soda-related stories
Pot belly
A pot belly, or beer belly, is excessive fat in the center of the abdomen which makes the belly round and protruding. While women can get a pot belly, they tend to be more prevalent in men. The biggest causes are overeating and a sedentary lifestyle.
The only way to lose a pot belly is to lose weight. You cannot spot train body parts, but crunches may help tone the stomach muscles. Additionally, you must burn more calories than you consume each day, which is easier if you follow a low-fat, reduced-calorie diet and include at least 30 to 60 minutes of vigorous exercise in your daily routine.
Even if you don't have an excessive amount of fat hanging over your jeans, but still want to slim your stomach, avoiding foods that contribute to bloating can help. Cut back on salt and eliminate gassy foods like broccoli, onions and cauliflower. Carbonated drinks (like soda), alcohol, fried foods and spicy meals can also lead to bloating.
If you don't have a pot belly, but want to tweak another body region try these tips from That's Fit:
Love handles
Arms
Shoulders
Legs
Thighs
Do You Keep A Food Journal?
So the question is: Do you keep a food journal?
Last week, I wanted to know if you had kicked the soda habit or if you still indulged.
- 44 percent drink it from time to time as a treat.
- 29 percent wouldn't touch it.
- 22 percent drink it regularly, simply because they love it.
- 5 percent love it so much they hardly drink anything else.
Good news, soda lovers. Coca-Cola's rolling out a new product with dieters in mind.
Coke Comes Clean on Calories
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| Photo: DeusXFlorida, Flickr |
Coca-Cola Co. recently announced that it will begin including calorie information on the front of almost all of its product packages, including soft drinks, flavored waters, energy drinks, fruit drinks and juices. The new product labels are expected to hit U.S. store shelves later this year; the new labels are already being used in Europe and Australia.
Coke says they're the first beverage company to provide this front-of-the-container information to consumers. "Now more than ever, people expect facts about the product they consume to be both readily available and visible," said Muhtar Kent, Coke's chairman and CEO, in a press release.
Soda - So Not Worth It
Diet Soda - Time to Cut it From Our Diets for Good?
At That's Fit, we have long been joining the conversation about diet soda, weighing in on whether it helps you shed weight, or if it is actually a cause of extra pounds. This week we went to Twitter to see what the trending topics were around calorie-free soda. Here's what these tweeps had to say:
Read any good Tweets? Give us a shout on Twitter and let us know all about it!
Are You Drinking Yourself Fat?
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
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| Photo: NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene |
The signature images of the ads show an iced tea, soda or sports drink being poured into a glass from a bottle and by the time the drink hits the ice cubes, it's turned into lard. In subway cars across the five boroughs, New Yorkers will spend the next three months with these pictures in the hopes that at least some people will ditch sweetened drinks for healthier refreshment.
"Sugary drinks shouldn't be a part of our everyday diet," New York City Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley said in a press release. "Drinking beverages loaded with sugars increases the risk of obesity and associated problems, particularly diabetes but also heart disease, stroke, arthritis and cancer."
The scourge of soda is nothing new, but the public campaign to ditch other sweetened beverages is gaining traction. The American Heart Association recently called for Americans to cut back to no more than 100 calories of added sugar a day in our diet.
About a quarter of teens in New York City slurp down a soda every day according to health surveys -- that's equal to about 360 calories -- more than three times what the AHA recommends. The posters are meant to be shocking, but they also help put things in perspective. The campaign points out that sodas used to be in 12-ounce cans, but now 20-ounce bottles are often the standard. And soda isn't the only culprit. The posters point out that "sports" and "energy" drinks are often high-sugar, low-nutrient beverages that should be avoided most of the time as well.
Green Tea-Flavored Coke - Would You Drink It?
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| Photo: Charlotte Kinzie/Flickr |
"We wanted to cater to people who are looking for something that tastes good but is also good for health and beauty," said Katsuya Sato, a representative from Coca Cola Co. in Japan.
So what's the bottom line? These drinks are soda. Though the addition of vitamins, minerals or antioxidants certainly isn't a bad thing, it doesn't change the fact that you're drinking soda. So whether they're beneficial depends on how you're using them. If you choose a Diet Coke with added ingredients instead of a regular Diet Coke, it's not a bad choice. However, if you choose a soda in place of water or (worse) use these fortified drinks as a replacement for getting nutrients through fresh, natural and nutrient-dense foods, then it's a very poor choice.
Green tea has been linked to many possible health benefits -- from reduced cancer risk, to better skin, to regulated blood sugar. But you're much better off drinking a cup of green tea than getting the antioxidants from a fortified soda.
Would you drink green tea-flavored Diet Coke?
Trigger Foods, Soft Drinks and Diet Detectives - Week in Review - May 25 to May 31
Sure, everyone deserves a treat now and then. But if you have trouble controlling yourself around a sugary or salty food, it's probably your trigger food and best to avoid most of the time.Laughter is the best medicine, and it can even help you stay fit, says Laura. Got any good jokes for us?
One more reason not to drink soda: It can lead to muscle damage. Drink water instead, says Bev.
If you're on and off the weight loss wagon, then do yourself a favor and read Jonny's fantastic post on staying in the game. You can't win if you don't keep playing.
It's like "What Not to Wear" for overeaters. Diet Detective Charles Stuart Platkin teaches people easy ways to eat right and exercise in a new show called "I Want to Save Your Life."
Think you're ready for summer? Stay safe and fit in the hot weather with Fitz's list of summer essentials.
Tired of saddlebags or flabby thighs? Fitz has the solution for you: Exercuffs.
After the loss of her husband, Rosie Swale Pope went for a little run ... around the world. "I've learned not to fear things the way I used to. I no longer worry about how tall I am or how old I am. I've learned to celebrate life - and to live it to the full," she says.
If you've ever had your weight yo-yo, then you know the pain of regaining lost weight. Tune in to Bob Greene on a new special called "I'm Fat Again" to follow three weight loss journeys.
Finally, if you're looking for a way to make your workouts more interesting, consider a time machine. Retro workouts are all the rage.
Liquid Calories Can Pack on Pounds
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Do you have a few extra pounds? If so, what's to blame? Ice cream? Bread? Too many second helpings? CafeMom reports that liquid calories may be the biggest culprit when it comes to weight gain. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a reduction in liquid calorie consumption can lead to weight loss.
Keep an eye on those sugar-sweetened sodas, whipped cream topped coffees and sugary fruit drinks, because they can add calories you might not realize you're consuming. And don't be fooled by vitamin and antioxidant-enriched drinks -- they can still be high in sugar and calories.
Fat Tax - Should We Pay More For Junk Food?
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Scottish chocolate lovers could soon be paying more for their favorite sweet treats. A local medical committee is expected to hear opinions this week on whether or not they should ask the government to tax products containing chocolate. Customers looking for that sweet, sweet endorphin rush would pay 10-20 percent more for their favorite candy bars or boxed chocolates.The reason chocolate's in the hot seat, of course, is because people eat too much of it. Dr. David Walker, general practitioner and general buzz killer, says that people can eat their daily calorie quota in chocolate ... on top of their regular meals. "One of the major causes of that has got to be chocolate. The quantities of chocolate being consumed now come into the same realm as alcohol, and all that has been said about the damage that is causing," says Dr. Walker.
Junk Food - Break Up With Bad Habits
Drink Shockers
By Mary Kearl
Your favorite beverage may be just as diet-wrecking as fatty fast food, adding calories, sugar and fat and offering little or no nutritional value. Watch out for these drink shockers that will tip you closer to the F.D.A. and U.S.D.A. recommended daily limits for calories (2,000), fat (65 grams) and added sugar (40 grams) a day. Added sugars means any sugar not found naturally within the food, so look out for ingredients like sugar, maple syrup, honey, corn syrup and molasses, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, and national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
Red Bull
Size: 8.3 oz can
Calories: 110
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: 27 g
This drink contains more than half the sugar you should have in one day. Plus, do you really want to use 110 of your 2,000 calories on something you can drink in about 10 seconds?
*Calories per Ounce: About 13
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Sunsweet Prune Juice
Size: 8 fl oz
Calories: 180
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: 18 g
While Sunsweet's juice is 100 percent juice and does not contain any added sugars, it still is a high concentration of natural sucrose, which means the calories can add up. In comparison, one serving of Sunsweet's regular prunes contains 100 calories and 12 grams of sugar. Plus, it contains 11 percent fiber which you miss out on when you drink the juice.
*Calories per Ounce: 22.5
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Hawaiian Punch Juicy Red
Size: 8 fl oz
Calories: 120
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: 29 g
Hawaiian Punch Juicy Red contains five percent juice, which means 95 percent of it comes from water, plus dubious ingredients like High Fructose Corn Syrup, artificial flavoring, juice concentrates and sugar. Since many "juice" drinks like Hawaiian punch do not contain 100 percent juice, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends limiting juice intake to 4-6 ounces for kids under 7 years, and no more than 8-12 ounces for older children and teens.
*Calories per Ounce: 15
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Hershey's Chocolate Milk
Size: 1 cup, or 8 fl oz
Calories: 200
Fat: 5 g
Sugars: 29 g
Just one serving of this milk contains 17 more grams of sugar than regular low-fat milk, or nearly half the added sugar you should have in one day. Make this an occasional treat, not a once or twice-a-day habit.
*Calories per Ounce: 25
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
McDonald's McFlurry with M&M's candies
Size: 12 oz
Calories: 620
Fat: 20 g
Sugars: 85 g
When it comes to calories, this drink is about the equivalent of one meal. Plus, you better watch your sugar intake for the rest of the day.
*Calories per Ounce: About 52
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Wendy's Chocolate Twisted Frosty with M&M's
Size: 16 oz
Calories: 560
Fat: 19 g
Sugars: 72 g
Yes, this drink is a little lighter on all counts than a McFlurry, but you'd still be better off ordering a chocolate or vanilla Frosty in the junior or small sizes. You'd save 250 to 410 calories and 11 to 15 grams of fat.
*Calories per Ounce: 35
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Glaceau Vitamin Water
Size: 20 oz
Calories: 125
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: about 33 g
There is one easy way to avoid this diet trap. If you're feeling dehydrated or low on energy, drink a glass of calorie-free, sugar-free, fat-free water and eat one of your five to nine servings of fruits or veggies recommended by the U.S.D.A.
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Starbucks Frappuccino Blended Crème, Double Chocolate Chip Crème (without whipped cream)
Size: Venti, 24 fl oz
Calories: 550
Fat: 11 g
Sugars: 79 g
By adding whipped cream this drink becomes even more shocking with an extra 120 calories and 11 fat grams.
*Calories per Ounce: About 23
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Baskin Robbins Cappuccino Blast Caramel
Size: 24 fl oz
Calories: 720
Fat: 24 g
Sugars: 102 g
Steer clear of this cappuccino the next time you're at Baskin Robbins -- it contains about a third of your daily fat allowance -- and head for the low fat variety of the Cappuccino Blast. At 220 calories and 2 grams of fat it's a much lighter option. But watch your sugar content for the rest of the day because even this option contains 44 grams.
*Calories per Ounce: 30
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Soda Doesn't Do Women Any Favors
In a piece of extremely unfair news, researchers have found that women who drink two or more sugary sodas a day are more likely to show early evidence of kidney disease. But there's no increased risk for men ... how unfair is that?Researchers aren't sure why women who drank two or more sodas daily have an increased level of the protein albumin in their urine (an early marker for kidney disease). Without a clear understanding, it can't really be said that the soda is the cause of the problem. But researchers surveyed over 9,000 people and the trend was clear ... even if the cause isn't.
Even if the shaky soda/kidney disease correlation is a bit sexist, the other health effects of soda don't discriminate. The added sugar in soda contributes to obesity and all of its related issues, and soda (even diet soda) is terribly bad for your teeth. It's best if all of us -- men and women alike -- stick to healthier beverages.
High Calorie Drinks - What's in Your Cup?
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Woman Goes to Rehab for Soda Addiction
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
One of the easiest ways to cut calories and sugar from your diet is to give up your soda habit. But for one Swedish woman, asking her to quit drinking Coke is like asking her to quit breathing. She took drinking soda to an entirely new level -- from bad habit to total addiction.Addicted to Coca-Cola? Really? Yes, really.
In fact, the woman, who also happens to be deaf, had to go through legal channels to have her addiction recognized. An appeals court recently ruled that she be hospitalized for her addiction to Coke and food, due to her uncontrolled high blood pressure and diabetes.
People joke all the time that they're addicted to their favorite foods. Though they may not be an addiction in a true sense, cravings can be a very powerful thing. Check out the gallery below for tips on how to keep them under control, and when cravings do strike, try substituting one of these low-cal snacks instead.
Osteoporosis - Diet and Exercise Tips for Strong Bones
Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
Nearly 44 million people in the U.S. are living with osteoporosis. The disease, which causes bones to be thin and brittle, strikes women more often than men. It's never too early to make the lifestyle changes that will help develop strong bones:- Weight-bearing activity. Exercises such as walking, jumping rope, and jogging help build bone. Strength training is also important for bone health.
- Calcium. Eat a diet rich in calcium and be sure to get appropriate amounts of vitamin D (through sun exposure and fortified foods -- supplements are also available).
- Salt. Limit salt intake as it causes your bones to excrete more calcium.
- Break bad habits. Smoking can be bad for bone health as can drinking alcohol and drinking soda.
Check out the gallery for age-specific bone health recommendations.
