Readers, I come to you in a state of dietary chaos.

When I first shared my journey with you last month, I was full of optimism. I had embarked on a new life of plant-based eating and had retooled my diet to mainly include fruits, vegetables, tubers, whole grains and legumes. I eschewed meat, dairy products and highly refined foods like bleached flour and refined sugar.

Revamping your diet is a major undertaking, but my resolve was strong. I wanted to eat healthier, improve my digestion and avoid eating animals for moral reasons.

And it was going great. I hadnt had any meat since Dec. 27. Dairy was mostly out and my greatest hits included regulars such as garbanzo beans, rice, spinach, tomatoes, spaghetti squash, carrots, oatmeal, grapes, mushrooms, whole grain bread and potatoes.

Over time, my digestion improved, my skin glowed, my confidence soared. For the first time, I had changed my diet for health and not because of a desperate attempt to lose weight. I felt empowered. I felt so free that I actually went to True Blue Tattoo and bragged about my new life to artist Jason Garcia while he gave me that fabulous feather and inkwell tattoo that Id wanted for decades.

Food was no longer my enemy. Life was sweet. I was so swept up in my victory that I decided to take on my biggest nemesis yet: Diet Coke.

For decades, Diet Coke has been a big part of my life. I generally drank six to eight cans a day. When I went plant-based, I knew Id eventually have to tackle my addiction, no matter how hideous the detox. So I finally went cold turkey.

It was horrendous. Sometimes the headaches woke me out of a deep sleep, but I had anticipated that and wasnt surprised. What I hadnt expected was the massive sweetness void left behind by the lack of soda.

Suddenly, all I wanted to do was eat. Not eat something eat everything. The sweeter, the better.

Girl Scout cookies called to me, and I answered. Ice cream beckoned and cake soon followed. I dumped SweetN Low in my tea and then ate some more junk.

I gained three pounds. My skin grew dull. I dont even want to talk about how bloated I felt.

Eager to get back on track, I turned to Jessica Pearson and Beth Barnett-Boebel with Path Nutrition. The best thing to do was drink lots of water, get enough protein and fats, ditch the SweetN Low and stop beating myself up.

Youre absolutely not a loser, Pearson answered after I labeled myself as such. Please be kind to yourself. This is a lifestyle change.

People switch their eating habits for lots of reasons. Asking yourself why youre embarking on a new diet helps people figure out whats important to them, Barnett-Boebel said. The sooner people start making healthier choices, the better, she added.

I know not every 25- or 30-year-old wants to think about what theyll be like at 60, but its important, she said.

These days, Im actually feeling great. About two weeks after I quit Diet Coke, my energy skyrocketed. I wake up earlier and am more alert. Im more focused, and its not such a struggle to concentrate later in the afternoon. Im on the other side of my post-soda cravings.

But Im a skeptical person. I hadnt expected this setback, and while Ive clawed my way back, Im feeling less confident in my long-term resolve. All I can do is keep plugging along, stick to my convictions and thank God that Girl Scout cookie season is finally over.

Original post:
Austin360Cooks: What happens when you go cold turkey on Diet Coke? - Austin American-Statesman

Tom Brady isone of the best (or thebest) quarterbacks to ever play the game. On top of that, he is rich and hotand marriedto Gisele Bndchen, who is richer and hotter.

The couple seem tohave it all - and now the onlinemeal delivery service of pre-packaged plant-based foods,Purple Carrot,is selling the idea that you can too. It's as easy as subscribing to their newly launched meal service called TB12 Performance Meals - developed directly with TomBrady.

Brady's diet has become a hot button issue for his fans and criticsalike - in large part because of his self- proclaimed belief that it has been one of the cornerstones of his athleticsuccess. On the Purple Carrot website, he states that"eating meals like these is what has helped me stay at the top of my game."

It is an understatement to saythat the main componentsof the diet arehealthy. Anydiet that consists of almost all (80%) vegetables and whole grains with the other 20 percent made up of fish and lean meats is a healthy one. That being said, certain facets of the diet have garnered criticism from nutritionists and scientistsbecausethey are not backed by scientific evidence.For example, eating a mostly alkaline diet makes no sense, as foods (basic or acidic) cannot alter the pH of our blood.The pH of the gastric acid found in the stomach is extremelylowbetween 1.5-3.5so, it doesn't really matter how alkaline foods are, since the basicity of the food will be overwhelmed by the acid in the stomacha process called neutralization.

The diet's extremely restrictive nature and Brady's testament that he never cheats (deflatedballs aside) is the part that seems, like all things Brady, a bit super human. On the diet, there is no sugar, white flour, gluten, nightshade fruits or vegetables (e.g., potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers), MSG, iodized salt, coffee, fungi or dairy.

So, let's get back to how I can look like Gisele....

For just$78.00 a week, Purple Carrot will deliver "fresh, perfectly-portioned ingredients and easy, step-by-step instructions" forthree meals a week (two plates a meal) that adhere to Tom Brady's diet. Three sample meals are available on the website (1). But, what about the other four dinners, seven breakfasts and seven lunches throughout the week? Who isgoing to ginger your amaranth greens or add the zaatar season to your yogurt sauce?

Eating like thatrequires being someone who can have their own, full time cook - like Tom Brady does.

So, even though the predominantmessage of the marketing campaign is that this is how he eats (number 5 of the FAQ is "Is this What Tom Brady Actually Eats?") thediet would be incredibly challenging for the averageperson who has a job, kids, and doesn't make over $20 million a year.

That being said, if you already orderout three dinners a week, I suppose that its better to buy this super healthy, plant based diet instead of pizza or Thai food.

So, this diet might well enhanceyour performance whether you happen to be a professional athlete who needs to achieve peak athletic performance or a 45 year old who plays ina flag football game on Sunday morningand then spends the rest of the day on the couch watching football. If the latter is the case, just remember, no beer with your citrus gremolata.

Footnotes:

(1) Three sample meals on the TB12 menu

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Tom And Gisele's Diet For Sale - Wealth and Good Looks Not Included - American Council on Science and Health

Women's Health

The Sirtfood Diet Includes Wine And Chocolate, But Can It Help You Lose Weight? Women's Health If somebody told you about a diet that allows you to drink red wine and eat dark chocolatewhile also shedding pounds like crazyyour first question might be: what's the catch? But apparently there isn't one, according to the creators of the Sirtfood ...

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The Sirtfood Diet Includes Wine And Chocolate, But Can It Help You Lose Weight? - Women's Health

One of the perks of the TV anchor job is getting to meet a lot of people. I really enjoy it. I get a lot of questions about my recovery from a nasty blood clot incident.

(Im still doing great after that! Maybe Ill get off blood thinners someday. Maybe not.)

After losing around 50 pounds and viewers watching me swim in my suits, I get a lot of questions about the weight loss.

Recently, I got a request from a viewer about wanting more information on what exactly I did to lose weight and get in shape. So here goes

First, dont do anything without checking with your doctor. What Ive done is strictly my journey. Its not precise. Its not by the book and sometimes it has been a little sloppy. I have had the guidance of doctors, nutritionists and fitness coaches.

This is, by no means, the gospel on how to get in shape.My system has not been perfect. But, it has worked for me.

Exercise

I started very slow. My blood clots emergency was in February of 2016. It wasnt until June that a doctor said it was okay to walk around the block. He also said, If you are going to do that, take your phone.

I walked around the block, about 15-20 minutes until early August.

In early August, I joined the Huntsville Hospital Wellness Center. I did a ton of treadmill work. I tried to do 60 minutes at first but that was ambitious. About 30 minutes is all I could do. It took about a month or six weeks to build up to 60-70 minutes on the treadmill. I was also doing light weightlifting every other day. On the weights day, I also tried to do 30-40 minutes on the treadmill.

I did this 5-6 days a week. During football season, I noticed there was a lot less traffic at the Wellness Center if Alabama or Auburn were playing. So, I would watch the first half on the treadmill.

The Wellness Center is a very calm and quiet place to workout. Loud music isnt blaring and they have a lot of coaches that you can go to with questions.

The WHNT studio is located downtown on Holmes Avenue. Often, I would drive by the Iron Tribe Fitnesson Woodson Avenue on my way to work.

During a commercial break during the 4pm news on Cyber Monday, I was checking email. We often do that during a newscast because breaking news will oftenarrive in email. IronTribe was offering a special for their 101 workout. So, I signed up.

IronTribe is an intense workout. Ive been going three days a week since the first Monday of December of 2016. Workouts go 45 minutes. The first half, you warm up for the workout. Then, you do the workout. Its usually a timed workout where they chart your work and progress.

I love it. I do love the loud music working out. Also, the IronTribe coaches are sticklers for form and technique. The workouts are intense. But, its a safe positive place for people all along the fitness curve.

Food

Again, I wasnt perfect with this. This is the really hard part for so many people. It makes your life easier if you pre-plan. And, I dont do that very well. Sometimes I would get caught with limited time and no food at work. Luckily there are a couple of grocery stores near the station that have healthy options that I can take back to the station for dinner.

But for the most part, this is it. These are the foods that I normally select to eat.

Breakfast

Peanut butter toast. Yogurt. Smoothies with protein powder. Careful with the bananas in smoothies. Bananas can make the calorie count go up fast. Oatmeal with fruit, usually blueberries or raspberries. Breakfast is tough for me. Always has been. I love Waffle House and that food is a rare luxury for me now.

Lunch

Lettuce wrap sandwiches and burgers. I try to go light on condiments. Salads with fat free Italian dressing. Yogurt parfaits with Greek yogurt. For years, Ive eaten way too much fruit and that has worked against me. That wedge of watermelon that Ive eaten for lunch for years, left the way for me to be starving at dinner and overeat.

Dinner

Same as lunch. More chicken. Fish when I have time to get it. Sides are broccoli, cabbage, green beans, brussel sprouts. I love corn and beans. But, those are starchy and not as good for you as the others.

Bread

No. Just no. And Im a bread snob. I love great bread. But Im down 90% from the amount of bread I used to eat.

Desserts and Snacks

My biggest weakness has always been ice cream. That comes from growing up next to a Dairy Queen. Halo Top is a good ice cream with only 240 calories a pint. Arctic Zero has only 150 calories a pint. Arctic Zero take a little while to get accustomed to eating. But, Im okay with it now. I also like the frozen yogurt bars. Those are good and will kill my ice cream craving. Most all of them are in the 80-90 calorie range.

No breakfast pastries.

No cookies.

No Rotel cheese dip.

I dont really drink much. But now, Im the two glasses of wine and Im asleep guy.

MyFitnessPal

If you are on a strict calorie count, downloading the MyFitnessPal app will help. I did that from August until the first of December. I need to get back to it. The app keeps up with how many calories you are burning through and what percentage the calories are as it relates to carbs, fats and proteins.

Here is a big hint on the MyFitnessPal app. When you exercise, dont add the calories youve burned back in. This is how it works. If you burn 400 calories, the app allows you to add it back in so you can consume more calories. Stay with your calorie count and let the exercise work for you. Dont create a safety net that allows you to consume more.

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Greg's diet and exercise - whnt.com

That age old saying, "you are what you eat," even applies to teenagers -- especially teenage girls.

Valerie Lego, WZZM 6:09 PM. EST March 13, 2017

Teenage girls eating pizza, stock image. (Photo: iStock)

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. - There are a lot of things moms can do to make sure their teenage daughter gets off to a good start, and now you can add one more thing to that list.

Making sure theyre not over indulging in a diet high in fat and sugar.

All of those yummy foods our teens can't get enough of are setting them up for a higher risk of breast cancer in their 20's and 30's.

If it's a habitual thing, a daily thing, that's going to cause more inflammation later on in life," said Liz Weber, a dietician with Mercy Health Saint Marys. She says inflammation was the basis for a study by researchers at UCLA.

After studying women over 22 years from high school until their early 40's, they found those who ate an inflammatory diet, one filled with red meat, high fat, sugar and processed meats had a 35 percent increase in getting breast cancer before they turned 50.

"If you have all of that inflammation going on when you're young, that's when it's going to have the most impact when your cells are trying to grow properly," Weber continued. "The mammary gland, that's when its first developing and the diet so early, on that's why it's important to have a good diet."

Weber adds inflammation can cause a lot of damage. "It causes the body to be chronically, almost always fighting something off. So it over all just causes damage to the organs.

"It makes the organs work harder, it causes more abdominal obesity which is right around those organs making it harder for them to do their job."

The best advice Weber has for reducing your teenage daughter's risk for breast cancer early on, is to make sure they understand the importance of healthy eating.

If youd like to read the complete study, heres a like to the Nurses Health Study II.

Makeit easy to keep up to date with more stories like this.Download theWZZM13 app now.

Have a news tip? Emailnews@wzzm13.com, visit ourFacebook pageorTwitter.

2017 WZZM-TV

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The teenage diet could increase your daughter's breast cancer risk - WZZM13.com