According to statistics 3 out of 4 Men and 2 out of 4 Women in Utah are at an unhealthy weight - so Thin and Healthy wants to make a difference by the year 2010.
Find Out More at: http://thinandhealthyutah.com
An interesting report on MSN shows the costs of 10 top diets:
"It's no secret that Americans are fat -- and getting fatter by the burger. Nearly one-third of U.S. adults are overweight, and another third are technically obese, as defined by a body-mass index of more than 30. And Americans aren't happy about it. Last year, we spent an estimated $46 billion on diet products and self-help books.
Sources: Forbes, Fresh Direct, Amazon, Bureau of Labor Statistics"
And just as the article reports, money doesn't equal results.So you've got to ask yourself, "Does it really cost more to eat healthfully?" It's not always how much you spend that will get you results - it's how motivated you are to get the results you want. Losing weight doesn't have to be about dieting - aren't you tired of dieting? Give the diet thing a rest and start living! Losing weight is a lifestyle change. Permanent weight loss is NOT ABOUT THE FOOD. The secret to losing weight and keeping it off is actually about a balanced lifestyle that incorporates.....more
Cindy sent me this YouTube link about a new documentary coming out about how bad the obesity rate in America is getting. According to the Deseret News:
"Filmmaker Steven Greenstreet wants the film to make a difference.
"We wanted this film to be a work of activism," Greenstreet said, activism that he hopes starts with the audience.
"The power lies with you," Greenstreet said.
The film shows various causes of obesity, from emotional eating, eating in response to stress or fear, marketing to children, unavailability of nutritious foods for the poor, government policy as it pertains to farm subsidies and lobbyists, and others."
What is it worth to make sure you and your loved ones are not part of the statistic?
I found some pretty startling statistics about how important weight loss is for the economic success of our country. The American Cancer Society labels obesity as an epidemic - I see it more as a pandemic. You can read the entire article here.
"Although not as visible as the health consequences of overweight and obesity, the direct and indirect costs of these conditions are well documented. (Indirect costs refer to such things as wages lost by people unable to work because of illness or disability, as well as the value of future earnings lost as a result of premature death.) Controlling the nation’s skyrocketing health bill will be difficult if theepidemic of overweight and obesity is not addressed in meaningful ways.
• Estimates of the health care and other costs in 2004 dollars related to overweight and obesity range from $98 billion to $129 billion. • The average annual health care costs for adults who are obese are 36% higher than for normal weight individuals. Costs are more than twice as high for prescription drugs, 14% higher for outpatient services, and nearly 40% higher for inpatient services. • Taxpayers pay a significant portion of these costs since approximately half of the costs are borne by Medicare and Medicaid.36 In addition, in 1998, obesity-related costs totaled $23 billion in Medicare spending and $14 billion in Medicaid spending. • Medical costs and lost productivity due to obesity impose costs on employers. • The cost to business of obesity-related health care costs totaled $15.4 billion in 2002 dollars. Health insurance expenditures made up the bulk of the costs, but sick leave, life insurance, and disability insurance accounted for 39% of the total. This does not include other significant costs such as lost productivity and increased absenteeism. • One large study found that employees who had elevated BMI had average medical costs more than 50% higher than normal weight employees. • Obese employees are nearly 75% more likely to experience high rates of absenteeism (seven or more absences during a six-month period) than normal weight employees." What are we doing to ourselves? It seems like we as Americans are removing ourselves from the personal responsibility we have for ourselves and our costs to our employers, families, and communities. Healthy weight loss can be found, but it has more to do with the psyche then it does just the food. We've become more comfortable eating junk food, working (or playing) on the computer, and sitting on the side lines watching life pass us by rather than standing up and taking a stand to change our current situations.
The secret to permanent weight loss doesn't just reside in what we eat or how much we move - it resides in how well we handle the "curve balls" life throws at us all the time - the stress, the limited time, finances, freedom. These and many external factors all play into why we have weight to lose in the first place. We at Thin&Healthy have 3 keys for staying motivated, and can teach you how to apply the keys so you will never need to lose weight again! America has proved the solution for keeping weight off is not in diet - look at how many diets come out each weak - or how many diet pills, appetite suppressants, and other gimmicks are out there - if that were the answer America would be the most fit nation on the planet! Even new 30 minute exercise routines, cardio classes at the gym, exercise videos and circuits come out each week - and why are they not helping? Be honest with yourself and think - "what are the road blocks, what is it that distracts me from doing what I want to do and achieving my weight loss goals?" Is it really the food or exercise, or what drives you to (or away from) the food and exercise? If you keep focusing on "eating healthy and getting to the gym" will it really ever get you closer to your goal - or should you start at a different point - maybe adopt a different strategy this time? The choice is yours - you can continue doing what you've always done and get the same result - or take a different approach and get guaranteed results. Let us show you how easy permanent weight loss can be while eating your favorite foods...real grocery store foods. It's got to be a lifestyle you can live with, why would you want to eat something different from what you're used to to lose weight? We can show you how to overcome the 6 what we call motivation assassinators, or life distractions, to learn how to overcome everything life throws at us. The weight comes off as a natural part of that - and stays off permanently. We want you to be successful long-term. It's your choice and it's yours for the choosing!
Today, more than 81% of American's businesses with 50 or more employee’s have some form of worksite wellness program, the most popular being exercise, stop-smoking classes, back-care programs, and stress management. Most employers offer wellness programs simply because they think the benefit is worth the cost. Yet business leaders continue to ask themselves how to control huge annual increases in health insurance premiums and health care costs.
For many companies, medical costs can consume half of corporate profits. For some companies, it's more than half. Some employers look to cost-sharing, cost-shifting, managed-care plans, risk ratings, and cash-based rebates or incentives. But these methods merely shift costs. Only worksite health promotion stands out as the long-term answer for keeping employees well in the first place, avoiding reactive medical costs.
"I lost a hundred and fifty two pounds. I have more energy than before I started the Thin&Healthy Program, and I feel GREAT!! It's like having a brand new life again." ~ Scott Thurston
Worksite wellness is heath care reform that works. Results from America's finest companies summarized here, are reason enough to think about an investment in your most important assets – your employees – and the impact this investment can have on your bottom line. In one study, national assessments showed that sick leave dropped 33.4% as a direct result of a wellness program. Worker's Compensation dropped 31.7% as shown in the Browne study. In a study done by Aldana, $3.60 was returned for every dollar spent on wellness.
The ADA had their step out walk at the This is the Place Monument and it was FANTASTIC! Tara did a great job pulling everything together! There were at least 1500 participants. The Thin and Healthy consisted of 4 people and we were so grateful for those who participated with us. It was a lot of fun. It makes having a healthy weight loss center in Utah enjoyable.
The 6 week biggest winner competition is over and Kristi H came out on top! She lost over 7% body fat!! I love Kristi, she has been such a big blessing. She says to me, "You guys change people's lives, did you know that? What you do changes people's lives!" It's hearing things like that that remind me why we opened a healthy weight loss center in Utah.
Kristi walked away with $300 cash, teeth bleaching, dinner for two to Texas Roadhouse, a FREE hair cut, and a pedicure gift certificate. Congratulations to all our contestants - you are all amazing and it was so much fun seeing each of you compete!
Mexican Pita Pockets
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Mexican Pita Pockets ½ pound white meat skinless turkey ½ cup chopped onion
1 can (16 ounces) ranch pinto beans (undrained) 2 cups shredded lettuce ½
cup s...
