That's Fit

Patrick Dempsey says he gets a lot of crap for it, but he does prefer Spandex over baggies. Well, when he's biking anyway.

Gracing the cover of May's Bicycling magazine and the subject of a dreamy interview, the Grey's Anatomy star reveals how he broke into the sport of cycling, how he lost 12 pounds pushing those pedals round and round, and how he prefers solo to group riding. That's not all. Dempsey has lots more to say.

This TV and movie star says he's more energy drink than expresso, says right now, he's riding a new Tarmac SL, and says a ride -- on the day he gave this interview, he rode 21 miles -- is a sort of meditation for him.

Take a spin over here where Dempsey spills more of his fitness secrets.

Grey's Anatomy star Justin Chambers says he checked in to UCLA's psych ward recently because of a longtime sleep disorder.

"It's an issue that I've had for a while," Chambers told PEOPLE magazine in his first interview since the incident. "It's a biological sleep disorder. Your mind keeps racing, and your body is tired. It wants to go to sleep, but it can't."

At his wit's end, the 37-year-old actor, husband, and father of five says he was sleeping no more than an hour a week during the two months leading up to his hospital stay.

We all know sleep is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It's a topic covered here at That's Fit all the time. To brush up on your sleep smarts so you can get the quality rest -- and the benefits that come from rest -- you so deserve, check out these recent sleepy posts.

Daily Fit Tip: Sleep in total darkness
Lack of sleep may be hindering your fitness progress
Sleep helps you lose the baby weight
Sweet dreams: Americans are actually getting sleep!
Let Mother Nature help you sleep
10 tips for the insomniac

Sometimes, going it alone has great value. Sometimes, being part of a group has a certain appeal. According to those involved with AthletiCamps -- home to cycling camps designed to help riders enhance their performance -- one of the most splendid attractions of road cycling is the feel of rolling down the road in a big collective pack.

What do you think -- ride with the group or go it alone? Before deciding, you may want to better understand the anatomy of a group ride.

A typical group ride consists of any number of riders -- maybe three, maybe 150 -- and typically lasts between two and four hours. Common to group rides is a psychological factor. There's usually at least one person in the group more aggressive than the others, a person who either inhibits or inspires riders.

There are two types of rides, neither of which are races, both of which prepare riders for races. There are training rides, where riders work together on a skill. And there are club rides, where it's not clear who will show up and where a lack of focus can present a challenge.

There's so much more to consider about group rides, and you can learn more here. But the bottom line is this: each athlete's fitness level and goals are unique. For those new to race preparation, it may be wise to avoid unstructured group rides. For those with a little training under their belts, the group ride may be in order. If you're up for it, give it a go -- see how you feel when you're rolling the down the road in that collective pack. I can only imagine it must feel exhilarating.

If it's been a few years since your last anatomy class (or you spent your class time day dreaming), then welcome back to school, because iVillage has the perfect interactive lesson to help you relearn all the basic facts about your favorite body parts.

Whether you want to know how long your large intestine really is, how fast your hair grows, or how to care for that sore ankle...it's all here. Easy to use, easy to follow, and written in ordinary terms that are easy to understand, this is the perfect "refresher course" for anyone who wants to know a little more about their bodies. Besides basic body facts, the tool also covers how to care for each part of your body to keep it healthy and strong. Class is in session!