Surprise!  Movie theater popcorn is not healthy!  I’m not sure why this is news, but USA Today reports that movie theater popcorn is loaded with calories and saturated fat.  My response was, “No kidding.”  Apparently, The Center for Science in the Public Interest thought it would be a good idea to spend money testing popcorn from Regal theaters, AMC Entertainment, and Cinemark.  The result– anywhere between 910 and 1200 calories and between 4 and 60 grams of saturated fat.

The 4g of fat actually doesn’t sound too bad.  It’s due to the difference in oils used for the popcorn.  Canola oil is low in saturated fat, while coconut oil is nearly 90% saturated fat.  So, there is a “less bad” option, if you count 910 calories as something you want to absorb in 2 hours. 

One interesting thing is that the industry is unapologetic.  Basically, they are saying that we don’t go to the movies to watch our waistlines.  We go for the experience and the smell, taste, and authenticity of movie theater popcorn is a part of that experience.  I agree with them on this point.  No one tries to make it sound like popcorn and soda at the movies is healthy.  It turns out that they tried the healthy approach and the consumer demanded the fat. 

There really is no way to enjoy the real popcorn and avoid the calories.  But some of the damage can be avoided with some planning, if you want to avoid the damage, that is.  Fill up before you get to the theater, and I’d recommend Lipotrim to block some of those carbs.  But in the end, if you want the popcorn, go for it, but hit the gym the next day!

If  your idea of the dream diet is pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner, then you dreams may have just come true.

Meet Matt McClellan, pizza shop owner.  Determined to show that you can lose weight with nothing but pizza, he devised the 30 day pizza diet.  9am to 9pm, eight slices of pizza a day.  He worked with a nutritionist and consulted a doctor and at the end of the program, was almost 25 pounds lighter. 

Not only that, but his blood pressure and cholesterol were down, his body fat percentage dropped an amazing 10 percentage points, and his BMI was down.  All this from pizza.  Now, it was made with skim-milk cheese and the meat lovers was off the table, but still, a 30 day pizza diet.

However, before you sign up for your frequent diner program and the pizzeria, you’d better be prepared to work out an hour per day as Matt diet, and also keep the total calories to about 2500 per day from the pizza.  It seems like a reasonable premise, and in the end, it’s simply calories in vs. calories out. 

We don’t really know how healthy or sustainable this diet is over the long term, but it does prove that weight loss is a simple formula.  It’s simple caloric deficit, no matter what the format of the calories. 

You can read more of Matt’s story at TourDePizza.

Tonight NBC aired a special program showing how many of the Biggest Loser contestants and winners have fared in their years after their experience on “the ranch”.  They managed to pull together many favorites from the past eight seasons and generally speaking, they did well.  Most of them have gained some weight back since the finale of the show, but that’s not too surprising, since, with $250K on the line, many of us would do whatever it takes to lose the extra pound, even if it’s not sustainable.

There was one contestant, the season three winner, who has gained back nearly 175 pounds.  During his interview with one of the trainers, it became clear that his problem was, when faced with what he knew he has to go through, again, to reclaim his life, he wasn’t willing to put that effort in again.  His knowledge of the sweat, tears, and pain that he’d have to undergo was real– it wasn’t theoretical since he went through it before.  He became increasingly unwilling to subject himself to the costs involved in weight loss.

That particular sequence points out something about this journey so many are on– it’s hard.  It hurts.  It will cause emotions to surface and either be dealt with or be buried just to surface again.  We happen to think we have a great line of weight loss supplements that can help, but they only help.  They can’t do the work for you and no one achieves lasting success by popping a pill and yet still eating horribly and not exercising.  It’s one reason why we believe a total package includes something like Winrgy for energy and Sure2Endure for a more effective workout, as well as our Biolean system.

Another interesting part of the show was when one contestant revealed that her doctor told her that she’s looking at 1 to 1.5 hours of exercise, 5-6 days per week, to maintain the body she worked so hard for.  The term used in the show was a “formerly obese” person.  The research indicates that, once overweight, the body can shed the pounds, shed the fat, and become what it once was, but not entirely.  According to many sources, including this Johns Hopkins University health alert, fat cells don’t disappear.  They shrink.  So, if you’ve become obese and carry, say, 50% more fat cells that your skinny friend, even after you get things in order and look, weigh, and feel exactly like your friend, you are still carrying that many more fat cells.  They may be smaller, but they are there, deflated, ready for you to fill them back up.

It sounds like you always have a tendency to obesity once you are obese, even if you recover and slim down.  It’s unfortunate, but shouldn’t slow you down.  After all, as shown in tonight’s special, lives can be, and are, changed every day.  It’s a day-to-day choice to live differently, and once you do make that choice, your life is never the same.

USA Today reported on 11/17 that by 2018, the USA will be spending over $300 billion a year on obesity-related medical bills.  According to the article, 43% of us will be obese by 2018, with an average annual medical bill more than $2600 more than a fit individual.  More frightening is that we spend $1.8 Trillion a year on diabetes, heart disease and cancer, and obesity is linked to all three.
The same subject was brought up in this week’s Biggest Loser episode, with Suzi Orman telling the contestants about the link between health and wealth.  Those who are obese make less money, cost more to insure, and spend more on their own health issues then their fit counterparts.  What was most interesting is that the contestants, who have lost anywhere from 57 to 134 pounds on the show so far, were almost as excited about the $3000-$4000 bonus money that they received this week as they were about all that weight lost.  Money isn’t the key to happiness, but the impact of money on people’s lives is undeniable.
We can draw several conclusions from these latest studies.  Nationally, obesity is on track to dominate the health landscape.  As Congress debates what’s next with health care, the obese may find themselves on the defensive.  Can the same stigma attached to smoking find its way to the obese?  Perhaps it already has.
For individuals, the point is clear– your weight impacts your pocketbook.  No one would voluntarily surrender $50 a week in an optional tax, but we do that every year with the increased costs of being unhealthy.  Some people say weight loss supplements are too expensive, but compared with the alternative, I wonder if these people have thought it through.

It comes as no surprise, but we as a nation are still losing the battle of the bulge.  The AMA had their annual meeting this week in Orlando, and it’s being reported that several studies confirm that obesity may be setting back recent gains in heart health. 

Over the last 20 years, the average BMI has crossed over from just overweight to nearly obese.  Blood sugar levels and blood pressure are up.  And the news is just as bad for the kids.  Children are heavier and less active. 

Another interesting point is that it seems we’re becoming less sensitive to being overweight.  As the average grows, it’s more acceptable to be a little on the heavy side.  But the dangers are real, and the denial doesn’t help. 

Just as real are the benefits of weight loss, of course.  Obesity is one of those reversable things that we just have trouble turning away from.  The formula of diet and exercise is always foundational, and we like to think we can provide a benefit from our weight loss supplements as well.

Continuing our efforts to stay ahead of the curve, we are excited to start our product information and success story blog.  Here, we’ll discuss the benefits of our leading edge product line, explain how to maximize your results, and share the inspiring stories of people just like you who are achieving their health and wellness goals through the products offered by My Natural Supplements.  Bookmark us, come back often, and join the discussion!