Less students are slouching in their desks these days, they're sitting attentively upon colorful exercise balls. While many kids report trading a chair for a cushy ball is fun, classroom-designed ball chairs are really about improving learning, reports the Chicago Tribune. Perching atop a ball chair requires kids to constantly engage their core muscles, which is simultaneously turning on their pre-frontal cortex for better mental engagement and less impulsivity.

It's not just school children, either. In a study that looked at college students on exercise balls, the students overwhelmingly prefer a bouncy seat, they self-reported improved concentration and focus, according to a study done by John Kilbourne, a movement scientist at Grand Valley State University. You can bet primary, intermediate and middle school teachers are seeing this same effect or they wouldn't let a single ball chair roll into their classroom. Put your worry to rest about kids tossing their rubber chairs around the room -- they don't scrawl on their bodies with dry erase markers, either -- that's why there's a teacher in the room.

As the mother of an ever-moving, second grade boy, one of these bouncy balls would be a welcome addition at our dinner table. But kids aren't the only clients. Ball chair-seller WittFitt has seen a serious rise in sales the past few years, and their comprehensive sizing tool and personalized assistance can get you the right ball for your home or office. Beyond a standard stability ball with feet, WittFitt offers the Evolution Chair with a moving base, FitBALL Seating Disc and a FitBALL Chair.

If you're slouching right now, and sitting on a ball isn't appealing, perhaps you might try vibrating yourself straight.

Week 8 was active vacation time at "The Biggest Loser" as the final nine headed to Washington D.C. for a little Article I lobbying when they weren't burning calories around gardens, memorials and monuments. The fight against obesity in this country needs to be on our legislators' radar and Capitol Hill heard very personal pleas from contestants. Beyond strolling across an expansive White House lawn, keep reading for the full D.C. scoop on a great vacation workout, the pop challenge and whether or not they actually enjoyed that salad with President Obama.

No More Seat Extenders. On the flight out to D.C., Rudy realized he didn't need a seat belt extender anymore. Contestants were taking up one seat, not two. Daniel had seat belt tail to spare. Fitting comfortably on an airplane was a liberating and joyful moment for contestants. Their bodies are becoming noticeably slimmer, and just think how many more celebrations are ahead -- sliding behind the wheel of a car, sitting on a bus, buying clothes off the rack, tossing meds.

Best Politician Wins. In a creative pop challenge, contestants ran around D.C. attempting to convince the most people to join them for a workout with Bob and Jillian at the Washington Monument. Of course Allen ran to the firehouse, but he was beaten by one thanks to Liz's southern charm. Liz won an advantage in a later challenge for immunity and a healthy lunch -- yup, Subway -- for her supporters. The group workout was fantastic, with Bob loving the stage as Jillian mingled among the crowd picking on total strangers.

Pomegranate juice has been a health food hit for awhile now, but how often do you toss a raw pomegranate in your grocery cart? The Pomegranate Council -- yes, there's a council -- shares all sorts of cool facts about this ancient fruit. Now's a good time to try a pomegranate, the California's Wonderful variety is in season now through January.

The fun part lies in figuring out how to actually eat those raw aril seeds bursting with pomegranate juice. Whether using the traditional or fanning no-mess methods, you can scoop out the seeds without turning your fingertips into a red-stained mess.

Once you have a pile, how many calories are actually in a half cup of pomegranate seeds?

BOSU training stands for Both Sides Utilized, which means you can challenge yourself with numerous exercises on either side. Introduced to the fitness stage back in 2000, you've probably tripped over a BOSU ball in the gym by now. Let's take a look at the fitness power offered by this rubber, gel-filled half-dome perched upon a slab of molded plastic.

Countless moves targeting the glutes, hips, thighs, core and upper body can be performed ball-side-up, requiring focus because your balance will be challenged. BOSU is a functional training tool that stabilizes your core and improves your balance.

Your BOSU ball can also work as a weight bench. Just kneel on your BOSU for those one-armed rows or sit on top for incredible abs. That extra BOSU wobble works your body in new ways, putting sturdy floors to shame. Flip the BOSU over, grab the plastic handles and you're ready for a variety of strength exercises -- push-ups, planks and tilts. Even contestants over at "The Biggest Loser" have used the BOSU.

If you've got a BOSU on your holiday list, the BOSU Home Trainer system will cost you around $100. Or you could go with a BOSU Sport Balance Trainer costing anywhere from $60-$100, based on 45/55/65 cm sizes.

If you're interested in other great, low-cost ways to lose weight and love your body check out That's Fit's yoga section.

Did you roll over and sink into that extra hour of sleep this morning? FitSugar says you could have turned that hour into a 400 or more calorie deficit. Take advantage of daylight savings time and kick-off regular morning workouts this week.

We know, anti-morning fitness folks dread the thought of 160 beats per minute before the clock strikes noon. Yet, they secretly admire the gal who runs a 5K before her Special K. If jumping out of bed to break a sweat is shaky, foreign territory, that extra hour could be your passport to a rooster workout habit. Even a brisk walk with a firm lid on your coffee will burn through 200-plus calories.

Here are five reasons to exercise in the morning.

Beyond scary ghosts and wishing your neighbor would take down that spine-tingling grim reaper, Halloween season is bent on spooking away a healthy diet.

Handfuls of candy corn, bowls of popcorn balls and hot apple cider don't help. Then there are those miniature-sized candy bombs, like Snickers Miniatures.

How many calories in just one, teeny tiny Snickers Miniature?

You need to pay special attention if your cubicle or garbage can is littered with mini-wrappers.

Week 7 at "The Biggest Loser" centered on emotions and left us with Abby and Rudy's amazing feats. It may sound like a diet-pill hoax, but Rudy really did break a towering BL-record by dropping more than 100 pounds in an unheard-of seven weeks. No pills, no starvation, no liquid diet, just buckets of sweat and healthy eating equity. Read on for the rundown on Jillian's gym psychotherapy, a Derek Jeter surprise and a face-off weigh-in that left one team miserably inspired at elimination.

Jillian's Emotional Core Workout. Whether you've forgiven her for those early-season f-bombs or not, Jillian has an uncanny way of slicing to the core of contestant weight gain. She had her own face-off counseling sessions to address Amanda's fear of failure, Shay's battle to finally fight for herself and Abby's discovery that she truly wants to live again. What can you ask Abby Rike, the mother who lost her husband, daughter and newborn son in a tragic car crash two-and-a-half years ago? In a powerful moment, Jillian found Abby is ready to live and not just exist anymore. Abby continues to leave us speechless with a collective lump in our throat, which is why her picture sits on my treadmill. Who doesn't have the strength to walk or run faster and farther in her honor -- are you on the couch during this show or burning calories?

Halfway Point Pop Challenge. Short contestants loved this one -- shuttle back and forth under a bar to tag a swinging marker 500 times to win the right to pick the face-off match-ups at final weigh-in. Each team member was required to take a turn, and in a tight finish, Blue beat Black 500 to 496. Within a corny boxing ring, Blue picked Rebecca vs. Amanda, Tracy vs. Abby, Allen vs. Danny, Rudy vs. Shay and Liz vs. Daniel. Win three face-offs, and no one goes home. In return for Blue's win, Bob beat 'em up good with a creative pool workout -- try holding the pool wall and kicking furiously straight-legged for-Bob-ever. Grueling. Anyone else notice Rudy's sweet crawl stroke?

Derek Jeter Surprise. At this week's challenge, players were greeted by life-size photos of their first-day selves positioned on a gorgeous baseball field. Everyone wore jerseys with numbers representing weight loss to date. Then the Yankees' Derek Jeter pops up on the big screen to explain the 2,535 balls scattered in the outfield (his career hits) needed to be scooped up and tossed at opponents' photos. Once a contestant's photo was beaned 316 times (Jeter's career batting average), they're out. Last team with a member standing won lunch with our favorite Aussie chef, Curtis Stone, and a two-pound advantage at the weigh-in. A solid team strategy buffeted by Danny's smooth arm gave Black the win.

Some have pre-wedding jitters, but Season 4 "The Biggest Loser" contestant Neil Tejwani had pre-wedding surgery instead. Going from 421 pounds to 210, 26-year-old Neil Tejwani literally lost half of himself while competing on the show in 2007. Soon after he popped the question to long-time girlfriend Stefani Nigro.

Impressively, Tejwani has maintained a healthy weight of 230 pounds by working out five days a week, bypassing white bread and drinking less soda. But losing all that weight left Tejwani with a bunch of excess skin. So last spring, he sought a final tuxedo-tweak in preparation for his October 24, 2009 wedding -- six-hours of plastic surgery. Tejwani's plastic surgeon removed 15 pounds of excess skin and fatty tissue for a serious shape transformation.

The former "Loser" looked sharp in a Wilke-Rodriguez tuxedo on one of the biggest days of his life. But dropping those additional 15 pounds does not mean calorie-counting is over. "We did however make sure to bank up a few extra calories for our big day, so we don't feel too guilty indulging a bit or enjoying the open bar!" Tejwani told PEOPLE magazine. Seems Tejwani is dedicated to a forever-healthy lifestyle, and he's got the body to show for it.

Keeping the weight off after "The Biggest Loser" is no guarantee, but former contestants like Erik Chopin are not giving up the fight.

Got sore muscles? One prevention tip is to stay in fantastic shape 100 percent of the time, but that's not reality for the masses. Instead, FitSugar offers both commonsense and exotic tips to keep the post-workout hurt at bay.

Did you know pre-workout java can allegedly reduce muscular pain later? Cherry juice is also a recovery powerhouse and works if you drink it before or after the gym. But don't undermine all those calories burned by drinking too much juice. Elite athletes swear by a post-workout ice bath, but who carries a key to an NFL locker room?

No doubt, following the 10 percent rule is one of the top tips to avoid delayed muscle onset soreness later.

Having a child does not spell the end of your running career. Runner-parents everywhere are taking their kids along with them thanks to jogger strollers. But before you buy and run, here's a top-line look at available brands today and common-sense fitness tips to keep you running smart with baby until they're outrunning you someday.

Easy-Stroller-It. Whether you gave birth to the baby or are a proud, sleepless papa, you need to gradually ease into stroller running to prevent injury. "Running mechanics change and targeted muscles are trained different while pushing a stroller," exercise physiologist Fabio Comana tells The New York Times. He suggests you lower your time/pace/distance and walk first, then run/walk with an empty stroller before strapping in junior. Don't miss A Runner's Guide to Jogging Strollers over at Running Times Magazine for a comprehensive look at jogging with baby.

Take a Test Run. You wouldn't buy a car without a test drive, same goes for a stroller. Does it feel right for your body type/stride? How does it handle? Don't kick the tires, but do kick up your heels.