Blog Posts by DietsInReview

Brandi Koskie - DietsInReview.com

This week we want you to celebrate your independence from fat, calories and all that other junk our bodies just do not need! Celebrate your freedom to choose delicious, satisfying foods that don't wreck your diet or health, but rather support it. And, embrace your right as an American to fire up a grill on the 4th and enjoy the tempting burgers that rise from its flames.

It's tradition in nearly every American backyard to cookout for July 4th. It's also tradition to serve a mess of calorie- and fat-laden recipes that leave you feeling no where near as hot as all those fireworks.

We hope you'll enjoy these mouth-watering recipes for a variety of burgers that you can savor during the holiday cookouts - and not worry about jeopardizing all your hard work!

Southwest Hamburger

Spice things up with these well-seasoned lean burgers. Serve on a whole wheat bun or wrap in lettuce for a unique and healthy twist.

Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients

1 lb. lean

By Heather Ashare - DietsInReview.com

In recent years yoga has grown with increasing popularity in the U.S. An ancient form of fitness that connects the mind, body and spirit, for Americans it's an ideal way to create calm amidst an ever turning storm of work-life balance. People not only reap relaxation and fitness benefits from a yoga routine, but the medical community has credited the activity with treating conditions such as lower back pain, depression, asthma, multiple sclerosis and joint pain.

Whether you're hitting the yoga mat to find your center, strengthen your core, or find relief from a chronic illness, performing yoga in a safe environment is key to your success. If you're new to downward-dogging, here are five things yoga beginners should know before buying a yoga mat:

1. Find a qualified instructor. Your teacher should have the initials R.Y.T. (Registered Yoga Trainer) behind their name. This is a sign that they've spent extensive time training for and learning this

This was Men's Health Week at DietsInReview.com, and we invited several fathers from around the blogosphere to share their personal stories of weight loss struggle and success. Losing weight carries a very different tone for men than it does women, but the end result still yields happier, healthier people. We've dedicated this week to helping the special men in our lives take control of their health so that they're with us for years to come.

In the U.S. there are more than 73 million overweight or obese males, according to the American Heart Association . Obesity related diseases, like heart disease, diabetes or sleep apnea, mean a diminished quality of life for these men, and can lead to death. This news should be sobering, as we prepare to celebrate the fathers in our lives this weekend.

We hope you'll take to heart the message that these men are sharing, and make this Father's Day the first of many more healthy holidays.

By Brandi Koskie - DietsInReview.com

This week is Men's Health Week at DietsInReview.com. So, we're highlighting a few weight loss programs that are focused on the needs of men.

The word diet comes with plenty of negative connotations. For men, "diet" carries with it a female tone as well. Dieting has long been thought to be one of those things that women do, like shopping and pedicures. However, the tide is changing as more and more men are embracing healthier lifestyles and actively working to lose weight.

Check-out these four diets for men that were built with guys in mind - meaning anonymity, convenience and plenty of food.

Weight Watchers Online for Men

Their ads really say it all - "Real Men Don't Diet." Following queues from the more than 45-year-old plan that women have successfully used, Weight Watchers Online for Men suits a man's lifestyle. You won't have to tell your buddies you're counting Points at the football game, or ask a waitress for calories at a business lunch;

By Matt Johnson - DietsInReview.com

Physical fitness should be a part of everyone's life and it should start with teaching our children at a young age. Most children grow up playing sports and being very active, but they do not recognize the importance of what they're doing. We start teaching them math, reading, and writing at an early age; why not make physical fitness a part of that essential knowledge base?

Benefits of Physical Fitness for Children

1. Reduces the risk of heart disease

2. Helps prevent obesity

3. Increases test scores and work ethic

4. Lowers blood pressure

5. Prevents future life-threatening injuries (Hips, Shoulders, Knees, Back)

6. Improves self-esteem

7. Improves sleep

8. Improves life and over-all well being

Recess and PE classes in school are an important part of that fitness education. Recess has been proven to increase classroom management, alertness, on-task behavior, and reduce fidgeting. How do you feel when you have been stuck in the office all

By Carmen Staicer - DietsInReview.com

If you are in the habit of rewarding yourself with food for a job well done, what do you do when those treats no longer fit your diet plans? When you are trying to lose weight, it goes against all you are working toward to celebrate that five pound weight loss with a big slab of cheesecake (unless you're prepared to hit the gym to burn those 500 calories!).

As you work toward your weight loss goals, staying motivated can become very difficult. Often rewarding yourself is just the motivation you need. So here are 10 non-food rewards to celebrate your hard work.

• Purchase a new exercise DVD
• Try a new fitness class - if you are walking, try a spin or martial arts class. You have to think beyond your comfort zone!
• A new outfit to set off your slimmer figure
• New music for your MP3 player
• Reward your hard working muscles with a massage
• Get a mini makeover with a new hair color or new makeup
• Start a savings account and set

By Jason Knapfel - DietsInReview.com

If you don't eat properly and don't exercise, you are gambling with your health. Now, you can quite literally gamble on your health, with the help of a dieting website called StickK.

bet dietingIt's referred to as "bet dieting," in which participants wager on a specific amount of pounds they want to lose. If they don't make their goal, they lose their money. Presumably, if you win, the reward is your weight loss. All weight loss is verified by a referee.

The founders of the StickK bet dieting website claim an effective way to encourage people to lose weight is to get them to nominate a charity whose views they disagree with to receive money if they fail.

"We chose some highly contentious issues, for instance global warming, abortion and gay marriage," says Jordan Goldberg, StickK co-founder.

"The idea is you choose an organization whose views are contrary to your own as an added incentive to stay motivated to succeed."

StickK involves your friends and

By Kinsey Lowrey - DietsInReview.com

It's not the occasional dessert or extra helpings that cause you to fail at your weight loss goal, it's the unrealistic expectations that you place on yourself that cause you to fail. All too often, people try the latest and not so greatest diet hoping to drop weight fast. Think of it like this, if all these diets work then why are there so many of them and why are the new ones evolving on a weekly basis?

Our society is obsessed with finding the quick fix. We all want something that will make the pounds drop in a few weeks, which is unhealthy to say the least. To accomplish that, we try the "it" diet of the moment.

Did you know that healthy weight loss (depending on how overweight you are) is about 1-2 pounds a week? Remember, you didn't gain the weight over night so don't expect to lose it that quickly either.

Here are 8 tips to keep in mind for your realistic weight loss journey:

• Know your body. A lot of us will never be a size 0 or 2, so