That's Fit

After watching her weight zig-zag through a range of about 100 pounds over the years, Oprah Winfrey has done it again. Apparently, she's regained the weight she once worked so hard to lose and is stuck at 200 pounds, in a very uncomfortable position.

Oprah reveals that she had envisioned a beautiful dress to wear to President-Elect Obama's inauguration but is now worried she won't be able to fit into it.

"How could this happen again?" she wonders. After losing weight following very public liquid diets, marathons and detox diets, we're all left to wonder: Will Oprah ever keep the weight off for good? Oprah is clearly wondering the same thing.

If you're in search of sexy legs and a curvy can, squeeze these three moves into your workouts a few times each week. In fact, even if you aren't going to do a "full workout," just do these moves and your lower body will shine. I do these often myself and often incorporate them into the training sessions of my personal training clients. Each move works a variety of lower body muscles, and all of them will provide results quite quickly!

Squat Jumps: Squat down like a frog and explosively jump up as high as you can. This exercise will also crank up your heart rate, so begin with several sets of five jumps in a row with a short break in between. Increase your reps each workout.

Walking Lunges: Find a stretch of open space like a sidewalk or group fitness room. Alternating legs, take huge steps forward dropping your back knee close to the ground. Keep your back straight and avoid driving your front knee past your front ankle. Begin with 20 lunges and progress by adding steps or distance each time your train.

I never could finish Upton Sinclair's The Jungle about America's 20th Century meatpacking industry -- it was too depressing. But I did drive through Colorado last summer and witnessed loads of cattle standing in mud and excrement off the interstate between Ft. Morgan and Estes Park. The horrid conditions and nauseating, inhumane stench were shocking -- made me wonder where our burgers and steaks really come from.

AOL Health's Where Fast Food Comes From summarizes a new study which analyzed the carbon and nitrogen isotopes in meat served at Wendy's, McDonalds and Burger Kings across the nation, to determine the animals' diets and conditions raised.

Study authors claim test results reveal cattle were strictly confined and fed predominately corn. Burger King meat did offer the greatest variability -- some cattle may have grazed on natural vegetation and/or fed other feeds instead. Chicken samples revealed extreme confinement, and the isotope signatures of some meat indicated animals had consumed their own waste. Yuck.

MSG is a controversial food additive used to enhance the flavor of many processed foods. From what I can tell, MSG does not affect me, but it gives my husband headaches. As reported by Julie's Health Club, some complain of chest pains or a rapid heartbeat, too.

Did you know MSG:

• is comprised of the amino acid glutamic acid (glutamate for short), sodium and water?
• has triggered a soup war? Campbell's Soup removed MSG from some of its soups, then started the war by launching an ad campaign against MSG-containing rival Progresso soups. Of course, MSG-removal had been in the works at Progresso, so they fired back with advertising pointing out many Campbell's products still contain MSG. Nothing like truth in advertising.
• there are two types of MSG? 'Naturally bound' MSG is found in savory foods like meat, tomatoes and mushrooms. The controversy is actually over 'free' glutamates, which are extracted from foods, industrially-processed and added to many packaged foods (e.g. Doritos). Some say it's the free glutamates that trigger bad reactions, not the natural glutamates. All I know is I ate way too many tasty orange triangles in high school.
  
• does not have to be listed on a food label (per the FDA) if it is part of another ingredient? MSG may be in there, but with this black hole loophole you won't find it on the label.
• has a load of secret identities? It's also called vegetable protein extract, autolyzed yeast and sodium caseinate, to name a few. Check out an extensive list over at MSG Myth.

Do you experience negative reactions to MSG?

Are you a flexitarian? If you're eating more plants and less meat, fish and fowl each week, you're probably a flexi. The term 'flexitarian' became hot a few years ago and as a part-time veggie, I immediately fell in love with the word. I relish vegetarian food, even tried being a veggie for five months once, but couldn't stay away from folding leaner cuts of meat and seafood into my regular diet.

Spinach lasagna, giant garbage salads, broccoli quiche -- I make these kinds of meals regularly for our family. But I also flip turkey burgers, too. According to the Vegetarian Resource Group, health is the leading driver for vegetarian food consumption.

If you want to learn more, don't miss registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner's new book -- The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease and Add Year to Your Life. Packed with flexi recipes and simple shopping lists, Blatner will get you flexing to manage your weight, increase your energy and reduce your health risks.

Last week, the Houston Wellness Association is holding their 2008 Wellness Symposium at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. This two-day health care event was designed to bring together wellness experts from across the country, to talk about how to tackle healthcare and the problem of obesity in American children. At the event, William J. Clish M.D., a professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, said, "Of all the mothers I see, the majority argue with me about their kids' right to be obese ... to be 'what they are.' I argue they have the right to be their very best."

Well put.

His presentation included several tips on how to help keep your kids in shape:

Poor posture not only causes you to look 10 pounds heavier and feel less confident ... it also hurts! Check out this video from Stacy McCarthy, the yoga expert from She's Active Health Network. Stacy offers up a few simple stretches you can do anywhere at anytime to get you standing as tall as you should.

For more fun, quick, tips and recipes from degreed experts ...

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Fitz, My entire upper arms wobble when I wave hello or goodbye. I'm only 26 years old, but I feel like my arms look like they belong to an elderly woman. I run so I'm thin, but my arms are too flabby. Help! Jada

A. Hello running woman! Thanks for throwing me the soft ball. In fact, maybe that's something you should try. Throwing softballs is a great workout for the triceps. And, if you hadn't predicted what I was going to say, you should be working your triceps! And biceps and forearms, etc.

What makes your high-rise box in the sky a healthier living space? Unless I'm camping at high altitude, I'm not a fan of living where the birds fly, but a whole lot of people call a high-rise home. To be fair, city living is often more conducive to daily walking compared to my soccer mom-suburban sprawl lifestyle.

Don't just examine the space layouts when shopping for a high-rise home, consider the health of the entire building and surrounding area. The Chicago Tribune had fun applying these five criteria -- admittedly unscientific -- to a few of the largest residential towers in Chicago:

• Walkability: Pop in your address at Walk Score to find out how close you reside to walkable destinations such as stores, schools and parks.
• Conservation Efforts: Does your building recycle, use green lighting, rehab with green materials?
• Access to Green Space: If you live across from Central Park, you're golden. Beyond looking out over greenery, you must be near it to reap the physical benefits.
  
• Fitness Facilities: On-site, affordable fitness is critical, especially if nearby green space is filled with hoodlums after dark. Unless you own the penthouse, you probably don't have space for a home gym either.
  
• Healthy Eating Options: If a gas station is the only food source in the area, you're in nutritional danger.
  
  

Wonder how the nearly finished Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago will score.

While Americans are bagging leaves, Australians are bagging lemons. Bikini season is nearing in Australia, and the lemon detox diet is ramping up in popularity. Kilos are reportedly dropping like crazy Down Under, and Hollywood celebrities such as Beyonce Knowles and Mariah Carey have shed pounds on the diet, but is this detox healthy?

On the diet, you're drinking six to nine glasses per day -- for five to 14 days -- of a special concoction of Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and pure water. No solids. Here are a few lemon detox dangers cited by nutrition experts:

• It's been labeled a starvation diet -- you know what that means -- dizzy, moody, hungry (there goes vigorous exercise). Also, like a squirrel gathering nuts, your body will start storing fat for emergency survival.
• Should you be solely nourishing yourself with a drink containing nearly zero protein, little fat and few vitamins/minerals?
  
• Be prepared to lose lean body mass, a real metabolism-slower, making future weight loss more difficult.
• Critics contend the diet puts you at risk for a quick re-gain of fat, not muscle.
• Detoxing for more than three days can rob your bod of vitamins/minerals.
  
  

Sounds like a bunch of unhealthy, sour lemons to me. I'd rather avoid the need to detox entirely by eating loads of fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking tons of water and keeping processed foods to a minimum.

I have been sleeping in ecstasy for the past few weeks. Yes. I have a Sleep Number Bed. Not only do I have a Sleep Number Bed, but I have the new kind with Memory Foam on top. Mmmmmm. It's amazing. In fact, I didn't realize how poorly I was sleeping until I got this bed.

I value sleep. I'm a fitness trainer, fitness enthusiast, mother of two and writer of far too many things. I need to sleep, and I need to sleep well in order to accomplish the ridiculous amount of tasks that fill my days. Are you familiar with this insane style of living? I bet many of you are.

Sleep is such a powerful tool. In fact, it's a requirement for professionals and parents and growing children too. Think of it this way. Exhausted people don't work out. Those running on fumes struggle to achieve the bare minimums of each day and then toss and turn at night, unable to get to sleep quickly. Sleepless people tend to eat poorly and gain weight as a result as well. The bottom line? Quality sleep is a crucial component for vitality, fitness and success.

There are a wide variety of ways to keep your workout fresh. Changing rep counts, limiting or extending break time in between sets, and performing new exercises are just a few ways to avoid the dreaded fitness plateau.

Another great approach is to redesign your workout strategy. One way of doing so is to utilize a technique known as pyramiding. By and large, a weightlifting pyramid is a process of lifting heavier weights each set while reducing the number of reps performed. For example, for your first set of bench press, you may start with 10 reps of 135 pounds; second set, eight reps of 155 pounds; third set, six reps of 175 pounds.

Some people also like to "climb back down the pyramid" after they have reached the pinnacle; after completing the set with the maximum amount of weight, they then begin scaling backwards (ex. if you just finished the aforementioned set of six reps using 175 pounds, you would then work back to doing a set of eight reps using 155 pounds.). Incorporating a pyramid into your workout from time to time will help prevent sticking points and will keep your workout working.

If you want to follow the latest fashion trends, you should go for it. Want to get that trendy haircut? More power to you. You should get in on the diet and fitness trend too -- because high blood pressure is on the rise in America, and we're pretty sure this is one trend you'll want to avoid.

The numbers are climbing -- from 1998-1994 24.4% of Americans had high blood pressure; more recent numbers show that 28.9% are now diagnosed with the condition. On the upside, more people are being properly treated, so deaths related to blood pressure have decreased.

While you can't control some risk factors for high blood pressure -- such as family history, race, and age -- there are things that you can control. Maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, eat a healthful diet that's low in sodium, avoid drinking alcohol, and keep your stress level under control.

My colleague at the Active Health Network, and yoga expert, Stacy McCarthy, has some pretty enlightening information to share about the two things that keep you running, jumping, and dancing for fitness. Your feet! Spend about a minute watching this great clip, and spend the rest of your life moving in the upright position.

For more fun fitness tips, recipes and videos ...

Think bottled water is better for your diet than tap water? Give it some more thought, in light of this just-released news: Bottled water is no better for your body than tap water.

Just as many contaminants are floating in your bottles than from your taps, a new study says. Translation: Bottled water is no purer than tap water. It's safe to say that most tested brands of water met federal standards, despite contamination -- two were suspect -- but don't worry, no one is saying water is now unhealthy. The issue is that we understand that water is water is water. Drink it from a bottle, or drink it from the tap. According to this study, there really is no difference.

Wondering what contaminants were found in the 10 brands that were tested? Here goes: Bacteria, caffeine, the pain reliever acetaminophen, fertilizer, solvents, plastic-making chemicals, and the radioactive element strontium. Thirty-eight chemicals were detected in all. Researcher wisdom says that some of this stuff probably came from tap water that some companies use for their bottled water, and others probably leached from plastic bottles.