That's Fit

You've undoubtedly heard plenty about the benefits of eating locally. It's good for the environment, you support your local community, the food is fresher, and you have more say in how your food is grown because you can talk to the people who grew it.

Fitness Magazine's Eat Green, Be Healthy section offered three ways to buy locally and eat fresh:

• Take advantage of farmers' markets. If you're not sure whether there's a farmers' market near you, check your local paper, or head over to this website where you can find out which fruits and veggies are in season near you and find a farmers' market in your area.
  
• Become a member of a Co-op. You might have to put in a large sum to begin with, but your resources will be pooled with other co-op members and you'll get farm fresh produce at a reduced rate. Find one near you by selecting "Grocery/Co-op" and filling in your zip here.
  
• Connect directly with local farmers. This website allows you to see listings of farmers' markets, u-pick farms, and roadside produce stands by state.

It doesn't seem quite fair -- summer is when everyone is having the fun parties, and you want to look your most gorgeous, but between the sun and heat and humidity, it's hard to convince your hair to do what you want it to do.

That doesn't mean you're forever confined to bad summertime hair, though -- we've got some tips (partly thanks to our friends at Fitness Magazine) to help you get the most out of your 'do this summer. Check them out, and be sure to let us know about your best summertime hair trick or product in the comments!

When you reach for a snack, fresh fruits and veggies are always a wonderful option, packing loads of nutrients without packing on the pounds. However, most of us have occasions where an apple just isn't going to cut it. For those occasions, check out FitnessMagazine.com's 2008 Healthy Food Awards: The Best Snacks.

We're not just talking granola bars (although they do list their favorite) -- you'll find cereals, puddings, canned fruits, energy bars, cookies and more.

Keep in mind, even the best cookies aren't going to provide the same nutrition as a piece of fruit, but if you're going to splurge, some items are better than others. I was pleasantly surprised to find some of my favorites on the list -- does it contain any of yours?

To learn more about healthy eating habits, check out AOL Body's America Takes It Off Summer Quick Fix.

Are you a plate cleaner? If no one's lurking around do you lift your plate and lick the last thin sheen of pancake syrup? That pretty much describes this plate scraper. My sweet tooth is not fluent in self-control either -- however it is learning key phrases such as "No!" and "Close the cabinet and walk away. Now."

But I have one friend who always, always leaves one or two bites on her plate. She's lean, too. She's not big into fitness so it's either decent genetics or her eating habits or a combination thereof that delivers her lean frame. Regardless, this plate cleaner admires her natural self-control.

Fitness magazine's 10 Ways to Lose 10 Pounds shares commonsense advice to reduce your caloric intake and boost your metabolism. In their tip "Eat Three Fewer Bites Per Day" simply leave one generous bite of your breakfast, lunch and dinner on your plate to save 50 to 75 calories per day. You'll drop ten pounds in only five to eight months. Remember, this doesn't mean take two muffins and leave one bite of muffin #2! Us plate cleaners know all the tricks.

I thought I was on a fitness roll yesterday morning. Went to the health club with both kids in tow at 8:00 am, only to discover the child care room didn't open until 9:00 am on Saturdays. Buzzkill. I was crestfallen. So I returned home and devised Plan B.

It was time to try this Fat-Blasting Routine in the December/January issue of Fitness Magazine I came across a few weeks ago. It's a circuit of five exercises requiring little to no gear and a small space -- perfect for home. Fat-Blasting is one of three circuits in a comprehensive program which also includes a Tone Up and a De-Stress circuit, too.

Here's the Fat-Blasting Routine -- do each exercise for one minute, repeat the series three times through for a total of 15 minutes. If you want to go longer, keep repeating the series to reach 30 minutes. Use your watch or glance at a digital clock nearby to stick to one minute for each exercise.

• Step 1: Jump Rope -- Do single jumps with knees slightly bent and feet low to floor. If you don't have a rope, pretend.
• Step 2: Squat Jump -- Stand with legs hip-width apart and arms extended straight overhead. Sit back into a squat, keep body weight over heels, and then pulse down for three counts and jump up explosively, reaching arms toward the ceiling. About 20 will get you through a minute -- my upper hamstrings are sore this morning.
• Step 3: Lateral Dash -- Place 2 dumbells or any small items around 6 feet apart on the floor. Stand between targets, then run to the left and lean down to tap the target with right hand. Return to center and repeat on other side. Keep head up. Dash back and forth as fast as possible. Actually, maybe it's these that burned my upper hamstrings.
• Step 4: Run in Place -- Self-explanatory, but make sure to challenge yourself by running as fast as possible, pump arms and bring those knees up to hip height.
• Step 5: Jabs and Jacks -- With legs shoulder-width apart and fists in front of chin, punch right hand across body toward left corner, repeat on opposite side with left hand. Do 8 jabs. Bring fists back in front of chin and do 8 jumping jacks with legs. Repeat jabs/jacks series over the minute.

I was feeling great after a 15-minute circuit series and followed it up with a host of floor abdominal crunches, 50 girlie push-ups and relaxing lower body stretches. Aaahh -- who needs the gym?

Hot chocolate season is in full swing up north. Like me, maybe you're tired of tearing open little white envelopes of processed hot chocolate, stirring away those clumps of refined sugar in hot water. If a stove is handy, preparing the concoction with milk is healthier, but it's still not the homemade kind made with unsweetened cocoa.

Here's a Healthier Hot Chocolate recipe created by Whole Foods Market chefs for FITNESS magazine. I especially like the fact it's sweetened with agave nectar, a non-chemical, natural sweetener, which also happens to be low-glycemic. One serving of this cocoa has 3 grams of fiber (nearly three times as much as the refined sugar stuff), only 1 gram of fat and 215 calories. One drawback is the carbohydrate count -- 44 grams -- but they are low-glycemic and won't spike your blood sugar like refined sugar.

Whip up this hot cocoa next time you reach for the little white envelope. If the words 'agave nectar' have you freaked out, here's some light reading on this natural sweetener.

Healthier Hot Chocolate (serves 2)

• 3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3-4 T agave nectar
• 2 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split (this is your chance to work with fresh vanilla!)
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon, 1/4 t ground nutmeg

Mix cocoa powder and agave nectar. Heat milk in medium saucepan over very low heat with vanilla bean, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk in cocoa-agave mixture thoroughly, until mixture is warm but not boiling.

Eating 5 to 6 times throughout the day can sometimes be difficult, especially in the fast-paced, I want things ten minutes ago world in which we live. Try as we might to follow this healthy paradigm, it just sometimes doesn't seem possible. Interestingly enough, it's sometimes not the meals that are hard to schedule, but the healthy snacks that you should be eating in between.

Look, any snack will be a better option than that Snicker's bar from the vending machine. The whole "keeps you satisfied" idea was abandoned eons ago, for it is now well known that the high-GI sugar content will actually cause you to feel lethargic and do little to curb hunger. But, our goal isn't to be just a notch above unhealthy; rather, our goal is to be as healthy as we can. To that end, why not try one of these 150-calorie snacks, suggested by the folks at Fitness Magazine, the next time you're looking to munch on something in between meals.

• 1 medium apple, sliced, with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
• 3 slices of mini pumpernickel bread with 1 slice of Swiss cheese
• 1 packet of low-sugar oatmeal topped with a hand full of berries
• 1 caramel apple (without nuts)
• Spiced maple yogurt: 6oz of plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon
• 1 cup of chocolate pudding with 1 graham cracker square crushed and sprinkled on top
• 8-ounce serving of V8 with 1 piece of string cheese
• 1 trail mix granola bar
• 4 whole-grain crackers with 1 tablespoon of honey soy nut butter
• 4-ounce cup of mandarin oranges topped with 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts

I've heard shrinks say awareness of problem behavior is a first step toward changing it. I'm not trained in psychology, but maybe the same wisdom applies to eating habits.

If you're in the overweight or obese category, the weight likely didn't come on all at once. Most people I know who've gained significant pounds say their weight inched up gradually over time, and before long they were looking at 30 or more pounds to lose. They also shared their eating habits were atrocious and fitness usually took a back seat.

A new poll of 1,000 women 18 years and older by Fitness magazine revealed that 53 percent say they've eaten an entire box of cookies, a bag of chips, a pizza, a cake or a pie in one sitting. I used to engage in that kind of gluttony in my younger years. But as I grew older and pounds did not melt away as easily as before, I stopped.

I also wonder if humorously sharing my gluttonous past last year with a few acquaintances had a therapeutic effect. I'll never forget the look of shock on their faces when I told them I'd eaten a whole cherry pie on more than one occasion, and yes, I did scarf down that entire 13" x 9" pan of rice krispy treats in less than two hours. It was at that moment I not only owned my past gluttony -- I realized I'd never do it again. Any gluttonous moments you'd like to acknowledge and then kiss goodbye?

Fitness polls abound these days, but this new poll of 1,000 women 18 years and older from Fitness magazine especially demonstrates the desperation of women to become skinnier.

Check out these alarming percentages of what poll-takers would do to reach their ideal weight:

• 23 percent would spend a week in jail or shave their head
• 22 percent would wear a bikini on TV
• 21 percent would trade 10 years of life
• 85 percent would prefer an extra toe than 50 extra pounds

If I needed to lose 50 pounds, I'd be up for an extra toe. But giving up ten years of life to reach an ideal weight? That strikes me as terribly sad, but also indicative of the immense societal pressure women feel to be thin. I once told a friend I'd pay $2,500 to become an instant rockin' guitar player. We both thought it sounded great until we realized a second later the notion was impossibly ridiculous. Same goes for reaching your ideal weight -- it takes a concerted effort of regular exercise and healthy eating no sixth toe can buy.

While thumbing through a back issue of Fitness Magazine, I happened upon a great piece on 5 simple ways to "Supercharge Your Diet."

Here is what the folks at Fitness suggested:

1 - Try a Fat-Free Greek-style Yogurt: Regular yogurt does have its health benefits (acidophiles, vitamins, calcium, etc.), but it also has a great deal of sugar and calories. Even the low-fat versions are typically quite high in sugar. But, Greek-style yogurt is different; containing about 13 grams of protein and 6 grams or fewer of added sugar per serving.

2 - Whole Grain Crackers Instead of White Bread: White bread is very nasty on blood glucose levels. It will cause them to spike higher than will a slice of chocolate cake!! Whole grain crackers, by contrast, take much longer to digest, which means that their effect on your blood sugars will be far more in range. Plus, the added fiber -- combined with the longer digestion I just mentioned -- will leave you feeling fuller for a longer period of time than will white bread.

3 - Beans and Beans: Brown rice is better for you than white rice, basically for the same reasons listed in #2 about whole grain crackers versus white bread. But, brown beans are an even better option. If you're a beans and rice fan, maybe try a little beans and beans instead. One cup of kidney beans has 16 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein. For variety, try making a dish with kidney, black, and cannellini beans.

4 - Eat the Whole Egg: The egg-white omelet has become quite popular, largely because the white was touted as being the healthy part of the egg. While it is true that most of the egg's protein is found in the white, all of its nutrients are found in the yolk. The only word of caution is that the verdict is still out on whether or not egg yolks can contribute to a raise in cholesterol (although I've seen recent evidence to suggest that it doesn't).

5 - The Healthier PB&J Sandwich: Ditch the low-fat peanut butter and replace it with a healthy, regular version. Peanut butter is loaded with good fats (monosaturated), which are great for protecting your heart. Plus eating good fats with bread (as you would with a peanut butter sandwich) will slow down the absorption of the carbs found in the bread, therefore making them less likely to effect blood sugars and potentially be stored as fat. Just be sure to find a healthy version of peanut butter (i.e. not one loaded in sugar). As for the jelly, opt for the low-sugar or no-sugar kind. Most of these will be flavored with Splenda or some other sugar substitute. So, if you're the type that likes to avoid eating these chemically produced sweeteners, instead choose a jelly that is made from 100% fruit and does not contain any sugars beyond those found naturally in the fruits themselves.

It's two days before Thanksgiving, and the mass exodus has already begun. Who was stuck in traffic for two hours tonight, raise your hand? And who wished they had the foresight to take the back roads instead? Yup, got me on both of those. Fortunately, the holiday commute does eventually end, the stress does subside, and what will remain will be a delicious Thanksgiving spread.

But, as many writers here on That's Fit have pointed out, you do have to be a bit careful to not unintentionally go overboard with your eating this holiday. For this reason, I thought it would be most apropos to pay specific attention to the oft-forgotten fat and calorie culprit: The Dip.

The following list, sourced from the most recent issue of Fitness Magazine, points out which popular holiday dips you should and shouldn't be dippin' into. Still, I can't say I agree with all of them, which is why I offer up my own commentary as well.

SPINACH DIP

• They Say: Skip. Too many calories (78g) and too much fat (7.6g) per serving
• I Say: Dip. Spinach is extremely rich in several vitamins and minerals. And, but substituting a low or no fat cream cheese, you get rid of most of those unwanted calories and some or all of that fat.

SMOKED SALMON & CREAM CHEESE DIP

• They Say: Skip. Again, too many calories (70g) and too much fat (6g) per serving
• I Say: Dip. Salmon is extremely rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, so the fat you are getting is actually a healthy fat. what isn't, however, is the fat found in the cream cheese. The same remedy for the spinach dip also applies here - use low or no fat cream cheese.

HUMMUS

• They Say: Dip. Hummus is mostly made of chick peas, which are a great source of fiber. It also contains a healthy amount of olive oil, a source of a good fat.
• I Say: Dip. For all the same reasons.

SALSA

• They Say: Dip. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and vitamin A and C. Plus there are very few calories in salsa.
• I Say: Dip. Same deal - salsa, especially homemade salsa, is a rather healthy treat. Just be a bit more careful with the store bought kind, though. It sometimes can contain more sugar and much more sodium.

It seems as though the folks over at Fitness Magazine and I don't quite see things the same way on this. I suppose we can agree to disagree.

I'll have to try to keep that mentality as I'm driving home tomorrow night.

Serving as a redemption to their absurd article about working out with a frozen turkey (no, this was not an article about unenthusiastic personal trainers. Rather, it was a small, side-bar piece that explained how to get a resistance training workout by actually lifting a game bird all around your kitchen), Fitness Magazine offers 12 ways to burn an extra 250 calories per day in their November 2007 issue.

Here's a look at some of the "sneaky" methods they suggest:

1 - Take a 15-minute walk during your lunch break.

2 - Fidget. Apparently, you can burn up to 350 more calories per day by doing so.

3 - Shop for 2 hours. Obviously, this doesn't mean online.

4 - Stand when talking on the phone. Walking in place would be even better.

5 - Ride your bike or walk to do your errands.

6 - Have more sex. I doubt anyone would have any objection to this one.

7 - Plant flowers. Guys, if you prefer, you can plant Tonka trucks.

8 - Join a recreational sports team/league -- tennis, soccer, softball, etc. Clearly you need to actually play in the games in order to burn the extra calories. Simply signing up alone doesn't exactly do much for you physically.

9 - Take five separate "stroll breaks" throughout the day.

10 - Conduct meetings at the gym or on a track.

11 - Do three sets of 25 push-ups, lunges, and crunches before you get ready in the morning.

12 - Always take the stairs.

I'm now in my fourth year of being a 20 something, and -- while I'm generally aware of the sorts of foods that will keep my body healthy -- I only recently learned that some nutrients are particularly important for those of us who've yet to reach 30.

The first is protein. If you're in your 20s, chances are you lead a fairly hectic lifestyle, and have a tendency to eat on the go. But be careful -- if you're saving time by skimping on meals, you might be falling short of your Recommended Daily Allowance (RDI) for protein, which means your body isn't getting what it needs to build muscle.

We also, apparently, should be eating more potassium. Potassium also helps to build muscle, but a number of us don't get as much as we need. You can find all the potassium you need in fruits and vegetables.

Lastly, us 20 somethings should make sure we're getting enough omega-3 fatty acids. Women in particular are susceptible to depression in their 20s, which can occur due to low serotonin levels. Omega-3 fatty acids can help keep those levels where they need to be.

[via Fit Sugar]

Finding motivation for healthy living can be tough sometimes, so I look for it where ever I can. Which is why I started grabbing fitness magazines from the magazine rack on my way to the elliptical trainer. They're great sources of information – you can find exercises, eating plans, beauty info, fashion suggestions, recipes and a variety of other tidbits of info. I particularly love the inspirational stories of women who have changed their unhealthy habits and in turn changed their lives for the better. There are some great ones out there – Shape, Fitness, Self – and if you get the delivered to your home, you'll find yourself with motivation that comes regularly in the mail.

It's worth it. Right?