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Liking what you see in the mirror is an integral component to a positive self-image. Looking at a muffin top exploding over the waistband of your favorite jeans (if you can get your butt into them) is guaranteed to make one at least slightly depressed. We've all been there.

“How did this happen…I really need to lose some weight!” you mumble to yourself. Your friends snickeringly agree. This is the point at which you will most likely start planning which of the hot new diets promising 20 lbs in 10 days you'll try this time.

“If a diet promises quick, easy weight loss it's a red flag!” warns Anne Moselle, a registered dietitian specializing in weight management, sports nutrition and heart disease at Valley Care Medical in Livermore, California. “People are always looking for a quick fix in our society of instant gratification.”>

It's easy for dieters to forget that it took months or even years to gain the weight they so desperately want to lose. So we'll set unrealistic goals and expect the unwelcome pounds to disappear within a matter of weeks. Preferably by next weekend. Actually, right now would be ideal!

Before you go and make any rash and desperate decisions about how you'll drop those extra pounds, let's go over some of the worst ways to try to lose weight quickly.

The No White Things Diet – Elimination of all white food products, including white sugar, white flour, white potatoes, white rice, and all things made from those ingredients. Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong! That stuff is in everything! I found myself skipping meals and being a killjoy at dinner parties because I couldn't find anything to eat that didn't have at least ONE of those ingredients in it.

High Protein/Low Carbohydrate – I like meat, but gimme a break! Eating an entire cow is not my idea of a good time. I did lose a few pounds but my breath was hummin' and I was constipated beyond belief. Hey, you need to know these details! The end of this diet came about rather abruptly. My mother , a registered nurse, told me a horror story about a patient coming in with impacted bowels after being on Atkins. The solution to his problem ultimately involved a doctor, a hand, a rubber glove and lube. You figure it out.

The Low Fat Eating Plan – We all got duped by this diet when it first hit in the early 1990s. Somehow we looked only at the fat grams and totally ignored calorie count, sugar, carbohydrates, and lack of nutrition like protein and calcium. All we cared about was that what we put in our mouths was low fat. An entire industry of low-fat cookies, cakes and snack items was borne! We were all in low fat hog heaven until we realized we weren't losing an ounce. Some time after that we were told by these same experts that we needed fats after all… something about Omega 3s and Omega 6s. I muttered to myself “these people don't know what they are talking about!” and I decided to eat whatever I wanted. Once again.

No Food After 6 PM – I don't know about you, but once I embarked on a vigorous exercise program, I needed to eat more food and more often, not less. I tried not to eat after 6 o'clock but I kept waking up in the wee hours of the morning with my stomach growling. I figured its better to eat a snack at 9:00 if I am hungry than to starve myself and chow down like a trucker at 2 a.m.

Fasting – Certainly there are cultural associations connected with fasting that are important to in certain religions. But I am not religious and am not part of a culture which embraces starvation! There are several varieties of fasting diets such as the fresh fruit juice fast (I bought a juicer!), the Hollywood diet, and Beyonce's lemon juice and maple syrup fast. You certainly lose weight on all of them since you aren't eating, but you also lose muscle tissue and your sense of humor. And as soon as you eat food again, the weight comes back.

Stomach Surgery – Though there are some medically necessary reasons for such surgery when someone's health may be affected, it has become apparent that too many people turn to surgery purely for aesthetic reasons. I consulted Anne for her thoughts on bariatric surgery. “Like I said before, people look for a quick fix, and this is the most drastic choice. There are many side effects which must be considered.” Apparently some of the side effects can be quite serious … ulcers, gallstones, anemia, and malnutrition. Pounds of loose skin may need to be surgically removed after such significant weight loss occurs. “You still have to learn to make lifestyle changes – eating less, choosing healthier foods, and moving more…the surgery alone can't help” Anne concluded.

Diet and Weight Loss Pills – Fat burners, diuretics, fat blockers and thyroid boosters all fall under this category. Hoodia, Acai Berry pills, Fen-Fen, Hydroxycut, green tea capsules, and Alli are popular over-the-counter choices. Fat blockers are alleged to absorb and encapsulate fat to pass through the body without being absorbed. Burners and boosters are purported to increase the metabolic rate and help burn fat. With so many of these products being recalled by the FDA over the past 15 years, lawsuits flying, people falling dead with heart attacks and strokes, one could be thin and in a casket. Not my idea of a good time.

Cabbage Soup Diet – This diet is supposed to work on some chemical basis, provide fiber and fill you up before you eat the prescribed snack portion meal. I made a huge pot of this stuff and was so grossed out I threw it all in the garbage disposal. This diet lasted about 3 hours.

Prepackaged Meal Plans – Sure you lose weight because your calories are controlled, but you never really learn about handling real food responsibly. And have you seen how much sodium is in those meals? Anyone with high blood pressure and sensitivities to salt should check the labels on any prepackaged meals carefully. They're also full of processed ingredients and additives. Since portions are controlled, these plans are a very attractive option for those who want to lose weight without having to think too much. But what happens when the little boxes stop coming? “Most people just go back to their old way of eating, and that's when weight gain starts again,” said Anne.

The Grapefruit Diet – Grapefruit was reported to have magical super powers… I forget what they were. Anyway, I hate grapefruit. But I ate some after every meal as instructed. Never noticed anything but a bitter taste in my mouth. I had to have candy afterwards to get rid of that god-awful taste, which of course defeated the whole purpose. I didn't lose a pound!

Getting Out of the Diet Trap
Eliminating entire food groups is not healthy. Research has proven over and over again that the human body needs a variety of foods for maximal health. Impatiently demanding that the weight be gone yesterday sets you up for dangerous yo-yo dieting and long-term weight loss failure.

The bottom line is that any diet at all is the worst way to lose weight, because 95% of people gain the lost weight back, and more. If we look at those statistics another way, it seems crash dieting is the best way to GAIN weight!

If you're having trouble losing weight on your own and want to get out of the diet trap, the support of a nutritionist will allow you to learn new ways to approach your relationship with food, develop new skill sets, and resources that benefit a healthy lifestyle. That kind of support is always the best option for weight loss.

Could it be true? Could Floyd Mayweather Jr. actually be setting the stage to take on a legitimate, top-notch welterweight?

Following the highly controversial and now infamous fallout of the Pacquiao-Mayweather fiasco, Floyd has inadvertently managed to negotiate himself into an especially awkward position.

Tickets are selling at record pace as Pacquiao prepares to tangle with the tough, capable, and ready Joshua Clottey on March 13 in Dallas.

As it turns out, the phrase “Mega-Fight” is still a legitimate term to describe Pacquiao’s next bout, even despite the fact that the name “Mayweather” is absent from the title.

Meanwhile Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions have been scrambling to find an opponent who is worthy enough to hush the critics who say that Floyd has been ducking the most viable opponents for a fighter of his caliber.

At first it was reported that Mayweather would keep his March 13 appointment at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas—setting up a head-to-head pay per view battle against his arch-nemesis, Manny Pacquiao.

Matthew Hatton and Paulie Malignaggi were both mentioned early on. Neither would have generated much interest.

No disrespect to the afore mentioned boxers, but had either of the two been chosen, the result would have been nothing more than another exhibition match allowing Mayweather the opportunity to showcase his superiority over another severely outclassed opponent.

The glory of Mayweather—Marquez faded quickly.

Boxing fans who understand and appreciate Mayweather's talent level were quick to clarify their lack of interest in another grossly mismatched contest.

Interestingly, another name that came up was that of undefeated, 19 year old Mexican fighter, Saul Alvarez. That must have been a joke, right?

Not according to Alvarez.

While Golden Boy’s CEO Richard Schaefer denied that Alvarez was ever seriously considered, Alvarez went on record stating otherwise.

“Oscar De La Hoya Valley offered that fight to my coach.” Alvarez said. “I believe that it is a difficult commitment, but I truly felt that I wouldn't have anything to lose. Mayweather is a difficult opponent and one must be in the proper form to beat him.”

Although Alvarez was eager to take the fight, his team wisely declined the offer.

Currently, Mayweather and Golden Boy are in negotiations with Shane Mosley for a possible May 1 battle.

According to Michael Marley of The Examiner , both camps say that the negotiations are progressing very well.

When referring to the talks between Team Mayweather and Team Mosley, both camps seem to have agreed upon “cordial” as the adjective of choice.

On Tuesday evening, Oscar De La Hoya said:

“Is that fight going to happen? I'm confident it will.”

If Mayweather wants to continue to be a big draw, he needs to fight an opponent who can give him a run for his money .

Shane Mosley can do just that. Although he definitely won’t be the betting favorite going into the fight, he certainly won’t be a pushover.

At 39 years of age and a record of 46-5 with 39 knockouts, Mosley is currently ranked as the No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

It’s a rare time in boxing—a time when the top three pound-for-pound ring-kings happen to be in the same weight class. That’s a fact that all parties involved need to capitalize upon.

If the “cordial” negotiations result in an actual fight, Mayweather will gain back a measure of respect as a boxer—even if his inherent lack of people skills never wins him any popularity contests with the general public.

Mayweather vs. Mosley could be a great fight if it happens, and everyone would like to see the winner take on the winner of Pacquiao vs. Clottey. But fans should be advised to wait for the official announcement before getting too excited.

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

Anything could happen at this point.

 

Email: scrimmer1@hotmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

As we head down the final stretch toward UFC 109 in Las Vegas over Super Bowl Weekend, it's clear the Ultimate Fighting Championship still has a comfortable edge on its biggest domestic competitors as far as technical practitioners are concerned.

Yet, the 800-pound gorilla's reign as the sole purveyor of relevant MMA in the United States of America is officially gathering cobwebs.

Most fans of combat sports will tell you that polished excellence is only part of what makes a scintillating blood sport and it's not a required element.

Exquisite technique certainly improves the product and vastly at that, but it's still not a constituent of every great gladiatorial endeavor.

This simple truism should be remembered when considering the sloppy, yet satisfying card put on by Strikeforce in Miami—sophisticated and advanced artistry do not equate with excitement, but excitement does equate with survival in this game.

Survival means relevancy.

I didn't get the pay-per-view, so my observations are limited to what Showtime aired, i.e. the main card. Nevertheless, I'm gonna recklessly extrapolate from what I did see because I don't imagine the lesser members of the Strikeforce stable offer refinement (for the most part).

What I did see were some very marketable names buffered by some very marketable storylines. Oh, and I saw a couple thoroughly entertaining fights.

“Ruthless” Robbie Lawler spent 99 percent of his fight with “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef getting obliterated. I'm not sure how he was still putting weight on his front leg by the end of the massacre.

Of course, I'm really at a loss to explain the three gnarly shots that came out of nowhere and brutalized the Dutch fighter.

Manhoef would probably agree, since the trio left Lawler with the only functioning brain in the cage.

In the main event, Nick Diaz used his typical arsenal of pepper shots to rattle Marius “The Whitemare” Zaromskis (who deserved to lose for the nickname alone). The Lithuanian fighter showed he wasn't totally out of his depth as Strikeforce's Welterweight Champion, even managing to throttle the Stockton native on one occasion.

Ultimately, though, the more accomplished American asserted his boxing supremacy and settled the matter convincingly.

As far as names for the bright lights, Strikeforce trotted out most of its headliners, and the roster has become an impressive array, if for adrenaline more so than elite, well-rounded competition (in no particular order):

1.  “Dangerous” Dan Henderson

The UFC and PRIDE FC veteran is a known quantity amongst MMA aficionados. You can't ride any Hendo flamboyance to the promotional promised land; instead, you must make do with a resume glittering with legendary names and a propensity to deliver nuclear right hands.

 

2.  Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi

This beast is finally emerging from Fedor Emelianenko's considerable Red Devil Sport Club shadow.  The current Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion is no joke; there is no doubt he'd be a serious source of anxiety even in the UFC's most stacked division.

 

3.  Nick Diaz

Whether you enjoy his teasing punches and bad-boy posturing or not, you must acknowledge the new Strikeforce Welterweight Champion has a knack for bringing the crowd to its feet.  Either in victory or defeat.

 

4.  Brett “The Grim” Rogers

Like I said, technical excellence isn't the selling point here. Regardless, anyone who gets in the cage with Fedor and dishes out some punishment before the inevitable happens is someone on whom to keep an eye.

If Rogers can improve as age and raw ability suggest, this is a sincere problem at heavyweight.

 

5.  Herschel Walker

Consider me impressed. Granted, it's an insult to aluminum to call Greg Nagy a tomato can, but Walker still looked competent out there.

A decent grappler probably would've submitted the ex-NFLer quickly with some type of leg lock, but Walker did enough to guarantee eyeballs for his next appearance.

 

6.  Bobby Lashley

In contrast to Walker, I'd say Lashley underwhelmed against an embarrassingly out-of-shape Wes Sims.

Still, the sheer physical magnetism of another former professional wrestler and the unblemished record will conspire to make Lashley an ongoing phenomenon. He's a far freakin' cry from Brock Lesnar at this point, but that's no great condemnation.

 

7.  Melvin Manhoef

If you saw the striking exhibition the Dutch fighter almost completed, you know this dude will draw a crowd.

Even though Lawler caught him to shut off the lights, Manhoef is a savage striker, and those always put bottoms in seats.

 

Toss in respectable names and genuine up-and-comers like Fabricio Werdum, Alistair Overeem, Middleweight Champion Jake Shields, Muhammad Lawal, and Scott Smith, and you've got a strong nucleus from which to expand.

Not to mention the Last Emperor. Fedor Emelianenko, considered by many to be the best and most terrifying fighter on the planet, makes for a nice little avenue of expansion as well as emergency plan.

Nope, Strikeforce's cupboard isn't bare by any means.

It's probably not going to be producing the world's best MMA combatants too frequently. Nor can it compete with the obscene depth and overall superiority of the UFC.

But it doesn't need to as long as it keeps the fans cheering.

And Strikeforce appears to have the tools to do just that.

 

**www.pva.org**