F.M.U. - Become An American Gladiator

I wrote a blog post on Israel's Fat Man Unleashed Blog.

The post is about how to look like an American Gladiator. Check out the post here.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Doctor Prescribed Laughs: Obesity In America

Doctor Prescribed Laughs is explained here.

Obesity In America

After laughing and watching this clip a few times I had two lasting observations.

• Observation #1 - One of the reasons two-thirds of Americans are overweight is that we use escalators, elevators, and moving sidewalks. Technology is making us fat. We use technology so much that we don't know what to do when the technology isn't working.
• Observation #2 - One of the reasons people fail to lose weight is the fact that they are waiting. Many overweight people are waiting for some magic solution or some fairy godmother to come along and help them lose weight. They should stop waiting for help, and take that first step by themselves.

This clip was hilarious. I really hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Biggest Loser Couples - Week Five

The Biggest Loser is one of my guilty pleasures. Read what I think about the show here.

The Biggest Loser Couples Week Five

Another entertaining episode of the Biggest Loser Couples

Trainers Compete

This episode started off in an interesting fashion. They decided to get rid of the (six) two player teams and return to the typical two (six) player teams. They broke into Bob's Blue Team and Jillian's Black Team.

However, before the teams could separate, the trainers had to compete. The winning trainer was able to select the 6 players (3 teams) of their choice. The competition was a speed test to see which trainer could go up and down a moving escalator ten times.

Bob won the competition and chose the gray, black, and orange teams. These teams had the largest members and the biggest pound losers to date.

Challenge

After separating into teams, the two teams competed in a challenge. The challenge was to stay on the moving escalator the longest. After 20 minutes of continuous walking up the moving escalator, all 6 members of the black team had given up and 3 members of the blue team remained. The blue team shared a prize of $10,000 for their efforts.

Workouts

The trainers tried some supplementary workouts with their respective teams. Bob added yoga to his team's regimen and Jillian added kick boxing to her team's workout.

Temptation

The temptation was soda. There were numerous cups of soda on a table. One of the cups had a red star at the bottom of it that you could only see after drinking it. The contestant who found the star could eliminate the weight loss of a player on the opposing team. No one gave in to the temptation. I wouldn't have either. Regular soda can really pack on the pounds.

Commercial

There was another Extra Sugarless gum commercial in this episode. This time Jillian did it.

Weigh In

The Blue Team won the weigh in. Their 6 tem members lost between 5 to 13 pounds each. The Black Team members lost between 0 to 8 pounds each. One of the black team members actually gained 3 pounds. I am still amazed that after five weeks they are still able to lose up to 13 pounds in just one week.

Jillian was concerned about her team's weight loss. She knew it was not their workouts, so she felt it had to be their diets. She later found out that most of her team was under-eating. She told her team that in order to lose weight you cannot over-eat or under-eat. I totally agree. Over-eating brings more calories in and under-eating causes your body to burn fewer calories.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Sharon Twitchell on CNN's Fit Nation

Sharon Twitchell's weight loss success story was featured on CNN's Fit Nation.

Key Take Aways From Sharon Twitchell's Weight Loss Journey

• Consider a calorie-controlled, balanced meal plan
• Exercise regularly
• Find a nutrition plan and activity plan that you are comfortable with
• Start a food journal to monitor your calorie intake
• If you can afford it and you have the space, get exercise equipment in your home. Right in front of the television is the best place.
  

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Don't Go Broke Recipes: Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Healthy Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of Nature's Own 100% Whole Wheat Bread
• 2 slices of 2% fat American cheese
• 2 seconds of olive oil cooking spray

Instructions:

• Preheat skillet or pan with medium heat
• Spray pan with 1 second of cooking spray
• Place both slices of cheese between bread slices
• Place cheese sandwich in preheated skillet
• When bread is golden, spray one second cooking spray in pan and flip sandwich
• Remove from skillet when the other side is golden

Facts:

To understand COPS, CAPS, and PROPS click here.

• COPS: 80 cents
• CAPS: 218 calories
• PROPS: 16.0 grams
• Carbs: 24 grams
• Fats: 9 grams
• Sugar: 6 grams
• "Bad" Fats: 3 grams

Commentary:

I love this recipe and eat grilled cheese sandwiches often. These sandwiches taste great and are very easy to prepare. These sandwiches are also cheap and healthy because they are made with:

• 100% stone ground whole wheat bread - the "stone ground" part is very important. It ensures you are getting all of the health benefits associated with whole grains
• 2% fat cheese - You can use any low fast cheese for this recipe. I just happen to like American cheese. Low fat cheese is high in protein and calcium. Both can improve your health and help you lose weight
• Olive oil cooking spray - You can use canola cooking spray also. Olive oil is good for you in moderation. It's a healthy oil that can help decrease your bad cholesterol and improve your overall health.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

F.M.U. - Super Bowl Party Versus New Year’s Resolution

I wrote a blog post on Israel's Fat Man Unleashed Blog.

The post is about having a healthy super bowl party. Check out the post here.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

The Fatosphere Is Filled With Enablers

I was reading this article in the New York Times about blogs written by fat people. These bloggers encourage their readers to:

• Accept their "fatness"
• Not believe all the obesity "propaganda"
• Stay away from diets

These bloggers have some good points, but some of the things they are saying are completely ridiculous. They are simply enabling their poor lifestyle choices and encouraging others to do the same. These bloggers and their readers have been unable to lose and keep off the weight. So, now they have convinced themselves that they cannot lose the weight.

They remind me of the many smokers I met while I was a resident. They would tell me that smoking was not really bad for you. That smoking did not cause cancer. Smokers always use George Burns as their example or an uncle they had, who smoked until he was 150 years old. Hilarious.

I did not research these "fatosphere" blogs personally, but according to the article these blogs call on their readers to:

• Accept their bodies - I agree. We should all love the skin we are in. However, we can all seek to improve our health by striving for a healthy and normal body mass index.
• Quit dieting - I agree. Diets are short-term wastes of time. They should instead focus on permanent lifestyle changes involving a healthy nutrition and activity plan.
• Believe that "big is beautiful" - I agree. Losing weight shouldn't be about looks. It should be about health. Some people are more attractive when they are overweight, but they should still lose weight to improve their health.
• Not believe in the exercise more and eat less dogma - I disagree. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. Most people should simply lower their weight loss expectations and think long-term. Focus on trying to lose between half of a pound to one pound a week.
• Not believe that being overweight is a choice - I disagree. Being overweight is a choice. You choose to not change the poor lifestyle choices that are preventing you from losing weight and keeping it off.
• Believe you can be healthy at any size - I agree. You can be healthy at any size. You would just be healthier if your body mass index was within normal limits.
• Believe that they will always be overweight - I disagree. If you believe you can and will lose weight, then you will lose weight. You simply have to believe in yourself and make the necessary behavioral changes.
• Believe that there are benefits to being overweight - I disagree. There is no health benefit to being overweight.
• Not believe that all people should be thin - I agree. All people should not be thin, but they should have a normal body mass index. If you are at the upper limits of your normal body mass index, you are far from being thin.

The Internet is a wonderful tool and I love Web 2.0. However, this medium allows misinformed people to spread uneducated lies to weak-minded people.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Andy and Maggie Sorrells on CNN's Fit Nation

Andy and Maggie Sorrells' weight loss success story was featured on CNN's Fit Nation.

Key Take Aways From Andy and Maggie Sorrells' Weight Loss Journey

• Don't use food for comfort or to cure sadness
• Consider turning to a higher power or using spirituality to get you through your journey
• Weight loss is easier with a spouse, partner, or friend
• Lose weight slowly
  
• Set small goals
• Do not adopt temporary changes, adopt a permanent lifestyle
• Perseverance is the key to weight loss, you will have "slip ups"
• Realize that you are in charge of your happiness
  
• Eat slowly and stop when you are satisfied, but before you are "full"
• Realize there is more to life than food
  
• Eat normal foods, but watch the portion sizes
• No foods are off limits, anything can be eaten in moderation

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Doctor Prescribed Laughs: The Golden Arches

Doctor Prescribed Laughs is explained here.

The Golden Arches

When I was obese, I frequented McDonald's. I don't go there much anymore. You should try to stay away from McDonald's as much as possible also. However, I love this commercial. I find it hilarious. This kid is funny and at least he is eating fruit.

I hope you laughed as hard and as loudly as I did.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Biggest Loser Couples - Week Four

The Biggest Loser is one of my guilty pleasures. Read what I think about the show here.

The Biggest Loser Couples Week Four

Another entertaining episode of the Biggest Loser Couples

Twist

The episode started off with a twist. The teams voted for the team they wanted to get rid of the most. The team chosen would then have to compete against the other six teams combined.

The yellow team was chosen because three teams saw them as a threat. I'm not really sure why. They only had one really good week.

Reward

The yellow team was the biggest loser last week and they received their reward this week. They won two pounds off the weight-in of their choice.

Us Against The World

Initially, the yellow team had the mindset of them against the world. However, after speaking with Jillian they realized that was the wrong mindset to have. I agree. Losing weight is very hard and the more people you have supporting you, the better your chances of losing and keeping off the weight.

Workouts

The yellow team had their choice of trainers and they chose Jillian. So, Bob was left to train the other six teams. This separation of the trainers brought out the best in the trainers and they really pushed the contestants.

Commercial

Another Biggest Loser product placement commercial: Quaker's Weight Control Oatmeal. I actually love this stuff and recommend it to anyone trying to lose weight. They also stressed the importance of eating breakfast, which I agree is the most important meal of the day. The earlier you eat it, the better.

Challenge

The challenge had the yellow team competing against the other six teams. They had to walk across a balance beam over a pool of water, pick up a peg, walk back across the balance beam, and put the peg in a hole. They had to do this 12 times.

The yellow team destroyed the other 6 teams. Their prize was letters from home. However, they kindly gave the letters to the other six teams.

Game Play

Some of the teams decided to sabotage the weigh-in by drinking lots of water before the weigh-in. Their idea was to let the yellow team win, so the yellow team would eliminate the feared black team.

Weigh-In

The weigh-ins still amaze me. After four weeks of losing weight, 4 of the 14 contestants had double digit weight losses. 4 of the 14 contestants lost 3 pounds or less. However, these were the contestants who were playing the game to get rid of the black team.

In the end their sabotage of the weigh-in backfired. The black team had the highest percentage of weight loss. So, they had immunity from being eliminated. In the end the yellow team beat the combined efforts of the other six teams. They then voted off the pink team.

Aftermath

The pink team went home and continued their weight loss. The tight relationship between mother and daughter is really helping their weight loss efforts.

There is another twist next week. Next week they will start eliminating individuals instead of teams. It will be very interesting to see what happens.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

F.M.U. - Carry The World On Your Shoulders

I wrote a blog post on Israel's Fat Man Unleashed Blog.

The post is about broad shoulders: the benefits and how to get them. Check out the post here.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Doctor Prescribed Laughs: Never Too Old

Doctor Prescribed Laughs is explained here.

Never Too Old

You are never too old to play a prank on some one. You are also never too old to laugh.

I hope you laughed as hard and as loudly as I did.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Biggest Loser Couples - Week Three

The Biggest Loser is one of my guilty pleasures. Read what I think about the show here.

The Biggest Loser Couples Week Three

I watched Biggest Loser tonight because I couldn't watch it last night. My Tivo used to be my best friend. It used to save me from commercials, but these networks are smart. They use product placement to put commercials all throughout the show. I am sure you all saw Bob's Extra Chewing Gum commercial. He pretty much says: Chew Extra and lose weight.

The Reality Show

I really enjoyed this week's episode. This week the show was more like other reality shows and competitions I like. The contestants yelled, argued, talked behind each other's back, back-stabbed one another, and formed alliances. They did more strategizing than they did in the previous two weeks.

As you know, I do not watch the Biggest Loser to learn weight loss tips. I do not agree with the way they attack losing weight. I watch it for the competition aspect and this week was great.

The Work Outs

More of the same. There were really long workouts where the trainers pushed the contestants to their limits. One of the contestants kept holding on to the treadmill rails as he ran/walked. So, the trainers kept giving him a hard time. I totally agree. You burn more calories when all four limbs are moving. However, I do not agree with chastising or correcting someone in a crowd.

The trainers were the same as they usually were, except Jillian said something I totally disagreed with. She said that change only occurs when you are uncomfortable or through pain. You can lose weight without pain or limit-breaking workouts.

The Challenge

The challenge this week had the contestants running back and forth through muddy water as they placed balls in each other's bins. Which ever team's bin was filled first was eliminated. The teams formed alliances and made plans to eliminate the most feared teams.

This challenge seemed less about burning calories and more about dividing the teams. Half the contestants didn't actively participate in the challenge and as soon as a team was eliminated they stopped running. I still enjoyed it though. It was similar to Survivor challenges.

The Weigh In

All of the teams recovered from their "disappointing" numbers from a week ago. The contestants lost between 4 and 14 pounds each. I am still amazed that someone could lose 14 pounds in one week. It just seems mathematically impossible. By now it seems unlikely that the weight is water. So, they are losing fat and muscle.

Elimination

The team that was sent home "only" lost a total of 10 pounds for the week. The man in the group was the same one who was holding on to the treadmill rail while walking/running.

Another entertaining show, but please don't try this at home. To lose weight slowly and permanently, purchase my Don't Go Broke Weight Loss Plan

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Weight Loss Strategies - Turn Off Your Television

Last night, I was flipping through the channels looking for something to watch. I usually watch Monday Night Football on Monday nights, but the regular season is over. I am almost in tears. What am I going to do with myself?

I have about 100 channels, but half of them are showing Law & Order. I like Law & Order, but all of the channels were showing episodes I had already seen. I was getting frustrated and that's when it hit me. I am going to turn off my television and be productive.

I spent the next two hours:

• Organizing my life,
• Writing a to-do list, and
  
• Returning emails

After that, I did the unthinkable. I went to sleep early. I went to sleep before midnight. That means I actually slept twice in the same day. That never happens.

Television Watching

Depending on what source you use, Americans watch between 2 - 5 hours of television everyday. That is amazing. That is one of the reasons two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese.

The Possibilities

If losing weight is your goal, you would be better off spending those 2 - 5 hours:

• Working out
• Preparing your healthy meals and snacks for the next day
• Preparing your gym bag for your work out the next day
  
• Sleeping
• Relaxing
• Meditating or praying
• Seeking out the support of family and friends
• Giving support to family and friends

The options are endless.

But, I Like T.V.

Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with a little television. Comedies will make you laugh and laughter helps you lose weight. And who could go to sleep when there are 100 "reality" shows on, such as Big Brother 137? However, too much television can prevent you from losing weight.

So, turn off your television, and strategize new and more enjoyable ways to lose weight.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Get Inspired Into Action

I was reading this article @ CNN.com and I was inspired. The article is about Pastor Keith Troy and the New Salem Missionary Baptist Church.

Pastor Troy has begun to help improve the physical health of his congregation. He decided to do this after one of his parishioners died from complications from diabetes and high blood pressure. Pastor Troy was tired of watching his male parishioners die from diseases that could have been prevented.

Take Action

To prevent another needless death Pastor Troy:

• Made a list with the names and phone numbers of all of his male members
• Requested that all of the men see a physician in the next three months
• Offered to help pay, if they could not afford it
• Offered to provide transportation, if they had none
• Monitored their compliance via the telephone

Less Talk, More Action

Many of us, including myself, go around preaching the gospel of weight loss and disease prevention; but we do not get any results. We don't get any results because talk is cheap.

Some of us, including myself, do not discuss health issues with certain people we love. We stay silent because we don't want to offend people or hurt their feelings. I guess we rather they die instead.

This article and the bold actions of Pastor Troy have inspired me to take some action. Being a good example and talking to people is not enough.

Action Plan

Here is what we need to do:

• Go get your annual check-up and age-appropriate screening test, if you have not seen a doctor in the last year. You don't want to be a hypocrite.
• Talk to all of friends and family members about improving their health
• Encourage all of your friends and family members to go to a doctor to get their annual check-up and age appropriate screening test
• If you can afford it and they cannot, offer to help them pay
• If you have transportation and they do not, offer to drive the
• Sit down next to them when they make the appointment
• Follow up with them after the visit
• Most importantly, if they need to lose weight, tell them to buy my Don't Go Broke Weight Loss Plan. That's what I would do if I loved someone. LOL!!

Seriously, actions speak louder than words, so change your life then actively help your loved ones change theirs.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**
professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Don't Go Broke Recipes: Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich

Healthy Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of Nature's Own 100% Whole Wheat Bread
• 1 tablespoon of Smucker's Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 tablespoon of Smucker's Low Sugar Grape Jelly

Instructions:

• Spread peanut butter on one slice of bread
• Spread jelly on other slice of bread
• Combine the two slices

Facts:

To understand COPS, CAPS, and PROPS click here.

• COPS: 43 cents
• CAPS: 225 calories
• PROPS: 12.5 grams
• Carbs: 32 grams
• Fats: 8 grams
• Sugar: 8 grams
• "Bad" Fats: 1 gram

Commentary:

I love this recipe and eat PB&J sandwiches often. These sandwiches taste great and are very easy to prepare. These sandwiches are also cheap and healthy because they are made with:

• 100% stone ground whole wheat bread - the "stone ground" part is very important. It ensures y0u are getting all of the health benefits associated with whole grains
• Natural peanut butter - filled with "good" heart healthy fats and no added sugar
• Low Sugar Jelly - made with fruits, without all of the added sugar found in regular jelly or jam

If you are going to make these regularly, you should invest in a natural peanut butter mixer, such as this one.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Don't Go Broke Diet Recipes

Two of the six books in my Don't Go Broke Weight Loss Program are the Don't Go Broke Healthy Recipe Book and the Don't Go Broke Guide To Healthy Foods.

The three most important numbers in each recipe, meal, snack, food, or drink are:

• CAPS – CAlories Per Serving
• COPS – COst Per Serving
• PROPS – PROtein Per Serving

CAPS - Calories Per Serving - You must eat fewer calories than you burn if you want to lose weight. Knowing how many calories are in a serving of the meal or snack you are eating is very important. Ideally, your calories would be less than 400 calories per meal and 200 calories per snack.

COPS - Cost Per Serving - The Don't Go Broke Weight Loss Plan is all about saving money while you lose weight. Knowing how much your food cost is very important. Ideally, your cost would be less $1.50 per meal and $1.00 per snack.

PROPS - Protein Per Serving - Knowing how much protein is in your food is also very important because proteins:

• Are the building blocks of the body
• Boost calories burned during digestion
• Build muscles
• Decrease the glycemic index and load of a meal

Ideally, all of your meals and snacks would be at least 20% protein.

When selecting foods, drinks, recipes, meals or snacks, remember to calculate your CAPS, COPS, and PROPS.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

The Secret to a Longer Life is in your Fridge

I was reading this article about a study from the United Kingdom that revealed that a few healthy habits can result in an extra 14 years of life. The formula is neither new nor miraculous. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, don’t smoke, drink alcohol in moderation and exercise regularly.

The study tracked 20,000 people and found that those who followed the four health strategies lived on average 14 years longer than the other study participants.

Motivation

If you were looking for additional motivation to do the right thing, this study just may be the ammunition you need. We all know that healthy habits can result in a better quality of life but now there’s proof we can actually add years to our life.

What would you do with an extra 14 years? It’s worth considering as you seek to make healthy changes. It’s also worth considering the opposite. How would your life be impacted if you cut it short by 14 years? Smoking, drinking excessively and fueling your body with unhealthy foods can shorten your life span.

Back to the Future

Far too often we don’t consider the impact of today’s choices on our tomorrows. We may have fallen prey to the attitude of “life is short, enjoy it!” However, how enjoyable is life when out of control diabetes leads to the loss of a limb? Or worse, when your carpe diem choices cause a premature death?

Americans are long overdue for a reality check. Eating a healthy diet and exercising should be non-negotiable. Our bodies need the right kind of fuel to function properly. We need exercise. We were not meant to sit in chairs all day and stare at computer screens.

Easier Than You Think

Adopting a healthier lifestyle does not require a 2 hour gym workout or spending thousands of dollars on “designer” foods. The first step is to pick one health habit to change. Resolve to eat one more vegetable per day, or to exercise 20 minutes, three times per week. Focus on one change at a time and as that becomes a habit, add another change.

Small changes will add up and so will the years you have to enjoy them. Now that’s truly seizing the day!

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Biggest Loser Couples - Week Two

The Biggest Loser is one of my guilty pleasures. Read what I think about the show here.

The Biggest Loser Couples Week Two

This week there was another two hour episode. I hate to say that I really enjoyed it. There were thing that happened that made me smile and others that made me cringe.

The Work-outs

This week the contestants continued their intense workouts. The trainers decided to team up. Bob brought his holistic, yoga style and Jillian brought her abusive, drill sergeant style.

The contestants are still training too hard. At one point, one of the older contestants running on a treadmill lost her focus and fell off of the treadmill. The fall looked really bad. The trainers did not tell her to rest or check her vital signs. They actually allowed her to continue exercising. I hope they do not train like that in the "real" world. It could be dangerous.

The Hall of Truth

At one point during week two, the contestants were sent into a room called the "Hall of Truth". In this room they were forced to look at themselves the way they were before coming to the ranch. There was a voice telling them how many calories they were eating at home. They also heard themselves talking about how they loved food.

That was a great idea. When I was obese, I never looked in the mirror. I never took pictures. I never saw how badly I was living. I wish someone would have put me in a room like this. It would have forced me to take a good look at myself and how I was living. The contestants seemed to benefit from this experience.

The Challenge

The challenge this week was a giant see-saw. They had to complete 100 see-saws. Essentially, it was a race to see which team could finish 100 dynamic squats first. The activity looked rigorous and fun at the same time. The Black Team won again.

The Phone Calls Home

The Black Team received four phone cards for winning the challenge, one for themselves and 3 for any other team they wanted. It was very emotional watching them talk to their family members. They obviously missed being home. If I was not such a manly man, I would have gotten choked up. The good thing is that after the phone call, many of the contestants were even more determined.

The Temptation

There was a temptation this week. Each contestant had to spend four minutes at a huge feast by themselves. The feast was huge and it was filled with fatty and sugary foods. The team that ate the most calories won $5000. Only three of the eighteen contestants ate. Two of them said they ate to win the money.

The trainers were very upset when they heard that three people ate. They rightfully told them that the money was not worth it. I liked the temptation. Buffets are an excellent way to test your food avoidance skills.

The Weigh In

This week's weight loss was much less than last weeks. However, it was still too much in my opinion. The most pounds lost were from two people who lost eight pounds. The fewest pounds lost were from two people who lost only one pound. Another person gained one pound. The trainers were very unhappy with the numbers. These people are insane.

The Vote Off

The seven teams with the highest weight loss percentages had to vote off the one of the two teams with the lowest weight loss. They voted off the married couple because they knew they could support each other.

Another entertaining show, but please don't try this at home. To lose weight slowly and permanently, purchase my Don't Go Broke Weight Loss Plan

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Doctor Prescribed Laughs: Unapproved Exercises

Doctor Prescribed Laughs is explained here.

Unapproved Exercises

Exercising has many benefits. It can help you lose weight, reduce stress, and improve your cardiovascular health. However, I do not approve of the exercises in this video. I know you all want to lose weight, but this is a little extreme.

While I do not approve of these exercises, I do love this song by House of Pain. Excellent work out music.

I hope you laughed as hard and as loudly as I did.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Doctor Prescribed Laughs

One of the inexpensive weight loss strategies in my Don't Go Broke Diet is laughing. It is there because I truly believe that laughing will help anyone lose and keep off unwanted pounds.

When I was losing weight, I would find every reason to laugh. I am talking about loud, big belly laughs. At the time I did not know why but I knew laughing made me feel better. Laughing made it easier for me to eat less and lose weight.

Benefits of Laughter

Eventually I researched the benefits of laughter, and I found that laughter:

• Burns a small amount of calories
• Increases your heart rate
• Increases blood flow
• Decreases your stress
• Decreases your food cravings
• Boosts your energy
• Helps decrease negative feelings, such as sadness, pessimism and loneliness
• Helps increases positive feelings, such as happiness and optimism

Stress Reduction

The physical changes associated with laughter, such as increasing your heart rate, are great. However, it is the mental/emotional changes that will really help you lose weight.

Stress, pessimism, and depression can lead to hormonal changes in your body that cause weight gain and prevent weight loss. They also increase the amount of food you eat, as you try to self medicate with fatty and sugary foods.

Laughter is a much better way to self medicate.

Doctor Prescribed Laughs

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to laugh, tell jokes, and keep those around me laughing. I am also very optimistic and I try to smile as much as possible. Laughs and smiles are very contagious and uplifting. They cost me nothing, so I try to give out as many as I can.

With my Doctor Prescribed Laughs posts, I will try to make you laugh and smile. I am a proponent of affordable weight loss and laughs are very inexpensive.

So come to my blog and have a loud, big belly laugh on me. I will not charge you anything.

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

Weight Loss Strategies - Drink Coke Zero

I never drink regular, sugar sweetened soda anymore. It has been so long since I had a regular soda that I can not tell the difference between regular and diet.

Anytime I am at a restaurant, I have to have someone taste my diet soda to verify for me that it is diet. I love the way artificially sweetened sodas taste and I do not trust my taste buds. I typically find a skinny person to taste test my soda, because they typically hate the taste.

What is wrong with regular soda?

Regular, sugar-sweetened sodas are bad for you because:

• They are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup
• They are empty calories

Most sugar-sweetened sodas are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup increases your risk of becoming obese, getting diabetes, and/or getting cardiovascular disease.

Sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages are also empty calories. They have no nutritional value. They provide no benefit to the human body.

Diet sodas

Diet sodas are similar to their sugar-sweetened cousins. They provide no nutritional value. The only difference is that they are not sweetened with sugar and have no calories. They do not add, but they do not subtract either.

Coke Zero

My favorite diet soda is Coke Zero. I enjoy regular Coke Zero, Vanilla Coke Zero, and Cherry Coke Zero. They all taste great and they all taste better than Diet Coke, which I also like. I have also been told by Coke drinkers that Coke Zero taste like Regular Coke.

I am not advising that you drink Coke Zero. If you are thirsty, water is a much better option. If you need/want caffeine, tea/coffee sweetened with Splenda is a much better option. However, if you are a sugar-sweetened soda drinker, I suggest that you try Coke Zero.

Weight loss

Coke Zero will not help you lose weight directly. However, it can help you to lose weight if you substitute Coke Zero for your regular soda.

The average twelve ounce can of regular soda has 140 calories. However, most people drink those twenty ounce bottles of regular soda which have 240 calories. Those are a lot of empty calories.

In order to lose one pound every week, you must create a daily calorie deficit of 500 calories through diet and exercise. If you switch one bottle of regular soda for one bottle of diet soda, you will save 240 calories a day. This will get you almost half way to your daily goal of 500 calories.

Drink Coke Zero instead of your regular, sugar-sweetened soda and get One Pound Closer to your goals.

Sources:

Calorie King

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

The Biggest Loser Couples

I have a love - hate relationship with the television show: The Biggest Loser. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, The Biggest Loser is a competition where obese men and women compete to see who can lose the most weight.

I love watching it because:

• I love competition - I am also a big fan of The Apprentice.
• I love seeing people lose weight
• The show encourages its viewers to lose weight and change their lives

I hate watching it because:

• The show encourages fast weight loss
• The show encourages too many hours of exercise

Even though I do not completely agree with the structure of the program, I still watch it. I'm a junkie.

Couples Edition

I just finished watching the season premiere of the latest rendition of the program: The Biggest Loser Couples. Thank goodness for Tivo because two hours with commercials would have been brutal.

Typically in The Biggest Loser, two large teams compete with one another. However in the Biggest Loser Couples, there are ten teams competing. Nine of the ten teams consist of two people who are relatives or best friends. One of the teams has two strangers in it.

The Competition

There were two challenges in this episode. Both were races.

The first race was a race up a steep hill. The winners were able to choose between the two personal trainers: Bob and Jillian.

The second race was a race around a course while pulling a large balloon. This race was unfair. The heavier teams had a weight advantage, so it was easier to pull the balloon.

The winners of the second race were given an extra two pounds to add to their weekly weight loss total. That was great. However, the last place team had two pounds subtracted from their weekly weight. I did not like this. I know it's a competition, but I would have only subtracted the pounds if the team did not finish.

The Weigh In

In the end, teams were voted off based on how much weight they lost for the week. The team that was sent home was a sixty year old man and his thirty-one year old daughter who lost a total of twenty-six pounds in one week. ONE WEEK!!!!

The woman who was sent home was very distraught because she did not understand why she only lost seven pounds. She was comparing her weight loss to other contestants who lost up to twenty-nine pounds. I know most of the contestants' weight loss was water weight, but twenty-nine pounds is too much weight to lose in one week.

My Opinion

What I liked:

• The teams - it's easier to lose weight with a partner
• The visit to the hospital - the fear of sickness and death was one of my motivations to lose weight
• The use of filtered water - bottled water cost too much and is a waste of plastic

What I did not like:

• The lack of a transition time - not everyone is ready to be thrown into the fire
• Exercise time - too much time was spent working out
• Weight loss - they all probably lost water, fat, and muscle.

Another entertaining show, but please don't try this at home. To lose weight slowly and permanently, purchase my Don't Go Broke Weight Loss Plan

Large lifestyle changes lead to fast temporary weight loss. Small lifestyle changes lead to slow permanent weight loss.

Sources:

The Biggest Loser: Couples

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**

'Tummy Tuck' Your Kids In

I read this article in The New York Times, and thought I would share it with you. The article summarizes the results of a study of 519 seven-year-olds.

Study Results

The study found that 7-year-olds that slept less than nine hours every night were:

• More likely to be overweight or obese and
• More likely to have mood swings.

The study also found no correlation with sleep deprivation and:

• I.Q. scores or
• Measures of ADHD.

This study should be very helpful to parents as they try to:

• Prevent their children from becoming overweight or
• Help their overweight/obese children lose weight.

My Childhood

The study results bring me back to my own childhood. Growing up, I did not sleep much. I used to stay awake:

• Studying,
• Watching television,
• Playing video games, or
• Waiting for my hard-working mother to come home from work.

There are many reasons why I was an overweight child and sleep deprivation was probably one of them.

Strategies for Parents

As parents there are many strategies you can use to help your children get more sleep. They probably will not be very happy with these strategies, but when are children ever happy with things that are good for them.

Try these strategies:

• Set a ‘bed time’ and a ‘wake time’ for your children that is at least 9 hours a part. You must enforce both the ‘bed time’ and the ‘wake time’.
• Enforce the nine hour sleep rule everyday, including weekends and school breaks.
• Read a bed time story to your children to help them fall asleep.
• Take the television, DVD players, computers, lap-tops, cell phones, I-pods, video games, and any other sleep distracters out of your children’s bedrooms.
• Ensure that there is no noise inside or outside of your children’s room that would prevent them from sleeping soundly.

Help your kids get more sleep to keep them healthy and prevent mood swings.

Sources:

The New York Times

Start losing weight today without breaking the bank using Dr. Kal's Don't Go Broke Diet.

Laugh and lose weight at the Laugh Out Loud Weight Loss Blog.

Return to Dr. Kal's Weight Loss Blog Main Page

**Please consult your physician, registered dietitian, or certified fitness professional before starting or changing your diet or exercise program.**