Exercise Improves Breast Cancer Prevention and Survival

Check out my latest article at The Examiner, 'Exercise Improves Breast Cancer Prevention and Survival'

Excerpt: "Tomorrow, October 1st, kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness week. October 5th is also Long Walk Day. Breast cancer prevention and exercise go hand in hand. So do yourself a favor ladies and take a walk.

The American Cancer Society states that as little as a few hours a week of walking or similar aerobic exercise may improve the survival rates of breast cancer survivors. Another study on the relationship between exercise and breast cancer found that regular physical activity reduced the overall risk of breast cancer." Click on the title link above to read more.

Cool & Informative Links

It's Monday and I'm taking the day off. My weekend was incredibly busy and I got very little down time - in other words a typical weekend for me. I have reading to catch up on and a nap with my name on it.

Enjoy these links:

How a Very Low Calorie Diet Can Make You Gain Weight By Meri Raffetto

The weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar industry filled with meal plans that provide very low calorie levels. This is the magic bullet because if you follow these meal plans closely you will absolutely lose weight. You’re happy and the company can say they gave you what they promised. Physiologically we know that very low calorie diets work for short term weight loss but the question is what are we doing to ourselves in the long run?

The fact is; very low calorie diets (1,000 – 1200 calories or less) are contributing to weight gain more than they are helping people to find lasting weight loss. Many people feel they have to go on a very low calorie diet because this is the only way their weight will budge. Well…they’re right and this is why. Read more.

The Secret to Losing Weight - It’s All in the After-Burn By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT

When it comes to fat loss, research shows that metabolic resistance training is more effective in burning calories than aerobic exercise. Not sure what metabolic resistance training is? It’s a vigorous weight-lifting session that targets multiple muscle groups with only short rest periods between sets and exercises. This type of training results in an “after-burn,” an increased metabolic rate that persists for hours after the training session ends. Read more.

Make the Most of Your Metabolism By Colette Bouchez - WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

"It's my metabolism!"

Sound familiar? If you're carrying some extra pounds (and having a hard time losing them), it's tempting to put the blame on a sluggish metabolism.

But is your metabolism really the reason it's often so hard to lose weight? And, more important, is there anything you can do about it?

WebMD asked experts to explore facts and myths about metabolism -- and the good news is, there are things you can do to help boost your body's calorie-burning power. Read more.

Do Diet Foods Lead To Weight Gain?

If you think you're cutting calories by eating diet or low-calorie versions of your favorite foods, think again. A new study by Canadian scientists published in the journal Obesity suggests that our bodies can't be fooled that easily.

Led by David Pierce, researchers at the University of Alberta studied the eating habits of young rats, and found that they tended to overeat when they were fed "diet" foods. Though the new study was conducted in animals, it adds to a growing body of research in humans that suggests a diet-foods paradox: the more low-calorie (or even zero-calorie) sodas and foods you consume, the more your body demands payback for the calories it was deprived. Read more.

Culinary Genius - Meat Cake!

Check Out Healthy New Age

Healthy New Age is an informative, beautifully constructed and maintained website. Owned and ran by Kirk VandenBerghe & Sandy Breckenridge of HeartCore Corporation, they cover a wide variety of health topics including natural alternative medicine, holistic healing, acupuncture, Reiki, Ayurveda, fitness, emotional healing with EFT, herbal and nutritional supplements, and so much more. There's something here for virtually everyone.

Coolest of all they've hired me as a freelance writer and my first piece "Power Your Way To Fitness" review is now on their 'Bodybuilding With Tony Horton' page. Make sure to check it out as it's exclusive to Healthy New Age and you will never see it anywhere else.

Melt With Me

In the tradition of YouTube Watch ME Melt, Inc. has launched the world’s first online weight loss and fitness focused video sharing community.

Dedicated to your adventures in fitness and weight loss Watch ME Melt is for you and by you. Grab your video cameras and show the world what you’re doing to lose weight and get fit.

Upload and share webcam workouts and diet video blogs, as well as personal and professional weight loss and fitness content. Anyone who’s interested in joining should visit the Web site and sign up. It’s free!

For more on the launch of Watch ME Melt visit my column at The Examiner and read "I'll watch you melt if you watch me melt."

More Evidence That Exercise Is Essential

If I've said it once I've said it a hundred times...exercise is essential.

Scientific studies on many subjects including diet, carbohydrates, fat, weight control, and even the dangers of artificial sweeteners, are often conflicting. The results of one study often contradicts the results of a previous study. But when it comes to studies on exercise I've yet to see one the contraindicates exercise.

Studies show exercise is beneficial to the disabled, people with illnesses as diverse as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, and more.

Remember, it takes only 13 muscles to smile, and it's worth the effort. It also only takes 10 minutes of targeted workouts a day to make a difference in your body and your health. If you don't believe it check out Tony Horton's 10 Minute Trainer system.

Virtually everyone can exercise in some way, shape, or form. (Always consult your doctor before changing your exercise or nutrition program). No more excuses! Time to workout.

Older People Who Diet Without Exercising Lose Valuable Muscle Mass

ScienceDaily (Sep. 22, 2008) — A group of sedentary and overweight older people placed on a four-month exercise program not only became more fit, but burned off more fat, compared to older sedentary people who were placed on a diet but did not exercise.

The new study also showed that when older people diet without exercising, they lose more lean muscle compared to those who exercise, said senior researcher Bret H. Goodpaster. When they combined weight loss with exercise, it nearly completely prevented the loss of lean muscle mass. The results are important because older people tend to lose muscle masshttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.quote.gif as they age and too much muscle loss may interfere with activities of daily living.

The study, “Separate and combined effects of exercise training and weight loss on exercise efficiency and substrate oxidation,” appears in the current issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology, published by The American Physiological Society. Read more.

Moderate Exercise Yields Big Benefits

ScienceDaily (Jan. 4, 2008) — What’s the key to looking and feeling better and enhancing your health? Exercise.

Moderately strenuous exercise, about 30 minutes a day, can lead to enormous benefits in terms of your mood, health, weight and the ability to live an independent and fulfilling life. The exercise doesn’t need to be athletic or difficult. Studies have shown that simply walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes or more on most days can lead to significant health improvements. Add simple strengthening exercises two or three times a week and the benefits are even greater.

The January issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter lists some of the benefits of 30 minutes of exercise a day:

* Lower blood pressure: A reduction of 5 to 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) is possible. In some cases, that’s enough to prevent or reduce the need for blood pressure medications.
* Improve cholesterol: Exercise often increases the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good” cholesterol in the blood), especially when accompanied by weight loss. Exercise also helps reduce triglyceride levels.
* Prevent or manage type 2 diabetes: Exercise helps insulin work better, lowering blood sugar.
* Manage weight: Coupling exercise with a healthy diet is the best way to shed fat and maintain a healthier body composition.
* Prevent osteoporosis: Exercise may increase bone density and protect against bone mass decline, especially if weight-bearing activities are involved.
* Prevent cancer: Exercise has been shown to strengthen the immune system, improve circulation, reduce body fat and speed digestion. Each has a role in preventing cancer, particularly cancers of the colon, prostate, uterine lining and breast.
* Maintain mental well-being: Exercise may help reduce stress, improve mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety, improve sleep and boost moods.
* Increase energy and stamina: A lack of energy often results from inactivity, not age.


Exercise Effective In Helping Pregnant Women Kick The Habit

ScienceDaily (Sep. 23, 2008) — Exercise could be a useful tool in helping pregnant women to give up smoking, according to new research. Despite the warnings, 17% of women in the UK and 20% of women in the US still admit to smoking during pregnancy.

This often leads to lower birth weight, higher infant mortality, and is linked to learning difficulties, problem behaviour and asthma in childhood.

Most attempts to give up smoking unaided end in failure. The most successful methods of stopping smoking involve a combination of nicotine replacement and behavioural therapy, but there are concerns that nicotine replacement may harm the fetus. Exercise can reduce the cravings experienced by smokers and there is some evidence to show that it can help non-pregnant women to quit. Read more.

Moderate Exercise Can Improve Sleep Quality Of Insomnia Patients

ScienceDaily (June 12, 2008) — An acute session of moderate aerobic exercise, but not heavy aerobic or moderate strength exercises, can reduce the anxiety state and improve the sleep quality of insomnia patients, according to a research abstract that will be presented on June 11 at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).

The study, authored by Giselle S. Passos, of Federal University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, focused on 36 patients (eight men and 28 women) with primary chronic insomnia, who were divided into three experimental groups (moderate aerobic exercise, heavy aerobic exercise, and moderate strength exercise) and a control group.

According to the results, after the exercise session, reductions were shown in sleep onset latency (54 percent) and wake time (36 percent) in the moderate aerobic exercise group, while increases were shown in total sleep time (21 percent) and in sleep efficiency (18 percent). A significant increase in the total sleep time (37 percent) and reduction in the sleep onset latency (40 percent) were observed in the sleep log of volunteers of the moderate aerobic exercise group. Finally, a significant reduction (seven percent) in the anxiety state was also observed after moderate aerobic exercise session.

"These findings indicate that there is a way to diminish the symptoms of insomnia without using medication," said Passos. "This study is the first to look at the importance of using physical exercise to treat insomnia, and may contribute to increased quality of life in people with one of the most important kind of sleep disorders around the world."

Carbohydrate Threshold Part Two - One Size Doesn't Fit All

Here's my latest piece at The Examiner - Carbohydrate Threshold Part Two - One Size Doesn't Fit All. Find out why you might need MORE carbohydrates than other people.

Carbohydrate Threshold - How Much Is Too Much?

Check out my latest at The Examiner on Carbohydrate Threshold.

Jimmy Moore has the article right below mine on Glen Gaesser and his high carb diet makes you slimmer and healthier claim. Check that out too. I'll lay a recipe or two or you soon. Just really busy right now.

Anouncing My 'Love Those Vegetables!' Cookbook Available In eBook Format

It ready to roll! Today I'm anouncing the release of my 'Love Those Vegetables!' Cookbook available in eBook format. The introductory price is $5.95. Below is a full description. To purchase a copy you'll need to visit my Bardelli Arts website.
Just click on the "Add To Cart" button to purchase securely through PayPal.

(Note: My 'The Protein Edge Cookbook' Revised eBook Edition is still in revision and coming soon).

"Just in Time for Harvest Time!"

Love Those Vegetables!

A Vegetable Lovers Cookbook in eBook Format
By Carol Bardelli, Sports Nutritionist

180 Pages - Over 175 Recipes

Copyright 2005-2008 By JB Publications -All Rights Reserved

This eBook cookbook is in Adobe Acrobat .PDF format for easy reading. Download your Free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Sample Recipes

Carol's Week Night Asparagus Quiche Serves 6

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
4 ounces ham, cubed
2 shallots, minced (onions are fine)
2 cups heavy cream
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cayenne pepper
10-inch pie crust, baked for 10 minutes at 400 degrees
3 ounces fresh Pecorino Romano cheese, shredded
3 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded

Boil asparagus until tender but crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Melt butter in a skillet. Add mushrooms, ham and shallots and sauté 3-5 minutes. Set aside. Combine cream, eggs, salt and cayenne in a mixing bowl and beat until blended. Spread cooled ham mixture evenly over bottom of pie crust. Put asparagus on top of ham mixture. Carefully pour in egg mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees 30-40 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cut into wedges and serve hot.

Nevada Style Hot Bean Dip

1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
½ pint sour cream
1 - 28 ounce can refried beans
½ cup scallions, diced
½ cup red bell pepper, diced
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
½ cup Pepper Jack cheese
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ to 1 teaspoon Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1 ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
¼ cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients. Place in a casserole and bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Garnish with avocados and sour cream. Serve hot with tortilla chips.
Simply Elegant Beet and Walnut Salad Serves 4-6

3 cups beets, cooked and peeled
2 tart green apples, sliced
1/2 cup Feta cheese
1/2 cup walnuts
1/8 cup fresh chervil or mint, chopped
1/3 cup vinaigrette dressing (3 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar)
3 cup Spring mix or other salad greens

Cut beets in cubes. Combine with apples, Feta cheese, walnuts and chevril. Drizzle dressing over salad. Serve on Spring mix.

Fancy Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli Serves 4

8 ounces macaroni
2 cups water
1 cup Broccoli florets fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Flour
2 cups heavy cream or half 'n half
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs
Additional 1/2 cup Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a medium saucepan, cook macaroni according to package directions. Pour water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, add broccoli, reduce heat to medium and cook until tender. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 inch glass baking dish with olive oil. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add flour, whisking about 1 minute until smooth. Gradually whisk in cream until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, salt, and cayenne until cheeses melt. Add macaroni and broccoli to sauce. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with reserved cheddar and bread crumbs. Bake another 10 minutes until bubbly. Serve hot.



Grandma Azzurro’s Brussels Sprouts Serves 4

2 pounds Brussels sprouts
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/8 cup grated Parmesan
1/8 cup pecans, chopped
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Additional 1 tablespoon butter
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat broiler. Place Brussels sprouts in a large sauce pan and cover with water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes until tender. Place sprouts in a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Drizzle melted butter over sprouts. Combine the Parmesan cheese, pecans, bread crumbs, garlic powder, black pepper, salt and additional butter. Sprinkle over sprouts. Place sprouts under broiler until topping is golden, about 3-5 minutes.

Inn of the Sixth Happiness Cabbage Salad Serves 6

1 - 3 ounce package oriental ramen noodles
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup slivered almonds, blanched
1 large cabbage, shredded
6 scallions, diced
2 large radishes, sliced thin

For Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Crush noodles and brown in butter in a skillet. Add almonds and sesame seeds and sauté, stirring often. Stir in packet of seasoning mix from noodles. Remove from heat and cool. Toss together cabbage and scallions and radishes in a large serving bowl. Prepare dressing by whisking together oil, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Pour over salad, toss and serve.

Easy Tropical Carrot Salad Serves 4-6

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
4 cups carrots, shredded
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon coconut extract

Place apricots in a glass bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds to plump fruit. Combine carrots, pineapple and apricots in a medium bowl. Add yogurt, pineapple juice and coconut extract and mix well. Cover and chill.

Oklahoma Pan Handle Cauliflower Fritters

Oil for deep frying
1 cup potatoes, shredded or grated
1 cup cauliflower, diced
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese, grated
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For Batter:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat deep fryer to 350 degrees. Combine vegetables and cheese. Season mixture with chili powder, salt and pepper. Form into 2 inch balls. Mix together batter ingredients and dip balls in batter. Deep fry until golden and drain on paper towels.

Marnie's Famous Stuffed Celery Sticks Makes about 28 appetizers

12-14 celery stalks
4 ounces cream cheese
4 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 cup fully cooked smoked ham, diced
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chives, diced
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

Cut celery stalks into 3-inch lengths. Mix together remaining ingredients. Spread mixture in celery lengths. Cover and chill.

Options: use crumbled cooked bacon in place of ham. Try 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary instead of chives.

Grandma Hill's Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 14 ounce can pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Mix all ingredients together with a mixer. Pour into a greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool and spread with Grandma’s Cream Cheese Frosting

Carol's Stuffed Zucchini Serves 4 - 6

4 medium zucchini
1/2 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper
Additional 4 tablespoons Parmesan as topping

Cook whole zucchini in boiling salted water until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out meat. Mash and set aside. Place shells in a shallow baking dish and set aside. Cook sausage in a heavy skillet. Drain off excess fat and add onions and garlic. Sauté until softened. Stir in mashed zucchini, parmesan, crumbs, egg, and seasonings. Mix well. Spoon mixture into zucchini shells and sprinkle stuffed with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

Love Those Vegetables Introduction

Healthy people tend to love their fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables provide diverse flavors and vital nutrients including vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. Also rich in fiber and naturally low in calories and fat, produce gives eaters an edge on weight control.

In today's busy world, vegetables and fruits have come to be view by many as too expensive, too inconvenient and complicated to purchase, store and prepare. This is simply not true.

A recent USDA study revealed that fresh produce cost less than most processed foods. For example, a five pound bag of fresh potatoes cost roughly the same as a bag of potato chips. The potato chips which will feed two or three people are fat laden and high in calories. While the bag of potatoes is naturally low in fat and calories and would feed up to 12 people!

Fresh produce does require more care to store than processed foods that will keep on your pantry shelf for months or even years. But fresh food is more than worth the extra effort for the flavor and nutrition the offer.

Preparing fresh produce takes very little time. Most recipes we offer within this cookbook require a minimum of washing, peeling and chopping produce before adding to a dish. The extra effort usually equals an extra 5 to 10 minutes. And isn't a few minutes worth the results you'll get?

Here’s to your excellent health and delicious dining.

Carol Bardelli, SN
Certified Sports Nutritionist
Publisher, JB Publications

About The Author

Carol Bardelli is a wife, mother, writer,cookbook publisher, and author of a dozen self published cookbooks including ‘The Protein Edge Cookbook.’ She currently writes a fitness column for The Examiner.com. She holds an honorary Ph.D. in philosophy in religion bestowed by her church. A former CSA certified sports nutritionist, her free time is spent working out, riding her thoroughbred mare, Fury, or barefoot in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes while tripping over nine cats, two dogs, and a husband and son. Contact Carol at dr.c.bar@gmail.com

Contents
Introduction
Vegetable Recipes - Classics & Common Vegetables
Artichokes
Asparagus
Beans
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplants
Onions
Peas
Peppers
Potatoes
Pumpkins
Rhubarb Recipes
Squash & Zucchini Recipes
Spinach Recipes
Sweet Potato Recipes
Tomato Recipes
Appendices
Buying Tips
Freezing, Storage, Canning
Basic Food Safety
Seasoning Guide
Equivalent Amounts and Measures
About JB Publications

Don't Miss The Season Premiere of 'The Biggest Loser Families'

Tonight's the night! A premiere most of us having been waiting for with great anticipation. It's the season premiere of 'The Biggest Loser Families' on NBC. Jillian and Bob are back for another round of whipping obese folks into shape at record speed. There will be laughter, tears, struggles, and triumphs, and moments you won't want to miss.

Here's a fun article to check out. Find out why Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney is thrilled to be gaining weight while contestants lose it.

eBooks In The Works and 'Grab Your Keys To Weight Loss Success'

Monday was a very busy day for me and today will be just as busy. I'm working hard to revise several of my cookbooks and convert them to eBook format. And I'm working on our Bardelli Arts website where I'll sell the books, building new pages and installing PayPal carts. The process is hugely fun and also has it's challenges.

Check out my latest article at The Examiner, 'Grab Your Keys To Weight Loss Success'...in the screen shot it appears as a feature article on the Examiner Main Front Page. Right under Sarah Palin's photo. *Holding My Tongue* Hope I don't choke on it.

I'm that rare breed, a Christian liberal. (Like Jesus was a conservative. Yeah, right. He was the original liberal and bucked the system of his day). I never could hold my tongue.

In The News

From ScienceDaily: Your source for the latest research news and science breakthroughs

Making Snack Food Choices: Are Bad Intentions Stronger Than Good Intentions?

ScienceDaily (Sep. 14, 2008) — People who are asked whether they would choose between a "good" snack and a "bad" snack might not follow their intentions when the snacks arrive. Dutch researchers found that there is a substantial inconsistency between healthful snack choice intentions and actual behavior.

Participants were asked about their intentions in choosing among four snacks: an apple, a banana, a candy bar and a molasses waffle. About half of the participants indicated they would choose the apple or banana—a "healthy" snack. But when presented, one week later, with the actual snacks, 27% switched to the candy bar or waffle. Over 90% of the unhealthy-choice participants stuck with their intentions and chose the unhealthy snack. The study included 585 participants who were office employees recruited in their worksite cafeterias.

Although intentions are often tightly linked to what people really do, it doesn't always work that way. One explanation is that intentions are usually under cognitive control while actual choices are often made impulsively, even unconsciously. Read more.

Designing My First Low Carb Goodie

Although I'm a bit of an amateur photographer and a Photoshop junkie, I'm just now experimenting with designing for Cafe Press. This first one is photo free. I wanted to take a photo of a red pepper for it but Jerry had my kitchen trashed quite awhile. He installed a new electric hot water heater and the kitchen faucet simultaneously decided to go belly up. We live 25 miles from Lowes and Home Depot so I'm doing dishes in dish pans in the bath tub. Ha, ha, ha.

I figure some people's taste runs to the simply styled anyway. Right now it's on tees and tote bags but I'm planning a line of aprons and kitchen stuff like mugs soon.

I presently only have three designs total in three product sections - "Seek Him" "Low Carb Goodies" and "Obama Stuff" and I'm going to try to ad something new every day or so.

Hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

For my latest Examiner article click here. I pretty much update daily.

This Low Carber's Hotsy Totsy Blue Cheese Dip

This Low Carber's Hotsy Totsy Blue Cheese Dip

1/2 pound bacon
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh onions, minced
3 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
4 ounces blue cheese
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, fry bacon until crispy. Drain on paper towels, let cool, then crumble. In a medium mixing bowl, combine crumbled bacon with cream cheese and blue cheese. Transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle nuts over the dip. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Jimmy Moore is a New Examiner Columnist

Check it out! 'Livin' La Vida Low Carb Man' Jimmy Moore is a new Examiner columnist.

We know Jimmy will do The Examiner proud. You can always rely on Jimmy's low carb knowledge and advice. Check out his main website "Livin' La Vida Low Carb" as well.

Personal Update and New Examiner Article

This baby allows me to workout upper body despite my recent back problems.















I haven't said much lately on the personal front as far as diet and exercise. For one I've been busy writing, working on articles for The Examiner and rewriting my Protein Edge Cookbook and this poor little blog got the short end of the stick. I had that head cold last week but seem to have licked it. The other reason I've been fairly quiet is after I shook the colitis flare I had in July I managed to develop a nasty case of back arthritis.

I've had this condition before and usually manage to workout anyway. This time it's more severe and the workouts are trickier. I'm mainly shooting for maintenance and avoiding aggravating my frigging sacroiliitis.

What's weird is in the midst of this one of my health newsletters had a featured article on how sacroiliitis is associated with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease! Apparently sacroiliitis, migratory polyarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis are extraintestinal manifestations of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Here I thought it was old age.

So my pain levels are up and down, I'm having an affair with Icy Hot, Capzaisin, and Flex All. And we're into threesomes with ice packs and the Light Relief infrared machine.

Movement actually seems to help. Unfortunately my jobs require a lot of sitting at the computer. I splice a lot of chores into the schedule and that helps. But getting up is an exercise in agony. I'm walking on the treadmill an hour a day. And I'm doing briefer, isolated resistance training including isometrics and upper body work on my weight machine to minimize the stress on my lower back.

But I'm just itching to try out my new Tony Horton One On One Workouts.

I haven't tracked calories, carbs, or anything for several months, but I do stick to portion sizes and stress protein. I rarely eat more than a cup of food total at any meal. Sometime I'll photograph some examples.

My scale weight is holding steady at 118 pounds (ever since my last mass building stage peaked me out from 112 to 118 in the Spring), my body fat percentage is hovering between 19 and 21. And Bruno's kids jeans still fit me after I washed them. They're actually quite comfortable and a bit loose. Oh, how sweet the little victories.
















My latest article at The Examiner takes on the "Sweet Surprise" high fructose corn syrup campaign. Check it out.

Good Eats For Low Carbohydrate Entertainment

Check it out. Free preview!

I published a new article at The Examiner.com with "food so good you don't have to let on that you're serving guests diet food."

"Here's a few recipes appropriate for entertaining guests who aren't on a low carbohydrate diet or other diet or nutrition plan. They're delicious, taste tested, and no one will even know you stuck to your diet. All recipes are from my cookbook 'The Protein Edge Cookbook' by Carol Bardelli, available soon in re-released ebook format through my websites (see sidebar at my Examiner page for links)."

Palin Coming To Carson City

I was going to attend the local Palin event in my homemade 'Obama For President' tee shirt that says "I don't wear lipstick so I must be a Pit Bull" but thanks to the current administration I can't afford the gas. (That's my dog Dee Dee).

From Nevada Appeal.com

Palin coming To Carson City

Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, will campaign in Carson City on Saturday, according to the Carson City Republican Central Committee.

Palin, John McCain’s running mate, is scheduled to lead a rally at the Pony Express Pavilion in Mills Park.

“It should be for sure,” said Lona White, secretary of the Carson City Republican Central Committee. “It’s just the exact time is not confirmed.”

She said more details will come soon, but she believes the event will be in late afternoon. Congressman Dean Heller is also scheduled to speak.

White said a campaign representative informed them Monday about the visit.
She said there’s a lot of excitement over the visit from the governor of Alaska, and it’s a sign the state is viewed as pivotal in the election.

“Nevada is definitely targeted as a state that could go either way,” she said. “We were a red state before and we’re hoping to keep it that way.”

Palin became the first female governor of Alaska in 2006. McCain picked her as his running mate on Aug. 29. She is the first woman to be on a Republican presidential ticket and would be the first female vice president of the United States if elected.

New Examiner Article and Stop Making Excuses That You Have No Time or Can't Afford To Workout

My latest article 'Why You Don’t Need To Go To The Gym To Get Fit – Part Two' is up over at The Examiner.com.

The CTV.ca News Staff (article link) and other news sources including Reuters reported that new research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine suggests that a predisposition to obesity may be as easy to overcome as spending a few hours a week at the gym. This study found that study subjects performing a high level of physical activity basically counteract effects of gene mutations that predisposes them to obesity. The findings were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Did they really need to go to a gym to accomplish this? Probably not. Read more and find out how to get fit for free.

Money is not a factor for not working out. Neither is lack of time. No money? No time? Check out the videos below.

Here's an easy at-home workout routine...



No Equipment - 30 Min. In Home Power Workout



Super Fast Fat Loss Workout for Home.

Natural Bodybuilder- Anthony Presciano

Day Tripping

I'm feeling a little better. This head cold is losing its grip on me.

So we took a little drive this morning out into the country. Unfortunately I forgot my camera and missed a lot of cool shots. Oh well. The photo above is one I took when we bought Fury in Fallon about a year ago.

We drove out to Fallon - Home of Fallon NAS and Top Gun - which is a lush green valley full of alfalfa and corn fields. Everybody who doesn't live here thinks Nevada is one big desert but that's only down in Las Vegas. Here in the north we do have desert areas but we also have farmlands, mountains with snow in winter, and rivers and lakes. Fallon's farms and countryside is just beautiful.

We found a new livestock feed dealer, albeit a very small one. Like us they're a family run business. We're trying a new feed called Chaffehaye - Pasture-in-a-Bag. It's made of high quality alfalfa and easier to chew.

Not much else going on, just household chores between sneezes.

Check out my latest article at The Examiner: Creating A 'No Excuses' Lifestyle.

In The News

Thinner people, fatter wallets

DALLAS (UPI) -- U.S. adults looking for ways to save money should focus on their waistlines to make their wallets a bit fatter, the fitness people at Gold's Gym suggest.

Gold's Gym-sponsored research found that Americans' expanding waistlines comes with a price tag of $123 billion for the country, with obese Americans losing nearly $10,000 per year out of their own pockets -- based on the median U.S. salary of $48,451.

"If everyone began to take small steps towards healthy lifestyle changes, including a balanced diet and regular exercise, Americans' health and well-being would not only improve, but so would the

fiscal health of our nation," Robert Reames of Gold's Gym Fitness Institute, said in a statement.

Gold's Gym research includes that:

-- Obese Americans burn at least 9 more gallons of gas per year than a typical American for a fat gas tax of $36 annually.

-- An average of one full week of work is lost to obesity-related ailments for $932 in lost wage annually.

-- Americans spend 4 percent of annual income on clothing each year, but those who are obese pay an extra 25 percent for their clothes, or $485 annually.

-- Obese Americans will often pay for an extra seat on flights for a fat tax of $828 annually.


Copyright 2008 by United Press International

Head Like A Water Balloon

Hail readers. I'm still sick. My head's a huge, swollen, foggy blob. Least that's how it feels. Not up to a real post. But you can read my latest column at the Examiner:

Why You Don't Need To Go To The Gym To Get Fit Part One

Thai Muscle - asian bodybuilder

Asian Muscle Hunks

Arnold Schwarzeneger - The Legend

This is Arnold the great

Muscle - It's That Important.

Check it out, I've posted a new article at The Examiner. I have another article ready to go up tomorrow so check back again.

On the personal front. my 'allergy attack' turned out to be a nasty Summer cold. I'm pretty miserable. Jerry has it too, poor baby. At least I get to work from home and crawl back in bed whenever the spirit moves me. And Bruno seems fine so far. *Crossing My Fingers*

Here's hoping all of you are well and happy.

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." - H.D. Thoreau

5 Easy Ways To Cut Carbohydrates and Calories

Check out my latest article at The Examiner:

5 Easy Ways To Cut Carbohydrates and Calories

I'll be posting more there soon including an updated product review of the BOSU 3D Sculpting System, as well as Power 90X workout reviews.

Unfortunately I woke up at 2 am with a blooming allergy attack. It's that time of year in Northern Nevada when the sagebrush blooms and the tumbleweeds give off their seeds and pollen. I feel like somebody jammed a flame thrower up my nose. So I'm under the weather and behind on my writing schedule. And there's a couple of litter boxes calling my name..."Clean me! Clean me!"

The Cardio Body Building Fallacy

By: Eddie Lomax

Most workout programs, in my opinion, are examples of cardio body building and are wrongly based on bodybuilder isolation movement exercises and marathoner extended aerobic training.This is NOT the path to optimum fitness excellence!The cardio body building combination is actually the biggest training mistake you can make.Now before you get angry...There is absolutely nothing wrong with training like a Bodybuilder or Marathoner... especially if you are a Bodybuilder or Marathoner.

I am just proposing that the training philosophies of Bodybuilders and Marathoners are not the path to an optimum level of fitness where all of the physical skills of cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and toughness are improved... Whether you adhere to the philosophy of each group alone or in combination.

I know this goes against most physical training protocols used in commercial gyms around the world that adhere to the cardio body building combination as the training methods of choice.It is easy to see how these training protocols came to be combined...In an attempt to improve fitness on a more general level for the non-professional fitness enthusiast, gyms and health clubs throughout the world have prescribed the typical cardio body building program of isolated movement strength training and extended aerobic training sessions.

The belief was that if isolated movement weight training is effective for Bodybuilders, and extended aerobic sessions are effective for Marathoners, that a combination of the two training methods would give the general fitness enthusiast the best of both worlds.The fact is, Bodybuilding training methods are more concerned with muscle growth than muscular strength, power and endurance... and both of these training methods almost completely ignore the other physical abilities like coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and flexibility.

It is no wonder why millions of people participating in cardio body building inspired fitness programs fail to meet their over-all fitness goals... They are making a big training mistake.On a personal Note...I am guilty of training in the cardio body building fashion in my younger years in preparation for wrestling season. I would lift weights using isolation exercises and run long distances to increase aerobic capacity. I quickly learned in the first week of practice that the inflated muscles and aerobic capacity that I gained through cardio body building training did little or nothing to provide the fitness level needed for my chosen sport.Oh well, there is nothing

I can do about that now... but there is something that YOU can do to improve your physical training in preparation for sport, work, life.Reflect on your current workout program...If your current workout program looks like the cardio body building protocol described above... don't despair. Any exercise is better than none, so you have not completely wasted your time. In fact... the isolated movement strength training has given you some degree of strength, and the aerobic exercise is an essential base of fitness.

However, to improve your physical training and optimize your performance you must be prepared to radically change the methods you use in pursuit of strength, conditioning and fitness excellence.Be honest with yourself... are you getting the most out of your current cardio body building physical training program?Are the exercises and methods you are using best suited to improve over-all fitness... or do they only focus on muscular size and cardiorespiratory endurance?Ask yourself this question...Is your current physical fitness training program based on the acceptable and deliberate compromise of competence and ability to perform in ALL the areas of cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and toughness to produce optimum performance results under the greatest amount of circumstances?If not, it is probably based on the cardio body building fallacy... and your physical training can be greatly improved.If your goal of physical training is to inflate your muscles and perform monotonous, single intensity aerobic exercise for extended periods of time... do nothing.

If your goal of physical training is to become a better human being suited to successfully overcome the random challenges of sport, work and life... It is time to change your physical fitness training program to one not based on the cardio body building fallacy.

Article Source: http://physicalfitnessarticles.net

Grocery Shopping From Home

Amazon ... not just a book store anymore.
















When it comes to online shopping, most people have some experience with big companies like Amazon, Overstock, QVC, Home Shopping Network, and eBay. All have their advantages and pitfalls much like physical stores do. Yet in this time of rising gas prices and the need to save money on groceries and other necessities these online stores can save you both time and money.

Although I’ve shopped at all of the stores mentioned previously, Amazon is my favorite. They have an extremely generous return policy and simplify the process (although I’ve only had to return two items over the last 10 years I’ve shopped there). And Amazon carries more products than most other online retailers. You can literally purchase a HD television, a new bikini, the latest DVD release, a gift basket of fine chocolates or Omaha steaks, and a home gym all in one shopping trip. And many items have free shipping.

Recently Amazon started selling 25.000 items of non-perishable groceries and nearly every one of their grocery items includes free shipping if you purchase a $25 minimum. To make this an even sweeter proposition, Amazon offers both clearance items up to 40 percent off and monthly deals with discounts up to $25 off special purchases. (Example: Save $15 today when you spend $39 or more on any combination of eligible Kashi products and similar deals).

Amazon also features a ‘Subscribe & Save’ option on most groceries. If you know you’ll need that favorite coffee or protein bar delivered every one to six months sign up and save.

Here’s the deal straight from Amazon: “For September, find instant rebates on many popular brands and hard-to-find specialty items, including Kellogg's, Gatorade, Slim Jim, Peter Pan and many more. Find all our current deals in Sales & Special Offers.
Plus, these and all products offered in Grocery are eligible for Amazon Prime and FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.”

My last order from Amazon included Folgers Gourmet Coffee and DeCecco Pasta and I saved over $15 in instant rebates and another $13 was saved on shipping. I shopped leisurely in my jammies. And I save on gas!

Honorable Mention Shopping Sites:

Lensshopper – Contact Lens Price Comparison

iGourmet - Specialty Cheeses, Fine Foods, Exquisite Gifts

Netrition.com - The Internet's Premier Nutrition Superstore!

Nathan Rench