Greek Yogurt is Greeeeeeeeat! How This Yogurt Hater Became a Fan Girl

If Tony the Tiger were still around, he'd be eating Greek yogurt.

Despite myriad TV commercials showing women deriving almost sexual pleasure from eating a spoonful of yogurt, I was never a fan. Just didn't care for the tangy notes or artificial flavors.

It seemed like another Madison Avenue conspiracy to trick women into thinking they were eating something amazing instead of some sick tasting milk that was left out of the fridge too long.

Not surprisingly, yogurt commercial parodies began popping up on the Internet. Like this one. And this one.

Like the little boy in "The Emperor's New Clothes," comedians figured out that most women don't really get that excited about yogurt. They eat it because it's fast and convenient and supposedly good for their diets.

Buy your own Greek yogurt and add the honey yourself.
It's cheaper, and you control the sweetness.

Of course, Greek yogurt is different. It's thick and creamy and has twice the protein of it's older sister. It's also as close to ice cream as you can get without consuming a quart of Ben & Jerry's (which romcom woman always seem to eat straight out of the carton standing in front of the freezer in size 0 jeans).

There is a whole stock photo category of
"pretty young women eating yogurt"

Yesterday I had some plain Greek Trader Joe's Greek yogurt to which I added a fresh cut-up peach, chopped pecans and a drizzle of honey. I almost felt like one of those women from the TV commercials as I savored each thick, creamy spoonful with bursts of contrasting textures and flavors from the mix-ins.

The key to doing Greek yogurt right is to doctor it up yourself. Don't be putting candy in it and think you're eating healthy. Fresh fruit, nuts and a hint of sweetener (I use honey to keep it real) enrich its nutritional profile and balance out the protein with just the right amount of carbs and fat.


You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for less cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast Bars - ALL FLAVORS - You Choose ANY 20 Boxes



More from Diet Skeptic:

Fruck You! Fructose

Can You Drink Alcohol on Medifast

Medifast Centers Vs. Take Shape for Life

Planned Exceptions: What Is Your Pie Policy?

Wabi Sabi Dieting & Renee Zelwegger's New Face
Follow Nancy's board Low Carb Recipes on Pinterest.

Why Diets and Weekends Don't Mix (and What You Can Do About It)

Remember that old advertising jingle "Weekends are made for Michelob?"

Okay, it was aired in 1977; so unless you're over 50, you probably don't. Here's a link to one of the commercials to get you up to speed on this retro pop culture classic.

If you're too busy to watch, here are some key lines from the lyrics:

Weekends were made for having fun.

Yes, the best time of the week was made for you and Michelob.

Weekends were made for Michelob 

And the voice over at the end...

It's your weekend . . . something to look forward to -- like Michelob. If there ever was a beer as special as the weekend, it's Michelob.

The message is clear. Weekends are special. It's the best time of the week.

If you typically work Monday through Friday, weekends are like mini-vacations, a time to reward yourself for being so responsible all week.

From 6pm Friday to 6am Monday, our inner Puritan hibernates and our party girl comes out to play.

We deserve to have some fun.

It's the weekend.

To make things worse, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are also the most common days of the week for people to attend parties, watch football (excuse to eat nachos), go to the movies (hello? popcorn!) and dine at restaurants. Danger, Will Robinson. Diet saboteurs on the loose ready to detonate all will power.

One solution, of course, is to quit your job and find a weekend gig. But on second thought, that won't work because then you'd have Monday through Friday to overindulge.

This vintage advertisement has nothing
to do with the topic of this blog post,
but I thought it was funny

The real solution is to reward yourselves with OTF (other than food). And the best way to motivate yourself to do this is to go shopping. I'm not saying you should substitute your food addiction for shopaholicism, but just the act of trying on clothes is a great reminder that you are trying to lose weight or maintain the body weight you worked so hard to achieve. You don't have to buy anything. Leave your credit cards at home for all I care.

Then plan other activities that are not food related. Or, if they are, be prepared. Plan in advance what you're going to eat. If you go to the movies, bring your own popcorn in the right portion size. Feast on veggies and hummus while watching football. Decide what you want to eat before heading to a restaurant (most menus are online these days). Avoid drinking (or drinking too much) at parties because it will cause you to do things you'll regret (food- and otherwise). And, if you smoke pot, munchies are not your friend.

Of course, it's okay to splurge now and again (though not necessarily if you're in weight loss mode). But those exceptions should be planned and not the result of a rubber spine.

Sure, weekends are special. But there are 52 of them each year. That's 52 chances to keep your body healthy or say the heck with it. If you stay focused on what is most important to you, chances are good you will make good choices.

You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for less cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast Bars - ALL FLAVORS - You Choose ANY 20 Boxes



More from Diet Skeptic:

Fruck You! Fructose

Can You Drink Alcohol on Medifast

Medifast Centers Vs. Take Shape for Life

Planned Exceptions: What Is Your Pie Policy?

Wabi Sabi Dieting & Renee Zelwegger's New Face

Follow Nancy's board Low Carb Recipes on Pinterest.

New Costco Find: Kale and Feta Cheese Salmon Burgers

These Savory Fish and Superfood "Burgers" from Costco
Are Perfect for Both Medifast and Low Carb Dieters

I hate shopping at Costco. I have mini panic attacks just from the sheer size of the store, overwhelming selection, and hoards of families loading up on jumbo bags of hot dogs. Plus, I am convinced many parents take their 2.5 kids with them in a conspiracy to block my cart.

Yet, despite my detestation of the Costco shopping experience, I love having Costco food in my freezer.

So I usually "send" my husband there to stock up on staples, but then I never know when they have an amazing new product.

Like the Kale and Feta Cheese Salmon Burgers from J. Scott Foods.

The last time I went to Costco I noticed this product in the frozen fish section where in the past I had picked up my ordinary salmon burgers. The package immediately caught my eye since I love salmon, kale and feta and figured they would all taste even better together.

And I was right.

In fact, I could eat one of these burgers every day for lunch. Plain. On a plate.

They are that good.

Yesterday I got fancy and chopped one up with some avocado and just-plucked tomato.

Even better.

Despite their being called burgers, these babies need neither buns nor sauce. They are savory and have a perfect texture, whether you microwave them or saute in a pan with a little olive oil. (Curiously, the box recommends baking in the oven, but who has time for that?)

What is especially remarkable is their nutritional profile: one burger has 19 grams of protein, only 2 grams of carbs and -- get this -- only 130 calories.

I searched the Internet for reviews on this product and could not find a single one. I have no idea why since this may be the best single product Costco has ever carried.

Of course, that means they will probably stop carrying it soon.

Let's hope they have a long freezer life, because I am going to take some Xanax and head back to Costco to stock up on these . . . just in case.

Lunch du jour

Update: I ate these again for lunch (third day in a row). Out of tomato so I added some OPA Jalapeno Ranch dressing. Mmmmmmmmm.

You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for no extra cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast replacement meals on Amazon

Similar posts: 

How Medifast Helped Me Develop Better Habits

Medifast Centers Vs. DIY Medifast

Irrational Numbers: Doing the Math on Medifast Popcorn

Medifast Vs. Lean Cuisine Diet

Visit my other blogs:

Fit Kitty

Food Trends 

Bookish

Dictionary Woman

Follow Nancy's board Medifast on Pinterest.

How Your Inner Frank Underwood Could Be Foiling Your Diet

If you're feeling fat or out of shape, blame Frank Underwood. We all have a smidge of that "House of Cards" anti-hero inside our minds who manipulates us to do things we know are bad for us.

Like eating that cupcake at a meeting, just because everyone else does.

"The lone wolf is eaten by the bear," Frank cautions.

Or changing our minds at the last minute by ordering a cheeseburger instead of a salad.

"Cheaters always prosper," Frank says.

Or convincing ourselves that diets don't work.

"Live by your own rules," Frank declares.

Though the fictional Frank Underwood has succeeded in rising from a relatively lowly congressman to President of the United States, we all suspect his evil behavior will come back to bite him. So why would we want him dictating our behavior?

Sure, Frank hasn't met anyone in his world yet who can rival him when it comes to persuasion and manipulation, but we're not limited to the cast of "The House of Cards" for inspiration. We have a chorus of voices -- from "Live Your Best Life" Oprah to "If you can dream it, you can do it" Walt Disney -- who can steer us in the right direction.

A member on one of my Medifast Facebook groups recently complained about getting the business at a family reunion for not feasting on all the fattening foods at the buffet table. He got plenty of support from other members of our group who told him his relatives were feeling guilty for not eating better themselves. It threatened them that he was taking control over his fork because he proved it could be done.

So whether the Frank Underwood who is defeating you is an inner voice or your 350-pound Uncle Ralph stuffing his mouth with potato salad, ask yourself, "Is he the role model I want to follow?"

If not, create your own character -- a wise owl, a loving aunt, a movie or TV hero who has overcome titanic hurdles. Let let their voice talk loudest and drown out those who would defeat you.


You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for no extra cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast replacement meals on Amazon

Similar posts: 

How Medifast Helped Me Develop Better Habits

Medifast Centers Vs. DIY Medifast

Irrational Numbers: Doing the Math on Medifast Popcorn

Medifast Vs. Lean Cuisine Diet

Visit my other blogs:

Fit Kitty

Food Trends 

Bookish

Dictionary Woman

Follow Nancy's board Medifast on Pinterest.

Why Europeans Are So Slim and Other Weight Loss Secrets I Learned at Yosemite

I just came back from a few days communing with nature at Yosemite and met almost as many Europeans as I did the last time I holidayed on the continent (okay, so I've only crossed the Atlantic twice... but it sounded cool).

Yosemite is a great place to go if you want to meet non-Americans because almost every European puts this national gem on their itinerary as a must-see. The Europeans we met -- a Dutch triad, an Italian duo with their little girl, and a 40-something Lithuanian couple -- were all as slim as Slinkys.

Though all three groups were from different countries, here's what I noticed they had in common:

They were relaxed. Despite being in a different country and having to deal with strange (to them) customs, the Europeans seemed as carefree as birds. Being stressed out produces a hormone called cortisol that can make you retain belly fat; so not sweating the small stuff can help you stay slim.

They split meals. This old dieter's trick was a no-brainer for the Europeans, whose typical portion sizes are smaller than American restaurant meals. Since to-go boxes are not practical on vacation, they simply shared one entree and ordered an extra salad.

They don't drink nearly as much soda. Whether it's diet or not, Pepsi is not your pal. When I asked the 42-year-old Lithuanian guy his secret for looking so young, he said he never drinks soda. Soda is more pricey in Europe, and the concept of free refills doesn't exist. The average European drinks far less of this fizzy beverage than Big Gulping Americans.

They walk more. Like soda, gas is also more spendy abroad; so Europeans typically walk to more places than Americans. At Yosemite, you can take a shuttle to different sites or walk to them. Guess who took the shuttles and who walked?

You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for less cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.




More from Diet Skeptic:

Fruck You! Fructose

Can You Drink Alcohol on Medifast

Medifast Centers Vs. Take Shape for Life

Planned Exceptions: What Is Your Pie Policy?

Wabi Sabi Dieting & Renee Zelwegger's New Face
Follow Nancy's board Low Carb Recipes on Pinterest.

Avocado Eaters Have Smaller Waists and Other Scientific Reasons to Eat More Avocados

Remember Emily Litella, the frumpy Gilda Radner character on "Saturday Night Live" who passionately argued a position until she realized her premise was based on a misunderstanding. She would then turn to the camera and say in a high pitched voice, "Never mind."

More and more these days, nutritionists are like Emily Litellas, saying "Never mind" to their dire warnings of yesteryear. Such as don't eat too many eggs or avocados.
Part of the bad rap on avocados is that 85% of the calories come from fat; so it's like eating creamy green butter. Except it's not.

Avocados contain a good kind of fat called MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids), which sounds like something Superman might eat to gain special powers. Which they do, sort of.

Nutritionist Cynthia Sass writes on Health.com that not only do avocados decrease "bad" LDL cholesterol and increase "good" HDL cholesterol, they also "provide anti-aging, disease fighting antioxidants and nearly 20 different vitamins and minerals."

Fine. But avocados make you fat, right?

Not according to Sass, who points out that not only do "avocado eaters have higher intakes of fiber, vitamins E & K, magnesium and potassium . . . they weigh less and have smaller waists without eating fewer calories!"

Here are five more great reasons to eat avocados from the Seattle Organic Restaurants website:

1. Avocados protect against liver disease. I'm not saying you should drink a bottle of tequila with an avoacado chaser, but when Japanese researchers gave rats a "potent liver toxin," the rats who were also given avocados had the least amount of liver damage.

2. Avocados help keep your blood pressure low. That's because they contain potassium, omega 3 and folate -- all of which help prevent high blood pressure.

3. Avocados make your brain function better and may even help prevent Alzheimer's Disease. It's all the omega 3 fatty acids and folate again -- plus, the vitamin E.

4. Avocados help you see better.  The carotenoid lutein in avocados helps prevent "age-related degeneration and poor vision."

5. Avocados help prevent diabetes. The monounsaturated fat combats insulin resistance, and the fiber regulates blood sugar levels.

Though many dieters think eating as low fat as possible is the best way to slim down, I disagree. Eating a salad with avocado increases the absorption of vitamins from the other salad ingredients and makes you feel like you ate a real meal instead of rabbit food. I can even 86 -- or use far less -- salad dressing if my salad contains enough avocado.

Far from being a guilty pleasure, avocados are loaded with healthy ingredients and should be viewed as a friend vs. foe in the diet wars.

You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for no extra cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast replacement meals on Amazon

Similar posts: 

How Medifast Helped Me Develop Better Habits

Medifast Centers Vs. DIY Medifast

Irrational Numbers: Doing the Math on Medifast Popcorn

Medifast Vs. Lean Cuisine Diet

Visit my other blogs:

Fit Kitty

Food Trends 

Bookish

Dictionary Woman

Follow Nancy's board Medifast on Pinterest.

Should You Consult Your Doctor Before Going on a Diet?

Have you noticed every diet program has the disclaimer, "You should consult your physician or other health care professional before starting this or any other weight loss program."

What's funny about this is that you never consulted with your doctor before eating all those Ho Hos and hamburgers while binge watching "House of Cards." You know, those unhealthy habits that made you fat to begin with.

Still, it makes sense that if someone publishes a diet or signs you up for a weight loss program they would not want to be sued after your gall bladder blows a gasket or your kidneys go kaput.

I suspect most people are like me, though, and do not contact their health care provider before embarking on a diet plan or fitness program. Partly it's because most medical schools marginalize nutrition, as if what you eat has no relationship to how your body functions.

"Amazingly, only about a fourth of medical schools even have a full course on nutrition," NPR's David Freudberg revealed in the HuffPo. "And residency programs, where young doctors actually learn how to practice, require no nutrition training in specialties where this could make a huge difference, including internal medicine, cardiology and pediatrics." 

Shockingly, this dearth of dietary education was called out by the National Academy of Sciences back in 1985. The group created a standard of a minimum of 25 hours of nutrition education, which most medical schools still fail to meet some 30 years later.

Which could partly explain why, according to the Centers for Disease Control, poor eating habits is one of the four leading causes of chronic disease (alcohol, smoking and inactivity are the other three).

Despite the dismal lack of nutrition education, there are good reasons to check with your doc before making a big change to your diet. You could be taking a medication that interacts with the primary foods in your new eating plan. For instance, high consumption of grapefruit can cause muscle pain, kidney failure and other side effects for people on statin drugs; so you wouldn't want to go on The Grapefruit Diet if you took Lipitor.

And soy can interfere with the absorption of thyroid medication; so a savvy doctor would guide you to take your pill at least three hours before or after eating a soy based food.

In my own experience, however, I tested hyperthyroid (too much thyroid hormone) after losing 35 pounds on the Medifast diet, many of whose replacement meals contain a fair amount of soy. My doctor explained that dosage depends on body weight; so my smaller body no longer needed the higher strength pill I'd been taking.

Since I am not a clinician -- just a person who has lost weight and managed to keep it off for a few months -- I am in no way providing medical advice here.

But if I were to offer advice to someone about to embark on a new diet, I'd recommend letting your doctor know you are doing something different. Not so much for their nutrition knowledge, but because it could impact the medications you are taking.

You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for no extra cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast replacement meals on Amazon

Similar posts: 

How Medifast Helped Me Develop Better Habits

Medifast Centers Vs. DIY Medifast

Irrational Numbers: Doing the Math on Medifast Popcorn

Medifast Vs. Lean Cuisine Diet

Visit my other blogs:

Fit Kitty

Food Trends 

Bookish

Dictionary Woman

Follow Nancy's board Medifast on Pinterest.

Medifast Headlines Generated by Translation Bots Are a Hoot

If you're a blogger, one of the best ways to keep tabs of your topic is via Google alerts. I get Google alerts about Medifast every day, and most of them link to articles that are written by translation bots.

The purpose of these articles is to get people to click on them by mistake in the hopes they will then click on one of the sponsored or affiliate ads and generate revenue for the blog owner. Based on the unintentionally comical headlines, however, I have to wonder why people would click on these article to start with.

Here are some of my favorite Medifast blog topics from the past few months:

Few people realize that Einstein
researched Medifast diarrhea
before shifting his focus to physics

Albert Einstein On Medifast Diarrhea

Way more interesting than his theory of relativity

Life After Medifast And Menstruation

Woo hoo! No more tampons or shakes to buy

Side Effects Medifast And Love – How They Are The Same

I'm guessing it's that light-headed feeling....

Death – Medifast Diet Recipes And Taxes: Tips To Avoiding

Diet recipes are as bad as death and taxes?

Medifast Diet Recipes Nine Cut-Throat Medifast Diarrhea Tactics That Never Fails 

Ah, now I can see why those Medifast diet recipes are to be avoided!

Will You Eat Rapidly Food Salads On Medifast? |

Um, did you mean fast food?

Medifast For People - The Different Plans

As opposed to Medifast for cats?

Medifast For Old Fat Guys Men 55 -- Chicken Flavored Noodle Soup

Since 55-year-old guys can presumably no longer chew.

The 10 Most Successful Does Medifast Cause Gas Companies In Region

These companies must be in Texas

4 Techniques For A Lucrative Medifast Diet

You mean you can get rich from eating this stuff?

How Is A Medifast Repair Bar Different Within The Other Standard Bars

Wonder if the bars could repair my car....

What You Can Learn From Tiger Woods About Medifast Diet Complications

Hopefully, promiscuity is not one of the complications.

How To Find Medifast Diarrhea Online

And exactly who would be searching for this?

Secrets Your Parents Never Told You About Medifast Diet Recipes 

Some things are just too embarrassing to discuss!

Fortunately, there are many insightful blogs about Medifast that are written by real people who share their ups and downs and even those evil diet recipes with others. Here are some of my favorites:

Sandy's Kitchen

Escape from Obesity

3 Fat Chicks on a Diet

It Sux To Be Fat

If you know about any really good Medifast blogs that are not written by translation bots, please let me know in the comments section below.

You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for no extra cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast replacement meals on Amazon

Similar posts: 


How Medifast Helped Me Develop Better Habits

Medifast Centers Vs. DIY Medifast

Irrational Numbers: Doing the Math on Medifast Popcorn

Medifast Vs. Lean Cuisine Diet

Visit my other blogs:

Fit Kitty

Food Trends 

Bookish

Dictionary Woman

Follow Nancy's board Medifast on Pinterest.

Not Worth the Calories #NWTC

Now that I have reached my idea weight following the Medifast Take Shape for Life program, I am once again swimming in the shark infested waters of food temptations. When I was on Medifast, I knew that if I went over my carb limit I could get kicked out of ketosis, which was a powerful motivation to stay On Plan. But since my body is no longer in a ketogenic state, I no longer have that compelling deterrent.

Instead, I have gone back to my pre-Medifast trick of asking myself whenever I see a food offered to me, "Nancy, is it worth the calories?"

Are these cupcakes WTC?

And most of the time, the answer is "no."

But not always.

For instance, at one of my department's standing monthly meetings, gorgeous boxes of gourmet cupcakes are passed around to celebrate whosever birthday is that month. When I was On Plan I was able to resist this amazing treat while I watched most of my other colleagues indulge. These days, I usually join them.

Though I would not intentionally drive to a gourmet cupcake shop and buy one, I'm good with partaking in this once a month ritual and breaking cupcakes with my peers. These culinary works of art are amazingly delicious and totally worth the calories.

On the other hand, a colleague offered me a Keebler cookie the other day, and I politely declined because -- for me -- processed cookies are Not Worth the Calories (NWTC).

Growing up, my daughters knew the acronym NWTC because I would say it aloud when I resisted a food. Just saying it affirmed my resolve to be deliberate in what I ate and not just feast on whatever was placed in front of me.

Having tricks up my sleeve like saying "NWTC" aloud and bringing my own healthier snacks to work so I won't be tempted to raid the vending machine have helped me maintain my ideal weight.

You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for no extra cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast replacement meals on Amazon

Similar posts:

How Medifast Helped Me Develop Better Habits

Medifast Centers Vs. DIY Medifast


Irrational Numbers: Doing the Math on Medifast Popcorn

Medifast Vs. Lean Cuisine Diet

Visit my other blogs:

Fit Kitty

Food Trends 

Bookish

Dictionary Woman

Follow Nancy's board Medifast on Pinterest.

'Big Fat Surprise': Saturated Fat is Not Bad For You

So I'm addicted to NPR podcasts, which I listen to via a great app on my smart phone, and this morning I heard reputable journalist Nina Teicholz on KQED blow the lid off everything we've all been told about the evils of saturated fat.

She was on Forum promoting her new book, "The Big Fat Surprise, Why Butter, Meat & Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet."

"People do not need to feel guilty about or restrict themselves when it comes to eating cheese, whole fat dairy and red meat," she said. "The science supports a higher-fat diet."

Really?

So the whole federal government and revered low-fat gurus like Dr. Dean Ornish are wrong?

It's possible if you believe Teicholz, who has an impressive pedigree. The Yale, Stanford and Oxford educated journalist has studied biology, reported for NPR and written for the New Yorker, the Economist and the New York Times. We are not talking matchbook degree credentials. 

What Teicholz did was plod through all the scientific studies that linked high saturated fat to obesity and heart disease and found enough holes in them to open a donut shop.

For instance, one famous study of the Mediterranean diet occurred during Lent when the people being followed did not eat their usual higher amount of meat. Teicholz also found lots of bad science in the Framingham Heart Study, Seven Countries Study and other landmark studies that launched the low fat revolution.

"Protein Power: author Michael Eades is a believer: "Teicholz brings to life the key personalities in the field and uncovers how nutritional science has gotten it so wrong. There aren't enough superlatives to describe this journalistic tour de force," he wrote in a review of her book.

The real culprit?

You guessed it. Carbs. 

The unintended consequence of reducing fat in our diets has been replacing them with insulin spiking carbohydrates. Eating a bowl of pasta with low-fat marinara sauce is nutritionally worse than eating a filet mignon if you buy into the book's thesis. 

You can't have it both ways, though, and feast on pizza, because then you'd be loading up on both fats and carbs.

Though I have not read "The Big Fat Surprise" yet, my body tells me Teicholz is right. I feel better when I eat more fat and fewer carbs. And I'd rather eat paper than an egg white omelet.

More from Diet Skeptic:

Why I'm Addicted to Chia Seeds

Why Fat Head Pizza Is the Holy Grail of Low Carb Pizzas 

The Shocking Truth About Imported Olive Oil 

Making Cauliflower Rice in the Vitamix 

Why WebMD Doesn't Want You to Get Well


Follow Nancy's board Low Carb Recipes on Pinterest

5 Pound Rule: Maintaining My Weight Loss After Medifast

After losing 35 pounds on Medifast in less than four months, I promised myself I would not regain the weight I had lost. Since I could now eat technically anything -- from fruit to Fruit Loops -- I had to create a plan that would ensure my weight would not creep back up.

I don't actually like Fruit Loops, but I love
how Kellog's tries to make it look healthy
with FIBER on the front of the box

From February to July of this year, I had very little problem keeping the pounds at bay. I continued eating a modified version of my Medifast 5&1 -- lots of salads, minimal carbs, occasional replacement meals. Now I could add strawberries, blue cheese crumbles and nuts to my salads; so they were even more fun and tasty to eat.

Then I went on vacation.

I made a conscious decision to leave my adult at home and sent my inner child off with my husband to visit relatives in Oregon and Washington, feeling confident I could handle the consequences when I returned home. We're talking buttery croissants, eggs Benedict, frozen yogurt with candy toppings,  garlic fries at the ballgame and tropical drinks.(My inner child didn't get carded since she still looked like a 50-something woman).

I didn't go near a scale for the eight days I was gone, and when I returned home I was delighted that I had gained back only five pounds. My rule of maintenance is that whenever I exceed my ideal weight by five pounds, I have to eat and drink clean until the new fat melts off.

Thanks, Winston, but I meant
the other kinds of 5 pounds

A week later, I am down three pounds and feeling happy to be back eating healthier. Having given myself permission to eat whatever I want, I have gotten a lot of the fun foods out of my system; so I don't crave them. I know that I can eat them any time I want, but I am choosing not to.

Most importantly, by not allowing myself to continue gaining weight after reaching the five-pound threshold, I did not put myself in the position of having so many pounds to lose that I felt overwhelmed.Five pounds is a piece of cake.

Figuratively.


You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for less cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast Bars - ALL FLAVORS - You Choose ANY 20 Boxes



More from Diet Skeptic:

Fruck You! Fructose

Can You Drink Alcohol on Medifast

Medifast Centers Vs. Take Shape for Life

Planned Exceptions: What Is Your Pie Policy?

Wabi Sabi Dieting & Renee Zelwegger's New Face
Follow Nancy's board Low Carb Recipes on Pinterest.

Not Your Daughter's Jeans on Your Daughter's Budget

Where to find the best prices on NYDJ -- and, no, it's not the mall

NYDJ's Barbara
Modern Bootcut

I admit that I am obsessed by The-Jeans-Formerly-Known-as-Not-Your-Daughter's-Jeans (which now go by the much cooler name, NYDJ). Which makes me a total consumer chump because right in the About section of the NYDJ website it says, "Try them on and see why the women who wear NYDJ aren't just loyal, they're obsessed."

I can tell you why.

They fit. Perfectly. And they really do make you look one size smaller.

It's rare that advertising claims are so spot on, but NYDJ are no ordinary denims.

The magic of these jeans is their trademarked Lift Tuck Technology, which lifts your booty in the back while tucking in your stomach. And they have just enough stretch in the fabric to be comfortable without looking like mommy pants.

My latest eBay score. Brand new with tags
and only $24.94 with shipping!

Of course, there is one drawback to these perfect pants -- their price. They retail for more than $100 a pair, which is fine for people who buy Coach purses and drive Hummers. Or own one or two pairs of pants.

Bobbie Boyfriend
in Fine Line Twill

But, if you're like me and don't want to spend that kind of dough on designer duds, you can purchase NYDJ on the cheap without resorting to knockoffs. I have found them on eBay and at my favorite consignment stores at prices ranging from $10 to $25. So far I have scored three pair, including adorable denim crops with copper button trim, all of which were still in excellent condition.

Even if you have reached your ideal weight, chances are you still don't have six-pack abs; so it's nice to have pants that figuratively Photoshop your flaws.

If money is no object, you can purchase NYDJ online from the company's website with free shipping (they're having a big sale right now). Or go to the mall and hit up Macy's or Nordstrom. You will love how they make you look and feel, and you won't have that weird gap in the back.

You can also check out Amazon for special pricing.

Whatever you do, try on a pair of these jeans. You may never buy any other brand again.

FTC Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this review nor provided any free products or other remuneration by the company.