One big moment in last night’s premiere was the pizza party that Ruby hosted. You might be thinking “why would she do that?” She brought temptation right through the front door, to the dismay of her ex-boyfriend Denny.

“I have to live in the real world,” says Ruby. “Everywhere I go I’m surrounded by food.”

Watch the clip now, and continue reading the recap.

Ruby’s former boyfriend Denny returned to treat her to a Rascal Flatts concert. Ruby and friends packed up for a road trip to see the show in Charleston. Her friends were on the defensive as they didn’t want to Ruby’s heart broken again by Denny. When asked if he was trying to get back with her, Denny denied it. Then, toward the end of the evening, Denny starts coming on to Ruby. To which she responded “It was bugging me bad! I was like, get off me!” Denny stood by the fact that he only wants to help Ruby, and she made it clear to him that she no longer has feelings for him.

An unexpected hurdle was that Ruby had to climb what she thought were “10,000 stairs!” We can all be proud of Ruby as she climbed every last one of them to get to her seat. It was a reminder that she has a long way to go and that she can’t afford to turn back.

Watch the clip.

Ruby also faced her toughest challenge yet - the loss of her father. Calling him her hero, and crediting him with loving her unconditionally, Ruby struggled to make peace with her loss. She met with her psychiatrist and discussed her grieving process. She says the three weeks after his death she went completely off her program - no exercise, no journaling, and even lacking a desire to get out of bed. Worried that this would leave her unable to return to her program, as the premiere episode progresses, we see that Ruby’s going to be able to do it!

See more Ruby videos and check-out Ruby’s new diet, Ourlife Health.

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Ruby Season 2 Premiere Recap

Rebecca is a Washington, D.C.-based registered dietitian in private practice. Members of Congress, corporate executives, and professional and recreational athletes seek her expertise to help them reach their wellness and performance goals. She received a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, has been recognized by the American Dietetic Association as “Young Dietitian of the Year,” and is an ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist.

“Not only does Rebecca bring with her an impressive background, but her positive perspective on nutrition and healthy living is approachable and her voice one that our readers can trust,” says senior editor Brandi Koskie. “We couldn’t be happier to have Rebecca join our team and know our readers will come to see great things from her.”

As dietitian for DietsInReview.com, Rebecca will break down the basics of nutrition, debunk diet myths and clarify marketing noise. Best of all, Rebecca will remove those barriers that often keep people from changing their health for the better. Watch for her articles in the Diet Blog, as well as exclusive videos with recipes and nutrition education.

See Rebecca’s guest series from her company Nurture Principles.

See Rebecca’s Banana Split Smoothie recipe video - a taste of more delicious ideas to come!

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Dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield Joins DietsInReview.com

Wedding Season Week 9:

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now!!” (Goethe)

Tip: Remember to listen to your body, it knows when enough is enough and when to push it.

Week 9 Wedding Fitness Plan (Self Stretching):

Assisted stretching is a great way to wind down a tough sweat-filled workout and to relieve a little more stress that runs our lives these days. Again, stretching has so many benefits and an assisted stretch just adds to the list of them. These benefits range from improving sleep patterns to increasing energy levels.

Like I mentioned above, assisted stretching is a great way to cool or wind down, reach the parts of the body unattainable by yourself, and stretch deeper to increase your flexibility level. I have put together a list of stretches below that I perform on my clients after a nice hard workout. I recommend holding or maintaining each stretch for two 20-second counts with a five-second relaxation period between them. Good luck!!

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10 Week Wedding Fitness Plan: Week 9

Here’s the skinny on the changes:

• No more high fructose corn syrup - this was the #1 change customers requested on My Starbucks Idea
• No more artificial colors or flavors
• New menu item selections such as Vivanno smoothies, salads, and a gluten-free orange valencia cake
• Improvements to ingredients in some of their “favorites” like egg whites in their spinach feta wrap and reduced-fat turkey bacon egg sandwich (real eggs, peeps - no substitutes here! I know, it seems odd to tout real eggs in an egg wrap, but it’s true, lots of places use egg products.)
• All-natural turkey in their sandwiches

Starbucks let me sample some of their new baked goods. I was impressed with the flavors and product quality overall. The cranberry orange muffin and banana bread (with 30% fresh banana) were my faves. I don’t always go for the baked goods, but as a “sometimes” food these offerings pass the test. They have good nutrition for the calories. These are great for sharing, too.

According to the Starbucks website, their commitment to wellness has already resulted in the following changes:

• Saving customers 7 billion calories per year, equaling nearly 5 million pounds of fat by using 2% over whole milk as the standard in all beverages and setting nutrition “guardrails” for new products to be less than 500 calories
• Removing artificial trans fat in all food and beverages in North America
• Expanding the food and beverage portfolio to include a variety of options, including Fruit Cups, Yogurt Parfaits, Skinny Lattes, Vivanno™ Smoothies and Starbucks^® Perfect Oatmeal

What do you think of these changes?

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Starbucks Steps Up Nutrition Quality of Food and Beverages

Of course, safety is a big issue, but if you take a lesson or play it safe you will be more than fine. I also recommend starting with a long board then upgrading to a shorter one once you get better.

Below is a total body workout that I have put together to strengthen the muscles and parts of the body necessary to concur the sport of surfing. I have incorporated several core movements as well as upper and lower body exercises.

The upper body exercises are designed to increase the muscular strength and endurance of the chest, back, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. The lower body exercises are designed to increase the muscular strength and endurance of quads, hamstrings, glutes, hips, and calves (all of which are put to the test during surfing). I recommend performing two or three set of 10 to 20 repetitions. Good luck and enjoy!!

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The Ultimate Surfing Workout

Here is part 2 of Rob’s lifelong battle with his weight and health. To start from the beginning, read part I - Achieving Health by Listening to My Body.

In March of 2009, I was gaining weight like crazy and I was eating what I thought was healthy. What I didn’t realize was what I was eating was making me sick. I decided to call a friend of mine who is into holistic health and knows a lot about nutrition. When I told her that I was eating one pound of raw vegetables with lunch and one pound of raw vegetables with dinner, she couldn’t believe it. She asked me if I were a horse and commented that I was eating enough rough vegetables to feed for a small family. 

We then further discovered that my problems were happening after lunch and dinner. She immediately made me change my diet. For one week I was not allowed to eat any vegetables at all and only simple grains like oatmeal, yams and sweet potatoes. I couldn’t eat anything that was loaded with fiber. That night when I had my new way of eating at dinner I felt so good it was crazy. After a week I gradually added a little bit of vegetables here and there. She also told me that if my body did flare up that drinking mint or chamomile tea would help calm things down.

What I learned out of this is that I can no longer afford not listen to my body and I have to pay attention to what my body is telling me after I eat certain foods. I have had to give up spicy foods for now because of how it makes me feel. I can’t eat the quantities of raw vegetables like I used to. Learning how to eat all over again has me feeling better than I have in years. My mind is so much clearer now and I don’t feel depressed anymore. I discover now that I can eat slower, eat more wholesome foods and feel fuller longer.

Although we want to fit in and we want to find an easy answer to help our bodies, we have to remember that we are all different and our bodies may require different things sometimes.  There are experts out there to help us when we cannot help ourselves.

Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.

If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.

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Achieving Health by Listening to My Body, Part II

I will never forget when I was 13, I was astonished how my uncle stayed so thin and he never finished what was on his plate. I remember saying to him, “How do you know when you are full?” He replied, “I eat until I am satisfied and then stop.” I remember thinking, “What are you talking about?” I have never understood that concept and I still don’t. I am a member of the “Clean Plate Club.” I feel like I have been out of touch with my body for a very long time, about 30 years since I was 13 when my mother passed away.

By overeating enough at the right times I could go to sleep or just “veg” out in front of the TV with food. As I got into my mid-20s I noticed that I had a lot of gas and was going to the bathroom a lot. Years went by and I was never able to correlate what was going on with my body in relation to what I was eating. At some point I just surrendered and said to myself, “This is just the way my body is.” Meanwhile I was struggling with food and always feeling hungry.

In 1999, after I found a 12-step group for compulsive eaters, I learned a new way of eating and started eating three meals a day. That is where my work began in relation to my eating issues. I stopped eating white sugar and white flour. That is also when I learned about eating different vegetables.

Stay tuned as Rob will continue discussing his weight loss journey in Part 2 of his Listening to My Body series.

Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.

If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.

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Achieving Health by Listening to My Body, Part I

The New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center in Boston, Massachusetts has a new program aptly titled “Move It!” to help kids get some exercise, and a little fun with seals while they’re at it.

Five northern fur seals will be featured in a new exhibit at the New England Aquarium. The seals can run on their flippers and dart around the water at great speeds. But how exactly does this entice kids to get active?

Panels around the aquarium will show seal movements such as stretching, jumping and swimming, explain the ways the moves are similar to humans and encourage kids to “Try It!”

“You can almost see a child in front of the exhibit, gyrating, trying to mimic the seal and saying, ‘Well this is pretty cool,’” says Paul Boyle, an environmental biologist and a vice president at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “Then they go home and they may roll around in the backyard and then they may start to, you know… run.”

Even if it doesn’t ultimately lead to better fitness for kids - it sounds more like fun than breaking a sweat - kids will learn something new and be outside away from the TV and video games for once.

(via: Yahoo)

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Kids Get Fit with Seals at the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center

Recent research has shown that spices like turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper and countless others contain specific compounds that may help to stave off diseases. Here’s your guide to the best grilling spices to give your July 4th feast more nutritious flare!

Turmeric: Numerous studies have linked turmeric to reducing inflammation, lowering cholesterol, and preventing and treating cancer cell growth. Curcumin, the substance in turmeric that gives it its trademark yellow color, is the magic compound behind most of these health benefits. To get the benefits of turmeric, add a few dashes to your Fourth of July potato or egg salad.

Cayenne Pepper: Capsaicin is the powerful compound in this fiery spice that imparts its heating qualities that have been linked to increasing metabolism, improving blood circulation, clearing nasal passages and jump-starting a sluggish metabolism. Cayenne pepper is also an excellent source of Vitamin A, a disease-fighting antioxidant.  Sprinkle a few meager dashes on pineapple rings, peach, nectarine or plum halves or mango wedges. Grill the fruit for a few minutes on each side and finish with a squeeze of Vitamin C-rich lime juice for a healthy twist on summer fruit.

Garlic: A member of allium family, garlic is one of the most beloved culinary condiments. Linked to preventing heart disease, boosting the immune system, regulating blood sugar levels and possessing antibacterial properties, it is no wonder that garlic has been used for medicinal purposes since 2560 BC. Add whole garlic cloves to chicken, steak, fish or veggie marinades before setting them on the grill. Or chop garlic finely and add it to ground meat, turkey or salmon to give your burgers a flavorful flare.

Ginger: This pungent spice has been shown to quell nausea, decrease joint pain from arthritis and reduce cholesterol levels making it a powerful ally in the fight against heart disease. While many sushi lovers are familiar with pickled ginger, for a speedy but tasty marinade, slice ginger in thin slices and add in soy sauce, sesame oil and a spoonful of honey. Let chicken breasts or steak rest in the marinade for 30 minutes and grill until done. Or try the Biggest Loser’s recipe for grilled salmon burgers with fresh ginger.

Happy grilling and happy Fourth!

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4 Flavors to Spice up Your July 4th Cookout

How to Avoid a Calorie Festival This Fourth of July

Meet our new dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield as she introduces some savvy tips for not only minding your diet this 4th of July weekend but still managing to let food play a small role in these memorable events. She reminds “it’s not about the food - it’s about the people you’re with.”

Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest Yields Frightening Nutrition Facts

No matter how much you overeat this weekend, it can’t be anywhere near as bad as what the contestants at the annual hot dog eating contest will ingest. Take a look at the nutrition facts for 66 hot dogs and buns if you need any kind of reassurance that seconds at the picnic aren’t a good idea!

Dance Your Ass Off Premiere Recap

Each Monday night this summer you can tune in to Oxygen to watch 12 men and women shake, rattle and roll off the weight. Check-out this Biggest Loser meets Dancing With the Stars hybrid.

Ruby Season 2 Premieres on Style Network July 5

Wind down your holiday weekend with America’s newest sweetheart - Ruby Gettinger. Down 150 pounds since her first season, Ruby’s back to take on even more weight loss and several new life experiences.

Five Reasons Women Should Lift Weights

As one mom to another, Carmen debunks some common myths that keep women from lifting weights. Find out why this can be a beneficial addition to your fitness plan.

Mike Morelli Answers Your Diet and Fitness Questions

Mike’s first order of business at DietsInReview.com is to answer your questions. Hear straight from Mike tips and advice for weight loss, and how his brother Max is doing!

Food Inc. is Hungry for Change

If Super Size Me wasn’t enough to scare you into eating smarter, then this new documentary is sure to do the trick. Food Inc. unveils the dark and dirty underbelly of our food industry. As the movie’s byline suggests, “you’ll never look at dinner the same way.”

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Weight Loss News In Review - Week of June 29