More on Gatorade

Just to follow-up on yesterday's post, I was going through Gatorade commercials looking for the one with Robert Cade and encountered so many new and old that are very cool. Here are a few, what is your favorite?

Michael vs. Mia



Good and Evil Dwayne Wade



Big Heads



and of course, the original, Be Like Mike



I really miss those old glass bottles. And what a catchy song! I'll be singing that all day.

Sad Sports Drink News

I didn't really want to start the after-Thanksgiving posts with sad news, but Gatorade inventor Robert Cade died today at the age of 80. The drink that he and his researchers developed back in 1965 started a whole new industry that breaks sales records every year.

This story at SI.com has some good background on the development of the now ubiquitous sports drink, including how it tasted at first:

"It sort of tasted like toilet bowl cleaner," said Dana Shires, one of the researchers.

"I guzzled it and I vomited," Cade said.

Dr. Cade was featured in this recent commercial starring sportscaster Keith Jackson:



"Naturally, we called our stuff Gatorade."

Thanksgiving is a Special Night

Everybody have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! For a few chuckles, watch this video from Saturday Night Live of Adam Sandler unveiling his "Thanksgiving Song."



I'll see you guys after the holiday!

Eating Too Much? Be Cautious

A disturbing story in the New York Times today about overindulgence on Thanksgiving:

"Indigestion, flatulence and the need to unbutton tight pants are the most common symptoms triggered by the Thanksgiving Day binge. But vast helpings of turkey, stuffing and candied sweet potatoes can take a more serious toll. Big meals can raise the risk for heart attack, gallbladder pain and dangerous drowsiness on the drive home."

I had no idea about the risk for the conditions listed in that last sentence. At least the risk of gastric rupture is low:

"Although your stomach may feel as if it will burst, gastric rupture is extremely rare, notes Dr. William Goldberg..."

The article does have some helpful tips that echo some of the stuff I posted last week;

"Simple strategies can help minimize the gluttony. Keep the serving dishes in the kitchen, so you won’t take extra helpings mindlessly. Use smaller serving spoons and plates. In one study, Brian Wansink, a researcher at Cornell University, found that the bigger the bowl and serving spoon, the more ice cream people tended to eat.

Stick to foods that require utensils — we eat finger foods faster than those that require a fork.

Finally, contribute to the dinnertime conversation. The more you talk, the less you’ll eat."

So, please be safe on Thursday, don't eat the whole pumpkin pie, and keep the flatulence to a minimum!

Staying Trim at Thanksgiving

CalorieControl.org has lots of healthy eating and lifestyle tips. With Thanksgiving coming up, here are a few to remember for the holiday.

• Make simple substitutions. Try preparing foods that are nutritious and satisfying yet low in calories. Reducing the amount of fat and calories in holiday meals can help prevent weight gain during the holidays. Create healthier versions of holiday favorites by using skim milk instead of whole milk, applesauce in place of oil, or a sugar substitute in place of the sugar in a recipe. To thicken a liquid without adding fat, use one of the following: flour, cornstarch, potato flakes, yogurt, non-fat evaporated milk.

• Start a new holiday tradition. Get everyone together for a holiday walk, a game of touch football, a volunteer activity, or even caroling. Check out the Get Moving Calculator on www.caloriecontrol.org to determine how many calories are burned through exercise. It’s easy to overindulge during the holidays so be sure to make time to work up a sweat and burn some calories.

• Do not deprive yourself. The holidays are a time for laughter, fun and food. Having a small slice of pumpkin pie will not lead to weight gain. Moderation is key. Take small servings of food, and allow yourself to enjoy the taste of each bite. Deprivation will only lead to overindulgence later.

And listen to this advice from dietitian Robin Steagall (I know her and she's really smart!): “The holiday season doesn’t have to lead to weight gain. With a few simple steps you can maintain your weight and still enjoy the season. It’s important to remember that the holidays are not about food and drinks but about spending time with friends and family.”

More Turkey Day stuff next week!

Here's your order. Hope you enjoyed the extra wait!

Ladies, do you feel like you are waiting an inordinate amount of time for your coffee beverage? Well, research from Middlebury College suggests it is NOT all in your head. Looks like we have to wait an extra 20 seconds just to get our beverage. Now if you are saying, "Well you women order complicated, difficult drinks with the skinny, and the whip, and the no-whip," you're right. But apparently that doesn't matter. This article over at Slate goes over some of the arguments you might immediately think of.

I usually just opt for a diet soda, but I have been known to grab a drink from coffee shops, sometimes on a daily basis, and have never really noticed the delay. My usual order isn't all that complicated, but I can attest that the mental calculus described in the Jezebel post certainly DOES go on in my head. Ugh, after reading that I'm thinking about Nutter Butter.

So, what is your wait like at the coffee shop? Is your order complicated? Or are you like Ms. Swan in this clip?

'5' For An 'A'

If I'd known about this maybe I would have not pulled so many allnighters during college; looks like chewing gum before and during a test might help get a better grade:

As Exams Loom, Students Find Hope in a 'Stick'

"A non-scientific study of the class after taking the exam showed that students who chewed 5 gum prior to, and during, test-taking had better scores on the exam than those who didn't chew gum at all. Students who reported chewing gum during the exam received a mean score of 90; students who chewed the whole pack of 5 gum before the exam received a mean score of 86; while those who chewed no gum at all received a mean score of 60."

So if you've got a big test coming up, grab a stick or, what the heck, a whole pack of 5 gum beforehand. I've tried it and like some of the flavors, especially the cinnamon one. Yum!

Check out some of the other great benefits of chewing gum here: Gum Is Good!

And see an ad for 5 gum below:

Post Halloween Post

Halloween in the middle of the week just makes me not want to dress up and party. Make it on a Friday or Saturday, and I'm in a cool costume and full of candy, but last night, not so much. So Halloween was very low-key around the I Love Diet Soda pad. Just handed out some sugar-free treats to the local children and hoped they wouldn't toss them out with the toothbrushes from the dentist down the street.

Also, watched a little of Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers on AMC, contrary to what the video box says up top, it wasn't the scariest Halloween ever. Not even really the third scariest, or fourth, maybe the least scariest.

If you are like lots of people I know (though not me, wink) and enjoy stocking up on after-Halloween candy, you might want to make a stop at Target and grab the Jones Halloween 2007 flavors. They are most assuredly on sale by now. The Monster Mojito sounds vaguely intriguing, but I'll leave Black Cat Licorice to someone else to pick up. Not sure, then check out this review over at Associated Content. Although, I'm sure anything would taste better than Perspiration!

What were you guys up to on Halloween? Any inventive costumes?