It’s a three-in-one appliance that’s perfect for speedy summer suppers. Five Appetite for Health readers will Win a Fabulous Fagor Multi-Cooker!

What’s not to like about three appliances in one? Yeah, we thought so too. Enter today to win a fabulous Fagor Multi-Cooker (a $99 value)!

My life certainly doesn’t need more pressure—whose does? But pressure cooking has always intrigued me. Truth be told, pressure cooking always looked kinda scary and intimidating. Well, not anymore, friends! This Fagor Multi-Cooker has convinced me that pressure cooking is safe and easy. Actually, the Multi-Cooker has three functions:

• Rice cooker
• Slow cooker
• Pressure cooker

It’s also got a delay function (so you can program it to start cooking later), plus you can brown food in it, keep food warm and it comes with plenty of recipes, too.

I tried out the Multi-Cooker that the folks at Fagor sent me to review; here’s what I thought. First of all, this is a beautiful appliance–sleek and modern, and though not small, it’s definitely store-able in my pantry cabinet. The instructions were uber-easy to understand, and the sturdy unit performed just as the booklet said it would. I started out with rice, since the booklet said it would cook my rice in 6 minutes (and I had forgotten to make the rice to go with the stir-fry I was going to have for dinner). Rice in 6 minutes sounded good to me! And you know what? In 6 minutes I had rice that was cooked nicely. The slow cooking function works really well, too…maybe my others will be retired now that I’ve tried this fabu Fagor. And pressure cooking? Well, let’s just say I’m still a newbie at it, but now that I’ve tried it a few times I’m no longer scared of it, and can see that the time saved would really be helpful on super-crazy-busy days!

Want to try and win a fabulous Fagor Multi-Cooker for yourself? We’ve got five of them (each a $99 value)! Here’s how to enter:

First, be sure you’ve signed up for our e-newsletter and “Like” Appetite for Health on Facebook. Also, please “Like” Fagor on Facebook, too. Then, tell us in the comment section below (not on Facebook) which cooking function you’d most like to try with a Fagor Multi-Pot.  Enter by Friday, May 24th at midnight. Contest open to US Residents.

Remember, extra credit is given to those who share AFH nutrition or fitness articles on social media–tell us where you shared (a link is handy)! All AFH Terms and Conditions Apply.

Win a Fabulous Fagor Multi-Cooker! is a post from: Appetite for Health

14 Fattest Jobs in America

As you may have heard, Julie and I recently released a new book, The Real Skinny: 101 Fat Habits & Slim Solutions.  I’ve been doing a series of interviews to support the book, and invariably I’ve been asked why exactly the US has become the world’s fattest nation.  There are many reasons, from increases in portion sizes, the proliferation of inexpensive, high calorie fast food, to less home-cooking.  But another critical factor in the U.S. obesity epidemic has been the shift to a more sedentary lifestyle.  And part of this shift is the result of modern working life.  Consider the following:

In 1950, 30 percent of Americans worked in what were considered “high-activity” occupations (i.e. jobs where they had to be physically active); by 2000, that proportion had dropped to only 22 percent. Conversely, the percentage of people working in low-activity occupations rose from about 23 percent to 41 percent. Driving cars increased from 67 percent of all trips to work in 1960 to 88 percent in 2000, while walking and taking public transit to work decreased. About 40 percent of U.S. schoolchildren walked or rode their bikes to school in 1969; by 2001, only 13 percent did so.

Simply put, thee is much about modern working life – long, sedentary commutes and jobs that are mainly ‘seated’ – that keeps us highly inactive for extended periouds of time.  In some cases, our jobs are making us fat!

What jobs are the fattest?  Earlier this month, results from a Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index survey found that that transportation, manufacturing, repair and service industries were more likely to be obese, while doctors, business owners, teachers and other professionals were least likely to have a body-mass index of 30 or over — the clinical definition of obesity.

Not surprisingly, jobs associated with greater obesity rates were also lower paying jobs that required less education. Obese workers were less likely to exercise three or more times per week and were less likely to report having a safe place to exercise. They were less likely to have eaten healthfully the day before and more likely to report struggling to afford food in the past year.

What to do?

Unless you just won the Powerball over the weekend, you probably have to work for a living. If you think your job may be making you fat, quitting probably isn’t the best solution.  But there ARE things you can do every day to fight job blob.  Try these tips;

1) The Lunchtime Quickie. No, not that kind of quickie! (Althoughthat will definitely burn some calories too – so if you can get that at lunchtime- go to it!). I’m talking about a quick 15-minute brisk stroll. Walking is one of your best weapons to fight on-the-job blob.  A 15-minute steady walk can burn about 50 calories.  That may not sound like much, but a couple of walking breaks a day can keep pounds from packing on.  A 15-minute walk won’t cause you to work up a sweat, but you will add over an hour of exercise every work week if you do this regularly.  Plus a few minutes of downtime may lower stress and may keep you from mindless munching at the office.

2) If you’re the boss, call a walking meeting.  And if you’re a mere underling, suggest one.  When I used to work “in the cube”, I would ask to have a walking meeting instead of a seated one.  Sure, sometimes you have to sit and watch a slide presentation.  But many meetings readily lend themselves to walking and talking.  You’ll feel better, get more exercise and who knows — all that blood flowing through your brain may just help you come up with a brilliant idea that gets you a raise!

3) B.Y.O.B. Try to brown bag it most days. Start with bringing your own lunch at least three days a week and work up to five days a week. You’ll save money and hundreds of calories.

4) Make Office Kitchen and Vending Machines Off-limits. Vending machines rarely offer any nutritional options and the food that’s left in office kitchens is usually doughnuts, desserts or candy.

Enough said!  I have to go take a walk!

– Katherine

14 Fattest Jobs in America is a post from: Appetite for Health