Health & Fitness Blog for Men

Hall of Shame: Scary Sandwiches

2010-01-29T17:01:00.000-05:00

The Hall of Shame honors the worst of our guilty pleasures -- unhealthy food. Here are this week's nominees:

A complicated, multi-stacked mess
A disgusting meal/snack that my husband had invented is called the Perfect Popcorn Pocket Sandwich. It is: one bag of Heavily Buttered Microwave popcorn (pref. Orville Redenbacher's Movie Theater Butter Popcorn with pour over butter); one pack Cinnamon Graham Crackers (approximately eight); a half bag of marshmallows; an immeasurable amount of Hershey's Chocolate Syrup; an immeasurable amount of Chunky Peanut Butter; and held together with Reddi-Wip. Four graham crackers are glued together with peanut butter, marshmallows and Reddi-Wip, topped with popcorn (butter over half a bag of popcorn), lots of chocolate syrup and a scoop of peanut butter -- to be topped with four graham crackers. Add remaining ingredients to the top of the crackers. Must be rinsed down with a diet soda though!!!!
--CLT

The worst of all -- school lunches
Here are some sample meals that would make anyone's waistline bulge. Beef fingers, (strips of beef battered and deep fried) instant mashed potatoes with gravy, a large biscuit, green beans, and a fudge bar. Another one is chili-cheese dog, seasoned fries (chili and cheese optional on these), pears in heavy syrup and a brownie. Where did I get these? Not from a local restaurant but instead from the menu at my child's school. Is it any wonder that we have a childhood obesity problem? We really need to be watching what our children eat as well as how much activity they are doing each day.
--Emily S.

PB & mayo on multigrain bread
My roommate makes peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches. He makes them on 12-grain bread "so they're healthy." He thinks adding iceburg lettuce makes it better, too. Not as bad as an old boyfriend who used to make bologna, salami, cheddar and pickle sandwiches on white bread with Ranch dressing, topped with a layer of microwaved tater tots.
--Rebecca

Sister a whiz with the microwave
When my sister and I were little, she made up this concoction to satisfy all of her cravings. She mixed a handful of chocolate chips, cereal (nothing fruity), threw in some marshmallows and a few spoonfuls of peanut butter into a bowl. After nuking it until the mallows grew as big as they could, she mixed it all up and began snacking. This looked disgusting to me, but I tried it and years later I am still making this when I can't quite satisfy my hunger or cravings.
--Mariel M.

Dad taught us what was acceptable
My dad told me when he was growing up in the Netherlands, he used to make a treat by getting two slices of bread, spreading some lard on it, then adding a chocolate bar. This is the same dad who taught me and my sister that toasted bread with butter and chocolate sprinkles was an acceptable breakfast food. Occasionally, peanut butter would replace the butter resulting in a Reese's peanut-butter cup-like sandwich.
--Allan Oerlemans

You've got your chocolate in my sandwich
When I feel like making a bad sandwich, I take two pieces of white bread and toast them. Right when they are done I slather peanut butter on both slices and strategically place a Hershey chocolate bar in the middle. It is great and filling. But likely not the best choice.
--Scott

These kids knew how to eat
My brother and sister had the worst after-school snack habits possible. My brother loved to cook up a pan of fried bologna. But my sister was much, much worse. She had a whole menu of bad choices... White bread slathered in syrup! A bowl of Dream Whip, eaten with a spoon! And the most horrifying of all, a bowl of butter and sugar (brown or white, take your pick) mixed together to creamy perfection!! I usually stuck to buttered popcorn after school, not a perfect snack, but I think I would have to say the healthiest of the lot. Where were my parents???
--Deborah

Cucumbers in a lemon brine
Squeeze five limes into a drinking glass, shake tons of salt into it (really, you need like 5 tablespoons to make it good), and swirl with cucumbers. Dip cucumbers and eat. When cucumbers are gone, drink remaining 'sour lemonade.' I would love to still eat/drink this but I think I might bloat to the size of my house. --M.

Do you have a Hall of Shame concotions to share? Post it below.

Carnie Wilson: Unstapled

2010-01-14T15:43:00.002-05:00

Watch the Carnage
Unfiltered. Uncompromising. Unpredictable. Carnie Wilson, host of the Newlywed Game, brings you inside her chaotic life with her own new reality series, Carnie Wilson: Unstapled.

The reality series is an uncensored look at Carnie Wilson as she tries to balance her career as a singer, entrepreneur, activist, game show host, and -- most importantly -- wife and mother of two young girls. You won’t want to miss Carnie struggle to get her busy life -- and weight -- under control.

Carnie Wilson: Unstapled, Thursdays at 8/7c on GSN.

The Football Fan Workout

2010-01-14T14:01:00.000-05:00

By Glenn Mueller

eDiets Contributor

A few years ago I nearly skipped my best friend's wedding -- I was the best man -- to see the biggest game of the year. Ok, I admit it, my name is Glenn, and I am a football-a-holic.

Are you a die-hard football fan like me? Do you mark the date and time of important games on your calendar so you can plan your schedule around watching them? If so, I've got one question for you: Are you ready for some football workouts?

Even if you are an armchair quarterback, you can still use the football season as a time to get your exercise program in gear. Even if you aren't a potential draft pick, you can still take your workouts seriously. Even if your team doesn't make it to the Super Bowl this year, you'll still be a fitness winner by the end of the season.

Instead of putting off your workout because the game is on, get fit while watching football with some exercises that you can perform in the privacy of your own living room. These exercises come from eDiets Chief Fitness Pro Raphael Calzadilla, the Vince Lombardi of personal trainers. Get off the bench and follow Raphael's game plan for fitness success.

Perform each of the following exercises in succession during the game. After completing one movement, immediately continue to the next one. After you've completed all the movements, perform them one more time. Attempt 20-25 repetitions of each movement. Don't worry if you can't perform all the steps at once, it will come.

PUSH-UPS -- Lying face down on the floor, place your hands a little wider than shoulder width apart. Your thumbs should be lined with your chest. Your toes should be curled under and your feet hip width apart. Be sure to maintain hip alignment throughout the entire range of motion. Avoid sagging in the midsection of your body. Contracting the chest muscles, raise your body until your arms are fully extended.

CHAIR SQUATS -- Perform this exercise with the aid of a sturdy chair. Stand in front of the chair with your back toward the chair and feet shoulder width apart. Keep your head up as a natural extension of your spine. Begin to sit in the chair, lowering your body until your legs are at a 90-degree angle. Contracting your quadriceps (front part of the thigh), slowly return to the starting position -- stopping just short of the legs being fully extended. Keep a slight bend in your knees.

AB CRUNCH -- Lie on your living room carpet on your back. Make sure your lower back is relaxed against the floor during the exercise. Bend your knees until your legs are at a 45-degree angle. Keep both feet on the floor and place both hands crossed on your chest. Contracting the upper abs, raise your head and torso off the floor until your shoulders are slightly lifted. Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of your head touching the floor. Focus on really contracting your abs during the movement!

CLOSE STANCE WALL PUSH -- Stand facing the wall with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands on the wall so that your fingers are slightly lower than your shoulders. Your hands should be close enough that your thumbs and index fingers form a triangle. Your feet should be a distance from the wall that forces your body to be at an angle slightly greater than parallel.

Bend your elbow downward and lean your upper body toward the wall -- making sure to project your chest forward. Your arms should be supporting your body. Stop the motion when your face nearly touches the wall and your chest touches your hands. Contracting the triceps muscles, slowly return to the starting position -- stopping just short of the elbows being fully extended.

AB VACUUM -- In a seated position, exhale all the air from your lungs. After completely exhaling, pull the abdomen inward and hold for 20-30 seconds. Continue to breathe lightly through your nostrils, but make sure you are pulling your abs in as if you are attempting to make your abs and back touch. This exercise works the transversus, the main muscle that pulls your abs in. In fact, it's the most effective exercise for flattening your stomach.

According to Raphael, completing two cycles of these exercises should take you just 12-15 minutes -- only about the length of one quarter of the game. You will eventually perform 50 total reps of each exercise except for the vacuum (hey, things always get tougher as the season progresses).

Raphael recommends completing these exercises at least 3-5 times per week. Personally, I plan to do this workout every time football is on TV. So, what are you waiting for? With Raphael calling the plays, you're in the game and ready to score.

Looking for more easy ways to get in shape? Join eDiets and let our experts share the secrets you need to lose weight.

How do you stay in shape during football season? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Pick Your Perfect Diet - Meal Delivery

2010-01-05T12:12:00.004-05:00

Lack of time is the No.1 excuse people use for not exercising and eating right. Whether you don't have the time or just don't know where to begin, eDiets Fresh-Prepared Meal Delivery is the right choice for you!

You can choose from more than 100 delicious meals that are delivered directly to your door. In addition to your meals, you'll get live support from registered dietitians, a personalized fitness plan and community support to keep you on track.

It's everything you'll need to lose weight, without all the work! Learn more about meal delivery or try it today and get it shipped for free!

Continue the Quiz >

Pick Your Perfect Diet - Question 2

2010-01-05T12:10:00.001-05:00

Do you like to cook at home for you or your family, but also need the flexibility to eat convenience foods like pizza?

Pick Your Perfect Diet - eDiets Weight Loss Plan

2010-01-05T11:58:00.005-05:00

The eDiets Weight Loss Meal Plan is our most popular meal plan because of its flexibility and convenience. It is a balanced approach to eating that provides three meals and one snack daily.

This plan features familiar favorites, so it's easy to follow and never feels like a diet. It also helps teach lifelong eating habits based on portion sizes and moderation.

Try this plan to see how simple healthy eating can be! Learn more about the eDiets Weight Loss Meal Plan and find out how you can lose 10 pounds for $20!

Continue the Quiz >

Pick Your Perfect Diet - Question 3

2010-01-05T11:51:00.001-05:00

Do you enjoy snacking and often crave sweets?

Pick Your Perfect Diet - Glycemic Impact

2010-01-05T11:46:00.004-05:00

Try the Glycemic Impact Diet! The GI Diet is perfect for people who like snacking and crave sweets. Eating three meals and two snacks a day keeps you satisfied and full of energy.

No foods are off limits, but the plan teaches you to make better choices that will help you eat right for the rest of your life!

This balanced meal plan allows you to eat all day and still lose weight! Learn more about the GI Diet and start losing weight today!

Continue the Quiz >

Difference Between Men & Women: All In Your Head

2010-01-05T11:42:00.000-05:00

By Shawn McKee
Staff Writer

A true story of miscommunication between a friend of mine on the phone with his date while on the way to pick her up for their first outing (the names have been omitted to protect the innocent):

Man: So how do I get there?
Woman: Take Commercial toward the mall and turn right at the Taco Bell. Keep driving until you see Wal-mart and take that left.
Man: So, it's north of Commercial?
Woman: Um, I'm not sure. Just go right when you see the Taco bell across from the shoe store. Then left when you see the Wal-mart.
Man: So I'll be heading east?
Woman: Yes, I think, just take a left at the Wal-Mart and you'll see a gas station.
Man: On the west side of the street?

(This continues for another five or six minutes, both people not understanding why the other can't comprehend the simplicity of these directions. Frustration ensues. He showed up 30 minutes late and the date was doomed from the get-go.)

What's the communication problem? Whose fault is it? Why can't he understand how to recognize simple landmarks? Why doesn't she explain things with cardinal directions so he can understand?

The answer is simple, yet, entirely complex. Men and women are different. Their brains are wired differently, and for different tasks. There have been numerous scientific studies concerning the differences in the brain make up of men and women. But how do they differ?

To answer these questions, we look to the largest professional organization studying this "gray matter," the Society for Neuroscience. They report that evolution is the key to understanding these differences. The two sexes had specific roles to ensure survival of the species: Men hunted; women cared for children and gathered food close to home. Certain brain areas developed to facilitate these activities.

Professor David Geary from the University of Missouri, a top researcher in the field of gender differences, agrees:

"In evolutionary terms, developing superior navigation skills may have enabled men to become better suited to the role of hunter, while the development by females of a preference for landmarks may have enabled them to fulfill the task of gathering food closer to home."

While they may be able to do the same tasks, men and women may have distinctly different ways of doing them. In one study from the University of Alberta, researchers report that men and women actually use different parts of the brain to accomplish some of the same tasks.

Geary also contends that the advantage of women concerning verbal skills also makes evolutionary sense. "While men have the bodily strength to compete with other men, women use language to gain social advantage, such as by argumentation and persuasion."

Does one little Y chromosome really make that much difference?

Yes, of course. Gender differences dictate our lives, and are apparent from only a few months after birth, when social influences are still relatively inconsequential. In their fascinating and divisive book Brain Sex, Anne Moir and David Jessel offer explanations for these very early differences in children:

These discernible, measurable differences in behavior have been imprinted long before external influences have had a chance to get to work. They reflect a basic difference in the newborn brain, which we already know about -- the superior male efficiency in spatial ability, the greater female skill in speech.

But before you swear off the opposite sex, consider the Society for Neuroscience's disclaimer about the differences in the sexes: "Variation between men and women tends to be smaller than deviations within each sex, but very large differences between the groups do exist."

So, yes, men and women are different, but women and women are different, and men and men are different.

We're all different. We just have to learn to play to our strengths and improve on our weaknesses. Essentially, we're all working toward the same things.

Can't we all just get along?

Understanding yourself will not only help you find love, but it can help you lose weight! Take this quick quiz to find the right diet for your specific tastes and needs. Losing weight doesn't have to be hard.

Pick Your Perfect Diet - Question 4

2010-01-05T11:09:00.003-05:00

Do you prefer fish to red meat and enjoy a nice glass of wine with dinner?

Pick Your Perfect Diet - Mediterranean

2010-01-05T11:04:00.006-05:00

Even alcohol can be a part of your personalized meal plan if you choose the Mediterranean Diet!

This plan focuses on fresh, unprocessed foods like seafood, fruits, vegetables and nuts. Not only do you get to enjoy delicious meals with a Mediterranean flare, but research has shown that this plan can also help lower your risk for heart disease and cancer.

You will not have to sacrifice flavor -- or your favorite wine -- to lose weight and live a healthier life with this fantastic plan. Learn more about the Mediterranean Diet or try it today for a special price!

Didn't find the diet that's perfect for you? We've got over 20 different programs to choose from! Take this profile to find which plan is perfect for you.

Start the quiz over >

Pick Your Perfect Diet - Final

2010-01-05T10:33:00.006-05:00

If one of our four most popular meal plans doesn't fit your specific needs, there are still several more specialized plans to choose from.

We have a Vegetarian Plan, for those who don't eat meat. We also have a Wheat-Free Plan for those sensitive to wheat. You can also choose from a Low-Fat Plan, a Low-Sodium Plan, a plan for those with diabetes, a Heart Smart Plan, a plan to lower cholesterol and a plan for those with lactose intolerance.

No matter what your specific dietary needs are, there is an eDiets Meal Plan for you! Take this profile to find which plan is perfect for you.

Start the quiz over >

Hall of Shame: Peanut-Butter Freaks

2010-01-04T10:51:00.000-05:00

The Hall of Shame honors the worst of our guilty pleasures -- unhealthy food. Here are some of our favorites...

Learning to love liverwurst
Everyone in my family knows that my great aunt's favorite snack was a liverwurst and grape jelly sandwich on white bread. I never tried the combo, but I have learned to love liverwurst!
--Nicole

Marshmallow Madness
I am a peanut butter junkie. It would be hard for me to think of anything made with/from peanut butter that I don't like. My favorite sandwich when I was growing up (and yes, now as a mom!) is peanut butter and marshmallow creme. YUM!!
--Kathy

Why diet, when you can eat doughnuts?
I think that this deserves an entry into your Hall of Shame. I was appalled by this sign. The convenience store that I work at also has a Krispy Kreme case. Every once in a while, there is a promotion that has to do with coffee and doughnuts. When I got to work today and walked past the case, there was a sticker stuck to the window that read: Start your diet next month...Coffee and 2 donuts for 1.99. The sticker was put on the case by the company that I work for. I can't believe that they would encourage people to stop dieting just to sell a few more doughnuts.
--Shannon

Sister is strong to the finach, 'cause she eats her...
My sister, who is a peanut-butter freak and in awesome shape by the way, created a new sandwich she swears is fantastic -- two slices of whole-wheat bread with peanut butter, bananas, spinach and dipped in chocolate sauce. I guess she needed some way to add iron to her meal.
--Hanna

Cake batter gone wild
I love cake batter (of course, the eggs are mixed in). Grab a chocolate or yellow cake mix from the store, mix it up according to package directions and then, voila, eat to your heart's content. I must say it is very satisfying, and I can eat the whole thing.
--Melinda

Best ever peanut butter snack? We call it Batch: Mix equal amounts of peanut butter and margarine, then add maple syrup until the mixture is creamy. Spread on bread. Enjoy. Batch is the reason I no longer keep maple syrup in my house! My Mom was a bigger peanut butter person that I am, even eating it from the jar with a spoon, despite choking on it several times.
--Jimmie Jo H.

Not good for me or baby
During my first pregnancy, a few times I would make a batch of chocolate pudding. While it was still hot, I would pour it over heavily salted popcorn. Needless to say it wasn't a good treat for the baby, and I never did it again but I still dream about it.
--Maxine

Potato-chip sandwiches no longer an option
My cousin Sarah taught me how to make potato-chip sandwiches when I was a kid. Take fresh, soft white bread, pile on as many potato chips as you can, gently balance another piece of bread on top, then push straight down to crush the chips into the bread so you can pick up the sandwich and eat it. Nothing but salt and carbs, but the crunchy/soft contrast was delicious. I rarely have either white bread or potato chips in the house, so it's not something that ever really is an option any more.
--Kathie

Grandfather's twist on the Tastee Cake
When I was a kid, my grandfather would make me his favorite sandwich. A chocolate Tastee Cake cup cake, cut in half and filled with at least a quarter inch thick slice of creamery butter. You turn the icing in toward the butter; somehow it just doesn't taste the same. It still, to this day, tastes great and brings back comforting memories. Although today I talk about it rather than eat it.
--Elaine

Vinegar -- good for what ails ya'
As kids, my sister and I had strep throat ALOT. We wanted to eat potato chips, but with a sore throat we didn't dare. We also LOVED fair fries soaking with vinegar -- so much the bottom would fall out of the paper cup! Not sure who came up with the concoction but we still eat it today (some 20 years later). We add a small amount of vinegar to a glass of water (I prefer warm) and then add our chips to that. Then we finish the remainder of the "drink" once our chips are gone. We were able to eat the chips because they softened in the solution and the vinegar felt good on our sore throats!!
--Beth

What's gross to some ain't to others
OK, I don't understand. Bologna and whipped cream cheese isn't gross at all (it's the same as taking a laughing cow cheese and wrapping bologna around it), nor is PB & J with chips (I used to smush Doritos in my tuna sandwiches, but that's not that unheard of either). I thought I had a good one with peanut butter and butter sandwiches, but I guess not and even dipping my pizza in a tub of butter, but nope. Cream cheese and bologna beat me. Blah.
--Dan Gauron

Now that's dessert
I will admit that I ate this WAY too often once upon a time: I would take a strawberry shortcake cup and fill the center of it with Nutella. Then chopped up frozen strawberries with starberry syrup were piled on and topped with a HUGE mound of whipped cream and chocolate syrup. It's SO decadent!
--Jolie

Do you have an entry for the Hall of Shame? Share it below!

Hall of Shame: Sugar Shock, Doughnut Disasters

2010-01-04T10:43:00.000-05:00

The Hall of Shame honors the worst of our guilty pleasures -- unhealthy food. Here are this edition's freaky foods:

Crazy for cocoa and Crisco mixture
My favorite mess was a concoction I used to make because we only had dry cocoa powder in the house and I wasn't old enough to cook, so had to find another way to use it. I would take a cup of dry powder milk, a cup of sugar and about a 1/2 cup of cocoa, mix it with some Crisco and then add milk until it was the texture of cake icing. This was my solution to a chocolate craving. But thinking back on it, it was really gritty from the sugar, and the Crisco didn't help it any.
--June Moore

Tremendous exhibition of gluttony
When my daughter lived in Wilmington, NC, she had a girlfriend whose husband ate one dozen doughnuts at one time. He would go to Krispy Kreme when the hot sign was on, buy one dozen doughnuts, stack them on top of one another, and then squish them down to an eatable size -- one large "doughnut" made out of 12 hot ones. Ugh!
--Sherrill Norman

Homemade cookies were GRRRREAT!
When I was in college, I used to mix up chocolate-chip cookie dough from scratch, crunch up half a box of Frosted Flakes and add it to the dough. I would bake it just until the top was crispy brown and the inside was gooey and wet. My roommate would eat it with a spoon. Mmm. Her friend from class tried it once and said it tasted like fingernail pie (because of the frosted flakes), but we LOVED it! Talk about the Freshman 15!
--R. Turner

Never tried sister's sandwich
My sister used to eat a sandwich made of peanut butter, bologna and banana with barbecue sauce on white bread. I never got the nerve to try it myself. But she seemed to enjoy them very much.
--Carol

Peanut butter and syrup sandwiches
I don't think my food is gross at all but my family cringes each time I fix it. When I was growing up, Mother would mix butter and syrup or peanut butter and syrup in a bowl and we would eat it on light bread. As I have gotten older, I still enjoy the treat of peanut butter (about 1 cup) and syrup (about 1/2 cup and has to be Daddy Buck's cane syrup), but I skip the bread and sit down instead with just a spoon and the creamy mixture. I think pineapple and mayonnaise sandwiches are delicious also but the peanut butter with syrup is my all-time favorite comfort food!
--Tammy

'Wouldn't dare serve that now'
When I was in college, my favorite cafeteria meal was chili with a side sandwich of peanut butter. The peanut butter had to be piled on fresh white bread and then dipped into the chili! Back then, I walked it off going up and down hills to classes. I wouldn't dare serve that now!
--Nancy M.

Grandma loved mayonnaise
When I was a kid, my grandmother used to take us to the beach a lot. She would make all of the lunches for me and my cousins. She would take peanut butter, spread it on white bread and put mayo on top. I actually used to like it but, the thought of ever eating it today makes me want to vomit. Oh yeah, she would put mayo on our hot dogs, too, which I never ate, yuck!
--Shiren F.

A popular treat -- bread and sugar
Probably a lot of people remember this delightful treat. It was my favorite as a kid -- bread and sugar. Just take a nice, soft, chewy piece of white bread, preferably from the middle of the loaf, spread with a thick layer of butter and sprinkle with a generous portion of white sugar. Fold it in half and eat. We were in cavity heaven!
--Marilyn Ware

Makes you want to dance
An avid dancer's mix of protein and sugar -- cottage cheese mixed with plain M&M's. YUMMY! Of course, that was 15 years ago.
--Felicity Schmerfeld

A bad habit died young
I love reading this column! I must say, I've been tempted to try bacon with peanut butter. Even the King himself, Elvis Presley was said to indulge in huge sandwiches with these two ingredients together. (This makes me think of his unfortunate demise.) When I was little, I'd open a box of brown sugar or powdered sugar, whichever one was handy, grab a spoon, and go to town while watching television. I'm so glad that was a bad eating habit that died young, instead of me!
--Gina

Do you have a strange food to share? Post it below and share in the shame.

Hangover Cures: Erase the Ouch

2009-12-20T10:08:00.000-05:00

By Shawn McKee
Staff Writer

Numerous hangover products have flooded the market over the past few years, ranging from day-after cures to prevention pills. There are also numerous folk remedies from hair of the dog to voodoo -- but what works?

To save your liver the abuse it would take to try them all, here's a list of the good (prevention), the bad (don't work) and the just plain ridiculous (No, I will not eat pickled herring!).

An Ounce of Prevention...
"The best way to contend with a hangover is not to get one, by practicing abstinence or moderation," according to Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine.

Thanks doc, but that plan -- as foolproof as it seems -- won't work for those who have already tied one on. Try a few of these tips to make the next morning less miserable.

Choose wisely. Hangovers are caused by ruthless chemicals called congeners that occur naturally in fermented alcohol, dehydration and malnutrition (you tinkled away a lot of important nutrients). The general rule is that the darker the drink the more hangover inducing congeners (because of the filtering process involved), according to a study by The British Medical Journal.

So try to avoid red wine, bourbon, scotch, rum and brandy; and opt for lighter drinks like white wine, vodka and gin. Also remember: The cheaper the potion, the more potent the poison. Red wine contains a unique hangover-inducing poison all its own called tyramine. Just avoid cheap red wine altogether and go top shelf, you'll thank yourself tomorrow.

Alternating alcohol. This is an easy way to help limit consumption and prevent dehydration. Simply alternate between alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks (preferably water or juice). Don't want to be a wet blanket? Don't tell anyone. If you're drinking a clear drink -- which is a good idea -- just refill the glass with water when your cocktail is complete. You'll save money and protect your melon.

Food for thought. You should eat before you go out, snack during your drinking and grab some greasy Chinese food on the way home. Pizza is also a fine choice since cheese is a good source of amino acids. Food doesn't absorb alcohol, but it does increase metabolism, activates alcohol absorption and increases the speed with which the body processes alcohol. Another good trick is to pound as much water or Gatorade as possible before you pass out.

If I survive this, I'll never drink again -- I swear. You already had too much fun, so it's too late for prevention. Now you just wish someone would put you out of your misery. Does any of this sound familiar?

Your eyes open, but you're still not awake. Everything seems blurry, you struggle to recognize your surroundings, and the room's still spinning from last night. Someone needs to turn this carousel off. Your mouth tastes like you licked an ashtray and washed it down with rubbing alcohol. Then, it hits you: the mother-of-all-headaches; it feels like elephants are slam-dancing on your cerebellum. You, have a hangover. Now what?

Powerful pills? Not exactly -- though there's a truckload of over the counter hangover preventions and cures -- according to a report in the British Medical Journal, "No compelling evidence exists to suggest that any complementary or conventional intervention is effective for treating or preventing alcohol hangover."

With any type of hangover pill (or powder), the buyer should beware because the claims made by the manufacturers aren't scrutinized by the Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, these products are made for "light to moderate" drinkers so it won't do any good for a boozehound to take four chaser pills while slamming 16 shots of tequila.

Hangoverreview.com reports that most of these "meds" are some combination of vitamins, minerals, herbs and organics. "There are no over the counter drugs that prevent or cure a hangover," according to the site. Most of these aren't much more effective than a multivitamin. If you want to learn more, visit www.hangoverreview.com, where they give a detailed breakdown of 52 "hangover healing" products and rate Sob'r-K HangoverStopper as the best.

While drugs such as ibuprofen can alleviate a headache, be careful because studies show that mixing an acetaminophen (Tylenol, Excedrin, etc.) pain reliever with alcohol can be hazardous to the liver. Wait until the morning to take any type of pain reliever and stay away from acetaminophen products if you've been drinking.

Eat, drink and be lazy. There are an immeasurable number of morning-after meals that some people swear by, such as: a cheeseburger and milkshake, a big greasy breakfast with all the fixings, a peanut butter, honey and banana sandwich on white bread, beans and rice, a sour herring with a beer chaser, a fried egg sandwich, and, of course, the hair of the dog that bit you. If you can handle food, then you should eat to replenish the nutrients you lost the night before.

Many drinkers believe in having a cocktail to cure your hangover, with the most popular being the Bloody Mary. There are a million variations (with hot sauce, Worcestshire, a raw egg, the list goes on and on), but the constants are alcohol and a V8-type mixer. The reason it's so popular is because it replenishes nutrients through the tomato juice and postpones the hangover with liquor (read: delays the inevitable, not cures).

If you're not up for drinking in the morning -- or whatever time you managed to crawl out of bed -- drink sports drinks, fruit juices or soda (the bubbles make your belly feel better). All of these will help to rehydrate, and the fructose helps burn up the alcohol left in your body. Water is also acceptable, but lacks sugar.

Dr. Guy Ratcliffe, medical director of the Medical Council on Alcohol, admits that time is the only 100-percent effective healer for hangovers. Time, rest and relaxation. But if you don't have the time for the resting and relaxing, you might want to try one of these crazy cures from around the world:

The French recommend a nice randy round of sex, followed by heavy water consumption and a good nap to cure the ramifications of overindulging on wine and cheese.

Apparently, Russians like heavily salted cucumber juice or black bread soaked in water, and also recommend eating pickled gherkins or tomatoes and drinking some of the juice to quell the vodka blues.

A Haitian girl I once dated believed the best rummy's remedy is to stick 13 black-headed pins in the cork of the bottle that gave you the hangover. (Consequently, I didn't believe her, but when we broke up I had a headache for two weeks, got a case of the gout and my hamster died -- it was weird.)

Some associates in Amsterdam swear by a more herbal method to alleviate the drunkard's doldrums -- a nice, big doobie. They say that pot settles their stomach, eases their headache and makes reruns of Alf hilarious. That's just what they tell me anyway.

Drink responsibly, practice prevention and if you're using these hangover cures on a daily basis, it may be time to try the Intervention hangover prevention plan.

In the immortal words of George Jean Nathan, "I only drink to make other people seem interesting."

Cheers!

Do you have an interesting hangover cure that works? Post it below and let us know.

Hall of Shame: Gross Grinders

2009-12-09T16:24:00.000-05:00

The easiest way to combine things that don't belong together is by putting them between two pieces of bread. It keeps the unlikely food fellows from going their own ways -- and may obscure the obscene contents just enough to get them into your mouth. Enjoy this week's shameful sandwiches!

PB & May...O?
As kids growing up, one of our favorite sandwiches was peanut butter and mayonnaise (on white store-bought bread, of course), with a big dill pickle sliced up on top, and a big piece of cheddar cheese on top of that. Forgot to mention that before applying the thick peanut butter to the bread, we slathered it with thick real butter first!! This was considered a "healthy lunch" meant to power us through the day. -- Anonymous

Fast Food & Furious
There is a small little hole-in-the-wall place called Arthur's Paradise Diner in Lowell, MA - they are famous for their "Boot Mill" breakfast sandwich (which puts the egg Mc'Muffin to shame!). They take a grilled bulkie roll and layer: fried egg, cheese, home fries, then your choice of bacon, sausage or ham (OR ALL THREE!!!). The best part is that although the sandwich is big, the price isnt ($4.00)! -- Andrea

Big Yack
Once I added sardines, extra mayonnaise, buffalo sauce, fried fun size snickers and put a few French fries inside a McDonalds Big Mac. Hard to eat, but delicious. -- The Mad Stacker

More Uses for Bacon!
I love peanut butter and bacon sandwiches. I can't eat bread so now I eat peanut butter and pork rinds. Not as good as bacon but it suffices. -- Name Withheld

When I was little, my mom used to make me peanut butter and bacon sandwiches. Start with a white bread pita pocket, slather in loads of hydrogenated peanut butter, and slip in a few slices of bacon. Talk about a fat-fest! -- Jenni

We like sandwiches. Peanut butter, pickle and mayonnaise is our favorite. We used the bread and butter pickles for ours...my mom also likes avocado sandwiches with mayo and sugar. and when I was pregnant, I liked hamburger dill pickle slices dipped in ketchup. yum. -- JMM

Wonder Fed
Back in high school I used to make a sandwich with good old Wonder Bread, extra fresh, slather on a inch thick of cheese salad spread (made with real cheese, pimentoes, mayo) and dunk it Heinz ketchup (no other brand would do!) with every bite!

I also made left over french fry sandwiches, you have to use to thick cut home made fries, reheat them in the microwave 'til they sizzle, slather butter on two slices of Wonder Bread, layer the heated fries as thick as you can, add salt, smoosh the bread together and enjoy!
-- Anonymous (to protect the not so innocent)

Fake Steak?
A buddy of mine liked to eat what he liked to call "steak sandwiches"; peanut butter and mayo! I don't know about anyone else, but that ain't quite steak to me! -- Kevin B.

Parental Guidance Digested
Me and my mom love eating peanut butter and pickled jalapenos on toast..haha! It tastes really good. My mom recommends bacon or cream cheese with it but i think it's weird enough on its own... lol. -- Kait

I (Heart) New Yuck
Another strange but delicious combo is a real new york plain bagel, untoasted with a thick smear of cream cheese, layer on doritos, smash and eat. Yum! But I also put ketchup and onions on my mac and cheese so clearly I am weird. -- 5th Avenue Bellyache

Do you have a strange or disgusting dish you're not ashamed to share? Come clean by posting it below and we could use it in an upcoming article.

Hall of Shame: Hershey and Hotdogs

2009-12-04T10:58:00.000-05:00

Shame has never tasted so delicious. Enjoy this eddition of foods we used to eat. (Wink.)

During my college days, living on a waitress salary and being on a very tight budget, my refrigerator was almost completely bare. Payday was not until the following day and I was hungry. That evening's dinner consisted of black olives sliced and mixed into Cool Whip. Every now and then I threaten my two teenagers with this concoction if they are not pleased with what I'm serving.
Karen T.

An old family recipe I enjoy every once in awhile: an Italian bread sandwich loaded with cold spaghetti with meat sauce, pickles, mayo and crispy fried bacon.
RastaGrl44

I think I may have everyone beat for the battle of the ultimate ice cream sundae. I'm an employee at Sarris Candies out of Canonsburgh, Pa. Our ultimate sundae consists of a HUGE bowl filled with your choice of seven heaping scoops of your choice of ice cream, followed by seven generous spoonfuls of milk chocolate, hot fudge, gooey caramel, peanut butter, butterscotch, marshmallow and dark chocolate. A banana and a generous serving of mixed nuts are added to the mix, followed by our homemade whipped cream, jimmies, cookie stix and a cherry (or three) to top it off! Some have successfully conquered it, however most ask for a lid.
Whitney F.

I personally have enjoyed some interesting combinations. I'm currently dieting, though, so alas, I can't have any of these. Most of them I've eaten since childhood. 1) A plate-full of rice covered in grandma's gravy, sweet peas and ketchup. Add a few buttered dinner rolls on the side. 2) Cornbread topped with black-eyed peas, corn and mayonnaise. Gotta get my veggies! 3) I don't like to spend a lot of time on breakfast, so I combine it all in one bowl: two packages of instant grits made using milk instead of water, a couple eggs sunny-side up, chopped up and stirred in, mix in some Frosted Flakes, and top with pancake syrup... Yum!! 4) Pizza with any of the following toppings: peanut butter, chocolate syrup or graham crackers. Never got around to trying ice cream on it though!
David H.

One of my co-workers is into the Atkins plan, however he thinks Dr. Atkins was a wimp when it came to eating food high in saturated fat. When ordering in a restaurant, my friend would order pork chops topped with two fried eggs, a side order of butter and a side order of mayonnaise. He would then spread the butter and mayonnaise on the pork chops and eggs. What made things worse was when I would order several side dishes of steamed vegetables he would look at me very strangely and ask, "Are you going to eat that?" as if this was damaging to my body.
Hector R.

I was making a BLT (bacon, lettuce, tomato) for myself when my neighbor stopped by to say hello. She asked if she could make her some bacon, too. I thought she would also like a sandwich. Instead, she went into the pantry and pulled out a bag of chips and into the fridge and got the American cheese. After her bacon was cooked (five pieces) she wrapped up each piece of bacon with two slices of American cheese then she'd top it with a handful of chips each time she took a bite! I was like, "Are you kidding me? You're really gonna eat that?" Can ya say, "Grease City"? Eww...
Tara K.

A certain Mexican restaurant where I was once employed had a dessert called "chocolate chimichanga." It's a Hershey's bar, wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried. Then it is topped with three huge scoops of vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, caramel, whipped cream and cherries. Now THAT is pure decadence!
Richgorm1

A friend of mine used to eat pancakes topped with peanut butter, a fried egg on top and another pancake, about three layers high and then sprinkled the top with powdered sugar and lots of syrup.
Margaret

By far the worst mixture regarding foodstuffs was enjoyed by a colleague of mine. He mixes vanilla ice cream and tinned sardines and eats the resulting gray sludge with relish. Truly disgusting.
Grant L.

My girlfriend Daphne loved to eat chocolate. On more than one occasion, while at 7-Eleven, she took a hot dog in a bun, put mustard and sauerkraut on it and then melted a Hershey chocolate bar on top. She swears up and down that it tastes really good. One has to wonder... Yuck!
Tracy

I was at a friend's house and she got out a bag of chocolate chip cookies to munch on. No problem there, except when she took out a can of cheese spread and started squirting it on the cookies and then eating them one after the other! I don't think the Cookie Monster would touch that!
Lexy

While visiting a friend in Houston, she took me to a restaurant called Cafe Adobe. There we had an avocado stuffed with meat and cheese, then deep fried! Another time my sister-in-law served a triple-layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I was enjoying it until I saw the nutrition information which read 96 (no that's not a typo) grams of fat per serving!
Name Withheld

In my hometown we have a potato chip factory. And believe me, they are the best! So my favorite snack over the years has been to stick a chunk of sharp Colby cheese in my mouth, stuff as many potato chips in as I can and take a swig of milk. Chew it all at the same time. MMMMM! And repeat until I run out of chips or cheese or make myself sick. Unfortunately, I'm 42 and still give in to this craving every now and then. But it's very few and far in between now.
Cristal

My husband's favorite sandwich is peanut butter-jelly-catsup-onion-mayonnaise. How about that one? It would make anybody sick to just think about it.
Nancy

I have a co-worker that was telling me about her family's favorite food. I was amazed! Her children love peanut butter and spaghetti (with the tomato sauce) sandwiches! I was told that is sometimes what the family has for dinner! The other food she loves is a pork & bean and grape jelly sandwiches on white bread.
Becky

I have two. 1) Our cafeteria makes a bread pudding that is extremely tasty! I have indulged on various occasions... that is, until I asked for the recipe. Instead of using bread they use the day-old donuts and pastries! Then you add butter, half & half, sugar and spice! 2) A local hot dog stand serves this taste treat: Take a hot dog, wrap it in cheese slices, then wrap it in bacon, wrap it is dinner roll dough and deep-fry it.
Lisa H.

In Houston and Austin, Texas there is an "open-all-night" New York-style deli whose cheesecake shake is their specialty of the house. It's a milkshake made with whole milk and premium (read: ultra-high fat) ice cream in your choice of chocolate, vanilla or strawberry. But wait... there's more! As if that wasn't enough of a diet blaster, they blend a Texas-sized slice of New York-style cheesecake into the shake! This shake is quite appropriately advertised on TV as "a heart attack in a glass." It must have 4,000 calories and 200 fat grams! They say they've been in business since 1979. Well, this must be a relatively new menu item, or their clientele would have perished much too quickly to keep them in business for 22 years. God help us all if this chain ever goes nationwide.
Caroline G.

Don't know if you've heard this one before... My husband gets these subs at a deli near his office. They consist of thinly sliced steak, a mound of full-fat cheese, sauteed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise AND, get this, two fried eggs and bacon! All on an eight-inch sub bun, served with a mound of French fries. Thank goodness he only gets them a couple of times a year! Sharon

What's your craziest food concoction? Post it below -- we won't tell.

Simple Diet Tweaks: Double Weight Loss!

2009-11-15T10:26:00.000-05:00

Double Your Weight Loss

There are so many small changes you can make to lose weight, but there's one tweak that can actually double your weight-loss efforts. You don't have to wake up at 5 a.m. or give up cheese to do it, but you will have to take accountability for what you eat.
How to double weight loss... >>

Go back to the beginning >>

Drink and Lose ♦ Snack Yourself Skinny ♦ The Carbs to Keep ♦ Portion Distortion ♦ Double Your Weight Loss

Simple Diet Tweaks: The Right Portions

2009-11-15T10:24:00.000-05:00

Portion Distortion

One of the major problems of weight loss is understanding portion size. You can eat all the right foods, but if you eat them in over-sized portions, you'll still be consuming too many calories to lose weight.
Get examples of proper portions... >>

See Next Tweak >>

Drink and Lose ♦ Snack Yourself Skinny ♦ The Carbs to Keep ♦ Portion Distortion ♦ Double Your Weight Loss

Simple Diet Tweaks: Carbs to Keep

2009-11-15T10:20:00.000-05:00

Eat These Carbs

Face it: Carbohydrates are confusing. There are simple carbs, complex carbs, good carbs, bad carbs, refined, unrefined, plus, something called net carbs -- whatever that means. Eating the correct carbohydrates will not only help keep you full, but will provide you vital nutrients and help you achieve weight loss goals.
Find out which carbs to keep... >>

See Next Tweak >>

Drink and Lose ♦ Snack Yourself Skinny ♦ The Carbs to Keep ♦ Portion Distortion ♦ Double Your Weight Loss

Simple Diet Tweaks: Snack Skinny

2009-11-15T10:18:00.000-05:00

Snack Yourself Skinny

You will get hungry between meals, but what you snack on can mean all the difference between losing weight or simply adding empty calories to your daily diet. If you can make better choices when you snack, you can make losing weight a snap.
Get the secrets to slimmer snacking... >>

See Next Tweak >>

Drink and Lose ♦ Snack Yourself Skinny ♦ The Carbs to Keep ♦ Portion Distortion ♦ Double Your Weight Loss

Hall of Shame: Childhood Food Follies

2009-11-11T15:18:00.000-05:00

We receive many entries for the Hall of Shame. And we have to tell you, many of you say you ate these things before you knew about proper nutrition. It's childhood, however, that serves as the main scapegoat for having eaten the concoctions you did. We're not saying we don't believe you, we're just saying: Some of you are lucky to be alive!

Glad You're Over It, Sonja
As a child, I went through several phases. Hot dogs was one of them. Hot dogs on pizza, in lasagne, in chili -- any dish could have hot dogs added to it. My other phase was sour cream. Sour cream on pizza, chili, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, cereal, cake, it didn't matter, sour cream would go on anything, sweet, sour, salty, etc...
--Sonja K.

Boredom Will Do It...
About 8 years ago I was visiting a friend of mine for the weekend and we got a bit bored and hungry. We scrounged around to find something different to eat and she came up with slimjims dipped generously in peanut butter. I thought it was gross but she swore it was the best thing ever. Until she got bad heartburn.

My fiance says that he used to eat bologna and fudge round sandwiches with mayonaise. He still swears it's good eating.

When I was about 12 or 13 and my parents went off to work leaving me home alone, I would whip up this sweet concoction: melted butter, fruitloops and lots of sugar. It was gross but good especially since my parents couldnt afford regular everyday snacks. --Samantha

Bologna Eater Comes Out of the Closet!
When I was a kid all I would eat was bologna. We would go out to eat at a restaurant and my parents would slap a piece of bologna and ketchup down in front of me. Later on, my mom turned me onto bologna and peanut butter sandwiches. I guess it sounds gross (that's what people tell me), but they are quite yummy. I still crave them sometimes, but I have to eat them in private.
--Angela S.

Um... Burp!
Growing up my siblings and I would eat what we called a "Big Wopper". It was a sandwich on white bread that consisted of iceburg lettuce, bologna, peanut butter and miracle whip. Yum! It was the perfect combination of salty, sweet, crunchy, tanginess!
--Mary M.

With Friends Like These...
My high school cafeteria served milkshakes that were the consistency of a frosty, but alot more chocolatey. I would crunch a bag of BBQ Fritos in mine and eat it with a spoon. Sounds gross but a great taste treat. A couple of years later I found out my best friend did the same thing.
--Jim W.

He Liked the Sticky Stuff
This will melt your fillings. When I was a kid my mom and dad and sisters would take cereal bowls, throw in a gob of peanut butter, pour Kayro syrup on it. (The stickiest sweetest syrup you could find anywhere) and mix it all up nice and creamy, yum! And if that wasn't enough to make the dentist cringe, sometimes I'd sprinkle powdered sugar on top! I sure can't do that anymore.
--John M.

Horrible High School Eats
My favorite food that grossed out my friends in high school, was a huge bowl of neopolitan ice cream, half a brick of sharp cheddar cheese (cut up) sweet pickles, all topped with chocolate syrup!! Haven't had it in years, but I think about it often. I think my parents are the worst, my mom ate peanut butter and ketchup sandwiches, and my dad ate peanut butter and spaghetti sandwiches. I cant even begin to tell you the stuff my dad made for us while mom was at work.
--Tracy R.

You Gotta Be Kidding
Got this one from my mother. When I was little I would take a cup of coffee or tea, then take American cheese slices and break it up in little pieces and put it in the coffee or tea. It sank to the bottom and I ate it with a spoon. At the same time I dunked crackers with butter in the coffee or tea. When finished I drank the coffee or tea which by then had a cheesy flavor.
--Lorraine D.

Ah, To Be a Kid Again
My 13-year old son craves this "sandwich", as he call it, for a snack often. He starts with soft white Italian bread slices and procedes to squirt a ton of Sweet Baby Ray's honey barbeque sauce on one slice. On top of that he piles as many Cool Ranch Doritos as he possibly can on the barbeque sauce. Then he squirts another ton of barbeque sauce on top of the chips and tops it off with another slice of bread. He uses his palm to smash it down and then picks it up and takes a superhuman bite from it. The crunch sound is deafening and the barbeque sauce always oozes all over, including his face. I always look on in disgust as the biggest smile crosses his face.
--Karen M.

Hungry? Us either. Post your crazy food memory below to be featured in a future Hall of Shame.

Hall of Shame: Family Food

2009-11-11T13:58:00.000-05:00

You can't choose your family, or what they eat, but you can choose to expose their horrendous eating habits. Without further ado, more of the worst...

The Man Likes His BBQ Sauce
My dad loves bbq sauce so much that he eats it on everything and I do mean everything. A couple of his concoctions really gross me out. For instance, occasionally, he enjoys mixing bbq sauce into his cottage cheese. One time, however, he ate something that was even worse than that. We had recently received some tomatoes from my grandma's garden and my dad was eating them at supper one night. He decided to try putting bbq on sauce on them and as if that wasn't bad enough, he mixed it with ranch dressing, slathered it over the tomatoes, and then added pepper. He claimed it was the best way he had ever eaten tomatoes, but I refused to try it. I think I would have probably thrown up.
--Kendra R.

Any Flavor Will Do
While at University I discover the joy of eating french fries dipped in ice cream. I would take the fry dip it into the ice cream (any flavour) and chew on it. I still do this and my daughter also love it. This started as part of my weight gaining plan and now I don't seem to be able/or want to kick the habit.
--Bertha S.

The Stress Makes Her Do It
I've read the Hall of Shame articles and I was surprised to know that many people out there have bad habits. I'm not the only one! What can I say about my personal tasty bad food? When I have stress, I just go to the supermarket and buy around 8 or 9 potato chips of various kinds and flavors. I add lemon and hot sauce to each of them and eat them all one after the other. Then I eat Snickers or Bounty or Galaxy -- anything that is sweet!
--Barbarah S.

Don't Give In, Lisa!
I love the Hall of Shame column! My sister and I decided last weekend to have a "bad foods fest" -- we are normally super healthy eaters, but we do get cravings for highly processed foods from time to time...and last weekend was one of those. I have read over and over in the column about the "wonder bread and potato chip sandwich" -- which my sister and I had never heard of, especially growing up in a household that never once saw a package of Wonderbread (our mom abhorred junk and processed foods). So we decided to try it. However, we couldn't remember what the "worst" combination was, so we tried our own -- wonder bread, with a thick layer of pre-made cream cheese frosting (the extra fluffy stuff) with a small bag of chips smushed into it. It was, to our absolute surprise, delicious. We may have to try it again with different frosting and chip combinations...when we succumb to "bad foods" again. Another delicious combination was one that we just discovered at a friend's BBQ -- a dill pickle wrapped up in a slice of dried beef with cream cheese. Salty, crunchy and creamy. Even better with a bread-and-butter pickle for the sweet part too.
--Lisa F.

Cafeteria Food is a Bit Healthier, Actually...
As a college student, finding quick meals on a budget is essential, so my roommate and I made up these fabulously disgusting concoctions as snacks and occasional meals. The first one we called "dinner." We took a bowl of Jell-O brand chocolate pudding, Marshmallow Fluff, a little bit of milk and a small dollop of peanut butter. We ate it with a spoon and called it pudding soup. And for dessert, we eat Oreos (double stuffed!) dipped in vanilla frosting and peanut butter. Fattening, we know, but sure beats cafeteria food!
--Anonymous

We Could Do an Entire Column on Pregnancy Foods
When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I would have some of my old high school cravings. My breakfast was a Snickers bar and a can of Coca-Cola. But the weird part is that I would pour salted sunflower seeds in the can of Coke and enjoy them together. It gets worse: They were in the shells! My redemption is that with my second daughter (three years later), I ate fresh fruits and turkey, and smoothies: EVERY DAY! Along with hot dogs and ice cream, together.
--Quinn A.

Peanut Butter Butter
After reading about peanut butter & butter sandwiches, I had to make my contribution: what I call "high-cal toast." I toast two slices of regular white bread, then spread each slice with a layer of peanut butter and enough butter to leave little puddles on top of the peanut butter. Yum! I usually do this once a week, and end up sharing a little bit with one of my cats. (And the cat is 12 years old and weighs 17 pounds!)
--April

Not Very Harmonious
When I was a kid. The only thing I would eat in the morning was an egg sandwich. But I added my own special twist. I would put mustard and jelly on mine, no one else would look at it, but, to me it was out of this world. I still try this to this day and you know it does not taste as good as when I was younger.

Also, I don't know if any have tried this or not but when I got married the only way my husband's family ate an egg sandwich or French toast was to put ketchup on them. I have seen people do egg sandwiches like this but no one I know of eats French toast with ketchup on it. I was traveling with my small son on a train and we went into this restaurant and he ordered French toast and I had to request ketchup be bought to the table The waitress stayed to see what the ketchup was used for. When he put it on his French toast she rolled her eyes and said in all of her years as a waitress she had never seen anyone eat ranch toast that way. To this day my children and yes me eat French toast (and egg sandwiches) with ketchup on them.

Does your family have a deep, dark food secret? Share it below and let those skeletons out of your pantry.

Hall of Shame: Diner Disasters

2009-10-13T14:52:00.000-04:00

Here's another heaping helping of the foods you hate to love. Welcome to the Hall of Shame!

Take Me Out to the Hall Game...
I've never had one, but our local minor league baseball park sells something called a Krispy Kreme Burger. It is a burger with cheese & bacon sandwiched between a Krispy Kreme glazed donut. Aficionados of this "heart attack on a bun" rave about it & will exclaim with dismay if you "ruin" it by trying to put traditional condiments such as ketchup or mustard on it. CBS had even done a news story on it. They said it clocks it at around 1,000 calories with over 10g of sugar. However, I have a hard time believing it's only 1,000 calories. Happy artery clogging & Go Grizzlies! -- Sandwich Slugger

Bad Dog!
I went to a Philiadelphia-Style Deli in Wilimington, NC recently. They have a "John's Island Hot Dog" on the menu. It's an all beef hot dog with peanut butter, mayo and raw onions. I was feeling brave and I tried it. Now I recreate it at home at least once a month! -- Joanna

Oodles of Noodles of Shame
You take a pack of chicken-flavored oriental noodles (minus the flavor pack, of course) and put them in the pot and let them boil to the right consistency. While that is happening, gather 2 eggs, diced onions, cheese and sliced turkey. Cook the eggs, cheese, onions and meat together, then when the noodles are done, add the seasoning packet plus the egg mixture to the noodles, mix together and serve! Yum! I started cooking this when I was pregnant with my second daughter, and 6 years later, it is still one of my favorite snacks. -- Tracy

Family Food Fight
My parents each have their entry into the Hall: My dad is from Mississippi and I can only think this originates from there. He would take a banana, slather it with crunchy peanut butter, and top that with dollops of mayonnaise! I used to ask him why he bothered with the banana and he said it made the snack "healthy"! My mom's food of shame was so bad, she used to literally close the blinds in the house before she indulged - she would buy a can of sweetened condensed milk, pop hole in the top with a church-key opener, and drink the entire thing! She should feel guilty!
--Adrianne

A Tortured Soul
I love canned baked beans mixed with mayonnaise and finely chopped red onions. Really, really good! I bet it would be amazing with the crack weenies. My mouth is watering from watching you make AND EAT them. It’s not fair for you to make something so appealing, when I’m not supposed to go near any one of the ingredients! Although I might write down the recipe in case I ever feel the need to medicate with food. Which happens surprisingly often.

I think I’ll rewind to the tuna on a donut and see if I can turn my stomach for a few hours.
Thanks,
Joan

Northern Exposure
The Granny that ate raw hamburger is not alone -- steak tartar in some circles -- but in addition to salt and peppering, a piece of thinly sliced onion tops it off! To this day, even with what I know about red meat (cooked or raw), I still sneak a few bites after I unload groceries and "re-package" a family-size container of fresh ground chuck! My Dad used to even feed bits of raw hamburger to our pet goldfish "Cannibal." Must be an up north Chicago thing… :O)
-- Monster of the Midway

The Pie's the Limit
No wonder I was up to 150 pounds in college, when I ate snacks like this:

A packaged frozen pie crust, only slightly heated (just enough to get rid of the freezer taste), smeared with whipped sweet butter, then folded over like a sandwich. And yes, on occasion I ate more than one at a time. It obviously wasn't about hunger. Just to think of it today literally makes me gag. -- Student Body Treasurer

Do you have a strange or disgusting dish you're not ashamed to share? Come clean by posting it below and we could use it in an upcoming article.

Find Time for Fitness: Exercise for Everyone

2009-10-01T14:52:00.000-04:00

By Mike Stefano
eDiets Contributor

A busy lifestyle can make finding the time to exercise a nightmare. Most adults who work out also have a little thing called a job, which can add up to big-time exhaustion.

This puts time on short supply, and unfortunately one of the first things to bite the dust is your fitness program.

What time of day do you exercise?

We surveyed 500 fitness buffs and this is what we discovered: About 28 percent of you exercise any time you can, a dead heat with those who prefer an evening workout.

But what's the most popular time to exercise?

Morning got more than 200 votes out of 500 exercisers polled (44 percent). The least favorite time to train the body was during the afternoon hours (at only 10 percent).

Survey Results:
I prefer to exercise...

Mornings -- 44 percent

Afternoons -- 10 percent

Evenings -- 28 percent

Any time -- 28 percent

The Body's Natural Rhythm
Throughout the day there is also a natural ebb and flow of energy that we all experience. We adapt to our daily schedules of sleep, work, and rest, and actually become stronger during periods of the day when our bodies instinctively anticipate greater amounts of work (based on previous behavior).

In other words, if you work out every day at 6 p.m., your body will get the most from a workout that takes place at 6 p.m. Because you've grown accustomed to exercise in the evening, you won't be as energetic and strong during a workout that takes place in the early morning hours. For you, a morning workout will not be quite as effective. Fortunately, any differences will be minor, and a workout that takes place during the evening hours is still far better than no workout at all.

Practicality Rules
So should you rearrange your life around exercise just to ensure an evening workout, or a workout that happens at the same time every day? Researchers are apt to answer with a very adamant, "No!" Ultimately, finding enough time (and energy) to exercise, no matter what the time of day, is what's important.

Ideally, stick to your scheduled program, but here are five ways to get around a hectic day.

1. Shrink to Fit
Cut workouts in half and squeeze in a 15- or 20-minute session instead of your normal workout. These "short but sweet" workouts can produce dramatic results.

2. Start Your Day 30 Minutes Earlier
Set the alarm clock for 30 minutes earlier and workout before your day starts. Eventually your body will adjust to the earlier wake up call.

3. Split lunch
Split your lunch hour in two, and devote half an hour to exercise before you eat. This will also curb your appetite and make it easier to cut lunchtime calories.

4. Rock-A-Bye, Baby
When the little one goes down for a nap, squeeze in 10 or 15 minutes. Whether you're a work-at-home mom or dad, take every opportunity you get to squeeze in some exercise. Repeat throughout the day to add up to 20 or 30 minutes.

5. Double Up
Create combination workouts that you can perform 3 or 4 times weekly. For example, combine 10 minutes of strength with 20 minutes of cardio training for three or four, 30-minute weekly workouts.

Don't allow strict rules on what time of day is best for exercise to dictate your workout schedule. You may wind up exercising less. Be flexible in your scheduling, and do what you can, when you can, to get the most from any exercise program!

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