Blog Archives
The New MyPlate – A Step In The Right Direction
As a registered dietitian and certified trainer, one of the most common questions I get is “What should I eat?” To me, that’s a clear indicator that people are getting mixed messages about nutrition, despite the plethora of information out there. Well, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new MyPlate, which essentially replaces the food guide pyramid, is certainly a step in the right direction. After all, how do you translate colored slivers of a pyramid to actual food choices?
The MyPlate icon does have few shortcomings, in my opinion, but I’ll discuss that a bit later. First, let’s focus on the positive. I love the message to fill half your plate with fruits and veggies and I must say – I’ve been giving this advice for some time now. EVERYONE would benefit from doing that, and it’s NOT just because fruits and veggies are more nutritious. That’s a no-brainer. The fact of the matter is, IF you did this, you’d fill up on fewer calories and you’d stay full longer, which translates to easier weight control. And who doesn’t want that? Weight loss is hard enough. Another message the new icon sends is to eat balanced meals. That is, Read the rest of this entry
Twinkie Diet – Nutrition Professor Lost 27 Pounds!
(CNN) — Twinkies. Nutty bars. Powdered donuts.
For 10 weeks, Mark Haub, a professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University, ate one of these sugary cakelets every three hours, instead of meals. To add variety in his steady stream of Hostess and Little Debbie snacks, Haub munched on Doritos chips, sugary cereals and Oreos, too.
His premise: That in weight loss, pure calorie counting is what matters most — not the nutritional value of the food.
The premise held up: On his “convenience store diet,” he shed 27 pounds in two months.
Reebok to refund $25M to customers who bought EasyTone, RunTone shoes
The federal government says Reebok’s advertising is a bit too cheeky.
In a complaint filed Wednesday in federal court, the Federal Trade Commission said Reebok could not back up its “better way to a better butt” advertising claims in marketing the popular EasyTone and RunTone shoes. The company has agreed to refund $25 million to consumers.
The settlement, which awaits court approval, bans Reebok from making further unsubstantiated claims about the strengthening and toning benefits of its entire line of toning shoes. Reebok started making the pitch in print, television and Internet advertisements in 2009 but pulled the ads in the midst of the FTC probe.
“Advertisers can’t make claims about their product without having some basis for it,” said David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Consumer Protection Bureau. “That’s the law.”
