Blog Posts by DietsInReview

A Leap Year cocktail has 209 calories.
If you feel like there are only a handful of holidays throughout the year that give you a reason to celebrate, then you aren't looking hard enough. There exists some silly holiday every single day. In fact, just last week was Pistachio Day and March 1 is Peanut Butter Lover's Day. Let's talk about this week though, as it's Leap Year tomorrow! Once every four years the calendar throws a bonus day our way and we feel that we are left with no other choice but to celebrate.

If you plan on raising a glass on Leap Day, fill it with gin. In the book The Joy of Mixology, it says the cocktail was created on Leap Year in 1928 by a Savoy Hotel bartender, Harry Craddock. That recipe is now known as a Leap Year.

2 oz gin
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1/2 oz Grand Marnier orange liqueur
1/4 oz lemon juice
lemon twist for garnish

Shake well in an iced shaker, pour in to a chilled glass, and serve with a lemon twist garnish.

One of these little Leap Year cocktails has 209 calories, which is actually

Dr. Oz says it takes 90 pounds of fresh raspberries to match a single dose of raspberry ketones.
By Margaret Badore for DietsInReview.com

Last week Dr. Oz sparked a major debate by endorsing raspberry ketone as a "miracle fat burner" to aid with weight loss. Weight loss expert Lisa Lynn appeared as a guest to discuss how raspberry ketones had helped her clients lose weight. Dr. Oz further illustrated how the diet supplement worked by placing air balloons meant to represent fat cells in liquid nitrogen causing the balloons to shrivel up.

As the name suggests, raspberry ketone is a compound present in red raspberries and is on the USDA's list of ingredients that are generally recognized as safe. It gives the berries their aroma, but is naturally present in very low levels. As stated on the Dr. Oz Show, it would take 90 pounds of fresh berries to get the equivalent amount of ketone that's found in the supplement form. What the show didn't mention is that due to this natural scarcity, the raspberry ketone found in supplements is usually synthesized industrially.

However, the

Lisa Johnson's family shopped exclusively at Whole Foods for one month with $491.10.

By Margaret Badore for DietsInReview.com

Is it possible to feed a family of three healthy meals on a budget that's just above the poverty level? What if you only shopped at Whole Foods? It sounds nearly impossible, but food blogger Lisa Johnson took the challenge, buying all of her groceries at Whole Foods for under $500.00 for the month of January.

The challenge was inspired when Johnson was browsing the USDA website. She came across four different budget levels, which are set based on the grocery bills from 8,000 different families from around the U.S. Her family fell into the "low" level, which made her wonder how much harder it would be to purchase all of her groceries on the "Thrifty" level, which is for families just above the poverty level.

Lisa added the additional challenge of shopping only at Whole Foods, where she usually shopped for her family. "You can definitely spend a ton of money at Whole Foods if you want to, but you can eat there frugally as well," she says. To

By Brooke Randolph for DietsInReview.com

Indianapolis locals are pumped to be hosting the Super Bowl this year. It's been predicted that Indy could be one of the best Super Bowl Cities yet, and we agree. Part of what can make or break visiting a new city is being able to find delicious food options that are unique to that city. We have several scrumptious, unique, independent options that should not be forgotten (Scratch Truck, Yats, Bu Da Lounge, and Libertine to name a few), but below are my choices for the best healthy restaurants in Indianapolis.

1. Cafe Patachou has actually become a local "chain" with several locations and variations across the city, including downtown, in the fabulous Indianapolis International airport, and my personal favorite at 49th and Pennsylvania. The menu gives plenty of options that include fresh, local, and organic ingredients, but if it feels overwhelming the omelet of the day or a broken yolk sandwich would be an excellent choice. The list of

Brad Pitt at the Clinton Global Initiative
Maybe "serve" is being too generous. Force-guzzle might be more appropriate.

In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Brad Pitt talked about his family life more than is typical for the guarded actor and father of six.

Apparently, they're "just like us" too because mornings are a chaotic circus trying to get two adults and six kids out the door. Brad's solution? Ice cold Coca-Cola!

"Listen, I admit there's times like, 'We gotta get up. Get up! Here's your shoes. Here's your shoes. Drink this Coke. Drink this Coca Cola Drink it all. Right now! Drink it! Drink it! Drink it! Just so we could get 'em up and going," Pitt admitted in the interview.

I thought getting myself, my daughter, and my husband ready in the morning could be nuts. How do we deal? Usually scrambled eggs loaded with spinach and peppers with whole grain toast or a Greek yogurt with granola. At the very least, we grab a banana on the way out the door. We don't start our day without breakfast. And we most certainly

Mindlessly munching on chips is one of the biggest culprits in hindering your weight loss.
By Carol J. Dunlop, CPT for DietsInReview.com

Most people are creatures of habit. You buy the same foods from the same stores and eat the same recipes day in and day out. Unhealthy habits are the same, you learned the behavior and now you do it over and over without even thinking about it. Unhealthy eating habits are even worse, because they can put you on the fast track to obesity and potentially being diagnosed with several diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease or diabetes. If you are guilty of any of the unhealthy eating habits below, it's time to make some changes.

1. Skipping Breakfast

There is no doubt this one ranks as the number one unhealthy eating habit. Breakfast is the first meal that your body has after working all night to repair muscle tissue, burn fat and nourish your cells. Not eating breakfast causes you to be lethargic, unfocused and edgy during those critical first hours of the day. Plus, you tend to overeat at the next meal.

The Fix: Plan

Angelina Jolie at the 2012 Golden Globes
Angelina Jolie shocked the viewers of the Golden Globes tonight. Not for a scandalous speech or a daring dress, but instead for her appearance. Jolie's frail frame donned one of the most praised dresses of the night, a Versace Atelier dress that Yahoo! Shine named as one of the "best" of the night.

When the speaker addressed the crowd of Hollywood A-listers, many eyes were on her flawlessly matched red lip stick, dress collar, and clutch; however, most were on Jolie's stick-thin arms and "sickly"-thin waist.

Twitter, of course, reacted to her sight immediately. One Twitter user, @RockChalkGirl, posted:

"Angelina Jolie looks sickly. Being thin is one thing. Being that thin is just too much."

To this, there were several responses to us @DietsInReview:

"totally agree, WAY too thin. Bones are not sexy people." - @elispeights

"white made her look more emaciated if that's possible." - @Pinky_w_a_Brain

"I agree!! Undoubtably too thin." - @CorBowden

For a woman well known for her fit

L to R: Holly Perkins, Dolvett Quince, Jessica Smith, Tracey Mallett

By Brandi Koskie for DietsInReview.com

We hear a lot about celebrities who've lost weight super fast after a baby or worked to get in some kind of crazy good shape for a movie or event. We even hear a lot about celebs trying to lose weight and be healthier, like Jennifer Hudson on Weight Watchers, Mariah Carey on Jenny Craig, or Janet Jackson on Nutrisystem. Celeb waistlines make headlines.

But what about true fitness stars? These A-list and up-and-coming fitness experts are bound to be household names this year, if they aren't already. They've got big plans this year, and many of them are probably working out your favorite celebrities. So it's kind of like that Kevin Bacon game… does a workout with Giada DeLaurentiis' trainer in fact yield a body like Giada?

These are our picks for the Fitness Stars to Watch in 2012.

Holly Perkins will continue her relationship as a fitness ambassador for New Balance, a gig she is passionate about. She told us she'll be a part of announcing some