Let’s all “exercise” some caution tonight and for the next few days with regard to the Halloween candy. For years, I used to have to physically remove all the leftover candy from my client’s homes as they were at it non-stop.

Eat a little, then give it ALL away. It’s empty calories that you don’t need, not to mention what it is doing to your teeth.

AND, please don’t let the kids go crazy on this stuff as a little goes a long way.

Jim

I recently did a segment on this.

In my most recent book, “The 7-Day Energy Surge,” I talked all about increasing energy.

All 10 components are EXACTLY what you need to do to increase immunity. If you can believe it, increasing immunity AND energy go hand in hand.

Pick up a copy. You don’t have to buy it. Just flip through it. It really works.

Jim

Writing down everything you eat can double your weight loss, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. “The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost,” said lead author Jack Hollis, a researcher at Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research. Scribble down your dietary transgressions on a note pad, use an online food journal or send yourself text messages. “It’s the process of reflecting on what you eat that helps us become aware of our habits, and hopefully change our behavior,” said Dr. Keith Bachman, a member of The Kaiser Permanente Care Management Institute’s Weight Management Initiative.

Just packing to go home from Kansas City and the fourth installment of 0-You, which is Oprah University. It was a blast. The women were great.

Next year, over the Mother’s Day weekend, there will be a three-day 10th Anniversary in New York City that should be amazing. I’ll keep you posted.

Jim

Every now and then, we have to laugh:

You can eat more than ever this Thanksgiving. We asked some competitive eaters to teach us how to get the most out of the big meal (and still have room for a second slice of pie). – David Tamarkin

Stretch out your stomach – A few days before Turkey Day, prepare the way cranberry-sauce-eating champ Juliet Lee does: Have one big meal and nothing else. “A lot of people eat six meals a day,” Lee says “I only eat once.” That way, she trains her stomach to take in loads of food at a time.

Stay away from the booze – It’s tempting to reach for a big glass of wine during the feast, but turkey-eating champion Patrick Bertoletti says to resist; the calories will keep you from being able to consume more food. “Wine just takes upextra space in your stomach,” he says.

Start with dessert – You’ll get funny looks when you begin your meal with pie, but tiramisu-eating champion Eater X says this is the best strategy. “The sugar burns off real quick,” he says, so by the time you’re done with turkey and stuffing, you’ll be ready for round two of pumpkin pie.”

“Woman’s Health” magazine recently reported research from San Diego State University that found that dried plums help you feel full longer.

They theorize that the high fiber and sorbitol (a sugar alcohol that the body metabolizes slowly) keep blood sugar and insulin levels in check, which keeps hunger at bay.

5 dried plums have only 100 calories.

Give it a try.

Jim

I found this to be very interesting and I know many people avoid bananas because there is a belief that they are too high in sugar and calories. But, they may be just the right food for you. Take a look:

Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.

But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips… Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady..

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a “cooling” fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance.. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, “A banana a day keeps the doctor away!”

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe…polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit !!!

I am happy to see her succeed at weight loss, but have my doubts as to how successful she will be at KEEPING the weight off once the checks stop from Jenny Craig.

She also gave three exercise tips today, two of which I deeply disagree with:

1. She does crunches everyday. PLEASE know there is not a worse exercise you can do for your neck, shoulders and lower back. They, like cardio, should be abolished. Check out either “The Cardio-Free Diet” or “The 7-Day Energy Surge” for safe alternatives. Just don’t ever perform a crunch again.

2. Tricep Dips off a table, chair or weight bench. They KILL your shoulders and lead to rotator cuff injuries. NEVER perform them.

3. She did mention pushups, which I love, so I want to be fair.

She also gave a recipe for a low calorie soup. If you make soup, like the Heartland Stew in my books, that is fine. But never, EVER eat soup in a restaurant, salad bar or anything like that.

As I watch 40,000 KILL their bodies as they pass my apartment running the Chicago marathon, this article pops up on Yahoo. I like it:

“Ma’am, step away from the treadmill!” – 4 Indications you’re doing too much cardio

* by Brett Blumenthal – Sheer Balance, on Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:25am PDT

Sometimes when I go to the gym, I have this urge to tell some of the most religious treadmill riders “Ma’am, Step away from the treadmill!” No matter how many articles and reports are written on the benefits of exercise other than cardio, it never ceases to amaze me how many women (and men too…) relegate themselves to the endless monotony of the treadmill – or for that matter, any other piece of cardio equipment. Moreover, these individuals will do cardio for over an hour…sometimes hopping from one piece of cardio equipment to another…never even considering time in the weight room, in classes or outdoors.

Although there are definite benefits to doing aerobic exercise; strength, core and flexibility training all provide numerous health benefits that cardio can’t: They increase muscular and bone strength, increase lean body mass, safeguard against injury and boost metabolism while decreasing fat.

Is it possible you are overdoing the cardio? Here’s how to know:

1. Time: Unless you are training for a race, marathon or triathlon, there is no need to do more than 30 minutes of cardio (with your heart rate between 65% – 85% of your maximum heart rate) when you workout. Fitness Revamp: If you want to exercise for over 30 minutes, you are better off doing a 20 – 30 minute cardio session and another 20 – 30 minutes dedicated to strength training, stretching and/or core training.
2. You aren’t seeing results: If you are trying to lose weight, yet you aren’t seeing results, it may be because of too much cardio. Believe it or not the idea of ‘burning off fat’ does not stem from cardio…it stems from strength training. Fitness Revamp: Build in 20 – 30 minute strength training sessions 2 – 3 times a week.
3. Injuries: Too much wear and tear on your muscles and joints can end up in an injury…or even worse, multiple injuries. Incorporating flexibility and strength training helps to strengthen the joints which will prevent pain and damage to joints. Fitness Revamp: Take the time to stretch before and after your cardio sessions.
4. Boredom: Does it take a lot to motivate yourself to go to the gym? Doing the same type of exercise every day, of every week, of every year is…BORING! Working out should be fun and should make you feel good. Fitness Revamp: Mix it up. Take a class or two that interest you each week. Get into the weight room and do a few sets of bicep curls. Go hiking. Do things that motivate you and keep you interested. Being active is what is most important…not the time and mileage on a piece of equipment.

Do you think you are overdoing cardio? Have you found any of the above indicators true?

According to an article in “Woman’s Health,” here is the order of the fruits and vegetables with the MOST pesticides. 100 is considered the worst and 1 the best:

Apples – 93
Pears – 63
Grapes – 44
Cauliflower – 39
Winter Squash – 34
Cranberries – 33
Sweet Potatoes – 29
Broccoli – 28