That's Fit http://www.thatsfit.com That's Fit http://www.thatsfit.com/media/feedlogo.gif That's Fit http://www.thatsfit.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/T5T Yoga DVD: Have You Entered Our Giveaway Yet?http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/11/03/t5t-yoga-dvd-have-you-entered-our-giveaway-yet/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/11/03/t5t-yoga-dvd-have-you-entered-our-giveaway-yet/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/11/03/t5t-yoga-dvd-have-you-entered-our-giveaway-yet/#commentsFiled under:



If you're looking for a way to get more energy while toning your body, look no further. The Five Tibetan Rites are a series of yoga moves that will revitalize you while building muscle. These rites are believed to work by stimulating and balancing energy centers in our bodies called chakras that correspond to each of our endocrine glands.

This week we're giving away the DVD that details all five moves! Will you be the lucky That's Fit reader? You've got to be in it to win it so be sure and enter before 5 p.m. ET on Friday, November 6, 2009. To enter, just head over to the original giveaway post and enter a comment about how yoga has impacted your life.

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]]>carolinda wittCarolindaWitttibetan five ritesTibetanFiveRitesyogaKatherine TweedTue, 03 Nov 2009 16:00:00 ESTNew York City Moms Balance Work, Kids and Marathonhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/10/30/new-york-city-moms-balance-work-kids-and-marathon/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/10/30/new-york-city-moms-balance-work-kids-and-marathon/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/10/30/new-york-city-moms-balance-work-kids-and-marathon/#commentsFiled under: ,

marthon moms NYC marathon 2009

From left: Jessica Lebron, Bronx; Angela Gonzalez, Queens; Lisa Stavros DeFillipo, Staten Island; Magdalena Lewy Boulet, Olympian; Beth Segaloff, honorary member; Allyson Hentel-Koplin, Manhattan; Dorothy McPhee, Brooklyn.
Photo: Katherine Tweed


More than 40,000 people will run the ING New York City Marathon this Sunday. Among them will be working mothers chosen to represent all five of New York City's boroughs in the 2009 Foot Locker Five Borough Challenge Team. The women, some running the marathon for the first time, all have unique stories, but share the bonds of being fit, working mothers balancing all the demands that come with those roles. The team of five was also joined recently by another woman, Beth Segaloff, who recently lost her fiancé, Captain Ben Sklarver, just three weeks ago when he was deployed in Afghanistan. The women will run together for the first 13 miles, and then anyone can break away for the second half. The woman with the best time will win a trophy, and bragging rights. But none of these women are part of this team to brag. Instead, they find peace, motivation and solace in their commitment to running. That's Fit recently met the team, along with mom and marathon Olympian, Magdalena Lewy Boulet, to find out how, and why, they have made running such a critical part of their lives.

Continue reading New York City Moms Balance Work, Kids and Marathon

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]]>energyfoot locker five borough challengeFootLockerFiveBoroughChallengegeo:40.720409+-73.994637marathonmothersnew york city marathonNewYorkCityMarathonolympianrunrunningstress-relieftherapytreadmillWhere:new-york-cityworking mothersKatherine TweedFri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:00 ESTUgly Betty's Ana Ortiz Talks Fitness, Pizza and Dropping Baby Weighthttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/10/16/ugly-bettys-ana-ortiz-talks-fitness-pizza-and-dropping-baby-we/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/10/16/ugly-bettys-ana-ortiz-talks-fitness-pizza-and-dropping-baby-we/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/10/16/ugly-bettys-ana-ortiz-talks-fitness-pizza-and-dropping-baby-we/#commentsFiled under: ,

Photo: FITNESS Magazine


Less than three months after giving birth to her first child, Ana Ortiz hosted the FITNESS Mind Body Spirit Games in New York's Central Park. That's Fit caught up with the actress who plays Betty's sister Hilda to find out what she does to fit into some of her outrageous outfits on the show, and how she's looking so good just after having her daughter, Paloma. Despite the success of "Ugly Betty," this New York native is completely grounded, from being honest about shoring up her diet as she gets older, to admitting she doesn't like to pay a lot to get a good workout.


That's Fit: You recently had a baby, what have you done to get back into shape?

Ana Ortiz: They do say breastfeeding is nature's lipo. I attribute it to working out while I was pregnant. I particularly attribute it to this place in New York, Le Maison, where you're using your own body weight and rubber bands. Also, I'm in New York, so I'm walking everywhere.

Continue reading Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz Talks Fitness, Pizza and Dropping Baby Weight

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]]>ana ortizAnaOrtizgeo:40.720409+-73.994637Ugly BettyUglyBettyWhere:new-york-nyKatherine TweedFri, 16 Oct 2009 16:00:00 ESTWoman Loses 211 Lbs., Gets First Kisshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/10/13/woman-loses-211-lbs-gets-first-kiss/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/10/13/woman-loses-211-lbs-gets-first-kiss/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/10/13/woman-loses-211-lbs-gets-first-kiss/#commentsFiled under: ,

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Kimberly Anne Evans was overweight her entire life. Teased in grade school, never asked to a dance in high school, she used her weight as body armor, shielding herself from a cruel world. As an adult, she reached 347 pounds.

"Food was my friend, my blanket, my comfort, my lover -- my drug," she told NBC's "TODAY" show as the newest member of the Joy Fit Club.

Unlike many obese people, Kimberly never dieted. Instead, she constantly subsisted on fast food in huge portions for three decades. She would eat multiple McDonald's breakfast burritos in the morning, two cheeseburgers with fries for lunch and pizza followed by ice cream at dinnertime. It came to approximately 9,000 calories a day, nearly five times the recommended daily allowance.

One day, however, she saw a movie that would change her life.

Continue reading Woman Loses 211 Lbs., Gets First Kiss

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]]>Kimberly Anne EvansKatherine TweedTue, 13 Oct 2009 18:00:00 ESTSerena Williams - Unsportsmanlike Conducthttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/09/14/serena-williams-unsportsmanlike-conduct/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/09/14/serena-williams-unsportsmanlike-conduct/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/09/14/serena-williams-unsportsmanlike-conduct/#commentsFiled under: ,



Let's be honest, it wasn't a clear enough foot fault for the line judge to make that call at such a crucial point in the match. But Serena's reaction was unacceptable. I was courtside after waiting at the Billie Jean National Tennis Center through nearly eight hours of rain to see the women play out their semifinals. The match was tight, although Serena had already beat herself long before she started swearing. She smashed her racquet at the end of the first set in understandable frustration, she was getting outplayed, fair and square. Clijsters had the pressure on, she was playing a cleaner match. It happens to anyone who plays a sport -- some days you don't play your best and your opponent is better.

Many of us can relate on some level to Serena's reaction, but on a stage of that caliber, with so many watching, athletes are setting the tone for much more than their own match. Kids, in particular, emulate what they see their favorite athletes do (which Serena acknowledges in an apology on her website). There is a time in competition, especially individual sports, that it is less about training and fitness, and more about focus and attitude. When the latter fails you, all the hours in the gym can't save you.

Fast-forward to the second foot fault of the match, the call that's been heard around the world. The stadium immediately buzzed, "Was that a foot fault?!" Those listening on US Open radio earpieces heard John McEnroe confirm our questions, it was not a clear foot fault, and it might not have been a fault at all. For those who don't watch tennis outside of the slam finals, let me tell you, foot faults are rarely called, but they have been rife at this year's US Open.


Continue reading Serena Williams - Unsportsmanlike Conduct

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]]>geo:40.765301 -73.817802serena williamsSerenaWilliamstennisus openUsOpenWhere:flushing-NYKatherine TweedMon, 14 Sep 2009 17:00:00 ESTBiggest Loser Video Game Previewhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/09/08/biggest-loser-video-game-preview/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/09/08/biggest-loser-video-game-preview/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/09/08/biggest-loser-video-game-preview/#commentsFiled under:


"The Biggest Loser" kicks off just one week from today. The focus of Season 8 is second chances, including a former Season 7 contestant Daniel, who was the show's heaviest contestant ever at 454 pounds. But second chances aren't just for the contestants. To help fans follow along in their own weight loss journeys, The Biggest Loser Interactive game for Nintendo DSi, DS and Wii hits stores on October 6.

The game features Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels to push you through routines to help you reach your goals, just like on the show. It also offers nutrition tips and challenges. The programs have a range of exercises, from yoga and cardio to full-body circuits to tone your body. "We wanted to give people another tool," Bob says. "You're going to have recipes from the book, you can track your progress, you can put in your calorie intake so when you lost the weight you can go back and see what worked."

There are four, eight and 12-week programs. Once you enter your current weight, you can enter your goals. But unlike the show, which has raised eyebrows for its extreme weight loss that is unsustainable for many people in the real world, the game will actually limit the amount of weight you can lose in a given program. If you're looking to lose 50 pounds in four weeks, the game will set more realistic goals for the first four weeks and then you can enter new goals for the next session.

And what about the workout? At a recent preview of the game, many former Biggest Loser contestants and Bob were on hand to break a sweat with a Wii controller. And everyone did sweat. As you go through the exercises, Bob or Jillian coax you along just as they do on the show. "It's actually their voice and their personality," says Nicole from Season 7. "When you see the avatar you're like 'oh it kind of looks like Bob,' but then you hear him -- and it's totally him."


Click on the gallery below to see who wins when newlyweds Damien and Nicole take each other on in a Biggest Loser Interactive challenge.


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The Biggest Loser Video Game Preview
Tara, Damien and Nicole from Season 7, along with Jim from Season 4, were on hand with Bob to show off their slimmer bodies and break a sweat with the new Biggest Loser video game for Wii and Nintendo DS and DSi.
Katherine Tweed
WireImage.com

Biggest Loser Video Game Preview

    Tara, Damien and Nicole from Season 7, along with Jim from Season 4, were on hand with Bob to show off their slimmer bodies and break a sweat with the new Biggest Loser video game for Wii and Nintendo DS and DSi.

    Katherine Tweed

    The game is broken up into lower-body, upper-body and full-body workouts, which you can choose, or a program will be set up for you based on your goals. Tara offered her tips for me (left) and Kelly Zyskowski from Seventeen magazine as we went through a 30-minute routine.

    Katherine Tweed

    The key to the workout is to mimic the trainer on screen -- not going slower or faster -- to maintain proper form. Bob and Jillian are just as encouraging (and tough!) in the game as they are in real life, according to Nicole from Season 7.

    Katherine Tweed

    Floor exercises oddly require you to put your Wii controller in your pocket, although many workout clothes don't have pockets. But we discovered it's just as easy to put it in your waistband so the controller can still register your movements.

    Katherine Tweed

    Two players, including one who is a member of the Biggest Loser Club, went head to head in a challenge. Like the real game, the challenges eliminate players one by one until there is only one winner left.

    Katherine Tweed

    Bob came by to cheer on Kelly and I as we go head to head in a challenge that involves doing a "mountain climb" move followed by "ax chops." After a 30-minute full-body routine and two challenges, we both got a (surprisingly) good workout. Even though Bob wasn't standing behind us the entire workout, he was with us on the screen and it kept us moving -- and sweating.

    Katherine Tweed

    After a technical snafu in round one challenge, where Nicole thought she was winning but the controllers were switched around, the newlyweds went for a rematch. "I don't know anything about video games," Nicole admitted. "It was Atari when I was young."

    Katherine Tweed

    The mountain climbing movement is meant to mimic your character moving across a pool on a tightrope. Nicole is in the lead, but Damien isn't far behind.

    Katherine Tweed

    Nicole wins this round definitively with good form on her "ax chops." Damien, however, claims his controller must be broken and they have a rematch to settle the rematch.

    Katherine Tweed

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]]>biggest loserbiggest loser video gameBiggestLoserBiggestLoserVideoGamebob harperBobHarperwiiKatherine TweedTue, 08 Sep 2009 16:00:00 ESTHow To Play Quidditchhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/09/07/how-to-play-quidditch/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/09/07/how-to-play-quidditch/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/09/07/how-to-play-quidditch/#commentsFiled under:


How To Play a Real-Life Game Of Quidditch on Howcast


Although fall doesn't officially start for a few more weeks, summer is essentially over. For most of us, days of swimming at the beach and outdoor evening jogs are numbered. Fall, however, is a great time to stay active outside by hiking or rock climbing. But if you're a Harry Potter fan, you might want to take to a field or the woods for some quidditch. Real-life quidditch? Yes -- it's possible. In fact, it's already being played by muggles around the country (not necessarily children, I might add). It's not the calorie burn of a long run on soft sand, but it's fun and it's free, except for all those extra brooms you may have to purchase. No magic required.

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]]>harry potterHarryPotterquidditchKatherine TweedMon, 07 Sep 2009 16:00:00 ESTAre You Drinking Yourself Fat?http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/31/are-you-drinking-yourself-fat/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/31/are-you-drinking-yourself-fat/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/31/are-you-drinking-yourself-fat/#commentsFiled under: ,

NYC pouring on the pounds soda poster
Photo: NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene
The latest health campaign in New York isn't aimed at stopping smoking or increasing HIV awareness, it's all about sugary drinks.

The signature images of the ads show an iced tea, soda or sports drink being poured into a glass from a bottle and by the time the drink hits the ice cubes, it's turned into lard. In subway cars across the five boroughs, New Yorkers will spend the next three months with these pictures in the hopes that at least some people will ditch sweetened drinks for healthier refreshment.

"Sugary drinks shouldn't be a part of our everyday diet," New York City Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley said in a press release. "Drinking beverages loaded with sugars increases the risk of obesity and associated problems, particularly diabetes but also heart disease, stroke, arthritis and cancer."

The scourge of soda is nothing new, but the public campaign to ditch other sweetened beverages is gaining traction. The American Heart Association recently called for Americans to cut back to no more than 100 calories of added sugar a day in our diet.

About a quarter of teens in New York City slurp down a soda every day according to health surveys -- that's equal to about 360 calories -- more than three times what the AHA recommends. The posters are meant to be shocking, but they also help put things in perspective. The campaign points out that sodas used to be in 12-ounce cans, but now 20-ounce bottles are often the standard. And soda isn't the only culprit. The posters point out that "sports" and "energy" drinks are often high-sugar, low-nutrient beverages that should be avoided most of the time as well.

Continue reading Are You Drinking Yourself Fat?

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]]>geo:40.720409 -73.994637new york cityNewYorkCitysodasports drinksSportsDrinksWhere:new-york-cityKatherine TweedMon, 31 Aug 2009 17:00:00 ESTDomino's Serves Up 'Food Porn'http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/28/dominos-serves-up-food-porn/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/28/dominos-serves-up-food-porn/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/28/dominos-serves-up-food-porn/#commentsFiled under:

domino's breadbowl
Photo: Rachel Been, AOL
Domino's Breadbowl Pastas have already been derided here at That's Fit and across the Internet for their ridiculous calorie count. Now, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, calls it out for what it is: Food porn.

No matter which of the five options you choose, each dinner plate-sized breadbowl is filled with pasta and sauce and clocks in at 1,300 to 1,500 calories. "White-flour pasta with cream-cheese sauce can be a nutritional nightmare on its own," CSPI senior nutritionist Jayne Hurley said in a press release. "The last thing it needs is an 800-calorie white-bread pizza-crust bowl."

And many people are probably not stopping at the single serving of only eating half of this dish. CSPI also takes Domino's to task for topping three of the dishes with Alfredo sauce, which the public interest group dubbed "heart attack on a plate" nearly a decade ago.

Continue reading Domino's Serves Up 'Food Porn'

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]]>breadbowlcspidominosfood pornFoodPornKatherine TweedFri, 28 Aug 2009 17:00:00 ESTCookie Dough is Back - With a Warninghttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/19/cookie-dough-is-back-with-a-warning/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/19/cookie-dough-is-back-with-a-warning/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/19/cookie-dough-is-back-with-a-warning/#commentsFiled under:

nestle toll house cookie dough
Photo: David Rogowski/AOL
One of America's favorite indulgences is back. Packages of cookie dough are hitting the stores after a nearly two-month hiatus as a result of Nestle Toll House's iconic yellow packages being voluntarily recalled after they were linked to an E. coli outbreak.

Let's be honest, there's a lot of people -- young and old -- who love to take a spoon directly to a diet-derailing roll of cookie dough. But Nestle has now slapped a "Do not consume raw cookie dough" warning label to discourage that behavior. There's also a blue label to let everyone know it's a "new batch," not to be confused with that old, potentially tainted roll of cookie dough sitting in your fridge.

Maybe this is the right time to ditch this late-night treat all together. If you want some chocolate chip cookies, bake them from scratch. We recommend trying out this oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe for a low-fat version of the classic treat.

Remember, even if you make the cookies yourself, the raw dough still carries the risk of salmonella from the uncooked eggs. But usually a bite of raw cookie dough that is homemade is just that, one or two bites.

The other problem with Toll House cookie dough is that everyone eats it right out of the container. Just like ice cream or a bag of chips, diving directly into the package is a sure-fire way to overeat. And when have you ever seen someone put raw cookie dough into a little bowl and eat a portion size of one or two cookies?

So go ahead and have a cookie every now and then. Just bake them first and keep portion size in mind.

Or if you're craving a sweet treat, try this one of these low-calorie desserts.

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]]>chocolate-chip-cookiescookie-doughnestleKatherine TweedWed, 19 Aug 2009 16:00:00 ESTAre Potbellies In Style For Summer?http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/14/are-potbellies-in-style-for-summer/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/14/are-potbellies-in-style-for-summer/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/14/are-potbellies-in-style-for-summer/#commentsFiled under:

potbelly
It's suddenly cool to sport a tummy; Photo: Matt Carr, Getty Images
Potbellies are back for men, according to The New York Times. Or perhaps they never went away?

Theories abound in the article as to the cause. David Zinczenko, the editor of "Men's Health," told The New York Times, that with so many women in the workplace, it's been more important for men to market themselves to the ladies in terms of both financial and physical prowess.

"I sort of think the six-pack abs obsession got so prissy it stopped being masculine," is how Aaron Hicklin, the editor of "Out," explains the emergence of the Ralph Kramden, as it's been coined.

Metrosexuality out, moderate beer belly in. But where is that line? It's true that women never get that sort of pass if they're sporting a bulge in the midsection. Are more young men actually letting themselves go, or is this just a trend being noted around the streets of Brooklyn?

Continue reading Are Potbellies In Style For Summer?

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]]>beer-gutmens-healthpotbellyralph-kramdenKatherine TweedFri, 14 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST Bring it On - How Competitive Is Your Family?http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/14/bring-it-on-how-competitive-is-your-family/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/14/bring-it-on-how-competitive-is-your-family/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/14/bring-it-on-how-competitive-is-your-family/#commentsFiled under: ,

TTT Tennis court cleaning
Grounds Crew preps for TTT '09
Photo: Katherine Tweed
Last week my brother Thomas declared "You're all going down." As one of the defending champions of the 2008 TTT, he isn't kidding.

This weekend is the start of the most important athletic event in my calendar year - the Tweed Tennis Tournament, commonly referred to as the TTT. It is a two-day single elimination mixed doubles tournament with a run off for third place, the coveted "winners of the losers" spot. When I confirmed if Uncle Lou and his girlfriend were playing - the answer was simply "We're playing to win." My cousin Laura told me she's just hoping her forehand holds up.

The trash talking doesn't begin Saturday at noon as the early rounds kick off, it goes on all year long - in person and via email. It forces me to get out and practice my terrible serve as soon as the weather is nice enough on the worn courts of New York City. I am not alone.

Continue reading Bring it On - How Competitive Is Your Family?

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]]>competitionfamilytennisKatherine TweedFri, 14 Aug 2009 16:00:00 ESTMatthew McConaughey Land Paddles, Would You?http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/12/matthew-mcconaughey-land-paddles-should-you/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/12/matthew-mcconaughey-land-paddles-should-you/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/12/matthew-mcconaughey-land-paddles-should-you/#commentsFiled under:

matthew mcconaughey land paddling
Even with his shirt on, Matthew McConaughey still makes it look good Photo: Eric Brogmus/INF

Nearly any activity looks like fun when mostly-shirtless Matthew McConaughey is doing it. Land paddling is no exception. It is essentially stand up paddle surfing on (you guessed it) land, using a longboard and a big stick that looks like you could knock people out of the way if you were so inclined. But the stick isn't meant for assaulting pedestrians, it's to propel you along waves of asphalt. Like skateboarding, it can be used to simply get around, or to cross train, as Matthew has been seen doing around the streets of Los Angeles. It engages your core muscles and arms to keep you stable, and supposedly burns about 400 calories an hour. I've yet to see one on the streets of New York City, but in Hawaii they're even used in some exercise classes. With a price tag of nearly $250 for board and stick from Kahuna Creations, it's tough to say if this sport will migrate much beyond Malibu and beach towns.

Have you seen people land paddling? Are you into it?

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]]>falseland-paddlinglongboardmatthew-mcconaugheypaddlesurfingskateboardingKatherine TweedWed, 12 Aug 2009 16:00:00 ESTThe Hundred - Try This Classic Pilates Move For Tighter Abshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/10/the-hundred-try-this-classic-pilates-move-for-tighter-abs/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/10/the-hundred-try-this-classic-pilates-move-for-tighter-abs/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/10/the-hundred-try-this-classic-pilates-move-for-tighter-abs/#commentsFiled under:

Have you always wanted to try Pilates, but never got around to signing up for a class? The Hundred is a classic Pilates move that will be sure to work your core muscles and flatten your tummy. Check out the video below to learn to do it correctly. And make sure to focus on your breathing and pulling your navel in tight!



How To Do the Pilates Pose "The Hundred" on Howcast

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]]>corepilatesthe-hundredKatherine TweedMon, 10 Aug 2009 09:00:00 ESTHow to Burn the Most Calorieshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/07/how-to-burn-the-most-calories/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/07/how-to-burn-the-most-calories/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/07/how-to-burn-the-most-calories/#commentsFiled under:

If you're looking to shed some pounds, just remember it's a numbers game. It takes a deficit of approximately 3,500 calories to lose a single pound. You can revamp your diet, but cardio is also a great way to burn calories. But there are a lot more ways to get your heart pumping than jumping on a treadmill. Check out the video below for some fresh ideas on blasting calories this weekend.

What's your favorite calorie-burning activity?


How To Burn the Most Calories on Howcast

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]]>libidonutritionsexKatherine TweedFri, 07 Aug 2009 15:00:00 ESTLA Fitness Shooting Leaves Four Deadhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/05/la-fitness-shooting-leaves-four-dead/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/05/la-fitness-shooting-leaves-four-dead/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/05/la-fitness-shooting-leaves-four-dead/#commentsFiled under:

people gathered outside LA Fitness
Photo: Joe Appel, Tribune-Review, AP
George Sodini walked into a LA Fitness center in Bridgeville, Pa. on Tuesday night and, without saying a word, opened fire on a "Latin impact" class, according to the Associated Press.

The spray of more than 50 bullets left three women dead and approximately 10 more injured before Sodini turned the gun on himself, according to police.

Joann Gazzam, a member of the dance aerobics class, saw the clean-shaven gunman enter in workout clothes and walk to the back of the room, fumble around and then pull out what looked like two guns before shutting off the lights and opening fire.

"All of us girls were just ducking behind each other and it was just, you know, I was behind a girl, one of the girls in front to get hit, and when he was in the opposite corner shooting, I booked it," she told WPXI-TV.

The 48-year-old man had been working towards the shooting for months, and chronicled his plans on a website registered in his name. Although those who knew him described him as a loner, he seemed to enjoy his gym membership. Sodini started planning the shooting last November, after years of feeling alone and rejected, which he is frank about on his website. He also writes of lifting weights and hitting the treadmill, which apparently helped with his frustrations.

The website ends by worrying that he might "chicken out" again, but tragically he did not. It is not clear if he was targeting anyone in particular in the class. There was a note in the gym bag, but the contents of the letter have not been released.

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]]>george-sodinigymla-fitnessla-fitness-shootingKatherine TweedWed, 05 Aug 2009 13:00:00 ESTGet a New Favorite Athletehttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/04/get-a-new-favorite-athlete/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/04/get-a-new-favorite-athlete/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/04/get-a-new-favorite-athlete/#commentsFiled under:

A recent Harris poll asked Americans who their favorite male and female athletes were across the spectrum of professional sports, and you know what, it makes me a little sick. Sure, every person listed is an accomplished star, worthy of admiration. But in the wide world of sports, this is who we love? This can't be right.

Top 10 favorite male professional athletes:

1. Tiger Woods (golf)
2. Michael Jordan (basketball)
3. LeBron James (basketball)
4. Kobe Bryant (basketball)
5. Derek Jeter (baseball)
6. Jeff Gordon (racing)
7. Peyton Manning (football)
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (racing)
9. Brett Favre (football)
10. Albert Pujols (baseball)


Top 10 favorite female professional athletes:

1. Serena Williams (tennis)
2. Venus Williams (tennis)
3. Danica Patrick (racing)
4. Candice Parker (basketball)
5. Mia Hamm (soccer)
6. Maria Sharapova (tennis)
7. Annika Sorenstam (golf)
8. Chris Everett Lloyd (tennis)
9. Anna Kournikova (tennis)
10. Michelle Kwan (ice skating)

I'm not sure where to start, so as a tennis fan, I'll start with Anna Kournikova. She has had a nice run as a doubles player, but she's mostly forgettable as a true star in the sport. And good looking blonds, they're a dime a dozen these days on the tour, but it still doesn't mean women's tennis is any good lately.

Chris Everett? Awesome. Nearly three decades ago. And, what's up with all the female tennis players? Few people I know even sit down to watch major tennis matches on TV.

Aside from tennis, what the heck is Michelle Kwan doing on there? No Kerri Walsh or Misty May? Dara Torres anyone? And, like tennis, Americans are not fans of the WNBA if you go by the ratings. So how did Candice Parker sneak in at No. 4?

Continue reading Get a New Favorite Athlete

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]]>Katherine TweedTue, 04 Aug 2009 17:00:00 ESTDo You Exercise Backwards?http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/03/do-you-exercise-backwards/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/03/do-you-exercise-backwards/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/08/03/do-you-exercise-backwards/#commentsFiled under: ,

Walk in to nearly any gym and you'll probably see someone going in reverse on an elliptical trainer. Why not? It goes in two directions. However, diet and fitness expert Liz Neporent found that exercising backwards isn't giving your glutes a better workout, and there's really no reason for it.

Some folks just like the change of pace, and going backwards definitely mixes things up. But the risks on machines outweigh the benefits, according to Liz. Spinning bike manufacturers tell trainers not to include any retro-cycling in classes because of the chance for injury, and even elliptical makers say the reverse motion wasn't intended for workouts. As for calorie burn, there is some evidence there is a higher calorie burn in walking backwards, but the evidence is minimal. Despite the lack of evidence, are you still moving in reverse?

Last week we asked people how high-tech their workouts were, and the responses were mixed.

  • 35 percent said all you need are a decent pair of sneakers and some basic athletic equipment. Summer is the perfect excuse to unplug. Try tennis, basketball, Frisbee, beach paddleball or even bocce to get moving while having fun.
  • 33 percent said you're using the machines at the gym, but that's about it. You're not super high-tech, but your fitness routine definitely involves a power outlet.
  • 31 percent said you're completely plugged in. Not only are you uploading your playlist on your iPod, you've got a heart rate monitor strapped on, and when you get back home you're logging your trek online.

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]]>ellipticalexercise-backwardsfitnessreverseyour-turnKatherine TweedMon, 03 Aug 2009 14:00:00 ESTBeach Paddleball - Why You Should be Playinghttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/07/30/beach-paddleball-why-you-should-be-playing/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/07/30/beach-paddleball-why-you-should-be-playing/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/07/30/beach-paddleball-why-you-should-be-playing/#commentsFiled under:



Let's talk paddleball, beach paddleball that is. Known in some American circles as Prokadima for the name brand wooden racquets and blue ball, it (unfortunately) usually takes a back seat to Frisbee on the sand.

But if you watch the video above from Israel, you might want to consider adding in some paddleball to your next beach day. The rules are basic, stand a few meters apart and keep the rally going. The two men playing matkot, as it's called in Israel, show that it can be competitive and a great workout. After all, it is Israel's unofficial national sport.

Just how many calories does paddle ball burn? Well estimates vary, and the ground you have to cover to get your opponent's wayward shots will definitely make a difference, but it is estimated a 150-pound person will burn about 400 calories an hour playing traditional paddleball.

But really, who cares when you're having that much fun? It's a classic sport that you can play anywhere, even if you can only find a few feet of empty space on crowded summer beaches.

The Israelis aren't the only ones paddling up a storm on the sand. In Brazil it's known as frescobol, and the rules are essentially the same. Want some variation? Make up your own rules! You can invent a scoring system or draw boundary lines in the sand.

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]]>beach-paddleballfrescobolmatkotpaddleballpro-kadimaKatherine TweedThu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 ESTEarbuds vs. Earphoneshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2009/07/28/earbuds-vs-earphones/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/07/28/earbuds-vs-earphones/http://www.thatsfit.com/2009/07/28/earbuds-vs-earphones/#commentsFiled under: ,

man running with iPod
Photo: Robert Snache - Spirithands.net, Flickr
Maybe I'm a simpleton, but I run with standard issue iPod earbuds when I want some extra motivation. I know a lot of people who loathe them, I'm just not one of those haters. But what if you curse headphones and those white earbuds? Well over at The New York Times, they're talking about the W-series Walkman, which is essentially two Bluetooth-looking earpieces with the mp3 player built right in.

I guess if everyone on the street knew you were listening to music and not on a conference call while running, it might be OK, but I wouldn't want to look like I just jogged out of a sci-fi movie. Our resident marathon runner and AOL senior health editor Jennifer Fields doesn't think they're geeky, but she's still not jogging straight to the store to buy a pair. "If you're already running with a fuel pack you can't really get caught up in looking geeky," she writes in an email, "but I probably still wouldn't wear them." In full disclosure, we haven't tried them out, so we're just going on looks here. But Marathon Tech Review seems to think if we can get over the sci-fi factor, they may be worth a shot.

If you're looking for something much more discreet, there's always the Arriva earbuds. But what's all this complaining about cords? "That sounds like one of those infomercial tactics where they try to make something seem so much more difficult than it really is," Jennifer says. I agree. But that may be because I'm only jogging a few miles at a time.

Continue reading Earbuds vs. Earphones

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]]>earbudsearphonesipodsony-w-seriesKatherine TweedTue, 28 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST