Ronnie Koenig
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Salt: How Much Should You Eat Daily?
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Salt is one of the most basic flavors that people can taste. Made up primarily of sodium -- salt is officially called sodium chloride -- it also contains one of the four cationic electrolytes that are needed for optimal bodily function. Too much or too little salt can lead to muscle cramps, dizziness or electrolyte disturbance.
We've all heard that we should lower our sodium intake, but in fact, some salt is an essential part of a healthy diet. Sodium helps balance bodily fluids and transmit nerve impulses throughout the body. Additionally, salt helps muscles contract and relax. In addition to it's functions within the body, salt preserves food so that it stays fresh longer. Many chefs love it, too, because it brings out food's natural flavors.
Sounds perfect, right? Not quite. Your body only needs a couple of hundred milligrams of salt per day to stay healthy. Consuming too much salt on a daily basis can cause problems like fluid retention and high blood pressure.
"Keep sodium consumption between 1,500 and 2,300 mg per day," says Katherine Zeratsky, RD, LD, a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center at Mayo Clinic. "People with high blood pressure, African-Americans and anyone middle-aged or older should aim for the low end of that range."
Avoiding the salt shaker isn't enough to counter eating high amounts of salt intake. Processed foods are responsible for 77 percent of the sodium we eat.
The solution to keeping your salt intake in check is simple: Stick to natural foods whenever possible and flavor your favorite dishes with spices like pepper, cumin, basil and oregano.
Test Your Sodium Smarts: Take Our Seriously Salty Fast Foods Quiz
Once That's Fit has answered all of your nutrition questions, check out our fitness tips to help you get fit.
We've all heard that we should lower our sodium intake, but in fact, some salt is an essential part of a healthy diet. Sodium helps balance bodily fluids and transmit nerve impulses throughout the body. Additionally, salt helps muscles contract and relax. In addition to it's functions within the body, salt preserves food so that it stays fresh longer. Many chefs love it, too, because it brings out food's natural flavors.
Sounds perfect, right? Not quite. Your body only needs a couple of hundred milligrams of salt per day to stay healthy. Consuming too much salt on a daily basis can cause problems like fluid retention and high blood pressure.
"Keep sodium consumption between 1,500 and 2,300 mg per day," says Katherine Zeratsky, RD, LD, a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center at Mayo Clinic. "People with high blood pressure, African-Americans and anyone middle-aged or older should aim for the low end of that range."
Avoiding the salt shaker isn't enough to counter eating high amounts of salt intake. Processed foods are responsible for 77 percent of the sodium we eat.
The solution to keeping your salt intake in check is simple: Stick to natural foods whenever possible and flavor your favorite dishes with spices like pepper, cumin, basil and oregano.
Test Your Sodium Smarts: Take Our Seriously Salty Fast Foods Quiz
Once That's Fit has answered all of your nutrition questions, check out our fitness tips to help you get fit.
Fiber: How Much Do I Need?
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Fiber, an indigestible substance found mainly in the outer layers of plants, is a carbohydrate that passes through the digestive system virtually without being broken down into nutrients. Like other carbohydrates, fiber is key in providing energy for all bodily functions. Additionally, fiber can help lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
There are two kinds of fiber: soluble -- found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas and some fruits and vegetables -- and insoluble (often called dietary fiber), wheat bran, vegetables and whole grains. Dietary fiber -- or the kind of fiber that isn't digested by your body, or is insoluble, promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and can help prevent or relieve constipation. Soluble fiber, which can dissolve in water, helps lower cholesterol.
So how much fiber should you be consuming each day?
The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine recommends the following fiber servings per day: 25 grams of fiber per day for women age 50 and younger and 21 grams of fiber for women 51 and older. Men should get 38 grams of fiber if they are younger than 50 and 30 grams of fiber if they're older than 51. And a nutrition-information savvy tip from the American Dietetic Association tells us that a "high fiber" food label means there are 5 or more grams of fiber per serving.
Increase your fiber intake by choosing high-fiber foods like grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.
If you're looking for ways to sneak fiber in gradually, which will decrease the amount of gas and bloating you experience are you begin to eat more fiber, you could choose to start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal. During lunch, add a can of beans to your favorite soup. Over dinner pick whole-wheat breads and pasta.
Learn More About Fiber:
Carb-Resistant Starch: Fiber for Weight Loss
High-Fiber Cereals
High-Fiber Fast Food
High-Fiber Foods
Splenda With Fiber
That's Fit wants you to get healthy, be strong and live well, which is why we've got great fitness tips in addition to excellent nutrition advice.
There are two kinds of fiber: soluble -- found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas and some fruits and vegetables -- and insoluble (often called dietary fiber), wheat bran, vegetables and whole grains. Dietary fiber -- or the kind of fiber that isn't digested by your body, or is insoluble, promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and can help prevent or relieve constipation. Soluble fiber, which can dissolve in water, helps lower cholesterol.
So how much fiber should you be consuming each day?
The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine recommends the following fiber servings per day: 25 grams of fiber per day for women age 50 and younger and 21 grams of fiber for women 51 and older. Men should get 38 grams of fiber if they are younger than 50 and 30 grams of fiber if they're older than 51. And a nutrition-information savvy tip from the American Dietetic Association tells us that a "high fiber" food label means there are 5 or more grams of fiber per serving.
Increase your fiber intake by choosing high-fiber foods like grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.
If you're looking for ways to sneak fiber in gradually, which will decrease the amount of gas and bloating you experience are you begin to eat more fiber, you could choose to start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal. During lunch, add a can of beans to your favorite soup. Over dinner pick whole-wheat breads and pasta.
Learn More About Fiber:
Carb-Resistant Starch: Fiber for Weight Loss
High-Fiber Cereals
High-Fiber Fast Food
High-Fiber Foods
Splenda With Fiber
That's Fit wants you to get healthy, be strong and live well, which is why we've got great fitness tips in addition to excellent nutrition advice.
Reebok Easytone: Shoes With a Workout?
Perhaps you've seen the commercial for Reebok's new Easytone shoes? A fit, attractive model explains that these sneakers will help you tone your legs and butt. The camera pans down her lower body, showing the model's sculpted, toned butt.
You can see what we mean by taking a look at the commercial below.
Reebok claims that Easytone shoes will work your hamstrings and calves up to 11 percent harder and tone your butt 28 percent more than regular sneakers just by walking.
How is that possible? These sneakers have "balance ball-inspired technology" that engages muscles in your legs and glutes. Women who have tried the shoes claim that they take a little getting used to, but that they can feel their muscles engaging more.
But are women who purchase these Reeboks setting themselves up for disappointment? One can't help but compare these sneakers to FitFlops or NGR (No Gym Required) shoes that claimed to give you a workout just by walking. Where is the real science behind the Easytone shoes?
You can see what we mean by taking a look at the commercial below.
Reebok claims that Easytone shoes will work your hamstrings and calves up to 11 percent harder and tone your butt 28 percent more than regular sneakers just by walking.
How is that possible? These sneakers have "balance ball-inspired technology" that engages muscles in your legs and glutes. Women who have tried the shoes claim that they take a little getting used to, but that they can feel their muscles engaging more.
But are women who purchase these Reeboks setting themselves up for disappointment? One can't help but compare these sneakers to FitFlops or NGR (No Gym Required) shoes that claimed to give you a workout just by walking. Where is the real science behind the Easytone shoes?
How Much Water Do I Need?
Your body is about 60 percent water, which is necessary to flush toxins out of your vital organs, carry nutrients to your cells and provide a moist environment for the ears, nose and throat.
But how much water do you need to consume on a daily basis? If you wait to drink until you are thirsty, you risk becoming dehydrated. That's because there are several normal bodily functions -- like sweating and urinating -- that cause the body to lose water.
How Much Water to Drink If You're Trying to Stay Hydrated
The average adult outputs 1.5 liters of urine per day. Therefore, if you drink two liters of water per day and consider the water that is contained in the foods you already eat, you'll be replacing the lost fluids. Most people should drink half their body weight in liquid ounces each day. For example, a person weighing 150 pounds should drink 75 ounces of water per day. Another popular view on water consumption is the "eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day" rule. Those who exercise or live in hot or humid environments will need to drink more water to replace additional fluid loss.
A simple trick to determine if you're getting enough water is to take a peek at your urine. If you "pee clear" then you're most likely properly hydrated!
How Much Water to Drink If You're Trying to Lose Weight
But how much water do you need to consume on a daily basis? If you wait to drink until you are thirsty, you risk becoming dehydrated. That's because there are several normal bodily functions -- like sweating and urinating -- that cause the body to lose water.
How Much Water to Drink If You're Trying to Stay Hydrated
The average adult outputs 1.5 liters of urine per day. Therefore, if you drink two liters of water per day and consider the water that is contained in the foods you already eat, you'll be replacing the lost fluids. Most people should drink half their body weight in liquid ounces each day. For example, a person weighing 150 pounds should drink 75 ounces of water per day. Another popular view on water consumption is the "eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day" rule. Those who exercise or live in hot or humid environments will need to drink more water to replace additional fluid loss.
A simple trick to determine if you're getting enough water is to take a peek at your urine. If you "pee clear" then you're most likely properly hydrated!
How Much Water to Drink If You're Trying to Lose Weight
In addition to helping carry out bodily functions, drinking water can make you feel fuller longer, helping you eat less -- and therefor help you lose weight. In fact, many weight-loss experts recommend drinking water or eating a broth-based soup while on a diet. If you're trying to lose weight, you'll be able to determine whether you're actually hungry or just thirsty after your glass of water or soup.
If you have a hard time drinking enough or unsure if you're getting the amount of water that you need in your diet, try carrying a refillable water bottle. If you shy away from water because you don't like the taste, add a slice of lemon, lime or cucumber to your water. Juices can also help combat dehydration, but be sure to watch out for calorie-filled sodas or other drinks.
More Diet and Fitness Questions Answered:
How Many Calories Do I Need to Eat Per Day?
How Do I Calculate My BMI? How Many Calories Did I Burn?
How Much Protein Do I Need?
Leslie Sansone
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Weight Loss, All Workouts
Leslie Sansone is the creator of the popular Walk At Home fitness program that encourages people of all shapes and sizes to get up off the couch and lose weight by walking. Since her videos started selling on QVC back in 1987, Sansone has stuck to the idea that anyone can exercise.
Leslie Sansone believes that walking -- a simple activity that almost anyone of any fitness level can do -- can lead to weight loss and a healthier, more active lifestyle. The perky, energetic mother of three aims to show everyone that, regardless of your current size, you can change your life.
Leslie Sansone believes that walking -- a simple activity that almost anyone of any fitness level can do -- can lead to weight loss and a healthier, more active lifestyle. The perky, energetic mother of three aims to show everyone that, regardless of your current size, you can change your life.
What began as a few classes in church halls has become an exercise sensation, with Leslie Sansone producing more than 100 workout DVDs and several infomercials. She has also written several books, including "Walk Away the Pounds."
Walk At Home is a system that allows you to choose the number of miles you want to walk without leaving your living room. Levels range from gentle to Power Walk, but all of your muscles are engaged in the activity to give you more of a workout than you'd get by taking a stroll. Sansone says that walking will not only help you lose weight but also help to combat the illnesses associated with obesity -- all from the privacy of your home.
Want to start a walking plan? Try AOL Health's beginner's walking tips.
Zumba DVDs
Fitness, Reviews & Products, All Workouts
By now you may have heard of Zumba, the Latin-themed aerobic dance workout brought to you by celeb fitness guru Beto Perez that is helping people shake and shimmy their way toward better fitness.
Gyms across the country are offer Zumba dance classes, but Zumba dance DVDs are fun, too. Like with other fitness DVDs, Zumba dance DVDs allow you to work out in the comfort of your own home, so there's no pressure to get all the steps down perfectly the first time. Instead, you just have to keep moving and exercising.
One great Zumba DVD is the Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD set. The Zumba DVD set contains four discs with six different workouts including: Zumba Fitness Basics Workout, Zumba Fitness 20-Minute Express Workout, Zumba Fitness Sculpt and Tone Workout, Zumba Fitness Cardio Party Workout, Zumba Fitness Live! Workout and Zumba Fitness Flat Abs Workout . You'll also get two Zumba fitness toning sticks that will help add some muscle to your toning routines.
Gyms across the country are offer Zumba dance classes, but Zumba dance DVDs are fun, too. Like with other fitness DVDs, Zumba dance DVDs allow you to work out in the comfort of your own home, so there's no pressure to get all the steps down perfectly the first time. Instead, you just have to keep moving and exercising.
One great Zumba DVD is the Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD set. The Zumba DVD set contains four discs with six different workouts including: Zumba Fitness Basics Workout, Zumba Fitness 20-Minute Express Workout, Zumba Fitness Sculpt and Tone Workout, Zumba Fitness Cardio Party Workout, Zumba Fitness Live! Workout and Zumba Fitness Flat Abs Workout . You'll also get two Zumba fitness toning sticks that will help add some muscle to your toning routines.
The steps are taken from dance styles such as salsa, meringue and samba. In addition to being a great cardio workout, these moves will work your core, thighs and abs. Beginners should start with the Basics Workout.
Don't worry if you can't mimic the steps exactly -- just keep moving. The Express Workout is great if you are pressed for time and the Cardio Party is the perfect choice for when you have your friends over. Push back the coach, throw on a tank top and throw caution to the wind with your Zumba DVD. Once you're done learning new moves from your Zumba video, you can go back to your old home-video workout with new enthusiasm.
Want to learn more about Zumba? Check out more Zumba reviews and news from That's Fit:
Zumba Review
Zumba Helped This "American Idol" Contestant Lose 80 Pounds
Zumba's Express Diet: Lose 9 Pounds in 5 Days?
Paleo Diet - The Caveman Diet
Want to chow down like Pebbles or nosh like Bamm-Bamm? Then the Paleolithic diet, also known as the caveman diet or Paleo diet, might be for you. The Paleo diet is based on the diet of hunter-gatherers in the Stone Age. Dieters eat wild plants and animals that were consumed during the Paleolithic period, which ended 10,000 years ago.
Paleo diet proponents avoid grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, sugar and oil. Instead, they base their meals around meat, fish, vegetables, roots and nuts. Unlike the raw food diet, those following this diet can cook their foods. This high-protein diet was first popularized in the 1970s by gastroenterologist Walter L. Voegtlin who claimed that human genetics have not changed much since the dawn of time, so it makes sense to eat what our ancestors ate to avoid modern diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
The American Dietetic Association classifies the paleo diet as a fad diet.
"The caveman diet may have some quick-fix weight-loss effects, but the diet leaves out healthful components of well-balanced eating such as heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering whole grains, breads and cereals, beans and legumes, and calcium-rich dairy products," says Marissa Lippert, R.D., a New York City nutritionist from Nourish Nutrition Counseling & Communications. "As our agricultural system evolved over thousands of years, so has our bodies' nutrition needs. If we exclude entire nutrient categories from our diet, our energy levels, cravings and general health can be impacted."
If you want to stay healthy and lose weight, the majority of health professionals agree that a reduced-calorie diet that a variety of foods is the healthiest approach.
Yoga Journal
Keeping a yoga journal can be a great extension of your yoga practice. Too often, we go through yoga positions without noticing the benefits the practice has on our minds and bodies.
If you decide to keep a yoga journal, you'll be able to track changes in your flexibility and strength. If you're able to hold a yoga position you had previously failed at or if you can hold a tricky pose longer, you'll be able to take pride in your successes.You'll also be able to better understand your state of mind before, during and after your practice.
Remember, yoga is about your improvement, not whether you're in better shape that the yogi next to you.Keeping a yoga journal might also encourage you to stay with yoga on difficult days when you can't hold even a basic yoga position for a long time -- just like keeping a food diary might help you adhere to your weight-loss plan.
To create a great yoga journal:
1. Sign up for a yoga class or get some yoga dvds.
If you decide to keep a yoga journal, you'll be able to track changes in your flexibility and strength. If you're able to hold a yoga position you had previously failed at or if you can hold a tricky pose longer, you'll be able to take pride in your successes.You'll also be able to better understand your state of mind before, during and after your practice.
Remember, yoga is about your improvement, not whether you're in better shape that the yogi next to you.Keeping a yoga journal might also encourage you to stay with yoga on difficult days when you can't hold even a basic yoga position for a long time -- just like keeping a food diary might help you adhere to your weight-loss plan.
To create a great yoga journal:
1. Sign up for a yoga class or get some yoga dvds.
2. Choose your journal. You can purchase a notebook specifically for writing about yoga or you can start a blog.
3. Pick a consistent time each day to write in your journal. This is your time, so make it sacred!
4. Journal away! If you love the written word, great! But don't feel like you have to write an essay. If you are more comfortable expressing yourself with drawings, sketch the positions you are currently practicing. Write about the way your practice makes you feel, both physically and emotionally.
5. Pause for reflection. Look over your journal from time to time. How has your practice evolved? How has your body changed since you started doing yoga? Has meditation become easier or more difficult? The journal will give you an accurate picture.
6. Keep at it! Yoga is not a race, and neither is journaling. If you enjoy both, though, you will continue to do it!
More Yoga Terms Defined from That's Fit:
Ashtana Yoga
Hatha Yoga
Kundalini Yoga
Power Yoga
Prenatal Yoga
Strengthen With Yoga
Yoga Benefits
Yoga for Weight Loss
Xenical: Prescription Drug Version of Weight-Loss Drug Alli
Xenical is a prescription drug designed to help significantly overweight people lose weight. It is a version of Alli, the only diet pill that is approved by the FDA.
According to the manufacturers, Xenical is different from other diet pills because instead of suppressing your appetite or speeding up your metabolism, it blocks about one-third of the fat you eat from being digested. The undigested fat cannot be broken down and is eliminated through your bowel movements.
However, Xenical is not a magic pill.
"Xenical is a weight-loss drug that can have significant side effects and in blocking the absorption of fat to encourage weight loss, may also block the absorption of important vitamins, minerals and healthful fats required by the body," says Marissa Lippert, RD, of Nutrition Counseling & Communications. "Weight-loss drugs are temporary fixes, rather than lasting solutions. It's important to remember that in order to healthfully lose weight and sustain it, fresh food in the appropriate portion sizes should be the primary focus."
The American Heart Association agrees and recommends reduced-calorie diets that typically allow for no more than 30 percent of your daily caloric intake to come from fat.
Possible side effects include uncontrollable bowel movements, gas and oily discharge.
If you think Xenical may be right for you, speak to your doctor.
At That's Fit, we've got great food ideas, exercise plans and more to help you lose weight.
According to the manufacturers, Xenical is different from other diet pills because instead of suppressing your appetite or speeding up your metabolism, it blocks about one-third of the fat you eat from being digested. The undigested fat cannot be broken down and is eliminated through your bowel movements.
However, Xenical is not a magic pill.
"Xenical is a weight-loss drug that can have significant side effects and in blocking the absorption of fat to encourage weight loss, may also block the absorption of important vitamins, minerals and healthful fats required by the body," says Marissa Lippert, RD, of Nutrition Counseling & Communications. "Weight-loss drugs are temporary fixes, rather than lasting solutions. It's important to remember that in order to healthfully lose weight and sustain it, fresh food in the appropriate portion sizes should be the primary focus."
The American Heart Association agrees and recommends reduced-calorie diets that typically allow for no more than 30 percent of your daily caloric intake to come from fat.
Possible side effects include uncontrollable bowel movements, gas and oily discharge.
If you think Xenical may be right for you, speak to your doctor.
At That's Fit, we've got great food ideas, exercise plans and more to help you lose weight.
Love Handles
Love handles refer to fat deposited on the sides of the waist. These unsightly bulges are also known as a spare tire or a muffin top, which occurs when excess fat hangs over a person's waistband.
Most people agree that having excess fat around the midsection is undesirable. Research shows that abdominal fat leads to higher risks of heart disease, diabetes and even certain types of cancers. But how do you go about getting rid of love handles?
One way to effectively eliminate love handles is to lose weight by following a reduced-calorie diet and by consistently doing cardiovascular exercise.
As you begin your diet and exercise program, you can disguise your love handles by wearing clothes that fit properly. Avoid too-tight clothing, low-rise jeans and midriff-baring shirts. Opt for pants that go around your natural waist and for women, skirts and dresses that sit at your natural waist.
Check out AOL Health's belly-bloating foods to avoid or eat belly-flattening foods. AOL Health also has sections on how to burn ab fat and ab workouts.
Most people agree that having excess fat around the midsection is undesirable. Research shows that abdominal fat leads to higher risks of heart disease, diabetes and even certain types of cancers. But how do you go about getting rid of love handles?
One way to effectively eliminate love handles is to lose weight by following a reduced-calorie diet and by consistently doing cardiovascular exercise.
As you begin your diet and exercise program, you can disguise your love handles by wearing clothes that fit properly. Avoid too-tight clothing, low-rise jeans and midriff-baring shirts. Opt for pants that go around your natural waist and for women, skirts and dresses that sit at your natural waist.
Check out AOL Health's belly-bloating foods to avoid or eat belly-flattening foods. AOL Health also has sections on how to burn ab fat and ab workouts.
