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Paulina Porizkova, Life Changing Habits and Barack Obama's Favorite Food - Week in Review - January 12 - January 18

Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment

week in reviewANTM's celebrity judge Paulina Porizkova stays fit by doing karate, and says her stint on Dancing With the Stars got her in the best shape ever.

The Biggest Loser's Bob went ballistic this week on the Gray team's Joelle. Find out how many times he dropped the f-bomb. Do you think his "motivational" method works or does his treadmill-side manner need work?

One fit and healthy celeb claims food is the love of her life. Find out who here.

Healthy habits change more than just your body, they can change your life too. Here are five to get you started.

Loving seeing Eric Stoltz on Grey's Anatomy? Fitz asked Eric how he gets fit for a movie role (hint: eat less, exercise more, and skip the starchy carbs).

Looking for some great low-cal snacks that will give you a boost without breaking your diet? Jacki has some great suggestions ... all under 175 calories.

Think you're doing your body good by choosing ground turkey? Think again. Jacki tells us why label reading is a good idea when choosing meat.

Funny lady Carol Burnett shares her fitness secrets with Fitz -- and gets in a few jokes at the same time!

We're halfway through the America Takes it Off: Shrink a Size challenge and you've lost another 44 pounds! Two weeks to go ... we know you'll reach our goal of 250.

Have a great week, everyone! And if you're celebrating the inauguration, here are some healthy chili recipes -- it's Barack Obama's favorite homemade meal, you know!

Barack Obama Loves Chili - How to Make it Healthy

Celebs & Entertainment, Nutrition & Supplements

Barack Obama
A lot has been said about President-elect Barack Obama's love of food. He's got favorite restaurants all over Chicago -- both chichi gourmet hot spots and local greasy spoons. But his favorite meal to cook at home is rumored to be chili.

Chili is the perfect comfort food, especially in these frigid winter temperatures. But as much as he loves food, Barack Obama is also committed to diet and fitness. I mean, who couldn't notice that when those shirtless pics from Hawaii popped up?

Our future Mr. President will probably be too busy in the next 100 days to cook up a pot of chili, but if you're in the mood for a bowl of Barack Obama's favorite food, here are some tips for making this spicy dish a little healthier.

Five Ways to Healthier Chili(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Go VegGo Heavy On the VeggiesUse a Variety of BeansCut the SodiumUse Healthier Toppings

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The Hot Latin Diet Isn't So Hot

Diet & Weight Loss

The Hot Latin DietThe Hot Latin Diet by Dr. Manny Alvarez promises to provide the fast track to a "bombshell body." Sounds good, right? Who doesn't want to look hot -- and Latin food has a pretty high yum factor.

Alvarez is an OB/GYN and a medical contributor for Fox News. He claims that Latin Americans have a long life expectancy and lower levels of obesity. Alvarez believes this is because of seven Latin superfoods -- tomatillos, garbanzo beans, avocados, chilies, cinnamon, garlic, and cilantro. The book suggests two phases that introduce these superfoods into the diet.

Helene Charlebois, a Canadian registered dietitian reviewed the book and has some concerns. While she agrees that the seven foods Alvarez includes in the diet are health-promoting and good additions to your menu, she says that the plan lacks good science, clear directions, and easy-to-follow menus and recipes. She says that The Hot Latin Diet is not a plan that can be easily incorporated into your lifestyle.

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How Many Calories ... in Chili Con Carne?

How Many Calories?

I don't know about you, but as the days grow shorter and colder, I find myself drawn to warm, comforting foods -- things like soups, stews, pastas, and casseroles. You know, winter foods that can warm you up on the coldest of days.

I love spicy foods, so it's not surprising that Chili Con Carne is one of my winter go-to foods. It's easy to make, it's chalk full of healthy veggies and beans, and -- most important -- it's hot, both in taste and temperature. Topped with a little sour cream, a bit of melted cheese and a slice of warm, freshly baked bread, it's an ideal cold-day treat.

But how healthy is it? How many calories does it have?

How Many Calories ... in a bowl of Chili Con Carne?

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5 healthy crock pot meals

Healthy Habits, Healthy Recipes, Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

vegetarian chiliThe days are getting shorter ... and colder! You don't have to resort to canned cream of mushroom soup to prepare a hearty meal in your slow cooker. There are healthy recipes to be had and precious time to be saved.

You can't go wrong with Crock Pot Black Bean Chili -- beans for protein and fiber, peppers for vitamin C, and herbs and spices for all of their numerous health benefits.

Crockpot Chicken Curry is loaded with zesty flavors, from fresh gingerroot and mango chutney to crushed red pepper and cilantro. This one could be -- dare I say it? -- company food. Serve it over brown rice.

Quick and healthy produce recipes

Diet & Weight Loss

I'm all for quick and easy meals. Though I'm not a bad cook, I've never really enjoyed it so I often find myself in a cooking rut. New ideas that benefit my family's health are always appreciated. Today, while on Fruits and Veggies More Matters, I found a page that has some recipes that all take 30 minutes or less -- they sound like winners in my book!
I've got the ingredients for the veggie chili written down -- that's going to be on my family's dinner plates next week!

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Drop it like it's hot

Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health

I remember taking a supplement called Rocket Fuel when I was a stupid teenager. It came in a medicine dropper bottle, touting itself as a workout energy booster that would surely make you the next Arnold Schwarzenegger. Like I said, I was a stupid teenager. In reality, all the stuff did was burn the hell out of your mouth, making you want to workout as fast as possible so you could bury your mouth under the kitchen sink. Not that I know for sure -- or really feel like taking the time to look it up to find out -- but, I'm guessing that Rocket Fuel had some sort of chili pepper extract in it. However, the crazy thing is that there is plenty of evidence suggesting that eating foods that contain chili peppers and chili powders can help reduce fat. Granted, the last thing my 130 pound teenage body needed at the time was to lose weight, but it's still pretty funny to think that there may have been something to that foolish Rocket Fuel after all.

This chili pepper phenomenon was examined by Australian scientists, who discovered that capsaicin -- the chemical that makes chili peppers hot -- may improve the liver's ability to clear insulin from the bloodstream after a meal. This is rather important, for it is insulin that signals the body to store fat. With respect to the results of the Aussie's research, they found that their test subjects' insulin levels were 32 percent lower following their consumption of a chili pepper flavored meal.

To receive the benefits of capsaicin, you could try adding Tabasco sauce to your foods. As for Rocket Fuel, that should probably be left in the heaping pile of useless supplements where it belongs.

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Fit Links: Beans, beans

As fabulous as we at That's Fit think this blog is, the truth is there are hundreds of wonderful blogs on healthy living to be seen all over the blogosphere. So in this feature, Fit Links, we'll introduce you to some that have caught our eye.

If you eat seasonally, then legumes probably make their way into your diet at some point in the winter. I make bean soup all winter long, then never touch it in the summer time. Legumes are an excellent source of protein and energy, and are rich in fiber as well.

If you're a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants cook like myself, then you'll turn to canned beans of every variety. Dry beans are low and sodium, and you can reduce the gas factor by rinsing them and discarding the water after soaking them. (Learn more about the canned vs. dry debate here.)

Here are some delicious recipes to try this winter:

One of my personal favorites, Sapelo Farm's White Bean and Cabbage

Southwest Salmon and Black Beans. And, hey, while we're at it, why not a Black Bean Burrito?

How about a Three-Bean Turkey Chili recipe for all those leftovers next week? (Also gluten-free!)

And finally, a great looking hummus recipe!

Got a blog you'd like to see featured on Fit Links? Leave us a note in comments!





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You Are What You Eat: Chili peppers spice up the holidays

Nutrition & Supplements

Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

According to the bloggers at The Daily Tiffin, a site devoted to fun and healthy lifestyles, chili peppers are one heck of a Superfood. High in antioxidant carotenes and flavonoids and containing about twice the amount of vitamin C found in citrus fruits, chilies can be added to just about any dish. Homemade soups, stews, chili, salads, and salsas are just a few.

Chilies, believed to have been around for more than 6,000 years, are a member of the plant genus
"capsicum" (cap-sih-kum) and contain high levels of special compounds called capsaicinoids. This is what makes them so super. Capsaicinoids are responsible not only for the well-known spicy heat of chilies but also the anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-cancer, and heart-healthy effects offered by these potent peppers.

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Do you eat like a fat person?

Healthy Habits, Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health

Ugh. I hate the word 'fat'. I even hate the word 'hate', but I couldn't think of a better way to start this bit. I took my family to Disney last week, and one of the other guests made me think. I was passing by a set of picnic tables somewhere inside the water park Blizzard Beach when I came across a very large woman eating several chili dogs. At least I think that's what they were. Now, since my profession is fitness...I NEVER look at anyone large or small and think nasty thoughts. I traditionally just see potential. This woman made me think though.

When I saw her camped out with these truly bad for her snacks I thought, "why is she eating that"? And, I thought it in a way that meant, gee....if she would only trade those wieners for chicken and fruit, she'd be able to have a healthy future. And then I thought, "well of course she's eating that!". That's how she ended up so large. Duh! Right? Right.

The thing is....if you are overweight and don't like being overweight.....you don't have to be! Stop eating like an obese person eats. Not to oversimplify, but the situation is truly that simple. Most obese folks fill their plates with high fat, high calorie foods and leave only crumbs when they're done. Most trim people fill up half to most of their plates with moderately healthy food....and finish only part of it.

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Recall: Canned hot dog chili sauce causing botulism

Celebs & Entertainment, Reviews & Products, Nutrition & Supplements

Botulism hasn't been seen in commercially canned goods since the 1970s, but it recently reared its ugly head in some hot dog chili sauce products and sent 4 people to the hospital. Botulism is caused by the bacteria Clostridium and works by paralyzing muscles. All 4 people (2 kids in Texas and a couple from Indiana) are expected to fully recover.

The warning and recall apply to 10-ounce cans of Castleberry's, Austex and Kroger brands of hot dog chili sauce with "best by" dates from April 30, 2009 through May 22, 2009. They were canned in Augusta, GA, and Castleberry is cooperating fully with the FDA and CDC investigations.

This is scary -- why now, after all these years?

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Recipe Rehab: Chili with a healthy kick

Recipe Rehab with Tanya Zuckerbrot, Diet & Weight Loss, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements

Our weekly feature, Recipe Rehab, takes a recipe -- sometimes basic, sometimes decadent and sometimes just plain unhealthy -- and turns it into a scrumptious and healthy dish, pumped up with nutrition. Sometimes all it takes is a few alterations to prepare a dish that would make even your nutritionist proud.

The playoffs are over and it's almost time for Superbowl Sunday, complete with unhealthy snacks like chicken wings and chili. Luckily, this chili recipe delivers all the flavor, but won't break your diet. Add some baked corn chips and low-fat sour cream and you'll never believe it was good for you. It's also vegetarian, so it will feed all your guests, and makes more than enough for a crowd. You can adjust the amount of spice to suit your taste buds.

Vegetarian Chili

fat-free cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 square baking chocolate
2 garlic cloves -- crushed
2 pounds vegetarian crumbles or TVP crumbles
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
1 28 ounce can diced low sodium tomatoes
3 cans low sodium kidney beans, canned -- 12 ounce
low-sodium vegetable stock or water, to cover
salt & pepper to taste


Optional garnishes:

low-fat sour cream - about 15 calories and 1.grams of fat per tablespoon
shredded low-fat cheddar cheese - about 60 calories and 2.5 grams of fat per ounce
finely chopped red onion and fresh cilantro

Cook onions and peppers until soft. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until the chili thickens and the flavors blend together, about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes.

Vegetarian Textured Vegetable Protein crumbles can usually be found in the frozen foods section by the veggie burgers. You can always substitute lean ground turkey or beef, but the recipe will no longer


Rehab Rundown

  • Substituting vegetarian crumbles for ground beef reduce the fat and cholesterol while keeping the protein and make it a recipe everyone can eat
  • Peppers add more flavor, fiber and antioxidants
  • Low-sodium beans and tomatoes reduce the total amount of sodium
  • Using low-fat and low-calorie toppings even further reduces the total amount of fat and calories per serving

Rehab Reveal

Original

Adapted

Calories

540 (59% from fat)

453 (16% from fat)

Fat

34g

8g

Saturated Fat

13g

1g

Protein

38g

30g

Carbohydrate

7g

38g

Fiber

3g

18g

Sodium

528mg

478mg

Featured Writers
Bob GreeneReggie Casagrande
Bob Greene
Jonny BowdenJohn GanonJonny Bowden

Tanya ZuckerbrotFadil BerishaTanya Zuckerbrot
Liz Neporent Liz Neporent