According to new research, cutting back on calories is just as effective as combining diet and exercise, as long as the calories consumed and burned are equal.

ABC News' Janet Helm reported that the new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism also found that adding exercise to a weight-loss regimen does not improve body composition and abdominal fat.

Even though the increased physical activity did not budge belly fat — it did improve the aerobic fitness level of the exercise group compared to the calorie-restricted and control groups.

The authors concluded that aerobic fitness has other important cardiovascular and metabolic implications.

Hmmm, guess that means I can't stop doing sit-ups? Oh, my aching tummy!

-- Amanda Barett, amNY.com

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Los Angeles has become the next front in the trans fat war.

Restaurants will be urged to voluntarily phase out trans fats from kitchens over the next 18 months under a plan unveiled by city and county leaders Tuesday, according to an Associated Press report.

Local officals had urged a ban, but it was disallowed by legal advisers and California state law.

The announcement comes one day after McDonald's said it had selected a new trans-fat-free oil.

Spokesman Walt Riker said the oil is currently in more than 1,200 U.S. restaurants after extensive testing, but declined to provide details on timing or locations.

"We can confirm that we've got the right oil," he said in an Associated Press report. "We're phasing it in."

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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Thanks to my trusty readers for alerting me to two pretty cool sites about weight loss.

Billy Palmer let slip FatSecret.com, a nifty place with journals, recipes, tips and more about diets and dieting. I love the feature in which members track their average pounds lost per week on different diets. And then there are the people who make up their own diets.

And unlike many diet sites, you can go in as a guest and tool around before deciding if you want to sign up.

RKSun06 told me about WeightCircles.com, where dieters can give tips and comments and blog. RK says blogging helps him/her stay on track because they do it on a daily basis.

I can attest to that. More than once I've turned down some treat because if I'm gonna talk the talk on this blog, I gotta walk the walk, as the Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson said.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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After an outcry from advocates for the obese and others an insurance company has stopped requiring an IQ test before approving weight-loss surgery.

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee told the Tennessean that the true intent of the policy has been misunderstood and that's why it was eliminated Friday.

"It was to help us to evaluate the level of support the patient would need after surgery," said Mary Thompson, BlueCross spokeswoman. Thompson said there was never a passing score that had to be met to get the surgery. And, she said, no one was ever turned down for the surgery because of the IQ test.

Yeah, right, okay. She must really think we're stupid.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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In a bid to cut it's rising obesity costs, West Virginia's Medicaid program is calling in Weight Watchers to help it's residents slim down.

According to an Associated Press report, up to 75,000 West Virginians will soon be eligible for free weight loss courses through Weight Watchers, thanks to an effort by the state Medicaid program and the health benefits group UniCare, the largest provider of Medicaid coverage in the state.

If the program is successful in West Virginia, Wellpoint will look at rolling out similar programs in the 14 states where it provides benefits,. Those states are California, Colorado Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.

How's that for putting your money where your mouth is?

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has sparked controversy by requiring IQ screenings for all morbidly obese patients who seek gastric bypass surgery, according to a FoxNews.com report.

"The term IQ test is misleading," Mary Thompson, spokeswoman for BlueCross Blue Shield of Tennessee, told FOXNews.com. "It really measures the patient's knowledge of the surgery itself and the eating and lifestyle changes necessary afterward."

BlueCross's documentation, however, spells out strict guidelines for patients considering the procedure that includes the need for both an IQ screening approved by the American Psychological Association, and additional tests designed to measure eating behavior or attitudes, along with other evaluative materials from a psychologist or psychiatrist.

Obesity advocates are outraged and plan to take the issue to state representatives.

Does an insurance company have the right to ask for IQ tests? Read the complete story and let me know what you think.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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A new study shows that people who are obese can reverse some early heart and blood vessel dysfunction by adopting a healthy lifestyle and losing weight. But exercise alone, without losing weight, does not appear to be enough to improve cardiovascular function.

Check out the full story.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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Obese people are bulking up even more in an effort to qualify for free weight-loss surgery, according a report in the London Daily Mail.

Government guidelines state that anyone with a body mass index (bmi) above 35 and a related medical condition should have surgery paid for by the National Health Service.

But some local health trusts have raised the qualifying limit to 45, forcing patients to pile on the extra pounds, according to the British Obesity Surgery Patients Association.

Man, talk about unintended consequences. That must truly be depressing, to be too thin for surgery, but too fat for life.

So what would you do? Would you try to gain weight or try to lose it on your own? Let me know what you think.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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The Washington Post had a great article today on faith-based weight loss put on by a Northern Virginia church.

Pastor Steve Reynolds, who lost 70 pounds through the power of prayer and low carbs, is part of a growing group who see obesity as one of the big hurdles for their members.

Check out the full article.

And while you're at it, head over to the St. Petersburg Times for their look at the Hallelujah Diet, a vegan eating plan that centers on the consumption of raw foods and Christianity.

The dieters' goal is to re-create the state of health in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve lived disease-free. However, the claims of the plan's healing properties have drawn the ire of some nutritionists.

See what you think.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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The arrival of the month of January seems to the open the floodgates to a high tide of diet books each year. It would be impossible to read them all, but a Miami Herald article recently took a stab at a few of them.

The story took a look at 10 of them, including The Juan-Carlos Cruz Calorie Countdown Cookbook: A 5-Week Eating Strategy for Sustainable Weight Loss and The Portion Plan: How To Eat the Foods You Love & Still Lose Weight, which I wrote about (Portion Teller plan for weight loss).

The article doesn't review the diets, just give you a quick idea of how they work. Check them out, maybe one will the key to weight loss for you.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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A Philadelphia man has discovered a real-world benefit from virtual video games -- weight loss.

After six weeks and 21 hours of total game play on Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s new Wii game console, Mickey DeLorenzo has shed nine pounds, according to a Reuters article.

DeLorenzo, 25, came up with the idea for his experiment after he and his fiancée ended up breathless and glistening with sweat after virtually pummeling each other in the "Wii Sports" boxing game. Starting Dec. 3, he ate as usual but kept up a steady 30-minute diet of Wii tennis, bowling, boxing or baseball.

DeLorenzo chronicled his progress on his blog at WiiNintendo.net.

Hmm, now I've got an excuse to buy that Wii I've been wanting. Virtual boxing, anyone?

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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As we all know, childhood obesity is raging throughout our country and reaching around the world.

But there are bright spots out there. Jane Brody of the New York Times recently shared the story of “Weight Loss Confidential,” a study of how 104 overweight preteens and teenagers — 41 boys and 63 girls — lost significant amounts of weight and maintained their losses for two years or longer. The average loss was 58 pounds, with 26 of the participants having lost 75 pounds or more and 14 having lost 100 pounds or more.

The author of the study is Anne M. Fletcher, a registered dietitian from Mankato, Minn., who also wrote “Thin for Life,” a study of 100 adults who had lost 30 or more pounds and maintained their losses for three or more years.

Brody details the tactics the kids used to lose weight, including exercising, cutting back on high-fat foods, going on a diet and cutting out certain foods. All the kids restructured their eating habits.

Check out the full article and see what tips your can mesh into your own weight-loss plan. And find weight-loss and recovery resources on AnneMFletcher.com.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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A Pennsylvania school district has given 'mystery meat' a new twist by providing 'mystery fat' as a fat substitute for its salad dressings.

And the good new is, the kids love it, according to an Associated Press article.

The secret ingredient is a plant-based fat substitute called Z Trim. The district began adding it to the ranch dressing served with salad and chicken for 10 months, but just told the students about the switch Thursday.

Z Trim, which has no fat, is made from the hulls of corn, oats, soy, rice and barley. It was developed by a scientists at a U.S. Department of Agriculture lab in Illinois in the mid-1990s.

Sold as a gel or powder, it can be used in dressings, dips, sauces, baked goods, processed meats, snack foods, cookies, pies and other foods. However, it can't fried.

Check out the full story and read more about Z Trim.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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Mark Israel, owner of Doughnut Planet, has become the talk of New York City this week with his healthy version of donuts.

According to an Associated Press report, Israel supplies everyone from upscale grocery stores to "dive coffee shops" around the city with his trans-fat free treats. He's also got a licensing deal for nine Doughnut Plant stores in Tokyo, where he sells to Starbucks.

He and other natural donut makers say the donut has come full circle with these healthier versions.

But I, for one, can't be convinced that doughnuts are healthy, trans fat or no trans fat. Even without the artery-clogging substance, you still have all that dough fried in grease. No way that can be good for you.

But hey, I'm open to other opinions. Take our poll and let us know what you think.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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To hear the media tell it, everyone you know and everyone you don't is on a diet, but a new study has found that Americans on diets are down by 35 percent of women and 26 percent of men from 1990.

According to a United Press International article, the NPD Group's Dieting Monitor survey found only 26 percent of females and 19 percent of men said they were on a diet in the 12 months up to February 2006, the period surveyed. That's even though NPD reports 60 percent of adults in the United States insist they'd like to lose 20 pounds.

Among those who were following a weight-loss program, the most popular method was a self-invented diet. Next was a doctor-prescribed diet. Weight Watchers came in third.

And the most popular time to start a diet? March.

Apparently, not many folks want to attempt to lose weight in January, despite the propensity for resolutions. Most people need to hear the siren call of spring and swimsuit season to propel them into weight-loss mode.

Check out the full article and get a dandy little recipe for Thai Chicken Salad.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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So you've lost a significant amount of weight. Congratulations. Now, how do you keep it from coming back?

The Denver Post recently turned to James O. Hill, co-founder of the National Weight Control Registry , for answers.

Hill said there are several steps you can take to avoid the yo-yo effect including eating breakfast, getting regular exercise, weighing yourself on a regular basis and sticking to a lower amount of calories.

Check out the full article and see if you qualify to join the weight control registry. The program tracks more than than 6,000 people who have lost an average of 70 pounds and kept it off an average of six years. It is open to individuals 18 and older who have lost at least 30 pounds and maintained that loss for at least one year.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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The fight against too-thin models on the runways has come ashore in the U.S., just weeks before Fashion Week kicks off in Bryant Park.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America issued a formal health initiative and guidelines Friday aimed at boosting awareness and promoting wellness and a healthier working environment in the American fashion industry, according to Newsday's Anne Bratskier.

However, the guidelines have no teeth. While the CFDA Health Initiative stops far short of a mandate on policing the industry, it does assert that "designers share a responsibility to protect women ... sending the message that beauty is health."

Recommendations include: educating the industry to identify the early warning signs of eating disorders, requiring models identified with eating disorders to seek professional help to continue working and providing healthy snacks at shoots.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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If you want to lose weight without counting calories, I have just the book for you.

I just finished reading "The Portion Teller Plan: The No-Diet Reality Guide to Eating, Cheating and Losing Wweight Permanently" by Lisa R. Young.

The premise of the book is that portions have grown far too large in America and the amount of food, not the calories, is at the heart of our obesity crisis. The New York University professor says that by learning to estimate the servings you are eating, you can drop weight without having to count calories, points or anything else.

Young uses "The Handy Method" involving the palm of the hand, a fist, fingers, fingertips and so on to calculate portions. For example, 3 ounces of meat equals the plam of your hand.

The references are handy, but can easily be found on the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's website, which I blogged about in September (Coping with Portion Distortion).

What Young does offer are measurements for many common foods, tips on common eating issues such as stress eating and a tracking system to help you watch your intake. She also has a very interesting history of portion sizes, where you can literally follow the expansion of food sizes - and our waistlines.

Not a bad book, overall. Check out the Portion Teller website for more on Young and her book.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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More and more Americans are dealing with obesity by going under the knife, according to a new study.

In 1998, 772 people aged 55 to 64 had gastric bypass, stapling or some similar procedure known as bariatric surgery to help weight loss. But that number ballooned to 15,086 six years later, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

More than 120,000 obese Americans had some kind of surgery to help them lose weight in 2004, with the biggest increase among middle-aged people, according to a Reuters report.

I have written extensively about my thoughts on surgery. Even though I've lost a significant amount of weight, it still crosses my mind. Maybe one day, when I hit the lottery.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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Adults living with children tend to eat more fat than grown-ups in kid-free homes, consuming as much saturated fat each week as found in an individual-size pizza, a new study suggests.

It may not exactly be the kids' fault, but household cupboards are more likely to be stocked with high-fat convenience foods like cookies, cheese, peanuts and processed meats when children are around, the researchers said in an Associated Press report.

"These dietary choices may be due to time pressures, advertising aimed at children that also includes adults, or adults' perception that children will eat only hot dogs or macaroni and cheese," said study author Dr. Helena Laroche, who works in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Iowa College of Medicine.

"Once these foods are in the house, even if bought for the children, adults appear more likely to eat them," she said.

Check out the full story.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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In an effort to get Americans off the couch and onto the exercise tip, the American Heart Association has launched a new online nutrition tracker.

The group hopes its new free Start! program will inspire Americans to follow through on those resolutions to get in shape, according to an Associated Press report. With its online fitness and nutrition tracker, participants can enter what they eat each day and how much exercise they get, then get a summary of calories in and calories out.

For those who prefer good, old-fashion handwritten journals, consider the Younger Next Year Journal. It has a detailed tracking system for cardio, weight, strength training, diet (including crap and booze), as well as for how you are doing in relationships with others. You can also track how you're sleeping, your morning mood, your heart rate and your plans for the next day.

The journal is a companion piece to Younger Next Year : A Guide to Living Like 50 When You're 80 and Beyondby Chris Crowley and Harry Lodge.

I'm not even close to 50, but the tips on exercise and diet are useful for any age. And the journal has really made me reconsider my exercise and diet plan, especially after my holiday letdown.

Even if you don't use a formal journal, it helps to track your eating habits. That way, you can see where you're going wrong. I definitely wasn't aware of how much mindless eating I was doing until I put it down on paper. Just knowing I had to write down everything I eat has kept me from having those nibbles I shouldn't.

So pull out that online tracker or journal. It doesn't matter as long as you write your way to weight loss.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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The fight against obesity has gone to the dogs -- literally -- with news that the FDA has approved its first drug to fight fat in pooches.

Called Slentrol, the Pfizer Inc. drug is aimed at helping fat Fidos shed extra pounds, according to an Associated Press report.

"This is a welcome addition to animal therapies, because dog obesity appears to be increasing," said Stephen Sundlof, director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the Food and Drug Administration.

A dog that weighs 20 percent more than its ideal weight is considered obese. That takes in about 5 percent of the nearly 62 million dogs in the United States. An additional 20 percent to 30 percent are considered overweight.

The liquid drug appears to reduce the amount of fat a dog can absorb. It also seems to trigger a feeling of satiety or fullness, according to the FDA.

But it's not for dog owners. The FDA discourages the drug's use in humans and lists a litany of side effects should anyone ignore that advice.

Check out the full story.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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The Federal Trade Commission said Thursday it was fining the marketers of four weight-loss drugs a collective $25 million for false advertising claims. Despite that, the pills -- Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim, One-A-Day WeightSmart and TrimSpa -- will remain on store shelves.

"It is resolution time again, isn't it?" said FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras in an Associated Press article. "We're implementing our resolution to fight back against companies that use deceptive advertising claims."

Some of the products marketed their claims through infomercials or celebrity endorsements. Anna Nicole Smith, for example, has endorsed TrimSpa.

"Testimonials from individuals are not a substitute for science," Majoras said. "And that's what Americans need to understand."

Instead of pills, I say try what always works: cut your calories, eat healthier and get plenty of exercise. Save that pill money for the new outfit you'll need 20 pounds from now.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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Congratulations, you've decided to lose weight this year. But which diet will work best for you? Finding out is no easy matter with diets abounding on bookstore shelves and online.

USA Today, which is hosting its very own weight-loss challenge, has come up with a list of diet programs for different types of people.

For example, if you hate to cook, Liz Vaccariello, editor in chief of Prevention magazine, suggests you try Jenny Craig. Those who love to cook should try The South Beach Diet while numbers crunchers should head to Weight Watchers.

Check out the complete list and see what will work for you.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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The post-holiday race to the gym has started. And while you might have been obsessed with muffin tops on holiday brunch buffets, the phrase may be taking on new meaning in 2007 to describe that layer of fat around your midsection formerly referred to as a spare tire.

"A lot of people come and ask, 'How can I get rid of this,'" says Jenny Otto, a personal trainer at The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers tells amNewYork's Elaine Paoloni. They're often referring to those flabby body parts so descriptively nicknamed muffin tops, love handles (an out-of-shape waist), bat wings (out-of-shape triceps) and banana folds (excess fat below the butt).

"Obviously, genetics has a lot to do with it. Where you lose weight and how quickly your muscles become toned depends on how your body works," Otto says. "However, I want to emphasize that you can't spot reduce. You have to do all of it; you have to eat right, do cardio, do strength training, and you have to be consistent."

Check out the full article to get the trainer's exercise tips for each problem area and check out our gallery of Personal Trainer features.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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The next time your train's late, a crash dieter may be to blame.

amNewYork's Chuck Bennett reports today that these women -- many fainting during the morning rush hour due to crash diets -- have been a leading cause of subway delays in the past year, according to MTA personnel.

"You have women trying to get their bodies tight for the summer and they won¹t eat," said Asim Nelson, a Transit emergency medical technician based in Grand Central Station. "Not eating for three or four days, you are going to go down. If you don¹t eat for 12 hours you are going to get weak."

Check out the full article and let us know what you think.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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Teenage girls who frequently read magazine articles about dieting were more likely five years later to practice extreme weight-loss measures such as vomiting than girls who never read such articles, a University of Minnesota study found.

Girls in middle school who read dieting articles were twice as likely five years later to try to lose weight by fasting or smoking cigarettes, compared to girls who never read such articles, according to an Associated Press report. They were three times more likely to use measures such as vomiting or taking laxatives, the study found.

"The articles may be offering advice such as cutting out trans fats and soda, and those are good ideas for everybody," said Alison Field of Harvard Medical School, who has done similar research but wasn't involved in the new study. "But the underlying messages these articles send are 'You should be concerned about your weight and you should be doing something.'"

The study appeared in January's issue of the journal Pediatrics.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

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