Boo Ya'll

Having Your Muffin And Eating It Too --- Guilt Free Muffin Tips

Stud Muffins
Four ways to turn a caloric bomb into the perfect snack.
By Liz Applegate, Ph.D, Runner's World

It's nearly impossible to resist a freshly baked muffin. This tasty baked good offers a convenient source of carbs that's perfect for a pre- or postrun snack. But not all muffins are a guilt-free food. They can be oversized nutritional disasters packed with tons of calories and fat and little protein or fiber. Here's how to pick wisely.
Look for low-fat: Muffins with reduced fat can save serious calories. Starbucks' low-fat blueberry muffin, for example, has three grams of fat and 310 calories—as opposed to the 24 grams of fat and 470 calories in the original. When baking your own, reduce the fat by swapping an equal amount of applesauce or plum purée for oil.
Watch portions: Skip muffins the size of a softball, which pack more than twice the calories and fat of the "standard" three- to four-ounce size. If you buy a megamuffin, eat half and save the rest for tomorrow. Better yet, look for a muffin the size of a small apple.
Choose whole grains: The first few ingredients on the label of store-bought muffins should contain whole grains or fiber, such as whole wheat, oat bran, whole corn meal or whole oats. These quality carbs will help fuel your muscles, and the high fiber will keep you feeling full.
Go nutty (and fruity): These add-ins add calories but are worth it. Dried or fresh fruits are packed with antioxidants, while nuts provide heart-healthy fats. Go with your favorites, whether that's raisins, cherries, blueberries, apples, walnuts, pecans or almonds.

Liz's Muffin Mix
The surest way to know you're eating a healthy muffin is to bake it yourself.

Start with this basic low-fat recipe and add your favorite ingredients for a nutritional boost.

2 cups whole-grain flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs or ½ cup Egg Beaters
1 cup skim milk, soy milk, or kefir
½ cup applesauce, regular or flavored, such as blueberry or pomegranate
½ cup chopped nuts, or dried, fresh, or frozen fruit

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Fill a muffin tin with 12 paper muffin cups.

Mix the first five dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Slightly beat the eggs.

Mix in the milk and applesauce.

Add wet ingredients to the dry mix.

Stir until just combined, sprinkling in the nuts or fruit.

Spoon into muffin cups.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until muffin tops are golden brown.

Calories per muffin: 230
Carbs: 46 g
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 3 g

Add to your shopping cart: Hemp-seed butter:
Hemp may be a relative of the marijuana plant, but it shares none of the psychoactive compounds. The plant seeds can be ground into butter and supply an excellent source of protein, as well as omega-3s. Spread hemp-seed butter on whole-grain bread or stir into yogurt with fruit.

The Essence Of Running or Walking For That Matter --- Thanks MS Track Club

"Running is a road to self-awareness and self-reliance...You can push yourself to extremes and learn the harsh reality ofyour physical and mental limitations or coast quietly down a solitary path watching the earth spin beneath your feet, but whenyou are through, exhilarated and exhausted, at least for a moment everything seems right with the world."

Anon

HDL, LDL, Triglycerides..... What are your numbers?

The Cholesterol Question
By Arthur Agatston, M.D., Prevention

The other day, I was explaining to a patient why we needed to devise a strategy to lower her cholesterol, when she waved me silent. "It's hard for me to place too much faith in that plan," she said. "A good friend of mine who always had exemplary cholesterol levels just had a heart attack."
I've had other patients tell me this as well. And in fact, it's true: Many people with relatively low cholesterol do have heart attacks every year, supporting the somewhat contrarian theory that cholesterol is not the main cause of heart disease. Instead, skeptics often point to iron or homocysteine, an amino acid that accumulates in the blood if you eat too much meat and dairy, as chief culprits. Although homocysteine and excess iron can contribute to heart disease, large-scale studies have failed to confirm that either one plays a primary role. Still, those findings have done little to quell the doubts of the naysayers who maintain that cholesterol does not cause coronary heart disease.
I have three words in response: Don't believe them.
Here's why: Virtually every heart attack starts with cholesterol. Each occurs because the waxy substance burrows into the heart vessel wall and eventually bursts, much like a pimple, leaving an ulceration of the artery lining that the body tries to heal by forming a blood clot. This clot blocks the artery, causing a heart attack. In very rare instances, a clot will migrate to the heart from somewhere else, but this is almost unheard of.
Still, how do we explain a heart attack in someone like my patient's friend, who, thanks to her low number, is presumably not forming plaque? Turns out, size and number of LDL particles matter. Think of LDL and HDL (the healthy one) as shuttle buses that carry cholesterol to and from your heart, respectively. If they're small (if one is, so is the other), that's bad. Tiny LDL particles can more easily slip into blood vessel walls than bigger ones. And let's say you have an LDL of 130, a desirable number: If your particles are small, there will be more of them to do their nasty work. Meanwhile, tiny HDL particles are poorly equipped to mop up excess cholesterol and transport it back to the liver for excretion, compared with larger, more absorbent ones. That's why you can have good, healthy cholesterol numbers but still be at high risk of a heart attack.
To quickly find out if your particles may be small, cross-check your triglycerides with your cholesterol numbers. If you have low triglycerides (less than 100) and your HDL is high (greater than 60), you likely have the favored large particles. But if you have high triglycerides and low HDL, your cholesterol is probably of the small-particle variety. Then you should ask your doctor for a lipoprotein subfraction test, which divides your cholesterol into subparticles based on their size and density.
Many people with diabetes or pre-diabetes fall into this group. As the disease approaches epidemic proportions in the United States, it's no wonder we're seeing more heart attacks in people with low cholesterol. It's also no wonder that, to explain the phenomenon, some people may be proposing alternative theories of heart disease.
Just don't believe them.
"If you have diabetes, low HDL, and high triglycerides, get a test that measures the size of your cholesterol particles."
Slash your risk!
Find out which foods can help you lower cholesterol at prevention.com/heartsmartfoods.
Arthur Agatston, M.D., a preventive cardiologist and an associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, conducted several groundbreaking studies on heart disease and wrote the international bestseller, The South Beach Diet. He maintains a cardiology practice and research foundation in Miami Beach, FL.

Provided by Prevention

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH

Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits.

Satchel Paige (1906 - 1982)

A Little Inspiration For Today

The distance is nothing --- its the first step that is hard!

A runners creed: I will win; if I cannot win, I shall be second; if I cannot be second, I shall be third; if I cannot place at all, I shall still do my best." - Ken Doherty

"Runners just do it - they run for the finish line even if someone else has reached it first." - Author Unknown

Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts."

Steve Prefontaine

Cholestrol Lowering Tips From Health

How to lower your cholesterol with better eating

Story Highlights

*Saturated fat is likely to raise blood cholesterol more than any other food in your diet
*Too much abdominal fat is particularly heart-unhealthy
*Soluble fiber helps trap cholesterol in the digestive tract
*You should eat foods containing plant stanols and sterols with meals twice a day

By Kate Stinchfield
About one in two American adults has borderline or high cholesterol levels, which increase one's risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease.
Statins, medications that lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, are now among the most prescribed drugs in the country (and the world). But medication is only part of the solution: To keep cholesterol under control, maintaining a healthy weight and diet is just as important as taking a daily pill.
The guidelines for treating high cholesterol from the National Cholesterol Education Program recommend that patients try to lower their cholesterol through Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC), which include exercise and a healthy diet, before starting a statin.
Lowering your cholesterol through eating habits and exercise means you can avoid the risk of side effects from medication entirely. Indeed, the only side effects of TLC you'll encounter are more energy, weight loss, and better overall health.
To help decrease your cholesterol without a statin -- or to supplement the statin you're already taking -- follow these guidelines from the TLC diet.
Reduce saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of total calories, and cholesterol to no more than 200 milligrams per day
Saturated fat is likely to raise blood cholesterol more than any other food in your diet (except for, perhaps, trans fats, which are slowly being phased out of many foods). A goal of just 7 percent of total calories is no more than 16 grams per day for most people. To stay within these boundaries, eat more of a plant-based diet with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and limit red meat, full-fat dairy products, baked goods, and fried foods. Read about more foods to avoid
Read labels and try to track your daily saturated fat grams until you get an idea of how much your typical food choices contain; don't rely solely on the Percent Daily Values listed, since they're based on the diet of someone who doesn't have high cholesterol and thus can eat slightly more saturated fat. An added bonus: Lowering your saturated fat intake means you'll help lower cholesterol intake as well, since saturated fat and cholesterol tend to be found together.
If you're overweight, reduce calories and work toward your ideal body weight
It's unclear exactly why being overweight tends to increase blood cholesterol, but too much abdominal fat is particularly heart-unhealthy. Video: See why your spare tire is so dangerous
Women should strive to keep their waist circumference below 35 inches and men below 40. If you are overweight, losing just 10 percent of your body weight can provide a significant health improvement. Use this interactive tool to see your weight-related health profile.
Add 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day
Soluble fiber is found in oats, beans, fruits, and vegetables -- it's why products like Cheerios can claim heart-healthy benefits. Soluble fiber helps trap cholesterol in the digestive tract so that it passes through your body rather than getting into your bloodstream. Eating oatmeal breakfasts and having whole fruits as snacks can get you closer to this goal.
Add 2 grams of plant stanols and sterols to your daily diet
Plant stanols and sterols are natural compounds found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds that compete with cholesterol for absorption into the bloodstream from the gastrointestinal tract and thus decrease the amount of cholesterol that makes it into your system. Stanol- and sterol-enhanced foods and beverages have become commonplace in supermarkets, from margarines and spreads to orange juice. For best results, eat foods containing plant stanols and sterols with meals twice a day.
Practice therapeutic lifestyle changes
These adjustments, combined with exercise and consultations with a doctor, make up the TLC program. By following this plan, you may be able to avoid the cost, hassle, and potential side effects of prescription drugs -- or at least keep your dose down.
Try a FREE TRIAL issue of Health - CLICK HERE!

20th OVER THE RIVER RUN

What: 5 mile walk, 5 mile run, 1 mile fun run (for the youngsters)
When: Saturday October 11, 2008 Race starts at 8:00am and should be over by 12:00 am
Where: Old I -20 bridge over the Mighty Mississippi River; Vicksburg Ms (gather at the visitor center at I-20)
Join us for the running or walking --- it is a beautiful hike over the river ---- competitors come from all over to participate in this race it is a Grand Prix event with the MS Track Club
There will be food, entertainment, awards, etc after the race

more info see

MS Track Club site or the River Region Health System Site

Weight Loss Over 40

Foods That Fight Fat Over 40
By the Editors of Prevention

Boost the benefits of your workout and burn more fat, faster, with these seven smart food choices. Add them to your daily diet and you can shed about 10 pounds over the course of a year.

Water with lemon
A California study of 240 women found that dieters who replaced their sweetened drinks with water lost an average of 3 pounds more a year than those who didn't. Subjects who sipped more than 4 cups of water a day lost 2 additional pounds, compared with those who drank less. Plus, the phosphoric acid in soda may contribute to bone loss—and osteoporosis—by changing the acid balance in your blood.

High-fiber granola bars
A small British study found that women who eat a fiber-rich, high-carb breakfast burn twice as much fat during workouts later in the day as those who eat more refined (lower-fiber) foods. Try a granola bar with at least 4 g of fiber, like Kashi, instead of the typical bar that contains just a single gram. Refined carbs spike your insulin levels, which limits your body's ability to use fat as fuel, explains Lisa Dorfman, R.D., adjunct professor at the University of Miami.

Ground flaxseed
Flaxseed is rich in fiber and healthy fats, which help stabilize blood sugar, so you're less likely to binge. Some research suggests flax can also help soothe symptoms of hormone swings because it's high in plant estrogens. Ground seeds are easier to digest. Sprinkle them over cereals, soups, or salads; add them to smoothies; or substitute 1 cup of ground flaxseed for 1/3 cup canola, corn, or other oil or shortening in muffins and cookies. Note: Lower oven temperature slightly, since baked goods brown faster with flax.

Walnuts
Instead of snacking on some chips, open up a bag of nuts: Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may keep you feeling fuller longer. In a one-year study of people with diabetes who were following a low-fat diet, Australian researchers discovered that those who included 8 to 10 walnuts a day lost more weight and body fat. The subjects also reduced their insulin levels, which helps keep fat storage in check.

Hot sauce
Forget bland condiments. If you want to burn fat, spice things up. In a study of 36 men and women, Australian researchers found that following a spicy meal, levels of insulin—the hormone that triggers body fat storage—were lowered by as much as 32 percent. One theory: Capsaicin, the chemical that gives chiles their fire, may improve the body's ability to clear insulin from the bloodstream after you eat, so you're more likely to burn fat following a meal spiked with chile peppers than after one that isn't packing heat.

Cinnamon
Sweeten your oatmeal or frothy coffee drinks with this sweet spice instead of sugar (which has 16 calories per teaspoon) and you can save a couple hundred calories a week, enough to shed 2 to 3 pounds in a year without doing anything else. You'll also be doing your heart a favor as protective estrogen levels decline: Pakistani researchers found that 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon a day could lower heart-damaging cholesterol by 18 percent and triglycerides by 30 percent.

Salmon
Just 3 ounces of canned salmon delivers 530 IU (more than the daily value) for vitamin D and 181 mg of calcium, a power-packed nutritional combination that may be just what your waistline needs as you get older. In a 7-year study of more than 36,000 women ages 50 to 79, researchers at Kaiser Permanente found that those who took both calcium and vitamin D supplements gained less weight after menopause than those who took a placebo. Other research shows that without enough vitamin D, our appetite-regulating hormone leptin can't do its job. Other fatty fish choices include tuna, sardines and mackerel.

Provided by Prevention

Lunch Hour Workout

Lunch-Break Blasters
By the Editors of Men's Health
Men's Health

Fighting off a desk nap? Jump-start your heart. "A high-intensity lunchtime workout can give your body the boost it needs to power through the rest of the day," says James Batey, an ACE-certified personal trainer at Brooklyn's Fitness Collective. But you'll need a fast workout that you can do anywhere. That's what you'll find below.
The Lunchtime Workout
Perform these moves in order, spending one minute on each exercise—a total of five minutes for each set. Rest two minutes between sets, and don't do the workout two days in a row.
Set 1
Calf Jump with Overhead Arms (00:01)
Stand on your toes with your legs shoulder-width apart, and stretch your arms over your head. Jump as if you were skipping rope. Repeat until the time expires.
Switch Split Jump (00:02)
Start in a lunge position, knees bent. Clasp your hands behind your head. Jump and switch legs midair. Allow your body to descend into the next lunge, and immediately repeat the jump, minimizing your time on the ground.
Speed Side-Shuffle Pushup (00:03)
From the pushup position, extend your right arm and leg as far to the right as possible. Bring your left arm and leg over so you're back in the starting position. Shuffle 10 times back and forth.
Soft Jump Squat (00:04)
Place a cone outside your right foot. Assume a squat position, bending your legs until they're parallel to the ground. Jump over the cone sideways, landing gently with the cone outside your left foot. Go back and forth.
Burpees (00:05)
Do one pushup. Jump into a squat position. Raise your hands overhead and jump up, bringing your knees into your chest. Land on your toes and drop back into a squat. Kick your feet back into a pushup. Repeat.
Break 1 (00:05-00:07)
Set 2
Bear Crawl (00:08)
Assume a crawling position. Bend your elbows and knees, with your hips in the air. Pick a point and crawl toward it as fast as you can. Then move backward using the same form, until you reach your starting position.
Pulsing Sumo Squat with Jump (00:09)
Lower yourself into two consecutive squats, holding each for 1 second. As you rise out of the second squat, explode up and land while maintaining form. Repeat.
High Knees in Place (00:10)
Sprint in place, driving your knees up to your chest. If you feel your legs lagging, hold your hands straight out in front and aim to connect your knees to your elbows.
Pushup with Side Plank (00:11)
Complete one pushup and then immediately push yourself into a side plank. Align your head, neck, shoulders, core, and legs. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat, alternating sides.
Jump Squat/Jumping Jacks (00:12)
Stand with your hands behind your head. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then push up so your feet leave the floor. Land with bent knees, do five jumping jacks, and repeat.
Break 2 (00:12-00:14)
Set 3
Bicycle Crunches (00:15)
Lie on your back with hands clasped behind your head. Lift both legs slightly off the ground. Touch your elbow to its opposite knee, alternating and moving quickly, as if you're pedaling a bike.
Forward Distance Hop (00:16)
With your feet hip-width apart, jump as far forward as you can, using your arms to propel you. Land in a low squat position and immediately jump forward again.
Basketball Shuffle (00:17)
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees into a low squat; shuffle to your left for 10 seconds, then back to the right for 10 seconds.
Heels High (00:18)
Sprint in place, bringing your heels up behind you, as if you're kicking your own butt.
Kangaroo Hops (00:19)
Stand with your legs slightly apart. Extend your arms out to your sides. Jump and drive your knees to your chest, using your arms to balance. Aim for 10 to 15 jumps in a minute.

Big Blue At Pearl

Big Blue Results From Pearl Invitational Marching Contest......

#4 Overall Band

#1 Drum Majors

#1 Percussion

State here we come!

Over The River Is Coming!!!!!!!!!

This is me at the Over The River Run..... I am so not ready this year!

Way To Go Big Blue

Copiah Marching Festival Results For Warren Central HS Big Blue Band--- We are so proud of all of you!

All Superior Rating
#1 Drumline
#1 Color Guard
#1 Band
#2 Overall

The Bands New Program is Locomotion ---- Based on a train trip ---- and it is JUST AWESOME!

Red Carpet Invitational Marching Contest

When: October 11, 2008

Time: TBA

Where: Warren Central HS Campus

Vicksburg Mississippi

What: HS Marching Band Competition,

Demonstration bands, etc

Competition is being hosted by Warren Central HS and The BIG BLUE BAND!

Concessions will be available as well as Big Blue Merchandise......

Come enjoy an entertaining day of wonderful marching, beautiful color guard corps, and wonderful music!

If you would like to support the Red Carpet Invitational we are selling ads for the program

$100 for a full page ad

$50.00 for a 1/2 page ad

$25.00 for a 1/4 page ad

$20.00 for a business card sized ad

$10.00 for a sponsorship listing

Just let me know if you are interested at getfitvicksburg@yahoo.com --- all ads must be paid in advance and checks made out to Warren Central Bands.... Thanks in advance!

MUFAS

Meet the 5 Flat Belly Foods
By the Editors of Prevention

To the ancient Greeks, olive oil was liquid gold. For the Aztecs, chocolate was sacred. Almonds were prized by Egypt's pharaohs, and avocados have symbolized fertility for centuries. These can't-live-without-'em foods share more than history; they also share unique health properties. They're packed with monounsaturated fatty acids (also known as MUFAs, pronounced MOO-fahs), those good-for-you fats that protect you from chronic disease and, according to new research, can help you lose fat, specifically around your middle. That's why they're at the heart of the Flat Belly Diet, a unique Prevention-tested weight loss plan.
There are five major categories of MUFAs: (1) oils, (2) nuts and seeds, (3) avocado, (4) olives, and (5) chocolate. Eating one serving of any of these at every meal will help reduce your accumulation of dangerous belly fat; control your calorie intake and you'll lose inches and pounds, too — especially around your waistline.
These mouth-watering recipes make it easy. Each portion contains high levels of MUFA, plus serving suggestions that allow you to create a meal that contains around 400 calories — enough to control your hunger and boost your energy without exceeding your daily needs. You can easily fit these meals into the Flat Belly Diet menu plans, but even if you're not following the diet, you can still enjoy the rich flavor of MUFAs and their numerous health benefits. For centuries, they've been hard to resist.
1. Oils
Pick your MUFA: Canola oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, peanut oil, pesto sauce, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, walnut oil
Use them like this: Stir-fry with sesame, peanut, or canola oil; pan-fry in walnut or olive oil; spread pesto on a sandwich, drizzle it over soups or grilled foods, or toss it with rice or pasta; add walnut, sesame, or olive oil to marinades; cook with safflower, soybean, or sunflower oil; use flaxseed oil in salad dressings (flaxseed oil cannot be used for cooking)
A serving equals: 1 tablespoon
Make a MUFA meal with oils:
Grilled Portobello and Roasted Pepper Burgers
2. Nuts & Seeds
Pick your MUFA: Almonds, almond butter, Brazil nuts, cashew butter, chunky natural peanut butter, dry-roasted cashews, dry-roasted peanuts, dry-roasted sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, roasted pumpkin seeds, smooth natural peanut butter, sunflower seeds, sunflower seed butter, tahini (sesame seed paste), walnuts
Use them like this: Eat as a snack; sprinkle on a salad; crush and use as a crunchy topping for fish and chicken (dip fish or chicken in lightly beaten egg white to help nuts adhere); spread nut butters on crackers, bread, or fruit; stir nut butters into soups and sauces to add body and flavor A serving equals: 2 tablespoons
Make a MUFA meal with nuts & seeds:
Vietnamese Beef Salad
3. Avocado
Pick your MUFA: Florida avocado, Hass avocado
Use them like this: Slice and serve with a salad or any entrée; mash with lime juice, salt, and pepper and serve with chips; chop and fold into store-bought salsa
A serving equals: ¼ cup
Make a MUFA meal with avocado:
Chicken with Citrus-Avocado Salsa
4. Olives
Pick your MUFA: Black olives, black olive tapenade, green olives, green olive tapenade
Use them like this: Serve olives as a snack; sprinkle sliced olives on pizzas, salads, or pastas; spread tapenade on crackers or sandwiches; stuff tapenade into chicken breasts or fish fillets
A serving equals: 10 large olives or 2 tablespoons of tapenade
Make a MUFA meal with olives:
Low-Fat Frittata with Smoked Salmon and Scallions
5. Chocolate
Pick your MUFA: Dark or semisweet chocolate chips, shavings, or chunks
Use them like this: Any way you crave!
A serving equals: ¼ cup
Make a MUFA meal with chocolate:
Chocolate Pudding with Bananas and Graham Crackers
Provided by Prevention

URL: http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100188436

Mississippi Is Number 3 In A Good Way ----

School lunches in Mississippi ranked No. 3 in nation
By Megan Hollandmholland@vicksburgpost.com
Published:Wednesday, October 1, 2008 12:03 PM CDT

Mississippi has been ranked No. 3 in the nation when it comes to the healthfulness of school lunches, and an official with the Vicksburg Warren School District says the accolade is well-deserved.“It’s the result of lots of hard work,” said VWSD child nutritionist Gail Kavanaugh. “We are last when it comes to obesity, but we are third when it comes to combating obesity — and I think that says a lot about the effort being put forward.”On the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s 2007 School Food Report Card, Mississippi and six other states, including Arkansas and Alabama, received a B+. No states received an A; two received an A-; 21 states fell in the B, C and D range, including Louisiana, Texas and Florida, which all got a B-; and 20 received an F. Mississippi’s grade in 2006 was C.In obesity statistics, for the past three years, CalorieLab Inc. has ranked Mississippi the fattest state in the nation. In 2007, Mississippi’s obesity rate was 32.6 percent. Coming in second on the CalorieLab report was West Virginia, followed by Alabama and Louisiana.The CSPI’s goal is to “help reduce the illnesses, disabilities, deaths and high health-care costs caused by diet and inactivity related diseases and conditions such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.”When ranking states on the Food Report Card, the CSPI looks at beverage nutrition standards, food nutrition standards, grade levels to which health policies apply, the times during the school day to which health policies apply and locations on campus to which health policies apply in each public school system.“The grade we were given represents how they feel Mississippi’s approach to health has been through the legislature and extra step
OnlineCenter for Science in the Public Interest’s 2007 School Food Report Card: www.cspinet.org/2007schoolreport.pdf.we have taken,” Kavanaugh said. “They know obesity is an issue here and they chose to recognize us for our efforts in fighting that. I feel very good about the state of Mississippi and the progress we have made.”VWSD Superintendent Dr. James Price said he is pleased with Mississippi’s grade on the Food Report Card.“We have one of the best child nutritionists in the nation,” said Price of Kavanaugh. “People from all over the country call her out to do presentations on healthier lifestyles. Everybody has worked hard and it’s showing.”In Mississippi, from one hour before the start of any meal services period until the end of the last meal period, no food or beverages can be sold outside of those provided by school food services. And, school food services can serve only foods that are within federal meal patterns plus foods necessary to meet the caloric requirement of the age group being served.“We’re not only educating our students on how to live and eat healthy, we’re also educating teachers and administrators — as well as parents,” said Kavanaugh. “Teachers incorporate health education into the classrooms. It has become an important part of the curriculum.”The VWSD is in the process of establishing school health councils that will monitor food and physical activity. Each school will have its own council of which parents, students, teachers, principals, health-care providers, community leaders, government officials, media and law enforcement officers will be part.“We realize not everyone will be able to have all these people in their groups,” Kavanaugh said.In addition to food regulations, the Mississippi Department of Education requires 150 minutes of physical education each week for elementary and middle school students and, to graduate, two semesters of physical education for high school students.“We didn’t become the most obese state in the nation in just a few months or years, and we won’t fix it in just a few months or years,” said Kavanaugh. “It is going to take time, but we are on the right track.”

Cereal Savy

By Cynthia Sass, M.P.H., R.D., Prevention

Here's an eye-opening fact about breakfast: People who skip it are four and a half times as likely to be obese as those who always eat it. Here's another: A new Harvard health study found that those who consumed whole grain cereal seven or more times per week had the lowest incidence of heart failure.
Still not excited? Yet another study from the University of Minnesota reported that the risk of all coronary events was reduced by 10 percent for each 10 grams of grain fiber consumed per day. And because cereal is one of the best sources of these lifesaving whole grains, that means a single daily serving has the potential to slash your risk of heart disease, the number-one killer of women.
A higher intake of whole grains is also linked to lower rates of breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. And then there's this: Cereal is fast and convenient and comes in a gazillion varieties. But that's also its potential downfall. If you don't know what to look for, you could end up with a bowl full of empty calories instead of a nutritional powerhouse. To make sure you're getting the most bang for your cereal buck, follow these tips:
1. Be a fiber fiend
Look for the words "high fiber" on the box; that ensures at least 5 grams per serving. But don't stop there. Check the label; in some brands, the benefits of fiber are overshadowed by the addition of refined grains, added sugar or cholesterol-raising fats.
2. Go "whole" hog
Where that fiber comes from matters, too, so check the ingredient list to find out exactly what those flakes or squares are made from. Millet, amaranth, quinoa, and oats are always whole grain, but if you don't see "whole" in front of wheat, corn, barley, and rice, these grains have been refined.
3. Watch for hidden sugar
The "total sugars" listing doesn't distinguish between added and naturally occurring sugars. There's no need to avoid the natural sugars found in nutrient-rich whole grains and fruits. But added sugars tack on extra calories without vitamins or minerals and can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and energy levels. The best way to tell is to scan the ingredients again. The following terms represent added sugars: brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, maltose, malt syrup, molasses, sugar and sucrose. Skip cereals that list any of these within the first three ingredients (which are listed by weight).
4. Avoid sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners
They're sometimes added to boost sweetness without calories. I'm not a fan of anything artificial, and sugar alcohols can bloat your belly, so I recommend avoiding them. Steer clear of cereals containing sucralose, aspartame, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, maltitol syrup, lactitol, and erythritol. Instead, add natural sweetness by topping your cereal with fresh fruit.
Cynthia Sass, M.P.H., R.D., is Prevention's nutrition director. As a registered dietitian, she's been helping women healthfully navigate grocery aisles for more than a decade.