April 2014 archive

Forget Activia! Make Your Own Yogurt

Yogurt is so pervasive and commonplace, you may not realize that Dannon first started marketing it aggressively in the United States only in the mid-seventies! The first commercials suggested that yogurt was the secret to longevity among Soviet centenarians. Since then, yogurt has exploded in America as a “health food” with specialty brands targeting children …

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Ruby Gettinger’s Weight Still Stalled Over 300 Pounds

A year after she did a “90-Day Challenge” for weight loss products company ViSalus, Ruby Gettinger’s weight is still stalled at just above 300 pounds and her affiliation with the multi-level marketer seems to have ended. The one-time reality star and her two best friends have now turned up on YouTube, trying to get enough …

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Think Like a Thin Person: A Tale of Two Thin Women

My mother is a very thin person. She always has been. Except for two pregnancies, her weight has been stable her entire life. She credits that consistency, in part, for her exceptional health at 77 years old. She has a natural high energy level and is most comfortable when she keeps busy and moving. She …

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What the Diversity of Human Experience Tells Us about Food Brain

I happened to see a profile this weekend of a woman training for the Boston Marathon. Former Olympian Shalene Flanagan has finished fourth in the Marathon and wants to be the first American woman to win since 1985. After the tragedy of the bombings, the Boston native wants to win the marathon for her hometown. …

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Comedian John Pinette Dies at 50

When I read the news of the death of comedian John Pinette at just 50 years old, I felt very conflicted. After learning of some additional news about John, I feel even worse. As a stand-up comedian, it seemed as if John based his entire career on his weight. I never knew until I read …

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Why I Am an Advocate for Weight Loss Surgery

I already write with some regularity about weight loss surgery but some issues have arisen this week that prompt me to write yet again! For people with 100 lbs or more to lose, it’s a reality of life now that their doctor will talk to them about weight loss surgery and/or they will consider it …

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Can You Manipulate Your Tastes?

I spent years immersed in junk food and fake food. I never cooked. Not for real. I might buy something that needed heating up. I drank so much Pepsi that I rarely drank water. I ate doughnuts for breakfast, fast food for lunch, and take out for dinner. Cookies, chips, and candy bars all day. …

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