That's Fit

How long does it take McDonald's to make a hamburger? My guess is around 30 or 40 seconds. How long does it take to make a healthy meal at home? Much longer, right? Not quite, says Keri Glassman, registered dietitian and part of the Women's Health magazine team. Glassman suggests the following ten easy food flips to help you prepare healthier meals in a jiffy.

1. SWAP THE MAYO (or the sour cream). Instead use nonfat Greek yogurt as a much healthier, low-fat substitution. In addition to being much lighter in the calorie department, nonfat Greek yogurt is high in protein, calcium, and also contains digestion-aiding probiotics.

2. PUREE. Freeze your favorite fruits and vegetables and then days or even months later you can puree them in large batches. In a matter of seconds you can have a healthy and tasty snack. For kids, Glassman suggests purchasing the containers that ice cream manufacturers usually use to make push-pops and filling it with a fruit puree.

3. INCREASE VOLUME. Make your meals bigger without adding any calories. Trust me, it's easier than it sounds. For some easy ways to do this, click here.

4. GO FOR CHICKEN STOCK. Using the low-sodium version, add chicken stock to mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower instead of butter or cream. You can also use chicken stock when you steam vegetables for added flavor rather than using butter or oil.

5. CONDIMENTS. Steer clear of those high in fat and sugar and instead opt for herbs, spices, and even low-sodium soy sauce, lemon juice, brown mustard, vinegars, and salsa.

If you wanted to be an Average Joe, you probably wouldn't be reading this website. Instead, you'd be sitting on your couch and watching reruns of "Cagney & Lacey." "Remington Steele," perhaps. Anyway, the point is that you're probably not watching either of those shows, because you, my friend, absolutely loathe the mere idea of being classified as average. And it is that loathing, and possibly that fear of mediocrity that keeps you reading websites like That'sf Fit.

Be that all as it may, however, the possibility still exists that you may be -- dare I say it -- average. Or, even worse, somewhat less than average.

The only way to truly find out is to put yourself to the test. The following is a list of traits, compiled from a variety of data sources (including the U.S. Census Bureau), that offers some known statistics for the average man -- age: 34 years old, weight: 175lbs and height: 5'9 1/2. See how you measure up.

THE AVERAGE GUY CAN:
- Do 27 push-ups in one minute
- Run 1.5 miles in 12:51
- Complete 36 sit-ups in one minute
- Bench Press 158 pounds one time
- Throw a football 50 yards

Having just returned from a quick, transcontinental jaunt to Seattle, I feel more rested than I probably should. Frankly, I should be exhausted, given the fact that I didn't get home until three o'clock in the morning, but I'm feeling pretty good. If I had to point to a reason why, it would be that I didn't let my diet or workout fall to the wayside while I was traveling. Yes, a snack was eaten here and there, and I didn't work out as many times as I would have had I been home, but I didn't phone in these efforts at fitness, either.

Well, that's all well and good. Hooray for me, I guess. But what's my point? Staying on track when you travel -- and I'm not referring to the train you may have rode in on; rather, I'm talking about your diet and exercise program.

Many hotels offer fitness facilities, but the downside is that they may not remain open late enough for you to gain entry. And, when staying with friends or relatives, there may not be a gym nearby for you to squeeze in a workout. Does this mean that you're stuck? Not exactly. There are several workouts you can perform with little or no fitness equipment right in the room you are staying in, just as there are healthy meal options hidden in between fat and calorie-laden room service menu items. All you need is a little ingenuity and the willpower to keep yourself honest.

If you've been exercising for quite some time now, you may be toying with the idea of trying some nutritional supplements. You may be somewhat skeptical, and for good reason. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, affording manufacturers a great deal of wiggle room with respect to marketing and advertising.

Then how are you supposed to know which supplements to take and which to avoid? My first suggestion, as always, would be to speak with your physician. After you get the OK from your doc, talk to people who have taken certain supplements to find out whether or not they were happy with their results. Bear in mind, however, everyone's body is different; what works for them may not work for you, and vice-versa.

Another great method of inquiry is to research websites such as this one, as well as magazines and legitimate health and fitness forums. Coincidentally, Men's Health just published a list of five supplements that they feel are almost completely worthless. This is definitely a good place to start.

1. Liquid Creatine. Unlike the very effective powder version, liquid creatine has almost no effect on muscular development. As a matter of fact, according to the article, a study presented at the 2003 Experimental Biology Meeting showed that while creatine powder increased creatine levels in muscles by about 30 percent, liquid creatine was totally ineffective, equivalent in performance to the placebo.

When we're pumping iron at the gym, working our muscles to the max, extending every bit of energy we have to the point that sweat is pouring down our temples, the only thing we really want is relief--sweet, sweet rest. We want to stop what we're doing, put the weight down, have a long, cold sip of water and relax. But is that what we should do? Guess again.

Actually, there's a lot of research out there that shows that the best way to recover after or during a workout is not by resting at all--it's by continuing to work you muscles in a less-strenuous way. You may have heard of this kind of 'rest'--it's called active rest (or active recovery in some circles.)

I wasn't sporty as a kid, but one sport I did love was roller skating. The local roller rink had flashy lights, bumpin' tunes and plenty of cute boys to satisfy my tastes. Plus skating was genuinely fun, unlike the prospect of being ridiculed at school for missing the pass on the soccer field.

It's been years since my days on the roller rink, and the strobe lights, 80s dance music and floppy-haired skater punks that originally drew me there have lost their appeal. But the act of actually skating hasn't. It's still fun, and it's still fitness. And while I may take longer to recover from a fall than I would've in my youth, I haven't lost my skills or my ability to have fun in a pair of skates.

By now, we should all be aware of the importance of breathing. After all, it's what keeps us alive, right? So why is it that when we work out our hardest, we sometimes forget to breathe? That's when our bodies need it the most--when we're pushing our limits and challenging ourselves to the max.

So how's your breathing during your workout? For me, it's the weights that make me forget my breath. I take a weight-lifting class a few times a week and funny though it sounds, I usually need to be reminded by the instructor to breathe--otherwise I'll hold my breath until I get a short break. No wonder I get dizzy sometimes!

These days, we have access to an overwhelming amount of fitness gadgets and gizmos, not to mention snazzy programs and classes that incorporate everything from martial arts to hula hoops to modern dances and the like. But, like many things in life, we are often exposed to so many flashy and new ways of doing things that we eventually come back to the inevitable truth: that the old way of doing things is sometimes the best way. Another way of putting it? Simple is best.

Don't mistake me for old fashioned--I've tried the super cardio hip hop dance kickboxing classes, and some of them really do work at whipping you into shape (and they're fun too!) But at the end of the day, some of the best exercises are the ones that we, and our parents, and our parents' parents all learned in school: Things like running, jump-rope, calinsthetics and so on.

When it comes to working out, I definitely prefer cardio to weights. Don't get me wrong, I do the weights, they're just not my favourite. I prefer to pop in my headphone, blare the tunes on my iPod and run my worries away on the treadmill. Yes, weights are important, but cardio is also important, so don't feel bad if you're a fellow cardio junky -- it's definitely one of the better habits to have.

There are plenty of ways to get your cardio in, but the most popular cardio exercises at the gym seem to revolve around the treadmill, the elliptical trainer, the stationary bike, the recumbent bike and the Stairmaster. Which one do you love the most? Or at least tolerate the most?

It's one of life's cruel mysteries: Some people are naturally thin, despite never setting foot in the gym, while others count every last calorie and spend a large chunk of their free time sweating away at the gym and still can't seem to drop a dress size. It's called being 'fit but fat' and thankfully, studies show that it's healthier for you than being thin and unhealthy. But while health is so important, it would be nice to be healthy and feel good in a bikini, right?

Trust me, I know what it's like. For years, I was sure the gradual increase on the scale had to be a mistake because I was constantly active. I blamed the tightening of my pants on the dryer, but after a while, there's no denying it. I'm finally seeing the number on the scale go down, but it took fessing up to some hard truths -- namely that what I was doing before just wasn't challenging me any more.

When Fitsugar published these photos of Tori Spelling and hubby Dean McDermott working out together, I thought to myself, now, wouldn't that be nice to have your mate as your workout buddy? Then I thought about Jon and tried to imagine us working out together. For starters, Jon doesn't work out. He doesn't need to--he's a tradesman and unlike me he actually uses his muscles and burns calories at work. Also? We're both a bit competitive and it might ruin our relationship if we started getting athletic together. No, I'll stick to my present solo workout routine--If I want a workout buddy, I'll find a friend at a similar fitness level to me.

But even though it's not right for you, it might be the key to getting you--and your partner--in shape. There are plenty of exercises that are good for your body and your relationship. Want some ideas? Why not try ...

A few years ago, I helped my (female) friend move. Moving is one of those jobs that tends to be delegated to men by default, but I figured we could handle it. After all, we're a couple of strong, independent chicks. And the whole thing went pretty smoothly -- until it came time to life the large TV onto the high dresser. I could not lift it above my head, no matter what. The lack of strength I had in my shoulders was painfully evident.

Shoulders are an oft forgotten part of the body, but they're just as important as the bigger muscle groups--working on them will not only increase your strength but help prevent injury too. Here are some exercises that will tone your shoulders, making them sleek, sexy and best of all, strong:

For years, I've envied runners. They're lean and graceful and fit. But there's more to it than that. I've always wanted to be one of them, even since Junior High.

Let me explain: I went to a school where track and field was the main event, the top sport. We had to run lines and hills every day after school and we were classed into groups -- As were the best runners, followed by Bs and Cs and, well, you get the point. I was in group F--and it was the absolute bottom of the totem pole. It's not all my fault--I was born with bad knees and asthma and running a minute was about all I could do before turning purple and collapsing with a whimper. But all the popular, athletic kids were, of course, in the A group and though I feigned the teenage too-cool-to-care attitude, I did care. I wanted to be a runner.

And I've never been a runner. Until now.

For most of us, one of the main reasons we start up at the gym is because we want to burn off fat (and if that's not a reason? I might hate you.) Getting in shape a good motivator, but fitting into those skinny jeans is a little bit more attractive, at least until you start to get really into fitness.

Burning fat can be a bit of a slow process, though, especially when you have high expectations for quick weight loss. What gives? Think about it this way: How long did it take you to put on the extra pounds? Chances are they're an accumulation of years worth of occasional over-indulgences. So if it took you years to put it on, why should it take less to take it off? Still, there are some things you can do to speed-up your fat loss:

Ahhh, the gym. It can be a place to unwind and de-stress, all while doing something for your body by getting fit. But it can also be a source of stress in itself if the other patrons are less than pleasant. Most of us don't have the luxury of setting up fancy home gyms, so finding a way to get along with the crowds is essential. And the best way to establish good habits in your fellow gym-goers? Practice good etiquette yourself.

There are a number of rules to follow when going to the gym, both written and unwritten, and they are especially essential during peak hours. So next time you're headed for a workout, don't be that person. Here are some important rules you need to follow in order to be a good workout neighbour: