Now that we've seen "Super Size Me," its was only a matter of time before there was "Super-Skinny Me: The Race to Size Zero."

The documentary, which follows women volunteers as they drop to super-skinny sizes, will be shown on British television early next year, the Associated Press reported.

Britain's Channel 4 is slated to show the film in which a group of female journalists film their attempts to drop to a size 2, equivalent to a U.S. size 00.

But make no mistake, this is no invitation to get skinny.

"This documentary will highlight the dangers of aiming for a super-skinny look, and expose the serious health risks of extreme weight-loss methods, all of which are already in the public domain," said a Channel 4 spokesman.

The channel said it hoped the findings would provoke the same type of debate as Morgan Spurlock's documentary film "Super Size Me," which showed the health effects of a month long binge on fast food.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 03:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Now, even the Federal Communications Commission is getting in on the fight against obesity.

The FCC announced Wednesday that it plans to study links between TV ads, viewing habits and the rising tide of childhood obesity, according to an Associated Press report.

"Small children can't weed out the marketing messages from their favorite shows," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said Wednesday at a news conference. "Especially when the marketing campaigns feature favorite TV characters like SpongeBob or Scooby-Doo."

Martin cited reports showing the average child watches 2 to 4 hours of TV per day and views about 40,000 TV ads every year, most of them for cereal, candy, toys and fast food.

But hey, why stop with the kids? Adults also take in a steady diet of ads. I mean, who among us hasn't craved cookies after an appearance by the Pillsbury Doughboy?

Perhaps a decrease in food ads could help shrink adult waistlines too. Or is it more important to increase ad companies' bottom lines?

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 09:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

If the city's health department has it's way, trans fat in restaurants could go the way of the dodo bird -- extinction.

Newsday's Melanie Lefkowitz reported today that the Department of Health took the first step toward banning nearly all of the heart-harming fats from city restaurants by July 2008.

Trans fat, most commonly an artificial fat generally added to food to increase its shelf life, is considered to be the most dangerous fat because it increases the "bad" kind of cholesterol while decreasing the "good" kind.

The proposal would make New York City the first municipality in the United States to ban partially hydrogenated fats, or artificialtrans fats, in its restaurants. Chicago has been considering a similar plan that I blogged about in July. (Drop the trans fat or you're under arrest)

If approved, the rule, which would be enforced by health inspectors, would require all restaurants to switch to oil, margarine and shortening with less than .5 grams of trans fats per serving by July 1, 2007; and to do the same with all food items by July 1, 2008.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 11:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There is a new virus spreading across your plate every time you eat. No, it's not E. coli, nor is it food poisoning. It's called portion distortion and it can track down and kill even the heartiest of weight-loss efforts.

Most of us suffer from it and it's not entirely our fault. Portion sizes at restaurants have grown continuously over the past 20 years. But as you try to lose weight, it's up to you to know how much food you should be eating.

To help teach Americans about controlling portion sizes, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has come up with a quiz. Check it out and see how you do.

The site also offers a handy Serving Size Card that you can print out and take with you. Some of the servings are much smaller than you think. For example, 3 ounces of meat equals a deck of cards, one pancake is the size of a compact disc and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter are about the size of a ping pong ball.

About.com also offers several great tips, including decreasing your meal by half and asking for a doggie bag before you start a restaurant meal.

There's even a diet called The Pocket Diet that uses pita pockets to control your portion sizes. Now, I've heard everything.

So get out your knife and cut your way back to weight loss! (Sorry, the punster in me just couldn't help it.)

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

When's the last time you saw a fat insect? Odds are, you haven't and that fact could have implications for the human obesity epidemic, says a Texas scientist.

In a story by Health24.com Dr. Spencer Behmer, an entomologist with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, says a factor in the fat fight may be that humans haven't evolved enough to deal with the high carbohydrate load in our diets.

He says that like insects, we require carbohydrates as well as proteins to survive. However, in his experiments, insects were able to adapt to extreme changes in their nutritional environments.

For example, when he fed eight generations of caterpillars an Atkins-like diet that was rich in protein and low in carbs, they showed an ability to store ingested carbs as fat. The caterpillars he put on a carbohydrate-rich diet developed the ability to eat excess carbs without adding fat to their bodies.

So who knows, perhaps in a few generations, we will have outgrown our fat. One can only hope.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A county in Texas made big news last week when it announced that it would pay for weight-loss surgeries for its employees to cut down on health costs.

But hue and cry from the public may end up with the program being cut, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"I just didn't have any idea the public would be so incensed," said Gerald Daugherty, who cast the swing vote on a split Travis County Commissioners Court.

The program called for paying for up to 15 bariatric surgeries per year during a five-year trial. The surgeries, which involve reducing the size of the stomach or rerouting the intestines, would each cost about $15,000 to $25,000, the county said.

To qualify for the program, county employees would have to be diagnosed with morbid obesity and go through one year of monitored unsuccessful dieting and exercise. The county estimates that 300 to 400 of its 4,100 employees would be eligible for the surgery.

Darn, there goes my plan to move to Texas.....

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Help me," said the desperate voice when I picked up the phone. "My blood sugar dropped and I am so tired. What can I eat?"

The caller was a co-worker who had just started a new diet. He had decided to cut out caffeine and cut back on his eating because his clothes no longer fit. But he didn't plan on being so hungry.

I suggested fruit, but he had already had three pieces of pineapple, so I sent him off to the cafeteria for a low-calorie bar to help him make it to dinner.

Like him, I used to go through a crash in the afternoon. I discovered that keeping little snacks at my desk really helps. I usually have my trusty Atkins Advantage bars, but I also keep Mrs. May's Naturals Sunflower Crunch around. They do a whole range of nuts and fruit and the products are cholesterol-free, dairy-free, GMO-free and wheat-free.

The advantage of these products is that they fill you up without sending your blood sugar sky-high and setting you up for yet another crash. There are tons of other bars out there for those that aren't low-carb, but watch the calories and sugar content. Some of them are so fattening that you might as well have had the Snickers bar you've been craving.

If you're on Weight Watchers, CounselingSeattle.com has a great list of one-point snacks ranging from cheese to cereal to soup. And WebMD.com has some great 100-calorie snacks.

So what if you just have to have a cookie? Try Kraft's 100-calorie packs.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Now hear this: Despite what you've heard all your life, breakfast may not be the most important meal of the day. In fact, it may not even be good for you.

That's the word from some scientists. They say it may be more healthful for adults to skip breakfast, as long as they eat carefully the rest of the day, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times.

"No clear evidence shows that the skipping of breakfast or lunch (or both) is unhealthy, and animal data suggest quite the opposite," wrote Mark Mattson, a neuroscientist at the National Institute on Aging, last year in the medical journal the Lancet. Advice to eat smaller and more frequent meals, he wrote, "is given despite the lack of clear scientific evidence to justify it."

Mattson admits that he hasn't proven his case yet. His studies are still preliminary. But already, he has followers who have started skipping breakfast. And a diet plan that involves breakfast skipping — the Warrior Diet — is attracting followers in the U.S. and worldwide.

But what about breakfast being instrumental in weight loss? Nutritionists say you gotta eat to lose weight. But Mattson says taking vitamins and minerals can fill the void.

So what are we dieters to do? I say, pass me my Atkins bar!

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 05:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Weird as it sounds, last week McDonald's got in on the fight against childhood obesity by announcing a donation of $2 million to the La Jolla, California-based Scripps Institute, to fund research and programs aimed at preventing childhood obesity

It is the first time it has ever directly funded scientific research, said President and Chief Operating Officer Ralph Alvarez in an article by Reuters.

The move comes as McDonald's has been working to fend off high-profile accusations that the company is partly to blame for the 16 percent of U.S. children and adolescents who are overweight or obese.

In the last two years, McDonald's has undertaken a campaign to promote what it calls balanced, active lifestyles by eliminating "Super Size" portions of French fries and soft drinks, and by promoting physical activity to its customers in its marketing and advertising.

Pardon me if I'm still suspicious. A few paltry salads and a side order of applesauce for kids does not a healthy menu make.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Pampered pets are gaining weight, just like humans, according to an article in the Boston Herald.

Estimates are that 30 percent to 50 percent of dogs and cats are overweight or obese, making it “a very significant problem,” says veterinarian Scott Alan Brown, head of the small-animal medicine department at the University of Georgia.

Born to be hunters and scavengers, dogs and cats today dont have to stalk prey or scrounge for a meal. “We see large numbers of domesticated pets being fed very high quality food and living very sedentary lifestyles with very limited exercise,” says Brown. “Quite honestly, its analogous to what we see in the pet owners.”

So how can pet owners fight the bulge for their four-legged friends?

First, weigh your pet, just like you would yourself. Next, stop leaving food out all day and give your pet regular meals. Also, limit treats and cut back on portion sizes. And don't forget regular exercise.

Hmmm, just what we should do for ourselves, huh?

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Picture it, as Sophia used the say on the Golden Girls. The year is 2006. I'm standing in front of the Cross Island YMCA, waiting for the horn to sound at the start of the 5K. Bloomp! The horn goes off and I race past everyone and into destiny ....

No, it wasn't like that exactly, but my first 5K walk/run was definitely a success. I completed the 3.2-mile course through the neighborhood of Bellrose, Queens, in 42 minutes and 40 seconds. Not too shabby for my first time.

I ended up running about two miles and walking the rest, but I was happy. My goal had been to walk half and run half. And for a moment, when the organizers asked if I were a runner or a walker, I almost decided to walk the whole way.

My biggest issue wasn't the race; it was my nerves. I kept waking up all night, thinking I would oversleep and then I got a little freaked to see that I was definitely one of the biggest women participating. My boyfriend Steve helped a lot by reinforcing that I wasn't there to compete with anyone and my size didn't matter.

All in all, it was a good experience. Now, on to the next one!

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A top fashion show in Madrid, Spain rejected five models today on the basis that they were too thin.

No, that is not a typo and your glasses are fine. The Associated Press reports that the show, known as the Pasarela Cibeles, had decided earlier this month not to allow women below a predetermined body mass index to parade down the catwalk.

Of the 68 models who turned out, five failed the test conducted by doctors and obesity specialists. The models were more than 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed less than 121.25 pounds, said Basilio Moreno, an obesity consultant at Gregorio Maranon Hospital.

"They had a body mass index below, well below, that which is considered normal not just by the Spanish endocrinology society, whom we represent, but also by the limits set by the World Health Organization," Moreno said.

Apparently, last year's show drew protests because the models were "bone-thin." Officials are concerned that young girls feel they must be stick-thin to be beautiful so they pressured the show to hire fuller-figured models.

A British Cabinet member is urging London Fashion Week to follow in Madrid's footsteps.

Just think, if the U.S. also got on the bandwagon, folks like me could be walking down the runway at Fashion Week. What a great sight that would be.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 10:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With all the craziness of fashion week, I neglected to share that I am participating in my first run/walk at the Cross Island YMCA this weekend.

I decided to sign up last weekend after discovering the fundraiser for underpriviledged youths to participate in Y activities.

I'm pretty nervous about it, even though I've been working out pretty hard. Nita, who organized the event and runs the gym's running class and Sunday running club, says she's putting me with the newbies, so I should be okay.

I'll let you know how it goes.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 04:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sorry for my absence, but all the 9//11 anniversary and Fashion Week preparations have been kicking my butt.

Now, back to weight loss, or in my case, the absence of it. My weight loss has ground to a halt lately, after27 pounds. It seems no matter what I do, I am stuck at a certain number (Wouldn't you like to know what that is?? Psyche!)

I have been exercising five or six times a week, either swimming or walking and running and I have stayed true to my diet since Labor Day. Heck, on Thursday, I even ran in the morning and went to my swim class in the evening.
Still nothing. Each day, the scale just laughs at me.

The one bright spot has been that I am back in regular sizes again. I managed to buy a really cool sweater at the Gap and a suit at Anne Taylor Loft.

But even still, those numbers on the scale definitely impact how I feel about my body. With that in mind, I decided to search the Net to see what help I could fine.

About.com suggests changing my training routine with interval training and composite training to bust through a plateau.

Duke University's School of Medicine, which has a well-renowned obesity program, suggests weighing myself no more than once a week, lowering my expectations and not exercising too much.

And the Atkins Diet & Low Carbohydrate Weight-Loss Support suggests measuring my body to make sure there is a stall, keeping close track of my diet and drinking tons of water among their many ideas.

I'll let you know how it goes.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 10:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Most people underestimate the number of calories in fast food, and the problem is growing as meal portions get larger, according to a new study reported on by the Associated Press.

People make more accurate guesses when the meals are smaller, according to the results of the study being published Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The study was conducted in two parts, according to AP. First, researchers asked 105 people eating at fast-food restaurants in three Midwestern U.S. cities to estimate the number of calories in the meals they had just eaten.

In the second part of the study, 40 undergraduate students were asked to estimate the calorie content of 15 various sizes of fast-food meals. The meals, ranging from 445 to 1780 calories, consisted of varying amounts of chicken nuggets, fries and soda.

The results were similar no matter how much the participants weighed or whether they were male or female, the researchers found. However, overweight people in the first part of the study tended to buy larger meals.

So how do we avoid overeating at fast food places? Researchers suggest using smaller plates and downsizing meals when eating out. You can also divide food into separate groups to try to figure out the calories.

And if you're really at a loss, just bag up half of the food and eat it later. Then, you're guaranteed to eat less.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A leading researcher is laying the blame for rising obesity squarely on the agricultural policies of the world's top food-producing nations, according to an Associated Press report.

Dr. Philip James, the British chairman of the International Obesity Task Force, says the policies favor high-fat, high-energy foodstuffs over basic fruits and vegetables.

"The trade policies that are currently in play are those which subsidize and distort the market to make fats and sugars cheaper and fruits and vegetables more expensive," James said during a break in the 10th International Obesity Congress in Sydney.

The International Obesity Task Force is a section of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, a professional organization of scientists and health workers in some 50 countries.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Admit it, you too struggled on Labor Day. Was it the chips, the full-fat pasta or the desserts that got you?

I was doing fine with the grilled chicken and salad until my friend Genetta pulled out the blueberry buckle with vanilla ice cream. Man, was it good. And I did feel guilty, but only for a little while. After all, I made sure I worked out before I went to her house.

But now's the time to let go of the guilt and get back on the diet wagon. And while you're at it, answer the exercise call too. You know you need to sweat off those chips before they go to your hips.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted by The Skinny on Fat at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)