So the two random winners of the "Why Diets Don't Work Club" membership giveaway are:
Claudia and... The Bag Lady!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Note: I'm always excited for all our winners. But sometimes the Random Number Generator seems reluctant to land on some of our most loyal commenters. It insists on being, well, random! So for the RNG to recognize a Cranky Fitness institution like the The Bag Lady was a pleasant surprise!
So please email CrabbyMcSlacker @ gmail dot com with your email addresses, and I'll put Talia in touch with you to arrange whatever needs arranging.
Thanks for commenting everyone!
August 13, 2008
August 12, 2008
The Lazy Woman's Guide to a Healthy Diet
[By Merry]
A lot of people think eating right is a good idea. At least in theory.
Me: More vegetables, fewer cupcakes.
Them: Yeah, good idea.
Me: So, do you eat right?
Them: Hell no.
Why don't people eat food that's good for them?
I took an informal poll, i.e. stopped people in the hall at work. Typical comments ran something like this:
People tend to eat junk food because it takes too much time to prepare something healthy. But does it have to take all that long?
Healthy Food for the Chronically Lazy
I have some suggestions for lazy people. Or at least for people who are short of time. I wouldn't recommend these ideas as a long-term solution, but there are ways to grab quick healthy food that you can munch while you are driving or sitting at your desk.
Kathryn, over at Limes & Lycopene, is running a series called 31 days to a Better Diet. The other day she mentioned one essential principle: make it a point to eat vegetables. Specifically, she says try to eat a vegetable with every meal. That's my goal.
By the way, I don't care what the gubbermint says. Ketchup is not a vegetable. Yes, it contains tomatoes, but it also contains enough high fructose corn syrup to choke a moderate- sized German Shepherd Dog. (In theory, anyway. This statement has not been tested. Cranky Fitness has a firm policy against animal testing, unless the test is multiple choice.)
When I first saw pre-cut vegetables, I scoffed. "What, are they going to chew the food for me as well?" But that was when I was young andstupid so healthy that I could live on fast food while pretending to study during the day, and going out on the town in the evening. I figured I could always cut my own vegetables for myself if I had to eat the dang things. Now, when it's crunch time at work I'm counting every minute. My best friends are baby carrots. (Yes, I do need to get a life, why do you ask?)
Anything that helps me to eat healthy food without taking much time is welcome. Or, I've been known to take a whole cucumber and a sharp paring knife to work with me. (Note: don't do this if you work around paranoid bosses, psychotic co-workers, or toddlers.) Any veggie that I can cut down to size while staying virtuously at my desk is a good idea.
Also, soup. Unlike most fast foods, you can generally find some kind of soup that contains more vegetables than meat.
It's easy. Speaking as the Queen of the Lazy Women, I love easy.
And if you need something more substantial but don't have the time to cook, there's always the pre-packaged healthy stuff like Amy's Kitchen. I hate the idea of frozen dinners, but even so there are nights when I come home too tired to cook any damn thing, or even to chop any damn thing. Nights like that, Amy's my bud.
Lastly, if all else fails, there's... Enrique.
As a last resort, you could hire a hunk in trunks to stand behind your chair at work and feed you peeled grapes. Very healthy, peeled grapes. Or at least that's my story.
You can eat healthy food even if you're rushed off your feet.
These suggestions are really nothing but a short-term fix, and it's really not so much for lazy people as it is for people who are strapped for time. But even as a quick fix, it's good because if you've been living in the fast-food lane for awhile, just eating healthy damn green leafy things, even if they come pre-chopped, is going to accustom your body to eating healthy food. Which is a good thing.
The lazy way to a healthy diet isn't cheap. You know how they say you can have it fast or cheap or good? You can eat fast food or healthy vegetables. You can't have it all at the same time. And I hear Enrique's raising his rates.
A lot of people think eating right is a good idea. At least in theory.
Me: More vegetables, fewer cupcakes.
Them: Yeah, good idea.
Me: So, do you eat right?
Them: Hell no.
Why don't people eat food that's good for them?
I took an informal poll, i.e. stopped people in the hall at work. Typical comments ran something like this:
- "Sure, I know I should eat veggies, but I don't have time to cook -- there's too much else to do."
- "Yeah, I feel guilty about eating those danish pastries, but I was running late this morning and didn't have time for breakfast."
- "What? I can't talk now; I'm late for a meeting. Don't you have some work to do?" [Note to self: for future reference, do not ask the boss to participate in an unofficial survey.]
People tend to eat junk food because it takes too much time to prepare something healthy. But does it have to take all that long?
Healthy Food for the Chronically Lazy
I have some suggestions for lazy people. Or at least for people who are short of time. I wouldn't recommend these ideas as a long-term solution, but there are ways to grab quick healthy food that you can munch while you are driving or sitting at your desk.
Kathryn, over at Limes & Lycopene, is running a series called 31 days to a Better Diet. The other day she mentioned one essential principle: make it a point to eat vegetables. Specifically, she says try to eat a vegetable with every meal. That's my goal.
By the way, I don't care what the gubbermint says. Ketchup is not a vegetable. Yes, it contains tomatoes, but it also contains enough high fructose corn syrup to choke a moderate- sized German Shepherd Dog. (In theory, anyway. This statement has not been tested. Cranky Fitness has a firm policy against animal testing, unless the test is multiple choice.)
When I first saw pre-cut vegetables, I scoffed. "What, are they going to chew the food for me as well?" But that was when I was young and
Anything that helps me to eat healthy food without taking much time is welcome. Or, I've been known to take a whole cucumber and a sharp paring knife to work with me. (Note: don't do this if you work around paranoid bosses, psychotic co-workers, or toddlers.) Any veggie that I can cut down to size while staying virtuously at my desk is a good idea.
Also, soup. Unlike most fast foods, you can generally find some kind of soup that contains more vegetables than meat.
It's easy. Speaking as the Queen of the Lazy Women, I love easy.
And if you need something more substantial but don't have the time to cook, there's always the pre-packaged healthy stuff like Amy's Kitchen. I hate the idea of frozen dinners, but even so there are nights when I come home too tired to cook any damn thing, or even to chop any damn thing. Nights like that, Amy's my bud.
Lastly, if all else fails, there's... Enrique.
As a last resort, you could hire a hunk in trunks to stand behind your chair at work and feed you peeled grapes. Very healthy, peeled grapes. Or at least that's my story.
You can eat healthy food even if you're rushed off your feet.
These suggestions are really nothing but a short-term fix, and it's really not so much for lazy people as it is for people who are strapped for time. But even as a quick fix, it's good because if you've been living in the fast-food lane for awhile, just eating healthy damn green leafy things, even if they come pre-chopped, is going to accustom your body to eating healthy food. Which is a good thing.
The lazy way to a healthy diet isn't cheap. You know how they say you can have it fast or cheap or good? You can eat fast food or healthy vegetables. You can't have it all at the same time. And I hear Enrique's raising his rates.
August 11, 2008
Hazelnuts, Flat Bellies, and My New BFF's
[By Crabby]
Back in the olden days of Cranky Fitness, when bloggers wore togas and carved out blog posts on stone tablets, I wrote something about the health benefits of pistachios.
And now, all of a sudden, I'm feeling motivated to write another post about nuts! Specifically, how nutritious and tasty hazelnuts are.
Is it because of a recent study that said that hazelnuts contain massive amounts of proanthocyanidin, a powerful antioxidant--in even greater quantities than many other "superfoods?"
Well, er, it might be... if I could find a link to the damn study.
Is it because hazelnuts actually are really good for you, containing lots of fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and potassium?
Uh, sure, yeah, that's it!
But could it also be because hazelnuts contain lots of monounsaturated fatty acids, making them a high MUFA food that will make it easier to stay on your Flat Belly Diet?
(Note: for those of you who have blogs: MUFA's and Flat Belly Diet are very search-friendly terms. Just in case you might want to work them gratuitously into a post someday.)
In any event, my current enthusiasm for hazelnuts has absolutely nothing to do with this Hazelnut Gift Tray that arrived recently courtesy of the friendly folks at the Hazelnut Council!
Because bloggers are very ethical folks who would never extol the virtues of a food, even one that is HEALTHY and DELICIOUS, just because they might have received, oh, say, hypothetically...
...their very favorite candy bar in the entire world for FREE.
(And does anyone else find they are subliminally influenced by the term "Ritter Sport" into thinking that somehow this particular candy is the sort athletes would pick because it's so nutritious even though that's STUPID??!!)
In the interest of full disclosure, I should reveal that I also got a cookie sheet, mixing spoon, spices, nuts, yummy English Toffee (which must have had hazelnuts in it? I sort of missed that part in the frenzy) and assorted recipes.
Oh, and...
A whole new passel of Best Friends!!! Aren't you all jealous?
According to the accompanying hazelnut literature, which takes the form of a journal/scrapbook, I am invited to Cecelia's house on Saturday at 8pm... and boy howdy, am I excited!
(The Lobster is going to be SO jealous because she doesn't have a blog and so is not invited and Cecelia is pretty darn cute! You can click on the picture if you want to verify. She's in the lower right hand corner.)
However, I kinda think my new BFF, Galena, said something about Cecelia having a little Frangelico problem...
So it's a good thing they also gave me a handy Hazelnut Journal to record every exciting moment of my new, hazelnut-filled life!
(Confidential to Hershey's and Dunkin' Donuts PR people: No free samples, huh? This coulda been ALL ABOUT YOU! Maybe next time, eh?)
Actually, as it happens I really DO like nuts, including (thank goodness) hazelnuts. I eat a lot more of them than I did back in the "you must count every gram of fat" days. Anyone else? Or have thoughts on sleazy bloggers scarfing up free food and then attempting to blog about it?
Back in the olden days of Cranky Fitness, when bloggers wore togas and carved out blog posts on stone tablets, I wrote something about the health benefits of pistachios.
(photo credit: Betsymartian)
And now, all of a sudden, I'm feeling motivated to write another post about nuts! Specifically, how nutritious and tasty hazelnuts are.
Is it because of a recent study that said that hazelnuts contain massive amounts of proanthocyanidin, a powerful antioxidant--in even greater quantities than many other "superfoods?"
Well, er, it might be... if I could find a link to the damn study.
Is it because hazelnuts actually are really good for you, containing lots of fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and potassium?
Uh, sure, yeah, that's it!
But could it also be because hazelnuts contain lots of monounsaturated fatty acids, making them a high MUFA food that will make it easier to stay on your Flat Belly Diet?
(Note: for those of you who have blogs: MUFA's and Flat Belly Diet are very search-friendly terms. Just in case you might want to work them gratuitously into a post someday.)
In any event, my current enthusiasm for hazelnuts has absolutely nothing to do with this Hazelnut Gift Tray that arrived recently courtesy of the friendly folks at the Hazelnut Council!
Because bloggers are very ethical folks who would never extol the virtues of a food, even one that is HEALTHY and DELICIOUS, just because they might have received, oh, say, hypothetically...
...their very favorite candy bar in the entire world for FREE.
(And does anyone else find they are subliminally influenced by the term "Ritter Sport" into thinking that somehow this particular candy is the sort athletes would pick because it's so nutritious even though that's STUPID??!!)
In the interest of full disclosure, I should reveal that I also got a cookie sheet, mixing spoon, spices, nuts, yummy English Toffee (which must have had hazelnuts in it? I sort of missed that part in the frenzy) and assorted recipes.
Oh, and...
A whole new passel of Best Friends!!! Aren't you all jealous?
According to the accompanying hazelnut literature, which takes the form of a journal/scrapbook, I am invited to Cecelia's house on Saturday at 8pm... and boy howdy, am I excited!
(The Lobster is going to be SO jealous because she doesn't have a blog and so is not invited and Cecelia is pretty darn cute! You can click on the picture if you want to verify. She's in the lower right hand corner.)
However, I kinda think my new BFF, Galena, said something about Cecelia having a little Frangelico problem...
So it's a good thing they also gave me a handy Hazelnut Journal to record every exciting moment of my new, hazelnut-filled life!
(Confidential to Hershey's and Dunkin' Donuts PR people: No free samples, huh? This coulda been ALL ABOUT YOU! Maybe next time, eh?)
Actually, as it happens I really DO like nuts, including (thank goodness) hazelnuts. I eat a lot more of them than I did back in the "you must count every gram of fat" days. Anyone else? Or have thoughts on sleazy bloggers scarfing up free food and then attempting to blog about it?
August 08, 2008
The Cranky Fitness Guide to the Olympics
[By Merry]
Confused about all these sports that are suddenly showing up on your television? Help is on the way. Unfortunately, help is running late, so we at Cranky Fitness are filling in with an explanation of some of the terms used in the Olympic Games.
Archery - a sport where two people ("friends") try to outdo each other with snide, coyly playful remarks.
Bronze - fake tanning solution.
Dressage - Fashion show where competitors have to estimate just how out-of-date an outfit is.
Gold - the form of currency most favored by gym managers.
Gymnastics - various competitors try to out do each other in nasty gym behavior. (Don't ask. Really.) Oh all right, if you need to ask, they try to see who can be the first to get to the best treadmill, cycle, or fan. (There. Happy?)
Olympic flame - a scorching blog post about Beijing sports in 2008.
Relay - a second intimate encounter.
Show jumping - competitors strive to prove their dexterity in manipulating a TV remote to switch between Reality shows.
Anyone else have any terms they'd like to define? Getting excited about the Olympics, or is it Not Your Thing?
Confused about all these sports that are suddenly showing up on your television? Help is on the way. Unfortunately, help is running late, so we at Cranky Fitness are filling in with an explanation of some of the terms used in the Olympic Games.
Archery - a sport where two people ("friends") try to outdo each other with snide, coyly playful remarks.
Bronze - fake tanning solution.
Dressage - Fashion show where competitors have to estimate just how out-of-date an outfit is.
Gold - the form of currency most favored by gym managers.
Gymnastics - various competitors try to out do each other in nasty gym behavior. (Don't ask. Really.) Oh all right, if you need to ask, they try to see who can be the first to get to the best treadmill, cycle, or fan. (There. Happy?)
Olympic flame - a scorching blog post about Beijing sports in 2008.
Relay - a second intimate encounter.
Show jumping - competitors strive to prove their dexterity in manipulating a TV remote to switch between Reality shows.
Anyone else have any terms they'd like to define? Getting excited about the Olympics, or is it Not Your Thing?
Why Diets Don't Work
[By Crabby]
For those of you who are trying to lose weight, especially those of you who have had a frustrating time of it, we have a cool giveaway this week:
Two Six Month Memberships to the "Why Diets Don't Work Club".
(And there's also a free 75 minute Introductory Download for anyone who's interested. More on that in a moment).
So what kind of club is it, anyway? Is there a secret handshake? Funny hats? No girls/boys/grownups allowed like when you were a kid?
No, this is a better kind of club, for grown-ups. It's online too, so there's no need for a big cardboard box. Plus this means you can live anywhere in the world and attend! Those getting tired of "U.S. only giveaways" may appreciate being included for once.
Club founder Talia Mana, whom many of you know from her blog Centre for Emotional Well-Being, is a former Corporate Type who is now a trainer, professional speaker, and self-help author. She described the club and its workshops this way:
"The idea behind the workshops is to conduct live monthly workshops on the web for people to get advice and ask questions about everything to do with stress eating, body image and underlying belief systems that sabotage dieting efforts.
"The Why Diets Don’t Work Club will help people change their thinking so they can lose weight and keep it off long-term – or they may simply decide to accept themselves the way they are and throw away the scales and calorie counters."
(Talia will be conducing the monthly workshops, and Dr. Robin Shepherd will be on-board to offer one-on-one consultations for those wanting additional help).
To enter the drawing, just leave a comment on this post and two random winners will be chosen Tuesday night August 12th, midnight EST, and announced Wednesday morning the 13th. Please check back by Thursday night the 14th to claim your membership if you've won, and to receive emailing instructions.
And even if you don't win one of the memberships, you can go here to get a free 75 minute audio download explaining why diets don't work, including expert tips and tactics, information about emotional eating, and common diet myths.
Of course, some of you may have diets you're very attached to, and perhaps they're working well for you and you don't feel you need any additional help. We totally understand that, as there are some great diets out there.
[Cartoon courtesy of Natalie Dee].
So have you folks had any disappointments with dieting or has it worked just fine for you? What, if anything, was an obstacle to success?
For those of you who are trying to lose weight, especially those of you who have had a frustrating time of it, we have a cool giveaway this week:
Two Six Month Memberships to the "Why Diets Don't Work Club".
(And there's also a free 75 minute Introductory Download for anyone who's interested. More on that in a moment).
So what kind of club is it, anyway? Is there a secret handshake? Funny hats? No girls/boys/grownups allowed like when you were a kid?
No, this is a better kind of club, for grown-ups. It's online too, so there's no need for a big cardboard box. Plus this means you can live anywhere in the world and attend! Those getting tired of "U.S. only giveaways" may appreciate being included for once.
Club founder Talia Mana, whom many of you know from her blog Centre for Emotional Well-Being, is a former Corporate Type who is now a trainer, professional speaker, and self-help author. She described the club and its workshops this way:
"The idea behind the workshops is to conduct live monthly workshops on the web for people to get advice and ask questions about everything to do with stress eating, body image and underlying belief systems that sabotage dieting efforts.
"The Why Diets Don’t Work Club will help people change their thinking so they can lose weight and keep it off long-term – or they may simply decide to accept themselves the way they are and throw away the scales and calorie counters."
(Talia will be conducing the monthly workshops, and Dr. Robin Shepherd will be on-board to offer one-on-one consultations for those wanting additional help).
To enter the drawing, just leave a comment on this post and two random winners will be chosen Tuesday night August 12th, midnight EST, and announced Wednesday morning the 13th. Please check back by Thursday night the 14th to claim your membership if you've won, and to receive emailing instructions.
And even if you don't win one of the memberships, you can go here to get a free 75 minute audio download explaining why diets don't work, including expert tips and tactics, information about emotional eating, and common diet myths.
Of course, some of you may have diets you're very attached to, and perhaps they're working well for you and you don't feel you need any additional help. We totally understand that, as there are some great diets out there.
[Cartoon courtesy of Natalie Dee].So have you folks had any disappointments with dieting or has it worked just fine for you? What, if anything, was an obstacle to success?
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