Blog Posts by FatFighterTV

What can you do when your favorite recipe is not so healthy? Tweak it, of course! I often refer to this list of healthy recipe substitutions. And this week, as I continue the American Heart Association's BetterU program, I learned three simple things to remember to healthify those recipes: add, delete, or replace.

• Add healthy ingredients to recipes: Use frozen vegetables, beans and brown or wild rice in soups and casseroles; top pizza with fresh vegetables; and add frozen or fresh fruit to cereal and baked goods.

• Delete or cut down on less healthy ingredients in recipes: Remove skin from chicken; use less cheese and butter in casseroles, pasta and salads; and cut back on the amount of salt you add to dishes. You probably won't even notice the changes.

• Replace less healthy ingredients with more healthy ones:. Top baked potatoes with salsa instead of butter and sour cream; sauté with a little olive oil instead of butter; use low-sodium chicken broth to make mashed

Does "The Biggest Loser" push its contestants dangerously hard? Or is the extreme competition inspirational? FatFighterTV has a look at this story and other diet and fitness headlines making news this week.

Does The Biggest Loser have big health problems?
Are contestants on "The Biggest Loser" pushed too hard, too soon? A new report on LiveScience says some physicians and nutritionists think so. They worry that the show's focus on competitive weight loss could be dangerous. The show's producers argue that contestants are under medical supervision and that the extreme nature of the competition is inspirational for viewers. What do you think?

Interval training can cut exercise hours dramatically
Want to spend less time working out and burn more calories? Interval training could be your answer. I love doing intervals! And now, researchers say more people might be able to handle the intense exercise sessions than they once thought, but more studies are needed before they can recommend

Can childhood obesity be stopped? Should the government help make it happen? FatFighterTV has a look at this story and other diet and fitness headlines making news this week.

First lady's aims to end childhood obesity within a generation
Did you know that because obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years, American children may have a shorter lifespan than their parents for the first time in our history? But a new government campaign may help to change that. Today, First Lady Michelle Obama launched Let's Move! - a program with a goal to end the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation. The campaign includes getting more healthful foods in schools, bringing grocery stores to communities that don't have them, and getting children to be more active.

More realistic serving sizes coming soon?
Ever look closely at the serving size on packaged foods and flip out that a tiny bag of say... crackers... is considered two (or more) servings? It's pretty misleading, huh? Now, the

Looking for a few good beers that will save you calories and money at your Super Bowl gathering? You're in luck because taste-testers at Consumer Reports (CR) got busy sipping on light brews to pick the best ones.

In blind tests, panelists tasted several samples of each light beer poured into a glass. They focused on whether it tasted fresh and had a balanced mix of floral, fruity, malted grain, hops, and other flavors... or if it tasted skunky, stale, soapy, or had a weak finish.

Below are CR's picks for the best light brews, including price per six-pack and calories per 12 ounces:

Best specialty lager-style light beers:

• Michelob Ultra Amber - $5.74 - 114 calories

• Sam Adams Light - $7.38 - 119 calories

• Michelob Light - $5.71 - 113 calories

• Michelob Ultra - $5.76 - 95 calories

• Coors Light - $5.36 - 102 calories

• Budweiser Select - $5.28 - 99 calories

• Busch Light -

400,000 people will die of heart disease in the U.S. this year. What derailed our progress against this killer? FatFighterTV has a look at this story and other diet and fitness headlines making news this week.

Heart disease will kill 400,000 in the U.S. this year
The strides we've made in the U.S. in cutting cholesterol, blood pressure, and smoking may be in jeopardy. A new report says that's because the high obesity rates are stalling the progress, and heart disease will kill around 400,000 Americans in 2010. Researchers say about half of those deaths could be averted if people ate healthier food and quit smoking.

First lady leads fight against obesity
First lady, Michelle Obama, will be the leading lady in a new government campaign to fight obesity. The program includes recommendations from the Surgeon General on how to reverse the epidemic - from simply eating more fruits and vegetables to adding "high-quality physical education" in schools and bringing more supermarkets to

Ever go running barefoot? Could it really be better for your feet than wearing shoes when you jog? FatFighterTV has a look at this story and other diet and fitness headlines making news this week.

Best running shoe - none at all?
Reviews of running shoes like this one always get my attention. But news that the best "running shoe" may be going barefoot is even more enticing. Researchers from Harvard University say runners who wear shoes tend to hit the ground with their heels first, but barefoot runners put the balls of the feet down first, which may make them less likely to seriously injure their feet.

FDA Warning: Alli diet pills sold online can be dangerous
Not long after the FDA warned us about Meridia, here is another warning about diet pills from the group. The FDA says fake versions of Alli are being sold, mainly online. Tests show the counterfeit pills have at least twice as much sibutramine - the ingredient for weight loss - as they should. This dangerous amount can cause

The first post we brought you about the explosion in portion sizes was such a hit, we're giving you a second helping! Check out some of these popular foods and see how much bigger they are now than they were 20 years ago.




20 years ago: Chicken Stir Fry was 2 cups with 435 calories
Today's portion: 865 calories




20 years ago: a chocolate chip cookies was 1-1/2 inches in diameter and had 55 calories
Today's portion: a large cookie has about 275 calories





20 years ago: an 8 ounce cup of coffee (with whole milk and sugar) had 45 calories
Today's portion: a 16 ounce cup of Mocha Coffee (with steamed whole milk and mocha syrup) has 350 calories



20 years ago: a blueberry muffin was 1.5 ounces and had 210 calories
Today's portion: 5 ounces with 500 calories





20 years ago: 2 large slices of pepperoni pizza had 500 calories
Today's portion: 850 calories





20 years ago: a Caesar salad with chicken was 1-1/2 cups and had 390 calories
Today's portion: 3 cups, and it has about 790 calories




20 years

How much salt would we have to cut to save 92,000 lives a year? Much less than you think. FatFighterTV has a look at this story and other diet and fitness headlines making news this week.

A pinch less salt could save 92,000 lives a year
Just days after New York City asks food companies and restaurants to lower the salt in their products, a new report finds cutting the amount of salt we have by three grams a day - just over a teaspoon - could prevent up to 66,000 strokes, 99,000 heart attacks and 92,000 deaths in the U.S. Americans average about 10 grams of salt a day. The USDA recommends we limit it to 5.8 grams.

Experts urge doctors to screen kids for obesity
As obesity rates in children ages 2-19 soar to nearly 18 percent, experts urge physicians to take action. The United States Preventive Services Task Force stresses doctors should screen children and teens between 6 and 18 years for extra weight. The group says those who are found to be obese based on their body mass index