For the last few days I have had my foot propped up with ice on it. At first it was because my foot looked like a pumpkin being suckled by five little yellow squash. The swelling went down so that my toes looked more like carrots than squash. And now the swelling is almost gone entirely and the only problem that I have is that my foot feels like it is fully immersed in red hot coals. Yes, I have had a recurrence of Gout. Gout may be known as the king’s disease but the only thing royal about this is that I feel royally pained.

I ordinarily watch my diet pretty carefully, avoiding too many meats. But over the Memorial Day weekend there was lots of grilling and lots of meat; steak, hamburger, chicken, hotdogs… All those things I am supposed to eat in moderation to avoid a very, very painful flare up of gout. So, while I need a diet plan to help me lose weight, I also need one that is very specific to help me avoid those foods which are not good for someone with Gout. So, which diet plan is for me?

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Check them out, and while you are there browse their articles featuring weight loss tips, easy fitness program ideas, healthy diet and nutrition suggestions, exercise plans, and other practical advice for losing weight in a healthy manner.

I need to lose weight. At least 50 pounds. But, I am as unmotivated as I am fat. Old, fat, and unmotivated… not the most appealing combination of attributes.

I plugged in my age, weight, and activity level over at RealAge.com and they tell me that in order maintain my current weight and fuel my current activity level, I need to take in about 2892 calories a day. In order to lose 50 pounds? Well, according to them I need to reduce my caloric intake to 2487 calories a day, or increase my activity level.

They broke it down like this:

Caloric Breakdown
Fats	25%	69 grams	622 calories
Carbohydrates	60%	373 grams	1492 calories
Proteins	15%	93 grams	373 calories
Total:			2487 calories

Does anyone have any fun suggestions for food food to be part of a 2487 calorie diet?

Here is a recipe that looks good that I found on the same website:

Tangy and Cool Buttermilk and Avocado Smoothie
One cup of this fill-you-up smoothie will make only a 145-calorie dent in your diet. Here’s how you make it:

Ingredients
1 cup organic fat-free cottage cheese, such as Horizon brand

2 cups 1% low-fat buttermilk

1/2 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 tablespoon organic agave nectar, such as Madhava brand

4 ice cubes or 1/2 cup crushed ice

Preparation
Place the cottage cheese and 1/2 cup of the buttermilk in a blender. Cover and blend until fairly smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blender; add the avocado. Cover and blend until fairly smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining buttermilk and the agave nectar; cover and blend 10 seconds. Add the ice; cover and blend until the smoothie is thick and the ice has melted.

Nutritional Information (per 1-cup serving; makes 4)
Calories: 145
Saturated fat: 1.5 grams
Unsaturated fat: 3 grams
Carbohydrates: 15 grams
Protein: 11 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Calcium: 178 milligrams
Sodium: 342 milligrams
Magnesium: 7 milligram

My mother was diagnosed with diabetes this week. According the American Diabetes Association there are more than twenty million Americanw with the disease and than six million Americans who have it but do not realize it.