I'd be lying if I told you I didn't want you to go vegetarian or vegan. Compassion and love for animals was a big part of my reason for doing so. I've put together some interesting facts in this week's column for you to read over.

>> Studies show that a plant based diet increases the body's metabolism, causing the body to burn calories up to 16 percent faster than the body would on a meat-based diet for at least the first three hours after meals.

>> A number of researchers argue that while the human body is capable of digesting meat, our bodies are actually designed to be herbivores. For example, the human molars are similar to those of an herbivore, flat and blunt, which make them good for grinding, not tearing.

>> The first Vegetarian Society was formed in England in 1847. The society's goal was to teach people that it is possible to be healthy without eating meat.

>> In 2012, the Los Angeles city council unanimously approved a resolution that all Mondays will be meatless. The measure is part of an international campaign to reduce the consumption of meat for health and environmental reason.

>> There are several types of vegetarians. The strictest type is vegans. Vegans avoid not only meat but also all animal products. There is a debate within the vegan community about whether honey is appropriate for a vegan diet. For example, the Vegan Society and the American Vegan Society do not consider honey appropriate because it comes from an animal.

>> Several researchers argue that a vegetarian diet can feed more people than a meat-based diet. For example, approximately 20,000 pounds of potatoes can be grown on one acre of land. Comparatively, only around 165 pounds of beef can be produced on 1 acre of land.

>> A fruitarian is a type of vegetarian in which a person eats just fruits, nuts, seeds and other plant material that can be harvested without killing the plant.

>> Approximately 25 gallons of water are needed to produce 1 pound of wheat. Around 2,500 gallons of water are needed to produce 1 pound of meat. Many vegetarians argue that more people eating a meat-free diet would lower the strain that meat production puts on the environment.

>> A British study revealed that a child's IQ could help predict his or her chance for becoming a vegetarian. The higher the IQ, the more likely the child will become a vegetarian.

>> The American Dietetic Association concludes that a vegetarian or vegan diet is healthier than one that includes meat. The association notes vegetarians have lower body mass index, lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease, lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and less prostate and colon cancer.

>> Vegetarians have only slightly lower protein intake than those with a meat diet. Various studies around the world confirm that vegetarian diets provide enough protein if they include a variety of plant sources.

>> People become vegetarians for several reasons, including ethical, health, political, environmental, cultural, aesthetic and economic concerns.

>> An ovo-vegetarian will eat eggs but not other dairy products.

>> A lacto-vegetarian will eat dairy products but not eggs.

>> An ovo-lacto vegetarian diet includes both eggs and diary products.

>> The only vegetables with all eight types of essential amino acids in sufficient amounts are lupin beans, soy, hemp seed, chia seed, amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa. However, the essential amino acids can be achieved by eating other vegetables if they are in a variety.

>> Vegetarianism is still required for yogis in Hatha Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. Eating meat is said to lead to ignorance, sloth and an undesirable mental state known as tamas. A vegetarian diet, on the other hand, leads to sattvic qualities that are associated with spiritual progress.

>> Benjamin Franklin was an early American vegetarian (though he later became a meat-eater again). He introduced tofu to America in 1770.

>> While vegetarian diets tend to be lower in calories and higher in fiber (which makes a person feel more full), some vegetarian diets can cause higher caloric intake than a meat diet if they include a lot of cheese and nuts.

Kellie McKinney, MS, is an exercise physiologist and the co-founder of Two Nutrition Nuts.

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Kellie McKinney: Vegan, vegetarian diets linked to many benefits - Huntington Herald Dispatch

I hate it when people tell me that Im smart. It frequently happens when complete strangers discover that I am currently in medical school. Wow, medical school, huh? You must be a genius! It always strikes me as odd that they come to this conclusion without knowing anything about my performance as a medical student. That they require no further proof of my intelligence. You dont have to be smart to go to medical school; thats only required if you want to actually graduate, something I have yet to do.

That isnt what really bothers me about the intended compliment. No, what really gets me is the assumption, sometimes subtly implied and other times articulated more directly, that I am where I am because of a so called gift, that if any other person werelucky enough in the genetic lottery to simply be born smart, they too would be in medical school, or its equivalent in any number of other fields. Whether consciously or not, this minimizes theimportant fact that I have worked my ass off to get to where I am today.

I have long been a believer in hard work. To me, it is the great equalizer. Of course, we all start with different capabilities and opportunities in life. To deny this fact would be nave. I am convinced, however, that hard work truly levels the playing field.

This is the thesis of Angela Duckworths book Grit. In it, she explains that while talent counts, effort counts twice. Personal stories and rigorous research studies are provided in equal measure in support of this claim.

One of the most compelling of these studies was authored by Daniel Chambliss. Titled The Mundanity of Excellence, the paper is the result of six years that Chambliss spent studying competitive swimmers. What he found was that behind every Olympic swimmer who makes world class swimming appear easy are thousands of hours of training, early mornings, meticulous diets and a whole host of other extraordinary sacrifices. While these events are far from flashy and rarely televised, they are directly responsible for the seemingly effortless performances we see in international competition.

In Chambliss own words: Superlative performance is really a confluence of dozens of small skills or activities, each one learned or stumbled upon, which have been carefully drilled into habit and then are fitted together in a synthesized whole. There is nothing extraordinary or superhuman in any one of those actions; only the fact that they are done consistently and correctly, and all together, produce excellence.

Another seminal study in the science of success is K. Anders Ericssons The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance. This study, made famous by Malcolm Gladwells best seller Outliers, evaluated violinists at a prestigious music academy in Berlin and compared professional pianists with amateurs. The study found that the only difference between the truly elite musicians and their less stellar peers was time spent practicing.

Gladwell writes, The striking thing about Ericssons study is that he and his colleagues couldnt find any naturals, musicians who floated effortlessly to the top while practicing a fraction of the time their peers did. Nor could they find any grinds, people who worked harder than everyone else, yet just didnt have what it takes to break the top ranks. In short, those who worked long and hard 10,000 hours of dedicated practice was the famous threshold calculated by Ericsson succeeded regardless of their varied backgrounds. Those who worked less hard fell short.

Quoting Gladwell again, Their research suggests that once a musician has enough ability to get into a top music school, the thing that distinguishes one performer from another is how hard he or she works. Thats it. And whats more, the people at the very top dont work just harder or even much harder than everyone else. They work much, much harder.

Duckworth comes to the same conclusion, citing Will Smith as yet another corroborating example. When asked about his meteoric rise to become one of Hollywoods most successful actors, Smith credits his work ethic above all else:

Ive never really viewed myself as particularly talented. Where I excel is ridiculous, sickening work ethic. The only thing that I see that is distinctly different about me is: Im not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked, period. You might have more talent than me, you might be smarter than me, you might be sexier than me. You might be all of those things. You got it on me in nine categories. But if we get on the treadmill together, theres two things: youre getting off first, or Im going to die. Its really that simple.

The inconvenient truth is that there is no shortcut to greatness. Miracle diet plans or pills, so called smart drugs, get rich quick schemes and the like all propagate a dangerous myth that blood, sweat and tears can somehow be bypassed, that we can reap without ever sowing. The reality, however, is that anything worth achieving is hard. Really hard. Nonetheless, it is also the reality that there is nothing in life that is un-achievable, no challenge that will not yield to purposeful, sustained effort.

The next time you meet a medical student, then, or an investment banker or a small business owner or a single parent or a great professor or anyone else who impresses you, think back to Angela Duckworth, K. Anders Ericsson and Will Smith and try complimenting their hard work rather than their intelligence. According to the research cited thus far, your compliment will be more accurate. Furthermore, if my own feelings are at all predictive of their responses, your compliment will also be far more appreciated.

letters@dailyutahchronicle.com

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Hard Work: The Great Equalizer - Daily Utah Chronicle

Happiness is a perception. Its reflective of our perspective on life. We can look at life with different lenses and different prisms. We try to live in a world of Zen, but it doesnt always happen that way, said Aboo Nasar, M.D., a board-certified geriatrician and internal medicine physician, during his Pursuit of Happiness lecture. The talk was given as part of the La Jolla Community Center Distinguished Speaker Series, Feb. 16.

To assist the brain in creating that uplifted perception, Nasar said there are things we can do eat a healthful diet, get enough sleep, have good social connections and maintain a sense of spirituality. And while these concepts are not exactly breaking news, Nasar explained the science behind these lifestyle habits and their impact on the brain and overall happiness.

After speaking at length about why pharmaceuticals are only one option and perhaps a detrimental one when taken in excess he talked about how feeding the body well and integrative psychiatry are alternatives being considered more regularly.

Integrative psychiatry looks at the whole person: body, mind and spirit, he said. If I have to treat a patient, I have to work with multiple entities so when we want to assess mental health matters, we have to look at a whole slate of things.

But, he added, The most important thing is how you feed your body. If you look at a Ferrari, it can look nice, but to run, it has to have a sufficient engine and energy-dispensing system. Food is one of the crucial things that affects mood.

Nasar cited a recent study in Australia, which suggests a diet of whole grains, fruits, nuts, legumes, vegetables, lean meats, chicken and seafood and a decrease of foods in the beige diet (white, carbohydrate-based items that are low in nutrients) yielded positive mood changes that were comparable to those generated by certain pharmaceutical drugs.

Conversely, he said high fructose corn syrup and other processed sweeteners can cause brain inflammation and can contribute to depression and other mental illness.

Offering a few examples of foods that can contribute to a good mood, he said grapes have polyphenols that are like a freeway cleanup crew for your blood vessels and take plaque and move it (which can boost energy) from around your heart, he said.

Wild-caught salmon, Nasar added, is high in Vitamin B12, essential for your neural-integrity and the nerves in your brain.

Lastly, strawberries have Vitamin C and manganese, which are crucial for making serotonin (a neurotransmitter that contributes to the feeling of well-being) and an amino acid known as GABA, which contributes to neuro-relaxation.

Other foods he recommends include raw almonds, avocados, shitake mushrooms and sesame seeds.

Diets high in these foods, along with beans, greens, citrus, berries, healthy fats such as coconut and fish oils, contribute to the production of endorphins, he said. Other ways we can encourage the brain to make these elevating neurotransmitters include exercise, laughing, soothing scents such as lavender and spending time in the sun.

Endorphins are the happy neurotransmitters used by your spinal cord and our brain, he said. For chronic pain and emotional pain they work very well. You want your body to make endorphins, and diet and time outside can help with that.

He also advocated for meditation as a way to stimulate the brain both for its ability to relax the brain in the short term and stimulate activity in the long term.

We are a spirit enveloped by a body, not a body with a spirit inside it. How we feed our spirit is a huge component to happiness, he said. Spirituality and meditation increases activity in your prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for retention, and works on your emotional brain, as well. For the effective working of your brain, it needs relaxation, too. So if you are having mental health issues, you could go see a psychiatrist, or you could see a monk and I think you would get better results.

After the well-attended talk, several commented that, pending a few too many scientific terms, they appreciated the lecture.

(Nasar) had a lot of great content He encouraged me to continue on the path Im on, which includes low sugar, a healthy diet and lots of laughter ... And while my husband and I go to the beach, I now think we need to spend even more time in nature, said Nancy Lo.

Added Mary Jane Oates, I used to design medical curriculum and teach yoga, so the title of this lecture attracted me here. There werent a lot of surprises, it was just encouraging to hear him reinforcing the ideas you hear from a lot of other health experts.

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Food for Thought: Physician shares science behind mental health, happiness tools - La Jolla Light

A new wave of ingestible electronics is poised to transform health care from the inside out. Researchers are experimenting with sensors that can wirelessly monitor vital signs like heart rate, respiratory rateand body temperature from the squishy interior of our gastrointestinal tract.

But for the devices to work longer than just a few hours after we swallow them, they need batteries that can safely be used inside our bodies. Now, researchers at MIT and Brigham and Womens Hospital have a solution: Theyve developed an ingestible battery that runs on stomach acid.

Its modeled on the lemon battery, the time-honored science fair project that uses the acid of a lemon to react with connected metal electrodes, generating electricity.

We started exploring a couple of ideas and thinking back to the high school days, one of the concepts was applying the lessons from the lemon battery, says Giovanni Traverso, a gastroenterologist and biomedical engineer at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He was a lead author on the earlier sensor research and co-authored this new study.

In the study, the battery powered a wireless temperature sensor in pigs for an average of 6 days.

Before this worked, the longest that had been achieved through systems was more on the order of minutes to about an hour, Traverso says.

Whats more, the battery worked while pigs were eating and drinking going about their daily business, he adds. And as the battery passed out of the stomach and into the small intestine, it kept harvesting small amounts of energy, even though the intestine isnt an acidic environment. Traverso calls it an encouraging observation for other body systems.

Eventually, Traverso and his team hope to develop a battery that can power sensors for weeks, and even months, after ingestion. He says that in the next phase of research, the team will likely dig deeper into how diet affects the batterys energy harvest. Specifically, you know, how much energy is available to be harvested during those times of feeding versus ones during a fasting time.

The pill housing the battery and sensor will see some changes, too. This was a prototype, he adds. And it was on the larger side.

In the future, Traverso thinks the pill could be designed to remain in the stomach for a prolonged period of time, and then change shape to trigger movement through the body. It could also be made out of materials that dissolve after a certain amount of time, delivering medications more effectively.

From there, Traverso sees a plethora of possibilities for the pill. The first thing we showed here in this study was temperature, Traverso says. But we've done some other work in the past looking at measuring heart rate, respiratory rate. And we're doing some other work looking at movement of the actual [gastrointestinal] tract, and then sensing different proteins and toxins.

This article is based on aninterviewthat aired on PRI'sScience Friday.

2016 Science Friday

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Scientists make a battery that runs on stomach acid - KGOU

You aren't getting enough calories istock/monticellloWait, isn't the point of a diet that you are supposed to cut calories? Yes, but according to registered dietitian and author of Belly Fat for Dummies Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, it's only a piece of the puzzle. "A calorie is not just a calorie," she says. "Depending on what you consume, calories from nutrients such as protein and unsaturated fat keep you full for an extended period, whereas calories from simple sugars digest rapidly." If you're cutting calories but not getting the proper vitamins, protein, and fiber you need, your weight loss plan is not going to work. According to a study from Japan, calorie restriction leads to slower metabolic rate, which means without enough calories, your body goes into survival mode, slowing down your metabolism to conserve energy and prevent weight loss. "Focus on improving the nutritional quality of your diet rather than your calorie intake for improved body weight and health," Palinski-Wade says. Doctors wish you'd stop following these weight loss "tips." You're skipping meals istock/_thesomegirlAs with cutting calories, cutting meals isn't effective for healthy weight loss. Being overly hungry throws off the balance in your body, as Laura Moore, RD, director of the dietetic internship program at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, explains. "Energy intake, or what's consumed, and expenditure, or what's burned, is coordinated by signals from several systems, including the endocrine, adipose tissue, neurologic, and gastrointestinal systems," she says. Chemical signals that increase and decrease appetite are sent to the brain. "This weight regulation system helps maintain a healthy weight for most people by modifying hunger, activity, and metabolism to keep the body weight within a target," Moore says. "Moving below this target, or set point, by skipping meals can be challenging because the brain's energy-balance system goes into action, pushing the weight back to its set point or even above." That means you're basically fighting with your body over where your weight should be. Instead, Moore recommends listening to your body's signals, eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. Here's what happens to your body when you skip breakfast. You're not mindful when you eat istock/Eva-KatalinBut if your goal is to eat less, how can you still satisfy your body's hunger signals? The trick may be in changing how you eat as well as what you eat. Moore recommends "mindful eating," which means being acutely aware of everything you put into your mouth. "Take small bites of food and chew it slowly, stopping two or three times during a meal to determine if you are hungry or if you feel satisfied," she says. Reexamine your potions based on how big your plates areaccording to research from Cornell, serving food on bigger plates has a direct effect on how much is consumed. Be mindful of other triggers that promote overeating like noshing directly from a package, buffet meals, and food advertisements. And if you're paying attention, you'll be less likely to finish off those extra bites of mac and cheese from your kid's plate. Also, Moore says to eliminate distractions while eating. "Are you watching television, working through lunch, eating at your desk, or while driving in your car?" she says. "It is important to disengage and focus on the meal, which will allow a person to experience hunger and satiety." Read about the healthiest foods from every color of the rainbow.

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10 Hidden Reasons Your Diet Isn't Working - Reader's Digest

Jennifer Kline, AOL.com

Mar 3rd 2017 1:10PM

Her mom has lost more than 300 lbs, and Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson is super proud -- but she's not looking to follow suit.

The 11-year-old fully rejects a doctor's healthy eating suggestions during the March 3 episode of "Mama June: From Not to Hot.' Dr. Michael Feiz lays out his case, but Honey Boo Boo isn't having it.

"Like, I have no idea what this man's talking about," she tells the camera. "Mama's on this diet, but I'm not, boo boo. I like my curves. ... I mean, seriously, this dude is really crazy."

Dr. Feiz recommends that the family "stay away from fried foods, stay away from high-fattening foods." The lifestyle change is a critical part of the weight-loss process for Mama June Shannon, who underwent gastric bypass surgery in addition to adding diet and exercise to her daily routine.

But Thompson is unenthusiastic, rebutting, "I'm not jumping on any bandwagon, unless it has cheeseburgers and stuff."

A 2015 People story revealed that at age 9, Thompson was 125 lbs. The average weight for a child that age is 63 lbs.

It's possible that down the road, Thompson will take her mom's advice, which she relayed to In Touch earlier this year: "I'd tell people who are struggling with weight, just take it one day at a time. You can't just give up because it seems like the easy way to go. Trust me, I wanted to give up several times throughout this journey."

RELATED: See photos of Mama June and her family:

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Mama June through the years

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 18: Honey Boo Boo and her mom Mama June along with sister Pumpkin in Beverly Hills, Ca on January 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Light Brigade/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: June Shannon and Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson are sighted at The Grove on October 15, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/FilmMagic)

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 15: June Shannon attends the 'How To Honey Boo Boo: The Complete Guide' Book Event on July 15, 2013 in New York, New York. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)

MCLEAN, VA- July 11: Mike 'Sugar Bear' Thompson attends the 'How to Honey Boo Boo: The Complete Guide' Book Event at the Barnes and Nobles on July 11, 2013 in Mclean, Virginia. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images)

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Mike Thompson (L) and June Shannon visit 'Extra' at Universal Studios Hollywood on September 9, 2013 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Extra)

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 05: Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson and Mama June Shannon attend the ATL Premiere Of WE Tv's 'Growing Up Hip Hop' at SCADshow on January 5, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage)

HOLLYWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 19: (L-R) TV personalities Lauryn 'Pumpkin' Thompson, Mike 'Sugar Bear' Thompson, Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson and June 'Mama June' Shannon attend We tv's celebration of the premieres of 'Marriage Boot Camp Reality Stars' and 'Ex-isled' at Le Jardin on November 19, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson and her mother June Shannon (R) visit 'Extra' at The Grove on October 15, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Extra)

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Mike Thompson visits 'Extra' at Universal Studios Hollywood on September 9, 2013 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Extra)

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: Alana Thompson aka. Honey Boo Boo and June Shannon aka. Mama June seen out in Manhattan on April 04, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Josiah Kamau/BuzzFoto/FilmMagic)

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson and her mother June Shannon (L) visit 'Extra' at The Grove on October 15, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Extra)

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Mike Thompson (L) and June Shannon visit 'Extra' at Universal Studios Hollywood on September 9, 2013 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Extra)

UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: June Shannon visits 'Extra' at Universal Studios Hollywood on September 9, 2013 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Extra)

Honey Boo Boo and family dressed as the Kardashians.

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Mama June and Honey Boo Boo are seen at LAX on November 18, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by GVK/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 0073 -- Pictured: (l-r) Television personalities Mama June and Honey Boo Boo during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon on June 11, 2014 -- (Photo by: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 0073 -- Pictured: (l-r) Television personality Honey Boo Boo during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon on June 11, 2014 -- (Photo by: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

GOOD MORNING AMERICA - Honey Boo Boo and Mama June (Here Comes Honey Boo Boo) are guests on 'Good Morning America,' 2/5/14, airing on the ABC Television Network. (Photo by Fred Lee/ABC via Getty Images) AMY ROBACH, MAMA JUNE, HONEY BOO BOO

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 15: Honey Boo Boo's mother June Shannon attends the 'How To Honey Boo Boo: The Complete Guide' Book Event on July 15, 2013 in New York, New York. (Photo by Charles Norfleet/FilmMagic)

MCLEAN, VA- July 11: June 'Mama' Shannon attends the 'How to Honey Boo Boo: The Complete Guide' Book Event at the Barnes and Nobles on July 11, 2013 in Mclean, Virginia. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images)

MCLEAN, VA- July 11: Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson attends the 'How to Honey Boo Boo: The Complete Guide' Book Event at the Barnes and Nobles on July 11, 2013 in Mclean, Virginia. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images)

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE - 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' airs every weeknight, (12:00 - 1:06 a.m., ET), following 'Nightline,' packed with hilarious comedy bits and features a diverse lineup of guests including celebrities, athletes, musicians, comedians and humorous human interest subjects. The guests for MONDAY, OCTOBER 15 included actor Aziz Ansari ('Parks and Recreation'), Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson and June 'Mama' Shannon ('Here Comes Honey Boo Boo') and musical guest Josh Turner. (Photo by Richard Cartwright/ABC via Getty Images) JUNE 'MAMA' SHANNON, ALANA 'HONEY BOO BOO' THOMPSON, JIMMY KIMMEL

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson and her mother June Shannon (L) visit 'Extra' at The Grove on October 15, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Extra)

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MCLEAN, VA- July 11: June 'Mama' Shannon, Mike 'Sugar Bear' Thompson, Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson, Anna 'Chickadee' Shannon and Lauryn 'Pumpkin' Shannon attend the 'How to Honey Boo Boo: The Complete Guide' Book Event at the Barnes and Nobles on July 11, 2013 in Mclean, Virginia. (Photo by Kris Connor/Getty Images)

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More from AOL.com: Mama June reveals reason behind shocking weight loss in 'From Not to Hot' premiere EXCLUSIVE: Mama June's gastric bypass surgery goes wrong in graphic 'From Not to Hot' sneak peek Elton John's Oscars viewing party: Red carpet arrivals

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Honey Boo Boo, 11, refuses to diet: 'I'm not jumping on any bandwagon, unless it has cheeseburgers and stuff' - AOL News