FitSugar

Anthony or Rachael: Whose Side Are You On?

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Dunkin' Donuts has gotten some big names, like Naomi Campbell, to endorse its yummies, and Rachael Ray just joined the club. Page Six is reporting that chef Anthony Bourdain is not pleased with Ray's massive deal with the donut maker. He said:

"She's hugely influential, particularly with children. And she's endorsing Dunkin' Donuts. It's like endorsing crack for kids."

"I'm not a very ethical guy. I don't have a lot of principles. But somehow that seems to me over the line. Juvenile diabetes has exploded. Half of Americans don't have necks. And she's up there saying, 'Eat some [bleeping] Dunkin' Donuts. You look great in that swimsuit - eat another doughnut!' That's evil."

Ray's rep responded:

"Anyone who knows Rachael and watches her on TV is aware she promotes balance and moderation, instead of living life in extremes. Her work addressing kids' and families' nutritional needs speaks for itself so we respectfully disagree with Anthony's opinion."

Source

Get the Bod: Rachael Ray

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 14:15:00 -0800

Rachael Ray's got a great outlook on working out, eating and life.

Shape Magazine asks Rachael the questions that explain how she stays looking fab while maintaining a healthy relationship with food.

Shape: So what kind of workouts do you do to burn off all that EVOO [extra-virgin olive oil]?
RR: My favorite home morning routine is 100 crunches, 100 butt lifts and at least 20 push-ups. I live in New York City but have a cabin in the mountains, so I do a lot of hiking and walking, especially with my dog, Isaboo. I do belong to a gym, but I can't get there as often as I'd like. I think a lot of women struggle to fit in exercise. That's why my new talk show is going to feature a Better Than Nothing workout segment. The idea behind it is to do the absolute minimum to maintain your weight and health -- and to make the routine simple, no special equipment required.

Shape: What's your definition of healthy eating?
RR: I don't believe in counting calories; eat in moderation and you won't have to worry about the numbers. I eat pretty much everything. Flavor is really important. If you peeked into my fridge and pantry today, you'd find almonds, cashews, goat cheese, Pecorino, salami, bacon from upstate New York, olive oil, pasta, tuna, an open bottle of white wine, tomatoes and beans. Truly relaxing during meals and enjoying the foods on your plate also matters. I make it a point to sit down, have a glass of red wine and savor my supper every night.

Shape: Workwise, you certainly have a full plate. how do you stay energized?
RR: I really love what I do. In fact, even after a full day of taping cooking shows, I'll come home and head straight for the kitchen. Cooking helps me unwind because it's so meditative. I focus on what I'm doing, not my worries or my to-do list. While I'm making dinner, I'll listen to music: anything from the Foo Fighters or Tom Jones to my husband John Cusimano's band, The Cringe. And I'm a Law & Order addict, so I'll often listen to it while I'm cooking.

Check out this and other great articles on Shape.com.

Source

Dunkin' Donuts Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:06:22 -0700

Okay, okay, we all know that Dunkin' Donuts is not the healthiest place in the world. Besides donuts, they do offer other choices. Let's take a peek and see how they measure up.

Food	Calories	Fat in grams	Cholesterol	Sodium in milligrams	Carbs in grams	Protein in grams
Plain bagel	320	2.5	0	650	62	12
Everything bagel	370	6	0	650	67	14
Multigrain bagel	380	6	0	650	68	14
Cinnamon Raisin bagel	330	3	0	430	65	10
2 oz Plain Cream Cheese	190	17	55	190	4	4
2 oz Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese	170	15	45	340	4	2
2 oz Lite Cream Cheese	120	9	30	280	5	4
Banana Walnut Muffin	540	25	65	520	69	10
Honey Bran Raisin Muffin	480	15	60	480	79	8
Cranberry Orange Muffin	440	17	65	480	66	8
Blueberry Muffin	470	17	60	500	73	8
Reduced Fat Blueberry Muffin	400	5	60	490	78	8

Well that wasn't so bad. Wait until we get to the breakfast sandwiches. You may go into cardiac arrest just reading this. Want to see? Then read more

Food	Calories	Fat in grams	Cholesterol	Sodium in milligrams	Carbs in grams	Protein in grams
Maple Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich	690	45	180	630	45	25
Bacon Egg Cheese Bagel Sandwich	540	18	200	1400	69	18
Sausage Egg Cheese Bagel Sandwich	660	35	225	1450	63	28
Egg Cheese Sandwich	470	15	190	1120	65	20
Egg Cheese English Muffin Sandwich	280	9	140	1010	34	15
Supreme Omelet on a Croissant	590	38	260	1040	42	21
Southwestern Chicken Panini	420	10	45	970	57	23
Meatball Panini	480	19	40	1180	56	22
Turkey Pesto Sandwich	530	23	65	1630	46	33
Vegetarian Sandwich	420	21	5	480	51	9
Caesar Salad	390	33	35	980	14	10
Chicken Caesar Salad	520	36	85	1520	16	34
Garden Salad	240	12	30	430	24	12
Mediterranean Salad	220	11	315	760	23	10
1 cup Broccoli Cheese Soup	180	13	40	71310	10	7
1 cup Chicken Noodle Soup	140	3.5	45	840	20	8
1 cup Clam Chowder Soup	230	11	30	990	20	10
1 cup Timberline Chili With Beans Soup	230	8	35	890	260	15

America runs on Dunkin'? I sure as hell hope not. Get this, Rachael Ray is now the spokesperson - let YumSugar know how you feel. She's going to lead the company into developing "better for you" food and beverage options. Way to go Rachael!

A Week in Review: FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 04:00:00 -0700

In case you missed it, here's what we've been talking about...

Anthony Bourdain and Rachael Ray are in a spat over donuts. Whose side are you on?

Be sure to check this great jumping through with blocks yoga video that should help strengthen your core and improve your technique.

John Mayer makes his body a wonderland by running stairs, now you can too.

Mayer is not the only one getting fit, Sarah Jessica Parker spills her get slim secrets.

What's the connection between women's hips and breast cancer?

While we're on the topic of breast cancer, check out my inspiring and moving interview with a gal who battled breast cancer with cupcakes (of all things).

Celebs love Starbucks, but who's making healthy choices and who's not?

Love miso? Test your smarts with this quiz about miso.

Need a new diet tip? Eat at least one fruit and one veggie with every meal.

I'm curious, how often do you eat fish?

Speaking of dieting, here are 100 calorie snack ideas.

Back to basics everyone - learn how to properly blow your nose.

Here is a great elliptical interval exercise program - try it out!

Speak your mind about why you don't like exercising. Now check out ideas to turn that hate into love when it comes to exercising.

Speaking of exercise, check out the most active (and inactive) states in America.

Kitchen Cleanliness: Disinfect Your Cutting Boards

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 17:30:00 -0800

I think we need to talk about the germ-infested cutting boards in your kitchen. All those cracks and crevices are housing millions of bacteria that could make you very sick.

Glass cutting boards are the most sanitary because they're the easiest to keep clean. You can even pop them in the dishwasher which is good news when it comes to ditching germs. Too bad they ruin your knife edges and make you crazy with their annoyingly loud chopping sound.

Wooden boards are easy on your knife and your ears, but tend to crack and get deep grooves so they are impossible to clean thoroughly.

You can always spring for bamboo cutting boards, which my friend YumSugar highly recommends since they're stronger than regular wood, but more expensive. Let Rachael Ray show you how to get stains off those boards using salt.

Whatever material you choose to chop on, they should be immediately washed after each use in hot soapy water and disinfect often. Want to know how? Then read more

About once a week (or more often if you get really grossed out), dilute 1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 quart water.

You can also use a vinegar solution - mix 1 part vinegar to 5 parts water.

Flood the surface with whichever solution you choose for several minutes.

Rinse with water and allow to dry completely.

And another thing - If a cutting board becomes deeply carved or scratched up - replace it.