FirstLook Review: Fat Chance By Biggest Loser Julie Hadden

By Bev Ethington MerryWeather

It's hard to know where to start with Julie Hadden's book,  Fat Chance - Losing the Weight, Gaining My Worth  (Guideposts Books/ 2009). There is the fact that Julie was a participant on the show, The Biggest Loser but I think the most important thing about Julie's book is what lead up to the moment she finally 'wanted' to lose the weight. And what she has done since then to stay at her new weight. 

Julie mentions a number of scriptures in her book.  One verse of scripture I felt summed it all up.  This was Hebrews 12:1 which  states:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." 

What better witnesses for Julie than the contestants that had been on The Biggest Loser and of course her fellow peers during Season Four!

The workouts, relearning what to eat and portion size is certainly an important part of weight lost. But the daily battle with our thoughts, as well as finding and keeping the motivation to stay on course I think is the hardest part. 

Jillian Michaels, one of the personal trainers on The Biggest Loser was obviously a huge part of Julie's success.  The in your face approach after all is a terrific motivator, which  Jillian excels at. Jillian is herself a witness to the struggles of weight so she knows the questions to ask and just how hard to push. The Biggest Loser show is unique as it is the first of its kind and hugely popular not only in its fan base but in its success stories.

I think Julie's book, Fat Chance- Losing the Weight, Gaining My Worth would be an inspiration to anyone who wants to make a change in their life whatever that change may be. Now Julie is a witness  to show others the way. 

Julie Hadden is one of the most successful and memorable contestants from the NBC reality show The Biggest Loser. She struggled for years with issues of worth related to her weight. When she was selected from a group of 250,000 applicants to be cast on the television show, she found the strength to make the changes necessary in her life to "lose the weight and gain her worth."  Today, Julie is a sought-after speaker often addressing groups by sharing her story and providing inspiration on healthy living, fitness, and overall well-being.  You'll find the author online at www.juliehadden.com.

The Biggest Loser's Nutritionist On Its 9th Season, Airing In 90 Countries

FirstLook Review: The Biggest Loser Simple Swaps

Biggest Loser Helen Phillips: Before and AFTER

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.

Book Review: Zumba By Celebrity Fitness Trainer Beto Perez

By Lorie Dudley

Like many people, I was hooked on Zumba after just one class. I walked out of the class, sweat pouring down, with a big smile on my face. The Latin-inspired dance fitness class really did feel more like a party than a workout, and I was immediately hooked. If you’re unfamiliar with or new to this fun yet kick-butt fitness class, creator Beto Perez’s Zumba; Ditch the Party, Join the Workout! The Zumba Weight Loss Program (Wellness Central/ 2009) explains the conception of Zumba, the basic steps, routines, and a weight loss program that “emphasizes 'bodyshaping' foods.”

A lot of people, like me, go to their first Zumba class knowing little, if anything about it. The name of the class alone sounded fun and was enough to lure me from the drudgery of my usual 30 minutes on the elliptical. For those who are nervous about stepping into a class they know nothing about, Perez’s book answers the basic questions about Zumba; what it is, what makes it so popular, as well as the physical and psychological benefits.

The book begins with a brief description of Zumba (pronounced ZOOM-bah), “a dance based group fitness class that incorporates moves such as the meringue, mambo, salsa, rumba, cha-cha and other’s into an amazing workout.” According to Perez, you can burn from 600 to 1000 calories an hour, boost your metabolic rate, reduce stress, and improve your self-esteem by doing Zumba alone. I can tell you from experience that regular Zumba will turn your body into a fat burning machine, improve your self confidence, and for at least one hour, you’ll forget about planning dinner, the mortgage, and your nosy neighbor.

Perez offers suggestions which will be especially helpful for beginners such as proper clothing, hydration, and how to get the most from the class. He also explains and illustrates the four basic steps of Zumba; meringue, salsa, cumbia, and reggaeton. However, if you have never been to a Zumba class, you might find it very difficult to learn the steps from the illustrations in the book. Unfortunately, you should not expect much either from the book’s accompanying DVD.

The DVD, which is said to include three twenty-minute Zumba workouts, only demonstrates the four basic moves and contains music created for Zumba, which I was unable to even download to my computer or ipod. The book does include written choreography for the music on the DVD, which might be helpful to intermediate or more advanced enthusiasts, but difficult for beginners who have not grasped the basic steps. If the DVD contained actual routines, however, I think that beginners could possibly grasp the illustrations from the book, put them into practice, and feel more confident when entering their first class.

The Zumba Diet is actually four diets: The Zumba 5-Day Express, the Zumba Flat Abs Diet, The Zumba Thin Thighs Diet, and the Zumba Basic Diet. Each diet emphasizes what Perez calls “bodyshaping” foods. According to Perez these “bodyshaping” foods “form the core of the Zumba Diet” and are foods that have been shown to target specific parts of the body, such as the abdominals and thighs.” I can’t say if there’s anything to his theory but I do agree that the foods he suggests are those that “everyone should be eating, every day.”

The Zumba 5-Day Express diet is designed to burn fat, control hunger, reduce bloating, and give you a “psychological boost.” The diet includes pre-planned menus and does not allow any deviation. In other words, you must “eat exactly what is listed.” For best results, the book suggests doing Zumba an hour after you have eaten a meal. Provided you follow the book’s instructions, Perez suggests that you could burn up to 1000 calories an hour and lose up to nine pounds in five days depending on your originating weight. The express diets limits calories so much that even Perez does not advise staying on the diet more than five days at a time. As a certified personal trainer I would never recommend this diet to clients. Most health care professionals will tell you that a nine-pound weight loss in five days is extreme so talk to your doctor before you begin this diet.

The Zumba Basic Diet, when combined with regular Zumba workouts, is designed to promote a 2-3 pound weight loss per week, which is generally considered a safe rate of weight loss. While the diet is higher proportionately in protein it contains enough unrefined (complex) carbohydrates to promote steady weight loss. The diet allows a moderate amount of healthy fats, permits only a minimal amount of sugar, and encourages foods with high fiber content and fruits and vegetables. The basic diet allows three meals and two snacks a day, which is considered optimal fueling for the body. The diet provides advice for planning your own meals as well as eating out. The plan allows more deviation and provides fourteen days of menus using recipes that are easy to prepare. This is a diet I would recommend to my clients, provided their doctor also approves.

The Zumba Flat Abs Diet doesn’t deviate much from the Zumba Basic Diet, but suggests focusing on monounsaturated fats. Olive oil, canola oil, nuts and seeds, peanut butter, and avocados are all foods that have been shown to reduce belly fat. The Zumba Thin Thighs Diet also does not deviate far from the Basic Diet but suggests increasing fiber, which has been shown to reduce estrogen in the body. Evidently, estrogen, the female hormone, distributes fat to the thighs and hips; scientists believe reducing estrogen naturally with fiber will cause less fat to be deposited to the lower body.

The book may be helpful to readers who want to learn a little about the origin of Zumba and have a better understanding about what makes Zumba different from other group fitness classes. However, you would learn more from taking just one class, than you would from the entire book.

Again, you should not expect much from the DVD other than a short instructional on the basic steps.

For those already familiar with Zumba but looking for a supplemental nutritional program to help them to loose weight, the book may also be helpful. However, I recommend that readers exercise caution before beginning the 5-day express diet especially and seek the advice of a doctor before beginning this or any other exercise program or diet.

Celebrity fitness trainer Alberto "Beto" Perez is orginally from Cali, Colombia. Before creating and launching Zumba in the U.S. in the late '90s, Perez attended the Maria Sanford Brazilian Dance Academy, became an instructor and choreographed dance routines for high profile performers, including platinum album selling artist Shakira. He now resides in Miami, FL. The Zumba brand sells DVDs, CDs, clothing and workout gear at www.Zumba.com and www.Zumbafitness.com

75% Of Overeating Caused By Emotional Eating

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.

The 75% Solution Helps Us Live With 45,000 Processed Foods

Reviewed By David M. Kinchen

First off, a confession: I've read so many books on healthy eating lately that I feel guilty for not exercising enough and for eating the wrong foods. The good news: I'm making changes, the kind of changes everybody should be making.

Eat Your Way to Happiness: 10 Diet Secrets to: Improve Your Mood, Curb Your Cravings, Keep the Pounds Off  (Harlequin, 352 pages, $16.95) by Elizabeth Somer is the latest guilt producer in my life. Despite the implications of the women-oriented publisher, this is a great book for guys, too.

Ask yourself these question: Are you satisfied with your weight? Do you have enough energy to make it through the day? Do you consider yourself a happy person? All of these things are related, and your energy, mental clarity, mood and, of course, waistline are all directly connected to what you eat.

I've long felt that I need to lose about 20 pounds, maybe 30. Sitting at a computer hours on end or watching TV or reading diet books doesn't help me on my goal, as Somer, a registered dietician with a master's degree writes in this very entertaining book packed with short stories of people who need to change their lifestyles pronto.

Many of the people in these anecdotal case histories are office workers who spend most of their time staring at a computer. Because of Somer and other authors I've read in the last couple of weeks, I've pumped up the tires in my bicycle and taken it for rides. Where I live is almost dead flat, so its not a big challenge to peddle my single-speed beach cruiser around.

In Eat Your Way to Happiness, you'll learn that healthy eating is a lot easier than you may think, and that making a few simple changes to your diet can have amazing results. Discover:

*  The 1, 2, 3 combination of breakfast foods that will keep you energized all day.

* Which carbs and fats to eat and why the right ones will help elevate your mood and decrease your weight.

* The 12 super foods that pack an added punch for boosting mood and slimming your waistline.

*  Nutritious foods that have been scientifically shown to tweak brain chemistry so you feel calmer, happier and more energetic and more likely to stick to your diet.

* The amazing studies showing that chocolate and wine can help you live longer and more happily.

Chocolate and wine? Yes, the right kind of chocolate, the darker the better, and a glass of red wine will rev up your diet. The key, as it is to everything in the book, is moderation. Somer mentions the big box of chocolates she ate in college and how it took a month to rid herself of the three pounds she gained from this guilty pleasure.

I like pizza -- correction, I LOVE pizza --  but Somer tells me on Page 9 with her explanation of the 75 percent solution that I don't have to give up pizza. This is great news! The 75 percent solution means that 75 percent of everything that goes down the pie hole (sorry!) should be a real food. "This solution allow you to live in this toxic environment of fast-food restaurants and more than 45,000 processed items on the grocery shelves, yet be happier and thinner," Somer writes.

What are "real foods," pray tell? Glad you asked. On Pages 15-16 Somer gives us a handy list of foods -- many with brand names -- that will help you survive the land mines lurking in supermarkets. This use of brand names is something Somer does throughout the book. It's a large format paperback, but you should be able to keep it in your shopping cart and refer to it as you negotiate the market. Just put your name in it and let the store manager know it's your copy.

Somer provides this promise:

"No diet, book or teacher can guarantee bliss or a perfect figure for the rest of your life, just as no one can guarantee you will live disease-free until you die peacefully in your sleep at age 110. But I can promise that if you follow the secrets laid out in this book, you will stack the deck in favor of being blissfully fit. I also promise that if you follow my advice in the pages that follow you will feel the best you have felt in a long time, if ever, and will be thinner and fitter than you've ever been in your adult life.
How do I know that? I have been researching the link between diet and mood for decades. That research led me to write Food & Mood, which came out in its first edition in 1995. Since then, people have been sharing their stories with me of how that book changed their lives.

"People have told me they followed my diet advice and found a new lease on life.

Young, old, kids, teenagers, men and women all got happier, leaner, smarter or less stressed. Their energy improved. Their memories returned. They slept better, reacted faster, handled stress better. Menopausal women told me their hot flashes disappeared, men told me they no longer fell asleep in the recliner every night. Many times their depression lifted, or they were able to discontinue, or at least reduce, their medications. Often PMS symptoms vanished, or they no longer battled the Winter Blues. They were enthusiastic about life and looked forward to the future. I wish I had a dollar for every time someone told me, 'I never knew I could feel this good!'"

* * *

This review is my thanks to Elizabeth Somer for her sound advice. I'm returning the favor with a suggestion of my own: In our kitchen, I have a framed photo of my wife and I when we were much younger. The photo was taken just over 40 years ago, in September 1969 and I made it myself with a camera -- I think it was a Nikon F -- mounted on a tripod, using the self timer. The black and white photo shows me in a tux and my lovely wife in a nice gown. We were attending the grand opening of what is now called the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Milwaukee, where I worked as a newspaper reporter and editor at The Milwaukee Sentinel. This photo inspires me to do the right thing when I'm in that kitchen. Somer's book will do the same.

Elizabeth Somer, M.A., is a registered dietitian who has written 9 books. You'll find her online at www.elizabethsomer.com

Book Review: The Eat-Clean Diet For Men

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.

Weight Gain: 3500 Calories Equals 1 Pound

Davis Liu M.D.--

Has anyone ever discussed your weight? Are you concerned about your weight? What have you tried for weight loss? What did you find successful?

In this series, I'll reviewed my discussions with patients so you understand what it will take to lose weight and keep it off.

Losing weight is hard work and frankly can be a difficult and lonely experience since the majority of Americans are overweight or obese. The problem of heaviness in this country is only becoming worse.

First some basic concepts. Overweight is defined as a body mass index or BMI greater than 25 and less then 30. Obesity is a BMI greater than 30. Morbid obesity is a BMI greater than 40. Calculate your BMI. Although BMI isn't perfect, unless you are a high performing athlete (not a weekend warrior) and have significant muscle mass, BMI is a reasonable way of determining which category you fit into.

Second, the body does not lie. Unless you have some sort of medical problem like a low functioning thyroid (hypothyroidism) or other less common hormone problem, your body does not lie. If you eat exactly the same amount as you burn, then you will not lose or gain weight. Eating less and burning more consistently will cause weight loss. Eating more and burning less will result in weight gain. Simple concept. What goes in must equal what goes out to maintain weight. Any alteration in this simple equation causes weight loss or weight gain. The body does not lie.

Third, I don't think you overeat to the degree you think I do. Patients invariably tell me that they eat very little and certainly a lot less than their friends or family. While I know individuals aren't eating a Thanksgiving dinner or eating an entire large pizza for lunch daily, weight loss requires a caloric intake less than the output. Note the previous point the body does not lie. If a person did eat a lot, he would continue to gain weight, not maintain.

Fourth, you need to understand basic math. Know this number. 3500. An addition of 3500 calories equals one pound. If your body has 3500 calories left over, then you gain a pound. Burning 3500 calories, then you lose a pound. Sounds like a lot of calories, doesn't it? But it's not. If you drank a can of regular soda daily (and yes, diet doesn't count as it has zero calories), then that is an extra 130 calories per day. In 27 days less than one month you would gain a pound (3500 / 130 = 27). In one year you would be 12 pounds heavier.

Fifth, think of calories as money and your weight as a savings account. Your savings account goes up or down depending on how much you save. Put more into the bank and withdraw less? More in your savings account. Taking out more than you put in, the amount in the savings account falls. Your bank doesn't care if you deposit $100 in pennies or in a crisp C-note. Skipping the discussion of nutritional value, your body doesn't care if the 2000 calories you are supposed to ingest comes all via salad greens or the equivalent of a box of chocolates. Money is money. Calories are calories regardless of how you get them.

Sixth, your body is built for survival and isn't stupid. Go back to the previous point. Your weight is a savings account and to keep it level what goes in equals what goes out. If all of a sudden, your income gets cut then to make ends meet you must take withdrawals from your bank account. If the income doesn't return to previous levels, then the savings account continues to get smaller.

Faced with this situation of being unable to restore deposits to previous levels, would you continue to spend as much? Of course not. To avoid bankruptcy you would make hard choices like downsizing your expenses and making adjustments. As a result you slow down the outflow of money so that eventually the amount that you spend is equal to the new decreased amount coming in.

Your body is built for survival and isn't stupid either. Faced with a budget crisis, that is a diet where calories coming in is less than what is burned, initially the body hasn't had adequate time to make adjustments. It depletes its savings resulting in weight loss. But since it is built for survival, it will make adjustments necessary to that its expenditures exactly made your diet. You no longer lose weight. Your body doesn't know whether it is on a desert island or living in the United States where food is plentiful, but all it knows is that its caloric budget was cut. It needs to keep you alive until it can find its next meal. Adjustments are made. Weight loss stops. Naturally, it will deplete fat first, then muscle. So don't worry about that being a reason not to being weight loss.

Seventh, the vast majority of patients I see weren't overweight or obese to being with. Weight gain typically occurred after high school or college, job change which was less physically demanding, after pregnancy, and as they got older. Sadly this isn't the case today where children are increasingly obese and will be the first generation of Americans not to live as long as their patients because of weight related medical problems.

Finally, the success to long term weight loss is permanent reduction in calories and increase in physical activity. It's not a diet but a lifestyle change. You can lose weight in the short-term with fewer calories, which is the reason why gastric bypass works. However, long-term weight loss requires physical activity.

Davis Liu, MD, is a respected family physician, a healthcare educator and writer, and the author of Stay Healthy, Live Longer, Spend Wisely: Making Intelligent Choices in America's Healthcare System. He is a practicing board-certified family physician with the Permanente Medical Group in Northern California since 2000. Dr. Liu received his medical degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his residency training at the Glendale Adventist Family Practice Residency Program.

 Until healthcare reform improves the American healthcare system, he feels individuals today need to have the vital information necessary to ensure that they are doing the right things so that they and their families Stay Healthy, Live Longer, and Spend Wisely.

Prematurely, 80,000 Americans Die Annually

Why We Need To Say "NO" To A Public Health Care Plan

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.

Disturbing: Obesity Rate For 2 To 5 Yr. Olds Between 8.5% And 13.4%

Carole Carson: National Coach for the AARP Fat to Fit Community Challenge,

An Interview With Dr. Robert Murray, Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on School Health By Carole Carson

Public Health Enemy Number One: Childhood Obesity?

Dr. Robert Murray is not the kind of person given to exaggeration or hyperbole. So when he states that from a public health perspective, no issue is more important than the future implications of obesity among children, we need to listen. And then act. In his view, “we can’t afford to do nothing.”

Dr. Murray is well qualified to draw this conclusion based on his role as chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on School Health and advisor to the national Action for Healthy Kids initiative, a Dr. Robert Murrayprogram designed to promote school policies that combat obesity. He is also the director of the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and professor of clinical pediatrics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

In an effort to understand the magnitude and scope of obesity among children, I asked Dr. Murray the following questions. His responses follow.

How many children are obese in the United States? What is the trend?

National trends show that rates of overweight (above the 85th percentile for body mass index, BMI) and obesity (above the 95th percentile BMI) among children and teens rose steadily from the mid-1970s until 2003. Currently, 32 percent of kids and teens from 6 to 19 years of age are overweight and 17 percent are obese.

The most disturbing trend is with the 2- to 5-year-old group. In the 1970s, obesity rates were less than 5 percent for this group. By the 1990s, rates had doubled, but there is wide variability among ethnic subpopulations. For Caucasian children 2 to 5 years old, the obesity rate is 8.5 percent; for Mexican American children, 10.8 percent; and for African American children, 13.4 percent.

Although urban, ethnic impoverished kids fit the profile for highest risk of obesity and its complications, studies by the Ohio Department of Health on third graders across the state show that many rural counties have rates similar to those of large urban communities. In one BMI screening in Columbus public schools, 40 percent of the third graders were overweight, and by middle and high school, 50 percent.

Equally troublesome, although those with extreme obesity make up a smaller percentage of the population, this group is growing at the fastest rate. Obesity-related chronic diseases (high cholesterol or other abnormal lipids, hypertension, sleep apnea, polycystic ovary syndrome and liver disease) are very common among these individuals.

What are the costs children pay for being overweight?

Two very important problems arise for young children with obesity. One is that they can’t keep up with their peers during activities or sports. The second is that they are treated differently by their classmates and by adults.

The negative bias against overweight begins early. Children as young as 5 years can perceive the bias. In school, bullying is common, adding to overweight children’s sense of alienation and loneliness. Obese children have high rates of depression. In studies of their quality of life, obese children scored similarly to children with cancer. Also, children and teens with obesity have greater missed days of school and poorer school performance based on grades, successful graduation and nationalized test scores.

If children with obesity remain untreated, not only do the vast majority become obese adults, but also they begin to develop chronic diseases that further diminish their quality of life. Obese adults are less likely to be hired, are less likely to be advanced at work and are perceived as less productive than their normal-weight counterparts, illustrating the pervasive bias against them in American society. So for the obese, the marginalization begins as soon as they start school and never lets up throughout their life. Obesity is one of the most burdensome chronic diseases an individual can have—emotionally, psychologically and medically. 

What are the future implications for the health of these children?

The long-term consequences of obesity are nearly all targeted at the cardiovascular system and result in a high risk of heart attack and stroke. In addition, inflammation of the liver is becoming one of the leading causes of liver failure and need for a transplant. Cancer deaths are heightened by obesity. Orthopedic problems are greatly amplified by excess weight, especially low back, hip, knee, ankle and foot injuries. In fact, injuries in general are higher among the obese. Sleep apnea is both the result of and the cause of excess weight, a vicious cycle of problems caused by abnormal brain chemistry in the feeding and satiety centers of the brain (the hypothalamus).

Childhood obesity should be considered a serious medical problem. Every effort should be made to identify obese children through screening and through awareness of their family’s health history for obesity, heart disease and diabetes. The primary care physician is the key to prevention and early recognition and treatment. Unfortunately, the word “obesity,” carrying tremendous negative baggage, prevents the community, parents and clinicians from seeing the serious risk of chronic disease behind the obesity. This has to change if we are going to control this public health problem.

But who can orchestrate the changes we need? Do we need to understand the causes before applying the remedies? And what do we know about remedies that are currently working, ones that fitness advocates can replicate in their own communities? Dr. Murray addresses these questions in part two.

(Editor’s note: This is part one of a two-part series. The first part addresses the scope and implications of childhood obesity; the second focuses on solutions and their implementation.)

Dubbed “An Apostle for Fitness” by the Wall Street Journal, Carole Carson was the inspiration behind the Nevada County Meltdown, where more than 1,000 people lost nearly 8,000 pounds. Carole is the author of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction and serves as the national coach for the AARP Fat to Fit Community Challenge, a free weight-loss program welcoming all ages.

Is There a Link Between Surplus Pounds and Breast Cancer?

30,000 Premature Cardiovascular Deaths Per Year--Preventable

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.