When I was a child, I loved to spend summer days swimming in the pool. And I used to get really annoyed at my mom, who always insisted that I wait an hour after lunch before diving back in – so I wouldn’t “get a belly ache”. At the time, I thought she was being unreasonable, but it turns out her advice was scientifically sound. When you’re doing strenuous exercise, paying attention to what you eat – and when – can have a big impact on your performance.

Athletes are usually on a constant quest to craft the perfect diet to give them the winning edge. And while many athletes go through a bit of trial-and-error with their diet until they come up with a plan that works for them, there are a few key points that all athletes should keep in mind when trying to match their meals and snacks to their activity. Read more »

The way diet trends go back and forth, trying to follow them is like watching a game of ping pong. By their nature, trends aren’t meant to be long-lasting – and most people who jump onto the latest dietary bandwagon are usually looking for super-fast results. And if you ask those who have managed to lose weight how they did it, their answers are all over the map. Some swear by a low carb plan, while others give credit to a vegetarian regimen or a strict accounting of fat grams.  With so many possible ways to lose weight, it sort of begs the question:  is one diet better than another? Read more »

There’s a little funny-business going on in the produce section of my local supermarket.  There, nestled next to the apples, are cartons of caramel sauce. Tucked in by the strawberries are tubs of chocolate glaze. There’s neon-orange cheese sauce alongside the fresh chili peppers, and a huge display of tortilla chips next to the avocados. It looks as if a turf war is going on, with packaged foods competing for space in the produce section – an area that used to be reserved only for healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables.  Read more »

I rarely eat when I go to the movies, but when we went last weekend, my husband was in the mood for some popcorn.  We ordered a bag to share – choosing a “medium” size for no other reason than a “small” size sounded…well, “small”… and “large” sounded more like “family size”.  So when we were handed this enormous bag of popcorn – enough for about six people – it got me to thinking.  If the folks running the movie theater are deciding what’s a “small” or “medium” or “large” serving of popcorn, do we blindly accept those labels? Do we tell ourselves that “medium” means “moderate”? Do we go ahead and eat half of that “medium” bag of popcorn – even though it’s clearly a large amount of food? Read more »