There are many attachments you can hook to your bike so your little ones can come along for the fitness ride. Obviously, safety is the number one concern when looking at rolling devices for your kids. A different type of bike carrier hit Fit Pregnancy's Top 9 products of the year for its safety and versatility.

Rather than attaching to your regular bicycle, the Zigo Leader Carrier Bicycle is an all-in-one system. It can be a standard bike, you can use just the ChildPod as a jogging/walking stroller, or use the bike while carting your child safely in front.

What's more, the bicycle has added safety features, like the rear window that allows parents to view their child(ren) at all times and the front bumper crumple zone. While nifty, the bike doesn't come at a small price. It's priced at $1349 -- an awful hefty sum. But if you're an avid biker, it might be worth the investment.

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Loving parents want the best for their children -- health, happiness, contentment and success. So this story of a family in the UK whose daughter is battling an eating disorder broke my heart. What makes the situation worse is that the teenager blames her problems on her father, who is obese.

So often, as parents, we worry about the external forces that influence our kids. From TV shows, to dolls, to ads in magazines ... everything is a potential force that can sway our kids away from the values we'd like them to have. But the influences within our homes are even stronger. The examples we set -- with our health, our actions, our morals -- are more powerful than any external source.

The dad whose daughter has an eating disorder and blames it on him was obviously heartbroken. He loves his daughter and he wants her healthy and well. I hope, while recognizing that his habits did influence her, he realizes that her eating disorder isn't his fault. I so respect the way he's handling it, though. As his daughter is receiving treatment for her eating disorder, he's also seeking help for his obesity. While they're on opposite sides of the issue, I wish them both the best of luck on resolving their issues with food and getting to a healthy weight.

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My son often begs for fruit snacks at the grocery store. Despite the hundreds of times I've told him otherwise, he still maintains that "they're fruit, so they're healthy!" Um ... no.

It turns out that my son isn't the only one confused by what actually counts as a serving of fruits or vegetables.
A recent British survey revealed lots of parents are confused as well. Some of the surprising results:

• One in 10 believed Jaffa Cakes (a cookie-like treat made with sponge cake, orange jelly, and chocolate) counted as a fruit.
• One in five believed orange squash (a sweetened, orange-flavored drink) counted as a fruit.
• One in five believed Spaghetti Hoops (like Spaghetti-O's) counted as a vegetable.
• One in 20 thought oranges and bananas didn't count as fruits.
• 15 percent of British parents don't believe it's their job to teach their kids about nutrition.

Wow. And though it's sad to say, I think a survey in North America would have similar results. Check out the gallery for some potentially confusing items.

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No one likes to hear bad things about their child. But what if it's the truth ... and their health depends on it?

What I'm talking about, of course, is your child's weight. Studies show that of parents of overweight kids, only 39% recognized that their child was overweight while 61% believed their child was a normal weight. But should parents be told the truth about their child's weight? Some believed that telling the parents could have adverse consequences. Until now, that is. Experts are finally agreeing that it's not harmful to be honest when it comes to such a weighty subject.

It's about time, if you ask me. Parents should know that their kids face potentially fatal health risks if they don't change their habits. But that's just my opinion -- what do you think?

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Quite a few years ago, a friend of mine had breast augmentation surgery. Nothing outlandish -- in fact, you could barely notice a difference. She just wanted to restore herself to the nicely-filled B cup she was before her pregnancies. She said that after her pregnancies and the subsequent years of breast feeding, she had "deflated." (Her words, not mine.) As a result, she felt self-conscious and didn't even like to wear t-shirts because she didn't feel good about herself.

Post-surgery she had two young kids that wanted their mom to lift them and play with them like she always did. She kept the explanation simple and just told them that mommy had an "owie" and wouldn't be able to lift them up for a while. When Jacki had her tummy tuck, she also had to find an age-appropriate way to explain her surgery to her young kids.

It can be scary for kids to see their parents hurting. And plastic surgery -- where a parent might end up looking a little different than they did before -- can be even scarier. A plastic surgeon has written a book called "My Beautiful Mommy" to help explain plastic surgery to kids in a positive, non-frightening, and age-appropriate manner.

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This morning was a special day for the mommies in my playgroup and I. Today we donated over 150 stuffed monkeys to the children being cared for at North Florida Regional Medical Center (NFRMC) in honor of our Angel Odessa. Odessa Virginia Webster was born at NFRMC on February 24, 2003, and landed back at the same hospital on March 25, 2004 for care after a fatal head injury. At thirteen months old, Odessa was stolen from her parents Matt and Anita, her loving family, and our already tight playgroup family. It was devastating for all of us, and out of our grief came an intense drive to honor our "Angel O".

To back up a bit, our playgroup began when our infants met at a "new mommy" luncheon hosted at NFRMC when they were two weeks old. Well, the infants didn't exactly meet each other, but us moms did ... and we decided then and there that we wanted to stick together. That made ten families dealing with the insanity of newborns and leaning on each other for friendship, advice, stress relief, and fun. We literally have been getting together for "playgroup" every Tuesday since, and our children are all addicted to each other; the best of friends. At the start, we would have never imagined what would come for us, for her, the following year. I just remember checking my email one day and opening one from Anita with "Odessa Virginia Webster" as the title. I expected to see a new photo from a portrait studio. A portrait was included, but it went along with a letter written by Anita informing us that her daughter was gone. "Please don't call now. I'm not ready to talk" she wrote. I simply can't describe the agony that followed for all of us.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. 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. Hi Fitz. I would like to start teaching my family good eating habits. I'm overweight and my children are too. Where should I start? Thanks. Charlene

A. Hello Miss Charlene. Thanks for the great question. Raising fit and healthy children is my soap box, and actually one of my favorite lecture topics. Why? It's so important! Parents literally have the capability to set their children up with terrific habits which will greatly increase their chances of living a long healthy life. What a wonderful gift! The opposite is true as well. Moms and Dads who do not insist upon healthy foods and exercise can doom their children with awful diseases, ailments and even worse ... premature death. Junk food is no fun in the long run, and we as parents, owe it to our beautiful babies to provide a healthy start.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. 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. Hey Fitz. I am 12 years old and am a little chunky. I have love handles and wish to get rid of them, but I don't know what I should do! I was trying sit ups and crunches, but they don't work. Now I want to know what really works and how I can keep my body in shape without body fat . Everyone says that I'm not fat nor skinny, I'm just chunky. I want to get rid of all the chunky parts, but I don't know what I should do. Please help! Jellybean

A. First of all Jellybean, I want you to change your focus. I know it's hard to be young and uncomfortable in your skin. I too, had that issue before I was a teenager and ended up with a traumatic eating disorder. Trust me ... it brought me only bad things, never good. Don't go there. Instead of focusing on your so-called "flaws", find something about your body you like. I bet your body is loaded with treasures.

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In addition to coaxing our kids to eat their vegetables, it seems my husband and I are forever correcting our kids at the dinner table. "Sit up straight." "Don't play with your food." "Chew with your mouth closed." The coaching never ends. We keep at it because we want our boys to be polished when eating in public or dining at friends' houses. It's a tough job, though, as it should be.

For us, table manners are automatic -- as simple as chewing and swallowing, say the editors at Scholastic Parent & Child magazine. For a child, learning to behave at mealtime is big stuff. It takes a whole new set of skills to master manners. And it's our job to teach those skills, no matter how hard the job. Here are a few tactics we all might employ during our respective mealtime madness moments.

• Role play table manners during a tea party or while playing "restaurant." You'll have fun, while practicing and teaching lessons all at the same time.
  
  

• Keep rules simple and positive so your kids can remember them. "We sit." "We eat with our forks."
  
  
• Reinforce rules during mealtime. Hand your child a fork and napkin, and remind him to use them.
  
  
• Set a good example. Role model the manners you want to see your child display. Eventually, he will follow in your footsteps.
  
  
• Get silly. Practice bad manners and ask your child to identify what you're doing wrong.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. 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 two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Dear Fitz, My husband makes a big stink when I give our kids any type of 'sugar candy' like gummy bears or bubblegum. The kids are totally skinny and I don't see what the big deal is. They are kids! What do you think? Christy

A. Hey Christy. Your husband is a freaking genius. That's what I think! He has the insight and thoughtfulness to know that as parents, you should be teaching your children the best habits possible. He knows that your children are less likely to eat nutritious things when they've had a dose of candy. They're more likely to deal with the pain and terror that comes along with having their cavities filled if you give them candy. They're more likely to struggle with their weight and other less than lovely issues later on in life if you don't instill high standards in them today.

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If your dad was obese when he was young, are you at a higher risk of liver disease? A recent study indicates you are.

The U.S. study, including over 1700 participants with an average age of 42, found that "people whose fathers were clinically obese at an early age were more likely to have increased liver enzyme levels, an indicator of liver disease." These findings held ground regardless of the subject's BMI, indicating that the father's weight truly is a factor.

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Parents are the first line of defense in protecting their children from poor diets, says Dr. Gerard J. Musante, founder of the residential weight loss program Structure House.

Think of obesity the way you think about the diseases for which you get your child vaccinated, Musante tells Scholastic's Parent & Child Magazine. The "shot" your kids need in the diet arena is your behavior and good example.

Musante has a few tips for getting your kids in tip-top shape.

The first two years of life are critical for teaching kids how to eat right and move right, he says. So make sure you have the right foods in your house. If you don't, forgo the complaints later down the line about school vending machines. If the same junk fills your cupboards, you have no room to grumble.

Be a good role model too. And take your children to gymnastics, swimming, or dance classes. This will teach your kids to crave activity, not food. Combine with limited TV watching and computer time and you've got the makings for positively healthy kiddos.

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I just returned from what was supposed to be a short two hour trip to the mall to grab some Black Friday deals, and boy did I have my butt kicked! Instead of a short visit, I spent two hours shopping and waiting in the Disney Store line alone, followed by three more tedious hours in only two more shops. I'm DONE!

Normally, I'm capable of full-blown kickboxing for at least two hours, but apparently that's way easier than standing around at the mall. What is that all about? Maybe what added to my exhaustion was the mental strain involved in spending a bazillion dollars in one morning. I only felt a little bit bad about it though, because I saved a few million. Isn't it strange that we rationalize these sales? I did 'save' a bunch, but I think I definitely bought more things because of the sales. I don't know.

Nonetheless. I'm pooped! Tired! Whipped! Drained! My feet hurt and I'm taking the rest of the day off. I've raised my white flag! This fitness trainer has been beaten. Mall 1 - Fitz 0.

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According to a study done by Marcus Westin of Uppsala University, single parents have poorer health than married couples or couples living together. The results applied to both single moms and single dads, although single mothers were less likely to seek medical help when needed than single fathers (and both were less likely than their married counterparts). The studied seemed to show a strong link between the generally poorer health of single parents and the decreased social outlets they inevitably face as a result of being solely responsible for children. Marcus Westin believes that the solution lies in making it easier for single parents to get out and involved in civic and social activities.

That kind of makes sense, although I'm thinking stress probably has something to do with it too?

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Surprisingly, even though new parents may feel that they're always on the go and never have a moment to themselves, it seems becoming a parent actually means becoming less active overall. Even when compared to newlywed couples, new parents still lost more time spent doing physical activities each week, on average.

Obviously the biggest obstacle for parents is dealing with the sudden new demands on their time, which doesn't leave room for exercise or anything else for themselves. Suggestions? Try working out at midday (when you probably have more control), in several shorter 10 minutes sessions, or simply take your kid(s) with you. And of course check out our "Working in the Workouts" feature for many more 'real life' help and ideas on fitting in fitness as a busy parent. But whatever you do one thing is pretty clear: it's going to have to be very much on purpose!

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