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Victoria Beckham Won't Eat Airplane Food - Or Much of Anything

Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment

Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham arriving for a guest judging appearance on American Idol on August 7 in Denver, Colo.
Photo: Charles Pulliam, AP
Victoria Beckham usually makes headlines for her staggeringly high heels, impeccable fashion sense and ever-present dour expression. Lately, though, it seems she's again raising eyebrows for her skin-and-bones appearance. It doesn't help that her nutritionist Monica Grenfell recently spoke out about the mother-of-three's eating habits, admitting that Posh is so strict about what she eats that she won't even snack on the 11-hour flight between London and LA. "Victoria told me she's not that keen on eating on the plane," Grenfell tells Metro in the UK. "She prefers to catch up on her sleep and reenergise."

OK, I can understand not wanting to touch that dodgy airplane food, but 11 hours is a long time to go without food, don't you think?

"Victoria's always been a teeny little thing. She seems into her diet in a big way," Grenfell adds. "When she goes on business lunches she'll choose white fish and she'll often pick at things rather than have big sit down meals." Victoria recently admitted to running eight miles a day, and for that kind of workout, she needs more nourishment than a few bites of fish. Sadly, it seems she's more interested maintaining her oh-so-tiny physique than eating healthy.

Want to steal some of Posh's style? Dress yourself thin with these fall fashions.

Stress Less: Weigh your luggage

If you travel by airplane at all for a trip that lasts more than a carry-on's worth of clothes, you know the worry. Will my suitcase weigh more than 50 pounds and I'll have to pay extra? Airline luggage allowances are a pittance these days. The airlines giveth -- blankets, pillows, peanuts, room for luggage -- and the airlines taketh away. Unless you pay, of course.

First, let me say that I realize that, to the inexperienced, 50 pounds may sound like a ridiculous weight for a suitcase. How could anyone pack that much stuff for a trip? Let me tell you, it adds up quick. And now that more of us have to add those heavy toiletry bags to the check-in mix to avoid the potential of having our shampoo tossed out at the security checkpoint, it's worse. And, if you've got a kid to pack stuff for in your luggage, well, it's a challenge to keep that weight under control.

There's really no way to take all the stress out of air travel, but we've found an easier way to determine if we've put on too many travel pounds without struggling to see the scale over the suitcase we're holding.We've been using this handy suitcase scale for our past several trips to via Southwest Airlines to California to see our families. So worth the $10 I spent. There's also a digital version of the same thing. Or, if you're in the market for a new suitcase, some have built-in scales. Pretty cool.

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Help prevent DVT by being a seat guru

HealthWatch, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Reviews & Products

Things have been crazy busy lately. After just getting back from a cross-country trip, I just found out I have to make the same trip again next week. Great. Nothing says comfy like being stuck in an airplane seat for six hours. On top of that, with all this time spent sitting in a cramped chair, there's always concern for DVT -- deep vein thrombosis.

Sometimes referred to as coach class syndrome, this is a formation of a blood clot that commonly occurs in the veins of the legs after people spend an extended period of time seated. Bigger problems can also arise if the clot embolizes; that is, if it separates and travels into the lungs, where it can cause a pulmonary embolism.

Many airlines, aware of the threat of DVT, are now suggesting that you get up and take a little stroll once and a while if you're aboard a long flight. This is easier to do on some flights than others, just as finding comfort in a seat can vary greatly depending on .... well, about eight thousand different factors. That's why you may want to check out SeatGuru.com (www.seatguru.com) before you book your next flight. It gives a great breakdown of each seat on the plane on which you are about to travel -- comfort, leg room, ability to recline the seat or not, if it has power port, etc. Knowing this information in advance may help protect against DVT (as well as major frustration), as it will provide you with the chance to fly as comfortably as possible.

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The dirty secrets of airline meals

Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

Do you like airline food? No, that's not a trick question -- some people do. I know I've had some great meals while flying (I've only ever flown coach, by the way.) Here's another question: How healthy do you think airline meals are? They seem pretty decent -- there's always some veggies, a bit of protein, a salad, some sort of grains. Yeah, meals seem a bit on the fatty side but it's a small portion so it can't be that bad, right?

Think again. Airline food is loaded with fat, sugar and carbs. Want examples? Check out this article from Diet Detective. The Smartpack on United Airlines, for example, is a whopping 810 calories - yikes!

There's more about airline food you don't know. Check out this article from MSNBC for a look into the dirty secrets of airline food.

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Battle of the airline snacks

Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

I remember when meals were standard on flights. Now, it seems mini-snacks are all travelers get to sink their teeth into -- after the September 11 attacks, airlines began cutting costs by cutting meals.

So what's up with these snacks? Do they fit the bill for healthy fare? Let's see.

Airline food is getting healthier, but there's still room for improvement, says Charles Stuart Platkin, a nutritional expert who has analyzed nine U.S. airlines' snacks for coach passengers.

United Airlines, the USA's No. 2 carrier, serves the most nutritious food, reports Platkin, who gives this food the highest "health score," 4½ stars on a 5-star scale. United's "vegetarian-friendly" Smartpack snack box -- this one will cost you $5 -- wins the praises of Platkin with its granola, organic peach applesauce, and cheddar cheese. It's chock full of 810 calories, though, so it would be wise to share your snack box with a friend.

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Is Boeing's new green airliner the way of the future for air travel?

Reviews & Products, Alternative & Green Health

In the wake of all of the Live Earth concerts that took place over the weekend, I thought it would be interesting to chat about the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner jet. Unveiled on Sunday, the airplane has definitely got people talking (just google 'Boeing Dreamliner' and you'll see what I mean).

It's a fact that normal airplanes use up tonnes of fuel and cause a huge amount of pollution. This new green machine seats up to 330 passengers, but on a long-haul flight uses 20% less fuel than a regular, similarly-sized airplane. In addition, it releases far fewer greenhouse emissions than other planes.

Not only is this good news for everyone because it's better for the environment, it will also hopefully be good for our wallets. Flights keep getting more expensive, in part because of the rising cost of gasoline. In theory, if the Dreamliner uses less fuel, airlines that utilize the jet will spend less on gas, making it possible for them to charge less for tickets. Whether or not this will actually happen remains to be seen, but since it's an Eco-friendly option either way, I'm definitely on board.

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Jet lag is real, and it's bad for you

Diet & Weight Loss

Being an airline pilot, or even a stewardess, carries with it a certain air of being in some exclusive club. They always walk by in groups wearing their official-looking uniforms and pulling their cute little suitcases -- you can't help but feel like they have a charmed and exotic lifestyle full of travel and adventure. But that package deal may come with more risks than expected as more and more airline crews are facing serious health troubles, including everything from psychotic disorders to menstrual cycle disruptions. What's the cause? Jet lag. Specifically jet lag experienced a few times too many -- the body just can't adjust fast enough or frequently enough and as a result different systems suffer, particularly in areas of mental health and hormones.

Whether you're a frequent flier for work or pleasure, something to think about!

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Can logging too many frequent flyer miles be bad for your health?

Diet & Weight Loss

This post is not about the end of a study, but about the beginning of one. As of now there is no data on record to suggest that flying frequently has any negative health consequences, but there are many instances of airplane passengers and crew members complaining of ailments like headaches and dry eyes. So many, in fact, that the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers is launching a 2 year study to look at links between aircraft cabin air and crew/passenger complaints of discomfort.

Two years is a long wait, and the experts don't have much to say in the way of coping suggestions in the meantime. Try keeping to your schedule as much as possible, drink lots of water, and put a wet handkerchief over your mouth if it's dry. Other than that, apparently your guess is as good as anyone else's.

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Flying this season? The healthiest airline snacks

Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

Depending on where your family lives and how you celebrate the holidays, you might find yourself on a few planes over the next several weeks. So not only do you have to manage your diet around all the obnoxious holiday goodies, but around airline meals and snacks in between. Thankfully, there are not only more choices but more health-conscious options onboard most flights than ever before. This website does a nice job of breaking down the nutritional information for several of the major airlines' food offerings, complete with "best bet" categories and "exercise equivalent" scores, for how long it will take to walk off the calories of a specific snack.

Of the airlines surveyed, which came out on top? United Airlines offers both the most variety and the healthiest options. For example, its "Snack Pack" is both trans-fat-free and vegetarian-friendly.

It's been a long time since I've had to fly anywhere, but looking at some of these menu items I'm impressed! For some carriers anyway, the stereotypical "airline food" seems to be turning into a thing of the past.

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