For once Obama sets a good example -- ignores food freaks

As Kevin reported earlier this week, the USDA got rid of the food pyramid and replaced it with a food plate, a cost of millions to the taxpayer, so people can better understand how to feed themselves.

Shortly after the new and improved plate was released, President Obama chowed down on what his wife, Michelle, probably wouldn't approve of: Chili dogs...two of them.

When his wife unveiled the USDA's new nutritional plate yesterday, there definitely wasn't a space for chili dogs.

But that didn't stop Barack Obama wolfing down two in Toledo today - with fries and an extra bowl of chili on the side.

The president happily munched on the unhealthy meal before he visited the city's Chrysler factory, and even teased one of his hosts for ordering ketchup, a faux-pas in his home town of Chicago.

Yesterday she unveiled the USDA's new healthy-eating guide, which replaces the famous 'My Pyramid' with a plate divided into four nutritional quadrants: fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins.

But as her husband chowed down at the famous Rudy's Hot Dog with Toledo's mayor, the only sign of 'vegetables' appeared to be some fried onions.

He ordered the house speciality chili dog, which comes with mustard, onion, chili sauce and cheese, and topped it up with a bowl of chili and a portion of fries on the side.

SOURCE





Make mine a Subway: Turkey sandwich diet helps British father-of-two lose five stones



A fast food fan has lost a staggering five stone in nine months by eating nothing but Subway sandwiches. Carsten Renken, 41, ditched his diet of burgers, fried chicken and microwave meals after doctors warned him that he was dangerously overweight.

He made the unusual decision to eat nothing but six-inch club sandwiches filled with turkey, ham, beef and salad for lunch and dinner. Each sandwich contains 298 calories.

Mr Renken has managed to drop from 16st 8lbs [224lb] last September to 11st [154lb] today. Meanwhile his waistline shrank from 44in to 31in.

The father-of-two from Coventry, said: 'I live a busy life so convenience was the only option, but I've found a fast food that works for me. 'I couldn't face totally giving up fast food. We all have our vices and this is mine.

'I like Subway sandwiches but it's important that people know I'm totally independent of the chain. I'm not doing this for money or free Subs. I'm doing this because obesity is a growing problem and I want to share my success story with everyone. 'I want people to know that although fast food can cause the problem, it can be your way out of it too.'

The father-of-two used to consume up to 5,000 calories per day - almost twice the recommended daily allowance for men. But he knew it was time to tackle his spiraling weight during a holiday in Sweden when his 13-year-old daughter said he was the fattest man at the resort.

Mr Renken's breakfast used to consist of a double sausage and egg McMuffin with a substantial side-order of hash browns and fries.

Lunch would be a feast of KFC fillet tower burgers or two double-bacon cheeseburgers from Burger King.

For dinner, he would munch on fatty microwave meals or indulge in large greasy portions of chips from the local chippy.

But Mr Renken is now on 'first name terms' with staff at his local Subway branch in Coventry.

Store manager David Rollason, 25, said: 'Carsten has been coming here for so many months now and we always know what his order will be. 'We're his local Subway and he knows the service is quick. He has become a very familiar face and we always enjoy a bit of banter with each other. 'When he first started coming here, he was very overweight, but when you line up a picture of him now with one of him then, the difference is amazing. 'His weight loss has been so dramatic.'

Kathy Cowbrough, Dietitian and Public Health Nutritionist, said: ‘What Mr Renken has done is what most people need to do to lose weight - cut the amount he is eating by controlling his portions. For him it’s made easy by having the same thing every day where he knows how that he is consuming 1,100 calories a day.

‘For weight loss depending on a person's energy needs we recommend a deficit of 500 calories per day and aim for around 1200-1500 calories.

‘However, it would be worth him keeping a food diary and comparing it with the Eatwell plate as this gives guidance on proportions of food groups to eat to give the body the nutrients it needs. This way he can make sure he is not missing out on any crucial food groups.’

SOURCE