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Weekend Watching: How to Cook Your Life

FitSugar — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 02:30:00 -0700

The soulful combination of Zen Buddhism and the art of cooking has been captured on film in the new documentary How to Cook Your Life by Doris Dörrie. She follows Zen chef Edward Espe Brown as he creates fabulous food trying to live by the Zen precepts. He can be impatient and is filmed cursing an unruly bottle of olive oil. So heartening to know that the master chefs have issues too-I love that he laughs a lot, and often at himself.

Brown, author of Tassajara Bread Book, was told by his mentor, "When you wash the rice, wash the rice, when you cut the carrots, cut the carrots, when you stir the soup, stir the soup." Mindful cooking can probably feel a lot like meditation. I can fully get behind the movie's message "eat local, eat well, eat slow," because the mindful shopping and cooking should always be followed by mindful eating.

Unfortunately, this film will probably not be released nationwide. To check out where and when this movie is opening and screening, just read more

San Francisco
10/26

NYC, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, Santa Fe, Denver
11/16

San Diego, Minneapolis
11/23

Boston, Washington, D.C.
12/6

King Corn Coming to Theaters Near You

FitSugar — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Corn, it is an ingredient in just about everything. The cob is manufactured into fillers, oils and sweeteners. Many have theorized that the rise in obesity is due to the increased use of high fructose corn syrup as a sweetener. While the jury is still out on that particular connection, many see the corn subsidy as the underlying problem with American food production and agriculture.
In light of all this, two recent college graduates decided to plant an acre of corn in Iowa in an attempt to learn more about the crop that is taking over America. The tale they tell in the documentary King Corn is entertaining, enlightening and funny. Regardless if you have or haven’t read Michael Pollan’s treatise on agriculture in the U.S. - The Omnivore's Dilemma - you should see this film. If you are what you eat, then we are all corn!

King Corn will be shown in select theaters around the country this October. If you can't make it to see the film, don't fret. You can read about the film and its protagonist / antagonist, corn, on their website.

Thin the Movie: The Reality of Eating Disorders

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:45:00 -0800

Eating disorders affect 5 million people in the U.S. More than 10% of those diagnosed with anorexia nervosa will die from the disease. Seeking to put a human face on these sobering statistics, acclaimed photographer Lauren Greenfield went inside a Florida treatment center to tell the stories of four women who are literally dying to be thin.

The devastating documentary film titled Thin, reveals her findings. It is captivating and you are drawn in by the heart-wrenching stories of these girls and their painful struggles as they each try to recover.

You can purchase Thin, a groundbreaking book about eating disorders. Greenfield's photographs are paired with extensive interviews and journal entries from twenty girls and women suffering not only from their eating disorders, but from the personal struggles that lead to the disorders in the first place.

Fast Food Nation: The Movie

FitSugar — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 12:30:00 -0800

OK, so you've probably heard of the book, Fast Food Nation, where the author, Eric Schlosser reveals the unpleasant truths about fast food.

Did you know that Americans spend more money on fast food than on higher education or new cars? Every month more than 90% of American children eat at McDonald's. The average American eats 3 hamburgers and 4 orders of fries a week.

But what exactly is in those hamburgers? If you knew, you'd never eat at another burger chain again. And if you thought the fries were "animal-free," think again. McDonald's still acknowledges that some of the flavor in their fries comes from "animal products" - whatever that means.

This best-selling book was made into a movie, starring Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke. But The New Yorker and New York Post both gave it horrible reviews.

I don't know about the movie, but I found the book to be extremely powerful and life-changing. After reading it, I'm sure you'll think twice before ordering your next Happy Meal.

Would You Buy Healthy Snacks at the Movies If They Were Available?

FitSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:30:11 -0700

Popcorn, Jubees, and Icees may soon be sharing space with fruit, veggies, and whole grains at your local movie theater. An article at MSNBC reports that the head of Sony Pictures wants movie theaters to address America's obesity problem by selling healthier snacks. "I don't mean close the window for popcorn, soda and candy," said Sony CEO Michael Lynton at the annual ShoWest convention for theater owners. "Audiences love them and should always be able to buy them at your theaters."

Lynton shared that in a Sony-conducted survey of 26 movie theaters, two-thirds of respondents would buy healthy snacks over junk food if they had the option. Some foods respondents would like to see are fruit cups, vegetables with dip, yogurt, granola bars, baked chips, and unbuttered, air-popped popcorn.

How about you . . .

Get Your Irish Up: St. Patricks's Day Playlist

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:00:05 -0700

Nothing gets your heart rate up like dancing a jig on St. Patrick's Day. The Irish definitely have that down. This playlist contains no songs from Lord of the Dance or sea shanties, but it's chock-full of fun, rockin' Irish music to make you want to move.

"Irish Rover" by the Pogues (4:10) - Distinctly Irish in sound, this is music that will make you want to click your heels.
"Wasted Life" by Stiff Little Fingers (3:40) - A punk band from Northern Ireland, the title alone should inspire you to get up and get moving.
"Mandika" by Sinead O'Connor (3:48) - Though she's typically known for her ballads, this is a rocking tune that certainly shows off Sinead's vocal range.

To see the rest of the playlist keep on reading.

Harley Gives Us an Inside Peek at His Celebrity Clients

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:00:19 -0700

Harley Pasternak is a busy guy. In about the span of a week, he left his training duties on the Lady Gaga tour in Europe, headed home to LA to see 10 clients, and then crossed the Pacific to Hawaii for two more. When I finally caught up with him in Tampa, he was already planning his departure to Toronto, his childhood home.

Harley - whose client list reads like a who’s who of Hollywood - never expected that he’d become THE go-to trainer for the stars. "I was studying to be in medicine," says Harley. "Personal training was something I did; it was a side business that grew and grew and next thing you knew I had three studios and 12 trainers and I was like, 'OK, I guess this is my career.'"

He describes his work as "the coolest thing in the world," and it’s easy to understand why. Not many people can say they shoot hoops with Kanye West and Common or hang backstage with Katy Perry, Alicia Keys, and Lady Gaga. Working with musicians seems to be his current thing right now, "They’re very creative people, they have more control over their own destiny to the extent that they tend to be a little more stable," says Harley. "I enjoy working with actors too but actors are more project-to-project where musicians have an ongoing thing."

Harley pulled back the curtain a little bit and shared with me what it was like to work with these amazing artists. To see what he had to say about each one of them, read more.

Lady Gaga. In the kitchen, Lady Gaga, or Gaga as he - and everyone else - calls her, is a bit of a chef, even helping him develop recipes for his 5 Factor World Diet book. "As I presented the recipes for the 10 healthiest countries in the world, she suggested mixing and matching the ingredients from different countries," Harley says. "She would make a salad or a stir fry and bring elements of Italy and Japan together into one recipe, which was really helpful to me."
Kanye West. Through several world tours Harley has grown pretty close to Kanye. "Everyone gives him a hard time for the things he says and does, but all the bad things you see in the public, those are all the bad things about him. Every bad thing about Kanye you know." The Kanye that Harley knows is "interesting, inspiring, passionate, and creative." Says Harley, "No one has more energy than him, training him is amazing."
Common. After four years of working together, Harley says that Common has become a close, personal friend. Not only is he one of Harley's favorite clients, he also one of the "hardest workers" he knows. "Common has a movie coming out called Just Right and he is the lead. When people see his body they are going to be talking about it for a year."
Katy Perry and Alicia Keys. Harley says one of the biggest perks from his job comes from working with clients that he's also a fan of, like Alicia and Katy. "I'm just a huge fan of them both," says Harley. "It’s just amazing to work with really creative people who are doing wonderful things that I get to enjoy their craft as well."

Stay tuned for eating and exercise tips from Harley coming to you later this week.

Don't Blow Your Healthy Habits at the Movies This Weekend

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:53 -0800

It's a big movie weekend, for sure. With New Moon finally out, I've already committed myself to spend an afternoon at the theater - the only complication is that I'm not so fond of the movie-theater fare. It's an admittedly challenging place to stick to healthy food choices, since there usually aren't any to begin with. Just in case you don't believe me, recent research is revealing just how unhealthy movie popcorn can be - and it's probably a lot worse than you think.

An article from WebMd highlights the Center for Science in the Public Interest's findings on the state of popcorn, which claims movie theater popcorn is just about as bad for you as "a pound of baby back ribs and a scoop of Haagen-Dazs ice cream or maybe two Big Macs" - and that's before you even add the butter. For the study, researchers sent samples of popcorn and toppings from three different movie theater chains and compared their findings to the chains' own nutritional information. What they found is likely to make you rethink how you view your movie treat.

The study's results show that the calorie count of movie theater popcorn ranges from just about 400 to 1,200 calories, and contains an alarming serving of saturated fat that's equivalent to three days worth of your daily recommended portion, and anywhere from 200 (in the smallest 6-cup size serving) to 1,500 milligrams of sodium. Additionally, the study revealed that both AMC and Regal theaters pop their popcorn in coconut oil, which has a saturated fat content of a whopping 90 percent. Cinemark theaters, which pops their popcorn in canola oil, earns the rep as the healthiest chain, with a significantly lower saturated fat content - ranging from 2 grams in the 420-calorie small size to 5 grams in the 910-calorie large popcorn bucket. But, keep in mind that popcorn is usually just a part of the order - add a soda or your choice of candy, and your order is easily nearing 1,700 calories.

To learn about healthier options at the movies read more.

To avoid a serious caloric overload on your movie outing, the solutions are simple. Opt to share a small, unbuttered popcorn, and request that it be popped without salt (according to the article, these chains will happily oblige), or knosh on something healthy before you head out. If you can, bring a small bag of almonds or a piece of fruit along. Be smart about your choices, and don't let one afternoon at the movies spoil your healthy habits. It's totally fine to indulge every now and then, but a 1,200-calorie serving of popcorn that packs more saturated fat than you need in three days is hardly a treat for your bod or health.

Smarter Eats: Have Meals at the Table

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:00:17 -0800

One way I've been eating healthier this year, is by practicing mindful eating. What I mean by that is I'm really taking the time to be aware of the food I eat. By doing so, I'm developing healthier food habits and eating in more responsible ways. I know it may sound a little zen, but it really works. Besides giving myself a meat budget and focusing on the simple act of chewing, what's really helped is eating my meals at the table.

In the past, whenever I ate at home I would cook my meal in the kitchen but eat it in front of the TV. Most of my friends are guilty of the same. Eventually, I started to realize how bad it is because the television - or laptop, book, etc. - becomes a big distraction from our food. Instead of taking the time to sit and really enjoy it, we're sort of just scarfing it down while something else takes center stage. Think about it: how many times have you watched a movie and were then amazed at the amount of popcorn you ate through the whole thing?

Eating at a table, free of distractions helps in a lot of ways. First of all, I take time to enjoy the taste of my food more, and by doing so I tend to eat a lot less. And since I am giving myself more time to eat, I also chew my food more. It may seem like a silly point, but chewing helps with digestion and makes you feel satisfied sooner. And now, I will get a little zen on you - for me sitting down at the table is a small way to respect the food you're eating. You put a lot of hard work into cooking it, now take the time to really enjoy it! Although it may sound silly that little bit of awareness has made me a better cook and more responsible eating. Ultimately, I care more about all aspects of the meal in a way I didn't before.

My challenge for you is to try and eat all of your meals, for the next seven days, at the table (your desk does not count as a table). Check back in with me and let me know how you did!

Get the Bod: Fergie's Legs

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:00:57 -0800

Fergie sure does love her legs, and with good reason - the singer has incredibly toned, leaned gams that give the illusion of being much longer than they really are. Lean legs don't come without hard work, though. Fergie definitely spends time in the gym and is often seen outside running. On top of that, she sticks to a healthy diet. Even when Fergie put on pounds for the movie Nine, she was still looking pretty fabulous. Trainer Mike Ryan recently shared with Us Magazine how we can achieve the kind of legs Fergie has.

Source: Getty

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