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Q. Why are we seeing so many overweight kids?

A. You could boil it down to technology and processed food which is to say that you could boil it down to technology. Facebook, text messaging, TV, and incredibly realistic video games are irresistible. By comparison, a game of soccer with the other neighborhood kids sounds downright dull. This is the demand side of the calorie equation. On the supply side, food technology has brought us highly refined (i.e. chopped up, broken down) foods that bear no resemblance to the plant as it grew naturally. The technology in this case is meant to make the foods taste better but the side effect is that these foods are massively calorie-laden. These foods overwhelm young bodies with glucose and the excess gets stored as fat. Even if kids were playing soccer immediately after every burger & milkshake, they wouldn’t be able to metabolize the huge amount of calories they are taking in. Unfortunately, kids today are more likely to go into their basement and play Xbox rather than soccer.

A concerned parent is not likely to find success by curtailing the intake of such a young person These kids know they have a problem and talking about it at every meal will make both parent and child feel awful. The answer is to replace highly refined foods with healthy choices and eat a balance of nutrients. But most of these situations require a catalyst for change such as a meeting with a professional. When parent, child, and a compassionate health care professional sit down together to discuss these issues, the child (God willing) will have the motivation to try new and healthier foods.]]> http://www.christinebybee.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071125-181539 Samantha Harris reveals a little of my nutrition plan for her pregnancy in this month's Pregnancy and Newborn magazine. Like many of my clients, Samantha was not a breakfast person. As she reveals in the article, she started eating a small but balanced breakfast along with balanced meals every four hours throughout the day. Samantha worked right up until the day before her baby arrived doing red carpet interviews for the Emmys, reporting for E! News, and hosting Dancing With The Stars so she was very busy. One of the quick breakfasts she loved was egg whites, fresh strawberries, and yogurt. This balanced combination of protein & carbs provided food for baby and delivered steady energy until Samantha's next meal. ]]> http://www.christinebybee.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071124-201026 Q. What do you think of the Alli diet pills?

A. My knowledge of the Alli diet pill is limited to what I have read on the website. From what I understand, it is a malabsorptive drug meaning that it acts to interfere with the digestion and absorption of nutrients so that they are eliminated from the body in the stool. The Alli website claims that unpleasant side effects include “oily spotting, loose stools, and more frequent stools that may be hard to control.” Specifically, Alli (as claimed) interferes with the absorption of fat. The concept of blocking absorption into the body after eating is philosophically opposite of my goal as a nutritionist which is to feed the body its required nutrients. The same can be said about appetite suppression ingredients such as hoodia. Wisely, the Alli website encourages the drug as a supplement to a diet plan and hard work. I counsel my clients to avoid drugs or surgeries and with an extremely delicate group of clients (celebrities, etc.), I wouldn’t dream of making any of them undergo the side effects listed above. Therefore I certainly wouldn’t recommend these to my non-famous clients. There are many ways to eat fantastic, satisfying food and still lose body fat without paying for a drug, medicating your body, and enduring embarrassing side effects.
]]> http://www.christinebybee.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071106-194020 Q. What is a good thing to order at Starbucks?

A. Good question. Americans are definitely putting on weight from all the lattes and Frappucinos. From a weight-loss standpoint, the very best item at Starbucks is a Green Tea (mint Green Tea is my favorite) which contains 0 calories and actually helps to burn calories thanks to the EGCG content (found in all teas). Also calorie-free are regular drip coffee and espresso while americanos are only 15 calories. Any of the steamed-milk drinks will contain some calories but you can reduce the amount by ordering sugar-free and non-fat.

return to homepage ]]> http://www.christinebybee.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071106-193539 Q. Can you give me a quick, cheap, and easy weight loss tip (I don't ask for much)?
A. Absolutely. Simply make sure you don't consume any calories in your drinks. Our juices, sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks and (especially) blended coffees are loaded with calories and they cause us to gradually gain weight. Calorically speaking, a fruit juice drink is not a whole lot better than a soda. Most people have a drink - either a juice, a soda or a latte - in their hands almost throughout the day and it really adds up over time. If you want an easy way to lose a few pounds or at least stop gaining, start by drinking zero calories.
]]> http://www.christinebybee.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071106-193442 Q. OK then what should I eat for a quick breakfast?
A. When I am in a hurry, I love to eat a Kashi TLC bar because it is a nice balance of protein, carbs, and fat. It is just enough to get a little boost in blood sugar level so that you can keep the metabolism burning. Many people drink protein shakes or just grab a banana when they head out the door in the morning. I say the protein shake is nearly zero carbs meaning your body is still not getting the glucose it needs for energy. The banana on the other hand is loaded with carbs (no protein) which will cause your blood sugar to spike - immediate but temporary energy. A better plan would be to have the protein shake with the banana. The combination will stabilize blood sugar to deliver steady energy - a better state for fat burning.]]> http://www.christinebybee.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071106-192428
Q. Hi Christine. Should I do cardio in the morning before breakfast to maximize fat burning?
A. The concept of cardio before breakfast has solidified in the public imagination after the enormous popularity of Body For Life by Bill Phillips. While I have tremendous admiration for Mr. Phillips and the inspiration he has given millions of people, I have to disagree with doing cardio before breakfast to burn more fat. The reason why is that you wake up with an extremely low level of blood sugar simply because you haven't eaten for 10 hours. Remember that your body burns fat in the flame of carbohydrates, sort of like a pot of spaghetti boiling in a flame of natural gas on your stove. If you run out of fuel for the fire (carbs), your body dips into muscle tissue for fuel. There is no question that this is a recipe to make you skinnier it is just that you probably will lose muscle not fat.]]> http://www.christinebybee.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071106-192327 Q. Christine I have a hard time eating bread or rice because I am convinced that carbs will cause me to get fat. Should I try to cut out carbs?
A. Ah, yes the carb question. The Carb Conspiracy (based on the 30 y/o research of Dr. Atkins) has you convinced you have to eat protein and fats to lose weight. If you cut out all carbs your body will burn muscle for fuel so you will look shrunken within days. You will be immediately smaller but flabbier. The reason is that your brain requires glucose (carbs in the body, broken down) to function and it can't store more than 4 hours' worth of this fuel. If you run out, no problem - your body just dips into your liver and muscle tissue but this is slowing your metabolism. Therefore for optimum fat metabolism you need to eat healthy carbs every 4 hours. The trick is to eat the right carbs and the right amount.]]> http://www.christinebybee.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071106-191021

Q. Christine I saw in Fitness magazine that Samantha Harris from Dancing With The Stars is a client of yours. On The View, she looked like she has returned to pre-baby shape only weeks after having her daughter. How did she do it?

A. During Samantha's pregnancy I had her on my Mommy-To-Be program and she was on a custom-tailored eating plan including meals every four hours. She continued to exercise throughout her pregnancy and never gained too much excess weight. As a result she has had an easier time recovering her pre-baby shape. Samantha has always been a very healthy and fit person (3x Muscle & Fitness cover girl with a washboard midsection) and her own healthy habits deserve most of the credit for her rapid recovery.]]> http://www.christinebybee.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071106-184547 Q. Hi Christine. What is the latest available research on diet pills?

A. Now that ephedra is illegal in the US the next best legal diet pill/weight loss ingredient that is validated by peer-reviewed scientific research is …Green Tea. One well-known study showed that 90mg of Green Tea extract taken daily caused metabolic rates to increase by 266 calories per day. For the sake of comparison, that is roughly the equivalent of a 45 minute walk on the treadmill or a single grande mocha with no whip. Most people would find this too slow to notice anything but the reality is that it does help. Better yet, Green Tea is loaded with antioxidants which fight the effects of free radicals in the body (reducing Cancer risk). Therefore you SHOULD be drinking Green Tea or taking Green Tea supplements to naturally enhance your metabolism and health. My B-Complex vitamin drink ABC & Tea has 70 mg of Green Tea extract in every serving and it tastes great.
I highly recommend that everybody takes a B-Complex supplement for the many health benefits you get from B vitamins. If you want to take something that is real and not a miracle but will actually contribute to weight loss and overall health, take ABC & Tea .
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In case you haven’t heard, carbohydrates (breads, rice, pasta, fruits and vegetables) have become the unwelcome stepchild of the food world. The origin of this diet myth can be traced to Dr. Robert Atkins 1972 book “The Atkins Diet Revolution” which espoused restrictions on “refined” carbs (refined meaning more chopped up, more broken down, more washed as opposed to a wheat grain kernel or a carrot fresh off the plant). 25 years later we have simplified this idea down to two words: “No Carbs.”

If you stop eating carbs, you get skinnier quickly. Why? Think of your body as a car and carbs are your fuel. The only difference is when your car runs out of gas it conks out but your body can keep going by eating its engine (muscles). So your muscles start getting smaller real quick. The bad news is that your brain and body are in a very unhappy state and saggy muscles don’t look much better than fat.

There are three primary energy-yielding nutrients that all humans need to live: Protein, Carbs, and Fat (we also need vitamins, minerals and water but they are not energy-yielding). Carbs and carbs only provide the fuel for your brain and nervous system – you need them to live. What’s more you can’t store them (at least not in carb form) so you need more every 4 hours. What happens when you don’t eat lunch until 3? The brain is dying for fuel, trying to get it from liver and muscle tissue and presto: screaming headache.

“No Carbs” was half the information. What we need to improve our health, our energy, and to lose weight are the right amount of healthy carbs at the right intervals. So every four hours, eat a lean protein along with healthy carbs such as whole grain rice and bread, fresh fruits and vegetables and resist the Carb Conspiracy!

Best Wishes,
Christine

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In our modern world we have a lot to worry about: Global Warming, the Middle East, and the worldwide Energy Crisis. On top of all this, around 3PM most of us have a personal Energy Crisis that forces us to make a mass pilgrimage to Starbucks to avoid a relapse of narcolepsy.

Unfortunately the awakening power of the Frappucino comes at a high caloric cost. Precisely speaking, seven 500 calorie Fraps per week will add nearly 50 pounds to your body weight in a year. Fifty pounds! Wouldn’t it be nice to eat healthy and have high energy all day long without caffeine, nicotine and sugar?

Energy comes from having a high level of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream, a result of eating carbohydrates such as pasta, breads, fruits, vegetables, or sweets (like Frappucinos). The problem is if you eat too much at once, your body acts like OPEC pulling an oil embargo and it takes some of the glucose off the market (out of the bloodstream) and stores it as fat. But while OPEC can hide barrels of oil in an Arabian desert, your body hides excess carbs as fat on your hips, thighs, and buns and once it is there, it is much harder to bring it back to your energy marketplace.

The key to eating for energy is to eat a healthy balance of protein, carbs, and fats every 4 hours. Once your brain detects stable blood sugar levels, like a stable energy marketplace it begins to regulate energy with much less volatility. This means steady energy throughout the day without the late morning grouchies or the afternoon sleepies. It all stems from stabilizing your blood sugar level by eating the right foods to avoid the Energy Crisis.

By the way, you don’t have to stay at the office during the 3PM Starbucks break, just order a green tea or an espresso (zero calories) and try not to worry about world problems.

Best Wishes,
Christine
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Welcome to my blog! I am a warrior in the war on obesity. More to the point, the war on the physiological, psychological, and EMOTIONAL forces that are driving us all to gain weight. Herein you will find my writing about the subject of my passion and my life's work - NUTRITION. Be sure to stay tuned and check out all my delicious cooking segments. Guess what? Big surprise - they are healthy too. Hope you enjoy. Best wishes, Christine]]>