That's Fit

Due to a large school population and loads of classes that must eat lunch, my kids' school features lunchtimes beginning in the wee hours of the morning. My kindergarten boy eats at 9:35 AM; my second-grader at 10:30 AM. At first, this caused me some distress, until I started viewing these time slots as opportunities for healthy morning snacks. My guys are home by 2:00 PM so I just feed them again then. Plus, they get an in-class snack before dismissal so they are not starving when they land in our kitchen.

I'm often at a loss for what to pack for these early meals. Today, my young one got low-fat cottage cheese, peanut butter on crackers, watermelon, and some flavored water. His big brother got virtually the same package, but with yogurt instead of cottage cheese. I'm always on the hunt for variety, though, especially since my boys don't love sandwiches. Parade magazine offers up some help with an article called Lunchbox Eats Worth Bragging About. Check out this healthy brown bag menu.

• Honey-Glazed Turkey, Apple and Cheese Sandwich on Whole-Grain Bread
• Carrot, Raisin and Pineapple Salad
• Seedless Green Grapes
• Sun Chips (2.8-ounce bag)
  
  

There are more here, complete with recipes for nutritious noshing.

Got some healthy leftovers to store? Something you can take to work and eat for lunch? Something that will make a great dinner a second time around? If so, you'll want to properly store your food in the greenest of ways, says Jessica Jensen, co-founder of Low Impact Living. Here's how.

• Use glass first. It can be used over and over and is easily recycled.
• Go for aluminum foil next since it too can be recycled.
• Opt for plastic containers before bags because they can be reused and some can be recycled. It's best to use as little plastic as possible, though, since it's made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resourse.
• Last choice: Plastic wrap. It's only good for one-time uses and can't be recycled.

Confused about how many fruits and veggies to eat in a day? You should be, because the number keeps changing. First, it was five a day. Then, five to nine. Now the message has changed again. This time, though, it's a little easier to understand.

Just eat more.

If you're currently getting only one serving of produce a day, go for two. If you can make it three, even better. Don't count. Just eat.

Scientists say fruits and vegetables promote good health. In more exact terms, they reduce hypertension and coronary heart disease, lower the risk of diabetes and several types of cancer, ward off macular degeneration, and assist in weight loss. I, for one, don't need any more evidence to support what I should be doing -- eating more! How about you?

Jerry O'Connell isn't just running races lately -- he ran Sunday in the 6.2-mile Nike + Human Race in Los Angeles. He's also on the run for wife Rebecca Romijn whose pregnancy cravings have him plenty busy.

Lemonade and soy cream cheese -- do you know how hard it is to find soy cream cheese, says O'Connell -- are tops on Romijn's list of must-have foods. Ah, food. Everything centers around food.

"Meals are not missed," jokes O'Connell. "We promptly hit them and if we're a little late, then ... somebody's not happy."

What did this dad in training -- twin girls are on the way -- do to prep himself for the L.A. 10K? He didn't hire a trainer. He just went running solo. O'Connell tells others: "If you want to get in shape, I highly suggest jumping into a race like this. It forces you to get out of bed in the morning and really motivates you."

Sometimes I crave oatmeal and whip up a hot bowl with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries on top. Apparently, my skin craves the fiber-rich Super Food too.

Oatmeal's grainy little flakes perform mini miracles when applied to skin, says RealAge. It whisks away dead cells, irritation, and redness and leaves skin soft and glowing. Hey, even the FDA says oatmeal is effective for relieving dryness and inflammation, including insect stings, rashes, and eczema. No wonder finely powdered (colloidal) oatmeal is used in body soaks, scrubs, moisturizers, and soaps.

New York City dermatologist Amy Wechsler, MD, recommends using a colloidal oatmeal mask every week or two. She offers her own body treatment recipe right here.

No doubt about it -- exercise helps circulation and can give you a healthy glow. But for your skin's sake, you ought to walk for exercise and not run.

When you pound the pavement, the force of your body jostling can cause collagen to break down, which can lead to sagging skin, says dermatologist Dennis Gross of NYC. Hey, running is not so great for your knees either. I guess walking is the way to go -- although I don't plan to abandon the run just yet. How about you?

(via In Style magazine, August 2008)

Kim Kardashian has vowed to eat better -- she loves junk food -- but she just can't seem to shake her bad eating habits. Even boyfriend Reggie Bush has been pushing her to take better care of her famous body. What will it take for Kardashian to get her butt in gear? Training for Dancing with the Stars, that's what.

Kardashian is already in rigorous rehearsals for the show, and she hopes it's going to do her prized "booty" some good. She wants to firm it up, shape it up, tone it up. And she wants to sport the sexy thing in dance costumes that show a little skin. The better shape she's in, the more risqué her attire will get. Her first outfit is not so crazy -- it's just a ball gown, elegant and a little bit more covered up -- but it shouldn't be long before she's baring more and more. She's dancing eight hours a day with pro partner Mark Ballas and already, she's noticing changes in her figure.

Stay tuned. Dancing with the Stars premieres live on ABC at September 22 at 8 PM.

Do you know you can decaffeinate your own tea? Family Circle senior editor Gay Edelman does it. And in the October 2008 magazine, she tells readers all about it. Here's what she has to say.

Since 80% of the caffeine in tea is released within the first 30 to 45 seconds of steeping, it's easy to decaf your own tea, says Edelman. Just pour boiling water over the tea leaves or bag, wait 30 seconds, then discard the water. Final step: Brew with fresh hot water -- and enjoy.

Edelman says she can try all sorts of healthy tea flavors with her decaf trick, and she never needs to worry about the jitters. Got any of your own DIY food or drink-related tricks? Do share.

Ever watch the Bravo TV reality series Work Out with trainer Jackie Warner? I've caught a few episodes and generally think Warner is a pretty cool gal. She has some cool stay-thin secrets too and shares them in Family Circle's October magazine. Here they are, some commonsense rules that guarantee success.

Set sugar limits Warner doesn't eat a serving of anything containing more than nine grams of sugar. Too much of this sweet stuff in your bloodstream makes hunger levels spike, and whatever isn't burned turns to fat.

Blend, don't juice When making your own smoothie creations, blending gives you pieces of whole fruit in your drink -- these have more nutrients and filling fiber than sugary juice alone.

While The Biggest Loser contestants try to lose weight, host Alison Sweeney is packing it on. And no, she's not stuffing her face, lounging on the couch, and ignoring good health rules. She's pregnant.

It's one of the only times in life when it's OK to gain weight, says the 31-year-old Sweeney, who is at peace with the transformation of her body. It's her second time around sporting a baby bump, so she knows what to expect -- and how to proceed with caution.

Cravings: Sweeney has a sweet tooth. Her doctor recommends she eat fruit, which is exactly what she's doing. "I bought a cantaloupe, and I had to stop myself from eating the whole thing. I cut it up and put it in this big bowl and then next thing I knew, half of it was gone," she says.

Enough with your I'm-too-busy-to-exercise excuse. Twenty minutes on most days of the week is all you need. You've got that, right? If you don't have it all in one chunk, surely you have a few minutes here and there. Use them when you find them and by the end of the day, you'll have 20 under your belt.

I'm not talking anything too taxing or strenuous here, just 20 minutes of walking. Yes, walking. Here, thanks to the Today Show, a few guiding principles for hitting the road and getting the most from the minutes you've got.

Blanching refers to the technique of plunging a food into boiling water until its color has set or the food has softened. Ten seconds is usually all it takes to brighten color and bring out flavor. To stop the cooking process, the food is transferred to a bowl of ice water.

Why use blanching? Besides perfecting color and flavor, it makes it easier to peel the skin of fruits like tomatoes and peaches. Blanching is also recommended for vegetables you wish to freeze -- blanching inactivates the enzymes that promote spoilage.

For more on blanching -- and a similar process, called parboiling, click here.

I've been running this great 3.5 mile loop in the mornings, just after I drop my little boys at school. I leave my car parked in the school parking lot, strap my MP3 player to my arm, and run. I also wonder. I wonder what all the drivers who pass me on the street think when they see me running by. It's a pretty traffic-y area (don't worry, I stay on the sidewalk and cross streets only when I see the flashing "walk" guy) so I know bunches of people spot me working on my fitness. Do they critique my form? Do they laugh at me trying to keep my balance while hunting for my favorite song? Do they see me tugging at my wedgie, adjusting my shorts, wiping sweat from my brow? Of course, they do. I see all these things when I zero in on a runner. But mostly, when I see someone exercising outdoors, I think one thing: I want that to be me.

When I see someone running, I want to run. When I see someone power walking, I want to power walk. And when I see someone riding a bike up and down the seven hills in the my neighborhood -- big hills, I might add -- I want to be conquer those very same hills.

My new neighbor inspired me. There she was the other night, powering up and down hills while I was walking them. My walk was good. But that bike ride -- it looked even better. Well, it looked really hard, to be honest. But it made me want to tackle something different, a new challenge. I've never done it, so why not. I may even coax my seven-year-old into joining me. Together we can accomplish something great. Together we can become eye candy for those around us. What will they think? Probably that I'm huffing and puffing way too hard as my kid leaves me in his dust. What I hope, though, is that they'll think they want to ride too.

What makes you want to run, walk, or ride?

Weekends derail diets -- so much so that Saturday and Sunday indulgences can add up to a pretty hefty weight gain over the course of a year.

Studies on weekend behavior show that people on diet and/or exercise routines consistently stop losing weight and over time, even gain a few on the weekends. The net gain: Almost nine pounds a year. Ouch.

The key to successful weekends comes down to wise decision-making. Pass on the Sunday brunch buffet and make your own gourmet and healthy breakfast at home. Skip your favorite trip for ice cream and try some low-fat frozen yogurt topped with fresh fruit. Then, wash your car, mow the lawn, walk the dog. Basically: Eat well and keep moving. The experts say we not only eat more on weekends but we exercise less too.

If you like instant gratification like I do, these 17 tips are right up your alley. Offered by womansday.com, the ideas that follow will work, like, right now. Need to perk up? One word: Peppermint. Need some quick vitamin C? It's as easy as a glass of lemon tea. Headed out to lunch today? Get ready to Google your way to one healthy meal.

Keep reading, my friends. And get to work on a few of these techniques today. I've already dropped my shoulders and smiled. Ah, I feel better.

• Use mustard, not mayonnaise. You might lost four pounds a year with this one swap.
  
• Add a tablespoon of lemon to your water or tea and get 12% of the vitamin C you need for the day.
  
• Drop some fruit or nuts in your bag at the start of the day so you don't give in later to the vending machine.
  
• Order veggies on your pizza instead of sausage or pepperoni. You'll save calories and fat and satisfy some of your daily veggies servings.
  
• Dab greasy food with a napkin, and save 40 calories.