"Thank you for the daily encouragements. Reading and following the daily suggestions gives me a different outlook on my life. Keep doing what you're doing!" -Chris
Read More Testimonials»

On the Diet and Fitness Blog

Six Tips to Feel Beautiful Today!

How many times have you waited for something to change so that you could finally start feeling beautiful? If you are like most women, the answer is “all the time.” Here...

Read More About Six Tips to Feel Beautiful Today!»

Our Living Healthier Experts

Bob Livingstone

Bob Livingstone

LCSW and psychotherapist in private practice for almost twenty...

Shared by First30Days View Profile»
Dean Ornish

Dean Ornish

Professor of medicine and best-selling author

Shared by First30Days View Profile»
Bob Harper

Bob Harper

Fitness trainer on NBC's hit show The Biggest Loser

Shared by First30Days View Profile»

Meet all of our Diet and Fitness Experts»

News

The latest news on this change — carefully culled from the world wide web by our change agents. They do the surfing, so you don't have to!

The Ultimate Calorie Bomb

The Ultimate Calorie Bomb

If a 110% sugar high, obesity and a possible heart attack are on you list of “health” goals, then please do get your hands on the new Baskin Robbins Heath Shake.
 
Known as "the death shake" by some on the internet, the shake comes packed with 2,300 calories, a half pound of sugar and more than 100 ingredients, including syrup, artificial flavors galore and even nitrous oxide. Really? You need a chemical compound commonly used as laughing gas in the local dentist office to be added to this take-a-sip-and-keel-over shake?!
 
If this is not scary enough for you, then perhaps you should consider these Baskin Robbins nutritional facts: The shake contains 108 grams of fat, 64 grams of saturated fat and 303 grams of carbohydrates. Remember, the average male is supposed to consume about 2,500 calories per day and the saturated fat in this shake has more than three times the recommended daily allowance of just 20 grams.
 
This shake is a prescription elixir for heart disease, if the diabetes and obesity don't get to you first.
 
These fast food calorie phenomenons, like the 1,360-calorie salad, lead health experts and consumers alike to wonder if one's health is really in his or her hands. Of course, people should be held personally responsible, but shouldn’t major corporations and businesses share a bit of the accountability?
 
We want to know: Do you think food and beverage chains can take some of the bad rap for the nationwide weight and health problems? And if you tried the Heath Shake and lived to tell the tale, share it here. [The Consumerist]

Posted: 9/23/08
alegria

Has anyone ever read "Eat This Not That?" Its a really great book put out by Men's Health and they list the ingredients from a lot of fast food menus and suggest healthier alternatives. It's a great companion for those of us who don't get to live in NYC.
Link

  • By alegria
  • on 12/31/08 12:26 PM EST
ChangeChamp

Yikes. It seems almost criminal to offer such a thing... call in the calorie police!

alleecmo

What size was the shake tested for this nutritional analysis? On BR's website it says it's "only" 1420 cal. for a 24 oz ("medium") Heath shake. 67 g fat / 40 of 'em sat fat / 184 g carbs. For me, 24 oz is a LOT of shake. I usually get the 12 oz chocolate at McDs when I get a hankerin' (440 cal / 10g fat / 76g carbs). But that does not have a "burnt sugar" candy bar chopped up in it, either.

FitnessQueen

Coleman: Love your tip! The kiddie portion is a great option. And as much as I think people are personally responsible for their health, I do think that chains have to take some of the rap. There needs to be more information available to the public in order for people to make informed decisions.

aliciak

Wooooow. I'm glad that here in New York at least, fast food chains (I'm not sure if Baskin-Robbins counts?) have to display calorie counts for everything. Scary stuff!

  • By aliciak
  • on 9/25/08 1:34 PM EST