Almost There

Bet you could have guessed. 3 days till the Marathon.

Today is my last early morning run before the race. I'll be heading out in about a half hour. Looks like the rain we've been having since the end of my run on Tuesday, has finally stopped. Yesterday, I realized at one point that neither of my feet hurt for the first time in over a month. Let me tell you, that was exciting! I was walking fine without any problems. Unfortunately, my left foot is hurting a bit this morning, but not too badly. I have a good feeling that I'll be okay on Sunday. Just have to be careful that I don't do too much on them between no and the start. I'm heading over to the expo tomorrow and can not wait! So many vendors to see, information to pick up, and 2009 NYC Marathon gear to choose from! Hopefully it doesn't ratchet up my nerves even more!


*****

Have you heard of this recent study conducted by Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity on the marketing of breakfast cereal towards children? It's not completely surprising, but it is pretty incredible how some cereal companies market extremely unhealthy foods towards children and save the good, healthy stuff for adults. Maybe they think kids just want the sugary, colored stuff and won't touch the healthy cereal that fills their parent's bowls? Maybe they think that they have to get the kids hooked on different cereal than the parents so that they'll make twice as much money (the parents have to buy the sugary stuff for the kids but the bran cereal for themselves - two boxes instead of one). I don't know, but it's kind of crazy.

Here are a few low lights:

• The average preschooler sees 642 cereal ads per year on television alone, almost
  all for cereals with the worst nutrition rankings.
• General Mills markets to children more than any other cereal company. Six of the ten least healthy cereals advertised to children are made by General Mills, including the advertised cereal with the worst nutrition score—Reese’s Puffs, which is 41% sugar.
• Cereals marketed directly to children have 85% more sugar, 65% less fiber, and 60% more sodium than cereals marketed to adults for adult consumption.
• All cereals marketed directly to children — including Cocoa Puffs (44% sugar), Cap’n Crunch (44% sugar), Froot Loops (41% sugar), Lucky Charms (41% sugar) and Cinnamon Toast Crunch (32% sugar) — meet industry’s own nutrition standards for “better-for-you” foods. (not sure about you, but I think it's pretty crazy that something with over 30% sugar content can be "better-for-you." What is it better than?)

You can read more about this study here.

Time for my run. Have a great day!