Julia Havey and PGX check out the latest chicken creation from McDonald's.

These new McBites may not have you smiling...

A new McDonald’s ad caught my eye recently, reading: "Pop Smile Repeat." It’s catchy and reminds me of the famous “Snap, Crackle, Pop” or “Good to the Last Drop” or “Finger Lickin’ Good” slogans of the past. "Pop Smile Repeat" is the slogan for McDonald’s latest contribution to society: McBites. So, in the name of objectivity, I did my homework and I’m not lovin’ McBites. I hope that you won’t either.
 
Erik Trinidad of the Huffington Post wrote: “Just when you thought McDonald’s couldn’t do anything else to mass produce a fast food chicken item short of just serving fried chicken parts like KFC, it has introduced Chicken McBites, the Golden Arches’ answer to popcorn chicken….”
 
Trinidad goes on to say that McBites may have been introduced to be a lighter, snack version of McNuggets. However, the regular size box of McBites is about as filling as a box of 6-piece McNuggets. When you compare the calories — 470 vs. 280 — you can see that McBites have about 68% more calories than their predecessor, a result of the starchy, oily batter that outweighs its chicken counterparts.
 
Read Erik Trinidad’s full review at Huffington Post Canada.
 
Dr. Mehmet Oz referred to me on his “Oprah & Friends XM” show as an “obesity activist.” I hadn’t really thought of myself in those terms but I guess, in many ways, I am becoming one!

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Image source: Huffington Post Food

It's PGX Quiz Time!

How well do you know your fiber?

There's a lot to know about dietary fibre and it comes in more forms than just bran! Do you know what foods are good sources of dietary fibre? Do you know how much you should eat each day?

Test your fibre knowledge with the Vancouver Sun's Nutrition Quiz: Fibre!

Image source: diabetescenter.blogspot.com

Dance your way to better fitness with PGX and Zumba!

PGX checks out the world wide fitness trend of Zumba...

Along with a balanced diet and your daily fiber, exercise is the key to any weight loss goal. Not a fan of going to the gym? Dance, jump, swing in your kitchen, or try a Zumba class! 

So what is Zumba? Zumba is a Latin-inspired dance fitness program that gets you working all your muscles to international rhythms such as cumbia, merengue and salsa. Since the day fouder Alberto "Beto" Perez forgot his regular aerobics music and had to improvise a class for an hour (the first Zumba class), it has grown into a world wide fitness party! After all the chatter I heard about it, I finally decided to try it.

Zumba sessions are typically an hour long. I decided to go all in and participated in a two hour Zumbathon! It was non-stop movement: jumping, fist-pumping, cumbia dancing, forwards, backwards, sideways salsa stepping, turning, hip popping, ab clenching!

My verdict: it's worth jumping on the Zumba train. It's a workout that really makes you sweat and gets your heart pumping! The best part about it? It's fun and you don't need to be born with those Latino dancing genes to enjoy it!

Check out Zumba Fitness to learn more.

Have fun and remember to get your daily fibre!

Image source: myzumbafitness.com

Famous PGX Fan Dr. Oz's Workout Groove!

Check out the playlist that helps keep Dr. Oz in shape!

There's nothing like a few good tunes to get your heart pumping and your mind in exercise mode. I shared some of my favourite workout tunes and some of yours. 

Now here are five songs that Dr. Oz shared with Shape Magazine.

Did you catch PGX on the Dr. Oz show last week? Check out the video!

Have a fabulous day everyone and remember, turn up the volume and get moving!

Explore nut butters with PGX! 

Soy nuts, pecans, walnuts... There's more than just peanut butter to spread on your toast and apples!

In honour of yesterday being Peanut Butter Day, I've decided that today, we should honour the other nuts! Let's show some love to all the cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans and pistachios of the world! Try something different like almond soy nut butter! Keep it healthy with natural, reduced-fat butters and enjoy them on toast or, my favourite, apples!

Want to know more? This Weight Watchers article gives us 'The Skinny on Nut Butters!'

Image source: glutenfreehelp.info