June 28, 2004
Daily Tips for Nutrition
Be careful with leftovers, boost your post-run afternoons and an easy and healthy way to lose weight.
June 15, 2004
Canadians are getting fatter
As I lay in bed this morning I was hemming and hawing about hitting the road for my scheduled run until I heard this story on the local news radio station. Sometimes the motivation to get me out the door isn't warm and fuzzy. Sometimes its downright depressing news like this that reminds me why I need to get my butt in gear. Some mornings I need more motivation than the normal "I love running and everything its done for me and my family" inner monologue. 15 minutes after hearing this report I was on the road.
Fat Canadians keep getting fatter
Despite all the buzz around weight-loss regimens like the Atkins diet, Canadians keep getting fatter, a new Statistics Canada survey says.
About 15 per cent of adult Canadians were reportedly obese in 2003, the survey says, with a full third considered overweight. In 2001, 14 per cent of Canadian adults were obese and 32 per cent were overweight.
May 27, 2004
The Way We Eat Now
Ancient bodies collide with modern technology to produce a flabby, disease-ridden populace.
by Craig Lambert
Last year, Morgan Spurlock decided to eat all his meals at McDonald's for a month. For 30 straight days, everything he took in—breakfast, lunch, dinner, even his bottled water—came from McDonald's. Spurlock recorded the results on camera for his film Super Size Me, which won the Best Director prize for documentaries at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Super Size Me is also a kind of shock/horror movie, as viewers see the 33-year-old Spurlock's physical condition collapse, day by day. "My body just basically falls apart over the course of this diet," Spurlock told Newsweek. "I start to get tired, I start to get headaches; my liver basically starts to fill up with fat because there's so much fat and sugar in this food. My blood sugar skyrockets, my cholesterol goes up off the charts, my blood pressure becomes completely unmanageable. The doctors were like, 'You have to stop.'" In one month on the fast-food regime, he gained 25 pounds.
Link via boingboing
May 19, 2004
The Carbohydrate Manifesto
The Amateur Gourmet: The Carbohydrate Manifesto
I DECLARE THIS THURSDAY, MAY 20TH, NATIONAL CARB AWARENESS DAY.
That's right. Spread the word. This Thursday everyone--including you--will eat a gratuitous carbohydrate. No, not your daily dose of granola; we're talking a mega-cupcake, or a big black and white cookie. Thursday, we're going start a revolution and start it right. And if you have a website, please spread the word. The more people who know about it, the greater the impact we can make. Plus what else do you have to do? It's not like you have a vibrant social life. I'm just saying.
May 05, 2004
Super Amazing Live 3-Way sushi cam! Can you not believe me?
This link has been in my favourites for many moons but I rediscovered it tonight. The Taturo Sushi Shop in Tokyo has the coolest/only three-way sushi cam I've ever seen. Three different perspectives: top down; cutting board level and sushi bar overview have all the bases covered. All cams are in real time but are out of sync by about 1-2 seconds but its great nonetheless. There is also a page of sushi recipes with pics and video clips for all you budding sushi samurai. Of course depending on your timezone you may be out of luck.
April 24, 2004
Coca Cola presents "Water Salad" and other weird vending machines in Japan
PhotoMann Travel Photgraphy - Images of Japanese Vending Machines
Vending Machines of Japan
PhotoMann recently decided to 'collect' images of unique vending machines found in Japan. They are everywhere. Estimates suggest there are 5.6 million vending machines which works out to be one for every 20 people in Japan. Sales from vending machines in 2000 totaled $56 billion! The most common are drink and cigarette machines followed by machines with pornography. All of the images in this section are taken with a Nikon Coolpix 5000. Below is a sampling of the machines to be found.
April 21, 2004
Yes we have no banana...guards
Are you fed up with bringing bananas to work or school only to find them bruised and squashed? Well, are ya punk? Then why not grab yourself a Sublime Green or Passionate Purple bananaGuard?
April 13, 2004
Here's a tip for beating the lineup
I've never bribed my way into a restaurant. I've never slipped a C-note or greased a palm. In truth, I've never even considered it. I've assumed, of course, that people do such things. I've seen my share of Cary Grant movies. I've heard — and wondered whether such old-fangled gestures would work in the high-stakes, high-hype world of New York City restaurants. For everyday diners in Manhattan, cracking the waiting list at Nobu is said to be harder than getting courtside tickets for the Knicks. But is that true?
February 10, 2004
Janet Jackson Breast Cupcakes
I'm willing to bet Janet Jackson breast cupcakes will be the number one Valentine's Day snack this year. Sweet chocolate frosting topped with a creamy Hershey's kiss...and it looks better than the real thing to. Almost NSFW.
Fawlty Water
Don't Mention the Fawlty Service
That reminds me....I need to rent the Fawlty Towers dvd set.
January 29, 2004
Bowflex Machines Recalled Over Safety
Hundreds of thousands of popular Bowflex fitness machines are being recalled because of safety problems that have resulted in more than 70 injuries, the government said Thursday.
January 27, 2004
Pasta Photo Log
so, do you have pasta once a day?
almost. some (few) days i have pasta at lunch and at dinner, some other days i have no pasta at all. that's why i can't update this site everyday as the midnight ticks...
Thanks to ZFilter for this one.
January 23, 2004
Hmmm...can Yak nuggets be far behind?
KFC fast food to wing its way to Tibet
Entering the far-flung, mountainous western region famous for its salty yak butter tea and tsampa, or roast barley flour paste, would solidify KFC's presence in China as it looks outside its main North American market for sales growth.
JAMIE GOES TO WAR ON 'SH*T' KIDS' FOOD
The one-time Naked Chef has launched a blistering attack on the "sh*t" we feed our children - and blasted firms for peddling junk food dressed up as healthy snacks.
The 30 Day McDonalds Diet
Original link borked by NY Post's stupid archive policy. Here's a fresh link about Spurlock's film Super Size Me.
Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's new documentary, "Super Size Me," details his 30-day McDonald's diet and subsequent health woes.
April 23, 2003
Fast food faster than humanitarian aid in Iraq
"I would prefer we got decent showers and toilets sorted out first," muttered one high-ranking officer."
You'll need those toilets after chowing down on those greasy pizzas and french fries.
April 17, 2003
Fat Man Sues McDonald's Over Non-Hire
Update: Farkers weigh in on this story.
The urge to blame McDonald's for not only causing this man's obesity then denying him a job because of his weight is almost too great to overcome but overcome it I must. Just like the kids who tried to sue McD's because they didn't know that eating every meal there was a bad thing, I believe everyone is responsible for there own actions excluding the criminal insane ie Lex Luthor and Dubya.
If you are physically incapable of doing a job because you weigh over 400 lbs then perhaps your biggest problem isn't some evil fast food manager denying you a slave wage job.
April 14, 2003
Its not SARS...honest.
Last Sunday I was layed low by a vicious virus that just knocked the snot out of me. Of course with SARS fears running through everbody's minds I decided to get checked out with my doctor who confirmed what I already know. Its not SARS! I live in Hamilton but work in Toronto and the level of paranoia is palpably more real in T.O. then the Hammer! Even after the clean bill of health from the sawbones co-workers still avoided me and my desk of death. I had a can of Lysol, a bottle of anti-bacterial hand wash, pills and potions all lined up on my desk to keep me healthy and to avoid spreading my cold which seems to have done the trick at work. Caitlin seems to have picke dup my bug and I feel terrible because she is so sick and the weather is so nice out now and she can't enjoy it.
March 18, 2003
Weight Watchers recipe cards from Hell
Weight Watchers recipe cards from 1974
These cards mystify me. None of them have calorie or nutrition information of any kind, and in some instances it's hard to tell what's dietetic about the recipes at all, except that they're unspeakably grim. And yet also, completely insane. They appear to be from a much kookier era of Weight Watchers. There's a certain serve-it-at- your-next-key-party freakiness to a lot of these dishes.
March 06, 2003
Could you super-size those carrots?
Could you super-size those carrots please?
... recent research shows that the key to losing weight is eating substantial amounts of what are known as "big" foods, which are foods that contain relatively few calories for their bulk. When we eat these foods, we can stay satiated longer, which ultimately leads to weight loss.
I've read this before but it never really registered with me until now. It certainly jibes with my observations and eating habits. I find it easier to eat regularly throughout the day at work because of the structure built into my day. A typical work day includes the following:
All day
I usually snack on fresh fuit like apples, oranges and grapefuit with the occasional serving of pretzel sticks or light microwave popcorn. In total about 300 calories would be a very rough estimate. All meals are usually downed with water. I do drink pop on occasion but not enough to count it as a regular part of my diet.
Breakfast
2 cups of bran cereal like Corn Bran or Raisin Bran -- Each cup is roughly 100 calories and just over 4 grams of fibre.
A whole wheat bagel with breakfast but more often I'll eat it with lunch.
Lunch
1 can of Campbell's Healthy Request soup which is about 2.2 servings. Thats around 200+ calories and between 6-8 grams of fibre per can.
8 Melba Toast to crumble in my soup runs about 150 calories and not much fibre.
Large green salad with mixed vegetables which has to be less than 75 calories plus a few table spoons of Renee's Low Fat dressing for another 75 calories and sometimes much less depending on the variety.
A mixed fruit cup between 50-75 calories per serving.
Dinner
Usually the biggest meal of the day and it varies by day but its usually in the 350-450 calorie range and includes salad and dressing.
Weekends are not nearly as structured and is when I'll usually eat some restaurant food, especially chinese. I still watch what I eat but not as closely as during the work week.
March 04, 2003
TV watchdogs ban misleading advert
TV watchdogs ban misleading advert by McDonald's
McDonald's has been criticised by an advertising watchdog after it found that the succulent burgers in the fast-food chain's commercials bore little relation to the real thing.
December 03, 2002
Popcorn fire!
Some moron at work put popcorn in the microwave, set the time to ten minutes and then walked away. My office mate Sandra just happened to walk into the lunch room with a minute and thirty seconds left to go. There was smoke billowing out of the microwave and filling the room with a dirty yellow haze. Sandra yelled for me to help but there was nothing to be done. Soon the smoke was drifting throughout the office triggering an asthma attack in another co-worker and others had coughing fits and irriated eyes. What was the moron's reaction? No reaction whatsoever. He just walked into his office and closed the door becasue he had a remote demonstation to do. What an ass! Now the whole office stinks of smoke more than an hour later and I'm sure the microwave is a write off. A number of us decided to skip out for an early lunch at the local Japanese restaurant which kinda blew my Weight Watcher's Points all to hell but not to worry, I still have to do my thirty minute run tonight which should burn a few of those points away!