Did anyone see MeMe Roth on GMA this morning? She is a New York mom and a very strong advocate for what kids should and should not be eating.

I know she is extreme, as she literally will throw out junk food served at schools or gyms, but her message is clear:

We keep thinking that kids will make the right choices when deciding what to eat, but kids are getting heavier and heavier each day. At what point does the school get more involved in what is being served.

My children go to private school in Chicago and they bring their lunch each day. BUT, the hot lunch that some kids elect to eat is very high in calories and fat AND the kids are allowed to eat as much as they want. I don’t agree with that at all.

So, you tell me, should there be cookies, cake, cupcakes, brownies, etc. at our schools, or should that be a parents decision? Give me your thoughts

Jim

I have been watching Regis and Kelly lately and noticed that her arms are looking way more defined. I was at a party last night and for some reason, her name came up and I mentioned what I have been seeing.

Two of the women at the party instantly said that they have observed the same thing.

SO, as much as Kelly leads us to believe that she doesn’t exercise (or do much more than some ABC thing she showed a while back), I would say she is clearly strength training and for that, I take my hat off to her.

What do you all think???

Jim

I just finished working out and all the men in the club who were lifting were doing almost exclusively chest and bicep. They all had HORRIBLE posture and underdeveloped backs.

I have said this in every one of my books, but you have to devote 50% more time to the back of your body than to the front.

That means, 2 back exercises for every chest, two tricep exercises for every bicep, etc.

We use the front of our body everyday, from driving, to computer, to carrying kids, luggage, groceries, you name it.

So when we strength train, really hit those muscles that are ignored in everyday life and see your posture improve in addition to being pain and injury free.

Make it a point to do it every week.

Jim

Deborah Roberts on “Good Morning America” just did a report on depression and teens. It is a big issues that over 20% of all teens suffer from at one time or another.

Now, if your teen is eating a great deal and gaining weight, this may be one of the signs that he/she is depressed. The reason that they are eating, and mostly choosing sweet carbs (hello cookies, cake and candy), is because they are trying, through food, to increase their serotonin levels. That’s even what we do as adults when we overeat these foods.

That is where medication steps in. Now, once again, I am not a doctor, but have witnessed may people suffering from depression, and it is awful.

If you, or someone close to you appears to be withdrawn, depressed and sad, then please, urge them to see their doctor and deal with the situation rather than hoping it will simply pass.

And motivate them to exercise. When studies are done and one group exercises while the other takes medication, the results are virtually the same. That is how powerful exercise is for both the body AND the mind.

Jim

I know I have said this before, but after just finishing an article in “The Wall Street Journal,” I have to once again comment on universal health care.

Please know, I believe everyone is entitled to health care, but where do personal responsibility start and government intervention end.

We need to all take better care of ourselves, lose weight (if you are overweight), eat better, exercise effectively, sleep more efficiently, the list goes on and on.

And we KNOW that doing so leads to improved health.

Now, don’t get me wrong, people are going to get sick and some are going to get very sick, but many current illnesses, such as diabetes, is preventable for many people. The cost of diabetes alone will cripple our country if we don’t stop the current trend.

So, think for a moment, “Am I doing everything I can to improve my health?” If the answer is no, then start today to make a difference.

Jim

YES. The January edition of “Archives of Internal Medicine” reported that people who got less than 7 hours of sleep at night are three times more likely to catch a cold than those who slept 8 hours.

That ONE extra hour made a huge difference, so keep that in mind the next time you push yourself to stay up to “get more done.” That “more done” may result in you getting sick, which is going to lead you to get far LESS done.

Jim

This from “On Fitness” magazine, which is a trade publication for fitness professionals, by Natasha Linton:

“On a daily basis, and no matter where we live, our bodies are exposed to all sorts of intruders that aim to only make us sick and damage our bodies. these intruders are free radicals: unstable oxygen molecules. Free radicals damage cells and cause harm to the immune system and speed up the aging process.

Free radicals are formed by a process called oxidation (damage caused by oxygen) and can speed up if you smoke, don’t eat properly, are exposed to pollution, chemicals and radiation. Let’s face it, this happens to us all many times a day, but by consuming the right antioxidants, you can and will reverse the majority of this damage.

The most powerful antioxidants come from vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts and fish.

Free radicals also INCREASE with the consumption of processed foods and items with white sugar and high fructose corn syrup, so avoid them at all cost.

AND, free radicals increase with excessive cardiovascular exercise, especially those activities performed outside in the pollution.

PLUS, excessive eating causes the formation of more free radicals.

SO, the perfect solution to slow the aging process and to stay healthy is to exercise the RIGHT way (did I hear interval based strength-training) and keep your calories to a minimum.

Jim

This is a new book she just put out. Can you all help me out here?

WHY do we need a book on cupcakes, one of the highest calorie foods you can POSSIBLY eat. That, by the way, is because of the frosting.

PLEASE don’t buy this book. It’s already shooting up on Amazon and this country does not need a book about eating even MORE calories.

Jim

Here they are:

1. Stop eating by 7:00 PM at night. This is totally ridiculous. Why would you POSSIBLY fast from 7:00 until 6:00 or 7:00 AM in the morning. That will diminish your metabolism. Sensibly snack and that will not happen…and who with kids can eat by 7:00 when soccer practice picks up at 7:15?

2. Cut out diary. Wrong. Numerous studies prove that dairy accelerates weight loss so eat low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese and milk.

3. Walk for weight loss. Oh please, walking burns next to no calories, unless you walk for 15 hours a day. Only strength train to lose weight and inches and boost your metabolism.

4. You need supplements. That is a fallacy created by stores that sell them. They are totally unnecessary for weight loss.

5. Olive oil is healthy. Well, sure, one tablespoon (120 calories) has the right fat, but it is still 120 calories. Eat a lot of olive oil and you will gain a lot of weight. Is this the direction you want to go in???

Jim

I’m just watching “Good Morning America” and they are doing a report on the highest calorie foods served by many big chains, such as The Cheesecake Factory, Applebees, etc., and the numbers are HUGE!

How do the restaurants respond? They say that most of these high calorie meals, and by high calorie, I’m talking upwards of 2500 calories, are meant to be shared.

Right! When was the last time you saw people sharing entrees in one of these places. Never.

Some of these items could blow your diet for the entire week, not just the day.

So please, check out the websites and determine, in advance, what you will order.

Jim