Great Britain gave us Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and John Lennon, so now we're returning the favor... sending the Brits all our sweet potatoes.

While the U.S. dollar sinks deeper into the toilet, American sweet potato exports, between 2005 and 2009, have more than doubled, reaching $51.4 million. Great Britain is the major buyer.

Wow, I can't picture our sophisticated tea-sipping neighbors to the east, cooking up those disgusting sweet potatoes with the marshmallows on top. My word!

American sweet potatoes are becoming very popular in Europe. In Ireland - yes, Ireland, the holy land for spuds - sweet potato imports from the United States are up $125,000. Not a lot? It was zero in 2005.

People from the South are going to laugh at this, but for a long time supermarkets in Europe branded sweet potatoes as in "exotic" vegetable. So, why is sweet potato mania now taking Europe by storm? One answer is kind of funny.

Food safety is a big deal in Europe, and size matters. Luckily new equipment has helped American farmers grow more uniform looking sweet potatoes, making them more acceptable by European standards. Just like the Brits, so concerned with keeping up appearances.

The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission - no really, there's actually a potato commission - says increased marketing efforts and promotions in European supermarkets have also increased demand overseas.

I'm happy to see this. I think good trade relations between countries is necessary for global prosperity. Plus, sweet potatoes are so good, they're one of my favorite foods; baked, roasted, French fried, whatever! Just not with marshmallows, that way wreaks of mental illness. Sorry.

Now, if you want to add some class to your holiday meal, and not the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, try Mama Pugliese's sweet potato recipe.

Sweet Potatoes With Maple Syrup

3 to 4 sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch thick slices
1/4 cup natural maple syrup 
2 tbsp soy or almond milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice 
Sprinkle of salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a shallow baking dish with non-stick spray. Add all of the ingredients on to a baking dish. Toss well to mix and coat potatoes. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover, turn gently, and continue cooking for an additional 20 minutes, or until fork-tender.

Image credit: DisneyLiving

If you love hybrid words, you'll love "Piloxing." And no, it doesn't involve punching your cat, whilst doing the dreaded Pilates Hundred... thankfully!

It's a fun combination of Pilates and Boxing, created by Swedish celebrity trainer, Viveca Jensen. This is Jensen's way of physically and mentally empowering people through fitness.

Piloxing is mainly designated for woman (sorry guys!), and it provides an interesting blend of speed, agility, sculpting and flexibility.

The exercise also incorporates the use of one-pound weighted gloves, which add some intensity to your workout by toning arms, and boosting cardiovascular health.

Check out a Piloxing class in action below:

I think this looks like a great workout. And, if you enjoy Pilates, but get bored sometimes, this is a great way to ramp up your normal routine.

What do you think -- would this style of workout interest you?

Many of us are smack dab in the middle of cold weather. And while we haven't had it long enough to really miss summertime (unless you are really thin-skinned), it can make for a challenging workout if you like to get outdoors.

So, this week I thought I'd return to a theme for the workout playlist. This time around, let's do songs about the weather... whether it's cold or warm, you can dream about cozier days or get some solace in a song that is centered around the challenges of winter weather.

Gym Music Playlist of the Week: Cold Weather Workout Mix

Click to download!

For those of you dreaming of warmer days...

1. The Mamas and The Papas - California Dreamin'

2. Martha and the Vandellas - (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave

3. The Beatles - Good Day Sunshine

4. ELO - Mr. Blue Sky

5. Lovin' Spoonful - Summer In The City

For those of you who embrace the cold time of year...

6. Matt Pond PA - Snow Day

7. Simon & Garfunkel - A Hazy Shade Of Winter

8. Fountains of Wayne - Valley Winter Song

Reproduced from Dietsinreview

Olympic gymnast Nastia Liukin made a surprise appearance on NBC's The Biggest Loser Tuesday night. The daughter of two former Soviet champion gymnasts was on the show to introduce the first challenge to test the contestants' stamina. The winner of this challenge received $10,000 to Subway, which ended up going to Brendan.

The five time Olympic medalist was the perfect choice for a challenge dealing with stamina and perseverance. One of only three women to medal five times in the Olympics, with the distinction of being the 2008 Olympic individual all-around gold medalist, Liukin's personal motto is "Never quit on a bad day".

Liukin stays in shape with daily workouts, often lasting more than 7 hours each day.  She prefers healthy and organic food for her diet. Her breakfast favorites include oatmeal, eggs, or yogurt. For lunch she enjoys a salad with protein, either chicken or fish. Dinner is very often her lighter meal, like protein with veggies, but she is a big fan of sushi. She does admit to an occasional splurge when it comes to ice cream, though!

Liukin was recently quoted in Shape magazine as to her personal diet and exercise tips. "Don't go crazy about dieting. Eat healthy, but if you want to splurge and have a cookie, then have a cookie. Depriving yourself is the worst! Exercise on a daily basis. Whether you take your dog for a walk, go for a run in the park or just do some ab moves in your living room, it's very important to do something every day!"

Her secret to staying fit is simple. In an interview with That'sfit.com, she shares, "Set goals for yourself. I always set daily, weekly, monthly, and long term goals. Strive to achieve them! Whether it be running a mile everyday for a month, or winning a gold medal at the Olympics, setting goals has played a huge roll in overcoming obstacles and achieving success in my life and my sport."

Reproduced from Dietsinreview

Compared to a greasy truck stop, the food court at the mall is four-star dining, but that isn't saying much. It turns out food courts are just as disgusting.

An MSNBC investigation revealed many food court hotspots are oozing with E. coli and littered with mouse poop.

Investigators visited malls in Boston, Minnesota, and New York City, and found all sorts of health code violations and unsafe practices.

Inspection reports show that since 2009 at Boston's Faneuil Hall, 43% of food vendors had critical violations, 68% at the Mall of America in Minnesota, and 84% at the Seaport Mall in New York.

Places like Megumi of Japan in Faneuil Hall were cited for mouse droppings in its storage area. So was the Charcoal Grill in the Seaport Mall. Megumi also had an unsightly roach problem.

Other violations included storing raw meat at improper temperatures, keeping cooked food too far from heat, or not keeping sliced fruit cold enough - both these infractions can cause E. coli bacteria to grow on food.

Listen, you get what you pay for. Sorry, but they don't wedge Zagat rated restaurants in between Foot Locker and Build-A-Bear Workshop. It's crap food, put there to keep you going so you can buy more crap.

More restaurants should be like my uncles' pizzeria in New Jersey. Its clean, the food is fresh, and they always pass inspection. Then again, they own a judge.

Reproduced from Dietblog

New research from Australian's Flinders University (published in Body Image) shows that the "average" sized male body is every bit as good as the muscle-bound one. Credit:Jo Christian Oterhals

How many guys out there have obsessed about six-pack abs? Come on you know who you are. You've read the magazines, spent hours online and entirely too much money on supplements. You've spent so much time at the gym you might as well live there... all for some rippling abs and pulsating pecs.

Maybe it's not the great turn on you thought it would be?

New research from Australian's Flinders University (published in Body Image) shows that the "average" sized male body is every bit as good as the muscle-bound one.

The researchers showed "mock-up advertisements for jeans, skin-care products and cologne - featuring muscular male models and men of more average dimensions - to more than 600 students in their late teens." (source)

Neither women or men respondents found the muscular models any more appealing than average men. Lead researcher Diedrichs suggests that participants "may have associated the muscular models with vanity, femininity and homosexuality, and dismissed them as suitable comparison targets."

Women reported "a more positive body image state after exposure to male models, regardless of their body size or muscularity". In other words, advertising images of ripped guys and muscle-bound hulks didn't result in any increased pleasure or positive affect over the average-sized guys.

Average-slim (left) and Average-large (right).

In case you're wondering what is "average-slim" and "average-large" used in the process, I've obtained a sample picture (from the journal article). The researchers constructed advertising imagery using Photoshop.

Reference
Diedrichs, P. C., & Lee, C. GI Joe or Average Joe? The impact of average-size and muscular male fashion models on men's and women's body image and advertisement effectiveness. Body Image (2010), doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2010.03.004

Reproduced from Dietblog

The word "bento" or "obento" is Japanese for a meal served in a box. If you've noticed the compact lunch boxes popping up on cafeteria tables near you, than you'd likely agree that the bento trend has officially reached Western culture.

According to Deb Hamilton's popular bento blog Lunch in a Box, a bento lunch is a "compact, balanced, visually appealing meal packed in a box." Hamilton, who lived in Japan for nine years and speaks fluent Japanese, began creating bento boxes as a creative meal option when her husband was diagnosed with celiac disease.

Though bento lunches are inspired by Japanese cuisine, it is easy to pack a bento box with your favorite foods that delivers a number of benefits over traditional lunch fare.

Bento Benefits:

Portion Control: The average bento box is 600 ml so you can exercise portion control and track the calories in your meal. Hamilton typically packs hers with 3 parts carbs, 1 part protein and 2 parts fruits and vegetables.

Reusable Containers: If you or your kids tote their lunch in brown bags or plastic baggies, switching to bento-style lunch is a great way to reduce lunch waste and help conserve environmental resources.

Budget, Budget, Budget: If you add up all the disposable bags and containers you've purchased over the years, you could probably afford a vacation or two. Save money by investing in one or two sturdy bento boxes and enjoy additional savings on the money you might have spent on restaurant meals by packing healthy homemade lunches.

Our Favorite Bento Ideas:

Cheese & Crackers Bento: 1 ounce of low-fat cheese with whole grain crackers, a serving of grapes and a small portion of your chicken or turkey salad.

Fall Comfort Food Bento: Use dinner leftovers to pack a bento box with homemade chicken tenders, glazed baby carrots, Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes. Great at room temperature, it would also be delicious heated up if you have access to a microwave.

Salad Bento: 1 cup fruit salad, mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes, grilled chicken, 1 medium apple.

Middle Eastern Bento: 2 small or one regular sized pita bread, 1/4 cup hummus, fruit salad (sliced apple, pear and grapes), 1 container low-fat yogurt, mixed salad (lettuce, carrots, red pepper, tomato) with low-fat dressing.

What are your favorite ways to enjoy bento lunches?

image via rodale.com

Reproduced from Dietsinreview

I don't like marketing. Mind you, I have a degree in it, so I understand the beast. But I still don't like it. Advertising techniques are either deceptive cons or ridiculous mini-movies that have little to do with the product being sold.

That's why this makes me mad. Commercial breaks are fine. Networks need to make money. I get that. But this is an actual advertisement for Cheerios cereal built into the script of a soap opera. No, it's not a spoof.

Watching that clip actually made me violent. Next time I see a box of Cheerios I may thrash it. Listen, I know that soap operas are lame and horrible, I don't even watch them. But, they are an art form - kind of.

Some creative person toiled over a script, trying his best to make you love these characters and relate to the drama, then some network suit walks in to the writer's room - fresh off a yacht ride - and says, "I got a very cost effective idea, let's sell out and put commercials in the actual dialogue."

I'm sorry, it's sickening. It reduces television programs - again, someone's art - to a mindless formula for good advertising. It's soulless.

At least when Wayne's World did it, it was funny. And actually poked fun at how ridiculous product-placement can be.

Now, I'm smart enough to know why networks are doing this. With DVR systems you can zip past a commercial, making advertisers less willing to dish out big bucks for ad time, but still, it sets a dangerous precedence.

What's next? You'll be watching the latest John Tavolta movie, when he suddenly turns to the camera and tells you how great Acme Toupees are? "Acme Toupees, four out of five Thetan level eights recommend it."

Image credit: DaysOfOurCheerios

Reproduced from Dietblog

I'm about as big a Beatles fan as they come. I mean, I don't do crazy stuff like dress up like them or think that John and George are speaking to me from beyond the grave. But I do go a little cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs when people express their ambivalence towards them. When I hear someone who is a fan of rock music say that they don't like the Beatles, or worse, that the Fab Four were overrated, I am puzzled, to put it mildly.

I don't think everyone has to love them, but if you don't get that they ushered in guitar-driven melodic music as we know it today, well, then you aren't paying attention.

Complaints aside, there is no group that has crafted so many timeless classics than these four lads from Liverpool. And even if you are more of a Rolling Stones person (that's a question often posed), it was the Beatles who started the ball rolling.

Now, off my soap box...

This week, the suits and bean counters in charge of the Beatles catalog finally came to terms with Apple to have their music available in digital format on iTunes. For me, it's not Earth-shattering news, since I already bought the mono Beatles box set, but for those who prefer their music in digital download format, this is big news.

Why did I buy the mono box set, you ask? Well, mainly because most of the albums were initially mixed that way, the way the band intended.

"We made 'em in mono so I'm always happy to listen to 'em in mono," Paul McCartney told Goldmine magazine.

It's a purest's thing, I guess. There are other sonic reasons as well, but this is about working out to music, not talking about audiophile geek stuff.

So, in honor of the big news, we thought it would be a great idea to put together a Beatles workout mix! Wow, this will be difficult for me to whittle down to a workout's-worth of music, but I'll do my best. Be prepared for a little longer workout though.

Gym Music Playlist of the Week: Beatles Workout Mix

Click to download!

1. I Saw Her Standing There

2. A Hard Day's Night

3. Help!

4. Drive My Car

5. Paperback Writer

6. Taxman

7. Good Day Sunshine

8. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

9. Magical Mystery Tour

10. Back in the U.S.S.R.

11. Birthday

12. Helter Skelter (As if their legacy wasn't big enough, they invented heavy metal with this song.)

13. Get Back

14. Because (Here's your cool-down song)

Reproduced from Dietsinreview

Throw away the motivational post its, use the elliptical as a coat rack because the number one weight loss tool has been revealed.

ThatsFit.com explains a recent study that showed food journaling to be the most effective dieting tool. How many calories does writing burn anyway?

Still, if all that writing isn't for you, then there's always Empower Me Photo. You send them a photo of your overweight self and they digitally alter the photo to show what you will look like thin. You can even purchase a wallet sized photo to carry around with you.

I think for me, I would need a photo that showed what I would look like fat to keep me motivated with my healthy eating and exercise.

Unfortunately, because so many are desperate to lose weight, we are constantly bombarded with dieting scams. The HeathCave.com has posted a great list of the 10 Most Deceptive and Lucrative Health Scams in History. Be on the look out for them and their offspring.

Finally this week, If you've been looking for an online source of the best fitness and healthy cooking TV shows, then check out Clicker.com. This online TV guide lists just about every show imaginable and tells you where you can watch them for free or for a fee

Reproduced from Dietblog