That's Fit

Women's Health magazine just sent me a release with some fun tips entailed, and I thought I'd share this one with you. Four fabulous moves useful for those of you guilty of missing morning workouts to sleep in late, and then missing the gym after work due to fatigue. As your online trainer I want to make this clear to you: skipping your workouts on a regular basis is detrimental to your health!

Of course, early morning workouts can be tough. They're also what keeps you full of the energy you need to get through each day with vigor! Check out this gallery, and next time you go to hit the snooze button ... get your fanny up and do the Cat Cow pose instead. (No moo-ing necessary!) These four easy moves will give you the energy to get to the gym and start your day off right!

You should be drinking water -- you don't need eight full glasses a day but too little water can have negative effects on your body and mood. Once you start to feel thirsty, your body is already somewhat dehydrated so keep the water flowing all day.

You should be swimming in water -- nothing too strenuous, just a leisurely paddle in the pool can boost your mood. Do your exercise in the water and you might just feel that "high" runners talk about, but without overstressing your joints.

I have a total love/hate relationship with medicine. Although I value science and medicine, quite often I can't stand the affects they have on me. I simply can't stand to be drowsy, foggy or affected in any way. Prescriptions are great if they fix what's wrong with you, but all of the side effects are for the birds. I suppose if we all took each drug correctly, we may have less. So, I was particularly intrigued when Women's Health posted a study regarding drug labels.

According to a survey in the Annals of Internal Medicine, almost half of the participants misunderstood drug warning labels, and most ignored the directions altogether. This gallery provides some of the most common instructions you'll find on those little stickers slapped on each bottle and what they really mean.

I'm curious about how Victoria Beckham stays so skinny. I'm not alone. The media has long speculated about how Posh maintains her rail thin body. Well, it's not from diet pills, says the superstar, who will sue the U.K. magazine NOW over an article claiming she's hooked on them (and sex too).

Says the Brit's agent: "The accusation is dangerous, defamatory and blatantly untrue. Victoria takes her position as a role model to young women very seriously and is horrified by this hurtful, fabricated story. It is now with her lawyers."

Now's story claimed that the former Spice Girl's sister has been getting the pills for her in Britain and then shipping them to the U.S.

I'm not sure I could ever finish a marathon, let alone log 26.2 miles while running backwards. But people have done it -- run marathons backwards, that is.

Ask Miles from Runner's World says more runners than we'd think have finished in this manner. In March, Rome held a backward marathon with 44 registered runners. And in 2004, Chinese runner Xu Zhenjun ran a 3:43:39 backward marathon. I'm dizzy just thinking about it. And pretty impressed too.

Got any backward fitness feats up your sleeve?

There are skinny folks out there who don't exercise and don't eat right. You might be one of them. Ah, the blessed souls who enjoy slim figures without skimping or sweating. Well, maybe they are not so blessed, says Prevention magazine.

In one Mayo Clinic study of 1,101 women (average age: 41), 54% turned up as "normal weight obese." This means despite a healthy weight on the scale, these gals were carrying around body fat of more than 30%. Translation: Nearly four times the risk of metabolic syndrome, double the risk of prediabetes, and a 20% jump in high blood pressure.

In light of this news, and regardless of how thin you might appear, you ought to have your body fat measured by a doctor or the experts at a local health club. If your number is high, I've got a prescription for your: Regular cardio, strength-training, and a healthy diet, all of which can help you lose fat and maintain lean muscle.

I have a pretty good cardio routine that I like and never seem to tire of, but I'm always on the lookout for new toning and strengthening exercises to try. I'm quickly heading toward 36 (gah!) -- a number that's officially, undeniably, can't-fight-it-any-longer, my later 30's. So toning up and keeping fit is more important than ever to me.

Fitness Magazine share five flab-fighting moves. Using only a beach towel (or large bath towel) and a decent amount of balance, you can tone and strengthen your arms, core, and legs in this quick and fun 15-minute workout. I tried it out this morning and really enjoyed it. Give it a shot!

No, organic soda is not the way to go. The only way to go when it comes to soda is to skip it altogether.

Organic soda, like all soda, contains zero nutrients -- and a bigger price tag. A six-pack of the organic stuff will cost you about $5, and yes, it's made without high fructose syrup (clearly, a bonus) but each can contains 120 calories -- that's 20 more than a 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola Classic.

Cutting back on nutritionally-void foods and drinks is the best way to go, says Prevention magazine. So ditch the soda and any other organic junk food that temps your taste buds. These items might be better for the planet, but they aren't any better for you.

Are you working your butt off but noticing not much of a change in your body? Could be something simple holding you back. Like your posture.

Slumping while doing cardio ups your heart rate, says one recent study cited in Prevention magazine. The result: Your workout is harder. Try pulling back your shoulder blades next time you hop on your favorite machine and you'll notice that you're able to take in more oxygen. Your pace should pick up. And you'll burn more calories too.

A little posture goes a long way. Give it a try.

Funny lady Kathy Griffin makes no joke about the fact that she's had plastic surgery. The 47-year-old also makes no joke about her recent proclamation that she will never again go under the knife.

The star of Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List tells Fitness magazine that surgery never made her any happier, didn't make her look younger, and didn't help her get any jobs. And guess what, she says: "No one expected me to come out in a bikini anyway."

Griffin's new body-image plan: To learn to live with the normal fluctuations in her weight.

Here I thought Cosmo was all about sex, seduction, and giving men what they really want. Not so. The magazine also dishes out a lesson or two on health. Right now on its website is a whole how-to piece on giving your skin a monthly once-over in the name of cancer prevention.

In addition to an annual dermatologist screening, you should be following these simple steps. Find something suspicious? Report it to your doc right away.

• Start at the bottoms of your feet and work your way up your legs, torso, back, and arms. Carefully examine every mole and mark. Don't forget to look at your nails and hair. Look underneath every strand of hair. If you need to, use a blow-dryer to part the hair.
• Look for ABCD – asymmetry (one side doesn't match the other), a jagged border, a color that is not brown or contains more than one color within one mark, and/or a diameter larger than a quarter inch.
  
• Document the description of any spot and its location so you can tell your doctor.

My two cents: Have a partner check out hard-to-see areas and consider using a digital camera to capture your spots. Save them on your computer and compare each month's photos.

A breath mint is another coffee breath killer, but it will only work in the short-term. Consider it a hold-over until you can round up your toothbrush and paste. Can't get to a mint or the bathroom sink? In a pinch, you can fill your mouth with water and give it a good swish.

Want whiter and brighter teeth? Look no further than your food. Grab an apple, some carrots, a cucumber now and then and you'll scrub your stains away. It's the abrasive or crunchy quality of these foods that do the trick, says Elisa Mello, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in New York City. Items to avoid: Red wine, coffee, and cola, which may darken your pearly whites.

Another cleaning trick, says Mello for Woman's Day magazine (July 8, 2008), is to sip staining beverages through a straw and then chase with plenty of water to prevent them from leaving a mark.

For more tips on eating for healthy teeth, check out fatfreekitchen.com.

I hate a growling stomach. Well, my own growling stomach, anyway. Other people's grumbling bellies don't bother me at all. When it's mine, though, I want it to stop. Real Simple magazine (August 2008) offers two tips for people like me who wish to silence the screams.

• Eat. Our stomachs are constantly churning, and they churn more when hungry.
• Don't chew gum -- swallowing air only exacerbates the sound.
  
  

And here's my two cents: Carry around portable, healthy snacks wherever you go so you can buy some time between grumblings and mealtimes. Try some popcorn, whole wheat crackers, or a handful of nuts.

• To lose 10 pounds of body fat per year, you need to eat 100 less calories per day. Cut more than this and you might zap your energy level and increase your hunger.
• Don't skip breakfast. Be sure to eat within two hours of waking.
• Eat more breakfast than you should – just cut down on dinner calories to compensate.
• Don't get hungry. Eat every four hours. Split a meal for pre- and post-exercise fuel. For example, eat a banana before you work out and a bagel with peanut butter after.
• Eat at least three kinds of food during each meal from four categories: breads, cereal, and grains; fruits and veggies; low-fat dairy and soy; and lean meats, fish, and nuts. Make breads, cereals, and grains the foundation of each meal and use protein as an accompaniment.
• Be happy with gradual loss of body fat. The more quickly you lose it, the more likely you are to put it back on.
• Limit liquid calories. They add up and can lead to weight gain.
• Eat Earth foods – fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Ditch processed foods – they offer less fiber and are less satisfying.
• Nix the fast food. If you can't give it up cold turkey, go for the most nutritional fare on the menu. Avoid fried and crispy foods and special sauces too.
• Don't rely on energy bars, sports drinks, or gels.
  

Runner or no runner, these seem like great tips to me? How about you?