To help you get started with your Nutrition education, I have reviewed the following two books:

-Nutrition for Dummies (4th Edition) written by Carol Ann Rinzler

-The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Total Nutrition (4th Edition) written by Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.

I have provided a complete list of the table of contents, and my review for each book. In the end, you make the call on which book would be right for you. I’ll also give you my opinion about which one I would choose!

Table Of Contents – Nutrition for Dummies

Introduction

Part 1: The Basic Facts About Nutrition

-What’s Nutrition, Anyway?

-Digestion:The 24-Hour Food Factory

-Calories: The Energizers

-How Much Nutrition Do You Need?

-A Supplemental Story

Part 2: What You Get From Food

-Powerful Protein

-The Lowdown on Fat and Cholesterol

-Carbohydrates: A Complex Story

-Alcohol: Another Form Of Grape And Grain

-Vigorous Vitamins

-Mighty Minerals

-Phabulous Phytochemicals

-Water Works

Chaper 3: Healthy Eating

-Why You Eat When You Eat

-Why You Like The Foods You Like

-What Is A Healthful Diet?

-Making Wise Food Choices

-Eating Smart When Eating Out

Part 4: Food Processing

-What Is Food Processing

-Cooking And Nutrition

-What Happens When Food Is Frozen, Canned, Dried, or Zapped

-Better Eating Through Chemistry

Part 5: Food And Medicine

-When Food Gives You Hives

-Food And Mood

-Food And Drug Interactions

-Using Food as Medicine

Part 6: The Part Of Tens

-Ten Nutrition Web Sites

-Ten (Well, Okay, Twelve) Superstar Foods

-Ten Easy Ways to Cut Calories

Pros

Cons

Table Of Contents -The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Total Nutrition

Part 1: Time For A Nutrition Tune-Up

-The Dietary Guidelines

-A Close-Up On Carbohydrates

-The Profile On Protein

-Chewing The Fat

-Don’t As-salt Your Body

-In And Out With Fiber

-Vitamins And Minerals: The “Micro” Guys

-Mighty Minerals: Calcium And Iron

Part 2: Making Savvy Food Choices

-Decoding A Nutrition Label

-Shopping Smart

-Now You’re Cooking

-Restaurant Survival Guide

-Trimming Down The Holidays

Part 3: The ABC’s of Exercise

-The Gym Scene

-Sports Nutrition

-Going That Extra Mile: Fluids And Supplements

Part 4: Beyond The Basics: Nutrition And Special Needs

-Diet And Cancer

-Managing Diabetes

-Don’t Eat Your Heart Out

-Food Allergies And Other Ailments

-Going Vegetarian

-Herbal Remedies And More

Part 5: Pregnancy And Parenting

-Eating Your Way Through Pregnancy

-Exercising Your Way Through Pregnancy

-Feeding The Younger Folks

Part 6: Weight Management 101

-Come On, Knock It Off

-Adding Some Padding

-Understanding Eating Disorders

Appendixes

A. Recipes For Your Health

B. Nutrition And Health Directory

C. Your Body Mass Index (BMI)

D. A Closer Look At The Foods We Eat

SkinnyTwinkie.com’s Review

Both of these books are great. They both go over things in a fairly simple and easy-to-understand way, even including pictures on some of the topics, or a health related comic strip.

If you want basic Nutrition information, “Nutrition For Dummies” by Carol Ann Rinzler is the book for you. She does a great job of going over the basics of Nutrition, which is a great resource in helping others have a better understanding about what they are putting into their body.

I personally have an extra appreciation for “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Total Nutrition” by Joy Bauer. As the title says, it’s “complete”. Not only does it go over basic nutrition that everyone can benefit from, but it also talks about the importance of exercise, how to specifically lose weight, eat and exercise during pregnancy, how to go Vegetarian (if you choose to do so), and so on.

As always, I want you to decide which book is right for you, but if I had to choose to read just one of these books, I would buy and read “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Total Nutrition” by Joy Bauer. As you can already tell just by the table of contents, these books are packed with valuable information and whichever book you decide to get for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.

I Read A Nutrition Book…Now What?

After you read the book, I encourage you to make whatever positive changes you need to make. Stop drinking soda, start eating your fruits and veggies, and stop making excuses about skipping the gym.

Knowledge isn’t power, unless action is taken. Now that you have learned something, act! Today is the best day to better yourself, so don’t wait for tomorrow.

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

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Chili’s has a “Guiltless” line of food that may not be completely healthy (hey, it’s not your delicious homemade food, ok?!), but it is still a much better choice when you compare it to the other meals on the menu. I guess you can consider this a little splurge, but not completely over doing it?

What does “Guiltless” Mean?

If you check out the Chili’s menu, this is what they have to say about their Guiltless line of food:

“Guiltless Grill choices for your healthy lifestyle are featured on HealthyDiningFinder.com and meet HEALTHY DINING’S nutrition criteria: not more than 750 calories, 25 grams fat, and 8 grams saturated fat.”

If you know you are going out to eat at Chili’s, just plan on a single meal being 750 calories (or less!), and plan your other meals accordingly.

Guiltless Meals at Chili’s

Here’s a list of delicious food that is “Guiltess” and Chili’s. As you can see, a lot of them are less than 750 calories!

Note: Many of these meals you will need to ask for the “Guiltless” version, since the original is loaded with additional ingredients that make it have much more calories and fat.

Chicken & Green Chili Soup

Made with rice, green chiles and tomatoes. Topped with cilantro, avocado, and a lime wedge.

The information below is for the cup, not the bowl. If you want the bowl, it’s just double the amount as the cup. My only concern with the bowl is the amount of sodium.

Calories: 100

Total Fat: 4 g

Protein: 8 g

Sodium: 620 mg

Carbohydrates: 11 g

Fiber: 1 g

Santa Fe Chicken Wrap

With steamed broccoli. Served with low-fat ranch.

Calories: 680

Total Fat: 25 g

Protein: 37 g

Sodium: 2110 mg

Carbohydrates: 80 g

Fiber: 8 g

Grilled Salmon with Garlic and Herbs

Served with steamed broccoli and rice.

Calories: 480

Total Fat: 17 g

Protein: 49 g

Sodium: 1590 mg

Carbohydrates: 37 g

Fiber: 5 g

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

With steamed broccoli and Guiltless Grill honey-mustard dressing, wheat bun. No bacon or cheese is included on the “Guiltless” version.

Calories: 610

Total Fat: 13 g

Protein: 43 g

Sodium: 1320 mg

Carbohydrates: 78 g

Fiber: 8 g

Classic Sirloin

Served with carne asada rub,  pico de gallo, and steamed veggies on the side. My main concern with this meal is the amount of sodium in it (see below). I am still including this on the list since I think it can be a simple fix. Simply ask for the restaurant to use less of the carne asada rub, which is where most of the sodium comes from.

Calories: 370

Total Fat: 9 g

Protein: 53 g

Sodium: 3680 mg

Carbohydrates: 20 g

Fiber: 6 g

Worst Food at Chili’s

Now that I have listed some of the better options, here are a couple of foods I would absolutely avoid. I decided to have a little fun with this, and list the “winner” for the meals  with most calories, fat, sodium, and “most deceptive”!

Most Calories: Southern Smokehouse Burger w/ Ancho Chile BBQ

If I want to maintain my weight, I need to eat about 1,500 – 1,700 calories a day (with exercise!). This one meal exceeds the amount of calories I am supposed to eat in an entire day! No wonder people are gaining weight. Imagine eating this type of a meal every day. The calories add up, and so the pounds (of fat).

This meal comes with not only a ton of calories, but a ton of fat and sodium too.

Calories: 2290

Total Fat: 139 g

Protein: 93 g

Sodium: 6500 mg

Carbohydrates: 163 g

Fiber: 11 g

Most Fat AND Most Sodium: Jalapeño Smokehouse Burger w/ Ranch

That’s right, you read it right. This meal won two awards; most fat and most sodium! It almost won “most calories” too! Can one meal really be that unhealthy for you? Yes.

Fat can be healthy for you, if you get it from the right sources. Most -if not all- of the fat listed here is not from healthy sources. This is when fat is bad!

Oh yeah, I even found that this meal has more fat (remember, the bad kind!) than every single one of the desserts on the menu.

Calories: 2210

Total Fat: 144 g

Protein: 92 g

Sodium: 6600 mg

Carbohydrates: 136 g

Fiber: 11 g

Most Deceptive: Bottomless Tostada Chips w/ Salsa

The reason this appetizer won “Most Deceptive” is because  of a couple of reasons. First of all, it’s “bottomless”, which means you can keep refilling your chips and salsa again and again without paying anything extra. This is when the calories really add up. In addition to all of those calories, fat, carbs, and sodium you are consuming, we haven’t even counted your meal’s calories, fat, carbs, and sodium!

Calories: 1020

Total Fat: 51 g

Protein: 12 g

Sodium: 1210 mg

Carbohydrates: 125 g

Fiber: 11 g

You can see why one little meal can completely ruin your entire week’s efforts of trying to lose weight. It’s that easy.

Now that you have this information, both the healthy and not-so-healthy choices, I hope that you feel more confident that you can go out to eat without ruining your health goals completely.

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

Image Credits: Chilis.com

For More Nutrition Information: Chili’s Nutrition

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If you are planning on a dinner at the Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, you may want to consider trying the Herb-Grilled Salmon.

The dinner includes a salmon fillet that is seasoned with Italian herbs and extra-virgin olive oil. It also comes with seasoned broccoli.

Calories: 510

Total Fat: 26 g

Sodium: 760 mg

Carbohydrates: 5 g

Fiber: 2 g

This is a low calorie dinner, and one of the much healthier options to choose from when eating at the Olive Garden. I am not worried about the fat content, since Salmon and Olive Oil are full of very healthy fats that are actually good for your heart. This dish is a little high in sodium, which is due to the Italian herbs used to season the salmon. If you would like, ask if the amount of herbs used on the salmon can be reduced. It’s not a guarantee that the restaurant will be able to accommodate, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

Image Credit: olivegarden.com

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Watch the video below. It’s about a six minute clip from Extreme Pigouts, which shows you just how unhealthy this restaurant really is.

Rock Bottom: Inspiration for Heart Attack Grill

Jon (the owner of Heart Attack Grill) used to own three Jenny Craig® Weight Loss Centers. He thought that they would be a good business and that he could help people. He went through a three month training program where he learned about sales and nutrition. Customers came in, and money was good.

Jon wanted to empower his clients, to reach into their lives and “shock them”. He didn’t believe that Jenny Craig® – or any diet program – could be a real lifestyle change. He said that didn’t see a lot of change in people’s lives because they didn’t have a fear that they were one step away from the grave. Because of this shock factor that he wanted to provide to his clients, he wanted to make some changes within the Jenny Craig® model, but it’s not allowed when working under their chain. So what does Jon do? He decided to go against the health industry and opened up the Heart Attack Grill.

Does Heart Attack Grill help it’s customers?

So, what did you think of the video? I don’t know about you, but the above video makes me want to eat sprouts and go for a very, very long run.

Is this the kind of reaction that Jon, the owner of Heart Attack Grill wants? He says he inspires a positive change since he helps clients realize they hit “rock bottom” and need to change their eating habits, but his customers don’t understand health the way you and I do. I’ll prove it.

I watched an interview with one of Heart Attack Grill’s customers. The customer said that he currently weighs 465 pounds and already has had “three or four heart surgeries”, and has lived through a coma. This customer even said that losing weight to feel good is a “sham”. Why does this customer still come to the Heart Attack Grill? This customer explains “just because they say I can’t”.

This is rock bottom. Unfortunately, this customer, along with many others, still doesn’t realize it.

Having to go through heart surgery – multiple times – is no way to live. A coma? No thank you. My plan to live my life to the fullest, doesn’t involve multiple trips to the hospital.

Creating Bad Habits

If you weigh 350 pounds or more, you get to eat for free. Is this really encouraging people to lose weight? For most people, free food is something hard to say “no” to.

Did you know that Jon gives candy cigarrettes to kids in his restaurant? Sadly, the parents don’t seem to have a problem with this.

Is taste really worth dying for?

The restaurant’s spokesman,Blair River, was an obese man who weighed in at 575-pounds. You can see marketing videos of him bragging about his weight, and obviously not caring about the health effects of eating at the Heart Attack Grill. It was all just a big joke for him.

Unfortunately, Blair River died on March 1, 2011 at the age of 29 due to complications from pneumonia. A healthy 29 year old most likely wouldn’t have died from something like pneumonia. Obesity isn’t something to ignore. Loosing a life over something as preventable as obesity isn’t something we should forget about. It’s especially sad to know that Blair River had a daughter that will have to grow up without her father around because of his life choices.

Obesity is a real health concern, and Blair River is an example of how obesity really can lead to an early death. It’s a lifestyle choice that people make, and if this isn’t a slap to the face, I don’t know what will be.

Greasy Food…*Gasp!*…It’s Everywhere!

Before you get too disgusted by the Heart Attack Grill, you need to realize that this isn’t the first place that sold greasy high calorie foods. People easily chow down on several double cheeseburgers, a large pizza, or fried Chinese take out, and it becomes very easy to pack on the calories, sugar, and fat. Portion sizes provided these days are disturbing, and nutrition is not a concern for store owners. Their bottom line is to make money, not provide you with nutrients.

Whenever possible, you should avoid fried foods. If you decide you want to have something like a pizza anyways, stick to just one slice rather than eating the entire thing! If you can, you can even try to make your own healthier pizza at home. Oh, and if you are still hungry after one slice (which you probably will be), fill up your plate with vegetables or fruit.

You have a choice on how you eat everyday. I hope you choose life, and eat to live.

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

Image Credits: heartattackgrill.com

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I first started using the Elliptical Machine after I was recovering from hurting my knees while running (soft and uneven ground- don’t recommend it). As you might have guessed, the Elliptical Machine is low impact, and easy on your knees. I thought of this machine as a temporary step while my knees were recovering, and found that I loved this machine and the workout I was getting.

Purpose

If you are looking for a great cardio workout, this is the machine for you. Within 3 minutes of using this machine, you can get up to your cardiovascular heart rate level and stay there for the duration of your workout. This machine will get your heart rate pumping, so it’s best if you slowly work your way up to either a more intense level and/or a longer workout. when I first went on this machine, I focused on doing short, but intesnse workouts. Once I finally got a heart rate monitor, I realized I was allowing myself to let my heart rate going higher than I should have. Not good. Be sure when you exercise you have a good heart rate monitor, and know your limits. Exercising is very healthy and good for you, but if you aren’t careful, you can hurt yourself too. Always consult with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Benefits

Your lower body is mostly what gets worked out, but since your arms are on the handle bars, you get an upper body work out (think cross country skiing). With this full body workout, it gets your heart rate going, and calories are in turn getting burned. It burns quite a bit of calories actually. Be sure to increase your levels of intensity so that your body doesn’t get used to it, and still gives your body a workout. Start slowly, and depending on how your body is feeling, start increasing the intensity.

I have found success with this machine, but I would like to hear other people’s reviews and what they think about the ever so popular Elliptical Machine.

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

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I am an adult. Just because I am an adult, doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy Animal Crackers, right? I don’t know what it is about these animal crackers, (maybe the vanilla?), but these are just exceptional, and dare I say…addicting?

Health

These are better for you than a candy bar, but still remember that these aren’t a meal or a basic food group. It’s a cracker. Something to get you by to the next meal, or something to munch on instead of something much worse for you. Either way, it tastes pretty good, and it is at a very reasonable price- comparable to something that wasn’t even organic. I am a huge fan of organic products, and the fact that I can buy this delicious snack in such a big container is exciting. I have found that a lot of people enjoy these crackers, and good reason too- feel free to give them a try!

Serving Size: 13 crackers
Calories: 120
Purchase: Costco Warehouse (Requires a membership)

Image Credit: Costco.com

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

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Here is the conversation (not quite word for word, but pretty close) that Daniel has between his now much heavier friend David from Season 6:

Daniel “So what’s going on with you, where’s your head at like weight loss wise?”

David: “I have other things going on that are more important to me right now.  i’m overweight, yeah, i’m a big guy”

Daniel: Not a priority?

David: Not right now. I don’t feel the unhealthy. Ya know, I don’t feel it. You know, when it does, when that changes, then I’ll start losing it”

(Daniel’s Comments for a little bit, then David Continues…)

David: I know I can do it, I just gotta make that decision to do it.

Daniel: What do you think keeps you from making it now?

David: I’m just taking some time to relax and working every day. You know, I’ll lose it eventually.

Is it possible to actually be so extremely lazy/tired/unintelligent that you would rather choose to die rather than live?

That’s exactly what Season 6 contestant David is doing. How is his own life not a priority to him right now? Is eating healthy and working out so terrible that you would rather just deny your current situation and decide you would rather be 6 feet under rather than walking among the living? Really? Your job isn’t more important, and the fact that he says he doesn’t “feel the unhealthy” is an absolute lie. Every day he looks in the mirror is a reminder of how he is killing himself with choices he made – with each meal and with each day that goes by that he doesn’t chose to exercise.

He said it  himself, folks. “I just gotta make that decision”. Yes, he is making the CHOICE to be the way he is.  Sad, but we all have a Choice of whether or not we are going to be healthy or not.

You can tell David tried to lose weight on the Biggest Loser Season 6 because he is “supposed to” or because “I’m fat” or perhaps because of the prize. He needs to realize that he needs to lose weight because he NEEDS to if he wants to live. Again, it’s a Choice. Nobody is force feeding him or chaining him down so he can’t find a gym.

I choose to live. You?

Keep updated on the latest & greatest health articles by joining the Skinny Twinkie community!

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