As some of you may now, I started FatFighterTV after I had covered the obesity epidemic for years and saw its effects on so many people, especially children. I interviewed families with kids who were not even teenagers yet who had developed type 2 diabetes because of their weight.

So, I’m thrilled to see Diabetes Act Now – an interactive site raising awareness about the risks of the disease. One of the first things you’ll see when you visit are these sobering statistics – 2 out of 3 people with diabetes die of a heart attack or stroke. 2 out of 3!

The American Diabetes Association launched the site to help answer questions about type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and to show patients easy ways to help reduce and prevent complications like heart attack and stroke.

Diabetes Act Now features:

• A personal dashboard to track your progress and choose action plans.

• A library of videos to help you make easy lifestyle changes to improve your diabetes numbers.

• An interactive widget with diabetes-related content and resources that you can access directly on your personal desktop.

There’s also a Spanish version of the site, Diabetes Actua Ya and a Twitter account

November is Diabetes Awareness Month… so help me spread the word about the risks of the disease and this important site!

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Addicted to Twitter? Hooked on Facebook? Can’t get enough of your favorite websites? It seems there are so many more reasons to stay online these days… which means you’re doing a lot of sitting. By the end of the day it’s easy to feel tense, sore, and sedentary. But since this is just so unhealthy, check out this list of how to get fit while you’re online – exercises to get your heart rate up, help you tone up and de-stress. All at the comfort of your desk… or close by.  

1.Cyber Squats – Who says you have to sit when you’re online? Set your chair aside for a few minutes and instead do squats as you cruise around the Web. I’m squatting as I write this post – ouch!  Try these shotgun squats

2. RSS Raises – As you’re sitting at your desk, straighten your knees and lift your legs out in front of you. Do this as you catch up on your favorite blogs on your RSS reader. What the heck is RSS?

3. 10 Minute Move it! Break #1 – Alternate jogging in place with jumping jacks – do a minute of each and repeat five times.

4. Twitter Tummy Tone – Tighten your abs for 30 seconds and then release. Do this as you tweet. Tweet me here!

5. Social Squeezes – Tighten your glutes for 30 seconds and then release. (Good thing noone can see you at this social, right?) Repeat as you Stumble, Digg, or Friend on Facebook.

6. 10 Minute Move it! Break #2 – Grab a step stool and climb up and down – get creative if you like and alternate knee lifts at the top of the step. Or how ’bout a creative housecleaning workout break?

7. Inbox Incline – While you’re sitting with your feet on the floor, raise your heels so you are on the balls of your feet and lower them. Make sure you can feel it in your calves. Do this as you read and reply to your emails.

8. 10 Minute Move it! Break #3 – Do walking lunges around the house or office. Want to make it more challenging? Add some weights and do bicep curls at the same time. Or try some of Fitness Model, Jamie Eason’s plyometrics moves.

9. Blogger Breather – Grab a quick minute to just close your eyes and focus on your breath. Count to 10 as you slowly inhale through your nose, thinking positive thoughts. Exhale through your mouth, again counting to 10. This time release all the tension and stress out of your body. Repeat if you have a few more seconds.

10. Sign Off Stretches – Your shoulders can get pretty tense when you sit at a computer too long. So loosen them up throughout the day with Shoulder Shrugs – with your head at your chest, shrug your shoulders up and down. Repeat. Again. And again.

Do these exercises throughout the day to avoid becoming a computer potato!

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I’ve really been enjoying my recent switch to Greek-style yogurt – it’s creamier, has more protein than regular yogurt, and doesn’t have any preservatives or artificial sweeteners. But I’m pretty boring – I usually just eat the fruit flavored ones right out of the cup, maybe with some granola on top. A couple of weeks ago, when I asked YOU how you like to eat your yogurt, you gave me lots of new ideas! Who knew there were so many delicious options?! Here are 20 creative ways to eat yogurt from the fabulous FatFighterTV community.
Charity
I love Greek yogurt, especially on top of cooled oatmeal, topped with lots of fresh fruit!

Janet F
I like to make dips out of the plain yogurt and serve it with meat, chicken and rice.

luloops
I love my Greek yogurt with a sprinkling of ground flax seeds, agave nectar, fresh blueberries and chopped raw walnuts. I am never hungry when I eat this!

dandman901
I generally get plain yogurt and then spice things up with berries, nuts, granola, cinnamon and honey. I also love to add yogurt to spicy dishes and curries.

ydsddd
In the evening for a snack I put the yogurt in the freezer for about half an hour and eat like ice cream—but with much fewer calories.

Yum Yucky
I take my Chobani Greek yogurt mixed with Trader Joe’s Organic Granny Apple Granola. It’s divine.

tobi1128
I love oatmeal, but find it is too warm in the summer to enjoy a steaming bowl of oats in the morning. So instead, I make overnight oats with 1/2 c. each of oats, water, and greek yogurt. In the morning I add either fresh blueberries or a sliced banana and ground flax. yum!

Tiff
I use greek yogurt in place of sour cream. I also like to add toppings to it like fruit and granola. My fav would have to be sliced bananas with chocolate chips….yum.

Nikki
I dip veggies in yogurt so I don’t have to add fattening sauces or butter. It tastes so good.

wirlwindamy
I like to mix it with cottage cheese, fruit and slivered almonds – yummy!!

hockeygal4ever
I love my yogurt on warmed crumpets (yes they make ‘em fat free & they rock) or in a crepe! Low fat, low cal & so delish!

Deborah R
I like to take Greek yogurt, put it in cheesecloth and drain as much liquid out as I can (which is how you make yogurt cheese). I then eat it by the (small) scoop as a dessert.

angelace07
I like putting plain fat-free yogurt into smoothies. One of my favorite drinks to make is mango lassi. I just add mango, yogurt, some milk, and honey to it. It’s the best.

jfg1987
I love eating Chobani non fat yogurt with 2 tbsp of peanut butter or a serving of Kashi Go LEan cereal. Those are my favorite protein packed “after workout” treats!

barbara wright
I like to make smoothies with yogurt. I add whatever fruit is in season and enough orange juice so that the blender doesn’t struggle.

Kelly Ann T.
I like to freeze it and eat it like a popsicle. I insert a popsicle stick into it before I put it in the freezer.

Joan
I eat Greek yogurt with honey, add fresh blueberries, and add some Fiber One cereal.

Melanie
I eat it on a bagel.
Sounds weird, tastes great!

Marla
My favorite way to have Greek style yogurt is with avocado, fresh pear and cherry tomatoes from my garden, a little sea salt, mix it all together and scoop it with tortillas or crackers. It’s the perfect protein rich lunch!

naynays1
I like my yogurt somewhat frozen over fruit or a waffle

###

Yum! Eat up!

[Photo Credit: stock.xchng]

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I couldn’t help myself. The stroller is green. And when I take my cat, Chancey, on walks in it, I’m being green, right? You gotta see us in action over here! But besides walking your pet in a stroller, here are 5 other ways to be lean and green.

1. Move it outdoors – This may sound like a no-brainer, but think of all the things you can do outside that only use YOUR energy. Get creative – besides walking, jogging, or biking, you can also skip, do jumping jacks, or run up and down stairs. You can even throw in some strength training along the way – do a few lunges, squats, pushups, or situps.

We did a lot of exercises that used just our body weight in my Boot Camp class.

2. Take a dip – Go for a swim or get some water exercise canoeing, kayaking, or doing water aerobics.

3. Re-think your drink – Bring your own reusable water bottle for your H2O when you workout instead of using paper cups or buying bottled water.

4. Get your green on – Wear workout clothes made of organic cotton, bamboo, or other natural fibers. And try yoga mats or yoga bags made of recycled materials.

5. Give your old threads and treads a second life – For example, send your worn-out workout clothes to Patagonia and they will recycle them and turn them into new ones. Or drop off your battered sneakers at a Nike Reuse-A-Shoe collection center and they will use them to make basketball courts, running tracks, and playgrounds.

I’m fortunate enough to live in an area where I’m within a mile or two of my bank, gym, and grocery store, so I walk my errands as much as possible. How about you? Got any green exercise tips to share?

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You like to drink juice, but is that what you are really buying? And if it is, how much juice are you actually getting? If you know your juice-label lingo, you can be sure to buy the real deal and avoid added sugars and artificial ingredients. Here are the basics… with some help from Consumer Reports:

• “100% juice” or “100% pure” - This is the gold standard and means you’re getting pure juice. BUT many 100-percent juice products are a blend, often with apple or grape juices as the main ingredients and not very much of the featured flavor, e.g. blueberry juice.

• “Cocktail,” “drink,” “beverage” – These words are red flags and mean the beverages have less than 100 percent juice and can sometimes have as little as five percent. The rest may be water, flavorings, and added sweeteners.

• “From concentrate” - This is juice that has been concentrated, then re-watered to return it to its original form.

• “Light” – These are basically regular juices diluted with water and artificially sweetened.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of juice. I prefer to eat the whole fruit. But this label lingo is definitely helpful – just remember to always read the ingredient list on the back of the product.

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How hard do you exercise?

A) At a moderate level
B) Vigorously
C) Have no idea how to measure exercise intensity

You may have seen exercise guidelines like these that say you should be active for two and a half hours a week at a moderate level… or to workout vigorously for one hour and 15 minutes a week. But what does it all mean?

The talk test is an easy way to measure how hard you’re exercising. In general:

• If you’re doing moderate-intensity activity, you can talk, but not sing.

• If you’re doing vigorous-intensity activity, you won’t be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.

Below are examples of both types of activities:

Moderate Intensity Activities
Walking briskly (3 miles per hour or faster, but not race-walking)
Water aerobics
Bicycling slower than 10 miles per hour
Tennis (doubles)
Ballroom dancing
General gardening

Vigorous Intensity Activities
Race walking, jogging, or running
Swimming laps
Tennis (singles)
Aerobic dancing
Bicycling 10 miles per hour or faster
Jumping rope
Heavy gardening (continuous digging or hoeing)
Hiking uphill or with a heavy backpack

I usually do a mix of both moderate and vigorous activities. It may be one of the few times I’m not chit-chatting. You?

[Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

[Photo Credit: stock.xchng]

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With portion sizes so out of control these days, it may be hard to keep track of how much of which foods you should have each day, let alone have to measure it all.  Now, you can easily visualize portion sizes, thanks to this “handy” guide from the USDA!

A fist or cupped hand = 1 cup

For example:
1 serving = 1/2 cup cereal, cooked pasta, or rice
OR 1 cup of raw, leafy green vegetables
OR 1/2 cup of chopped fruits or vegetables

A thumb = 1 ounce of cheese

Handful = 1-2 ounces of snack food
Remember, 1 handful = 1 ounce of nuts and small candies. For chips and pretzels, 2 handfuls = 1 ounce

Palm = 3 ounces of meat

Thumb Tip = 1 teaspoon
Keep high fat foods like mayonnaise to a minimum by measuring the serving with your thumb. One teaspoon is equal to the end of your thumb, from the knuckle up. Three teaspoons equals one tablespoon.

1 tennis ball = 1 serving of fruit
Healthy diets should include 2-4 servings of fruit each day.

***Important Note: Because hand sizes vary, compare your fist size to an actual measuring cup.

I must say, this is the best portion size guide I’ve seen in awhile, hands down!

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In the summer, I like to exercise outside as much as possible – soak in enough sun (with sunscreen on, of course!) to make up for all those dreary winter months. I almost always wear my heart rate monitor to track the calories I burn. But this simple guide from the American Council on Exercise can help you get a general idea of how much you’re burning doing these 7 popular summer activities… so burn, baby, burn!

Walking at 4 MPH

• 120 pound person burns 4.5 calories/minute
• 180 pound person burns 6.8 calories/minute

Hiking

• 120 pound person burns 4.5 calories/minute
• 180 pound person burns  6.7 calories/minute

Biking at 10 MPH

• 120 pound person burns 5.5 calories/minute
• 180 pound person burns 8.2 calories/minute

Jogging – 10 minute miles

• 180 pound person burns 13.9 calories/minute
• 120 pound person burns 9.3 calories/minute

Jump Rope

• 120 pound person burns 9.5 calories/minute
• 180 pound person burns 14.3 calories/minute

Swimming at a moderate pace

• 120 pound person burns 7.8 calories/minute
• 180 pound person burns 11.6 calories/minute

Roller skating

• 120 pound person burns 5.9 calories/minute
• 180 pound person burns 8.8 calories/minute

Of course, not everyone weighs either 120 or 180 pounds, so for more specific numbers based on your weight and the activity you’re doing, check out this Physical Activity Calculator from Shape Up America!

[Photo Credit: stock.xchng]

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Drinking water can get a little boring sometimes. So, a few weeks ago, I asked you how you spice up plain ol’ water/sparkling water. I got so many creative comments and lots of new ideas to try, so of course, I want to share a few – 15 to be exact!

Sara D.
In the morning I fill a pitcher with my water for the day, and I add some chopped fruit. A favorite is peaches, and when I’m done with the water I eat the fruit.

ororomunroe
I like to chop up cucumbers and put them in my water with a squirt of lime for a kick.

sarah d.
A couple of slices of cucumber at the bottom of the glass, sometimes with a chunk of lemon. Another option is chunks of cantaloupe.

5webs
I pour limeade into my ice cube trays and then freeze them. Then I plop one into my sparkling mineral water. It doesn’t work well with regular water, only sparkling.

Maureen
There are a number of things I do. I will half and half juice and water or I will cut off some fresh mint and add it to water.

herblady
I keep a pitcher of iced tea and one of lemonade (both Crystal Light) in the fridge and then I mix them half & half. Otherwise, I like my water plain because we have delicious well water.

Foodhistorian
I harvest fresh mint sprigs from my garden and infuse them with warm water overnight- then I remove leaves and pour over crushed ice- stunning. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried it.

sandy
limes, mangos, pineapple, lemon- dropped in and chilled

Cynthia C
I add just a splash of 100% fruit juice to filtered water. It really perks up the flavor without adding a lot of calories or artificial sweeteners.

Stephanie
I make ice cubes out of pureed strained berries and add a few to my water ( great for getting kids to drink more water in summer too)

Kimberly
I freeze lemon, lime, & orange wedges and throw those into my water instead of ice cubes. Keeps the water cold with a bit of flavor~

kagey
I love to add fresh or frozen fruit. helps keep it cold too! my fave is really lemon, but I have be known to add strawberries and blueberries etc.

Caroline F
I Put lime and some mint in my sparking water–sort of like a virgin Mojito.

Vicki Andrew
I love the taste of water that has had a carrot, celery stick and a slice of lemon in it, it is so refreshing

Heather C
I get those Crystal Light to-go packs. Can’t stand our local water. Ugh.

Thanks everyone for all your great ideas! Who knew there were so many options?!

Got anything to add? Please share in the comments below.

[Photo Credit: stock.xchng]

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Do you have a hard time remembering how much water you drink a day? I know I do. Last month I asked you how you keep track of your H20 consumption. Here are some of your answers. Drink up everyone!

housewifeheather: One thing I was thinking about trying… is wearing 8-10 bracelets on one wrist. I read this and thought it a great idea!! After each cup of water just move a bracelet to the other side to keep track.

ladyjay: I have a great way to keep track, though it’s my friend Sue’s idea. She has eight beads strung on a string so that they can move up and down. Keep the string around your water bottle and move the beads as you drink your 8 oz. It’s a little hard to expain but it’s very cool and works well.

tobi1128: I don’t really have a “method” but I can tell how much water I am drinking by how many trips I make to the bathroom, haha. I also always try to have a water bottle by my side at all times of the day.

ska8rmom: I have a pad of post-it-notes by my desk and make the old fashioned little stick marks so I know how much I’ve drank. The post it notes works well because I stick it on my book when I go to lunch and when I go home!

girliefriend: I fill 4 liter bottles before bed each night, and try to finish them all the next day. I don’t refill again till the next night, so I always know where I am. When I used individual bottles, I just saved the bottles on the counter till I was done for the day.

Anyone else have any creative ways of keeping track?

[Photo Credit: stock.xchng]

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