Blog Posts by SHAPE magazine

by Cristina Goyanes

Skip these ingredients!You think the FDA has your back? Sure, they recently proposed two new regulations to up food safety measures, specifically how food processors and farmers can work better to keep their fresh products free of dangerous bacteria (remember that killer cantaloupe outbreak from 2011?). But while it may seem like the government is out to protect us from bad-even fatal-food-borne illnesses, which cause some 3,000 deaths a year, they don't completely have our best interest-or health-in mind.

"For numerous suspicious and disturbing reasons, the U.S. has allowed foods that are banned in many other developed countries into our food supply," says nutritionist Mira Calton who, together with her husband Jayson Calton, Ph.D., wrote the new book Rich Food, Poor Food due out this February.

During a six-year expedition that took them to 100 countries on seven continents, the Caltons studied more than 150 ingredients and put together a comprehensive list of the top 13

How to read nutrition labels correctlyBy Janet Brill, Ph.D, R.D.

Flipping over soup cans and cereal boxes to scan the nutrition info before buying them (or putting them back on the shelf) may be so routine that it seems you've been doing it forever, but that little box listing calories, fat, and other stats is only a young adult: It's been 20 years since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required companies to display the nutrition facts label on packages.

While this is a significant milestone, the label still has a long way to go in my opinion as far as being a really easy way to eyeball exactly what's in the food you put in your mouth. In honor of the nutrition label's birthday, I came up with my top four changes that I would implement to make the rectangular box more helpful.

1. Use Correct Food Form
Is it me or does anyone else have trouble figuring out the calories and serving sizes of popcorn? The FDA only requires the stats for unpopped popcorn (who gnaws down on that?) and leaves it to

by Jené Luciani

Ready to try online dating? Read these tips first!The success stories are endless-and so are the horror stories. When talking about online dating, it can be a scary world out there in cyberspace. But when you hear of stories like that of Kristis and Jason Cartozian, cyberspace seems to be exactly the place to find the perfect match.

"I had been in a six year relationship that was going nowhere," says Mrs. Cartozian, a New York-based licensed marriage and family therapist. She had just moved to a new city and, at 30 years old, she was "over" the bar scene.

So, in 2007, she decided to sign up for Match.com. Within months, she met Jason, who happened to live in the very same town. They married less than three years later. "If you go into your online dating journey with an open mind and an open heart, you may just meet the love of your life and best friend all in one," Cartozian says.

RELATED: The Better-Sex Diet

With hundreds of online dating websites to choose from, some based on hobbies, religion,

by Alanna Nuñez

FDA approves new IUDLast week, Bayer HealthCare announced the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of Skyla, a new, low-dose hormone intrauterine device (IUD) designed to prevent pregnancy for up to three years, the first of its kind to be approved in 12 years.

"This opens up the conversation," says Anita Nelson, M.D, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. "Before, the thinking was that women who've never had a baby should try other options or only get an IUD if they couldn't use the pill. This offers women another choice."

Skyla is designed specifically with young women who've never had a baby or given birth in mind: It's narrower and smaller than other IUDs, which makes placement in the uterus easier and less painful, and it contains a lower dose of hormones then even Mirena (currently the lowest-dose form of birth control on the market).

A trial of 1,432 women aged 18 to 35 saw a pregnancy rate over a three-year period of less than

Are you eating these six superfoods?by SHAPE Diet Doctor Mike Roussell, phD

Power through your workout, boost your health, and lose weight with these common, yet oft-overlooked foods.

Seaweed
Perhaps most commonly eaten wrapped around a sushi roll, nori is loaded with iodine, a mineral essential for proper thyroid function. While iodized salt was introduced in 1924 to prevent goiter, the increased emphasis on low-sodium diets and the popularity of sea salt, which often doesn't contain iodine, have recently resurfaced concerns about getting enough iodine. This trace mineral isn't the only benefit of sea vegetables. Nori contains high levels of vitamin K and iron, micronutrients essential for proper cellular function. Look for nori pieces in the international section of your supermarket and crumble them on top of chili, soups, and salads. (This will add a little extra salty flavor, so if you are salt sensitive, use less in your recipe.)

Related: The Best and Worst Sushi for Weight Loss

Sauerkraut

by Christina Goyanes

Save money, lose weight?The fear of losing dough is helping some people lose extra dough around their waists. Last year Rick and Kay Woollen of Tobaccoville, NC, signed up for HealthyWage.com, a weight-loss program that allows you (and others) to place cash bets on whether you can finally shed unwanted pounds. The Wollens dropped a combined total of more than 120 pounds-and cashed in on more than $6,000.

"It's a motivator," Kay, 50, told the Today Show. "You don't want to lose your own money, and you don't want to lose somebody else's." Even science says a little healthy gambling may pay off: A 2008 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that dieters who had financial incentives-the prospect of gaining or losing money-to shed weight were more successful than those who did not.

HealthyWage.com isn't the only Vegas-style online program. Websites such as Stickk.com, Fatbet.net, and DietBet.com are also looking for heavy-set high-rollers to get in on the

by SHAPE Diet Doc, Mike Roussell, phD.

Three Eating healthy is a goal many people set and it's certainly a great one. "Healthy" is a surprisingly relative term, however, and many of the believed-to-be-good-for-you foods aren't actually as nutritious as you may think. Here are three that don't merit the "health food" label in my book.

Flavored, Sweetened Milk Alternatives

Non-dairy milks are growing in popularity and oftentimes are seen as a healthier alternative to good 'ol moo juice-but upon closer examination, it is hard to decipher what makes them healthier for the average person. If you have a whey or casein allergy, then milk alternatives are a must-have, and if you are lactose-intolerant then they can be useful. Outside of those situations (which are rarer than most people think), cow's milk is better for you than any flavored almond, soy, coconut, or other dairy-free milk.

With the exception of soy milk, this class of beverages is seriously lacking in the protein department, a

by Brittany Risher

Put a new twist on your breakfast classic for a delicious, filling meal you can enjoy any time of day.

Oatmeal with mushrooms, onion, and thyme1. Oatmeal with sauteed mushroom, onions, and thyme: "I love this on a cold morning, particularly as I prepare for an active weekend at the gym, on the road, or about town," says David Olson, the man behind A Bachelor and His Grill. "This dish is gorgeous, fresh, nutrient-dense, full of rustic, earthy flavors, and fills the kitchen with the most amazing of aromas."

Serves: 2 to 4

Ingredients:

2 cups water (1 cup water if using old-fashioned oats)

1 cup steel-cut oatmeal (or rolled old-fashioned oats)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional to taste

1/2 medium onion, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 to 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced

3 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 cup finely grated smoked gouda

Flaky sea salt to taste

Cracked black pepper to taste

2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil in a