“100 Ways to Cut 100 Calories” is a list from America On The Move, a non-profit educational foundation dedicated to improving “…health and quality of life by promoting healthful eating and active living among individuals, families, communities and society. ”  As they put it:

Our research shows that small, specific changes in food and physical activity behaviors can have a positive effect on health and effectively stop weight gain.  AOM provides free web-based programs, tools, and resources to individuals, families, groups and communities of all types and sizes.

As I’ve written before, a lot can be accomplished through small, progressive changes, vs. trying to overhaul an entire lifestyle overnight.  Cutting a little here, and making small changes there can help prevent weight gain, as well as set the stage for future weight loss success.  There are lots of tips and tools on the AOM site, so it’s definitely worth a look.

…in a new ad campaign by a vegetarian-oriented research group,  The Cancer Project.

According to the Associated Press, the ad has touched a lot of nerves, from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council to the American Cancer Society, which beat a quick retreat from the controversy.

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A short while ago I received an e-mail offering an invitation to purchase one or more of a small number of remaining bottles of BetaFuel. BetaFuel is distributed by MarqiLife and Brock Felt (who appears as an “unbiased customer” in the before and after shots featured on the BetaFuel web site. You can also see Brock’s pictures featured on the NiteTrim product site as well). 

BetaFuel happens to be an ephedra-based product, containing 10 mg of ephedra derived from Ma Huang.

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This is the subject of a nice little article over at WebMD.

Now, I like a good pre-workout booster – which is usually some combo of caffeine with nootropics (heck, even a stiff shot of coffee and a couple tyrosine caps will do in a pinch).  I think they really do help with focus, and the ability to dig just a little bit deeper to get that last rep or two out.  The bottom line, however, is that the best general energy booster I know of, is activity. I sit at my computer for long hours each day – and there are times when I find my forehead sinking towards the keyboard.  When that happens, a brisk walk, or a few short minutes of more intense exercise (i.e., wall squats, pushups, rope jumping), perk me right back up again.

I have to admit, this New York Times article made me want to bang my head my head against my keyboard.

So it stands to reason that weight-loss shows are now a part of the television landscape, spanning NBC, the Style Network and Discovery Health, as common as crime procedurals, soap operas or talk shows. (All television genres have signature moments. On westerns it’s the cattle stampede; on weight-loss shows it’s the weigh-in, presented in slow motion and in black and white.)

These fat-reduction spectacles are embedded in a mixed message that mirrors a broader cultural clash of appearance and appetite — and our obsession with both. Against a loop of talk shows and made-for-TV dramas about eating disorders, Americans are goaded into ever more drastic and extreme expectations of physical perfection on prime time, while their path is mined with Double Croissan’wich specials at Burger King and Olive Garden “Tour of Italy” triptychs (lasagna, chicken parmigiana and fettuccine Alfredo). On “Today” a homily on sensible dieting from the Joy Fit Club is followed by instructions in a following segment for hibiscus margaritas and churros — deep-fried, sugar-dipped Mexican crullers. On the WE network’s show “The Secret Lives of Women,” a tribute to three women’s hard-won journey to extreme weight loss is interrupted by an ad for Baskin-Robbins Oreo sundae.

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I thought this BBC article was extremely cool.

Exercise classes keep Flo fit at 100. 

Flo Harmsworth is a good example of the old adage, “It’s never too late to get fit.”

At the age of 90 her doctor prescribed exercise classes to help combat the painful effects of peripheral vascular disease – narrowing of the arteries.

Her legs were aching and, despite having a very active life, she was starting to find it too painful to walk.

Now a decade later the centenarian is still taking part in the Royal Free Hospital weekly classes and loving them.

Back when we lived in Ohio, I worked out at the gym operated by the City of Kettering Parks and Rec. Dept.  The main facility was in the same building as the senior citizens’ center, so it wasn’t unusual to see older people there, too.  A couple of standouts were Millie, who – at 84 years old - participated in the regular aerobics classes and jogged on the indoor track; and my “boyfriend” Charlie, who still lifted weights at 92.

Unfortunately, most of the older folks I chatted with weren’t like Millie and Charlie: they were there because of health problems.  Over the years, I heard a lot of sad stories about open-heart surgeries and osteoporosis.  Several people had disabled spouses, and needed to improve their own fitness so they could be better caregivers.  As one man put it to me: “If only I knew then what I know now.”

As Flo’s story proves, you’re never too old to get into shape…as far as I’m concerned, being in the gym beats the hell out of being in a wheelchair.

The US Presidential election is “on” in full force now…and both Barack Obama and John McCain are duking it out over who is the most “elitist” and out-of-touch with us reg’lar Murikans. The rationale is obvious: if you sling enough mud, some of it will stick.  The idea is to create a negative “vibe” that will influence how people vote on election day – despite the fact that it’s unrelated to the administrative capacity of either candidate.

Supplement ads sometimes use a similar tactic. Often a case “for” a particular supplement rests on a case “against” a competing product (or product type). And – needless to state – the case “against” nearly always consists of some carefully cherry picked “facts,” combined with the use of descriptive terms designed to evoke a negative emotional response.  Like I said, if you sling enough mud…

Paul sent me a perfect example of this today. It was part of the advertising for a pea/rice protein supplement, and the case “for” these proteins was made by slagging two popular alternatives: whey and soy.

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I’m all for encouraging people to get in shape, but – in my humble opinion – this is the wrong way to go about it.

MONTGOMERY – Obese state employees and those who have high readings for blood pressure, cholesterol or glucose will have to pay more for health insurance starting in January 2011, unless they take steps to address those risks, under a plan adopted by a state board Wednesday.

Starting in January 2010, state employees will have to pay an extra $25 a month for health insurance unless they submit baseline readings for their weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose.

Starting in 2011, they will have to pay the extra $25 a month unless a work site wellness screening shows their readings fall below certain thresholds or they consult with a doctor, participate in a wellness program or reduce their risk levels, perhaps by losing weight or lowering their blood pressure.

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Both Paul and I have written before about Rebiana – the stevia-based sweetener that Cargill and Coca Cola are planning to introduce in the US.  It’s currently going through the regulatory “hoops” needed to obtain GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status as a food ingredient.  In the meantime, Cargill’s brand, “Truvia” is available online in the form of single serving sweetener packets. 

Apparently, they aren’t the only ones: the Whole Earth Sweetener Company – in partnership with PepsiCo – is bringing out its own ”Reb A” sweetener called PureVia.  Like the Cargill/Coke collaboration, PureVia is also awaiting FDA approval.

Other companies are champing at the bit, however.  According a recent industry report, Blue California is also coming out with a purified, rebaudioside A product called “Good & Sweet“ with a “self-affirmed” GRAS status.  Wisdom Natural Brands has taken the same route to market their “Sweet Leaf” product as a sweetener.  And a stevia-sweetened soda,  carbonated dietary supplement,  Zevia, is already on the market. 

It will be interesting to see if the FDA clamps down on the above products, given that the Cargill/Coke and Pepsi products are evidently on their way to regulatory approval and Truvia is already being sold in limited form.  They went after the Hain-Celestial Group and their ”Zinger” line of teas last year, claiming stevia was an “unsafe food additive.”

We’ll see.

In the meantime, I ordered a sample 6-pack of Zevia.  I’m not a diet soda drinker, but I’m curious to see how it tastes.  Ditto the Truvia – I don’t sweeten many things, but I do take a packet of stevia in my morning jolt o’ coffee, and I’m curious to make the comparison.

For some reason I decided to go check out some of UltimateFatBurner.com’s competitors today; you know – the thinly disguised product promotion sites masquerading as unbiased “review” sites. Not really sure why I decided to do this; some perverse desire to raise my blood pressure, I guess.

Anyhow, if you’re subscribed to UltimateFatBurner.com’s newsfeed you’ll be aware that many of the products I have reviewed lately feature 1 or more patented weight loss ingredients in their overall formulas. Retailers are using these patented ingredients as part of their overall marketing strategy, capitalizing on the common misconception that “patented” means proven and effective (one product claims its blend of clinically proven and patented weight loss ingredients outperforms prescription weight loss drugs).

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The new “Brinkzone Blog” is getting up and running…so I’ve contributed my first post: “Clueless in Seattle.”  I’ll be weighing in over there periodically as well, from now on.

If you haven’t done so before, check out the “Brinkzone” – Will Brink’s personal web site.  He’s got lots of good articles and other goodies on the site.

Michael Phelps eats 12,000 calories per day. But holy cow… it’s all calories, with an apparent minimalist approach to nutrition. Still, he’s got 11 gold medals more than I do…

… in THIS Olympics.  

I’ve just finished Steve Ettlinger’s “Twinkie, Deconstructed.” Its bright orange cover caught my eye a few weeks back in a local bookstore, and once I read the back cover, I was hooked (this, in large part to the influence of Elissa, who is a food scientist by trade).

The premise of “Twinkie, Deconstructed” is a simple one; explain clearly the origin and role of each and every ingredient in everyones favorite snack cake, the Hostess Twinkie (believe it or not, I’ve never actually had a Twinkie. After reading this book, I’m seriously considering buying some just to try one).

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My response to this question would be: “Who the #&%!!! cares?  Do the one you enjoy the most…it’s all good.”

Finally.  Got.  Through.  An.  Uninterrupted.  Week.

It felt good, despite the fact that I had a major case of DOMS in my quads following the leg workout.   And it’s not like I made any earth-shattering progress this week, either.  It FELT like progress, however, given the general disorganization of the last 3 weeks.  Being back on track and working hard was sort of its own reward…soreness was just a detail.

Looking ahead to Week 6: there will be some modifications to the schedule.  Rather than a 5-day/week schedule with only 1 – 2 muscle groups per workout, it’s a rotating 3-days on/1 off schedule that goes:

• Back, Biceps, and Forearms
• Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
• Legs, Calves, and Abs

I read the news today, oh boy…

Red Bull drink lifts stroke risk: Australian study.

CANBERRA (Reuters) – Just one can of the popular stimulant energy drink Red Bull can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, even in young people, Australian medical researchers said on Friday.

The caffeine-loaded beverage, popular with university students and adrenaline sport fans to give them “wings”, caused the blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.

“One hour after they drank Red Bull, (their blood systems) were no longer normal. They were abnormal like we would expect in a patient with cardiovascular disease,” Scott Willoughby, lead researcher from the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, told the Australian newspaper.

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An analysis released by the University of California’s Center for Weight and Health suggests that posting the calories on fast food restaurant menu boards could save Californians from gaining up to 2.7 pounds per year.  According to the press release:

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It happens every 4 years like clockwork. My blood pressure rises. My teeth grind. I tear at my hair. I toss and turn fitfully at night. And then, as quickly as it began, it’s gone. Slowly, my blood pressure returns to normal. My dentist calls earnestly. My hair grows back. I sleep comfortably.  

Is it the Olympics?

Nope. Close though.

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But I think I’ll draw the line at Scorpion Suckers and Cricket Lick-Its.

When it comes to insect candy, it looks like Hotlix has the bases covered: they’ve got “Larvettes,” “Amber InsectNside,” and a range of other entomophagous treats.  According to one review, they aren’t half bad, either.

No Crunchy Frogs, though…pity.

I’m always getting alerts and newsletters from professional groups in my e-mail…sifting through this stuff is sometimes a pain, but every so often, something worth following up on catches my eye.

Like this press release, for example:

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