you go to assure you are getting the right foods to succeed on the Fat Smash Diet.
• Shows you how to start a reasonable exercise program to kick start your metabolism and make weight loss possible.

In addition, when you visit Celebrity Fit Club online, you’ll be able to sign up for a free newsletter and take a free diet profile that tells you your healthy goal range and your daily caloric goals.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Some overweight people swear that by cutting back on calories and making healthier choices is the only way they can lose weight. Others are convinced that it is the exercise that makes a bigger difference when trying to lose weight because you are able to burn more calories and rev up your metabolism.

A study at Duke University revealed what successful dieters already know to be true. By combining a exercise and a more healthy diet with reduced calories, you can increase your chances of weight loss success. The study also proved that insulin production was dramatically reduced when overweight people did both diet and exercise, while exercise alone did show a decease, it was a 20% difference.

This is good news for overweight people who have Syndrome X. With 40 millions adults in the US being affected by problems associated with obesity and Syndrome X, ths results of this study prove that Americans can make the necessary changes and adopt a healthy lifestyle to lose weight and fight Metabolic Syndrome.

Participants in the study at Duke were exercising a minimum of 3 to 4 times per week and lowered their fat and calorie intake gradually for better weight loss results. Reducing insulin production was key to helping the participants lose the weight.

The Feel Good Diet

Posted by Tracy Rose

There is recent evidence that suggests there is no harm done by women who weight themselves frequently. Some experts recommend daily weigh ins to monitor weight loss and weight gain patterns and hold yourself accountable for your diet and exercise.

Research at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health have made it clear that women don’t get depressed due to daily weigh ins. In fact, the study showed that women over 40 who weigh in daily have a lower BMI than those who don’t weigh in frequently.

The key to tracking your progress is to take the measurement on the scale at the same time everyday and that you wear the same thing when you weight yourself. Preferably, you should weigh yourself in the morning before getting dressed.

Though seeing a weight gain on the scale may change your mood, it is not linked to depression. Seeing a weight gain should motivate you to do better on your weight loss plan and analyze your diet and exercise to see what you may be slipping up on.

Posted by Tracy Rose

A new ingredient may be added to infant formula and food to curb hunger, promote thinness and fend off obesity later in life reports Lisa Melton in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI.

At the Clore Laboratory at the University of Buckingham, testing will determine if adding leptin, the hunger hormone, to formlua and food for infants will successfully work to help cure childhood obesity. It is suspected that babies who are supplied with the leptin will not become obese..

Adding leptin to their food has worked in animals studies. Supplementing the diet of infant rats with leptin ensures that they will not be overweight as adult rats. Animals stayed at a healthy weight despite eating a diet high in fat. Leptin is produced in the body throughout life. The key is to introduce the leptin to infants because when introduced to adults, they become immune to the hormone over time.

Introduing leptin at a time when the brain is making important connections allows the hormone to work successfully at controlling weight. Women may also reduce their child’s likelihood of obesity by taking a leptin supplement while pregnant. This worked well in tests with pregnant rats.

Giving infants a healthy dose of leptin raised the metabolism so that calories will be burned off more quickly and the chance of becoming obese is lessened. Side effects need to be thoroughly tested before we can begin using leptin in formula to prevent obesity.

Adapted from a news release issued by Society of Chemical Industry.

Posted by Tracy Rose

(Press release)

The author of the New York Times Bestselling The Fat Smash Diet, Ian K. Smith, M.D. is an inspiration to millions of Americans struggling to shed unwanted pounds and achieve healthier lives. Dr. Smith is the diet expert on VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club" and a medical contributor to ABC's "The View" as well as a contributing editor for Men's Health. Now, in his new book, EXTREME FAT SMASH DIET (St. Martin's Griffin; $14.95 trade paperback; April 2007), Dr. Smith takes his proven weight-loss system to its hard core, with a new book written expressly for millions of dieters who would like an ultra-effective way to lose 10 to 25 pounds in a few short weeks.

Millions of Americans each year are lured in by fad diets promising quick weight loss, notes Dr. Smith. While some of these diets work in the short term, most do little if anything to help individuals keep the weight off for more than a few months or even weeks. Determined to help individuals with relatively modest or serious weight-loss goals find a healthy, safe way to quickly achieve results and keep unwanted pounds off, Dr. Smith created this easy to use follow-up to his first bestselling guide to effective weight-loss.

In EXTREME FAT SMASH DIET, Dr. Smith offers not a fad diet, but a quick weight-loss plan based on sound scientific principles and thoughtful proven research. The diet, which is constructed so that most people will lose 12 pounds after just 3 weeks (or one rotation of the plan's three one-week cycles), differs markedly from other diets and has been created for dieters to repeat cycles until they've lost their goal amount. Dr. Smith's plan is free of gimmicks and doesn't require dieters to reject entire food categories, like carbs, or to load up on one particular kind of food.

"The EXTREME FAT SMASH DIET is a very specific diet and it must be adhered to strictly because of the rapid and dramatic changes you'll be asking your body to undergo," says Dr. Smith. Noting that results can vary depending upon which "dieting type" an individual most closely resembles, Dr. Smith defines three distinct dieters each of whom responds to diet and exercise in an unique way:

He offers these tips so that dieters of any type can "turn up their calorie burner" and work with - or around - their own advantages and disadvantages:

Posted by Tracy Rose

Salads are commonly on the menu for dieters because they are healthy. But you also have to watch what you put on your salad if you want to lsoe weight. Fresh lettuce and vegetables are the safest bets, but you have to draw the line at things like cheese, croutons and high-fat dressings that can add a lot of calories to the meal.

Salad dressings are often high in fat and calories. The usual advice is to either reduce your intake of it and use very little dressing or switch to a lowfat or light version. The problem with most light dressings is they don't quite taste the same.

Wish Bone has a new product out that is very low in calories without sacrifing the taste. Their Salad Spritzers are only one calorie per squirt (10 squirts is plenty and that is only 10 caloires.) The dressings have a nice taste to them that makes you feel like you are splurging. The Balsamic Breeze is a great vinaigrette.

Aside from being low calorie, Salad Spritzers have no cholesterol, no saturated fat, and only 1 gram of total fat, sugar and total carbs. All things considered, there's no reason no to sprits your salad with Wish Bone Salad Spritzers.

Posted by Tracy Rose

40 million people in the U.S, have syndrome X, though it is rarely detected or treated by doctors. Often referred to as insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome, syndrome X is a group of health factors that put people at greater risk of heart disease and have a noticeably more difficult time losing weight.

Researchers at Duke University found that when adults with syndrome X combined exercise and dieting together the results were much better than either action taken alone.

The study showed that those on an exercise and weight loss program combined had a 47% reduction in insulin production. Those who just exercised and ate as they normally did also reduced their insulin production, but only by 27%.

The study featured people doing a modest amount of exercise 3-4 times a week and gradually reducing their calorie and fat intake. The study lasted for 26 weeks.

This is good news for people with syndrome X who are trying to lose weight. It shows the importance of sticking to your diet while exercising to lower your insulin and make losing weight a little easier.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Everything you’ve been told about eating after 7 PM is not true. Our bodies metabolize calories the same way regardless of the time of day we eat.

According to the Oregon National Primate Research Center in Portland Oregon, calories still mean more than the time of day they are eaten. The basic equation for weight loss is calories in minus calories out. This equation remains true whether you eat at 10 AM or 10PM. Nightime snacking alone will not make you fat.

If, however, you eat a half a gallon of ice cream or a full day’s calories and continually eat at night for emotional or habitual reasons, you will either stall your weight loss progress or gain weight.

One thing that may help is to avoid eating your trigger foods. If you know you can’t stop eating a certain item without finishing the container, its best to choose a different type of snack and control your portion size.

By carefully planning your day’s worth of calories, you can cut back throughout the day to leave a little wiggle room for nighttime snacking and prepare for junk food cravings without worrying about blowing your diet.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Online communities have been a great resource tool for women losing weight who need the additional support. The largest such community of women, ivillage, has shown great success as 87,000 members have lost an average of 6.4 pounds in 2007.

The Healthy Living Program at iVillage is successful because it offers a full range of weight loss tools, including an expert medical team, a community of support, personalized meal plans, grocery shopping lists, weight loss and nutrition articles, a stress management program, a virtual trainer and online journals.

“We knew the power of community could make big things happen, but 600,000 pounds was a figure we couldn’t dream of,” said Gregg Zegras, SVP of consumer health at iVillage. “Our exclusive Healthy Living Program offers the kind of guidance and support that women around the country have been paying big bucks for, until now” (Gilbert, Press Release.)

The iVillage diet is a step-by-step program based on your personal needs. It is easy to follow and the site keeps track of your daily progress. It enables dieters to track their nutrition, exercise and weight loss, as well as additional goals and progress in their stress relief skills.

The Healthy Living Program works. Barbara, a 49 year-old woman from Rancho Dominguez, California, participated in the challenge and lost 14 pounds and 10.5 inches; Natalie, a 23 year-old former college athlete lost 12 pounds, and Robyn, a 35 year-old working mother of three from Boston, lost 16 pounds (Gilbert, Press Release.)

Normally, you would expect to pay a large fee to have such a personalized and detailed weight loss plan set up for you, but the ivillage diets is free.

How much will you lose in 2007?

Posted by Tracy Rose

If you are always feeling hungry, its a good time to evaluate your eating habits and track your fiber intake. The easiest way to feel full without consuming too many calories is to make sure you are getting enough fiber in your diet.

Fiber takes longer to chew, your body can't digest it and it helps carry calories out with it, making it possible for you to avoid feeling hunger pains all day and still lose weight.

Foods rich in fiber are the best and easiest way to boost your intake and feel full longer.

High Fiber Foods:

• Whole wheat products
• Oatmeal
• Fruits- raisins, apples, oranges, berries, mangos and more.
• Vegetables- broccoli, spinach, green leafy vegetable and more
• Beabs
• Peas
• Almonds
• Flaxseed

Don't worry if you are still having trouble getting enough grams of fiber from your diet alone. There are many products available to help boost your fiber intake and curb hunger. There are products you can spinkle over other foods, pills, mixes to add to water, etc.

Start adding fiber to your diet gradually. Aim for 25 grams as a starting point, 35 grams for your goal and continue to add fiber to that daily number as your body adjusts.

For tips on adding fiber to your diet, see the Fiber35 Diet review.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Fast food can be fit food. Subway enhances it's old menu that made Jared Fogel a household name. The menu now includes more choices for those watching their weight.

Most noteworthy is the addition of new items:

• Raisins
• Apple slices
• Lowfat milk.

Subway has created new value meals including these new lowfat items. An adult meal consists of a ^' sub with 6g of fat or less, a choice of baked chips, apples or raisins and bottled water, milk or diet pop.

Parents can slo feel better about feeding their kids fast food with the new choices at Subway. A kid's meal now includes their choice of a 4" sub, healthy side and milk or 100% juice box (with a toy, of course.)

Subway makes it easy to eat healthy in a hurry and stick to your weight loss goals.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Walking to lose weight is great, but participating in charity walks is even better. By walking for charities, you’ll not only have a distance to aim for and a goal to reach, but you’ll also be supporting a worthwhile cause.

Charity walks are a great way to get in shape. They give you a date to plan for and you can choose the number of miles you want to aim for. As a beginner, a 5K walk may be a good starting point, while an intermediate walker could do a 10K and an avid walker might even try a 3-day charity walk. Work you way up in small increments until you are comfortable walking the predetermined distance for each particular charity walk.

Charities that hold annual walks:

• The 3 Day Walk for Breast Cancer
• Arthritis Foundation
• Walk to Cure Diabetes
• March of Dimes Walk America
• Walk from Obesity

Experience what it is like on the actual day of a charity walk.

Try a 10K walk with a group of Volksmarchers.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Riding on the coat tails of the Dance Dance Revolution craze, Wii Nintendo is causing a stir among gamers for its ability to help players lose weight. The days on lounging on the couch to play video games are gone. The next generation of games involves standing, kicking, jumping, punching, kicking, swinging and more.

You may be surprised to notice how sore your muscles are after playing a few rounds of bowling, baseball, boxing, tennis, golf or other sports on the Wii Nintendo system. If you actively play the games and put forth real effort, you can expect to see results weight loss over an extended period of time.

With training and fitness modes, you can customize the Wii Nintendo sports games to meet your current fitness level.

Video Gamers Lose Weight

Posted by Tracy Rose

Lent is an opportunity to make lifestyle changes. Six weeks is more than enough time to create a new habit that will stick. This can be anything from giving up unhealthy habits like drinking beer, smoking, drinking pop or eating junk food. It can also be non-food items like giving up some of your TV time or committing to a daily walk.

Lent is a great time to start making changing in your life, one small step at a time. Start by analyzing your current lifestyle to see what is working and what isn't. Most of us have some sort of vice we know we shoudl give up. For those of us trying to lose weight, it is a no-brainer. We can choose to give up sugar, carbs, pop, articicial sweeteners, etc. We can also choose to drink more water, get daily exercise, or eat more fruits and vegetables.

Lifestyle changes don't come easy, but with Lent, you can use the time to work on making one change at a time until you have made the switch successful.

What will you be giving up? Join the discussion.

Posted by Tracy Rose

There are so many weight loss programs and diet plans available that it can be difficult to choose the program that best fits you and your lifestyle.

Here is a list of reviews of weight loss and fitness books:

Fat Smash Diet

Big & Tall Chronicles

Our Lady of Weight Loss

Hampton Diet

The Four Day Win

Body Clutter

Serotonin Power Diet

YOU on a diet

LL Cool J's Platinum Workout

The Fiber35 Diet

The Cheater's Diet

Posted by Tracy Rose

There is good news for those struggling with their weight. Xenical, a fat clocker that until now has only been available through a doctor's prescription will soon be sold as an over-the-counter drug.

Save yourself the trip to the doctor and head directly to the pharmacy to get a lower dose version of the popular fat blocker, Xenical.

The idea behind Xenical is to prevent food, particularly fats, from breaking down in your system and being stored as fats. Instead, the fats are carried through your system and excreted. This is said to reduce your fat intake by one third.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Although I had to miss another meeting this week (and intend to get cuaght up in person again next week) I have continued to add up my daily points and use the check boxes that are provided for tracking water, frutis and vegetables, milk and fats.

Keeping track of the numbers help me stay in the right range for mt weight and activity range and allows me to see when i have points left that I can use at the end of the day. No more points simply means I can't eat any more. but if I know ahead of tiem how many points I need for something at the end of the day, I can eat conservatively the rest of the day to save room for it.

The flexpoints system seems to be working well for me and keeping me in line with where I need to be.

Posted by Tracy Rose

I was unable to attend the Weight Watchers meeting this week. However, I did weigh in at home. I was up a pound for the week. I would have been disappointed had I not lost inches in my waist and hips and fit into a smaller pair of jeans this week. I have been walking 1.5 hour 3 days a week and I am feeling stronger and leaner because of it.

As for the food portion of the plan, I did eat the extra points that I earned from exercising and in hindsight, that may not be the best way to lose weight. I will experiment with not using the extra points this week and see if the results are any different.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Recipe for Low fat Turkey Meatballs

What you'll need:

• 1 lb ground turkey (I like the extra lean)
• 1 pkg Lipton savory herb and garlic seasoning packet (found in the soup isle)
• Olive Oil

Preparation:

• Mix turkey with the seasoning packet. Preheat a nonstick pan with a light coating of olive oil. Roll the meat into small balls and drop them into the pan, turning occasionally as they borwn.
• For a browner, more glazed look, allow the meatballs to steam with a cover over the pan after they are done cooking.
• Serve with plain tomato sauce, fat-free gravy or plain.

Posted by Tracy Rose

I attended my second meeting today. I have been folowing the Weight Watchers flexpoints system and found it to be easy. I lost 2 pounds this week and the best part is, I did not feel deprived. I didn't have to live on fruits and veggies. i ate out a handful of times and even ate things I knew I shouldn't, but the points evened out and I was able to lose weight on the plan.

I stayed for the brief meeting and now I am excited to begin week 2 of the Weight Watchers program and see how much weight I will lose this week.

Posted by Tracy Rose

I've thought about joining Weight Watchers before. Many times, in fact. I have heard the success stories and how other women have lost 30, 50 or more punds on it, only to gain it back when they stopped going to the meetings.

It wasn't exactly curiosity that got the best of me though. My doctor suggested that I try a formal program verses trying to lose weight on my own. So I decided to give it a shot.

The first weight in was not horrifying. Sure it is a higher number than I ever want to see again, but it was not like advertising it to the worls like the contestants on the biggest loser had to do. In fact, the person who weighed me in never even said my weight out load. Only she could see the number and she marked it down on a card that I carry with me.

After signing up and paying my weekly fee, I was introduced to the program and asked to choose between flexpoints and the Core program. Because the core program doesn't allow bread, it was a no-brainer for me. Flexpoints seems to work best with my lifestyle anyway.

A 30-minute meeting about staying on the right path was presented and everyone was sent on their way to count points for the week in an effoert to shed pounds and get their health back.

My daily points value is actually quite high so I am confident that I can live within them, especially with the help of the bonus points for the week and the exercise points you can earn.

The Weight Watchers plan seems doable, healthy and reasonable. So here's to a good week of healthy choices and points wisely spent!

I'd love to hear comments from anyone doing Weight Watchers!

Posted by Tracy Rose

Lifetime aired a movie, “To Be Fat Like Me,” about a pretty, slim jock that got injured and turned her attention to making a documentary about obesity. Though she had no idea what kind of statement she wanted to make with the film, she dressed up in a fat suit and went to summer school to see how she would be treated. She explored her own issues with weight, her feelings about her obese mother and overweight brother and how her friends react to fat people.

While in the fat suit, she was ignored, treated like dirt and made to feel like less of a person. At the same time, she made friends she otherwise would not have made contact with. They had fun and shared intimate thoughts. In the end when her cover was revealed, it turned out she had true feelings for her new friends and it was important for her to patch things up with them and make a real statement with documentary so she could make a difference.

Along the way, she also taught her overweight friend how to act differently and demand respect. She showed her that it was okay to stand up for herself and to be more assertive.

“To Be Fat Like Me” made a statement about obesity and how fat girls are treated in our society. I think the aim was to make people evaluate their own feelings about overweight people and question how they think and open their minds to see the person who is behind the fat suit.

Posted by Tracy Rose

If you ate a lot (and all the wrong things!) over the holidays, you are not alone. Many of us throw cuation to the wind to enjoy the holidays with food and drinks that have a way of making us feel better in the moment.

The problem with these feel-good foods is that the good feelings don't last. You end up feeling bloated, guilty and fat.

Now is the time to remedy the problem and work on getting those extra holiday pounds back off. Why wait until after the New Year? How many times have you waited to lose weight? "I'll start Monday" is a good one. You end up gaining a few extra pounds before you start to get it out of your system and prepare to buckle down on a strict diet.

A better way is to eat what you want all the time, only to do it in moderation. Grazing for three days straight isn't moderate eating. But if you eat a little less and move a little more, you can fend off the extra holiday weight and get back on track quickly.

Posted by Tracy Rose

In a two-hour finale of the Biggest Loser, there were many updates and a look at the contestant’s emotional roller-coaster on the ranch and at home. The contestants that had been voted out week after week returned for their final weigh in. Brian proved he was biggest loser material by losing more than 50% of his total body weight and he took home the $100,000 prize.

In the end it all came down to the final three. We had to wait until the very end of the show to see why it was three and not four. Heather could not compete for the grand prize because she was five months pregnant. She obviously lost a lot of weight though and looked very healthy and cute as a button with her little pot belly.

Wylie came in third place, but I think he is okay with that because he has gained so much more by proving it to himself that he could lose the weight and get his life back. He is so happy that he glows. He looks amazing, with a lot of muscle definition and a size 32 waste.

Kai came in second place and really proved that women can lose weight just as well as the men. She lost the highest amount for a female in the show’s history.

Erik became the newest biggest loser with an astonishing 214 pound weight loss! He went from being the biggest guy on the show at 407 pounds to a downright skinny guy with nothing left to lose. He is hardly recognizable in his new skin, but he looks amazing and thin seems to suit him well.

With the pressure off, the contestants of the Biggest Loser can return home and begin the fight to maintain their weight loss in a world that revolves around food.

Posted by Tracy Rose

As the last 5 contestants fight for a spot in the final 4, they are all under a lot of pressure and feel they have gotten too close to not win. Eric is feeling the heat from Bob because he is the only blue team member left and needs to make it into the final 4 to represent Bob and the team. Bob tackles him hard this last week, making him pull him on a dolly and hike the same hill he couldn’t make it up on day one at the ranch. Eric is happier, more confident and 112 pounds light though, so he handles it like a pro and is proud of his accomplishments.

Heather is still nursing an injury and she has a squabble about it with Kim when Kim challenges her to do more and out forth her best effort. Kim turns to Kai for support and tells her she is good enough to go all the way. This is both scary and exciting for Kai.

The final challenge is a half triathlon. They are asked to do a 200 yard swim, 5 mile bike and 1.5 mile foot race. The trainers were there to cheer them on. The amazing thing is how these people have bonded. They decided to do it together and when Wylie lagged during the swim, they stopped and waited for him so they could finish as a team. The guys crossed the finish line together with Kai and Heather not far behind. They were all very proud of the accomplishment and at how far they had come in 10 weeks.

Suzi and Matt from last season of Biggest Loser came to the ranch to give the remaining players a pep talk. They talked to them about the pressures of keeping it up in their real lives and how it can be difficult to go home and incorporate what they have learned on the ranch. The transition was tough for them, but they eventually got the hang of it and came to support them as they transition back into their lives.

The last chance workout was rough, as to be expected. Erik worked hard to earn a spot in the final 4. There was a lot of pressure to stay above the yellow line.

The final weigh in showed that Erik could easily be the biggest loser. He lost another 12 pounds this week. Heather and Wylie each lost 7 pounds. Jaron lost 6 and Kai lost 4, putting them both below the yellow line and at risk for being voted out.

Jaron was sent home, mainly because the other contestants chose loyalty as their reason for keeping Kai. Looks like Erik learned his lesson after letting Marty go. So Kai is the 4th member in the finals. They all have one last goodbye to their trainer and a life-size cutout of the old them. Erik gets especially emotional over seeing his old self and is scared to ever get like that again. He thanks bob and gives him all the credit for his amazing 124 pounds loss while on the ranch.

The contestants were then sent home for several months to finish their weight loss goals at home. Next week we will see them as their reunite and the final 4 weigh in for a change to be named the biggest loser and win the $250,000 grand prize.

Who Won?

Posted by Tracy Rose

Sometimes on the Biggest Loser, there comes a point in the game when the contestants realize this is more than just about thier own personal weight loss goals. They come to realize it is a game and they have to play if they want to stay. Last week Erik made the choice to vote out his only remaining blue team member. This was a choice his trainer, Bob, was less than thrilled with. He was disappointed in Erik and let him know it. He told him they had nothing without the team. But now that they were down to a one-man team it was time to fight even harder because it was a fight not only to keep Erik in the game, but also to keep Bob in the game. He made Erik work hard for the desicion he made.

Meanwhile, the contestants participated in a challenge to run laps around a horse track carrying the amount of weight they have lost. Each time they ran a lap they could drop the amount of weight they lost that week on the show. With some of them carrying as much as 100 extra pounds, it was a tough challenge and also a reminder of why they didn't want to return to their former fat selves. Jeron won the race, despite pleas from Adrianne who desperately wanted a visitor from home to stay on the ranch for a day. Jaron enjoyed the time with his wife.

The weigh in was an emotional time for several reasons. Adrianne only lost 2 pounds and felt completely defeated. Her tears flowed freely (as they have been since she came to the ranch.) Jaron and Wylie lost significant amounts of weight and were happy with their results. Eric did Bob proud with a 12 pounds weight loss (bringing his 3 week total to 43 pounds!!) and he met another goal by moving from the 300's to the 200's. Heather fell into the bottom 2 with Adrianne, but she had been nursing a knee injury, so that came as no surprise.

The vote was not a shock. Heather was a shoe in to stay because she had been there longer and was not a threat. Kai kept her best firend and Jaron's vote to keep his biggest support was outnumbered. Adrianne practiced self-fullfiliing prophecy by telling herslef she could not get below the 160's. She left the ranch at 166 and during the update they shared her current weight that had remained the same. Better than a gain, but it was not a jaw-dropping moment like many of the othwer updates have been.

Who Won?

Posted by Tracy Rose

After another emotional week for Adrian, she managed to come out on top as the biggest loser of the week. She had several emotional breakdowns and fought with Caroline about the fairness of the week’s challenge. She stated (and was correct) that everyone would vote her and the other gray teammate off first because they joined the show late in the season. She called it correctly, but I don’t think anyone appreciated her outburst or accusations and Caroline seemed shocked. Adrian lost 7 pounds, but with her small frame, she claimed the largest percentage of weight loss for the week.

Kai saved herself for the second time this season. In a competition that scared her to tears, she blew away the competition and took the lead on a stationary bike ride in the sky. As the winner of the challenge she won the bike and immunity this week.

Wylie came up with no loss. No gain either, but it secured his place in the bottom two contestants for the week and at risk for going home. He is upset and bewildered by the news and others seem to think he over-trained – apparently more than four hours a day is not good either. But we shall see if it pays off for him at the next weigh in.

That’s right - Wylie will be back another week. His former team-mate and friend Matt was the poor guy that was voted off this week. He was my pick for the biggest loser this season, but my disappointment for him didn’t last long. His transformation moment made my jaw drop. After returning home to impress his students at the high school where he works, he continued to work on his ultimate goal and lost an additional 50 pounds!! The big belly he once had is nowhere to be found. He looks strong and lean and talked about how the show helped him find the happy person inside of him.

Almost exciting was seeing Erik lose 11 pounds this week, putting him at a 100 pound loss since he walked onto the ranch. The only thing that lessened that enthusiasm for me was the fact that he showed no loyalty to Marty and sealed his fate to go home this week. Until the moment it happened and he said he was protecting himself to win in the end, I never in a million years would have thought he would vote for Marty.

So for the seond week, the gray team is safe and another one of my favorite contestants were sent home.

Posted by Tracy Rose

There were a lot of changes this week on the ranch and it put the contestants in a vulnerable spot. They began the week having to adapt to the six new people from home who returned to the ranch. Only two of those contestants staye don the ranch to compete for the week, but the adjustment was not a easy one. The old gang decided to stick together and not make it easy for the new couple. The new couple snesed this, buit they had also lost more weight at home than the contestant had on the ranch and this come acorss as cockiness. They weren't thrilled with the workouts on the ranch and the girl bowed out of the workouts for a day before realizing it was a huge mistake and asked if Kim and the red team would take her back.

In their first completition, the teams had to carry a ton of something (water jugs, tires, weights or bricks) from one spot to another. Wylie and Marty won a calorei guessing challenge to be able to choose who carried what. They chose the water jugs and came in first, winning a 42 inch plasma TV and a year if Netflix rentals. The other two teams continued the challenge to finish what they started, but they (and Bab) were upset that the new couple refused to finish the challenge. They said they would have been there for hours carrying bricks and felt it was unfair.

The weigh in could have gone either way this week. But it all came down to who fell below the yellow line as a team, based on percentage of weight lost. Kai lost 7 and Erik lost 20 putting them in first place. Unfortunately, they weren't able to knock out the new duo just yet. Bobby lost only 3 pounds and Heather decided to play a game this week and gained 4 pounds. Bobby had all but given up at this point and Bob talked him into holding his head high and sticking with the program to see it through. bobby's head was not in the game though, as he admitted, he missed his family terribly and that alone was affecting his game.

With two votes, Bobby was voted out fo the Biggest Loser. It was an emotional exit and I don't think it was his time to go. but his tranformation moment was just as he said it would be - drastic! He looks amazing and got down to 227 after leaving the ranch. He regained his health and won a long life with his family, so he is not too bitter about not winning the money or the title of the Biggest Loser.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Keeping her word, Kirstie Alley appeared on Oprah for her bikini reveal.

Anyone who's ever felt uncomfortable with their weight can relate to the fear of being seen live in TV in a bikini. Even Oprah said she wouldn't have done it for money, but Kirstie did it for free.

Kirstie was successful at weight loss using the Jenny Craig program. She became their spokesperson after weighing in two years ago at 220 pounds. She was happy with herself; but unhappy with her body's shape.

Kirstie lost 75 pounds on Jenny Craig and she looks amazing as she saunters out to greet Oprah and removes her cover up. She struts her stuff in her bikini on the runway. She worked hard to get where she is and the idea of coming on TV in a bikini kept her motivated along the way.

But her real message is "we are good enough." She says we are good as we are. We are ourselves, not our weight or our age. And at 55, Kirstie is full of confidence and is able to care for helself the way she wished she had all along.

Join the discussion

Posted by Tracy Rose

Lots of changes on the ranch this week and the contestants are thrown for a few surprises.

• The old red and blue teams are split up. They will be paired one red with one blue team members and the rules of the game have changed.
• In a competition of choosing a plate of food or winning the right to choose how the teams will be formed, Wylie wins while the others eat fruit, cookies and pizza.
• Wylie comes out of a potition of no power to having complete control over the fate of the contestants. He does not take the responsibilty lightly. He stresses over the decision, but pairs them as follows: Bobby and Heahther, Pam and Brian, Kai and Erik and Marty and Wylie. He did a fair job matching them up and reasoned that Erik had the most to lose, he was working hard and desrved to stay, so he paired him with Kai to automatically give him an extra week on the ranch (if you recall, Kai has a 'get out of jail free card' she won in an earlier challenge, which she can now use to get her team off the chopping block.)
• The trainers butt heads over training tactics. Wylie asked to train with Bob and he was pushing him to exhaustion. Kim allowed it for a while, then spoke up on her former team member's behalf because she didn't want him worn out before a challenge. Bob said that anyone who didn't want to work out his way could leave.
• The first challenge for the two-man teams was to hold a bar up the longest without creating a ring of fire at the end when the bar hit the flame. Both partners have to keep a hand on it and there was a lot at stake. Must to thier delight, Pam and Brian won the challenge and were able to make video phone calls home. Both have spouses and kids, so it was a special moment for them.
• The weigh in is different this week because the goal now is to compete with the other 3 teams and not fall below the yellos line, based on the percentage of weight loss for both patners.
• The two teams that fall below the yellow line are Pam and Brian and Kai and Erik. The others are safe this week and Wylie is confident he made the right choices.
• Kai has the decision to use or not use her pass to save herself and Erik.But Erik makes it difficult to beleive he was even trying because he has a 3 pound GAIN.
• Bob is frustrated with Erik for the gain. Erik admits to slacking this week because he is gauranteed to stay and then he will get better results on the scale next week.
• Kai uses the pass, so by default, Pam and Brian are sent home. It is an emotional goodbye and Pam feels like she brought brian down by not showing a big percentage of weight loss.
• Just when they fidn out that Pam and Brian have to leave this week, six new contestants walk in. They are the top six players whp were sent home to do the challenge on their own and their have returned to have a second chance at being the Biggets Loser. The six contestants are sent to the ranch overnight and next week we will find out which two will stay and compete as a team to replace Pam and Brain.
• The contantants that have been on the ranch from day one are not ahppy about this turn of events and feel like it is a betrayal of Pam and Brian. They vow to be nice to the new people, but to vote them out as soon as possible.
• The contestant updates were amazing, as usual. Brian is down a total of 118 pounds and looks like a completely different person. Pam lost another 25 pounds after leaving the ranch and is teaching her kids to eat healthy and exercise as a p[art of their daily routine.

Posted by Tracy Rose

What started out as another defeat for the blue team was quickly turned around. In a challenge to guess the calories in high-fat meals, the red team won by a landslide and were awarded special shirts to give to the blue team. 2 read "no trainer" while the other 2 read "eat out." The person they chose to wear the shirt had to abide by the rule for 72 hours.

This was a stressful thing for the guys on the blue team, especailly for the ones who couldn't work out with Bob. They have become dependant on him to get them through. But the determination was there to prove the red team wrong and prove it to themselves that they had it in them - with or without Bob.

The next challenge was a physical task where 3 players had to hoist the other one up to place 4 flags at the top of a pole. They had to raise their teammate by pulling the ropes and running for the flags with their body weight in tow. They had to go back and forth until all the flags were secured to the top of the poll. Due to some fumbling of the red team, the blue team happily won this challenge, giving them the power to choose which red team member wouldn't count for the weigh-in and to choose a water workout or a healthy meal. They chose the latter and enjoyed every bite - as they watched the red team workout.

Ken was chosen to sit out the weigh-in and rightly so because he pulled a double digit - always a goal for the guys. But the red team was no match for the huge numbers that the blue team put up. Even with eating out and not having a trainer, they were able to lose 13, 15 and 16 pounds. It was amazing to see that kind of loss this late in the game. These are first week kind of numbers.

The red team has to face the inevitable and send one of their own home. This time, they choose Ken because he is a threat. He has lost a total of 68 pounds and exits with grace and friendliness.

Next week they will shock the remaining contestants when they send 2 of them home and replace them with 2 of the contestants who have been particpating from home ---and losing more weight than those on the ranch!

Posted by Tracy Rose

The contestants were thrown off this week when they headed in for their workout to find the gym closed. They tried sneaking in the window (how's that for dedication?) but the trainers stopped them and told them it was a no gym week. They need to get out of the routine and mix things up by learning how to work out at home. And they did! They used stairs, their own body weight, the backyard and they even moved furnature to get their workouts in.

The blue team finally won a challenge. Thier task was to run up statium stairs and then do the wave, moving down one seat and continuing on...to the point of exhaustion. This is probably much harder than it looks. Because of the motivation eeded for the task, they were shown videos from home over the big screen before they started. They also had their trainers, Bob and Kim there to cheer them on and keep their mind on the task.

Ken (on the red team) was feeling back pain and decded to not finish the challenge. This helped the blue team win. Though the red team was upset with Ken for giving up, they continued the challenged and ran to the finish line.

It was a close call on the weight loss this week. The blue team fell short by only 2 pounds. The blue team discussed who they would be sending home and it seemed to be split between Marty (because he will be successful and is a threat) and Erik (who is weak during the challenges and could be holding them back from wins at this point.)

Sadly, Amy (the only girl on the team) was voted off. She was shocked and never expected her name to be on any of thier eviction plates. She defended herself, saying that it was unfair, she was the girl who lost the most, she works hard and she thinks they made the wrong decision for the team. Thier only response was that she did work hard, but it is a game and she is not able to put up the same numbers the guys are and she is already killing herself at the gym to get 3 or 4 lbs per week.

So it's game on! But Amy is a winner because she went home to be highly successful with a total loss of 88 lb. She looks amazing, she is full of life and she has completely changed her lifestyle to include triathlons.

Posted by Tracy Rose

It's week 3 of the Biggest Loser and the contestants have all shown big numbers the first 2 weeks. They can't continue to lose at a pace of 10-20 pounds a week, so it was bound to taper off soon, but their emotions got the best of them this week.

Until now, the red team has been labeled disfunctional and they have been rebllious towards their trainer, Kim. They didn't respect her and they would outright refuse to do what she asked them to do. After losing Nelson last week, the team continued to crumble and they were all very emotional, including Kim. The team actually needed the breakdown in order to better understand each other and form some sort of bond. In the end, Kim broke down crying and confessed to the team that she too had body images and felt the pressure of the show just like they do. This was a welcome message to the contestants and they were able to embrace her and grow stonger as a team.

Because of this, the red team did win the challenge of the escalator climb. Pam won $10,000 by staying on the longest and also won the ability to choose the person from the blue team who would not be included in their team's weigh-in. They didn't make the best choice, but they still came out on top with a larger percentage of weight loss for the week, making them the Biggest Losers.

The blue team felt some defeat, having not won a single challenge. They felt like they let Bob (their trainer) down. At nominations, it iwas unanimous that Melinda the ranch because she had the least amount to lose and they felt confident that she can continue doing well at home, but they all hated to send her packing and gave her a nice goodbye.

Since being home, Melinda lost another 26 pounds and looks dramatically different than when she started the season, so maybe they were right to send her home at this point.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Have you ever thought about becoming a model but didn't have a tiny frame or couldn't stick to a diet to become thin enough for the demands of the media? Well, Velvet d'Amour is a living example that you can break the mold. She tired to get into ,modeling and straved herself in an attempt to be thin enough for the image the media wanted.

20 years later, after making a loving as a photographer, she now has the chance to step out from behind the camera. She's beautiful, she's confident and she's a size 28.

What's different about Velvet is not just her size. She loves herself and her body. It's that confidence and attitude that will help her succeed in this business.

Though I could not imagine modeling myself, I applaud Velvet for taking the chance and putting herself out there. I think it is great to see a variety of sizes and shapes in the media rather than the same anorexic look in magazines, on TV and on the runway.

.

Posted by Tracy Rose

The Sugar Solution provides a real eye-opener for people who have not taken the time to care for theor bodies properly. The book desrcibes the risk factors for diabetes and having high blood sugar is one symptom.

If you don't already know your blood sugar levels, it's important to schedule an appointment with your doctor. Ask him/her to test your blood sugar and rule out diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

These conditions may be standing between you and your weight loss goals. It is still posible to lose weight if you have one of these conditions, but keeping your blood sugar in check will help make it manageable.

Posted by Tracy Rose

If you have never workout on out the beach, apparently you aren't missing much. The contestant worked harder than they ever have in thier lives during their beech workouts and sand competition. They were happy to return to the gym for a "normal" workout on the ranch.

Their hard work payed off as some of them continued to lose in the double digits. Several lost between 16 and 20 pounds this week alone, which is rare in the second week. After being warned to expect low numbers, they were blown away by the huge wieght loss they had this week.

The other amazing thing is how well the contestants are doing at home. Biggest Loser is showing updates on the 36 people who were sent home to reperesent their state and they are working just as hard and tranforming their bodies in just 3 months or less. It's a lesson to those of us watching from home and wishing we had the same opportunity.

Posted by Tracy Rose

As a coffee drinker myself, I am happy to read the latest study that says coffee isn't evil. Though I do know people who drink several pots of coffe per day, I have never gone to that extreme. I tend to drink 2 cups per day and that is a good amount to boost metabolism, increase energy for a better workout and it is just a nice way to wake up.

Thta isn't to say that coffee alone will do the trick and you can eat whatever you want. A few cups of caffeine combined with regular exercise and a sensible, low calorie diet is the way to go.

Another thing to consider is that if you are reucing your calric intake, it is not a good idea to cut out coffee at the same time. The results can be ugly because your mood swings will be out of conrtol and you will most likely return to all of your old habits because it will be overwhelming. As with any lifestyle change, make it slowly to make it last.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Halloween is a time of many temptations. Attending parties can be rough when you are trying to lose weight. The best thing you can do is stay away from the goodies and make a conscious effort to mingle, meet new people, participate in Halloween fun, but avopid the food as much as possible.

No official parties planned? Don't let your guard down. This time of year every place there are people that gather there will be food. From office parties to church pot-lucks --- food is everywhere. Having one treat might not ruin your diet, but if you were to have a little something at each get-together or pig out at just one party, you coudl cause yourself a setback that might have you spiraling out of control.

Do your best to make healthy choices at every party and every meal. An apple is much healthier than a glass of apple cider and way better than a donut. So think twice about each choice before you sink your teeth into it.

Posted by Tracy Rose

50 people, each representing a different state, are fighting for the opportunity to earn the title of "The Biggest Loser." Sadly, the trainers could only choose 14 people to make up the 2 teams that stayed on the ranch and the rest were sent home to lose the weight with a little extra support and the chance to come back for the final show and earn the title and cash prize.

The trainers pushed these people to their limits. They were ridding their bosy of toxins, as the one trainer put it. They worked hard and it showed. At the end of week one, contestants lost anywhere form 8 to 23 pounds. Yes, that is in just one week!

It wasn't easy getting there though. Many tears were shed the first week, they miss their families, they are pushed to exhaustion in their workouts and let's not forget the unforgiving first weigh-ins.

One of the things that would prevent me from going on the show is the weigh-in "uniform." I don't think I could stand in front of the world in a pair of tight spandex shorts and a sprots bra. But that's just me. These contestants are determined to make a healthier life for themselves, and I suppose when you compare what they will gain from the experience, the humilation might actually be worth it in the end. I always say I would give anything to lose weight, but I'm still on the fence with this one.

The red team won the challenge, but the blue team won the weigh-in and that left the red team to send someone packing. The woman they unanimously chose to send home had only lost 8 pounds and seemed to be causing trouble for the team. Her update showed that she had lost another 58 pounds since she left the ranch though and she looked great.

Posted by Tracy Rose

If you survived phase one of Dr. Ian's Fat Smash diet, first of all, you deserve a big pat on the back. Now you can enter phase 2 of his detox plan. You'll be happy to know you can eat a little more variety this week. Not much more because you will be slowly adding foods back into your diet, but this week won't be as hard as the first 9 days.

Here's what you can add:

-2 pcs wheat bread per day

-1.5 cups of dry cereal (sensible, high fiber, low sugar varieties)

-.5 an avocado

-1 oz of cheese

-1 whole egg

.5 cup of hot cereal

-Up tp 4 tsp of suger or sugar substitue

-Up to 4 tsp of salt

-2 diet sodas

-10 oz of coffee

-8 oz of fresh fruit juice

-2 tsp of peanut butter

-3 to 4 oz of lean meat

So there you have it! The best part is that you can add the protein back into your diet, which gives you a lot more flexibility. Now, by adding lean meats we aren't talking steak. Use lean cuts of chicken, turkey and fish.

Phase 2 follows the same basic principles as phase 1 with 4-5 small meals spaces out throughout the day. The only other difference is to increase your exercise to 35 minutes/ 5 times per week.

If you haven't seen big chnages in your measurments yet, you are sure to see them this week!

Fat Smash Diet Assures Success

Posted by Tracy Rose

I am a pear according to my body measurements. I feel more like an apple most days because I carry most of my weight in the middle, but I guess the way it is proportioned on my body is a good thing for me because I am at a lesser risk of heart diease and many other health conditions. Without the measurements I would have guessed I was an apple, so be sure to take the quick measurement and plug it into the equation to see whcih shape you really are.

Unfortunately, I am more likely to have low self-esteem and suffer from poor body image. I have certainly felt that way in the past, but it is something I have been working on. Through this weight loss journey I have become a stronger person and have changed from the inside out. It seems all I have left to do is kick up the cardio to lose the stubborn belly fat.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Finding a good-fitting bra is a challenge for most women, but for those carrying extra weight it can be nearly impossible.

Even sizes that should fit get caught between rolls of fat and dig into our sides.

To find a flattering bra that fits right you may have to be fitted at a major department store or lingerie store.

Once you've discovered your correct size, you'll need to choose wisely which style is right for your body shape. Added padding, underwires, minimizers and wide shoulder straps should be considered for extra support. Also buy a few good sports bras for proper support during exercise.

Every brand will be slightly different. Try on several bras from different lines to get a feel for which ones offer a bigger cut, a roomier cup and more back support.

Once you find the perfect bra, stock up on them. Even if you can only afford to buy one or two right now, it's a good idea to say the tags and write on them where you bought it so you can return later to buy more.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Who do I think is responsible fot the obesity problem in Amercia? Me. Well, I'm not responsible for everyone, of course, but I am repsonsible for my own poor dieting choices. I have a problem with emotional eating and I find it very difficult to avoid temptation.

Is there a lot of temptation around us today? Absolutely! It doesn't help when I see an overload of TV commercials for pizza and other prepared foods. These meals are often cheaper and easer too. Take the $5 pizza deals, for example. It's hot and ready when you need it and it's dirt cheap. It's any pizza-lover's dream; except when you rely on these types of foods too much.

It's our job to block these marketing messages and eat everything in moderation. The rewards from such meals are only momentary, then the feelings fo guilt and low-energy kick in.

I've gotten better about my food choices, but I have a long road ahead of me. I need to continuously make better choices and allow myslef a treat like macdonald's or pizza only once in a while.

Posted by Tracy Rose

After researching the Fat Smach Diet, I decided to give it a shot to respark my weight loss. It made sense and it sounded pretty sensible to me. I loaded up on fruits and vegetables at the store and was ready to get started.

Being a complete carb addict (though now accustomed to eating good quality carbs,) I knew it would be tough for me to get started, but I was motivated by the huge weight losses seen on Celebrity Fit Club.

My Day:

9 AM - Ate plain unsweeted yogurt with fresh mixed berries.

9:30 AM - My face felt tight like I was having acute sinus pain. I took some motrin and ate a banana for a snack.

11 AM - The headache I had was overwhleming and I could not concentrate. I felt weak. I had a lot of work to get done, but thought if I rested it would help, so I laid down.

12-1 PM - Took a short nap to try to sleep off the headache.

1 PM - Ate a bowl of oatmeal and took some more motrin. Still not feeling well. My head felt like a balloon.

2:30 PM - I finally went out and got a 6-inch Subway sub. It was very satisfying and immediately made me feel better. I was able to finish my work and continue on with me day as usual. But so ends my trial of the Detox Phase.

I'm not sure if I am just wired differently, but I do not function well without carbs. So the best bet for me is to stick to everything in moderation and do my best at making better food choices.

Does Fat Smash Diet Assure Success?

Posted by Tracy Rose

What amazes me about the Fat Smash Diet is the ability to get off track, go back to square one for a little while and then get right back to where you were when you fell off the band-wagon. I am not perfect and the idea of trying to be perfect doesn't sit well with me, so this loophole is appealing to me.

The celebrities on Celebrity Fit Club are losing a ton of weight during their detox phase. One of the contestants, the Bone Crusher, actually lost 19 lbs in the first 2 weeks on the Fat Smash Diet. Can you imagine loosing 19 lbs in as little as 2 weeks? Of course, he was the one that lost the most. Other contestants lost 4 or more lbs in their first weigh-in.

The diet is meant to smash old habits and create new ones. The contestants from last season have been able to maintain or continue losing, knowing this is a lifestyle change they can stick with forever.

Fat Smash Diet Assures Success

Extreme Fat Smash Diet

Posted by Tracy Rose

I have a secret to getting a free workout. I rent execise DVD's from my local library. Every week I pick up 1 or 2 DVD's and try to pick ones that are a little different. This way, I never get the same workout twice and my body has to keep guessing, which is good for the metabolism.

I have rented DVD's on Walking Off the Pounds, kickboxing, low-impact aerobics, dancing, Pilates, yoga and varieties on each of these. It keeps me from getting bored with my routine.

It's also a great way to try a DVD before you buy it. You may not realize you enjoy yoga until you try it. Personally, I found that I enjoy kickboxing and yoga the most. So I was able to purchase those, knowing I would get more use out of them.

Posted by Tracy Rose

I'll admit it, I like cake. I use every birthday as an excuse to eat a small peice. I know it isn't healthy, but I also know I can't live the rest of my life without cake. It's how we celebrate and I feel like I am depriving myself if I don't induldge every once in a while.

The Cake Diet is like music to my ears. Now I can take a basic cake recipe and tweak it so that is has healthy ingedients and is a worthy snack.

Once you learn how you can use extra-fortification to make common goodies nutritious and deliscious, it's an easy way to make snacks you can enjoy and feel good about.

Posted by Tracy Rose

I found out a long time ago (through trial and error) that adding protein, espeically to my breakfast allowed me to feel full longer and eat less throughout the day.

Feeling full allows me to concentrate on other things and not be preoccupied with food throughout the day because I can't ignore my hunger pains.

Cereal isn't the enemy, but if you add protein to a whole grain cereal for breakfast, it will give you more bang for your buck. So the next time you reach for the bos of Kashi or Raisin Bran, throw a couple of peicces of turkey bacon in the microwave and to serve with it. Pairing these items will help you feel full longer because your body takes longer to break them down.

Posted by Tracy Rose

As a former TV junkie, I set high goals for myself. Reachign each goal gives me a great thrill. Another item I can check off the list. Something that seemed unattaineable at first and now I've shown that I can do it.

One of the goals I set for myself was to complete a 10K walk. This past April I was able to realize that dream. I walked in a noncompetitive walk for charity.

Set it a scenic Metropark, it was a beautiful place to walk and we were able to observe nature along the way (we even were able to get within a few feet of a goose and her eggs huddled in a nest alongside the lake.)

Since it was my first time out, I didn't treat it like a race. I walked at a pace that was comfortable for me, and to be honest, there were moments when I was dragging a bit. So the walk took me about 3 hours to complete. The great thing about a sponsored event like this is you get treated well. There were stops along the way for refreshments, freebies and even ice cream.

I finished the walk (and I wasn't even the last one to cross the finish line.) Though I was sore for a few days after the walk, it was a great feeling to add the 10K to my list of fitness accomplishments.

My next goal is to try Volkswalking for a social way to to travewl and get fit. these clubs sponsor 10K walking events that are perfect for getting me out of my workout ruts and help me push past the platteaus.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Don't stress over snacking ideas. Keep it simple and stock your kitchen with easy to prepare foods that are easy to grab in a hurry.

· Keep single-serving snacks available.

· Try Weight Watcher's frozen desserts for the occasional treat.

· Fat-free pudding and yogurt are good sources of calcium without a lot of calories.

· Graham crackers with a small amount of low-fat peanut butter are filling.

· Have the occasional treat when you eat out; don't keep sweets at home.

· Don't eat treats that were meant for the kids. If it helps, only buy them snacks that aren't tempting for you.

· Cut up fruits and veggies ahead of time and place in bags or small cups. You're more likely to eat them if they are easy to grab when you're ready for a snack.

Remember, if you're not really hungry; find something else to do to take your mind of off food to avoid consuming too many calories in a day.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Losing weight can be a long, troubled journey for some. We hit a plateau that we can't seem to dig ourselves out of and we start to look for alternatives.

This happened to be last year and I was very skeptical when a friend invited to me to a group hypnosis session for weight loss. I had no idea what to expect during the seminar, but I was comforted by the hypnotist's explanation beforehand and he dispelled many of the myths about being hypnotized.

What I experienced was completely relaxing, refreshing and, more importantly, effective. The hypnotist planted anchors that I could use to remind myself of my preference for fruits and vegetables, my craving for water and my dislike for diet pop.

I walked out feeling a little strange, not knowing what to expect, but I also felt a real sense of peace and tranquility. And I have never experienced such a craving for water.

I purchased the Hypnosis for Weight Loss CD, which has been helpful, but I would certainly consider seeing a hypnotherapist regularly to help me change my habits and reach my goal weight.

Posted by Tracy Rose

You've invited friends and family over for a get-together, but you're concerned about the temptations of the typical BBQ fare. But you don't have to let your guests down or blow your calorie intake for the day to have a successful meal.

By making healthy choices and modifying your usual BBQ fare you and your company can enjoy the meal. Forget hamburger and hot dogs. Instead, throw some salmon, tenderloin or chicken breasts on the grill. Pair with grilled veggies and plain sweet potatoes. Add salad greens on the side to complete the meal.

Looking for a sweet ending? Grilling caramelizes the natural sugar in fruit, creating a yummy and healthy treat.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Reaching your goal weight can be a wonderful accomplishment filled with excitement and pride. If you set unrealistic goals, however, you will never experience these feelings.

Consider what a truly healthy weight is for your body, and in your of life, should be. Take genes and body shape into consideration. Two people who are generally the same height and have the same goals on the doctor's chart can and should have very different weight loss goals. Bone structure, muscle mass, age and health all play a role in determining a proper weight for each individual.

Your goal weight should be a weight that makes you feel healthy, fit and strong.

Posted by Tracy Rose

I admit it. I am a food addict. I crave sugar and carbs. I have physical withdrawal symptoms when I go a few days without these foods. I am always planning my next "treat" and get excited over food. I feel deprived when I can't eat the foods I enjoy the most.

I am tempted to eat by watching pizza commercials and I am weak at restaurants that serve break baskets. Even though I go in with the best intentions, I reach for the carbs without fail.

I feel like food addicts have it harder than other addicts because we can't avoid food like you can avoid drugs and alcohol. They can stop going to certain places and being around people who support the addiction. Though it may be tough, they can live a life without stepping into another bar, but few people can commit to staying out of restaurants for the rest of their lives.

I am learning and applying new strategies to cope with my food addiction though. There are temptations around me all the time and it is my job to be prepared for them and to find the inner strength to say no to anything that doesn't support my choice to lose weight.

Posted by Tracy Rose

The best method for cutting back on calories is to simply take your mind off of food. Avoid the kitchen and restaurants. Instead, do something else you enjoy that doesn't revolve around food. Even watching TV can cause cravings by seeing all of the tempting food commercials.

The concept here is simple. Engage in activities that keep your mind and/or body busy. Take a walk outside, write a poem, practice word puzzles, try a new workout video, practice yoga or take a warm bath.

Connect with friends in person, on the pgone or online. Soemtimes a friendly conversation or a note of support is all you need to amke it through to the next meal.

Going to sleep early is another basic tactic you can use to avoid overeating. It isn't important what you do, just as long as it does the trick and your food cravings are relieved.

Posted by Tracy Rose

The easiest and least expensive form of exercise is walking. It's a great activity for a beginner because there isn't any high-tech gear to buy, just throw on some comfortable clothes and shoes and you can begin.

I started my weight loss program by walking. I gained access to a treadmill and eventually joined a gym for access to other machines, weights and water aerobics.

I still prefer to walk outside though. I've found that I enjoy hiking. Geocaching drew me in, but I found that I feel empowered physically and emotionally from the activity. I never follow the same path twice, my area is filled with beautiful parks and various trails I didn't need to buy any gear to get started.

I like the sense of adventure hiking gives me. Each hike brings a new challenge and a different territory to explore and best of all; it burns more calories than walking does.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Having a plan that you can stick to is crucial to losing weight and beating junk food cravings.

I find it hard to watch TV in the evening because of all the pizza and other food commercials that tempt me into eating something I wasn't even considering otherwise. When I'm not prepared, it is too easy to order a deep dish pizza without thinking about the calorie content and the effect it will have on my weight loss goals.

So how do I prepare myself to resist the cravings and temptations of junk food?

· I have a solid meal plan.

· I have a detailed list of things I enjoy doing so I can distract myself in a pinch if I need to.

· I don't keep junk food in the house and when I do buy it, I buy in single serving packages so I can't eat a whole box of Ho-Ho's even if I wanted to.

· I substitute another snack for the one I am really craving. Weight Watchers desserts are one example of a quick, low-calorie option that will satisfy my sweet tooth.

· I don't swear off any foods completely. Nothing is off limits if eaten in moderation. A few slices of pizza per week keep me from eating a whole pizza when I am weak and feeling deprived.

· I seek support. Writing an email or checking in on a weight loss message board is sometimes all it takes to distract me from eating.

You can avoid giving in to your junk food cravings by creating a plan that works for you. Define what your needs are and write out a weekly and daily meal and exercise plan that will allow you to lose weight safely without giving up all of your favorite foods.

Posted by Tracy Rose

In just one hour, you can expect to lose between 6 and 20 inches off of your body. No amount of working out can make that difference in that time frame. Hitting the gym 5 times a week and pushing your limits on weight training you might lose 5-10 inches in a month.

Body wraps aren't a substitute for healthy nutrition and exericse, but it can be a helpul tool in ridding the body of harmful toxins and improving your overall appearance.

You can improve your results from the body wrap by having them roughly once per week to continuously rid your body of the toxins, improve your skin's appearance and lose the maximum amount of inches.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Losing weight takes a good amount of exericse, healthy food choices and determination.

For some, losing weight and seeing that loss on the scale is the ultimate validation. But often times when you increase your exercise you build muscle that offsets that weight loss and it can be either encouraging or discouraging, depending on how you look at it.

The same is true for the loss of inches through body wraps. It won't help you to see results on the scale, but it will take inches off your body in one hour. It will give your body a sleek, slimmer apperance.

So if your goals go beyond the number on the scale and you are intent on changing your body's appearance, the body wrap can help you achieve your desired look.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Looking back over my food journal, several things hit me loud and clear:

1. I make poor choices when I eat in restaurants and I go 500 or more calories over my daily calorie limit.

2. I eat more fried foods and sweets when I eat with certain family members.

3. I use food to feed my emotional pain rather than my hunger pains. Comfort foods push down my feelings of stress, anxiety, boredom, depression and even happiness. I seek a sugar high when my stress level is high.

4. I think food with make me happy, but that feeling only lasts a few minutes and I feel worse afterwards for not sticking to my program and causing a setback in my weight loss.

5. I tend to white-knuckle it on the diet for short periods of time before I feel deprived and cave in to eat the foods I have been craving. This turns into a vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting.

The good news is that knowledge is power. Now that I am aware of my diet weaknesses I can work on them and challenge myself to do better on each of these items.

A weekly review of my food diary will show if I've made any progress in fixing any of the problems I've detected in my eating habits.

Posted by Tracy Rose

If you are carrying unwanted pounds and have tried just about every diet to hit the market, you are probably looking for a weight loss alternative.

One popular solution is Gastric Bypass Surgery. Though this method has worked for many patients and helps them to lose the weight quickly, it is not the safest way to lose weight.

Surgery poses some big risks and even if you do survive the hospital stay and the brutal recovery, there are severe side effects in many cases.

So what can you do if you are desperate to lose the weight and get healthy?

There is an over-the-counter supplement available, called Zetacap, which claims to work like gastric bypass in a bottle. It removes the risks associated with surgery and offers a temporary sense of fullness so that you eat less at each meal.

If it really works how it says it does, it could be life changing for many people. How much can you actually eat when you already feel full? It works for those who have gone through the surgery to reduce the size of the stomach.

Imagine you are sitting at a restaurant and the breadbasket is delivered. You want that warm, soft bread with every ounce of your being. You scramble to get one on your plate. Normally you can eat 2 or 3 before you think about stopping and then feel guilty when you polish off the entire basket. But not this time, you have taken your Zetacap with water before your meal. You take two bites and you can't eat any more. You feel full and now you don't feel deprived either. You tasted the food, but you were not able to go overboard and take in hundreds of excess calories.

Though there is no guarantee this product will work, it may be well worth the try for a small investment, especially if you are considering surgery. What have you got to lose?

Posted by Tracy Rose

When you have searched the available weight loss support groups in your area and you come up empty handed or can't find a group that suits your needs, it's time to consider starting a group of your own.

This doesn't need to be a complicated or overwhelming process. Follow these simple steps to create a successful group to help you through your weight loss journey.

· Start by assessing your personal weight loss support needs.

· Decide what will help you reach your personal weight loss goals. Put those ideas into a few sentences that describe what your group will be based on.

· Find a place to meet regularly. You could use a clubhouse, the mall or someone's home.

· Decide what time and day would work beat for regular meetings. How often will you meet and what time of day? Do you want to attract stay-at-home moms, teenagers or working parents?

· Create a simple flier to describe your group and when it will meet.

· Advertise your weight loss group within your immediate community, through your library, through community bulletin boards and use online advertisements.

· Hold meetings regularly.

· Exchange contact information with all members.

· Be attentive to each person in the support group.

· Provide activities that the group is interested such as walks, group exercise, group and individual challenges, virtual tours based on exercise, recipe exchanges and reward systems.

· Update the support group structure as necessary to keep members interested and active.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Stress is hard on your body, but it can be devastating when your goal is to lose weight. Though we can't completely cut stress out of our lives, we can learn how to handle it differently to get a different result.

When you choose to eat over stressful situations, you are choosing the consequence of not losing weight. Your metabolism will slow down to a crawl and any other efforts you are making will be in vain. You'll also add more calories than you think, even in a short period of time.

Try tracking your calories for a week and see how many calories you really are consuming due to stress eating. You may be surprised how fast a bag of chips, some pretzels, a handful of peanuts and a dish of ice cream add up to. But it is so easy to consume all of that just standing at the pantry trying to push down the stressful feelings.

A good free online program is www.sparkpeople.com. This site allows you to track calories, exercise, water intake and more while setting up personal weight loss goals that are completely doable.

To get a different result, you have to choose a new reaction to the stress. Pick up a new hobby, keep your hands busy with a craft, chew sugar-free gum to keep your mouth busy, talk a brisk walk to clear your head, make new friends or read a book. Whatever you choose to do should be fun and effortless and take your mind off of both the stress and the food.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Your own reaction to overindulging is hugely important. If you make it such a big deal that you can't get back on track by the next meal or tack on extra time at the gym to make up for the extra calories you will have a harder time succeeding with your long-term weight loss goals.

The best thing you can do is to learn how to be a friend to yourself. Would you punish your friend in the same way? Usually the answer is no. Let yourself off easy. Learn from the experience. Beating yourself up about your poor choices won't improve the situation.

Question yourself as to what set you off in the first place and what you can do differently the next time you are in the same situation. Develop a plan for stressful times. What are some other activities than can help you unwind besides food? Make a list of those things and keep it handy so you don't have to think about it too much when you are in the moment. Making choices while under stress often leads to poor choices, but you can limit poor choices simply by being prepared.

Posted by Tracy Rose

The amount of sleep you get plays a key role in your weight loss success. So how can you beat insomnia and make better strides towards your weight loss goal?

· Reserve your bed for sleeping only.

· So something else if you aren't tired.

· Eat healthy meals throughout the day.

· Don't eat right before bed.

· Exercise regularly, but at least 3 hours before bed.

· Go to sleep and wake up at the same time everyday.

· Take a warm bath.

· Use scented candles, play soft music or get a massage.

· Use relaxation techniques.

· Listen to a hypnosis CD or practice self-hypnosis.

· Avoid caffeine and alcohol.

· Create comfort by finding the right temperature, sounds, scents, cleanliness and comfortable bedding.

When all else fails, see your doctor for advice about prescription medicine to help you sleep.

Posted by Tracy Rose

The occasional slip-up is inevitable. We can't be expected to eat healthy and incorporate every aspect of our healthy lifestyle plan all the time. But if you repeatedly choose to eat poorly, not drink enough water, not exercise, allow yourself to be sabotaged and generally fall into old habits, you will see poor weight loss results.

So how do you stop the cycle and stay on a positive track?

· Learn to avoid temptation.

· Get through the holidays without binging.

· Avoid saboteurs or learn how to tell them no.

· Stay on track even when you hit a plateau.

· Prepare healthy meals and snacks ahead of time when possible.

· Limit dining out and choose carefully when you do eat out.

· Set small goals and stick to them.

· Journal about the experience.

· Find support.

· Stick to an exercise routine.

· Find balance in your life.

· Reward yourself.

· Don't give up.

Poor choices lead to poor results, but you will be amazed at the difference that positive change can make in your life.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Growing up fat is not an easy thing to do. Not only is childhood obesity dangerous for our bodies but it is also a struggle mentally and it can take many years to repair. The things that other children, as well as grown relative and teachers, say to obese children are often appalling and hurtful.

The comments can stay with a person for a long time and can become the way they think of themselves. "If everyone else thinks I am just fat and lazy, then I must just be fat and lazy."

Challenge these thoughts to break the habit of retelling yourself these negative comments. Are you lazy? If you are then do something about it. Find a new activity to do and don't allow yourself to be a couch potato. However, if you're not, then stop telling yourself you are. Replace the thought with a positive thought. Try catching yourself repeating this and replace it with the things you do and are good at.

Learn to accept and love yourself no matter what anyone else says about you. Once you gain a certain amount of self-esteem they will look at you differently too.

Work through your feelings rather than giving into them or eating to push them down. Taking action will always get better results than worrying and stressing over things.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Ever have one of those afternoons where you are so hungry that you can't control your eating and it seems like you can't stop grazing and nothing fills you up?

Well, that void is probably breakfast. Many people start their day off wrong by not fueling their bodies.

By skipping breakfast, you may feel okay for a while, but by late afternoon you will be ravenous and could eat anything that isn't nailed down. You end up eating far too many calories and risk putting your weight loss efforts in danger.

The simple fix is to eat breakfast every day. If time is a factor, prepare something the night before like a fruit cup or a bran muffin that you can take on the go. Stock your pantry with plenty of healthy options to choose from. Don't be afraid to spend calories on breakfast because it will save you more calories down the road. You'll have more control over impulse eating throughout the day and eat fewer total calories.

Posted by Tracy Rose

You can have dramatically higher energy by making healthier choices and limiting pop and sugary foods.

The first step to a healthier you is to reduce your sugar intake. Some people can cut sugar from their diet cold turkey and they are fine, but for others it is necessary to wean off of your sugar high slowly. Sugar reduces your energy and leaves you feeling tired. It also leads you to crave more sugar throughout the day. Amazingly, your body will adjust to not having sugar if you avoid it long enough. You will crave the less and feel more energetic as your body adjusts.

The second step is to replace the sugary foods with healthy alternatives. Your energy level will soar when you add fruits and veggies into your daily meal plan.

Better eating leads to higher energy levels, better workouts, better sleep and better weight loss success. So the next time you hit the pantry for a snack, think about how much better a piece of fruit or some veggies would be for your total health.

Posted by Tracy Rose

One idea for setting up your rewards and being consistent about it is to create a reward chart.

Start by using short and long-term goals. Assign a point value to each of them. Maybe 10 points per short-term goal and 100 points per long-term goal. Then make a list of rewards in order of their value and importance to you. A CD may be worth 50 points, but a mini vacation will be for more like 5,000 points.

Next, graph it out, either on the computer or using a large poster board. Get as creative as you want with it. Use stickers or other visuals that will motivate you.

Keep a tally of how many points you earn on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Follow through and reward yourself when you reach the different point values. Take pride in all that you've accomplished and continue to work towards your long-term goals and rewards.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Geocaching is a great way to get kids involved in your weight loss efforts.

It is recommended that kids get 60 minutes of exercise per day and in our technology driven society that is often hard to come by. They key may be finding an activity you can enjoy together as a family.

Geocaching could be just the thing you need to spark their interest. Because there are varying degrees of difficulty, even younger kids can enjoy this type of hiking.

Kids (and adults) tend to forget they are hiking and getting exercise when they are preoccupied with the idea of finding a hidden treasure.

As a family, you may also enjoy putting together a cache of your own, finding a clever hiding spot for it and checking back on it often to see who has visited your cache and what items have been exchanged.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Doing the same thing day after day will get you the same results. But if your goal is to lose weight, you'll need to mix things up to see better results. Though walking is a great way to get started on a weight loss plan, it is a good idea to check out other machines and activities once your body has adjusted to exercise again.

Changing one particular area of your life isn't going to do much for your long-term goals either. Hanging out with your same old eating buddies will make it very difficult to stay on the right track. Find ways to meet new people with similar interests or goals.

You don't need to climb a mountain or become a surgeon overnight to see results, but you do need to step up your game at whatever point you're at now. You must be willing to change across the board to see the maximum benefits. Enjoy the mini victories and small changes that take place along the journey.

Posted by Tracy Rose

High self-esteem is an amazing thing to possess. Your personality will shine when you are feeling and looking your best and you will be blown away by the doors that will suddenly open for you that you thought were closed forever. Whether you are looking for a new career or that someone special, you will exude the confidence you need to get it by challenging yourself everyday and loving yourself in a whole new way.

To fully love your body, you must also accept its limitations. There will always be things you can't change and it is important to realize that and only change the things you have control over.

Posted by Tracy Rose

Losing weight involves four key elements. Exercise, lifestyle change and resting metabolism must be balanced with good nutrition. If any of these things are lacking you may be frustrated by a lack of results and be tempted to throw in the towel on your program without giving it 100%.

By raising your resting metabolism, you will be able to burn more calories every day and you will see the weight loss results you have been longing for.

If you have been putting in long hours at the gym and can't pinpoint why you haven't been able to lose weight, metabolism training could be the answer you have been looking for.