| 'Shrinkdown' Weight Loss Program Run By Nutritional Renegades
I recently shared with you an initiative that is taking place in my home state of South Carolina to help people lose weight and get healthy. It's called "Shrinkdown" and is sponsored by the local YMCA chapters. In fact, I decided to join this year to see what it was all about. After the intial weigh-in and a check of the key health statistics a couple of weeks back, participants in the "Shrinkdown" program were given a "Healthy Living Guide" three-ring binder to bring with them to their weekly Friday weigh-ins. Additional materials have been distributed each week and will continue to for the remaining weeks in the program. But imagine my horror on Friday when I got my new materials and saw on page 3:21 a section entitled "Why Do I Need Carbohydrates?" What the heck is this crappy health information all about and why is it in a packet about "healthy living"?! When I looked closer for the source of this page, I saw it was from a woman named Kelly Frazier from the Department of Health & Exercise Science at the nearby Furman University in Greenville, SC who links to more information about the "Vegetarian Lifestyle" on her web site.
Feds Approve OTC Diet Pill
(WASHINGTON) The nation's ongoing battle against obesity has a new weapon the first government-approved diet pill that can be bought without a prescription. Intended only for people 18 and older, the drug, called alli, is a reduced-strength version of the prescription diet drug Xenical. The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday announced its approval of sales of the lower-dose drug without a prescription, with officials stressing that it needs to be used in combination with a diet and exercise program. "Using this drug alone is unlikely to be beneficial," said Dr. Charles Ganley, FDA's director of nonprescription products. The new drug will be sold by GlaxoSmithKline PLC and the company said it is expected to be in stores by summer. While the final price has not been determined, it is expected to be about $1- to $2-a-day.
Calorie labels sought for fast-food menus
A whole new layer of guilt could be piled atop those steamy burger patties and super-sized french fries under a new city mandate proposed by Concord Mayor Mark Peterson. Known for pushing healthy living and fitness programs, Peterson wants to require Concord fast-food restaurants to post calorie information next to the lettering for each menu item. This way, people will not only know what they're getting into when ordering that extra-creamy chocolate milkshake, but could be persuaded to choose a healthier alternative. "So many of these meals are much worse than people even realize," he said. He acknowledges that many restaurants offer nutrition information on brochures behind the counter or even on Web sites. But that's not enough, he says. "If it's right in front of their eyes as they're ordering, staring right at them, it's hard to ignore," Peterson said.
The Potato Diet: Is It Good for You?
Potatoes are high in proteins, vitamins A and B, potash, soda, and alkaline salts, but is a potato diet the best choice for you? Although it is used in the treatment of some disorders like intestinal toxaemia, renal calculi, constipation, stone and dropsy, or uric acid diseases, potato-based diets are not indicated for obese people. The potato diet may help you lose weight and stay in shape. However, remember that what`s good for others may not be good for you, and seek medical advice before you start a diet. Day one: Breakfast: Seven ounces of washed fruits like apples, oranges, or mandarins mixed up with five ounces of low-fat yogurt and three spoons of cereals. Snack: Five ounces of yogurt Lunch: Wash, clean, and boil four big potatoes.
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