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Cases of the flu are filling hospitals across multiple states, and a woman shares how she lost 50 pounds with a 70/30 diet and a walking routine. Plus, last-minute Halloween costume ideas for the whole family. 

🤒 Health officials are concerned with the growing spread of the flu, as several states report huge surges.

Only a month into fall, flu season is overwhelming some hospitals and stretching medical resources as multiple states report an unusually high surge early in the season. Pediatric hospitals have also seen an alarming increase in respiratory illnesses among children. One high school in northern Virginia cancelled all activities this weekend after nearly half the student body, about 1,000 students, came down with flu-like symptoms. "You're seeing a tidal wave sweeping across this country right now," one doctor told TODAY. Here are the symptoms to watch for and how to best prepare yourself for flu season. 

Grandfather falls to his death during a skydiving stunt before a high school football game.

A 55-year-old grandfather who was an experienced skydiver fell to his death during a skydiving accident before a Tennessee high school football game on Friday night as the stunned crowd watched, school officials said. The man, whose name has not been released, was participating in a pregame ceremony for the annual “Musket Bowl,” a football game between David Crockett High School and Daniel Boone High School, when he was injured upon landing, Washington County Schools superintendent Jerry S. Boyd said. He was airlifted to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. Boyd expressed his condolences to the man's family and said school officials are "deeply concerned for the well-being of all in attendance at the football game that witnessed this terrible accident." 

🎃 Still need a costume? Here are 28 easy family Halloween costume ideas that are fun for kids and parents.

Halloween is a week away, and if you're still trying to figure out a costume for yourself or your kids, we are here to help. Here are 28 costume ideas for parents and kids of all ages that are easy to make at home, including characters from "Super Mario Bros." (above) and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

📷 A photographer shares the most common thing that ruins family photos — and it's not cranky kids.

A professional photographer is calling out the reason many of her family photo shoots become a headache, and it's not squirming children who refuse to smile. “I cannot express to you guys how many men show up to photo shoots throwing a fit because they have to be there,” a TikTok user, who goes by the name @hannahholpay, said in a video. "And you’re sitting here complaining because you have to spend a half an hour to an hour taking photos with the family that you created? Grow up." 

Achieve your life goals with easy tips.

Professional chef Beverley Pierce, 62, lost 50 pounds in a year with the combination of walking and following a 70/30 diet, in which she eats 70% plant-based foods and 30% meat. Beverley was able to get off medication for asthma and no longer needs a CPAP machine for sleep apnea, as well as other positive changes. She outlined the 7 ways she changed her diet, what she eats in a typical day, how she added physical activity to her routine, and how the Start TODAY Facebook group has helped keep her motivated and accountable.

Allow us to do the meal-planning for you.

Warm up from those falling temperatures with this rib-sticking, one-pot beef stew from recipe creator Casey Barber. The secret ingredient is ketchup, which acts like a tangier version of tomato paste to thicken the stew to the right consistency. Make sure to serve it with some crusty bread in order to sop up all that saucy goodness. 

A little pick-me-up before you go.

The internet's favorite grandmother is here to show you a genius way to carve your Halloween pumpkin that will cut the effort in half. Barbara Costello, known on social media as "Brunch with Babs," showed how she carves while sitting down and uses a hand mixer to do the work of loosening up the pumpkin guts before removing them. She also shared a simple trick for how you can use Vaseline to prevent your pumpkin from rotting before Halloween. "Omg, did we have a life before Babs, did we know anything?" one commenter asked. Check out the video here. 

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Written by Scott Stump | Edited by Philip Caulfield

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