As a resident of NYC, I'm proud of the health initiatives that Mayor Bloomberg has successfully initiated over the past ten years. In addition to banning smoking in bars, restaurants, and city parks, plazas and beaches, he has taken a hard stance in the fight against obesity.

Our Mayor has outlawed the use of trans-fats in restaurant kitchens and enacted a law requiring that city restaurant chains post calorie counts on menus and menu boards. I look for them automatically now, and really miss comparing calorie counts when I travel out of the city!

Some of his measures have been a little hard to swallow, namely the proposed ban on large sugary drinks being served in containers bigger than 16 oz. A NY State Supreme Court judge struck down the proposal last week saying there were too many loopholes and it was too hard to enforce.

But consider this breath-taking statistic, which I read in the March issue of IDEA Fitness Journal: According to a recent study, there is a correlation between frequent use of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and high rates of type 2 diabetes. Forty percent of all caloric sweeteners in the U.S. are HFCS, with most of it appearing in soft drinks.

The U.S. has the highest consumption rate of HFCS, with 55 pounds ingested per person per year, followed by Hungary with 46 pounds per capita. By comparison, the U.K. has only 1.1 pounds per person.

This stunning statistic reflects so poorly on the American diet and our well-being. We are literally killing ourselves by making uneducated food choices, and the food industry is not helping. We need high profile public figures like Mayor Bloomberg to advocate for us by bringing these issues to light.

Here's a bold example of the life-changing power of exercise! I first met Dr. Alvin Jones a year ago when he interviewed me on his radio show about my book Strength Training for Women. Afterwards, he asked for my help in a weight loss program, and to date, he has lost 73 pounds. (Scroll back to see more posts about Dr. Alvin).

Alvin was 56 when we met over the air waves and began our "virtual relationship" by e-mail and phone. He recently told me that this past year has been "the first year of my life, of being an adult, of maturing. I look better, feel better and it's been the best year of my life."

The program I gave him is so elementary that anyone can do it, no fancy equipment or gym memberships required! You just need your body and commitment to your goals. Consistency and dedication are key. The formula is basic but well-established: daily exercise combined with better food choices equals dramatic benefits for your health, appearance and state of mind.

Beyond weight loss, the positive lifestyle approach has caused a "paradigm shift" for Alvin. Taking care of his body has improved his mental discipline, which extends to other areas of his life. The skill set he learned from our program - consistency, accountability, perseverance – is the baseline for high performance and the foundation for doing something great.

Coming of age can happen anytime in life!

Are you in the pink when it comes to that all important muscle, your heart? The American Heart Association has developed a simple assessment tool to find out if you are managing all seven lifestyle factors for a healthy heart.

1. Get Active: Accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of high-intensity  physical activity per week. You can do it in 10-15 minute "doses". For some great ideas on how to fit more exercise into your day, check out these books and resources.
2. Control Cholesterol: Give your arteries the best chance to stay free of plaque, blockages which can lead to heart disease and stroke. Keep your total cholesterol under 200 and learn how to increase the percentage of good cholesterol (HDL).
3. Eat Better: Eat a heart-healthy diet: foods low in saturated and trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugars, and foods high in whole grain fiber, lean protein, and a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables.
4. Manage Blood Pressure: High blood pressure is the single most significant risk factor for heart disease. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is called the silent killer because it has no symptoms - one in three American adults has it and may not know it. Normal blood pressure is 120/80.
5. Lose Weight: If you have too much fat — especially if a lot of it is at your waist — you're at higher risk for such health problems as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes. Measure your waist-to-hip ratio and learn your body mass index (BMI).
6. Reduce Blood Sugar: Our bodies convert the foods we eat into glucose (or blood sugar) to use for energy. If your fasting blood sugar level is below 100, you are in the healthy range. If not, your results could indicate diabetes or pre-diabetes.
7. Stop Smoking: Any and all smoking is a risk factor for heart disease; and the more you smoke the more you are at risk. If you smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do for your health. Your lungs can begin to heal as soon as you quit.

For more detailed information and to get your own personal assessment, go to www.mylifecheck.heart.org and click on "Get Your Assessment."

Are you more afraid of getting cancer than heart disease? If so, you're not alone. According to the American Heart Association, while it’s true that heart disease is the No. 1 killer in women, only 1 in 5 American women believe that it is her greatest health threat. The best defense against heart disease is a hearty offense, and from the physical activity standpoint, that means cardio exercise and strength training.

Cardio (or Aerobic) Exercise: Regular cardio exercise can lower your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol levels, reduce body fat and enhance circulation. Cardiovascular stamina is associated with a stronger heart muscle, slower heart rate, decreased chance of heart attack, and a greater chance of surviving if you do suffer a heart attack.

Lifting Weights: The heart is a muscle that gets stronger and more efficient with training, pumping more blood with each beat. Strength training, like cardio exercise, can improve the function of the heart and lungs and provide additional benefits such as:

• Enhance glucose metabolism
• Reduce your risk for diabetes
• Aid in weight control
• Ease the demand on the heart in response to physical or emotional stress

Why would you want another medication when instead you can take this "magic pill" – truly magic because the only side effects are totally beneficial! Click here to see more about my easy-to-use books on strength training.

What can we do about belly fat and why is it toxic? Can you be fat and fit? What is “skinny fat”?

Tune in to Dr. Radio as Joan Pagano and Host Dr. Marina Kurian explore how body composition
can affect your health. Call in with your questions: 877-NYU-DOCS

LISTEN LIVE: Dr. Radio Show
DATE: Wednesday, October 10
TIME: 9:00-10:00 am ET
LOCATION: Sirius XM Radio Channel.81
Call in with questions/comments: 877-NYU-DOCS

As we've been reporting in this column, Dr. Alvin has been steadily losing weight since we started working together virtually in late Jan.  I've never met Alvin in person, but we speak once a week to review his exercise/eating plan.  He keeps a detailed chart of his daily workouts and menu plans, as well as his weekly weigh-in.

Today we celebrated his success in losing the first 50 pounds – 50 more to go!  He told me that this has been the best thing he's ever done in terms of discipline and evaluating things,  that he's now looking at the totality of his whole life and sees that it's changing before him.  In these past five months, he's been the most proud of who he is as a person. In fact, these five months have been the best five months of his life!

It's thrilling to me to be a small part of his success.  Of course he's done all the hard work that it takes to achieve his goals.  My thrill comes both from his accomplishment and from the remarkable effect it is having on his mental disposition.  Healthy body, healthy mind!!