AP - Arkansas schoolchildren appear to be holding their own in the battle against bulge.
Yesterday, on Geraldo at Large, actress/model Daisy Fuentes shared with the Fox News talk show host her new focus in life: . Fuentes told Geraldo that she was saddened by how - she believes - has become more about a competition between women than looking attractive to the opposite sex. Most of the men that I've spoken to, continues Fuentes, are not attracted to extremely thin women anyway.
She also graces the cover of the September issue of Fitness Magazine as their first Mind, Body Spirit 'Superstar' - to help bring awareness and change to women's health causes, including and .
Fitness: Do you think our society has an obsession with thinness?
Daisy: Yeah. There was a time when I was caught up in it too. I had to stop myself from saying, “I’m fat.” It’s not good for your self-esteem, and it’s not good for the people around you. I see moms with little girls who say, “I’m fat. I can’t eat that.” We need to stop doing that. We have to set an example for younger girls.
Fuentes goes on to say that she is a "big supporter of charities that boost girls’ self-esteem," especially , a group that "helps preteens develop healthy lifestyles through running" (one of Daisy's favorite forms of exercise).
Daisy Fuentes also doesn't believe in diets. For example, to prepare for the Fitness Magazine cover photo shoot, Daisy said she 'didn't obsess about calories,' and 'just made sure all the basic food groups' were a part of her lifestyle in addition to circuit training.
"I try to make healthy choices...I've learned to eat just until I’m satisfied," says Fuentes.
She goes on to talk about the effect of the pressure to be thin on Latinos in particular. In her interview in Fitness magazine, Feuntes discusses the conflict many Hispanic women feel about their natural - and sometimes more 'curvier' - body shape.
"There’s a part of you that really wants to embrace your curves, then there’s society saying no one likes curves. It takes someone as confident as Jennifer Lopez to turn a body part that’s often considered a flaw into something hot. The lesson?" says Fuentes. "Stop listening to society and focus on yourself. "
When asked what the future might bring for Hispanic women, Fuentes says that she sees a 'multicultural celebration of body image' going on and that she's happy 'that we're all starting to see how beauty shines through no matter what you look like.'
By Laura Brooks
A favorite new from the chefs at , this delicious and colorful combination of fresh vegetables and herbs makes a great main dish to serve at lunch, dinner or brunch. Pair it with a fresh melon salad for the ultimate experience.
Makes 6-8 servings
1 ½ cups sliced zucchini
1 ½ cups sliced yellow squash
½ cup cubed red pepper
½ cup sliced sweet onion
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 ready-to-bake pie crust
2 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs such as basil, rosemary and thyme
12 ounces (3 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
3 eggs, beaten
Salt
Pepper
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss vegetables with the oil and vinegar; spread vegetables on a cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven.
Heat oven to 350° F. Unroll pie crust dough into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Press crust gently against the sides and bottom. Fold excess crust under and press firmly with a fork or flute the edge. Spread 1½ cups mozzarella cheese on the bottom of the crust and layer cooked vegetables on top of the cheese. Sprinkle on chopped herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Pour beaten eggs evenly over the vegetables and top with the remaining 1½ cups of cheese. Bake for 35 minutes. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.
For more healthy recipes check out the other delicious recipes listed on this blog or visit
I just received a reprint of an article in the , talking about how 'major restaurant chains plan their menus.' It was sent to me by the .
The article didn't tell me anything surprising, but I thought some of it was worth repeating only to reinforce the power that consumers have. Often it seems that we point the finger at industry, blaming them for selling us 'unhealthy foods.' But the fact is, if we didn't buy it, they wouldn't sell it.
From the article:
"Not surprisingly, profit margins are the primary determinants of why restaurants do or do not add and continue to serve healthier food options. Without an increase in consumer demand, it is unlikely the restaurant industry will increase their offering of healthy fod choices."This article was written by health professionals from a variety of universities and based on telephone interviews with 'senior menu development and marketing executives at leading casual dining and fast-food restaurant chains.' One of the direct quotes from an interview:
"If you want to stay employed and stay in business, you have to grow you sales and increase your profits."It makes sense that you can't do that if you're offering things people don't want! Another quote:
"Meeting consumer demand is critical. If people don't want to come to your restaurant, then you're out of business."Another one:
"Currently, if you put something on the menu and say it's healthy, it's the kiss of death."A case in point was an effort a few years ago by Taco Bell to sell lighter entrees. I'm an avid fan of Mexican food, and was thrilled to see healthier choices by such a widespread chain. Unfortunately, the effort ended within a couple of years for lack of interest on the part of the consumer. The entrees tasted good -- I enjoyed them whenever I visited Taco Bell. Don't know exactly why consumers didn't go for them -- perhaps it's just the idea of '' not being as tasty or maybe not enough.
What's my point in reviewing all this? I think we have to put our money where our mouth is. If we want better choices from restaurants, we need to support those choices. Research is pretty clear that eating out is associated with a lower quality of diet, and that if we do it too often, we're increasing our chances of weight struggles.
The other point is that many of us would do well to learn to cook. We've got some great coming up this fall at Green Mountain. But I'd wager there are several offered in your area, too. Or join us for one of our -- I'm off on that one end of this month. Italy provides a great example of how healthy cooking really can be fun and taste great!
Reuters - A gene that keeps mice and fruit flies lean might offer a way to prevent obesity and diabetes in people, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.
Everyone has heard about the dreaded Freshman 15. Whether women going off to college actually really gain 15 pounds (more or less), it’s the change in lifestyle that often leaves them behaving differently around .
It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that moving away from home to a completely new environment with all the pressures and temptations of college might lead some young women to put on a few pounds. But is it
When you’re 18, your comprehension of cause and effect may well be left in the classroom. All you can see is the end result - your jeans are getting tighter and you may no longer be as thin as the ‘other girls’. The next steps a young woman takes to come to terms with her new body are crucial. All she probably needs from mom is your support, encouragement, and love. Translation? Do not over-react!
Addressing any weight gain to your daughter (or son for that matter), is a very slippery slope. The key is how a young woman accepts her and perhaps, more importantly, how those most influential in her life handle these changes as well. I believe this is one of those times in life when it’s best to leave well enough alone. Simply not commenting on weight gain may be the single best thing you can do. Trust me, she knows she’s gained weight, and it may surprise you to know it doesn’t bother her as much as it bothers you!
Making sure your daughter feels secure about being loved and valued is what it’s all about. Hopefully, we all know better than to create any correlation between what the scale might say and how much we love.
AFP - One child in five will be obese in the Netherlands by 2015, according to a study carried out by the Nicis research institute in the country's major cities, the Dutch news agency ANP reported Tuesday.