Back to Muncie, where the weather changes every half hour andthe state is gearing up for tornado season.
Most Spring Breakers might be missing their hot spot destinationalready. Others had a boring break and are glad to be back. Eitherway, the week after break can be filled with a variety ofactivities from catching up on some homework to returning toregular eating habits.
That's right, the end of Spring Break means six more weeksbefore another swimsuit season. For some it could mean four weeksbefore setting foot in a gym again; for others, three untilreturning to a quick fix diet.
It used to be that quick diets were made of strange concoctions,such as cabbage soup, chalky weight loss drinks or grapefruit. Lotsof grapefruit.
Then Americans switched to plans with more variety. There wereWeight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Slim-Fast and Low-Fat everything.
Now it is low carb or no carb.
We've all heard the rundown. No candy, no cookies, no pastas.Lots of protein - Arby's even serves its "roast beef" without thebun if someone asks. (I use the term "roast beef" liberally; we aremidwesterners here, I think we know real roast beef when we eatit.)
Now dieters limit themselves. So when students visit the groceryto fill their barren cabinets and refrigerators, they will returnto many name-brand options of some formerly forbidden foods toutingthese anti-carb sentiments.
Where did the carbohydrates go? Are they sitting in a Nabiscowarehouse somewhere, waiting for the "all carbs" diet trend tobegin?
It makes people wonder what is really low carb. Lucky for thosewho like to stick to plans, the Food and Drug Administration isstepping in to separate what is really low carb and no carb fromproducts that just claim to be.
Pass the diet soda and cashews. The FDA is coming to save peoplefrom a situation like the one I call the SnackWell's Mistake of the1990s.
The Mistake consisted of devoted dieters eating "low fat" or"low calorie" foods. Sounds fine, until entire boxes of cookies aredevoured in one sitting because their label claims they fit intoone or both of these categories. People did not lose weight becauseeating low fat or low calorie foods in mass quantities counteractsthe product's intentions.
According to the Associated Press, FDA Deputy CommissionerLester Crawford said he expects that many companies will have toalter their labels to meet FDA criteria of what is low in or has nocarbohydrates.
While some companies might lose out on the anti-carbohydrate fadwith these new standards, people who live low-carb lifestylesshould thank the FDA. This organization is performing one of theduties it is set out to do: setting standards to protect consumersfrom false advertising on food or drug products.
So high five your friendly neighborhood FDA member. He or she isworking hard so we can sleep at night knowing those cookies we justdowned are really low-carb.
Be sure to check those labels while you keep passing the dietsoda and cashews; at least until you can start eating breadagain.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
