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It's illegal to be fat in Japan

Thanks to an anti-obesity law passed last year, Japanese salarymen across the nation are pulling up their shirts to have their guts measured… and if they’re overweight, they face consequences.
If you’re male and your waist is over 33.5 inches, you’re considered fat. If you’re female, the limit is 35.4 inches. Thanks to those burgers, you now have to attend mandatory counseling with a physician. For every grotesquely obese employee like yourself, your company gets hit by a fine; ergo, they strongly encourage you to lose weight with gifts of gym memberships and pedometers.
The goal of all this is to prevent Japan from experiencing an obesity epidemic like so many other industrialized nations. The theory is the less overweight people you have, the lower health care costs will be across the board. Although I think the waistline restrictions are a bit strict (how is a six foot tall foreigner supposed to have a 33-inch waist?), this seems like a good idea overall. America could certainly benefit from less junk in the trunk… but would such a system work here? What do you think about this?Posted on November 14, 2009 -
the bad times bootcamp

best idea for the dubai unemployed.
Posted on July 9, 2009 -
Just One Meal…
I just saw a segment on Good Morning America about how one high-fat, high-calorie meal can make a difference in your blood. They tested people before and after eating a meal at an average chain restaurant (they didn’t say which, but the images on screen included Applebee’s and Cheesecake Factory). The “after” blood was visibly cloudier, meaning there was more fat in the bloodstream. That… is gross.
I’ll try to find a link later, but I wanted to post about it asap. I will definitely think twice before splurging on a meal like that. Not only do I feel absolutely awful (and wake up the next morning with a food hangover), but this piece showed me in no uncertain terms what certain food can do to our bodies.
The doctor on the segment said food like that is the “poisoning of America” and I believe it.
Posted on July 7, 2009 -

i’m craving an Acai Berry fo-yo with granola.
ultimate YUM
Posted on July 5, 2009 -

Tumbling4Good Action #2: Donate Blood Did you know “Currently only 3 out of every 100 people in America donate blood.” And I don’t think that many people are afraid of needles. The reality is that we don’t make time for it. I should have donated last November, but didn’t get around to it until May. Now I’m making sure it’s on my calendar so I can donate again. Here’s a shot my arm, and my nice pint of blood sitting on the table. Now, if that doesn’t make you queasy, then it’s time for you to make an appointment.
- Go to http://www.givelife.org
- Make your appointment and go to it.
- Post a picture of your pint of blood (and for the competitive types, how long it took to fill it) and give the link to your post in the answers below so I can reblog it.
- Oh, and reblog this post.
What are you waiting for?
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yummy yummy lentils! Dhal (indian and arabic word for lentil) has been such a staple in my diet. and i usually eat it with thin bread, a squirt of lemon and achaar (pickled chilli mango and lime). i might try that lentil strew with orange recipe, delishhh
You’re Probably Not Eating Enough: Lentils
Lentils are not only one of the world’s healthiest foods, they’re also insanely cheap. A cup of lentils costs about $.80 (and a cup goes a looong way). For your $.80, you’ll get 63% of your daily recommended value of fiber, 90% folate, 35% protein, and 25% each of vitamin B1 and potassium (just to name a few).
Here are a few good lentil recipes:
Kale, Sausage & Lentil Skillet Supper
Cauliflower & Red Lentil Curry
Squash, Chickpea & Red Lentil Stew
Halibut with Lentils & Mustard Sauce
Lentil Stew with OrangesReader Arwen also sent in this recipe for Greek Lentils that she says is “DELICIOUS, hearty, and packed with things that are good for you.”
You’ll need:
- 8 ounces brown lentils
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 onions, minced
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 4 cups of water
- 1 pinch dried oregano
- 1 pinch crushed dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- salt and pepper to taste
- vinegar to taste (I’ve used red wine, balsamic, pretty much anything works and you only need a dash. Plus, the vinegar will cut down on the need for salt since it packs such a punch)
Preparation:
1. Place lentils in a large saucepan, cover with 1 inch of water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; cook for 10 minutes, then drain lentils into a strainer.
2. Dry saucepan, pour in olive oil, and place over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and carrot; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in lentils, 1 quart water, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in tomato paste and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the lentils have softened, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add additional water if the soup becomes too thick. Ladle into soup bowls, and drizzle vinegar to serve. -
nutritionista has definitely inspired me to make some awesome things. (see previous posts on homemade granola bars, smoothies, and stuffed chicken) i JUST made kale chips today, and seriously YUM. and it’s just SO EASY to make. tore up some small kale pieces, put some olive oil, seasoning, parmesan, in a pan and DONE in 15 mins. can’t wait to bring them into work to snack on. THANK YOU nutritionista :) :)
I pre-bagged the kale chips so I could pretend they’re snack-sized bags of potato chips or something. There’s nothing better than grab-and-go healthy snacks.
This was my first time making kale chips and I can now say I LOVE them. They’re so easy to make (just roasted kale with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a sprinkling of parmesan) and they satisfy that need for something salty and crunchy.

