| Search Weight Loss Topics: |
Woman Who Lost 150 Lbs. Runs Naked 5k: I Went from Being ‘Disgusted with My Body’ to ‘Learning to Accept It’ – PEOPLE.com
How to lose weight quickly 
Comments Off on Woman Who Lost 150 Lbs. Runs Naked 5k: I Went from Being ‘Disgusted with My Body’ to ‘Learning to Accept It’ – PEOPLE.com
Naomi Teeter remembers using eating as a way to cope with negative emotions as early as the third grade.
I started to sneak food to numb the feelings I had about my parents fighting, the unpredictability of my alcoholic dad who always got into trouble, being called names at school, trying to handle performance anxiety I felt about school tests and presentations, and needing to defend my little brothers from bullies on a daily basis, the Spokane, Washington-based health and weight loss strategy coach, 34, tells PEOPLE.
I coped by eating extra bowls of cereal or ice cream, cutting extra pieces of birthday cake for myself, or stealing spare change from my dads lunch box to buy bags of candy from the neighborhood store.
Things didnt improve as she got older. By the age of 20, Teeter was an unhappy newlywed who weighed over 300 lbs.
I was extremely unhappy with my relationship with my husband and how much responsibility I had in my life, she says. Instead of studying in college like my friends, I was married, working, taking care of my home and paying bills. I compensated for the feelings of resentment by eating massive amounts of food and getting drunk on my lunch breaks at work.
It wasnt until her first marriage fell apart and Teeter found herself with an unwanted pregnancy with a new boyfriend that she was forced to face the health implications of her unhealthy weight. Teeter had been experiencing painful water retention in both her knees, eczema breakouts and nightly bouts of acid reflux.
My first time being in a doctors office as an adult was at Planned Parenthood for my abortion, she says. I was utterly ashamed of myself for acting irresponsibly with my boyfriend, the size of my body, and the fact that I knew zero about my health while trying to fill out intake forms I didnt even know my height.
A few months after her doctors visit at the age of 26, Teeter decided she was finally ready to take control of her health. Her first step in her weight loss journey was keeping a food diary.
I wanted to see how much I was lying to myself about my food choices, she says. Like many people, I remember saying, I dont eat that bad. But, I did. I snacked all of the time. I had larger portions of food than what an average-size person ate. I drank more regularly that I thought. And I had a habit of eating in secret and forgetting about it. When I made myself track my food, the honesty hit me square in the face.
Teeters first day of logs included pie for breakfast and cookies with lunch, which helped her realize she needed to make a change.
I started swapping out junk foods for healthier options little by little, she says. I also started trying new foods that I thought I hated like fish, mushrooms, eggplant, avocados and asparagus. I focused mostly on calorie counting for my weight loss, and eventually switched to macronutrient ratios more and more. I firmly believe that because I didnt have strict food rules, it was easier for me to lose the weight quickly.
Teeter also became much more active. Previously, her only exercise was walking, but she decided to face her fears of embarrassment and join a gym.
I had to face the deeper fear that festered below the excuses: people would see me trying to lose weight, she says. My weakness would be on public display. Not only was I morbidly obese, but I knew I was and I knew I needed help. For someone who struggles with ego and pride, this was the most anxiety-provoking part of my journey.
She began by walking on the treadmill, and then met with a personal trainer to learn how to use more of the gym equipment.
In a few short months, I was getting stronger, slimmer, and the water retention on my knees fixed itself, says Teeter.
As she got more in shape, she began achieving many physical feats she once never thought possible.
Like many people who totally transform their bodies, I did all kinds of things to prove I was a stronger, different person than I used to be, says Teeter, who lost 150 lbs. through her dedication to living a healthy lifestyle. I ran multiple half and full marathons, climbed a mountain and even sky dived. But I never did something that showed my vulnerable side.
FROM PEN:Christie Brinkleys Girls Alexa and Sailor Reveal How Theyve Conquered Bullies and Body Shamers (and still love carbs!)
Thats why Teeter decided to sign up to run a naked 5k, which would force her to face her body insecurities head-on.
The five to 10 lbs. of loose skin Ive carried around on my body the last eight years has been a vulnerable part of who I am, she says. Its something I used to be devastated about, but as the years ticked by, I started to accept myself more, and in turn accept my body. For me, this was the ultimate If I can do this, I can do anything moment. For me, it was a combination of showing myself that I had nothing to hide and to let go of ego.
Ahead of participating in the clothing-optional Bare Buns Fun Run held at a local nudist ranch, Teeter began training by doing naked treadmill runs.
I suspected Id be covered in sweat and chaffed, but I didnt expect the sounds and smells my body made without any clothes to cover it up, she says. I went to the nudist ranch with the knowledge that my body is going to try to humiliate me in more ways than one.
However, the experience ended up being a much more positive one than she had expected.
As anticipated, I experienced the loud clapping sound of my butt smacking against my legs with each stride,my breastsand belly skin bouncing with minds of their own, and nowhere for the armpit sweat to go but down, says Teeter. But I didnt need to apologize for my body anymore.Runningside-by-side with other naked women and men, I realized I wasnt any weirder looking (or sounding) than anybody else. Not one person was perfect.
Crossing the finish line with her husband was an emotional experience for Teeter.
Its not often in your life that large groups of people openly accept you and cheer for you despite what your body looks like or your physical ability, she says. Ive run many races, and that kind of genuine love and acceptance just isnt there in the crowd. To me, it felt like I was being born again vulnerable, naked, scared but accepted and welcomed by people who were delighted to see me.
As an added bonus, Teeter ended up finishing first for her age group.
I had no idea that was even possible for me, she says. It never occurred to me that I could run a naked 5k and be the fastest for my age group. So, my ego was stroked a bit, too.
Teeter found the experience of being naked so freeing that she and her husband returned to the nudist ranch a few weeks later.
I didnt want the 5k to be the only experience I had all year where I could practice body positivity in this new way, she says. We hiked about 10 miles naked, we swam naked, and we partied and socialized with the local nudists naked.
While Teeter says she doesnt feel comfortable saying she loves her body, she has learned to accept it more than she ever has before.
Ive had to learn how to go from being humiliated and disgusted with my body to learning to accept it for what it is and what its capable of, she says. Its a daily practice of me releasing shame and my inclination towards perfection and embracing the adventures life takes me on instead. Running the naked 5k certainly helped in achieving that.
For Teeter, losing weight was way more than a physical transformation.
After losing 150 lbs. I went to college and graduated after being a high school drop-out for 12 years, she says. I went from working part-time at a department store to working in government public health, to becoming an entrepreneur and running my own health business.
Its safe to say my life changed more than I ever anticipated it would when I started this journey, continues Teeter. I just wanted to lose weight, have more energy and feel pretty. Who knew there was so much more that could happen? The best part of this weight loss journey is the life Ive gained.
Read More..Is Cardio One Of The Best Exercises To Help Lose Weight Quickly? – Good Herald
How to lose weight quickly Comments Off on Is Cardio One Of The Best Exercises To Help Lose Weight Quickly? – Good Herald
If you are one of the millions of people out there looking for exercises to lose weight quickly, you have probably read or been told somewhere that you need to add cardio exercise to your workout in order for it to be successful.
While many people, including you, have added cardio to their list of exercises to lose weight from, they may not be taking full advantage of it in the best way possible.
The mistake most people make is getting too caught up in the details of the exercise, whether its the type of equipment that they use, the speed at which they are doing it or the length of time that they are exercising.
If you have been to a gym recently you probably see people that stay on one machine for a very long period of time and hardly break a sweat. The mentality these people have is that if I can lose weight doing this for half an hour, I can lose weight even more quickly if I do this exercise for an hour or more.
Some others will do the other extreme and start with exercises that push them extremely hard. These people will usually be drenched in sweat and out of breath. Since they are so physically affected by the workout they assume that this is a great exercise to help them to lose weight quickly.
There are benefits to both types of exercises. But what is missing is the focus that these people should have which is not the length of time they are working out or the distance they are able to put in, or even the intensity of the exercise itself, but instead the amount of calories they are burning. Without focusing on the calories themselves many people find it nearly impossible to lose weight quickly.
Since exercise and weight loss affect everyone differently, if they do not focus on the calorie burn then they might be wasting time and energy needlessly.
To truly lose weight safely and quickly and to keep it off, your body has to burn more calories than you take in and it needs to shed the correct type of body weight. This means that lean muscle needs to be retained and you need to stimulate your metabolism to better help to burn fat. If you can find that balance you will quickly find that the weight loss will start to become apparent.
If you want to find Exercises to Lose Weight then check out Michael Daviss site on the Exercises to Lose Weight Quickly
Photo By 2998800 from Pixabay
Go here to read the rest:
Is Cardio One Of The Best Exercises To Help Lose Weight Quickly? - Good Herald
13 Small Diet Changes to Look (and Feel!) Great in Your 40s – Reader’s Digest
How to lose weight safely Comments Off on 13 Small Diet Changes to Look (and Feel!) Great in Your 40s – Reader’s Digest
Feed your muscle Jacob Lund/ShutterstockIf you're in your 40s and have noticed your weight creeping up even though your diet and exercise routine haven't changed, you can blame your muscles (or lack thereofhere are five daily habits for preserving your muscle). "Beginning in your thirties, you will lose about one percent of your muscle mass each year, and in the following decade, you will lose muscle at a higher rate," says Caroline Apovian, MD, director of the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at the Boston Medical Center. Muscle is metabolically active, meaning it's burning calories on your behalf, even if you're just binge watching House of Cards. "All lost muscle will be replaced by fatand your metabolism will slow down correspondinglyunless your habits actively counteract this process," says Dr. Apovian. "Eat a diet rich in lean protein sources and incorporate at least two strength training sessions into your weekly routine." Shoot for about 30 grams of protein per meal. Feed your gut Ildi Papp/ShutterstockBy now, we've all heard the importance probiotics play in having healthy gut, but a recent study suggests another good reason for premenopausal women is that a diverse population of gut bacteria may be more efficient at managing estrogenpotentially lowering the risk for breast cancer. "I always suggest that women in their 40s include more prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods in their diet, like kefir, sauerkraut and tempeh," says Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD. Most of us aren't likely to eat those foods every day, which is why Rizzo recommends a probiotic supplement. But with so many probiotics flooding the shelves which do we choose? Our gut is home to over 100 trillion live bacteria containing a plethora of strains, and each person has their unique collection. "That's why it's recommended that you take a probiotic that has the most cultures and strains possible," says Rizzo. "That will help you cover your bases. It's perfectly fine to take a probiotic supplement and eat probiotic rich foods."
Content continues below ad
Content continues below ad
Content continues below ad
Content continues below ad
Follow this link:
13 Small Diet Changes to Look (and Feel!) Great in Your 40s - Reader's Digest
Thanks to the Body Positive Movement, I Prefer My Postpartum Figure Stretch Marks and All – Babble (blog)
How to lose weight safely Comments Off on Thanks to the Body Positive Movement, I Prefer My Postpartum Figure Stretch Marks and All – Babble (blog)
Im ready for the war Ive waged against my body to stop. Ive got a white flag up, and Im happily waving it. Its time to fall in love with the home that carries me everywhere I need to go. Its time to cherish the space that safely grew my daughter for over nine months.
Its time to finally make peace with my body.
Yesterday, I posted a side-by-side transformation Tuesday photo on Instagram. I shared the image in an effort to officially join the body positive movement Ive been learning so much about. In the last day, the post has been viewed 30K times, with over 1K likes and supportive comments pouring in.
Normally when these transformation images are shared, they are all about weight loss. The before shot is of a person who is unsatisfied with the current state of their body, and the after shot almost always shows a slimmer, trimmer version of them. All of this is done in the name of progress, with the after photo implying that the person is much happier with themselves now that they have lost a bunch of weight.
But my photo was much different, becauseit was inspired by the extraordinary women who have recently challenged the notion that we need to lose weight in order to feel happy in our body.
On one side, I share a photo from 10 years ago. I may be smiling, but underneath it all, Im judging myself. While scarily thin in the image, I was still holding out hope that I could lose even more weight.
On the left is a 23-year-old woman who literally thought she was chubby in the picture shared, I wrote. She was self-conscious, critical of her physical shape, and always either on a diet or rebelling from one. She only saw flaws in the mirror. She acted happy, but there was definitely a restlessness, because she was worried about what would happen if she physically became anything other than what she was (which was not good enough for her anyway).
On the other side, I share a photo from this weekend. Its me in the postpartum body I now call home. In it, Im at least 50 pounds heavier than I was a decade ago. Im standing with a carefree grin on my face, the evidence of my post-baby belly tucked under a tank top and jeans.
On the right is a 33-year-old woman who is learning to love her body without pressuring it to be anything other than what it is, I continued. She is getting to the heart of why, at 23, she hated her body so much. And in the process, she is healing a lifelong struggle of never fully seeing herself for the extraordinary human being she is.
Ive been blown away by how much this photo has resonated with so many others. One woman was reminded of how long it has taken her to finally love her own body. So glad you are able to love yourself and realize how beautiful you really are, she commented. I dealt with some of [the] same issues most of my life, but it took me a lot longer to love myself for what I really am.
Another praised the universal sentiment a post like this embodies for women everywhere. I love this. This is the same for so many of us. Thank you for sharing it, she wrote.
I easily connected with these comments, because I have written so many of my own underneath all the body-loving photos Ive seen this past year. When I started researching the body positive movement last year, I was hoping to find other women out there like me. I was hoping to find women who have birthed a baby and have the evidence written all over their bodies things like stretch marks, extra squish around their tummies, wider hips, and fuller figures. I was looking for solidarity at a time when I felt unrecognizable looking in the mirror after so many years of trying to maintain a thin frame.
What I ended up finding took my breath away. In the past year alone, there have been hundreds of women taking to social media to change the way they and we see their bodies. And the sheer amount of moms who have begun publicly accepting their physical selves has been nothing short of inspiring!
Just last month, a mother shared an Instagram photo of herself and wrote about how important it is to love our bodies after giving birth. Not only did the post receive over 67K likes, it also inspired yet another mama to post a similar picture of her postpartum body! Underneath it, she writes, My body isnt what it used to be, but even when I was a size eight, I was unhappy with how I looked. Its not a size thing. Its not a weight thing. Its an inner feeling thing. My body gave me the two most important things in my life.
Another woman recently shared how trying on a bikini in front of her daughter became a teachable moment about body acceptance, and it has naturally resonated with hundreds of thousands of women on Facebook.
As my daughter gets older, and she faces judgment and criticism, I will always remind her that the girls who look the prettiest in a two piece, or a body suit, or a freaking Snuggie, are the ones who are happy. Because thats ALL that matters, she wrote.
And my personal favorite? A fitness blogger is being celebrated this week for sharing the reasons why she finallyloves herpostpartum stretch marks, thanks to her husband. As someone who is devoting herself to physical fitness and wellness, it was a meaningful moment to overhear hersharing how proud she is of how her body has changed. For her husband, the stretch marks reflect the incredible journey shes experienced in becoming a mother. I looked at my stretch marks and I felt pride, she wrote. I felt love. The love of my husband and the love of my children. Each one of them had been nurtured and lived behind those scars for nine months.
In the bodies of so many women who have learned to love themselves, I begin to see myself. The more I witness these courageous examples, the more I have hope for my own journey. The woman I see today in the mirror is most definitely not a version of me Im used to. She has expanded, she has softened, and she has strengthened. She has grown up, into someone who is going to spend every day falling deeper in love with exactly who she is. She is going to extend that same love to the daughter and stepdaughter she is helping to raise.
She is going to finally make peace with her body.
For the first time in my life, I am excited to learn who I am when Im not tearing down myself with criticism and judgment. Thanks to all of these women and the body positive movement, I get to make friends with the miracle that is my body for the very first time.
Florida Mom Gives Birth to 13-Pound Baby: 'It Looked Like They Pulled a Toddler Out of My Belly'
Article Posted 12 hours Ago
Read More..Ask the Doctors: Choose a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods – Chicago Sun-Times
Diet Comments Off on Ask the Doctors: Choose a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods – Chicago Sun-Times
Dear Doctor: Can the food we eat affect chronic inflammation in the body?
Dear Reader: In our previous column, we addressed the first half of a two-part question about inflammation what it is, and how it can be affected by diet. In answering the first half of the question, we discussed the two main types of inflammation and how they take place.
To (briefly) recap: Inflammation is the bodys immune response to a perceived threat. Acute inflammation, a short-lived reaction to injury, trauma or infection, causes swelling, redness, and a sensation of heat and pain. Chronic inflammation, a low-level reaction, takes place below the threshold of pain. As a result, it tends to fly under the radar. But unlike acute inflammation, which abates when the threat has been neutralized, chronic inflammation continues. It has been linked to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, obesity and Alzheimers disease.
Does what we eat have an effect on chronic inflammation? Research shows that yes, components of certain foods can activate the inflammatory response, and others inhibit it.
Unfortunately, many staples of the modern diet encourage inflammation. Refined carbohydrates and processed foods such as chips, sodas, sugary breakfast cereals, luncheon meats, fried foods, red meat, candy bars, breakfast pastries, and that addictive blended mocha with a swirl of whipped cream all have an inflammatory effect.
Foods that combat inflammation are high in natural antioxidants and contain polyphenols, which are beneficial compounds found in plants. These include:
Dark leafy greens such as spinach, collard greens and kale Vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli Beans, which are high in fiber and antioxidants Whole grains, which are high in fiber and help with inflammation Protein sources that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna
You dont have to completely cut out beef. But use it sparingly, more as a side dish rather than as the main event. Lose the sunflower, canola and corn oils and choose olive oil instead. Satisfy your sweet tooth with strawberries, cherries, raspberries, apples or blueberries. When you need a snack, swap out that bag of potato chips for a handful of almonds or walnuts.
While its never too late to change your diet for the better, research here at UCLA suggests that it cant be done too soon. According to the findings of a recent study, women who ate a diet high in inflammatory foods during their adolescent years had a statistically greater risk of developing pre-menopausal breast cancer as adults. The thinking is that chronic inflammation associated with diet contributed to the increase in breast cancer risk.
The research into inflammation and diet has good news, too. Participants in a clinical trial at Ohio State University who ate an anti-inflammatory diet high in fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains did better on bone density tests than did their chips- and sugar-eating counterparts.
How to move forward? Theres no shortage of books and cookbooks devoted to anti-inflammatory eating that can help guide your food choices. And always check with your healthcare provider before making dietary changes.
Eve Glazier, M.D., MBA, is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Elizabeth Ko, M.D., is an internist and primary care physician at UCLA Health.
See the original post here:
Ask the Doctors: Choose a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods - Chicago Sun-Times
Sleeping beauty diet: Women are taking sedatives to get thin risking dangerous side effects – The Independent
Diet Comments Off on Sleeping beauty diet: Women are taking sedatives to get thin risking dangerous side effects – The Independent
Sometimes when you have a lie-in at the weekend, you end up missing breakfast because its nearly lunchtime already. No big deal, right?
If youre asleep, you cant eat. And people have used this as a weight loss technique for decades.
But some are taking itto extremes - such is the thinking behind the so-called Sleeping Beauty Diet.
The diet advises sleeping for abnormally long periods of times, even using sedatives to do so, to stop yourself eating.
On the lighter end of the scale, a good nights sleep has been proven to boost health and wellbeing, but some people encourage sleeping for 20 hours a day by using sleeping pills and sedatives, which can be highly addictive.
There is also high potential for overdose. Its a big risk to take in the quest to get thin.
The idea has been seized by women in pro-anorexia online forums, where they share their regimes of extreme sleeping and fasting.
I just take some really strong pain killers they usually dope me out and I'll nap for hours. They kind [of] mess with your stomach and curb your hunger a bit so I do it all the time, wrote one.
I love sleeping to avoid food. It's pretty easy for me because I'm tired ninety-nine percent of the time, said another.
I just go ahead and fall asleep to avoid any possible binges and eating, wrote a different woman.
But experts believe the diet - if it can really be called a diet - is dangerous.
If people have to rely on medications to produce sleep - particularly [meds] like benzodiazepines, which are addictive - it's putting the person at risk of addiction, Dr. Tracey Wade, a professor at the Flinders University School of Psychology, told Broadly.
It's not only getting the body to sleep more than it needs to; they'll also have to use higher and higher dosage levels to get the desired effect.
And Dr Wade points out that if youre sleeping 20 hours a day, you cant live your life:
This is really taking it to the nth degree; they literally can't participate because they're sleeping, she says. They'd have increased social isolation, and in turn there's an impact on their mood, which can cause depression.
We know that depression also triggers disordered eating. It sounds like it would actually just push people more firmly into the vicious cycle that the eating disorder creates.
Wade believes the diet may appeal to people who are already depressed or struggling with an eating disorder: the idea of opting out of life and staying in bed might be attractive, she says.
But it doesn't talk about how you'll manage the waking hours, where you'll be very hungry and very disorientated with increasing levels of depression and nutritional deprivation.
In short, its not a good idea.
Read the original here:
Sleeping beauty diet: Women are taking sedatives to get thin risking dangerous side effects - The Independent
Big slimy lips are the secret to this fish’s coral diet – Science News
Diet Comments Off on Big slimy lips are the secret to this fish’s coral diet – Science News
View the video
Tubelip wrasses eat dangerously, daring to dine on sharp corals lined with stinging cells. New images reveal the fishs secret to safe eating: lubing up and planting a big one on their dinner.
It is like sucking dew off a stinging nettle. A thick layer of grease may help, says David Bellwood, a marine biologist at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia, who snapped the shots with his colleague Victor Huertas.
Of roughly 6,000 fish species that roam reefs, just 128 consume corals. These corallivores specialize in different menus. Well-studied butterfly fish, for example, use their long, thin snouts to nip up coral polyps, the tiny animals that build corals. Tubelip wrasses such as Labropsis australis of the South Pacific are known for nibbling coral with their luscious lips, but until now, it was unclear what part of the coral the fish were eating or how they were eating it.
Coral-eating tubelip wrasses slurp up their dinner with slimy lips. Folds in lip tissue make mucus, which helps the fish suck up snot from other organisms, reef corals. Arrows indicate the flow of mucus and suction in the diagram below.
While the surface of the wrasses lips looks smooth to the naked eye, convoluted grooves appear under a scanning electron microscope, the team reports June 5 in Current Biology. Mucus-producing cells line each groove. In contrast, the lips of a wrasse species that doesnt eat corals (Coris gaimard) are sleek and sport fewer slime-secreting cells.
Video footage of L. australis shows that the fish feeds by latching onto coral with its lips and sucking. The slime probably protects the fishs lips from stinging cells that line the coral skeleton and also serves as a sealant, allowing the wrasse to get suction against the corals razorlike ridges.
Their kiss is so hard it tears the corals flesh off its skeleton, Bellwood says. The team suspects that the fish feed primarily on mucus layers and sometimes tissue that lines the sharp skeleton. So, essentially the fish are using their lip mucus to better harvest the corals mucus.
Mucus is, in general, a hot commodity in the marine ecosystem. Some fish use it as sunscreen, others for speed it can reduce drag through the water. Cleaner wrasses even eat slime off the skin of other fish (SN: 8/2/03, p. 78).
Given the threats that coral reefs face from bleaching events and climate change, having fish that suck their flesh might seem a tad brutal. But whether the added stress of snot-eating fish serves as a mere nuisance or a serious threat remains to be studied.
JUST A PECK This slow-motion clip shows a tubelip wrasse closing its mouth around a piece of coral to seal the deal and suck up the other organisms mucus and tissue. Self-lubricating lips make this feeding method possible. V. Huertas and D. Bellwood/Current Biology 2017
The rest is here:
Big slimy lips are the secret to this fish's coral diet - Science News
Seattle will tax sugary soda but not diet – The Seattle Times
Diet Comments Off on Seattle will tax sugary soda but not diet – The Seattle Times
The Seattle City Council on Monday approved a new tax on distributors of soda pop and other sugary drinks. Diet soft drinks were exempted. The tax is expected to take effect in early July and add about $1.18 to the cost of a 2-liter bottle of soda.
The Seattle City Council on Monday approved a new tax on distributors of sugary drinks such as soda pop.
Proponents said the tax would reduce consumption of unhealthful beverages and help the city provide better access to nutritious foods in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
They said soda companies market heavily to children in those communities, where more people struggle with sugar-linked health problems such as obesity.
The vote was 7-1, with Councilmember Lisa Herbold voting no, and Councilmember Kshama Sawant absent.
A handful of other cities and counties have adopted similar taxes, including Berkeley, California; Philadelphia; and Cook County, Illinois, which includes Chicago.
Its a huge win for Seattle, said Victor Colman, director of the Seattle-based Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition.
Its not a panacea for the problem of childhood obesity, but its a huge marker to take this step. Consumption drops will happen, and were going to see stronger health in the communities that need this the most.
Mondays action followed months of debate over the tax, initially proposed by Mayor Ed Murray. Business groups and some labor unions warned that the plan would burden entrepreneurs and result in job losses.
There were arguments about whether diet soda would be taxed, whether the syrups in flavored lattes prepared by baristas would be taxed, what the tax rate would be and how the money would be spent.
The council ultimately settled on a rate of 1.75cents per ounce, which means the tax would be about $1.18 for a 2-liter bottle of soda.
The tax will be collected starting next year unless opponents put a referendum on the ballot and succeed in blocking the measure.
Diet soda wont be taxed, and the council also chose to exempt baby formula, medicine, weight-loss drinks and 100 percent fruit juice.
Sports drinks such as Gatorade, energy drinks such as Red Bull and fruit drinks such as Sunny D all will be taxed, along with syrups used in soda-fountain pop.
Some council members favored including diet soda, which is more popular with wealthier white consumers. That was one recommendation made after the city put the plan through a racial-equity analysis.
But other council members said the science suggesting diet soda is an unhealthful beverage is less solid than the evidence of regular soda being harmful.
The mayor initially exempted barista-made coffee beverages from the tax. Then he exempted milk drinks, instead. It remained unclear Monday whether the syrups used in flavored lattes such as those ordered at Starbucks would be taxed.
Amendments were proposed by Council President Bruce Harrell to explicitly exclude such drinks and by Councilmember Lisa Herbold to explicitly include them, but each failed. Herbold said its her understanding that lattes wont end up being taxed.
Herbold said she voted against the tax because her colleagues rejected her attempts to lower the rate and to include diet soda and lattes. She said the tax measure, as passed, would hit poor pop buyers hardest.
There were mixed messages about the reason for the tax, with some proponents saying it would discourage consumption of unhealthful beverages and others stressing the good that would be done with the revenue.
Under the mayors plan, the bulk of the revenue would have funded education programs for low-income and otherwise vulnerable children. But the council shifted the emphasis more toward healthful-eating programs.
The tax is expected to raise about $15million per year. Some money will support the citys Fresh Bucks program, which helps people using food stamps buy more fruits and vegetables at farmers markets.
And the council approved an amendment offered by Councilmember Debora Juarez calling out food banks and soup kitchens as eligible to receive funds.
Funds raised by the tax will put healthy food on the table for hungry families across our city, said Tanika Thompson, a food-access organizer for the South Seattle community organization Got Green.
Doctors and health organizations such as the American Heart Association supported the tax.
But soda companies, many convenience-store and restaurant owners and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce opposed it, as did the Martin Luther King County Labor Council and a Teamsters union with workers in the soda industry.
The council reserved up to $1.5million in the first five years of the tax to help such workers retrain for new jobs.
Husik Harutyunyan, who owns a small grocery store in North Seattle, urged the council to reject the tax.
He said his customers may begin buying pop in Shoreline if the tax leads him to raise his prices. I have to close my store and go find some job, the 44-year-old said.
A 10-year-old, Sophia Harrison, offered another view during the councils public-comment period Monday.
It is a great idea to fund programs to help kids be more prepared and to help families eat more healthy food, she said, reading from handwritten remarks.
I cant think of a better way to raise that money than a tax on something that has absolutely no nutritional value.
See the article here:
Seattle will tax sugary soda but not diet - The Seattle Times
6 Ketogenic Recipes That Low-Carb Dieters Will Love – Women’s Health
Diet Comments Off on 6 Ketogenic Recipes That Low-Carb Dieters Will Love – Women’s Health
Women's Health | 6 Ketogenic Recipes That Low-Carb Dieters Will Love Women's Health The ketogenic diet was developed as a treatment for epilepsy decades ago, but the super low-carb eating plan had an unintended side effect: weight loss, says Karen Ansel, R.D.N., author of Healing Superfoods for Anti-Aging: Stay Younger, Live Longer. |
Go here to read the rest:
6 Ketogenic Recipes That Low-Carb Dieters Will Love - Women's Health
Fitness-oriented apartments open near Fort Belvoir, Va. – Washington Post
Fitness Comments Off on Fitness-oriented apartments open near Fort Belvoir, Va. – Washington Post
By Michele Lerner By Michele Lerner June 6 at 5:30 AM
Indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, including a 24-hour fitness center available for 3 a.m. workouts, are among the array of amenities available to renters at the new 282-unit Belvoir Square Apartments, at 9142 Richmond Hwy., in Fort Belvoir, Va., just outside the Tulley gate.
A MyEquilibria outdoor gym, imported from Italy and nicknamed the tree, is the central feature of the outdoor fitness park and includes rings, a pullup bar and parallel bars. The tree is surrounded by fitness stations.
The indoor FX Well fitness center has extensive fitness equipment and free group yoga training. Personal training will soon be available. A glass-walled childrens room with books, toys and activities is adjacent to the fitness center.
[New apartments in Falls Church feature swimming, pet grooming]
In addition to the fitness amenities, the apartments have a central courtyard with gas grills, a clubroom with a fireplace and a kitchen with a coffee and juice bar. It also has a game room, a business center and a creativity room for crafts. The pet-friendly building has a pet grooming room. The building has elevators and garage parking.
The apartments range from a 556-square-foot studio that rents for $1,640 to a 1,428-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit that rents for $2,630.
The apartments have stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops and a full-size washer and dryer. Some residences have movable kitchen islands and private patios or balconies.
For more information, call 703-372-5799 or visit http://www.belvoirsquareapts.com.
To pass on a tip or item, contact us at realestate@washpost.com and put Town Square in the subject line.
Visit link:
Fitness-oriented apartments open near Fort Belvoir, Va. - Washington Post