By: SparkPeople Guest Blogger, – Sandra Gordon, Family Circle
6/18/2013  12:00:00 PM   :  4 comments   :  861 views

Brittni Reum's first broken bone happened in her right heel at age 10. She suffered four more fractures over the next three years in her arms and knee—all from seemingly minor mishaps while playing on the monkey bars or shooting hoops in gym class. "Brittni seemed so fragile that I was afraid to let her go outside or play sports," says her mom, Michele, an accounting manager in Jacksonville, Florida. 

By: SparkPeople Guest Blogger, – Jessica Girdwain, Woman's Day
6/17/2013  12:00:00 PM   :  20 comments   :  5,550 views

Pick up an innocent box of granola bars or a bottle of iced tea and you're hit with health claims—from less fat to made with real sugar. In fact, a USDA study showed that 43% of products introduced in 2010 splashed nutrition ads on their packaging. But despite their promises, you could be eating more fat, calories, salt and sugar than you think. Get the facts on the most deceptive claims so they never mislead you again. 

By: Nicole Nichols, SparkPeople Blogger
6/17/2013  6:00:00 AM   :  44 comments   :  31,509 views

As a person who incorporates fitness into my everyday life—whether I'm at home or traveling—I sure do plan to staying active even when I'm on a relaxing vacation. After all, with no distractions and nothing but free time, what excuse do I have? The more activity you can build into any vacation, the better your chances of returning with all the good things (think souvenirs and memories) and none of the bad (extra padding around the middle). In fact, most people do want to relax and indulge a little on vacation, and that's fine. But planning for extra activity will definitely help you stay on track with your fitness and weight management goals.

While you may think that's boring, I've got news for you: Vacation exercise isn't about the treadmill. There are tons of fun, active ways you can torch calories and get a workout without even realizing it. Here are some of the many activities I can't wait to try during my own vacation (and a rundown of how many calories* each one burns).

By: SparkPeople Guest Blogger, SparkPeople Blogger
6/16/2013  6:00:00 AM   :  128 comments   :  9,837 views

Brad Milligan (BRADMILL2922)

Weight Lost: 197 pounds
Hometown: Jeffersonville, IN
 
What was life like before losing weight?
I was a big kid and a big teenager. Being 6'7", I was never going to be small. I never enjoyed exercise much, but I did it because it was part of playing sports. I was always an athlete growing up, including playing baseball in college. When sports ended for me, I stopped exercising. I steadily gained weight in my 20s from lack of exercise and poor diet. When I was at my highest weight of 509 pounds, I didn't feel like doing anything. I didn't want to go out of the house and hang out with friends because I was embarrassed of myself. I really couldn't participate in many sporting activities or physical activities in general because it made me tired. I had no energy.

What was the main motivation behind your weight loss?
My main motivation was my kids. I am a single dad of three children and I wanted to be around for them, be more active with them and set a good example.  I realized that the way I was going, that wasn't going to happen. I had a lot of "dieting" stops and starts over the years that failed every time. I had lost myself and who I was. On May 4, 2012, I weighed in at 466 pounds and I decided that on May 5 (Kentucky Derby Day around here), I wasn't going to do this anymore. I came up with a plan of diet and, eventually, exercise that I thought would help me lose the weight. No shortcuts. No fad diets. No trainers. No surgery. No diet pills. It was going to be hard work and I knew I needed some help along the way which is where SparkPeople.com came in. I set a goal to lose 167 pounds, which would get me down to 299 pounds. I would be less than 300 pounds for the first time since college!

By: Stepfanie Romine, SparkPeople Blogger
6/15/2013  6:00:00 AM   :  8 comments   :  12,192 views

A round-up of the most interesting and thought-provoking stories of the week.

The Fastest Way To Improve Your Diet
Find out why eating leafy green vegetables can have a tremendous impact on your diet for very little effort. From MindBodyGreen

Low blood sugar in some diabetics boosts dementia risk
If you have diabetes and are older, pay attention to this story, which says that being too aggressive in keeping blood sugar down can lead to increased risk for dementia. From the Chicago Tribune

Oral Cancer Sneaks Up
Michael Douglas' recent assertion that his oral cancer was sexually transmitted has brought this unfamiliar cancer into the public eye. Learn more--and separate truth from tabloid headlines. From NYT Well blog