New sugar alternative

Are you a Splenda fan? When introduced to the U.S. in 199, those little white granules caused a big stir. Although widely used (sales topped Equal), the safety of Splenda is still questioned. Your thoughts on Splenda aside, a new sweetner is coming!

Just in time for holiday baking is Stevia. The low-calorie, natural sweetner from South America is not yet approved by the FDA, but can be found in the U.S. at some specialty stores. Are you on board?

The sugar replacement trend got me thinking. Are you an early adopter to promises of low calorie and less fattening goods? Or would you rather be behind the curve a bit and like to wait for testing approval?

Women's Health Mag slashes calories again

Whew! We survived Thanksgiving! Time to finally button up those pants for the first day back to work, school and routine. Now that national binge day is over, it's time to get back to business. Women's Health Magazine posted a great article on how to cut calories in your own cooking.

It's a common misconception to believe home cooking is better for you than running to a restaurant, but that might not be the case. Some of the tips are old yeah I know types, but they all could bare repeating. Check out the calorie cuts in some simple ways to alter your already favorites.

Thanksgiving!

The most dangerous holiday to dieters is upon us, readers. I'm heading home for a Thanksgiving Day 10K, double dinner celebrations and family time. What are your dinner and workout plans? Check back on an update to my holiday weekend, for now, check out this Thanksgiving calorie cutting article from Women's Health and Hungry Girl's Thanksgiving ask for help section. Happy holiday!

Ask a pro: Reebok Global Instructor Jade Alexis part 2

Remember Jade Alexis? She's the fun, functional and fierce Reebok Global Instructor I interviewed last week. Check out the rest of my interview with her, here!

ASA: Has the launch of Reebok's female-focused fitness initiative helped to broadcast your message of making workouts fun?

Jade: Reebok's message falls in line with my desires to have a FUN work out. Thus far, working with Reebok and knowing that their initiative is in line with my philosophy encourages and motivates me to be on point and keep it FUN!

ASA: You talked about preventing burn outs through balance, how do you keep your workouts balanced?

Jade: On a regular basis I do the things I really enjoy; ride, swim, box, do weights, and practice yoga. In occasion when I need a change of pace, I may play basketball or try a new/different class or workout w/ a friend. Additionally, I make sure to incorporate all: weight/strength training, cardiovascular and flexibility into my week. Most importantly I balance training with rest and recovery, I have 1-2 days off a week.

ASA: What role does nutrition have in your life? What's your favorite quick go to meal and what's your guilty food pleasure?

Jade: Nutrition is VERY important, it effects my energy levels, my health, my sleep ... Favorite quick to go meal is Greek Yogurt w/ blueberries and granola ...guilty food pleasure, sweet potato fries and I LOVE crumbles, apple or berry w/ a scope of ice cream!

ASA: What's your favorite at home exercise and at home workout equipment?

Jade: Exercise: Push up Equipment: Jump Rope What products does Reebok make that could help women workout from home or on the go while traveling? - Jump rope - resistance bands - dumb bells - stability balls

ASA: Living in a four season state; how do you keep exercising new and exciting when you're stuck indoors or in the same environment?

Jade: When it gets to cold to be outside, I move it indoors and can do many of the same things indoors that I do outdoors, swim, ride - its not as climatic or as refreshing being indoors though.... I also try new things there are a variety of classes offered at the gym, so its always new and exciting to try a new class or different instructor.

Healthiest city in the U.S.

I promise, I'm not all about depressing news. How about the nation's healthiest city? Drum roll please, and the award goes to Burlington, Vermont!

A distance of about 32 marathons away from the round town of Huntington, West Virgina, the nation's unhealthiest. Check the article for some comparisons on how both 'ton towns measure up; then tell me about your city!

I posted at my MLive blog with my thoughts on the fit life in Michigan, but my workout routines have rarely ventured out from there.

Check it out and let me know what's up with your town. Tell me where you're from or where you've been; conducive environment to a chiseled six-pack, or more likely to see townie guts with remnants from last night's six pack?

A look at the fattest city in the US

Wanna know where I'm not going to move when I graduate? Huntingington, West Virginia. The tiny town on the west edge of the state is among the many nationwide struggling with the weak economy. Among the financial issues is one of a bigger size; obesity. Nearly half Huntington adults are over weight, making them the most obese city in the country.

How does this happen? Five foot nine, 233 pound mayor David Felinton says in an Associated Press article at comcast.net there's more important issues at hand for Huntington. "We've got a lot of economic challenges here in Huntington. That's usually the focus."

Usually when the top obese city list comes out, I shurg in my couch, thinking; how can it get that bad? There's no excuse for forgetting about your health, but the article was very well put together. Take a look at what life has been like in Huntington, and put yourself in those steal toed work boots. What would you do? I try to promote healthy eating and exerising on a budget, but environment has a great effect on us all. With so much on their plate (literally and figurativly) is there hope for Huntington?

Pom alright

A box of these cute little guys arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago. The friendly folks at Pom Wonderful contacted me asking if I was interested in a couple jugs of juice. I've never been a big pomegranate fan, but I am familiar with some of the health benefits so I decided to agree and give the juice a go.

First off, I can't think of a way to make drinking juice any more fun than the bottles Pom Wonderful uses. Juice aside, I made sure to save a couple of these guys to use latter (maybe a cute coffee table vase?).

The juice is decent. It's not my favorite, but it wasn't gross. It tasted similar to Manishewitz grape wine I'd sip on at Passover Dinner. I didn't see my little 8 oz bottle at the store, but my local super market did have the double sized version for a little over $3. A little steep for my nutrition on a budget preaching, but I did find another way to make the juice work.

Dinner.

The Pom Wonderful site has a pretty good section on how to use pomegranates in every day cooking. I ended up making a quick dinner that put the S.F.C (same freaking chicken) to shame. I brought a combination of pom juice and chicken stock to a roiling boil then stirring in a spoonful of flour to thicken the mixture. Serve that over chicken or ham for a yummy pomegranate glazed treat. The whole process took me about 10 minutes and I faked a fancy dinner in the process, definitely worth it for a little splurge.

Pom juice is a fantastic, healthy, versatile treat; something a little more grown up (and easier to feel good about) than a candy bar at check out and also a chance to change up dinner.

Are you a pom juice drinker? Seen the funky bottles? What do you think?

Odds and ends from Nancy Clark

I recently found registered dietitian Nancy Clark's monthly nutrition newsletter in my inbox, score! Here are some highlights from her jam packed Novermber/December articles:

Protein
The maximal effective single dose of protein to build new muscle is ~35 grams of high quality protein (milk, egg, fish, meats) at one time. While most athletes easily eat this amount—plus more—three times a day to fulfill their daily protein requirement, elderly folks may not. Hence, they become weak and frail. The bottom line: Be sure you (and your parents and grandparents) maintain your health and vitality by enjoying protein with each meal!

Organic foods—are they better?
Many athletes debate whether or not they should buy organic foods. In terms of nutritional value, studies in the US suggest no significant differences, but studies in Europe report higher amounts of nutrients, including antioxidants. Eating a larger portion of conventionally grown produce can resolve any potential differences.

The bigger issue relates to protecting the soil and limiting water pollution from pesticides and fertilizers that seep into the ground. For those reasons, buying organic produce is a smart choice, particularly if it is locally grown, uses less fuel to be transported, and supports local farmers.

Simple strategy for eating better
If you want to improve the quality of your diet, think about one thing you could do each day to contribute to a healthier intake. Write down your goal for the day, then assess your level of confidence in achieving that goal. For example, your goal might be to eat fruit with lunch. If you are very confident you can do that, go for it. But if you are not at all confident, take a look at the barriers, and perhaps figure out another way to boost your fruit intake. Banana on cereal for breakfast? Fruit smoothie for a post-exercise recovery drink?

The bottom line: Set yourself up for success by developing sustainable eating habits. Stop making resolutions—dietary “shoulds”—that repeatedly fail.

Want food help?
The best dietary advice comes with a one-on-one consultation with a sports dietitian. To find your local expert, check out the referral network at www.SCANdpg.org.

Recommended Reading
Helpful books can be a welcome gift. Here are a few suggestions for your active friends and family members. Of course, I recommend these books that I have written:

Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 4th Edition (2008)
The sports nutrition bible for learning how to eat to win.

The Cyclist’s Food Guide: Fueling for the Distance
For cyclists who are doing long rides or tours.

Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions
Perfect for novice marathoners who fear hitting the wall!

Excellent books by other authors include:

American Dietetic Association’s Complete Food and Nutrition Guide by Roberta Duyff
What to Eat: An Aisle-by-Aisle Guide to Savvy Food Choices and Good Eating by Miriam Nestle
Vegetarian Sports Nutrition by Enette Larson-Meyer
Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family by Ellyn Satter
Healthy Homestyle Cooking by Evelyn Tribole

Nancy's newsletters are packed with info! I highly suggest making your way to her site to sign up for the free monthly letters!

Ask a pro: Reebok Global Instructor Jade Alexis

Jade Alexis is a spin, bootcamp and cross-training specialist out of New York City. She's one of 17 women in the Reebok Global Instructors Team aimed at giving women more options to make workouts fun.



I got a chance to send Jade a few questions to find out how her methods of training work. Check out some of her responses today and check back for more later on!

ASA: What kinds of exercising are involved in a boot camp session?

Jade: My boot camp training session includes a plethora of total body and body weight exercises and incorporates many sports conditioning drills. The exercises involved in the class included things such as running, hopping, jumping, push ups, squats, lunges, and speed ladder drills/agility.

We also do short sprints, slides and have the body move in different directions and at different speeds. Each session encompasses all; strength, cardiovascular and functional exercises.

ASA: How is boot camp training beneficial?

Jade: Beneficial because it motivates one to work hard and push to a state of mind over matter in which new limits can be reached - one can reach and feel a great sense of accomplishment. From a physical standpoint, you burn a ton of calories, build strength and develop cardiovascular endurance all while having fun!

ASA: What is the proper attire for boot camp training? Does Reebok offer specific boot camp gear?

Jade: Clothing that won't restrict movement. Really, whatever is comfortable. Reebok has several shoes, cross trainers that are appropriate for this type of class.

ASA: A lot of popular weight-loss television shows (Celebrity Fit Club, The Biggest Loser) rely on boot camp training, why do you think this is and what options do women have to mimic boot camp training on their own?

Jade: I suspect that these shows use boot camp training because it is fun or at least it can be! Its great for TV and when done well and incorporated with a good nutrition plan and sufficient rest then weight loss/results are guaranteed - that's great for these TV shows.

Several of these shows such as the biggest loser have workout videos that can allow women to mimic boot-camp workouts on their own. Taking a boxing class or a boot camp class and learning the moves and drills can give women some of the tools to be able practice "boot-camp" on their own at home.

ASA: What does cross training accomplish that a single track routine does not?

Jade: Over time a single track workout routine will likely get boring and the body will adapt to doing the same exercise over and over again. One will reach a point where the body no longer gets the same results from the same workout. Cross-training mixes things up so that the body is constantly challenged in different ways to avoid boredom, as well as engage more and different muscles and prevent the body from adapting which will ultimately help avoid a plateau in results.

ASA: You talked about keeping workouts fun, functional and fierce; can you explain this a bit more? How do you encourage fun, what workouts are most functional and why, and what is it to exercise fierce?

Jade: Fun! Exercise should be fun, we should smile and laugh and enjoy the exercise we are doing, it shouldn't be a dreadful experience. I encourage fun by encouraging people to participate in activities/sports/exercises that they enjoy doing - that's why boot-camp is fun, it takes pieces from different sports that many enjoy. Additionally, good, upbeat music, smiles, good positive energy and words also aid in creating a fun workout.

Functional! Involves doing movements that mimic our everyday activities so that we can become stronger and more efficient in our daily lives and/ or sports that we participate in

Fierce! Means to go hard! Give it all, 100 % and be intense.

How to choose the right gym

Last week it was 70 here. Seventy degrees in November. I rode my bike to classes in a short-sleaved shirt, jeans and sunglasses. Global warming, you're not always a bad guy.

Thanks to the sunny weather I also took off for an afternoon run. Gosh am I gonna miss running under the red and yellow trees with beautiful blue skies.

We may be fighting off cold weather for now, but eventually I'll be snow shoeing it around campus with white fluff up to my waist. Don't believe me?
Yep, when I take this year's homage to Antarctica, it will most certainly be gym season. Memberships can be costly though; are you getting everything you want out of your gym? Check out my MLive MichFit post on guidelines to choosing the right gym!

There you'll find great links there to a couple resources with checklists, budget conscious tips and an anti-rip off guide. Location, price, programs, amenities, fine print, what can't you live without?

Tell me about your dream gym! Tell me about your gym. Love it? Hate it? Just live with it anyway? What would be the one thing you would change if you could? Comment or email me at asizableapple@gmail.com.

More business on the pink ribbon

I've seen more pink ribbons in the last month than a nurse would in a newborn ward. Every stop to think about the whole trend?

Might not be as good as it seems, says one of my fellow MLive bloggers.

Need a little more info? Check this MSNBC health article- the politics behind the pink ribbon. I wrote about this a little bit about a year ago, but I think cancer and your money are both big enough topics to give another go around.

Does the pink campaign sway your purchases at all? What's your favorite way to support breast cancer? Here's mine!

Women, wash your hands!

My grandpa use to freak out about how little we washed our hands. My parents were always too busy shuffling a kid or two to swim practice or helping someone with their science project to make sure everyone's hands were scrubbed clean before dinner.

And don't lie, you don't always wash your hands after going to the bathroom or before eating. Yep, there's a lot of invisible bugs festering around all of us, but maybe more on women?

I was pretty surprised to read this MSNBC health article citing a study that claimed women have more bacteria on their hands then men.

The researchers aren't sure why women harbored a greater variety of bacteria than men, but Fierer suggested it may have to so with the acidity of the skin. Knight said men generally have more acidic skin than women.

Other possibilities are differences in sweat and oil gland production between men and women, the frequency of moisturizer or cosmetics applications, skin thickness or hormone production, he said.

Yuck. Note to self, scrub those palms more often. Also found this quote later on in the article pretty interesting:

The average hand harbored 150 species of bacteria.

Not only did individuals have few types of bacteria in common, the left and right hands of the same individual shared only about 17 percent of the same bacteria types, the researchers found.

By the way, does anyone else think about how many germs you come in contact with while at the mall? How many bodies slipped on that sweater, ran their snotty hands over that Guitar Hero box or held onto the oh-so-not-clean railings? I make it a point to try out as many Bath and Body Works products as possible; better yet if they have an anti-bacterial try me soap by the in store sink!

What do you think? Does this prompt you to wash more, or have you always been a regular washer? How 'bout hand sanitizers, do you swear by a certain brand? Fill me in on comments!

Do you want 4-year-old fries with that?

Ewwwwwwwww. Not much left to say, ladies. If you have had time to hit up the fast food drive through in the last month, then you can make time for this 5 minute video. This is another gem sent to me (keep 'em comin', mom!) from Hungry Girl.

I know I'm not the only one whose come across a little left over from a long lost Happy Meal; hmm, how long has this been here? It doesn't look too old. Maybe just four years old? You've GOT to check out this video on how fast food vs. real food ages.

What do you think? Does proof like this and movies like Supersize Me stop you dead in your tracks, make you re-think your Big Mac or not phase you a bit?

You want some YouBars?

CONTEST CLOSED.

I know you do! The lovely folks at YouBars saw my post and offered up a discount!

The first 10 readers to race over and create a bar can get 10% off! Type 'asizableapple' into the coupon code section of the view cart page for a couple bucks off.

Hmm... almond butter and goji berries or coffee crystals and pecans? I'm still working on my combination; tell me about yours!

Wondering why a head of broccoli is more than a happy meal?

Ready to tear your hair out if one more person brings up the election? At ease, hair follicles, no political chatter here. If you're paying attention to the election or living under a rock, odds are you're fairly knowledgeable on where the two popular candidates stand, but what about their opinion on food?

I came across a pretty cool New York Times blog interviewing author Michael Pollan who says talking about the nation's food policies are just as important as any other hot topic.

One of Mr. Pollan’s concerns is that national policies subsidize the least healthful calories that we eat. He notes that the “building blocks” of fast food are soy and corn, used to make hydrogenated soy oil, the protein and starch in cattle and chicken feed, and high-fructose corn syrup used in sodas and sweets.

“That’s what we’ve been heavily subsidizing, encouraging farmers to grow more of, and that’s what makes fast food so cheap,” he said. “Meanwhile over in the produce section, the head of broccoli costs more than a fast-food hamburger. Why is that? We do very little to encourage farmers to grow what are called specialty crops, which is actual food you can eat. We need to level the playing field between the unhealthy and healthy calories.”

Any living, breathing, eating, grocery shopping American should take some time out to think about national food policies. The NYT blog is only a snippet of a 20 minute interview with Pollan. What do you think? Voice your opinions in comments or email me!

Play with your food, make your own!

Among the things I've been meaning to do (like get back to posting here!) is to share some of the info I've had laying around in the old inbox. I DO have a lot of good stuff; one of my recent favorites comes from Hungry Girl (thanks for sharing, mom!).

Besides all her great info were links to personalizing food! I got sucked into the make your own cereal site, which one are you salivating over?

Me and Goji- Make your own cereal! Add wheat, dried fruit, nuts and more; the site keeps track of your creation's nutritional values too. I'll never be able to look at Captain Crunch again after seeing all the possibilities!

YouBar- Growing tired of grabbing the same old granola bar when you're on the go? Make your own at YouBar! Same idea as Me and Goji, including keeping up with tracking nutritional values, but now in an easy to grab bar.

Love the create your owns? Hate the hassle and dig something already on the store shelves? Shoot me and email or comment with feedback!

MSNBC Interactive

I came across this while fumbling for material on the ever so faithful MSNBC health page. It's a very cool interactive page where you can learn about how women's bodies change over time.

Check out what changes your bones, skin, heart, hair, mind and other areas. Doesn't hurt to do a little damage control now so you don't end up like this later!

Lovely links!

Holy links! A reader (hi Kelly!) sent me this link in an email forever ago, but due to the pains of being a college student, I just finally got around to looking at it. I haven't gotten the chance to explore the links as much as I'd like to, but this is a for sure bookmark page for anyone looking to get some more info on health and fitness. Find fitness programs, health and nutrition calculators and other fitness links. Some of my favorites are SparkPeople, MapMyRun and the oh so disturbing What Does 200 Calories Look Like? Check it out! Thanks for the tip, Kelly!

Push up challenge

Anyone remember that push up challenge? If you haven't heard about it, CHECK OUT THE SITE! Then try it.

You know that quote, something about it being ok to fail as long as you try? That would be me with the push ups. I coaxed my parents into doing the routine with me but by week 4, I left for school, and suddenly it was easier to "forget" about a very painful 5 minutes of upper body work.

I do still get updates from the site's creator. Steve emailed me about 2 weeks ago with upgrades on the site! You can now use an interactive logger to keep track of your progress and even see where other users are in the program. Very cool.

If you haven't attempted the challenge, I highly suggest you do so. Tell Steve I sent you. :)

Energy drink mayhem

Oh it's about time!

I see kids carrying these around campus all the time (especially those with unfortunate 8 a.m. classes). The NBC video talks to a John Hopkins professor who says some energy drinks can have up to 500 milligrams (Mountain Dew has about 50) of caffeine with little to no warning labels.

What ever happened to a good old breakfast to get you going in the morning? Given sometimes my breakfast is a pop-tart (which is about as good as having a bowl of ice cream) but it's something!

What are your thoughts? What do you rely on to get you up in the morning?

Back rolls?

Get your back rolls removed! What??

There's a NEW surgery out there that will lift and tuck those pesky "back breasts" out of your way. Now I've heard it all.

My first ASA post was a readers opinion article on plastic surgery. Over a year since that, I'm curious to see, what do you think now? A new surgery for back rolls makes me wonder about where plastic surgery is headed. Do you have wider fingers that need a nip and a tuck?

I'm curious- what do you think about back rolls? While I've noticed them before, it's never changed my judgment on someone. You can find fit bodies at the beach with a little extra luggage back there. Is your back an area of concern for you? If you could make up a plastic surgery procedure, what would you go under the knife for?

Sidenote: Check out ABCNews covering JLo's back rolls!

Kiddie equipment

Get your kids moving on their own workout equiptment?

Some experts are saying this is a horrible idea, and may be pushing kids too hard in the direction of fitness. Parents however seem to like the idea.

I think the equipment is awesome! While its been argued that kids using this equipment are missing out on the fun of social interaction sports like tag and kickball, I think the pros outweigh the cons. The last time I saw neighborhood kids out playing tag and kick-the-can was when I was doing it. There are too many toys that coax kids to stay inside, and the idea of playing outside is as foreign to kids now as a typewriter.

Most children want to emulate their parents, or older siblings. I don't think any child should be made to spend 20 minutes on a kiddie treadmill, but when mom or dad is on the in home stationary bike, giving junior the option to ride along to can be an empowering experience. Even for physically active children, there is an appeal to kid equipment. Eventually Billy is too old to play on the school soccer team, but if he grew up with a familiarity to exercise equipment, will he be more prone to going to the gym on his own?

What's your stance?

I'm famous!

Well, not quite, but I did make it on the iVillage diet secrets slide show! Vote and then share your favorite tip here!

Try this on for size-

I caught word of Holobi (still trying to figure out how to say that one) from an ASA reader. Sign in and enter your measurements and the site will help you figure out which body type you fall into. Afterwards, you can go as far as to shop for clothes through the Holobi site that cater to your perfect shape.

I tested it out with my roommate this morning. First mistake? Not having a measuring tape handy. We ended up measuring each other with a trash bag roll and measuring out with a ruler afterward. A little tedious, especially for the morning, but it worked none the less. I ended up being a ruby; a little odd considering I had always thought of myself more full figured (thanks mom!)

Overall I thought the site was pretty cool, although not as helpful as I thought. It told me I need shorter tops and even shorter pants. Duh. It was kind of cool to look at the clothing they had chosen for my body type. I wish it wasn't so expensive, but it gave me an idea of what to look for when I'm out shopping next.

Give it a try and comment with your own critique!

Mama makes it best

My fine brown hair, stubbornness and to an extent driving skills have all come from my mother. So has my nutty fascination for health and fitness.

I can't remember exactly when, but she started concocting something magical in our kitchen (magic for me involves anything with chocolate, fyi). They're called haystacks, and although I've seen them being prepared, chilling in the freezer and out after dinner, I've always been forbidden to try her special treat (they're that good!).

Special for ASA readers, she's agreed to share her chocolaty fiber treat and an extra recipe!

Haystacks
1.5 oz chocolate chips
1/4 c peanut butter
1 c Fiber One cereal (original)
________________________________________________________

melt chocolate chips & peanut butter and stir to combine
combine chocolate/peanut butter mixture with cereal
divide into 9 clumps onto wax paper
freeze
store in plastic bag in refrigerator
serving size is 2 clumps

Bran Muffins
1/4 c applesauce
1/2 c brown suger, firmly packed
1/4 c molasses
2 eggs
1 c skim milk
1-1/2 c wheat bran
1 c whole wheat flour
1-1/2 tsp regular flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinammon
1/2 c raisins (optional)
____________________________________________________________
Cream applesauce and sugar together. Add molasses and eggs. Mix well. Add milk and then bran. Mix well. Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well. Add raisins, if desired and mix well.

Bake in muffin tin lined with paper cupcake liners at 400F for 18-20 minutes. Makes one dozen.
Serving is 1 muffin
90 calories
3.6 g protein
1.4 g fat
14 g fiber
16 g carbohydrates
6 g sugar
1.4 g starch
I store in the freezer in a zip-top bag.

Fit females take over!

Unless you've been under a rock this past weekend, you now know the name Sarah Palin. And in case your mother isn't keeping you as politically up to date as mine is, you might now know about her personal life (aside from her pregnant daughter).

Well ladies, get ready for another hot bod in politics. Palin hunts, fishes and runs marathons. The lady is BUILT! Which leads me to my next question; who is the bigger female political power-house, Palin or Condi?

Workout in bed?

As a college student (better known as professional napper) I was quite interested by this article. After all, I did just spend the first half hour of my morning coaxing myself into lacing up my running shoes. Gosh, why do that when you can run in bed?

Unfortunately, the idea for the adjustable bed with treadmill attachment isn't quite made for me. The invention of a surgeon in Nebraska is to help obese patients fit in workout time with little outside assistance.

I wonder how much one of these would cost to place in a college apartment?

Slim down or pay up!

True if you're a state worker in Alabama. The down south government is looking to combat their status as second largest state by charging overweight employees.

Smoking state workers in 'bama are already getting slapped with a monthly fee; now those overweight can expect to shell out $25 per month for otherwise free insurance if they don't slim down by January 2011.

"We are trying to get individuals to become more aware of their health," said state worker Robert Wagstaff, who serves on the insurance board.

E-K. Daufin of Montgomery, a college professor and founder of Love Your Body, Love Yourself, which holds body acceptance workshops, said the new policy will be stressful for people like her.

"I'm big and beautiful and doing my best to keep my stress levels down so I can stay healthy," Daufin said. "That's big, not lazy, not a glutton and certainly not deserving of the pompous, poisonous disrespect served up daily to those of us with more bounce to the ounce."

The program will include health screenings to deem which employees need to pay up. The whole program will cost the state about $1.6 million, will apparently pay off in the long run.

Ashmore said research shows someone with a body mass index of 35 to 39 generates $1,748 more in annual medical expenses than someone with a BMI less than 25, considered normal.

What do you think? Some people are naturally overweight, or become obese due to medial conditions and medication. Is it fair to impede on the choices of employees to save money for the state?

Cigarette ad transformation

Quick post today, but food for thought-

Smoking ads have undergone a massive transformation in the past 50 years. Some current ads are speaking out against cigs and saving tons of money. Far cry from these vintage things, hm?

School blues

Today is my first day back to school. This means a few things- my bank account is dry thanks for over priced books, my workout time undergoes a make over as I figure out a way to get my run in that doesn't require skipping on shut eye and perhaps the most important- pizza and snacking season has arrived.

After hours of boring lectures, coming home to cook isn't always front and center in my mind (usually plopping on the couch in front of VH1 is). Also, my sneaky rewarding system begins. If I can answer yes to any of the following questions- did I ace that test, did I survive a difficult day, did I make it through another week of my least favorite class- I'll pick up a candy bar on campus before the bus ride home. The system does has several flaws that allow me an occasional KitKat for no good reason.

Not everyone may be gearing up with new notebooks and freshly sharpened pencils, but my question is the same- what's your go to meal when you're not even up for boiling water? How about food rewards? Leslie talked about food mood savers today, but what about when you feel you've accomplished something for the day, does that deem a Starbucks run on the ride home?

Hey young girls- come build a bimbo!

Thank goodness, it's the game we've all been waiting for! Pull your nearest 8 year old girl close, you're going to want her to hear about this. "Miss Bimbo" allows its users to create virtual bimbos and take care of them Tamagotchi style. Everything from relationships, buying a new apartment, outfitting your bimbo and even taking her under the virtual knife for implants is included.

The game is attracting very young users and raising lots of eyebrows. Check out the ABC News article about it. Creators say they didn't think about the body issue ramifications the game may have on young girls and health experts and chompin' at the bits over it. In reality, there's little to no way to age protect internet content. Miss Bimbo is definitely not appropriate for the age group it's most popular with; then again, who is it appropriate for? At 21, I could imagine the effects of moving your bimbo up the social ladder with plastic surgery and top line apartments could subconsciously be bothersome to any woman.

What do you think? Where do we draw the line between innocent games and over the time body image spoilers?

Too late to go back now...

I just signed up for my first 5k in about a year. My workouts may have taken a back seat this summer, but I've been trying to get on track, and I think this race will help. I just clicked SUBMIT for the online registration for my local Race for the Cure in September.

Part of exercising and staying healthy is the challenge. When you pass the bag of cookies for a bowl of fruit instead, you're overcoming a challenge, as big or small as that one may be for you. By signing $23 of my hard earned cash to this September race, I'm pledging I will be there and be prepared for the challenge.

I'm not ready yet, but I've got 5 weeks ahead of myself to keep to the challenge and get there.

What's challenged you lately, big or small?

Online doctors and nutrition programs- bust

The fruit juice diet, cutting carbs, only meat. These are a few of the tidbits of advice swarming around the internet for weight loss and diet plans. I was thrilled to finally the media finally raising an eyebrow about it.

The UK based Daily Mail covered the issues behind trendy online nutrition sites. They go as far as to critique several sites (although all UK based, they all sound familiar to US counterparts). Can you really expect to get a health reading without going to the doctor?

My firm belief (as is the view the Daily Mail article expresses) is NO. Even the most detailed sites that ask you to fill out hundreds of questions about family medical history and take into account your physical activity level can miss the mark completely. The only thing I do value from sites like these (detailed ones, at least) is that they ask for family history; which hopefully either brings past family illnesses to the front of your mind or involves you in conversation to discover potential dangers.

Last winter I finally gathered the guts to have an on going digestion issue looked at by a doctor. I had done a mild amount of studying up online, but in the end I realized no Google search was going to pop my CD drive out with a trial period of medication that I needed. What shocked me even more was the changes in Google search I witnessed.

Try typing in any medical condition, from headaches, to bladder control, a new feature pops up. Near the top of your search, Google categorizes information based on treatments, symptoms, cures, diagnosis, causes and more. All the sudden with one key phrase, Dr. Google can point you're naive mind in a potentially dangerous direction.

If you're looking for a diagnosis for illness, what may be lacking from your current lifestyle, or any type of medial assistance, SEE A DOCTOR. The interaction alone cannot be matched by a general online survey which will be immediately scored by a computer system and shot back to you. The human body is not a square peg that always fits into the same square hole.

Breast cancer hits Hollywood

Just to stir up the pot o' controversy a little, I believe this is all the proof needed to back up my thoughts on Friday's post.

Happy birthday to ASA!

Whoa nelly! Caught up in all the drama of moving back to school and working two too many jobs this summer, I just about missed A Sizable Apple's first birthday!

Yes girls, you've been getting all the greatest women's health news via email for 12 months now. (Wait... you're not? Check the right side of the page below the Mich Fit logo and add your address!!)

It's been a whirlwind of a year at ASA. I started off a newly declared journalism major trying my hand at the blogging world.

Thanks to blogging here, more doors have creaked open than I ever thought imaginable. I've had moments of updating daily in stride and reaching all time highs in daily page views that kept me writing strong. I've also hit the blogging bottom as I took a few weeks off to handle the regularly paying gigs and watched my readership fall to such low figures (basically family members and close friends).

Well ladies, it's been a great year, even with the highs and lows, and I look forward to another year blogging at ASA. Pass on your favorite women's health site (ahem, this one! :) ) to your sisters, daughters, mother, aunts and friends of all ages!

As always, if you have questions, concerns, ideas or feedback of any sort, I'd LOVE to hear from you at asizableapple@gmail.com. Let me know about your small or large fitness accomplishments or send me your fitness and nutrition questions I can run by ASA contributing experts! Thank you to all my loyal readers who have stuck by through the best and worst ASA days, and who keep coming back for more, and WELCOME to new readers; know you've found your new favorite site. :)

Quit self breast exams?

Ladies, lay off the ladies!


Tapping into the base of my women's health (from an overweight gray haired woman) in middle school, I can't believe I'm hearing this! The old standby statement was check on your own for first signs of any problems.

A recent MSNBC health article is saying otherwise. Specialists in the article claim self exams cause more worry than necessary.

What’s more, Thomas says BSEs (beneficial effect of screening) can be problematic because the lumps and bumps women do report often turn out to be benign.

“The price you pay for doing more thorough breast exams is you’re going to find more benign lesions and that will result in unnecessary surgical procedures,” he says.

We've all got a hidden hypochondriac in us, though. What do you think? Reading the article makes sense, but would you take the risk of passing over something unsure? One breast cancer survivor quoted in the article said she had found every cancerous lump through self exams, while another woman quoted found numerous benign tumors which led to several unnecessary surgeries.

What the article didn't cover is how to know the difference between lumpy fatty tissue and cancerous trouble. Until that guide comes out, you can bet ladies will continue running to the doctor whenever something suspicious pops up. Wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry?

Ad whitening and gym rage

More proof L'Oreal ad reps are whitening crazy? Mica Paris, an African American writer for UK's Daily Mail gives her two cents on the topic. What do you think about the Diana Ross and Eva Longoria transformations?

Has all in the world of the cardio jungle and budging triceps cooled down after this incident? Apparently not, because workout fanatics are at it again. Check yourself against the 'gym rage' described in this article.

Cullen Jones in the 4x100 relay

You caught this, right?



An amazing race, especially considering where third leg swimmer, Cullen Jones was almost 20 years ago. As a 5 year old, the only African American swimmer on the US Olympic team, almost drown at a Pennsylvania amusements park.

Jones almost added to the statistic he now is on a public mission to fight. A recent New York Times article looked at the race divider in the pool.

But the most worrisome statistics involve black children and teens ages 5 to 19, who are 2.3 times more likely to drown than whites in this age group. For children 10 to 14, the rate is five times higher.

Nearly 6 out of 10 African-American and Hispanic children are unable to swim, nearly twice as many as their Caucasian counterparts.

Why is there such a drastic racial difference when it comes to water safety? The issue is addressed in a Wall Street Journal article profiling Cullen Jones and his unusual choice of sport.

...Mr. Jones will provide the African-American community with a champion swimmer it can hold up as a symbol of the absurdity of old biases about blacks and swimming. Anthony Ervin's gold medal in the 50-meter freestyle race in Sydney didn't resonate in that way; he is one-quarter African-American.

The outdated stereotype remains powerful. Mr. Jones said members of his own family still ask him why he chose the sport.

"They'll say, 'Don't you know blacks don't swim?'" Mr. Jones says.

This New York Times article looks at reasons why African Americans are less likely to be involved in water sports than other races. Segregation at public beaches and pools in the 1950's played into the current stereotype that Cullen's family still plays into.

Why does race play a role at all in athletics? It's apparent outside the pool as well. Table tennis, track and field and swimming are a few sports that carry stereotypical ideas of participants. What do you think? Is the NYT article's reasons for lack of African Americans in swimming true?

LA to jump on board with calorie tattle tail

Sounds like folks on the west coast don't want to be passed up by skinny competition in the Big Apple.

In late July, I posted on the new law in New York forcing restaurants to come clean about their calories. Los Angeles is considering following suit with their proposed food fine.

The topic is still generating mixed reviews; let me down my donut in peace! although mostly from the restaurant owners themselves. Seems to me this is just the slap in the belly our fast pace society needs to get on board with healthy living.

As a college student, aka master-snacker, I can relate. Nothing erks me more than realizing I'm stuck on campus all day without a meal card. When you're hungry and on the go, you're at the mercy of whatever fast food chain or convenience store meets your grumbling stomach quicker.

If you're looking to keep in shape, you can forget about these options, as even the healthiest usually packs a mean gut growing punch. New York has the right idea forcing these shops to own up to the damage they're doing to our bodies. Once LA follows suit, we can only hope the same law finds its way to our own backyard breakfast bakeries.

Just as a note, love the last quote on the article I linked to above. California Restaurant Association spokes person Daniel Conway says to solve the problem, we need to teach people about basic nutrition. Kudos sir, and I agree until you hide 200 extra calories in a blueberry muffin which looks damn good next to the double chocolate chip scone. He finishes off by adding-

"We recognize our customers do want this information, but most of the customers don't want this information forced on them every time."

Mr. Conway has obviously never met a 30 year old woman still trying to loose an extra 5 pounds in the week before her wedding.

Going pale?

You can catch America's favorite bootylicious babe celebrated in glamourous magazines. Beyonce Knowles has got a voice to die for, a rockin' body and a studly hubby to boot; so what's there to alter?

According to some, nothing a little brightening on a computer can't fix. A L'Oréal hair highlighting advertisement in Elle Magazine is being scrutinized for its less than accurate portrayal of the diva B.

The photos, which I've yet to see in the magazine, but only on online coverage of the story, speak for themselves. The change in lighting is obvious from the ad on the left to a regular photo of Miss B on the right.

Beyonce is a celebrated figure and embraced for her stunning looks. What L'Oréal felt they had to gain by brightening your skin color is beyond me.

Our views of beauty continue to be distorted as the media resorts to fake computer alterations. The hair highlighting product Beyonce signed the L'Oréal ad deal with is obviously being pushed and then some. The hair highlighting product is obvious in Beyonce's straight, long, unnatural looking hair.

My guess is that to push the change in hair color among consumers while keeping Beyonce's sex appeal, her skin was altered. Beauty products are pushed to the public as ways to physically transform yourself and mask flaws.

Beauty ads continue to push the envelope by altering past the product and selling consumers sometimes not so blatant portrayals of "new beauty".

What do you think? Why did L'Oréal deem altering Beyonce's skin a necessary step for their advertisement? What should be the result of this measure?

Back to blogging!

I'mmmm backkkk!

It has been a very VERY busy summer on my end, by I've finally wrapped up all the work I've been committed to this summer, and back to A Sizable Apple to continue the quest to bring all the greatest health and fitness buzz your way!

Starting Monday I'll be back full time to ASA. If you just can't quite wait that long, check out my MLive blog (where I usually cover women's health for Michiganders) for loads of posts regarding the Olympics during the month of August!

What have you been up to while I've been MIA? Fill me in on your workout progress, goals and accomplishments!

ABC News rates calorie counting sites

Want the skinny on online calorie counting sites? ABC News reports some calorie counting sites may not be as helpful as others. Check out their article here.

Post your calories, New York City!

Yummy pastry? 500 calories.

Would you want to know the damage you're about to do when you pick up breakfast from your favorite shop? New York City is enforcing a law requiring some restaurants to post calorie information on their menus.

Personally, I never thought this day would come. The higher ups at Starbucks and Dunken Donuts had to be real miffed about this whole thing. Really, it's about time. Obesity is a huge (no pun intended) issue in our society, and what are we doing about it?

Restaurants are slapping the term 'fat free' and 'low carb' around like it's a high five. Of course it's a high five, to themselves! We suck up gallons of diet pop, and trust these so loosely used phrases. Companies are not invested in selling Americans healthy products, they are invested in selling. Period. From companies that sell frozen dinners, to cigarettes, the goal is simple- lure the consumer to purchase, and purchase regularly.

When obesity numbers first rose, restaurants started to "show their dedication to the well being of their consumers" by posting nutritional information deep within their web sites. Sorry, but when you missed breakfast and need to pick up a bagel to go, are you really going to swing by the library to look up the nutritional info first? Inconvenient.

I even noticed Starbucks started to carry pamphlets with nutrition info. I admire their attempt to fool consumers, because the higher ups know as well as we do that no one is going to pause from their morning rush to scrutinize papers tucked in the corner of the store. Although again inconvenient for the consumer, think about how convenient it is for the companies to boast they care.

Thankfully the government is taking things into their own hands and requiring calorie posting, even in the same size and font at the food label itself. Thank you to The Weighting Game for first bringing this to my attention; I had to bring the topic to ASA. Here's what folk in the Big Apple think, what about you?

Push up challenge- week 3

Posting with an update from the One Hundred Push Up Challenge I blogged about 3 weeks ago. Good news, we're still on track! Bad news, I cannot feel my arms as I type this. We're only three weeks in but in a span of about 10 minutes we completed 99 push ups. O U C H.

If you haven't started yet, hop aboard! Along with being so busy ASA is being temporarily taking a back seat to the paying gigs, my workout time has suffered as well. If you're feeling the same towards the end of your summer, dedicate 10-15 minutes at night for push ups, sit ups, stretching or something. It will give you a reason to lace up your tennis shoes even if you're not going to town on 'em.

How is your workout routine going? When you get swamped, how do you push through? As long as you're not eating these you should be ok.

ASA readers-

Please bare with me while get through a hectic July!  I will be back to regular posting in August, for ASA's first birthday!  Until then, check regularly for some of my favorite links and stories.

Major injuries for young athletes.  What do you think about this CNN article?  In my own experience with youth sports, I never fell victim to any serious injuries; given most swimming injuries occur from overuse and improper technique.  I was lucky enough to have great coaches early on.  I did have a mild shoulder injury in college, but I've chalked that up to a misunderstanding between myself, my body and my coaches.

Been keeping up with Olympic business?  If you've been tuning in at all, you've probably heard about over 40 all-star Dara Torres.  Check out this Women's Health Magazine article with her.  Anything and everything you had no idea about; her battle with bulimia, failed marriages and her five favorite foods!

Whose career comes first?

A must read CNN article- whose career is more important in your relationship, yours or your partners?

The article researched the trends of placing more importance on the male’s career, even if the female’s career was bringing in more money.

I think traditions play a nasty roll in this sticky topic. Men might be more unwilling to place the importance on a woman’s career because they may feel it jeopardizes their roll as the main provider. Sadly to many it may seem threatening in a relationship to place trust and value on the woman’s career.

The traditional approach of sending dad off to work while mom tends to the house is no longer the norm. Women are a powerful threat in the working force. Maneuvering around motherhood and childcare has changed in modern day society as well, making for full daycares and more acceptance for the stay at home dad.

I can only hope as I plan to start a career within the next few years and eventually (but not within the next few years!) a family that my husband understands my career and enjoyment I get from writing.

What goes in your family? How about your parents? Things are changing- has your value on career changed too?

Fashion/Sports?

Professional athletes have it tough. A former athlete myself, I understand the further level of commitment it takes to be successful at a sport and on-going challenge to keep up performance to stay at the top of the pack. Determination, discipline and a competitive spirit are all necessary traits to make it at a professional level; but is fashionista one as well?

It seems athletes from Dennis Rodman to Maria Sharapova are among the many that gain as much press for their performances as they do their clothes. Golf followers know what it means when Tiger Woods wears red on the green, and I’ll admit, I don’t watch Hockey Night in Canada for the game.

When did advertising take on such a crazy toll that pro athletes are dressed by their endorsers? And more so, why is the hoopla surrounding fabric and not athletics itself?

Tell me- do you tune in to see what they’ve got on, or could you care less? Do the clothes bring more attention to the player than the game?

Spin Nation

Sent to me by buff beauty MizFit, here’s a great way to spin your heart out for a cause.

“Our mission is to ensure that ALL women’s cancers are diagnosed in STAGE 1, when it is most curable. Early detection equals survival. Through education, legislation and social reform, we will not stop until the very landscape of America’s women’s healthcare consciousness has been replanted,” said Spin Nation supporter Fran Drescher.

Visit Spin Nation to register your team or individually and to start raising money for awareness.

In case this ain’t yo thang, visit anyway and download the Spinning mixes straight into your iTunes. I’m in the process of downloading as we speak, but I’ve already seen a couple cool albums on there that I need in my collection.

Push up challenge

Don't let me fool you- you can't see my face but it's not making a smile!

Guilty. I suggested that my family join me in the 100 push up challenge that's been blogged about all over town. I know it's a good idea, but after the second set of five, I always cringe- why did I sign up for this again?

Lately, I've had to work extra extra early. Although I've taken some major anger management steps to not damage my cell phone alarm as it chimes at 5:45, it's still difficult for me to function as I planned for a full day.

When free time does come, I've had a much harder time to coax myself away from an afternoon nap and towards my gym shoes. The push up challenge keeps me doing SOMETHING, but I know 10 minutes of push ups every other day is not nearly enough.

This girl has got to step up her game! How do you do when it come to getting workouts in? Are you a die hard who will never miss a day, or do you have a little more trouble getting moving?

P.S- don't forget to check my post from Friday to win a free trial at 24 Hour Fitness gyms.

90 day 24 Hour Fitness give away

CONTEST CLOSED.

Oh how it pays to read ASA, *wink*!

I was contacted last week by Stu, a representative from 24 Hour Fitness, who clued me in on their new 12 Million Lives campaign. The gym has created a site where stories and inspiration can be shared, reviewed and commented on.

"(The site was) launched to inspire people to look at the bigger picture and embark on a lifelong journey of physical and mental well-being. It's not just about the "before and after" photos – it's about the grandma who is now fit enough to get on the floor and play with her grandkids, it's about the woman who reached her lifelong goal of running a marathon, or the friend who gained his confidence back," Stu said.

The site is great! I think it shows the gym's dedication to overall wellbeing and demonstrates the value they place on members. I'm impressed in the way that they've used the site- as a tool to inspire others, and a celebration of success.

Furthermore, there's something to tug at everyone. I read a story this morning about a man who joined 24 Hour Fitness in his 60's when he was out of shape, and bending down to tie his shoes was a struggle. He found a sense of community in the gym.

Here's Karli Bulnes' story on 12 Million Lives:

...by the end of college, “a combination of slowing metabolism and poor cooking skills” had left her 25 pounds heavier. So she joined 24 Hour Fitness and got a nutritionist. She lost the weight, but along the way, she learned something - “...weight loss may have been the reason I joined the gym and started paying attention to eating right, now, I continue to do those things because they simply make me feel good.”

To promote the new site, 24 Hour Fitness is graciously giving away a free $99 gift certificate for 90 days of fitness at their facilities. Before entering, please check to see that there is a 24 Hour Fitness gym in your neighborhood.

To enter, comment on this entry and I'll randomly pick a winner in two weeks!

A Sizable Apple News

Readers-

There comes a time in every health bloggers life where change is necessary. I've had a blast blogging about fitness and nutrition but there's only so much to cover!

I'll continue to bring you the latest health and fitness news as I come across it, but I'll also be posting on woman's issues in the media.

Thanks to all my readers who have stuck with me since the this project was just a seed. I hope the changes will be a welcome addition to life at A Sizable Apple!

As always, email me with tips, questions, ideas, comments and concerns at asizableapple@gmail.com.

If you're new to A Sizable Apple and like what you see, add your email to the SUBSCRIBE VIA EMAIL Feedburner box on the right hand side of your screen.

Future changes to come may include give aways for readers who subscribe to ASA via email!