Good habits are as addictive as bad habits,
 and a lot more rewarding. - Harvey MacKay

Book Resources


The following videos, articles, tools and other information have been provided primarily for the readers of Feed Your Head. The book contains specific references -- at key points in the text -- to many of these important supplementary materials. If you are visiting this website without the book, you can order it here.


Obesity Maps

These maps have been omitted from the book, however, it is important to note the obesity trend in America. As a nation, we are getting fatter - which has many negative health consequences. Take a moment to review the CDC (Center for Disease Control) information.
  1. CDC: Obesity Trends 1985 - 2008 
  2. Adult and Child Obesity Rates by State (2010)
  3. Future Projections


Video Presentations - Attitude Changers
  1. Michael Pollan - Author: In Defense of Food*
  2. Dr. David Kessler - Author: The End of Overeating** 
  3. Marion Nestle - Author: What to Eat

*During the latter part of his presentation, Mr. Pollan discusses the high cost of eating properly. In fact, he encourages people to spend more for food. I do not, and by viewing Ken's Menu, you will observe this.

**Dr. Kessler was the head of the FDA and was instrumental in regulating the tobacco industry. Dr. Kessler and many others believe that the food and tobacco industries are similar in their manipulation of their products. If you want to explore that, I recommend that you read this article: Where there's smoke, there might be food research, too



This is Why You are Fat - The Western Diet
  1. This is Why You're Fat
  2. Photos Taken from TV Commercials
  3. What's Wrong With the American Diet?


Portion Distortion
  1. The History of Super-Sizing
  2. Portion Distortion - I - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
  3. Portion Distortion - II - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
  4. Plate Size Study - (Video)
  5. Small Plate Movement
  6. Proper Serving Sizes (Wallet Card)
  7. Downsize This! The Fun of Smaller Portions

Our Blog Posts About Portions:
  1. Portion Plate
  2. Larry David's Observation about Portion Sizes


Weight-Loss Commitment
  1. Twelve Questions from the Mayo Clinic

CardioSmart - American College of Cardiology
  1. Understanding Blood Pressure
  2. Understanding Cholesterol HDL
  3. Understanding Cholesterol LDL
  4. Understanding Triglycerides
  5. Understanding Fats

Body Mass Index (BMI)
  1. Calculate Your BMI - Quick Calculator
  2. Calculate Your BMI - In-depth Information
  3. Video about BMI

Food Journal (Use the one that best suites you)
  1. Feed Your Head - Food Journal (Word File)
  2. Fit Day
  3. Calorie Counter

Calorie Counting Tools
  1. Calorie Requirements by Age and Sex (PDF)
  2. Calorie Count
  3. Calorie King - Food Type Calories
  4. Calorie Lab - Restaurant Calories
  5. Restaurant Menus (Calorie and Nutrition Information)
  6. Cut Calories to Avoid Gaining Weight (Article)

Meet the Food Label

I believe one of the most important aspects of dieting is to 1) understand the food label and 2) read the label. I am always on the lookout for calories, sugar, Trans fat, sodium, and fiber content. I am not as concerned with fat because if the calorie content is relatively low then fat will be low. 

Note: The first three websites are similar in content.
  1. Federal Drug Administration - FDA
  2. Real Age
  3. Mayo Clinic Explanation 
  4. Serving Size Silliness - Video
  5. Shop Smart Magazine - Food Label Tricks and Truths
  6. How to Read the Food Label - Part 1 - Video
  7. How to Read the Food Label - Part 2 - Video
  8. Nutrition Data - Search for Item
Our Blog Posts About Labels:
  1. Trans Fat


Sugar, Sugar

It's very simple: We consume too much sugar. It's not good for our health and the empty calories cause weight-gain. These articles, videos, and podcast make the case. I recommend that you read, watch, and listen . . . 
  1. *Sugar: The Bitter Truth - Dr. Robert Lustig (Video)
  2. How Much Sugar is in Everyday Items?
  3. How Much Sugar Do We Consume Annually?
  4. Are You Pouring on the Pounds
  5. How Much Sugar is in a Can of Soda? (Video) 
  6. Sugar and Soda - Dr. David Ludwig (Audio)
  7. NPR: Sugar Elbows On To Heart Health Hit List
  8. The Truth about Sugar - Video
  9. The Sweet and Lowdown on Sugar
*This is a long video. However, since we consume so much sugar (about 170 pounds per year), I believe it is time well spent.

Our Blog Posts About Sugar:
  1. Drink One Can of Soda Per Day and You Will Consume This Amount of Sugar


Gardening
  1. Kitchen Gardeners
  2. Kitchen Gardeners Video

What is Fiber?
  1. Fiber: Start Roughing It! - Harvard School of Public Health
  2. Fiber: Its Importance in Your Diet
  3. Benefits of Fiber
  4. What Is Fiber? What Is Dietary Fiber? Fiber Rich Foods
  5. Boost Your Diet with Fiber - Examples of High-Fiber Foods
  6. Why is Fiber Important? - Video (watch until counter goes to 1:15:50 - about 3 minutes)
  7. What is Fiber? - Video

Our Blog Posts about Fiber:
  1. "Fiber is Your Best Friend" - Dr. Neal Barnard

Mindless Eating 
  1. Mindless Eating Interview - Brian Wansink - Author: Mindless Eating (41 minutes)
  2. Taking the Mindless Eating Quiz
  3. Mindless Eating Blog

Exercise, Exercise, Exercise

"Exercise is better than any drug or anything else we have for aging. There's no downside. If this were a drug, it would be the safest, most effective drug in the universe." Dr. James O. Hill, Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado at Denver
  1. Exercise and Calorie Calculator
  2. Nutrition and Physical Activity for a Lifetime - Dr. Christina Economos (Video)
  3. American Council on Exercise (Types of Exercise)
  4. American Council on Exercise (Exercise Library and Workouts)

Additional Resources
If you have become hooked on living a healthy lifestyle, you will probably enjoy these additional resources that I have compiled. Just go to the menu item - Additional Resources. Take a look and congratulations on choosing to live a healthy lifestyle.