Nothing warms up a biting professor’s reading assignment in a more satisfying way than a steaming bowl or mug of soup. Of course, if you feel like using your king-size cappucino mug in place of a bowl, I guess that’s fine too. Where could you possibly get soup when youl live in a dorm? From your very own slow cooker, of course! Come home to, no, not the fresh scent of photocopier ink, but the scent of classic chicken noodle soupy slurp, full of germ-fighting goodness.

Classic chicken noodle slurp

10 cups water
2 cans chicken broth with chicken, no noodles
1 large carrot, cut to 2-inch chunks
1 celery rib, cut to 1-inch chunks
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon each dried parsley, sage, thyme
2 cups uncooked 1/4-inch thick egg noodles
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen cut green beans
1 cube tofu (optional)

In your slow cooker, combine the first ten ingredients. Place on low for 6 to 8 hours. When you get back from that tortured organic chemistry lab, uncover pot, add peas, green beans and slice tofu into smaller cubes and mix in. Let simmer for 1 minute, then eat up. Makes 6 to 8 big gulps, er, we mean cups. Reheat up to 4 times.

Polish Ham Soup

Take your tastebuds on a trip. It’s cheaper than taking your significant other anywhere, and a lot more fun for you. But, no seriously, for a soup that can’t be beat-with excessive boiling in the slow cooker or taste-try this traditional Polish soup adapted to your dorm needs. Just reheat when you need to eat.

1 can Spam, ham or corned beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chopped cabbage
1 can (28 ounces)diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons brown sugar and dried oregano each
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed and pepper to taste

Set cabbage at the bottom and layer Spam, and other ingredients on top. Cook on Low setting for 5 to 8 hours, until cabbage is crisp-tender. Eat with whole wheat bread for nutty-salty-slurpable good taste. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

No cheddar one pot meal

This dish was invented when the shipping of cheddar cheese didn’t arrive at our test kitchen one week. We had to make do, and we found cheddar cheese actually makes it taste bad!

3 Pork, Herb and Garlic Sausages, strung together 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 onions, finely chopped
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup salsa
250ml bottle beer or leftover beer from that party you had last night, and thought no one could hear you
3 tablespoons brown sugar Four 500g cans of beans of different sorts,drained and rinsed in cold water salt and pepper to taste (when ready to eat) 1 tablespoon dried parsley Pour into your slow cooker the first eight ingredients and parsley. Mix, and set on low heat for 4 to 5 hours. When ready to eat, add salt and pepper as desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Just reheat when you need to eat.

Host’s best chowder

Okay, so the group project is going well (maybe) and you need to practice your presentation. Hey, you said, let’s head over to my place. You are soooo lucky you decided to make this chowder this morning before dashing off to class in your PJs.

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced or garlic powder to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 can (16 ounce) tomato paste
2 cans (14 and 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth, no noodles
1 and 3/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, pepper, celery flakes
3 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans or great northern beans rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon dried parsley

Stir in all ingredients and serve with bread sticks. Or crackers. Or gum, if you have it. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

You know those Fridays when you’re thinking, wow, I should do this every Friday. Skip class, put on a flattering outfit, go shopping for…books. Anyway, you’re totally exhausted after all that, and who wants to cook, even for friends, when you can watch something on addictive pop-trash WB?

Spicy sweet potatoes with toffeed salad

Just crank up your slow cooker and skip away! To class! This recipe takes away the traditional bitter taste of cabbage and kale and coats the greens with toffee-like sugar that oozes out of the sweet potatoes.

3 large sweet potatoes (about the length of your hand), peeled
and cut to 1-inch thick rounds
2 tablespons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder and cayenne powder each
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 handful cabbage outer leaves, chopped to 2-inch by 2-inch flat squares
1 handful kale, rinsed and cut to fork-size pieces

In a large resealable (eg. Ziplock) plastic bag, toss sweet potatoes and oil. Add remaining ingredients except cabbage and kale; toss to coat. Transfer to a greased slow cooker. Layer twice-with cabbage tucked between potatoes, then kale covered by more potatoes and set on medium, until potatoes are tender but not dry, about 4 to 5 hours. Makes 6 to 8 yummy servings.

By popular demand, we’ve whipped up the list, the menu (snacks included) and the recipes. Of course, you don’t have to buy a tiny little package of, say, whole or slivered almonds. Get yours in bulk foods and you won’t have to go waste time and money buying a little at a time every time you go to the grocery store. Feel free to substitute low-fat, skim, non-fat, low-sodium and low cholesterol wherever you like, and when we say “bottle” or “jar”, we mean small since this is for one person, and for about one week. And yes, you should go about getting your groceries in this order; all around the perimeter of the store first, that is.

Ready? Take the plunge.

Eggs/Dairy Section

2 L carton milk

1 block butter

1 dozen eggs

1 small package Cheddar cheese

1 small package mozzarella cheese

8 ounce container cream cheese

8 to 16 ounce container plain yogurt

6 ounces low-fat fruit-flavored yogurt

1 small container light whipped cream

2 L carton calcium-fortified or plain orange juice

2 L sweetened soy milk

Meat/Fish/Poultry Section

4 fresh skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 fresh or frozen halibut steaks

1 fresh salmon ‘steak’

Frozen Foods

2 small bags frozen berries, your fave

1 bag frozen corn

1 bag frozen mixed veggies, carrots, peas, cauliflower

1 bag frozen broccoli

2 L frozen vanilla yogurt

1 box frozen whole wheat waffles

1 box frozen puff pastry

2 frozen graham cracker crusts

2 tins frozen orange concentrate

Bulk/Seasonings/Nuts/Baking Goods

Salt and pepper

sugar

Dill

Sesame seeds

Garlic powder

Red pepper flakes/cayenne/paprika

1 bottle vanilla extract

Ground nutmeg

Ground cinnamon

Ground cumin

1 jar honey

ground saffron

slivered almonds

pecans

walnuts

dried cranberries/raspberries

dried dates

dried apricots

granola

Bulk/Grain/Miscellaneous

Chocolate chips

Instant oatmeal/rolled oats

Couscous

Brown rice

Air-popped popcorn

Puffed whole wheat

Tea

Coffee

Chocolate syrup

Cocoa powder

Bottles/Cans/Jars

1 bottle apricot puree/apricots canned in own juice

1 jar cinnamon applesauce

1 jar mandarin oranges/2 eleven-ounce cans mandarin oranges in juice

1 jar peanut butter

1 jar jam, your choice

3 cans water-packed tuna

2 cans oil-packed tuna

8 six-ounce cans vegetable soup

3 cans vegetable/chicken/beef broth

1 can escargots, water-packed

2 cans kidney beans

1 can black beans

1 can white beans, like cannelloni

2 cans chickpeas/pre-made hummus in bulk foods/deli

1 bottle vinaigrette dressing

1 bottle olive oil

1 bottle sesame oil

1 bottle red wine vinegar

1 jar Dijon mustard

1 bottle whipped topping

1 bottle soy sauce

1 jar salsa

1 jar chilies, like chipotle in adobo

Bakery/Deli

1 loaf whole-wheat bread

1 pack whole-wheat tortillas/pitas

2 whole-wheat bagels

1 handful whole-wheat bread sticks

2 whole-wheat muffins, your choice

Produce

3 apples

1 bunch/12 spears asparagus

1 bag baby salad greens

1 bunch bananas

1 small bundle basil leaves

half cup mung bean sprouts

1 cantaloupe

1 medium bag baby carrots

2 bunches cilantro

5 celery stalks

1 cucumber

1 bulb garlic

1 ginger root

1 small jicama/pre-sectioned jicama, wrapped

3 kiwis

3 lemons

1 lime

2 mangos

1 honeydew melon

20 or so mushrooms

2 pears

1 medium onion

1 papaya

1 red bell pepper

15 red potatoes or 20 golf-ball size new potatoes

1 small red cabbage

1 pound snow peas

6 bunches baby spinach/7 bags baby salad green leaves

1 small squash

1 sweet potato

2 oranges

1 bunch fresh thyme

2 packages (8 cubes) tofu

2 to 4 tomatoes

Meal Plan for One Week:

Saturday

Breakfast

1 cup orange juice

half melon drizzled with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and/or honey

tea

1 slice apple-berry cake

Midmorning snack

Peanut butter-jam sandwich

1 cup milk

Lunch

Vegetable soup

In a saucepan, saute’ 10 diced baby carrots in quarter cup of broth until tender crisp. Add 20 mushrooms and all cans of veggie soup you’ve got. Simmer 10 minutes. Add 2 cups canned drained kidney beans and 2 bunches rinsed baby spinach leaves. Simmer 5 minutes. Eat two cups, chill leftovers, covered.

1 slice whole wheat bread

1 cup soy milk

Midafternoon snack

Chocolate chips mixed with nuts and dried cranberries

1 cup orange juice with a squirt of lemon

Dinner

Herby Chicken one-pot

Rub 4 chicken breasts with fresh herbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Add fresh herbs to roasting pan, along with 10 baby carrots and 25 golf-ball sized red potatoes. Roast at 400 F for 30 minutes. Chill leftovers, covered.

Tangy-crunchy salad

Toss 1 handful of pecans with 2 handfuls baby salad greens. Add a couple of canned mandarin oranges, and add some of orange juice to dried raspberries and 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette.

orange juice, tea or soy milk

Sunday

Breakfast

Potatoes with leftovers

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet. Saute half cup sliced onions, handful of frozen broccoli, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and leftover chicken, carrots and potatoes, for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from pan. Fry egg.

1 scrambled egg

1 cup orange juice

Midmorning snack

Half a cantaloupe filled with 6 ounces plain yogurt with lemon zest.

Water with frozen juice concentrate

Lunch

Chickadee Pockets

Heat half a cup of last night’s chicken breasts, cubed with 2 tablespoons of frozen corn and 3 tablespoons canned black beans, drained, in microwave for 3 minutes. Heat 1 tortilla/pita in microwave for 1 minute. Top tortilla/pita with chicken mixture, add 2 tablespoons salsa.

1 cup milk

quarter of cantaloupe

1 orange

Midafternoon snack

1 whole-wheat bagel with peanut butter, dried dates and jam (extra chewy)

water flavored with frozen juice concentrate

Dinner

1 halibut steak rubbed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Roasted at 400F for 25 minutes. 1 serving Squashy Noodles.

Half cup sliced cucumbers drizzled with lemon juice and red pepper flakes

1 cup milk

Prep Berry Pie for Monday Night and rest of week

Let vanilla yogurt soften and gently fold in 1 and half cups thawed berries. Scoop into thawed graham cracker crust. Refreeze.

Monday

Breakfast

1 cup oatmeal, cooked with 1/3 cup milk, topped with dried fruit and nuts and 1 tablespoon sugar

1 banana

1 cup orange juice

Midmorning snack

1 slice leftover apple-berry cake

1 cup soy milk

Lunch

1 serving leftover Squashy Noodles

1 tofu cube, heated in microwave for 2 minutes on High after marinating in soy sauce for 1 minute each side, topped with tomato slices, red onion, red pepper flakes, dill and lemon juice.

1 mango, sliced

water with a squirt of lemon

Midafternoon snack

1 cup hummus

handful baby carrots

1 cup orange juice

Dinner

Spiced salmon one-pot

Mix 1 tablespoon soy sauce with 1 chili (chopped), 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, dill, 1 teaspoon minced ginger, 1 teaspoon cumin, and rub into salmon steak. Roast till cooked through, about 25 minutes at 400F. Cook 2 cups brown rice in water, adding spinach at last minute. Squirt lemon juice on half cup rice and all of salmon. Chill leftovers in separate containers.

Water with frozen juice concentrate.

Berry Pie: Cut into 8 segments, top with whipped cream if desired. Eat 1 slice.

Tuesday

Breakfast

Rice and oat pudding

In a saucepan, simmer 1 cup of last night’s rice with half cup milk and instant oatmeal, half teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 tablespoon almond slivers and 3 tablespoons chopped dates for 10 minutes. Top with 1 tablespoon sugar and honey.

Quarter cantaloupe drizzled with lemon juice.

Tea

Midmorning snack

Half cup frozen berries with 1 orange

1 slice bread with peanut butter and jam

Water or tea

Lunch

Seafood Salad

Toss all remaining baby greens and half red cabbage, shredded, with 5 ounces leftover salmon and 3 tablespoons lemon juice.

3 to 5 whole wheat bread sticks

1 apple, sliced

1 cup soy milk

Midafternoon Snack

2 kiwis

fruit-flavored yogurt

tea

Dinner

2 cups leftover vegetable soup, reheated

3 to 5 whole wheat bread sticks

sliced Cheddar cheese

water with lemon

Wednesday

Breakfast

1 cup instant oatmeal simmer for 10 minutes with half cup milk, cocoa powder and cinnamon and dried cranberries sprinkled on top.

1 cup tropical fruit salad

Combine enough sliced kiwi, mango, papaya and mandarin oranges to total 3 cups and a bit.

Midmorning snack

1 muffin

handful almonds

soy milk

Lunch

Lazy Day Wrap

Reheat leftover black beans with 2 tablespoons salsa. Warm 2 pitas and stuff with black beans and salsa, 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro, cheddar cheese slices and 2 tablespoons plain yogurt.

10 baby carrots

water with frozen juice concentrate

Midafternoon snack

Half papaya with lemon juice

Iced coffee with whipped cream

Dinner

1 serving Yellow pasta with garlicky sauce

1 tomato with mozzarella cheese, basil and vinaigrette

Popeye Booster Salad

2 bunches baby spinach, half of a pear, sliced, 2 thinly sliced mushrooms and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette

1 slice Berry Pie topped with whipped cream and mixed nuts.

Water with frozen juice concentrate or tea

Thursday

Breakfast

1 whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and jam

1 pear

1 cup soy milk

Midmorning snack

2 banana dipped in chocolate syrup

water with frozen juice concentrate

Lunch

1 serving Yellow pasta with garlicky sauce

2 cups Tropical fruit salad

water or tea

Midafternoon snack

10 baby carrots

2 cubes tofu with Tropical fruit salad

hot chocolate

Dinner

Salad in a Can

Half cup finely chopped onions and half cup diced red bell pepper saute’ed in olive 2 tablespoons olive oil until tender. Add 1 can drained white beans and 2 tablespoons dried fruits and handful of nuts. Add sprinkle of cumin. Cook, stirring for 3 minutes, remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme and salt and pepper to taste.

1 cup couscous cooked in 1 and half cups boiling-hot broth, used to cook 1 cup asparagus. Drizzle asparagus with lemon juice and zest.

Water

Friday

TGIF Breakfast

Banana-Berry Protein Pack

All remaining bananas cut to chunks and pureed with 1 cup frozen berries, 4 tofu squares, 1 cup plain yogurt and icy water or ice cubes.

1 sliced pear

1 slice whole wheat bread

Midmorning snack

1 whole wheat muffin

1 celery stalk with cheddar cheese melted on top

orange juice

Lunch

Made-in-your-sleep Tuna Pita

Combine one can drained, water-packed tuna with 2 tablespoons diced onion, 2 stalks diced celery, 5 tablespoons plain yogurt mixed with 2 tablespoons olive oil and half teaspoon dill. Fill 1 and half pitas.

1 apple

1 cup jicama, cut to strips

water

Midafternoon snack

Peanut butter and jam sandwich

Tea or coffee

Dinner

Black and White dinner

Let water drain from remaining tofu cubes and slice to half-inch strips. Saute in skillet with 2 teaspoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons minced ginger, 2 teaspoons minced garlic and cumin until golden brown, turning once. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce when removing from heat. Reheat 1 cup leftover brown rice with 1 tablespoon almond slivers. Sprinkle rice and tofu with sesame seeds.

Tossed red salad

All remaining red cabbage, shredded with handful of dried cranberries, thinly sliced red onion, and 3 tablespoons vinaigrette with red pepper flakes.

1 slice Altered Fruit Cake

Saturday

Post-TGIF Breakfast

2 frozen whole-wheat waffles heated in microwave according to directions, sprinkled with honey and cinnamon.

Half cup apricot puree with 2 tablespoons whipped cream

Milk, heated, sprinkled with nutmeg

Midmorning snack

1 cup cocoa with remaining milk

Lunch

Hot tuna salad

Add frozen mixed vegetables to boiling water. Combine 2 cans oil-packed tuna, with the oil, with cooked veggies. Add pepper, soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Eat one cup, chill leftovers, covered.

2 remaining whole wheat bread slices.

Water with frozen juice concentrate

Prep Altered Fruit Cake. Let cream cheese soften, then add remaining whipped topping, 2 cups frozen berries, folding in gently, and remaining canned mandarin oranges with juice. Fill a graham cracker crust and freeze.

Midafternoon snack

Hot tuna salad stuffed into whole wheat pita, then heated in microwave on High, 90 seconds.

Tea

Dinner

3 cups popcorn

quarter cup hummus

1 tomato

Cut the Altered Fruit Cake into 8 sections, eat 1 or 2 slices, topped with more fruit and whipped topping from new grocery shopping.

The Necessity Recipes

Apple-Berry Cake

2 cups flour

three-quarters cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

1 cup cinnamon applesauce

half cup milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup frozen berries (do not thaw)

handful almond slivers

2 tablespoons cinnamon and sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat an 11 x 7 inch baking pan with vegetable oil or nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Makea well in the center and set aside. Whisk together applesauce, milk, butter, egg and vanilla. Fold into dry ingredients until just blended, then gently fold in berries. Pour into pan. Sprinkle almonds on batter. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 10 minutes, cut to 12 pieces. Cool to room temperature before wrapping in plastic and placing in sealed plastic Tupperware in the fridge. Makes 12 servings.

Squashy Noodles

1 medium squash, halved and seeded

1 and half cups vegetable/other broth

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoons sesame oil

2 cups snow peas

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons cilantro

baby carrots, diced

half cup bean sprouts

Wrap squash halves in plastic wrap and place skin side down in microwave. Cook on High setting for 10 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes, wrap opened. Using a fork or zester, scrape out flesh, making long, spaghetti-like strands. Makes about 8 cups. Set aside. In a saucepan, simmer soy sauce, peanut butter, broth and sesame oil, stirring. Add snow peas, simmer 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from heat and stir in bean sprouts, carrots, cilantro and lemon juice. Add cooked squash. Makes 8 servings.

Yellow pasta with garlicky sauce

6 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups broth

1 teaspoon saffron powder

24 ounces uncooked linguine or spaghetti

1 can escargots, drained

2 cups frozen broccoli

quarter cup fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

In a deep pot, saute’ garlic in 1 tablespoon broth for 2 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Add remaining broth and saffron. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions. Drain and add to broth mixture with escargots and broccoli. Simmer 3 minutes, or until escargots are wilted and cooked through. Stir in cilantro and soy sauce. Season to taste with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if desired. Makes 8 servings.

“I couldn’t imagine letting a person put her hands all over my body, especially with no clothes on,” she said. “I mean, I weighed 290 pounds, and what if the massage table broke when I got on it? How embarrassing! It was easier to just keep saying no.”

Even though the therapist who offered the service was a close friend of Heidi’s and worked in a comfortable, professional clinic, Heidi’s uneasiness about the situation outweighed her desire to accept this gift of relief.

Heidi is not alone. Many people avoid the healing therapy of massage because they perceive the process as being embarrassing or threatening. Even if they acknowledge that it might make them feel better, they dismiss the idea because of fear or a misunderstanding of what therapeutic massage is all about.

As a LMT who has been practicing in the state of Washington since 1991, I commend clients who establish their boundaries. I believe we all need to know that each of us is in charge of how close any other person gets to us, who we allow to touch us, and why. I also believe we need to be conscious about how those boundaries serve our well-being and how we can adjust them when necessary. In order to take the first step toward healing, though, we must understand what causes such apprehension in so many people.

What is it about massage therapy that terrifies people like Heidi so much? Is it possible for them to relieve their worries enough to enjoy a service that allows people to relax and rejuvenate? Through research, I discovered three main concerns that “bigger” people have about the concept of massage:

* They don’t know what to expect.

* They worry that they’re too big for the table.

* They don’t know if they’ll be comfortable with the therapist.

Following is some information about each of these areas that may help put your mind at ease.

What to expect from a massage

In addition to reducing stress (the result of steady, firm massage techniques that calm the nervous system), massage therapy has been proven to speed healing after injury or surgery, eliminate muscle spasms, improve circulation, reduce stress on the heart muscle, reduce edema (fluid retention), reduce or eliminate headaches, ease lower-back pain, and restore flexibility. Additionally, the oil or cream used as a lubricant nourishes your skin, and massage can do wonders for improving your posture.

A future event: This can be anything from attending a wedding, going to your high school reunion or, the best motivator for me, taking a vacation. Over time I’ve come to see that I care the most if I think my size is going to humiliate me on the occasion. I’d prefer to perish instead of anyone seeing me in a swimsuit, thus I reserve a beach vacation.

Weight loss competition: I’m very competitive and despise losing (unless it’s weight). This competition requires someone you don’t like or a rival of yours however. If it just includes pals I tend to encourage them as I secretly sneak sweets.

Clothes to Motivate You: Select or purchase some clothes you’re dying to fit into (and could within reason). Put it in the same place you workout, weigh yourself, or even by the refrigerator. Think about yourself wearing it. You might want to change outfits sometimes. Eventually this motivation will just seem like part of the background.

Put on some of your former clothing:  It amazes me what I once fit into and could once more. Over time, wearing a larger size simply becomes the standard you’re accustomed to. When I see some of the tiny clothes I used to wear, they dwarf my present size. Put them on, imagining how you used to fit into this and will once more.

Charts and Graphs: I enjoy graphs and charts. I compose them on my computer, listing dates across the top with my weight at the side. Then you can track what you are losing each day. And, you can observe that at times, you pack on a bit prior to heading down again. This helps smooth over the rocky patches in your weight loss journey. In addition, I compose an exercise schedule calendar which I post along with my weight loss chart. This lets me observe how exercising has a direct impact on my weight loss.

Jot down why your goal is shedding pounds: Make a list of each reason you have for losing weight. Jot down the frivolous reasons too - they can be the most significant. Would you like to look like a model in a swim suit? That’s a terrific motivator, but being able to order dessert after dinner without anyone sneering at you is probably a more realistic goal.

Imagine a person you would love to see you. It is a good motivation to think about making an ex jealous. Whether you intend on ever seeing this person again isn’t the issue. Remember that for a minute. Think about how much they’ll regret having lost you when they see the new you. Or if this works better for you, think about what they’ll feel when when they see you and your fat. Will they be happy they are no longer with you? Anyone who is your rival or someone you don’t like would suffice. Particularly if they are hoping to shed pounds too. Imagine how green with envy they will be when they see you!

Hopefully a few of these motivation methods will be of assistance. Keep in mind that this is possible and each day brings you nearer to your objective. Next, look for somebody to compete with and watch them fume with envy!

Chromium is an essential trace mineral that helps our metabolic process by working with insulin and assisting with the breakdown of glucose. The term chromium picolinate simply means that chromium is being partnered with the chelating agent picolinate.

There are many studies touting the benefits of chromium picolinate. Clearly the most touted benefit is the diet arena, where Chromium Picolinate is said to help with fat burning and lean muscle mass gain. Some additional documented benefits of Chromium picolinate (in studies) include reduced hypertension side effects, lowered LDL cholesterol, and the prevention and possibly even reversal of artherosclerosis.

On the downside, there are two recent issues that have come to light that indicate some potential risks with Chromium picolinate usage. At issue are claims by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of false advertising by the suppliers of chromium picolinate. Specifically, the FTC has stated that several claims are either false or unsupported, and has told manufacturers/suppliers to cease and desist from making these claims unless they are able to provide supporting documentation of their truth. Some claims challenged include the fat-burning ability of chromium picolinate, it’s association with increased muscle mass, reduced serum cholesterol, and role in treating diabetes.

Another study has recently associated chromium picolinate usage with an increased risk of certain types of cancer, and DNA damage. Although this is an isolated study, it bears further investigation. This research was presented at the American Chemical Society Meeting.

The Bottom Line For Consumers

As we all know, there is no “magic pill” that will miraculously transform our bodies into magazine models overnight. Despite our wish for these results, only a healthy diet and good exercise regime will help us meet our (realistic) goals. In the meantime, supplements like chromium picolinate may - or may not - help us meet these goals. Some supplements do actually help our bodies function at their peak levels; however, advertising claims should always be taken with a grain of salt, and the potential risks weighed against the benefits.

Clearly there have been some exaggerated, if not totally false, claims made about the magical fat-burning abilities of chromium picolinate. That is not to say that this supplement doesn’t add value for the dieter and athlete. However, considering the controversial study that has recently come to light, it bears further investigation before blindly accepting the potential benefits.

The best advice is to ask your doctor about your specific situation, and to check things out before you add Chromium Picolinate (or any other supplement) to your regime. A single study indicating risk may be explained, and your doctor is the best one to advise you on this; however, you should also heed the FTC’s input and realize that many of the claims of miraculous results are simply marketing hype. Exercise, eat well and investigate the true benefits - and risks - of supplements like Chromium Picolinate before spending your money on them.