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	<description>Diet Tips and Helpful Articles</description>
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		<title>Happy Living, Simple Changes</title>
		<link>http://josephratliff.name/happy-living/</link>
		<comments>http://josephratliff.name/happy-living/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 May 2012 21:06:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kira</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://josephratliff.name/?p=219</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[According to WebMD, major depression affects nearly 18.8 million Americans over the age of 18 and most of the time goes untreated, and when “left undiagnosed and untreated, depression can worsen, lasting for years an causing untold suffering, and possibly even result in suicide.” There are many different levels of depression and while some may [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Living-happy.jpg" alt="" title="Living Happily" width="280" height="203" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-226" style="float:left;margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px"/>According to WebMD, <a style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.webmd.com/depression/symptoms-list">major depression affects nearly 18.8 million Americans over the age of 18</a> and most of the time goes untreated, and when “left undiagnosed and untreated, depression can worsen, lasting for years an causing untold suffering, and possibly even result in suicide.”</p>
<p>There are many different levels of depression and while some may require you to seek professional help, take prescription medication and so on, there are also many things that you can change in your life to help treat depression.</p>
<p>If you’re not living happily and have found yourself in a rut it may be time for some simple changes that will get you on the path to happy living.</p>
<p>Here are just a few things that you can do to begin living happily, healthier, and depression free.</p>
<h2>Exercise</h2>
<p>It’s a known fact that exercising gives you Endorphins, which can boost your mood, and participating in a regular exercise routine or program will allow you to feel better and healthier overall.  With an increased mood you’ll feel happier almost instantly after exercise.</p>
<p>Pairing your exercise with a healthy diet can also help you to feel happier because you’ll be eating well and your body will be able to tell a difference.</p>
<h2>Take Up a New Hobby</h2>
<p>Learning something new isn’t just fun, but can help you to get out of your normal routine, the one that may be feeding your depression.</p>
<p>If you feel you’re suffering from depression it may be because you’re in a rut, your daily routine isn’t satisfying anymore, etc.  But by taking up a new hobby and learning something new can lead to a happier and healthier you. </p>
<h2>Move Somewhere New</h2>
<p>Part of your rut may be because of where you live.  There are many lists and helpful articles out there that pinpoint some of the healthiest, happiest, and best places to live.</p>
<p>MSN Health featured an article with the <a style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline;" href="http://health.msn.com/healthy-living/top-10-us-cities-for-well-being">Top 10 U.S. Cities for Well-Being</a>.  To find the Top 10 U.S. Cities, <i>U.S. News &#038; World Report</i> based the criteria on life evaluation, emotional healthy, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities to compile the list.</p>
<p>Although moving isn’t necessarily a simple change, it can be a change that will help you free yourself from the unhappiness in your life and put you in an environment that is healthier for you.</p>
<p>Moving to one of these cities could help you to become happier and healthier all-around.  Moving can be a difficult process, but with over 50,000 <a style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.rentalads.com/">rental properties</a>, renters will have no problem finding a rental at RentalAds.com.</p>
<h2>Be Open For Change</h2>
<p>If you’re living unhappily, change is definitely a necessity, but not being ready or open for it can lead to more problems.  Many things that will help cure depression or a unhappy lifestyle will require a good deal of change, so be open for it and get ready to live a happier life free of depression.</p>
<p>Overall, happy living isn’t difficult.  By making just some simple changes can open up a whole new world for you that’s much happier and healthier.  Living a happy and healthy life can lead to a longer life and overall a better quality of life.</p>
<p>You don’t have to live with depression, getting help or helping yourself is the first step to getting out of the rut that you’ve been in and into a new life that will be more fulfilling and enjoyable.</p>
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		<title>Best Fitness Apps to Get in Shape</title>
		<link>http://josephratliff.name/fitness-apps/</link>
		<comments>http://josephratliff.name/fitness-apps/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 May 2012 22:40:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kira</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Diet tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://josephratliff.name/?p=199</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[According to AppleInsider.com, iPhone users now make up 31 percent of the smartphone world and 14 percent of the mobile market. For many of us the majority of our day is spent using our phones for a number of different things and fitness can be one that’s very beneficial. And most of the time the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/iPhone1.jpg" alt="" title="Fitness Apps" width="120" height="265" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-206" style="float:left;margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px"/>According to AppleInsider.com, <a style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/05/02/apples_iphone_climbs_to_31_share_of_us_smartphone_market.html">iPhone users now make up 31 percent of the smartphone world</a> and 14 percent of the mobile market.</p>
<p>For many of us the majority of our day is spent using our phones for a number of different things and fitness can be one that’s very beneficial.</p>
<p>And most of the time the fitness apps are free so you’re not shelling out a lot of money to utilize just one more thing that that amazing iPhone can do for you.  There are endless possibilities for fitness apps, but here are just a few fitness things that you can use them for.  </p>
<h2>Calorie Counter</h2>
<p>Counting calories can become a pain, but with a fitness app designed to help you keep track without too much number crunching it will be simple and the best part is that it’s free.</p>
<p><a style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.prevention.com/health/healthy-living/smartphone-apps-boost-health">Prevention magazine featured an iPhone app</a> called MyFitnessPal which helps you stay on track of your calorie counting and because it does all the work right on your iPhone you don’t have to worry about grabbing that notebook on the way out the door in the morning.</p>
<h2>Running</h2>
<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Running.jpg" alt="" title="Running" width="260" height="198" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-203" style="float:right;margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px"/></p>
<p>There are many fitness apps that are focused specifically on running and help you track your run, calories, distance, time, etc., but the free app iMapMyRUN looks to be one of the best fitness apps for running that you can get.</p>
<p>iMapMyRUN will use your iPhone’s GPS to log your distance, time, pace, and speed while playing your favorite playlist.</p>
<p>By using iMapMyRUN you&#8217;ll never have to worry about trying to figure out how long your run was because iMapMyRUN will do it for you and will log your run for future reference.</p>
<p>Another exciting feature of iMapMyRun is it gives you routes to choose from in your area with the distance and detailed information about the route so you can try new routes all the time.</p>
<h2>Motivation</h2>
<p>Motivation can definitely help you reach your goals and sometimes it’s the motivation that you get from your workout buddies that can really make a difference.  Luckily, there are fitness apps that can help with that.</p>
<p>Endomondo Sports Tracker that was also featured in Prevention Magazine and allows you to challenge your friends with workouts while also keeping track of all your workout details.</p>
<h2>All-Around Workouts</h2>
<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Workouts.jpg" alt="" title="Workouts" width="280" height="168" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-204" style="float:left;margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px"/>The Huffington Post article also featured an app that is an all-around workout app where you can choose from over 90 different workouts to tone your entire body.</p>
<p>The app is called Nike Training Club and is free to download.  Nike Training Club also lets you keep track of all your workouts and track your progress while earning awards.</p>
<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>
<p>If you’re not currently an iPhone owner due to the high prices of required data plans, look in to <a style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.iphonelox.com/">iPhone jailbreak</a> options that are available.  Unlocking and iPhone can give you all the same features and the ability to use these fitness apps but without having to pay a large monthly fee for a data plan with many wireless carriers.</p>
<p>There are endless possibilities with fitness apps, but these four will get you started on being able to fully utilize your iPhone’s fitness capabilities.</p>
<p>Since you’re on your phone for the majority of the day anyways adding fitness apps can help you get in shape and meet your weight loss goals even during your busiest days.</p>
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		<title>How to Build Lean Muscle and Burn Fat</title>
		<link>http://josephratliff.name/how-to-build-lean-muscle-and-burn-fat/</link>
		<comments>http://josephratliff.name/how-to-build-lean-muscle-and-burn-fat/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Mar 2012 22:08:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>stephanie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://josephratliff.name/?p=177</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It takes a lot of hard work to get that beach body that you know you saw not too long ago. It seems to have disappeared over the over the last winter months. Those pants used to fit perfectly, but they you just can’t seem to button the last button – not unless you want [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/flat-abs.jpg" alt="" title="flat abs" width="275" height="183" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-178" style="float:left;margin: 5px 30px 0px 0px" />It takes a lot of hard work to get that beach body that you know you saw not too long ago. It seems to have disappeared over the over the last winter months. </p>
<p>Those pants used to fit perfectly, but they you just can’t seem to button the last button – not unless you want to pass out. Those flabby arms that keep waving even after you have stopped are not going to look good in your new top either. What happened?</p>
<p>Chances are that during the winter months, you went into “hibernation.” You stopped working out as much because “it’s just too cold” and you couldn’t stop yourself from eating that second desert at every holiday party you were invited to.</p>
<p>Now it’s time to lose that flab and build some muscle before it gets worse. You’ve probably heard a thousand ways to lose weight and look better. Here are a few tips that nobody should be without.</p>
<h2>Lift Weights</h2>
<p>People who have high amounts of lean muscle will burn more calories even at rest than those who have less lean muscle. By burning more calories throughout the day, you will have less fat stored on your body. You will also look leaner and more defined.</p>
<h2>Fatigue Your Muscles</h2>
<p>The problem with the majority of people’s weight lifting routine is that they stop lifting before they have fatigued their muscles enough. The key to building muscle is to lift to the point of temporary fatigue – the last few repetitions should be extremely hard to complete.</p>
<p>The American Council on Exercise recommends that you perform one to three sets of eight to fifteen repetitions for each exercise. If your muscles are not fatigued at the end of your set, you should increase your weight.</p>
<h2>Supplement</h2>
<p>There are all sorts of <a href="http://josephratliff.name/are-diet-pills-safe/"><font color= blue><u>weight loss supplements</u></font></a> that claim to do different things. One supplement that can help you lose weight, burn fat, and help you build lean muscle is Lipofuze. Lipofuze is a clinically proven weight loss supplement that is guaranteed by its manufactures to help you get the body you deserve.</p>
<p>Lipofuze’s formula is a combination of safe and effective ingredients that have research to back up their claims. When combined with diet and exercise, Lipofuze can help you look and feel better. Want to learn more about Lipofuze, try reading a <a href="http://www.weightlosspills.net/lipofuze/"><font color= blue><u>Lipofuze review</u></font></a></p>
<h2>Eat 5-6 Smaller Meals</h2>
<p>By keeping your body fueled, you are assuring that your metabolism has enough fuel to keep your body functioning properly. Without enough fuel, your metabolism slows down and goes into “starvation mode.” This is when your body starts to conserve energy rather than burning it because it is “starving” temporarily.</p>
<h2>Try It!</h2>
<p>Don’t take our word for it, give these tips a try. Your beach body is waiting for you. Try a new exercise routine and eat better. You can even and add a supplement. We recommend that you take Lipofuze in order to give your body some extra fat burning capacity. </p>
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		<item>
		<title>Are Diet Pills Safe?</title>
		<link>http://josephratliff.name/are-diet-pills-safe/</link>
		<comments>http://josephratliff.name/are-diet-pills-safe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:15:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Diet tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://josephratliff.name/?p=162</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Much more than the addiction of celebrity waifs and the controversy in the FDA, diet pills can benefit your health in more ways than one. However, poorly manufactured or wrongfully advertised diet pills can be equally detrimental to your health. So are diet pills safe or should they be thrown out with the bath water? [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/diet-pills-de.jpg" alt="" title="diet-pills-de" width="312" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-164" style="float;left;margin-right:20px"/>Much more than the addiction of celebrity waifs and the controversy in the FDA, diet pills can benefit your health in more ways than one. However, poorly manufactured or wrongfully advertised diet pills can be equally detrimental to your health. So are diet pills safe or should they be thrown out with the bath water? </p>
<p>The jury is still out on this question and depending on who you speak to, diet pills can be El Diablo in the flesh or God’s gift to the toned 6-pack. Either way, the intention of this article is to clarify the pros and cons of different diet pills on the market in hopes that when it comes down to the decision whether or not to buy, your decision is an educated one.</p>
<h2>The Pros</h2>
<p><b>Energy Production</b></p>
<p>Diet pills that contain mild stimulants aren’t going to give you the jitters or keep you up at night. Rather, diet pills that contain ingredients like <i>Caffeine, Yerba Mate, and Guarana</i>  have the ability to boost energy levels above all else. </p>
<p><i>Why is this important?</i> Aside from keeping your head from bobbing behind your computer screen, diet pills that promote energy production can provide you with the energy you need to maintain regular, intense workouts. </p>
<p>Again, this is important because as you diet and cut calories, your body can often feel tired and sluggish as it gets used to functioning on a new level of energy input. However, a diet pill that contains mild stimulants can level out the playing field by not only boosting energy production to where it was before you started dieting, but far beyond. </p>
<p><b>Appetite Suppression</b></p>
<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/appetite-suppression.jpg" alt="are diet pills safe?" title="woman choosing between pizza and orange" width="325" height="210" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-166" style="float:right;margin-left:20px"/>Often times the pitfall for many dieters are food cravings that can leave you with headaches, grogginess, and a bad mood. When you avoid these temptations you lose weight but you sacrifice your well-being. However, if you give in, you’re often happier but the pounds seem to cling to your hips even harder. </p>
<p>A fantastic aspect of safe and effective diet pills is that they contain ingredients like <i>African Mango, Chromax, and Synephrine</i> that work with your body to suppress your appetite. </p>
<p>Appetite suppression is actually one of the most effective ways for individuals to shed pounds because the only effect it has on the body is to help control portion sizes and keep your mind from turning to cupcakes and corn chips throughout the day. </p>
<p>Although an relatively unfamiliar concept, appetite suppression doesn’t get rid of your desire to eat entirely or allow you starve yourself comfortably, rather, appetite suppressants allow you to safely lower your calorie intake without falling victim to hunger pangs. </p>
<h2>The Cons</h2>
<p><b>Headache, Dizziness, Nausea</b></p>
<p>For a large amount of people who take diet pills for the first time, the side effects including: headache, dizziness, and nausea, are a very real thing. Although the ingredients in a diet pill should have been tested in humans and should have been proven safe and unharmful, the intensity of the formula, especially of intense fat burners, can often be too much for your body to process at first. </p>
<p>Keep in mind however that many people experience these side effects and they tend to disappear within the first 1-3 days of taking the diet pill.<br />
To avoid or lessen the impact of these side effects, we recommend starting out slow and taking only half of the recommended serving size when beginning a new supplement. This will allow your body to slowly become accustomed to the ingredients you’re putting into it and build up a tolerance to the potent mixture. </p>
<p><b>No Sustainable Results</b></p>
<p>Because so many people who look for and purchase diet pills are looking for an easy way out, they take the pills for the full 30 days and experience great results then the minute they go off of the pills they return to old habits and gain the weight back (plus more). </p>
<p>The only way to avoid this diet pill trap is to take the time while you’re using a diet pill to develop healthy habits. If a diet pill suppresses your appetite take note of how much food your body truly needs to function properly and stick to these portions when you’re done taking the pill. </p>
<p>If a diet pill boosts your energy realize that you can get a workout in after the work day without feeling too tired and try to maintain that workout schedule into the future. </p>
<h2>Choosing the Right One</h2>
<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/choose-a-diet-pills.jpg" alt="are diet pills safe?" title="choose a diet pills" width="240" height="211" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-170" style="float:left;margin-right:20px"/>From our experience, the best way we’ve found to choose safe and effective diet pills is to read trusted and quality product reviews. Often times these reviews will go into depth on a product’s ingredient description, the side effects of the product, the price, and whether or not the product has received positive feedback from users. </p>
<p>Diet pill reviews can be found easily on sites like weightlosspills.org just like these informative <a href="http://weightlosspills.org/hydroxystim/">HydroxyStim reviews</a> featured on their site and plus many more. </p>
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		<title>Simple Tips for a Complicated Schedule</title>
		<link>http://josephratliff.name/simple-tips-for-a-complicated-schedule/</link>
		<comments>http://josephratliff.name/simple-tips-for-a-complicated-schedule/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:17:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sheena</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://josephratliff.name/?p=150</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We understand that your daily schedule is usually full to capacity. You may not have very much time to fit in a workout. In fact, you may not have any time. This doesn’t mean that you can’t still be healthy and fit. We have compiled a few health tips that you can employ on a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We understand that your daily schedule is usually full to capacity. You may not have very much time to fit in a workout. In fact, you may not have any time. This doesn’t mean that you can’t still be healthy and fit. We have compiled a few health tips that you can employ on a daily basis to keep your body in good condition.</p>
<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/walking1.jpg" alt="" title="walking" width="200" height="200" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-157" />Walk as much as possible. Yes, everyone likes to get the closest spot at work or ride the elevator. However, even the smallest amounts of physical exertion can make a difference to your body. It all adds up over time too. The rule here is: any exercise is better than none.</p>
<p>Try to spend at least an hour a day outside. Sitting near a window can help too. The sun provides your body with essential Vitamin D, which enhances your mood and boosts your immunities. Ever wonder why people tend to be more sick and less happy during the winter? It’s because they spend less time outdoors.</p>
<p>The guidelines of the Food Pyramid can often be difficult to incorporate into your routine; especially when you are busy and food choices are limited. Our general role is to eat at least one serving of fruit and vegetables per day. This is definitely not the recommended nutritional serving for your body, but some fruits and vegetables are better than none. </p>
<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/sleeping.jpg" alt="" title="sleeping" width="225" height="150" class="alignright size-full wp-image-152" />One of the best things you can do for yourself is get regular sleep. Notice: we did not specify an amount. We understand that it can often be impossible to get the prescribed eight hours of sleep every night. However, it can still make a huge difference if you are going to sleep and waking up at about the same time every day. Once your sleep pattern becomes routine, you will feel more rested after you wake up and throughout your day. Even if you are only getting around six hours of sleep.</p>
<p>There are hundreds more health tips that we could give you. We decided to keep it down to the few tips that are easiest to fit into your already-hectic schedule. Even though they seem small, you will notice an improvement in your mood, health, and energy.</p>
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		<title>Top 3 Healthiest Fruits and Vegetables</title>
		<link>http://josephratliff.name/top-3-healthiest-fruits-and-vegetables/</link>
		<comments>http://josephratliff.name/top-3-healthiest-fruits-and-vegetables/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:17:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sheena</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Good choices.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Good Food Choices]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://josephratliff.name/?p=144</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sometimes nothing sounds better than a nice juicy burger. But the truth is, we rarely feel great after eating one. Fortunately, fast food isn’t the only great tasting choice you have, come meal time. We recently stumbled upon a list of the three healthiest fruits and vegetables. There should be a least one option that [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sometimes nothing sounds better than a nice juicy burger. But the truth is, we rarely feel great after eating one. Fortunately, fast food isn’t the only great tasting choice you have, come meal time. We recently stumbled upon a list of the three healthiest fruits and vegetables. There should be a least one option that appeals to you.</p>
<h2>Three Healthiest Fruits</h2>
<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/apricot.jpg" alt="" title="apricot" width="201" height="200" class="alignright size-full wp-image-145" />First on the list are <b>apricots</b>. These little fruits are packed with Beta-Carotene (also found in carrots). Your body converts Beta-Carotene into Vitamin A, which is great for your skin and eyes. It could potentially prevent certain skin cancers. The Beta-Carotene in apricots can also get rid of free radicals. </p>
<p>Apparently, <b>avocados</b> are the second healthiest fruit. The key element is Oleic Acid. This fatty acid lowers levels of bad cholesterol and increases levels of High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL). HDL is a good form of cholesterol that removes bad cholesterol from your blood. It also decreases the risk for heart disease. </p>
<p><b>Raspberries</b> are so delicious. Thanks to Ellagic Acid, they also have anti-cancer properties. Raspberries are full of Vitamin C and Fiber. Both of these normalize cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease. This is good news for people who love to eat raspberries; and a good reason to start, for those who don’t. </p>
<h2>Three Healthiest Vegetables</h2>
<p><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/onions.jpg" alt="" title="onions" width="173" height="200" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-146" />The number one healthiest vegetable is an <b>onion</b>. Onions contain a high amount of Quercetin, which is one of the most powerful plant-derived antioxidants. Research has shown that these antioxidants (also known as flavonoids) help prevent cancer. If you are going to eat onions, just remember to carry gum.</p>
<p><b>Artichokes</b> contain Slymarin, which is an antioxidant that prevents cancer. They also have plenty of fiber, which regulates cholesterol. Artichokes are a different looking vegetable and some people may not find them appealing. In our opinion, nothing is better than steamed artichokes dipped in butter…Low-fat butter of course.</p>
<p>The third healthiest vegetable is <b>ginger</b>. The main substance in ginger is gingerols. Gingerols can help reduce nausea, fight migraines, and prevent arthritis pain. Ginger is low in fat and calories.</p>
<p>Wow! It seems like every one of these fruits and vegetables either prevents cancer or heart disease. Some prevent both. We don’t have to tell you that a fast food diet will significantly increase your health risks. Next time you are craving a burger, just remember that there are other delicious and healthy food options. If nothing else, put lots of onion or avocado on your burger.</p>
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		<title>The Food Pyramid Turned Plate</title>
		<link>http://josephratliff.name/the-food-pyramid-turned-plate/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:03:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Good Food Choices]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://josephratliff.name/?p=138</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Food Pyramid has undergone some drastic changes over the past several years due to the USDA&#8217;s indecisiveness. Well, now the Pyramid has completely morphed into a Plate&#8230;of all objects! That&#8217;s right, if you&#8217;re behind the times, its recommended that children and adults now follow the &#8220;Food Plate.&#8221; How the Plate Looks The very last [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><center><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/The-Food-Pyramid-Turned-Plate.jpg" alt="The Food Pyramid Turned Plate" title="The Food Pyramid Turned Plate" width="365" height="333" /></center></p>
<p>The Food Pyramid has undergone some drastic changes over the past several years due to the USDA&#8217;s indecisiveness. </p>
<p>Well, now the Pyramid has completely morphed into a Plate&#8230;of all objects! That&#8217;s right, if you&#8217;re behind the times, its recommended that children and adults now follow the &#8220;Food Plate.&#8221; </p>
<h2>How the Plate Looks</h2>
<p>The very last edition of the Food Pyramid decided to omit the sweet, sugars, oils, and fats category, which is about the only similarity that we could find between The Pyramid and The Plate.</p>
<p>As for the Plate, its made up of four pie slices that include the food groups of : <b>Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, and Protein</b>. And on the upper right hand corner there is a drinking glass-like object that represents dairy. </p>
<p>And in terms of the breakdown, the Vegetable pie slice seems to be the largest, followed by Grains, Fruit, and then Protein. Dairy is obviously the smallest of the food groups, which is why it was relegated to being the &#8220;drinking glass.&#8221; </p>
<h2>The Guidelines</h2>
<p>Every Food Pyramid has also come with written, bullet-point guidelines, and the Food Plate is no different (okay so there&#8217;s another similarity). These new guidelines fall under the category of <b>Balancing Calories</b>, <b>Foods to Increase</b>, and <b>Foods to Reduce</b>.</p>
<p>As for the caloric guidelines, people are instructed to &#8220;enjoy&#8221; what they eat, but to eat less and to avoid large portions. Can you enjoy food and not eat a lot of it? </p>
<p>Moving on to the foods we should eat and decrease, this is where the plate analogy comes into play. We&#8217;re instructed to fill half of our plate with fruits and veggies, and to make half of our grain portion whole grains. On top of that, its also wiser to drink fat-free or 1% milk according to the USDA.</p>
<p>On the other hand, foods that are high in sodium should be avoided. These include soups, breads, and even frozen meals. Lastly, a healthy diet will also include more water and less &#8220;sugary drinks.&#8221; </p>
<h2>What I Think of the Change</h2>
<p>As for my personal taste between the Food Pyramid and the Food Plate, I kind of prefer the Plate&#8230;as silly as that sounds. It&#8217;s a more simple analogy and look, and should catch on with people in no time as long as they can get over the fact that the Pyramid is gone.</p>
<p>That being said, I wouldn&#8217;t be overly surprised if the USDA switched back to the Pyramid or another object in the future. After all, it never seems like they can make up their mind. </p>
<p>If you want to learn more about the new Food Plate, <a href="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/"><font color="blue"><u>click on this link</u></font></a>. </p>
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		<title>How To Make Your Tailgate Party a Little Healthier</title>
		<link>http://josephratliff.name/how-to-make-your-tailgate-party-a-little-healthier/</link>
		<comments>http://josephratliff.name/how-to-make-your-tailgate-party-a-little-healthier/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:37:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Good Food Choices]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://josephratliff.name/?p=134</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tailgating and football go hand-in-hand just as much as chips and salsa. Speaking of chips and salsa, there are several ways that you can make this dish and others at your tailgate party a little healthier by making a few smart food choices. In this post, we&#8217;ll let you know how you can still enjoy [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><center><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/tailgating-football-fans1.jpg" alt="How To Make Your Tailgate Party a Little Healthier" title="How To Make Your Tailgate Party a Little Healthier" width="500" height="333"/></center></p>
<p>Tailgating and football go hand-in-hand just as much as chips and salsa. Speaking of chips and salsa, there are several ways that you can make this dish and others at your tailgate party a little healthier by making a few smart food choices.</p>
<p>In this post, we&#8217;ll let you know how you can still enjoy good food, watch some great football, and keep those inches off your waste by sharing with you a few of our tailgate recipes.</p>
<p>So without further ado, back to those chips and salsa&#8230;.</p>
<h2>Skip the Cheese</h2>
<p>Chips and salsa, and fries for that matter, get a whole lot unhealthier when you drench them with melted cheese. So do yourself a favor and omit the cheese if you can allow yourself to do so. Sure, cheese tastes great with anything, but it also contains a lot of fat and extra calories that you don&#8217;t need.</p>
<p>Also, have you noticed how Subway and Gandolfo&#8217;s have started selling baked Lays and other brands of potato chips? That&#8217;s because baked is healthier! Needless to say, you can also find baked tortilla chips at your local grocery store. Not only are they healthier, but they are just as tasty as well. </p>
<h2>Lean Meat and Wheat Bread</h2>
<p>Speaking of sandwiches, meat is always a must at a tailgate party. Along those lines, concentrate on buying lean meats that won&#8217;t balloon your fat count. The leaner the meat, the healthier of an option it&#8217;ll be.</p>
<p>Also, if you&#8217;re planning on making a bunch of subs, you should also consider buying wheat bread or rolls instead of white. Wheat contains fiber that is essential for a healthy diet because of its ability to cleanse a body&#8217;s system. And if you&#8217;re wanting to eat super healthy, you can also avoid the mayo or miracle whip as well.</p>
<h2>Consider the Vegetable Platter</h2>
<p>Now, we know that veggies aren&#8217;t the most popular food item&#8230;especially at a tailgate party. But it doesn&#8217;t hurt to at least have a small platter as an option for you and other health-conscious guests. Containing a host of vitamins and minerals, there is nothing better for your body than a hearty helping of veggies. </p>
<p>Also, we all know that a veggie platter has to come with dip right? Look for a low-fat dip alternative that can complement your healthy food option. After all, its no good to take one step forward, if you&#8217;re just going to take one step back by drenching your carrot in a high-fat ranch or cream cheese dip. </p>
<h2>Fruit Over Cookies</h2>
<p>Lastly, dessert is a must as well when it comes to tailgating. Sure cookies, brownies, and the like are great and all. But you&#8217;re body is not going to like all that sugar and fat that it intakes&#8230;trust us on this one. Although you&#8217;ll probably still want to accommodate your  friends with some goodies, you can also consider providing a healthy dessert alternative such as a fruit platter or kebob.</p>
<p>After all, who doesn&#8217;t like grapes, watermelon, pineapple, honey dew, cantaloupe, and especially strawberries?</p>
<h2>Last Word</h2>
<p>In ending, we&#8217;d encourage you to try out these ideas. See which ideas your friends and family like, and don&#8217;t like, and then stick with the one&#8217;s that work. You may be surprised at how much they enjoy eating healthy food options&#8230;</p>
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		<title>Easy and Healthy Meals To Prepare</title>
		<link>http://josephratliff.name/easy-and-healthy-meals-to-prepare/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:39:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Good Food Choices]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://josephratliff.name/?p=129</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Often, we tend to eat out when we don&#8217;t feel that we have enough time to cook a well-prepared, healthy meal &#8211; or at least that&#8217;s our excuse anyways. Well, if you&#8217;re someone who feels that you&#8217;re always in a time crunch and that its affecting your diet, we&#8217;re here to help you out! In [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><center><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/cooking-at-home-photo.jpg" alt="Easy and Healthy Meals to Prepare" title="Easy and Healthy Meals to Prepare" width="419" height="308" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-130" /></center></p>
<p>Often, we tend to eat out when we don&#8217;t feel that we have enough time to cook a well-prepared, healthy meal &#8211; or at least that&#8217;s our excuse anyways. Well, if you&#8217;re someone who feels that you&#8217;re always in a time crunch and that its affecting your diet, we&#8217;re here to help you out!</p>
<p>In this post, we&#8217;re going to go over a few of our favorite  &#8220;30 minutes to prepare or less&#8221; meals that can have you well (and healthily) fed and still leave you with enough time to attend to other things.</p>
<h1>Fish Tacos from Heaven</h1>
<p>If you like Mexican, and you life fish, you&#8217;ll love this easy-to-make recipe. Sure, you can go to any mexican or tex-mex restaurant and probably find a hearty sampling of fish tacos, but making them yourself will be much healthier and less expensive.</p>
<p>Here is what you&#8217;ll need for this recipe:</p>
<p>-Store-bought fresh salsa<br />
-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour<br />
-1/8 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
-1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
-1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper<br />
-1/3 cup beer (or ginger ale)<br />
-8 ounces tilapia fillet, cut crosswise into 1-inch wide strips<br />
-2 teaspoons canola oil<br />
 -4 corn tortillas, warmed</p>
<p>Now then, once you have all the ingredients you&#8217;ll need, you can start cooking. First of all, you&#8217;ll want to combine the salt, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, and flour into a medium-sized mixing bowl. From there, you can whisk in the beer or ginger ale if you don&#8217;t drink alcohol, to create your batter.</p>
<p>Once you have the batter prepared, you can dip and coat your tilapia into the batter. From here, take a large skilled and heat it over a medium-heat burner. Once the skilled is nice and hot, place your tilapia on the skillet and let it cook until the outside has a nice crispy and golden tinge to it. You can also flip the tilapia over after a few minutes to brown both sides evenly. </p>
<p>Once your tilapia is done cooking, simply serve it with the corn tortillas and salsa! This recipe only contains 2 grams of saturated fat, 57mg of cholesterol, 408mg of sodium per serving, and 409 calories combined, per serving. </p>
<h2>Grilled Cheese Anyone?</h2>
<p>Grilled Cheese can be the perfect lunchtime meal or with tomato soup on a cold, winter day. Here are the ingredients you&#8217;ll need for this recipe, including:</p>
<p>-4 poblano peppers (see Note)<br />
-1 14-ounce can pinto beans, preferably low-sodium<br />
-3 tablespoons prepared salsa<br />
-1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
-1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese<br />
-2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt<br />
-3 scallions, sliced<br />
-2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro<br />
-8 slices sourdough bread<br />
* You&#8217;ll need a panini maker for this meal as well</p>
<p>Once you have all of your ingredients in order,  you can place the 4 poblano peppers in a covered bowl and microwave them on High for about 3 to 4 minutes. Once they are done, let them cool.</p>
<p>While the peppers are cooling, you can combine the salt, salsa, and beans in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Make sure to &#8220;paste&#8221; the beans by mashing them up with a fork. Once you&#8217;ve accomplished this task, you can combine the yogurt, scallions, cilantro, and cheese in another bowl. </p>
<p>Now, back to the peppers. Once they are cool, cut them in-half and be sure to slice off the stems and seeds.  When you&#8217;re done cutting the peppers, turn you&#8217;re panini maker onto its High setting. While the panini maker is heating up, you&#8217;ll want to spread your bean mixture evenly over 2,4,6, or however many slices of bread you&#8217;re going to eat (remember, 2 slices = one sandwich). </p>
<p>From here, you can sprinkle the cheese mixture on top of the bean mixture, put 2 pepper halves over the cheese, and then you&#8217;re all set! Place one slice of bread on top of the other, and you can stick it in the panini maker. </p>
<p>This recipe only calls for 415 total calories, 3 grams of saturated fat, 13mg of cholesterol, and 761mg of sodium per serving.</p>
<h2>The Mac and Cheese You Don&#8217;t Bake</h2>
<p>You&#8217;ve probably heard of No Bake Cookies before, but have you heard of No Bake Mac and Cheese?! Here is what you&#8217;ll need for this recipe:</p>
<p>-8 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles (2 cups)<br />
-1 10-ounce package frozen chopped broccoli<br />
-1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided<br />
-3 tablespoons flour<br />
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
-1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
-1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper<br />
-3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese<br />
-1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese<br />
-1 teaspoon Dijon mustard</p>
<p>Once you&#8217;ve gotten all of these ingredients together, you&#8217;ll first want to get a large pot of water boiling. Once the water is boiling, throw your pasta in. From here, you can add the frozen broccoli and continue to stir occasionally until the broccoli and pasta is cooked. </p>
<p>In the mean time, you can heat the milk in other pot until its simmering. While the milk is simmering, go ahead and add the garlic powder, salt, pepper, flour, and a little more milk together in a small bowl. This mixture can then be combined with the simmering milk. Once this is done, continue to stir and cook the mixture until it looks thick. </p>
<p>When the mixture is done, you can take it off the burner, and add your cheddar, parmesan, and mustard cheese into it until they all melt. Now you can go back to your broccoli and pasta, drain it, and add it to your cheese sauce mixture. This should all then be put over the burner again for a few more minutes to heat your mac and cheese all the way through.</p>
<p>In this recipe, you&#8217;ll only be indulging in 412 calories, 7 grams  of fat, 37mg of cholesterol, and 640mg of sodium per serving.</p>
<h2>Final Word</h2>
<p>We hope you&#8217;ll try these recipes out and give them a shot. Its always nice to be able to feel &#8220;domesticated&#8221; while you&#8217;re preparing an easy, healthy, and speedy meal for yourself and your family.   </p>
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		<title>The In-N-Out Experience</title>
		<link>http://josephratliff.name/the-in-n-out-experience/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:27:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Good choices.]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://josephratliff.name/?p=124</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Now, I know that we&#8217;re only suppose to talk about &#8220;healthy&#8221; food choices on this blog. But &#8220;healthy&#8221; also means &#8220;good&#8221; right? And one of the best &#8220;good&#8221; food choices you can make is deciding to eat at In-N-Out if you&#8217;re craving a burger. That being said, In-N-Out is still a healthier fast food option [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><center><img src="http://josephratliff.name/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/inandoutburger.jpg" alt="The In-N-Out Experience" title="The In-N-Out Experience" width="500" height="375"></center></p>
<p>Now, I know that we&#8217;re only suppose to talk about &#8220;healthy&#8221; food choices on this blog. But &#8220;healthy&#8221; also means &#8220;good&#8221; right? And one of the best &#8220;good&#8221; food choices you can make is deciding to eat at In-N-Out if you&#8217;re craving a burger.</p>
<p>That being said, In-N-Out is still a healthier fast food option than lots of its competition. By taking a bite of one of their tasty burgers, even if you get it &#8220;Animal style,&#8221; you&#8217;ll still feel like you&#8217;re tasting less grease than you normally do at a Carls Jr. or elsewhere.</p>
<p>Anyways, I want to tell you about my last experience at In-N-Out and why it causes me to want to go back for more &#8211; from time to time (not frequently, may I add).</p>
<h2>The Lights</h2>
<p>First of all, that sign and those lights that illuminate the words &#8220;In-N-Out&#8221; always attract me for some reason. I&#8217;m like a bug attracted to a lamp post when I see that huge &#8220;In-N-Out&#8221; sign. </p>
<p>I don&#8217;t know what it is, but In-N-Out must have hired some smart marketing and advertising gurus when they decided to configure their company&#8217;s design and look. </p>
<p>So there you have it, this is the first part of one&#8217;s &#8220;In-N-Out experience&#8221; that they&#8217;ll appreciate.</p>
<h2>The Service</h2>
<p>Another thing that does it for mean when it comes to In-N-Out is the service. You know how it is at most other fast-food restaurants. You&#8217;ll get a cashier who could care less about looking you in the face and greeting you, let alone care about the customer service they are providing. All they want to do is take your order and move on to the next customer.</p>
<p>I guess it comes with the pay.</p>
<p>But at In-N-Out, I&#8217;ve always received a formal greeting, a nice smile, and somebody who at least seems like they half-enjoy their place of employment. The little outfits they wear with the aprons and the paper hats don&#8217;t hurt either.</p>
<p>Either way, I like the service I get at In-N-Out. This is the second part of one&#8217;s &#8220;In-N-Out&#8221; experience that they&#8217;ll appreciate. </p>
<h2>The Food</h2>
<p>People sometimes complain about the menu at In-N-Out. &#8220;There aren&#8217;t enough choices,&#8221; they gripe. Or, &#8220;It&#8217;s too small,&#8221; they&#8217;ll often say. But for me, I like the fact that there are just a few sure-fire choices to pick from. </p>
<p>Maybe its because I stink at choosing, and making decisions. Maybe I get overwhelmed when I go to IHOP or Denny&#8217;s and see a menu with 100 different choices. But for me, I actually enjoy a smaller menu.</p>
<p>Now, as for the food itself, In-N-Out makes some of the freshest burgers you&#8217;ll find. If you don&#8217;t believe me, go try it for yourself. Even the lettuce has a nice, crisp, feel and taste to it. The meat is good, and always fresh, and even the cheese doesn&#8217;t taste as fake as what you&#8217;ll find at other restaurants. </p>
<p>And if you like onions, In-N-Out grills them&#8230;.making them very tasty!</p>
<p>As for the fries, they aren&#8217;t the best. But you could do worse. At least they are small enough that you can stuff a handful into your mouth at once. That&#8217;s always a plus. Just dip them in some ketchup or throw some salt on them and you&#8217;ll be fine. </p>
<p>All that said, the food is the third part of one&#8217;s &#8220;In-N-Out experience&#8221; that they&#8217;ll appreciate.</p>
<h2>The Satisfaction</h2>
<p>Lastly, when you leave In-N-Out, you&#8217;ll have this satisfaction and warm feeling that comes over you. It&#8217;s like that feeling when you know that you&#8217;ve made a wise decision, or made the right choice.</p>
<p>You&#8217;ll get it every time you walk out of an In-N-Out and to your car. If you think I&#8217;m crazy, go test it out for yourself. You&#8217;ll know what I mean, soon enough, if you decide to try out the fourth part of one&#8217;s &#8220;In-N-Out experience&#8221; that they&#8217;ll come to appreciate. </p>
<h2>The End</h2>
<p>Okay, that&#8217;s long enough for a semi-unhealthy post. Just do me a favor if there is an In-N-Out near you, and you&#8217;ve never been there before to try there food. </p>
<p>Give it a shot before the month of October is over, okay? You can thank me later. </p>
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