Pound-Melting Miracle or Just Another Fad Diet?

While some people swear by their fat-zapping powers, I've never been bit by the fad-diet bug. To me, there's nothing less appetizing than cabbage soup or more boring than Subway subs. I don't like red meat, so Adkins was never an option. Math's not my strong suit, so I never got my head around The Zone's percentages. I tried South Beach awhile back with my mom, and while I did drop some lb's during Phase 1, the food options just weren't practical for my busy (then) high-school life. So when a new fad diet--the Alternate-day diet--started making headlines, I thought I'd at least take a look (while preparing for disappointment).

Created by New Orleans plastic surgeon James B. Johnson, the diet's mantra is "no restriction necessary" and the concept is simple--every other day, eat as you please. Yes, absolutely however you want. Craving pizza? Go for it. Sweeting on ice cream? Add an extra scoop. The catch? (Because obviously there has to be one.) Those other days you've got to cut your cals--big time.

Johnson got the idea from animal studies that have shown weight and health benefits from fasting every other day. As an overweight and mindless eater himself, Johnson tested the animal-based theories and saw dramatic results (35 pounds in 3 months!). Instead of fasting like the test mice and primates did, Johnson stuck to a calorie-restricted diet (approximately 20 to 30 percent of his daily caloric intake) of low-cal foods like yogurt, fruit and salads. The best result for him? The one-day-at-a-time mentality was doable and he never felt deprived.

I'm all for anything that lets me enjoy the "forbidden foods" that have been exiled by other diets, but something about this on-off approach has me thinking twice. On the one hand, I'd be a perfect candidate. I can't seem to say goodbye for good to taboo foods, I have great short-term discipline, and I'm an eater who laments every time I "mess up" on my diet (causing a downward, devastating blow to my progress). On the other hand, I see red flags all over this diet plan. My be-healthy intuition leans toward making balanced and nutritious choices everyday, while giving yourself room to enjoy the things you crave in moderation. This diet certainly doesn't teach a healthy mentality; instead it teaches that you can eat absolutely anything--just as long as you don't eat the next day. When I dug around Johnson's website, I found a calorie calculator to breakdown the "up" and "down" days based on my info. While I tend to nibble into the 1,200-1,600 daily calorie range, I could eat my way up to 1,900 calories if I wanted to on the "up" days. But on the "down" days, I'd be looking at a 350-calorie allowance. I really don't see how that could get me through 24 hours.

My verdict's still out on this one while I read into what other people have to say. What do you think? Is this a legit, get-slim-quick plan or just another fad diet gone wrong?

Portion Sizes attack!

They're merciless, they're uncontrollable and they're here to menace your figure! It doesn't take a registered nutritionist or public health lobbyist to explain our country's weight problem--our food does all the talking. Take this "Portion Distortion" quiz courtesy of the FDA and you'll see the direct and every-expanding line that links our waists to our plates.

Who's the Healthiest of Them All?

I like to think of myself as a pretty nutrition-knowledgeable gal, so when I stumbled on a healthy vs. healthier quiz on MSNBC's website, I was sure I'd ace it (I got an 85%). It was trickier than I thought (ie. apple vs. banana), but the data-dense explanations after each question were great. Just goes to show, making healthy choices isn't cut and dry--even when your choices are both great options.

Stop Stressing...Stop Cancer?

When it comes to your health, stress has earned its bad boy image (Want proof? Just take a look at what it does to your body.) I just got done reading Steve Mitchell's "Feeling stressed out linked to cervical cancer" on MSNBC, and it's definitely worth a read. A new study shows that a woman's stress-level might be a factor in her body's ability to fight off the cancer-causing virus, HPV. It's too soon to tell (they're currently doing more research), but it's a good article and it definitely doesn't hurt to think about it it--just don't stress about it!

Give V-day a Break!

I sat in English Thursday, listening for almost two hours as my teacher facilitated a discussion that could have been titled, "Why Valentines Day is Mankind's Worst Modern Invention." My classmates went back and forth sharing their passionate opinions on everything from the chocolate-rose-card company conspiracies to holiday-related suicide rates. I get it. It's cool to hate Valentines Day. If you're not in a relationship, you hate that it makes you consciously aware of your single status. If you are in a relationship, you hate that you have to show-off your love by buying candies and roses.

But I just don't see the big-bad, cynical side of V-day that everyone else does.

(In the sake of full disclosure: I've been happily dating an incredible kid for over 2 years and I'm still starry-eye in love with him. I've shared Valentines Day with him, with others, and with no one, and February 14th has never made me jaded.)

To me, it's a day to surprise my magazine staff with heart-shaped cookies and my roommates with chocolates. It's a day to be a kid again and make old-school valentines from construction paper. It's a reason for my grandma to send me an I'm-thinking-of-you card and my parents to send me a we-miss-you care package. It's a reminder to tell the people in my life how much they mean to me. And yes, it's a day to fall in love all over again with someone I sometimes take for granted.

I think in life you always have control over two things--your attitude and your actions. So while Hallmark holidays might not be your thing, being negative about it just brings you down more. And life's way too short to be negative all the time! Let people be sappy, send flowers and eat chocolate if it makes them happy, and find something positive that brings happiness to your life!

Heartwarming Spouse Study

Hate how he always leaves the toilet seat up or that his morning breath lasts all day? A new study from the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research says to get used to the stuff that bugs you about about your better half. In fact, if you're in it for the long-run, buckle up--it could be a bumpy ride.

Kira Birditt, the lead author of the study, and colleagues Lisa Jackey and Toni Antonucci, sampled 800 people in the greater Detroit metropolitan area in 1992 and 2005 to evaluate how negative views of spouses, children and friends changed over time. The consensus? Each of the three age groups (20-39, 40-59 and 60 and over) viewed their spouses most negatively compared with friends and kids. The better news? That feeling typically increased over time.

And while individuals were busy getting more bugged by their spouses, their other relationships actually became less irritating over time. Why? Well, it actually makes pretty logical sense. Kids grow into mature, independent adults, making the parent's role a whole lot less demanding (and irritating). And as the saying goes ("you can pick your friends, you can pick your nose..."), we actively and highly-selectively choose our friends as we get older, so our negative feelings stay at bay by simply ditching ones that don't fit the bill.

Not exactly the way it works in partner relationships. The longer you're together, the more real your relationship gets. Sometimes that reality isn't picture perfect. His dying-to-impress you gig when you started dating can change faster than Cinderella at midnight, and your polite, I-love-everything-about-you act sometimes doesn't last long either. But that might just be the way the cookie crumbles in normal relationships.

So should all young, unattached singles out there throw in the towel on finding their happily ever after? Not yet. Researchers still seem confident about love, marriage and the happy-ending that ties it all together. While it may not be perfect or easy or pretty all the time, if you keep a healthy dose of reality (and a big bottle of mouth wash), you'll be able to work through every bothersome bump together.