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From the labs at Consumer Reports, some dinner recommendations that aren’t quite fine dining but can help dieters control their portions and lose weight. In the February issue, 14 out of 24 microwaveable meals earn a “Very Good” rating for taste, a marked improvement since the last time prepared meals were tested in 2004. But Consumer ReportsHealth notes that many entrees have so few calories that diners may need to round out their meals with a few side dishes.

The report is part of “Get Fit In 2010,” a do-it-yourself Web guide. The Web site includes new ratings of bathroom scales, fitness tips for a variety of workout styles, and low-cost ways to stay healthy in bad weather.

The top tasting prepared meals offer a range of options in four categories: chicken, beef, pasta/bean, and shrimp. Non-meat eaters, you’re in luck: the pasta/bean category outshines the others, offering the most meals deemed Very Good in taste by Consumer Reports’ tough testers. Consumer Reports Health recommends four meals in this category based on taste and sodium count: Lean Cuisine One Dish Favorites Santa Fe-Style Rice & Beans ($2.57); Kashi Black Bean Mango ($4.10); Kashi Garden Vegetable Pasta $3.95); and Healthy Choice All Natural Entrees Portabella Spinach Parmesan ($2.51) (the manufacturer says the product and packaging have changed since Consumer Reports’ tests).

Other recommended meals include Kashi Chicken Florentine ($3.96); Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers Roasted Beef Merlot ($3.45) (the manufacturer says the product and packaging have changed); Lean Cuisine Cafe Classics Steak Tips Portabello ($3.26); and Lean Cuisine Cafe Classics Shrimp Alfredo ($3.24).

Tips for Getting The Most From Your Diet Entree:

• Read sodium labels. Consumer Reports Health identifies eight meals with more than 600 milligrams of sodium, the benchmark that testers set as a maximum. Most healthy people should get no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. People who have high blood pressure, African Americans (whose blood pressure tends to be especially sensitive to sodium), and older adults should get no more than 1,500 mg.

• Make it a meal. Even if you’re trying to lose weight, products with less than 400 calories may be inadequate by themselves as a full meal. On a typical 1,500-calorie-a-day diet, you should consume 400 to 500 calories for each meal to safely lose weight. “Luckily, these meals readily lend themselves to augmentation with healthful, easy-to-prepare side dishes,” said Hirsh. Consumer ReportsHealth recommends some easy add-ons to turn portion controlled entrees into full, satisfying meals without raising the calorie count too high.

• For dieters looking to boost calcium intake, there are lots of meal options with 20 percent of the Daily Value for that mineral, including these entrees: Weight Watchers Smart Ones Classic Favorites Creamy Rigatoni with Broccoli & Chicken ($2.32), Lean Cuisine Spa Cuisine Classics Butternut Squash Ravioli ($3.22), and Lean Cuisine One Dish Favorites Santa Fe-Style Rice & Beans ($2.57).

For more information, visit consumerreportshealth.org.

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The British Medical Journal released today a report on a study conducted in Bristol, United Kingdom, that found that a breakthrough Swedish program using a computerized device called “Mandometer”® was significantly more successful than standard treatment at helping obese children and adolescents lose weight, reduce meal size and decrease their body fat.

The innovative program focuses on retraining eating behavior, along with educating patients about nutrition and increasing physical activity.

Their previous research revealed that obese people tend to eat at an increased rate and do not recognize satiety, regardless of the amount of food they ingest, a situation leading to overeating.

The Mandometer® was developed by Cecilia Bergh, Ph.D., and Per Sodersten, Ph.D., two researchers at the world-renowned Swedish academic health center, the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

The device is a portable electronic scale connected to a small computer that can generate a graphic representation of a patient’s eating rate during a meal. With the help of feedback from the Mandometer®, patients learn to eat normally by adapting the normal eating speed and development of satiety of normal-weight individuals that is also shown on the Mandometer(®) screen.

Health care workers at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children learned about this revolutionary treatment and asked to conduct a study comparing the outcomes of that new treatment to the outcomes of their standard weight-loss protocol. The result of that study is the basis of the report in today’s British Medical Journal.

The Mandometer®( )method is revolutionary because it ignores the standard approaches for treatment of eating disorders and obesity, focusing instead on eating behavior rather than on psychological issues. Its outcomes have been dramatically successful, resulting in a growing worldwide demand for the services provided by Mandometer® clinics.

Currently, there are already four Mandometer® clinics in Sweden, two in Australia and one in San Diego. Drs. Bergh and Sodersten plan to open another on East 78(th) Street in New York in April of this year.

For more information, visit mando.se

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Atkins Nutritionals Inc. (“Atkins(TM)”), a market-leading weight-management company, started 2010 with a robust, multimillion dollar, yearlong marketing campaign that takes direct aim at its closest competitors while strengthening its social media presence. Atkins will further fortify its place as a leading diet company in March 2010 when the brand launches its new book, The New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great (Fireside) by Dr. Eric C. Westman, Dr. Stephen D. Phinney and Dr. Jeff S. Volek.

To kick-start the New Year–and the diet–consumers can now register on Atkins.com to receive three free nutrition bars, along with a quick-start guide and carb counter book. By March 2010, Atkins expects to give away more than 1 million bars, offering more consumers the chance to sample the delicious and nutritious snacks packed with protein and fiber but low in sugar and other carbohydrates. Also on the bar front, Atkins will add exciting new flavors to its popular Advantage®, Day Break(TM) and Endulge(TM) product lines in February 2010.

In 2010, Atkins spokesperson and actress Courtney Thorne-Smith will appear in her first Atkins commercial, as well as in more than 2,500 in-store displays on Wal-Mart Smart TVs. Thorne-Smith has followed the Atkins lifestyle for the past 10 years. Before Atkins, she was unable to find a way to maintain her weight, going up and down on the diet rollercoaster. This experience gives her a unique understanding of the weight-loss struggles most people have experienced. Thorne-Smith will also be featured on the revamped Atkins.com website, welcoming visitors with a web video that acquaints them with the four phases of the Atkins Diet.

For more information, visit atkins.com.

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With the right weight-loss tools, consumers will be able to keep their 2010 resolutions focused on losing and maintaining a healthy weight. Dr. Sasson Moulavi, M.D. recommends the Smart for Life(R) Cookie Diet for successfully achieving and maintaining an ideal weight.

Each year 40-45% of adults make a resolution. Research shows that 75% make it past the first week and 46% make it past 6 months. The Smart for Life(R) team of experts are gearing up for a boost to those willing to commit to achieving these goals. The company offers support group calls twice weekly as well as one-on-one support in participating centers in the U.S. and Canada.

Typically, those following the Smart for Life(R) Cookie Diet program will lose weight quickly, stay motivated and see the health benefits (e.g. lower cholesterol) in a matter of weeks. The affordable program is available online, as well as other affiliate retailers.

For more information, visit smartforlife.com.

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