Ask Fitz! Your Fitness Questions Answered

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q.Hey Fitz. I'm trying hard to lose some weight, but I go out with my work friends and it's difficult for me to pass on the chicken wings (which I love) when my friends order them all the time. Help! Max

A. Max, chicken wings sure are tasty. There are a few ways to look at this situation, and you can choose the outlook that works best for you. First of all, restricting anything 100% is rarely a great idea. Why? It leaves you feeling deprived, which often leads to major revolts. If you're in love with chicken wings, have a few. Just make sure 90% of the rest of the food you consume throughout the week is of high quality and low in calories and you'll see progress.

You can also create a healthier wing ding. It's the wing sauce you love right? Most folks don't truly crave the task of chewing teeny bits of meat out of teeny little bones. That's not the desired bit. It's the sauce. So to create a healthier option that will satisfy your craving, order a grilled chicken breast and then just dip it in some wing sauce. You'll save tons of calories and fat, as wings are usually deep-fried.

The other thing to consider is that chicken wings aren't going away. If you want to avoid them completely for now, have faith that when you reach your ideal weight you will be able to enjoy a chicken wing again. They're always going to make more. Good luck Max. Be particular about what you put in your mouth, exercise often and you'll get where you want to go. Fitz

Q. Fitz. I'd like to help my 67 year old mother stay strong. Where should I start? Shes obviously not super old...but she's not incredibly fit and I think her age adds an element of concern. Where should I focus? Milena

A. Hi Milena. What a thoughtful daughter you are! Your mother's a lucky lady. 67 is definitely not truly old, but her age is relevant as our body simply becomes a bit more fragile and complicated as time goes on. Vanity can always remain important, but most 67-year-old women aren't solely working toward looking hot in a bikini anymore. I like to consider three elements of fitness when I focus on the older population. Choose exercises that will make them sturdy, agile, and stable.

The issues that will become vital to her living well and living long are: Can she carry her groceries and purse? Can she walk a distance? Can she regain her balance if she steps off a curb accidentally? (Deaths stemming from simple falls are extremely common in the older population.) Can she continue to perform all of her daily tasks without injury? Can she maintain her bone density? (Low impact activities and strength training can prevent osteoporosis.)

For heart and lung strength suggest: walking, swimming, dancing, or using some cardio equipment at the gym. Anything that keeps her moving at a decent pace will suffice. Yoga and Pilate's are great ideas for muscular strength and flexibility. Balance training is a MUST due to the high incidence of complications and death due to falls in seniors. Get her on a BOSU, some Versa Disks or Versa Steps. They are all smooshy fitness tools she can practice just standing on. Have her hold on to a wall or other stable object while she does it. This type of equipment will train her to respond to unlevel surfaces, making her less likely to fall. Folks rarely fall down standing on perfectly flat surfaces. It's surface changes that send people with the inability to catch their balance hurling toward the floor. Just a few minutes a day of that will do wonders!

Take great care of your Mom, Milena; treat yourself right too. You two will make quite a team!

Punches & Kicks,

Fitz

Note: The content presented in this Q. & A section is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as medical advice or substitute for professional medical care.