Scottish chocolate lovers could soon be paying more for their favorite sweet treats. A local medical committee is expected to hear opinions this week on whether or not they should ask the government to tax products containing chocolate. Customers looking for that sweet, sweet endorphin rush would pay 10-20 percent more for their favorite candy bars or boxed chocolates.

The reason chocolate's in the hot seat, of course, is because people eat too much of it. Dr. David Walker, general practitioner and general buzz killer, says that people can eat their daily calorie quota in chocolate ... on top of their regular meals. "One of the major causes of that has got to be chocolate. The quantities of chocolate being consumed now come into the same realm as alcohol, and all that has been said about the damage that is causing," says Dr. Walker.

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As you may have heard, Gwyneth Paltrow is opening a gym in New York's Tribeca area. But if you're based in the Big Apple and you're hoping to sweat it out with the Oscar-winning actress herself, don't hold your breath -- this gym is so exclusive, even Gwynnie's mom doesn't think she'll be able to get a membership. "Gwyneth has got something like 800 people that have joined. I hope I can get a membership!" says Blythe Danner, Gwyneth's mother. "I haven't seen it yet, but it's going to be gorgeous for sure -- just like Gwyneth's style."

But as far as exercise buddies go, you could definitely do worse than this fit mame -- her fitness DVDs have be flying off the shelf, and she's always keen to dish out advice on eating well. Still, unless your name is Madonna, I think most of us will have to settle for paying frequest visits to her website to get encouragement from this super celeb.

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Looking for a new, fun way to shape up that booty? How about going Bollywood?

One of this year's biggest movies, Slumdog Millionaire, isn't just bringing attention to the stars of the film -- it's also shining a bit of light on a form of fitness that's actually been around for awhile, Masala Bhangra. New York-based fitness instructor Sarina Jain is celebrating her tenth year of teaching the Masala Bhangra dance workout, and has six Masala Bhangra fitness videos out (the most recent being Back to Bollywood, which I'll be reviewing soon right here at That's Fit).

Masala means "spicy" and Bhangra is a folk dance from the northern part of India -- you can definitely see where both come into play! The workout has a bunch of celeb fans, too -- Paulina Porizkova takes Sarina's class every week, and Deepak Chopra likes the workout so much that he's had Sarina speak at his retreats. Additionally, So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Nakul Mahajan loves it, and after seeing the dance he choreographed for the show last season, who wouldn't love it, too?

Check out the video above to see what this cultural dance workout is all about, and be sure to click on the America Takes It Off badge below for more ways to shape up and lose weight!

New Year's Eve is fast approaching. When the numbers 2-0-0-9 light up Times Square, they'll have been powered not by traditional energy, but by human-powered energy.

Duracell set up a "Power Lodge" in Times Square where people can come and ride a stationary bike to generate energy that will be stored and used during the New Year's celebration. And while many average Joes and Janes are surely contributing to the 230 hours of bike riding needed, some famous faces (and legs) have stopped by as well. Just think -- not only is the Duracell Power Station generating green energy, it's also helping New Yorkers shed some extra calories; 230 hours of bike riding has burned roughly 131,560 calories from the combined volunteers. That's not too shabby!

Gisele Bundchen did her part. She said her efforts were "in support of the Agua Limpa Project which was started by my father and provides clean drinking water to people in regions of Brazil." Good for you, Gisele -- but are you engaged or aren't you?. Other celebs who have hopped on the bike include Katie Couric, Nick Lachey, Natasha Bedingfield and Christian Siriano.

[via Tonic]

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Last spring, NYC restaurants were required to post calorie counts for all foods. Each meal, each brownie, each special coffee drink... labeled with that little (or not-so-little) number. Now, months after the change was made, Self Magazine checked in with New Yorkers to see the results.

The magazine surveyed 100 New York women and found:

• 79% like that calories are clearly posted
• 55% order less now that they know what's in their meal.
• 13% have stopped going to certain eateries altogether.

Many of the women quoted in the article state that the calorie information has changed their habits. Either they're limiting the number of times they indulge in their favorite treats or they're opting for lower-calorie items instead.

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It was back-to-school for New York students this week, but there was a new policy in place. This year, a new policy went into effect, and students are being weighed as part of their health certificate. The data will enable health officials to map childhood overweight and obesity trends based on location.

There are 12 other states -- Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia -- with some form of student BMI reporting.

As a parent, I'm not overtly opposed to it. In fact, I remember getting weighed in gym class and during all of my physicals in order to play school sports. I do have a couple of concerns, though. I would hope that student privacy is maintained and their weight isn't being taken in a line where all the kids could see the number on the scale. I would also hope that health and a positive body image is being promoted -- the self esteem of children can be a fragile thing and I hope it's being protected.

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When I think of Reebok, my mind immediately goes to the most fashion forward cities in the world, like Paris and Madrid. Doesn't yours? It should!

Reebok is debuting its Freestyle World Tour Collection with a campaign that began on February 21. The footwear and apparel line is inspired by the "iconic Freestyle shoe that forever changed the face of women's fitness." Back in the 1980's, when Freestyles first hit the streets, they were just as much about fashion as they were about fitness.

This time around, Reebok will incorporate a completely original campaign, basing its line on six up and coming young women from six cities around the world -- Tokyo, Paris, New Delhi, Madrid, London, and NYC. Six different versions of the Freestyle have been created based upon each of these cities. For example, Tokyo's has flashy foil, while London's shoe is a reserved mix of muted colors.

Check them out -- which shoe epitomizes your sense of fitness fashion?

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