The controversial NYC health department campaign against soda drinking had another interesting twist today as they released their video showing a man who appears to be drinking fat from a soda can.

Beware the video isn’t pretty but the now highly publicised campaigns of Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said once again in a statement that sugary drinks are a main contributor to the city’s obesity epidemic.

A 2007 health department survey found that more than 2 million New Yorkers drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage each day, which can have as many as 16 teaspoons of sugar in one 20-ounce bottle.

The health department urges people to drink water or other drinks with no calories, or low calories, instead of sugary drinks.

Soda should be an occasional treat, as should some of the high-calorie coffee drinks sold in national coffee chains, the department said.

Earlier this year NYC was the first US state to introduce a sales tax for Soda’s which caused uproar in the State as few people believed it was justified or even worth while.

If you haven’t yet seen the video here is a chance to decide for yourself is it hard hitting and effective or just disgusting and irresponsible.

Here’s what some other bloggers had to say…
Prevention Matters: Drinking Fat – The Video

Drinking Fat – The Video. The New York City Department of Health and Hygiene raised a lot of eyebrows last summer with a subway advertisement that showed a soda bottle pouring globs of human fat into a drinking glass. …

City Releases Fat-Drinking Soda PSA

The New York City Department of Health has released a stomach-turning public service announcement to prevent people from drinking sugary soft drinks. The video, posted on YouTube and the Department of Health website, shows a smNYC New Fight Against Obesity Ad… The Anti Coke!

New York is really on a ball when it comes to it’s fight against obesity campaign. This will have you grabbing for water all day long. … anti-soda ad. by TaylorR on December 15, 2009. NYC New Fight Against Obesity Ad… The Anti Coke! You’ ll be reaching for something other than a soda at your next

Related articles on the Soda Tax Debate

• Man drinks fake fat in NYC anti-soda video (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Calls grow for US tax on fizzy drinks to fight obesity (telegraph.co.uk)
• Should America tax soda? (economist.com)

There can be no doubt that Dr Suzanne Gudakunst has upset a few people with her controversial views of weight loss and in particular it’s relationship with colon and liver health.

She states in her book that a very high percentage of Americans have something called mucoid plaque in their guts and this is why they are fat.

The Science Doesn’t Have Any Validity?

Now I would like to say there is tons of scientific evidence to back up this theory but sadly I have tried every avenue and came up with a resounding this is complete BS!

There is no sound medical evidence to support this theory.

Don’t forget in this day and age surgeons can routinely examine your colon either through a ultrasound or endoscopy (camera in your intestinal tract) so if this was the case they could easily identify it and remove it.

Colon Cleansing Doesn’t Make You Thin

It would be nice to think a quick colon clean was all that was needed to make up for years of abusing the body feeding it crap and no exercise and that none of it was my fault.

In other words if I got fat it’s my lazy good for nothing colon’s lack of efforts fault but sorry to burst your bubble it simply isn’t true.

Neither are the claims that millions of American’s have harmful bacteria and worms growing in their guts. It is true that some Americans have these affilictions and if you have serious IBS or other gastric problems you should speak to your doctor about these possibilities.

The Mayo Clinic Says Colon Cleansing Can Be Harmful

More importantly Colon cleansing may not only be unneccessary it may actual be detrimental to your health. Violently purging your digestive tract may disturb healthful bacterial (probiotic) populations in the gut, which are needed for proper digestion and immunity, these efforts cause you to lose important electrolytes and minerals including sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

My big problem with Dr Suzane Gudakunst is nothing she says makes any sense and infact based on my own research I doubt seriously if she is real doctor.

Sad fact is this sort of hype is designed to get people buying a book which provides some very questionable information. The good parts of the book are actually the parts discussed least in the marketing message on the website. But they alone do NOT make up for the other stuff.

These include but are not exclusively…

1.How to choose a good diet
2.Weight Loss Tips and Ideas
3.Metabolic Programming and Choosing The Right Diet
4. Making Changes To Your Eating Habits
5. Food Replacing

Lets see if you take the parasite / colon cleanse part out of the equation. If anyone followed the basic recommendations of this program as written, they’d lose weight.

* Don’t diet; change your lifestyle.

* Dump processed foods.

* Eat more fruits and veggies.

* Get plenty of fiber and eat lean protein.

* Be conscious of portion size.

* Drink lots of water.

* Exercise regularly.

* Find a committed buddy.

* Model successful people.

* Be consistent.

This is just like the late night exercise gadget infomercial hucksters. They hype their equipment as the magic solution when the strict diet they include is the real reason people lose weight on their program.

Sorry it looks good from the outside but when the Mayo Clinic tells me that Colon Cleansing is likely more harmful than helpful this product does simply not have anything to redeem it.

Her website is graphic and controversial. But on the site she reveals exactly why she thinks the problem that people have with losing weight stems from their colon. Her ebook is full of her research results which are backed up with the sources of her conclusions.

We found this book to be highly educational and somewhat revolutionary. It has changed the way that thousands are approaching their fat loss goals. The book is only 49 pages and hits you hard and fast with the edgy information Dr. Suzanne is becoming famous for.

The book is lacking in the area of a suggested exercise regiment. She of course speaks of how a regular exercise routine can help, but also says that by curing the problem at the core (the colon), people will be surprised at how quickly they can lose weight without the need for exhaustive workouts.

Dr. Suzanne has our vote because she calls it like she sees it and doesn’t hold back. We believe this book is going to change the lives of many people. More information…Top Fat Loss Secret

Slim Fast (Slimfast) is the most commonly used diet shake and meal replacement program in the world.

The Slim Fast Plan calls for the dieter to have a flavored shake instead of their usual breakfast (usually chocolate, strawberry or vanilla) and another at lunch, and then end the day with a calorie controlled nutritionally balanced dinner.

Since the initial shakes were introduced many years ago Slim Fast have a much wider range of products giving your greater choice and more options such as their snack bars and other meal options.

Free Shipping With Amazon and Slim Fast

In addition to the shakes you are also allowed if following the prescribed Slim Fast plan two additional pieces of fruit and a Slim Fast nutrition bar or snack as needed during the day.

The blanaced meal for dinner may be used for any meal, as long as the two other meals are the diet shakes. Most people tend to eat the nutritionally balanced meal at the end of the day as a reward while others like to break up the day.

The way Slim Fast works is it makes you feel full (the shakes are full of fibre to fill you up stopping you feeling hungry) as a result you take in less calories. This means provided you stick to it your calorie intake is lowered and in theory at least you shouldn’t feel hungry a problem common to most diets.

The Slim Fast plan averages about 1,200 calories a day, which will cause fairly certain weight loss for most people, as it is at least 500 calories less than average female needs to for energy and probably at least 1,000 calories less than the average male needs.

According to most nutritional experts we asked there are some good aspects to the Slim Fast meal plan, however, there are also several pitfalls which should not be ignored.

The good news is that the Slim Fast plan now includes exercise recommendations and promotes drinking 6-8 cups of water daily, which are both important features in any weight loss plan.

Another big plus is the Slim Fast system is easy to understand (maybe it’s biggest plus). However with such tight calorie restrictions there is a serious risk that the body may not get adequate vitamins,minerals and other essential nutrients required for long term healthy living.

I feel maybe more emphasis should be put on these requirements and there is an opportunity to replace these by carefull selection of the balanced meal within the Slim Fast regimen.

Sadly the Slim Fast shakes seem to contain additional vitamins and minerals but lack other aspects of good nutrition. This I am guessing would be to keep the cost down and make the diet more accesible to more people.

Whilst the Slim Fast products are not cheap they are quite well priced and should not cost any more than a comparable take away meal would cost so you could actually find the effects on your pocket not as dramatic as some other programs.

In the past I have used the Slim Fast plan myself but my concerns were although I was losing weight what would happen when I tried to wean myself away from the Slim Fast shakes and start adding normal food in to the diet more.

There is a serious risk as to what is known as a diet crash and I feel that maybe the Slim Fast plan can be too aggressive in it’s goals for some people. This sort of regimen is notorious for putting people in to a cycle of weight loss and then a few months later weight gain. This is also known as Yo-Yo dieting.

One thing that Slim Fast meals and slim fast shakes do is make losing weight relatively simple if you follow the plan you will lose weight but it’s simplicity is also it’s biggest failing. People become dependent on the discipline this weight loss regimen gives so don’t make the required changes to lifestyle in the usual way they might on other programs.

Without lifestyle change and an notably increased exercise regimen any weight loss will only be temporary and what I think is the biggest problem for most people is that the Slim Fast plan is entirely self-directed, with little or no outside structure or support.

This means that people haven’t learned to eat well or control their lifestyle but just follow a regimented weight loss program. I believe Slim Fast could do more to encourage people to start a healthy living plan and wean off Slim Fast but I guess that wouldn’t do much for keeping their share holders happy.

Written by the now deceased Dr Robert C Atkins, the “Atkins Diet” is a protein-rich, low carbohydrate diet. Which has be followed by millions and at one point was the biggest diet on the planet.

Some might say is that the diet was the first non fad diet as it had the benefit of science and medicine but it now seems it may have still been predominatley a fad diet and it’s nutritional back bone is now seen to be fundemently floored.

According to the popular way of following this plan, you are permitted to eat as much fat as you like so long as you consume little carbs.

The sorcery behind the short term success of the Atkins Diet, and the low-carbohydrate diet generally, lies in its effect on the body : the body’s preferred power source is glucose.

When carbs are seriously limited, the body runs short on its recurring supply of glucose, the breakdown product of carbohydrate.

The body predicts these eventualities by storing glucose ( glycogen ) in the muscles and liver. For each gram of glycogen the body stores, it must store with it 3 grams of water.

If carbohydrates are noticeably limited as they’re in the Atkins Diet, the body will break down these glycogen stores to get glucose for energy. When the glycogen is broken down stored water is released and excreted.

The more assertive the carb limitation, the more dramatic this effect. The Atkins Diet is one of the more assertive lo-carbohydrate diet plans.

There are quite literally thousands of low carbohydrate and Atkins Diet products on the market. It is truly incredible how promoters of the locarb and Atkins Diet have managed to mislead many millions of people across the globe into a diet opposed by almost all of the worlds leading health institutions.

The Atkins Diet and other low carb diets have shown unacceptable results in the long term. Which is the fundemental flaw in the Atkins program and why so many health experts had issue with it.

Whilst it is true carb restriction will work short term it is neither healthy or sustainable for any length of time.

To be fair some time after the initial book an Atkins Maintence Diet was launched but it was to little and to late.

Considering the health dangers related to the lo carb program, the Atkins Diet appears like a poor choice among the enormous assortment of options. But with the marketing muscle that accompanied it a nation of Atkins dieters was made.

Such was it’s popularity and indeed inspite of the widely publicised dangers still today it remains probably the most popular fad diet program.

The lo carb diet craze swept through America at the start of the 21st Century and even today you’ll find restaurants from the lowest back street grill to some of the most respected restaurants in the country offering lo carb options fueling the diet fest.

The main issues with lo carb diets as a long term diet solution are the fact that they are not sustainable and lack sufficient nutritional balance to be adaptable in to regular life style.

The other major issue is the Atkin’s diet and many like it fail to adequately address the issue of exercise and how it plays an essential part in weight loss success.

8 Minutes in the morning by Jorge Cruise is one in an growing line of books produced by the personal trainer and self claimed fitness expert.
Jorge claims he has developed a fast way to “jump-start” your morning with just 8 minutes daily exercise.

Realistic Program or Just Hype?

By performing only eight mins of strength coaching and following a straightforward diet Jorge says you can shape up. In reality on the cover of his book he guarantees weight reduction in just four weeks. Not quite the same thing.

The problem is what is hard to know is if Jorge is for real as much of what he says in one place doesn’t quite ring true in another. I think he intends to be genuine but always there is always an underlying marketing message and the usually celebrity diet BS!

The rationale behind promoting “quick” and “easy” weight loss and fitness is to sell a product and their can be no doubt that Jorge Cruise can do that.

What concerns me is he always seems to use pictures of people in his promotions that look like they worked out for weeks and certainly didn’t get prefect bodies for 8 minutes of working out.

So subsequently the validity of such testamonials and pictures may be genuine but their relevance now that is whole different matter.

On the positives the illustrations used in the book are clear and the exercises easy to follow.

I don’t doubt this guy can train dedicated fitness fanatics fully versed in the various types of exercises. I just have less confidence in his ability to get his message over to 33 year old housewives looking to lose 40 pounds.

If his 8 Minutes in The Morning regimen works then surely every other one of his books will be surplus to requirements. It is this constant plethora of books that claim that weight loss is easy that really hack me off.

Normal average people find weight loss difficult and claiming you can get a perfect body in 8 minutes is just setting the average man and woman up for a fall, and disappointment which is wrong!

Though its easy to not exercise, its tough to come up with excuses when it’s only eight mins and that is whole rationale of the book. The only problem I had is it makes people believe in something that is probably never going to happen and certainly not in any short time frame as implied.

The first step that all overweight people have to take is to be honest with themselves. You need to accept the fact the road ahead will be difficult. If you have watched TV program like biggest loser you’ll have seen that for yourself.

If you lay the right foundation you can build the type of inner strength and mental toughness that you will need to persevere and succeed. Everyone loses weight, but few keep it off.

The marketing of programs such as ” 8 Minutes in the Morning” by Jorge Cruise are not realistic for the average person with a high body mass index and normal lives.

A more comprehensive plan is needed to change your behaviour, eating habits and exercise patterns.

The thought for the day I thought was interesting but certainly nothing new and it does seem that the book has been designed to encourage you to buy other Jorge Cruise products rather than help you lose weight.

For example the diet plan mentions you should by for example Flax Oil (conveniently available through Jorge’s company). But this stuff tastes foul and there is almost no possibility of anyone sustaining such punishment for any appreciable time to lose weight.

The nutritional information provided by Jorge is at best limited and probably worse suggestions such as eating banana’s for energy as the contain no fat is short sighted as he seems to ignore the fact of sugars.

I would have liked to have seen a more realistic approach to weight loss than featured in Jorge Cruise’s book but that doesn’t sell books.

You could get a copy of Jorge’s book it’s not that bad if your expectations are realistic but if you just want to start to lose a few pounds get the Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks Diet For FREE.

The Cleveland Hospital 3-Day Diet is a three-day program that claims to get rid of mucus and other poisons from the body.

It’s also claimed that dieters will lose as much as 10 pounds in 3 days. which is potentially very dangerous if not done under medical supervision.

This program has been given more names and is claimed to originated from so many sources it is not even funny.

It is claimed to have come from the British Heart Association, The American Heart Association, Cleveland Clinic all of which quite strenously deny being the source of it’s origin.

Other names include the 3-Day Diet, Dr Perricone 3-Day Diet, Kaiser 3-Day Diet, 3-Day Navy Diet, and 3-Day military Diet.

The essence of the plan is …

It is a plan that combines specific foods in order to create a desired reaction in your digestive system and boost your metabolism for calorie and fat burning. The plan must be followed precisely with exact portions of the 1000 calorie/day diet for the best “results.” The 3 Day Diet does not mention or recommend exercise.

As you might imagine.

The diet lasts for 3 days, then repeated after 2 days off the diet.

Different menus for this diet can be discovered at numerous web sites.
But one thing the menu’s all have in common is they are particular about the amounts and categories of foods that are going to be eaten for the 3 days.

There are 3 meals indicated for every day, and the total daily calorific intake on these diets is about six hundred calories. The food that characterize this diet include : hot dogs, vanilla ice cream, cabbage, and eggs.

The foodstuff selected for the diet are planned to increase the metabolism so that fat is burned faster. Dieters are directed to take at least 4 days off before repeating the 3-day cycle.

The Cleveland Hospital 3-Day Diet or what ever they want to call it is NOT healthy or in any way a sustainable plan for weight loss.

A lot of the weight reduction from it is due to severe decrease in carbohydrate intake, that means that dieters experience typically water loss. There’s also an extraordinary decrease in caloric intake which could be very detrimental to some people.

The Up’s and Down’s Of Dieting

Once the 3 days is over, regaining any lost pounds is going to be almost inevitably unavoidable. As a consequence, this kind of diet typically leads to yo-yo weight loses and gains.

It is just this sort of diet that leads to people believing diets are nver going to work and the majority of people would just give up hope and settle for being overweight.

This diet is about as “Fad” as a diet gets.I doubt anyone will keep the weight off long-term and you’ll doubtless feel a starving,irritable and generally unhappy the entire three days you are on it.

LIfe is just to short to waste your time and effort on such a pointless diet plan.

Final Thought’s

Websites promoting this sort of nonsense should be banned the FTC seems happy to enforce bans on products which are far less harmful than this product could be. I hope no one ever tries this diet as it is bad for your health and sanity.

The “6 Week Body Makeover” is the infomercial diet based primarily on the idea that everybody has a different natural body shape and metabolism. By tailoring a custom exercise and diet program to your constitution and blood type, your body will lose pounds at maximum potency. The 6 Week Body Makeover program starts with a questionaire, which can let you know which sort of metabolism you have. You then match your body form and size “Blueprint Cards” to discover your trouble spots. Six Week Body Refresh is meant to be “safe and easy” and incorporates step by step instructions and an eight hundred number to reply to your continuing questions.

This sounds reasonable enough to an unscientific person, but the actuality is that we are all not as different as we may think. Our individual fundamental metabolic activity ( metabolism ) are set by weight, age and activity and don’t change seriously between folks of the same traits.

This product was created with the market to mind, knowing what emotionally appeals to pissed off, fat folk. Lets be truthful, we all just about know why we are chunky : we eat too much unhealthy food and do not exercise enough. The “6 Week Body Makeover” is a costly ( six payments of $19.99 and $19.95 shipping ), gimmick-based program that essentially tells you to eat healthy and exercise.

If long term weight loss was this straight-forward, The “6 Week Body Makeover” would be a house-hold name and sold in conventional stores rather than obscure web sites and infomercials.