That's Fit

At my house this summer, we are enjoying the greatest fruit salads. Our typical heaping bowls of fruit include watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, kiwi, peaches, cherries, banana, grapes, and sometimes pineapple. My mouth waters at the thought of these in-season fruits. My heart sinks when I think of the day they are not so plentiful, when dare I say, they are not in season. It happens every year. And somehow we manage. We just aren't as hyped up about our off-season salads.

Fortunately, there are a lot of great in-season foods available right now. Real Simple magazine lists 11 of them. Check them out, and enjoy them while you can.

• Argula
• Basil
• Beets
• Bell Peppers
• Berries
• Chard
• Corn
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Stone Fruits (plums, peaches, and nectarines)
• Summer Squash

The American Cancer Society tells us that the hot dogs, burgers, and chicken we take on our picnics should be kept at 140 degrees F or higher and that our cold food should stay chilled at 41 degrees F or colder. Real Simple magazine weighs in on a few temperature matters too.

There are the basics: Normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees F, water boils at 212 degrees, and it freezes at 32 degrees. But what's the ideal temperature for wine? Well, 45-50 degrees F for white wine and 60-65 for red. What about that relaxing bath that's calling your name? Water temp should be 96-104 degrees. Make it any hotter and you may break down your skin's protective barrier, which guards against pollution, germs, and bacteria. Who knew?

Did you know your fridge should be set between 32 and 40 degrees and your freezer should register at a big fat 0? Food will spoil faster in warmer temps, and the quality of food will change if it's too cold. What about green tea? Your water should reach 170 degrees. This is lower than what you need for black tea because green leaves burn more easily. An omelet? You want an internal temperature of 160 degrees. And when your day is coming a close and it's time for a little shut-eye, snuggle in at a nice 68 degrees. A good sleep requires your body temperature to drop by losing heat into the environment. Sticking your arms and legs outside the covers and removing your bedtime socks will help the heat escape.

I always blame my headaches on food -- not enough food or too much of a certain food usually. Sugar definitely brings them on for me -- it's the reason I gave up sweets more than a year ago -- and sometimes, a snack full of protein helps them fade away. I've never given much thought to these three headache triggers, however. Real Simple magazine thinks they're worthy of a warning, though, so here they are.

• Ice Cream. Yep, I guess this makes sense. I just haven't ever had this type of headache last for very long. That's because it only lasts for about one minute, say the Real Simple folks. "Brain freeze" is caused when cold food touches the roof of your mouth and alters the blood flow in the brain or causes pain on a major nerve.
  
  
• Sex. It's not very common, but it's possible that sexual activity can trigger severe head pain. Usually nothing to worry about, you should see a doctor if the pain recurs.
  
  
• Secondary headaches. Also rare, these headaches are caused by a tumor or aneurysm. If your headaches worsen over time, see a doctor.
  
  

So, these three are possibilities. Think they're responsible for your headaches?

I'm not a juice girl. Never have been. Don't plan to become one. It comes down to sugar for me. Natural or not, I don't like how much comes packed into juice drinks.

Despite my own personal aversion to juice, it can be a nutritious beverage. Here, Real Simple magazine takes a look at eight different juices and reveals how they stack up healthwise.

• Apple Juice

• Cranberry Juice

• Grape Juice (red)

• Grapefruit Juice

• Orange Juice

• Pineapple Juice

• Pomegranate Juice

• Tomato Juice

Hungry at the ball game? Wave down that snack vendor and order peanuts in the shell. It's your healthiest option. The worst? Nachos with cheese. Tummy grumbling while you're stuck in the airport? Pizza, no pepperoni, is your best bet. There's protein in the cheese, and the tomato in the sauce counts as a veggie serving.

According to the Today Show and Real Simple magazine, a small bag of plain pretzels or whole wheat crackers with peanut butter from a vending machine are tops compared to any variety of chips or candy bars. Headed to the movies? Pick a child's size popcorn -- no butter -- and if you must have a sweet something, Junior Mints have less fat than most other sugary options. Two more tips: Avoid all "Jumbo" choices, and definitely don't opt for Milk Duds. A whole box will fill you with more than 500 calories.

Is a stop at a mall food court in your future? How about the mini-mart? Before you head to these locations, be sure to check out this article.

Gabriel Olds is a Hollywood actor. He's appeared on CSI, Law & Order: SVU and Six Feet Under, and his most recent film is Life of the Party. Usually the bad guy on TV, Olds is really a pretty good guy. Why? Because when it comes to women, it isn't fake boobs or fixed noses he prefers. Forget puffy lips and implanted buttocks. This guy like the real thing.

It took this guy a string of unsuccessful dates to figure out exactly what he wanted: Real bodies. He suspects other guys feel the same way.

"This is the part I think women don't understand," says Olds in a Glamour magazine interview. "When a guy falls in love, his lover's body parts become bewitching. I'm not going to tell you that our heads don't turn when we see a stacked blond walking down the street. But when we fall for you -- really, really fall for you -- you hijack our sense of beautiful. What's sexy to us? You -- in the "before" picture."

Buy your cheese in the dairy aisle and not the deli and you could save up to 30 percent since you're not paying someone to slice it for you. Buy your oranges, onions, and potatoes in the bag and not individually and you'll pay half the price.

Real Simple magazine lists some other supermarket-saving tips in their May 2008 issue. Like this: Purchase your seafood frozen, not fresh, and you'll be 20 to 40 percent richer. Remember this: Most "fresh" fish has been frozen for transport so essentially, both options are very similar.

Buy ground beef and chicken in bulk or in family portion sizes. You'll save about 20 percent on beef and 50 percent on chicken by going this route. And don't buy non-grocery items in a supermarket. Pick up your health and beauty items, for example, at Target or other mass marketers. They're cheaper at these locations.

For a quick lesson in smarter shopping, healthier eating, and better living, visit supermarketguru.com.

May is the best time to buy cookware, says Hugh Rushing, executive vice president of the Cookware Manufacturers Association. It's when retailers temporarily mark down prices in time for wedding and college graduation season. May is just around the corner. Ready. Set. Shop.

If you can't make it happen in May, October and November are your next affordable options. Holiday promotions kick in during these months. Any other time of the year? Forget it. Prices typically won't budge.

Mark your calendars for February and March if you're in the market for a bike or outdoor gear. This is when the season's new models come out and stores want to replace their fall and winter inventory.

For more scoop on the best time to buy -- airline tickets, big appliances, cars, mattresses -- take a stroll through this article.

I just picked up a fantastic book called Body Drama and I think it's something every female age fourteen years old and up should have. The book is based on the nitty gritty truth about all the weird things that happened to a woman's body and how to deal with it.

A woman's body is a wonderful thing. It's also confusing, stressful, a bit gross and totally out of control sometimes. Body Drama answers the questions ninety percent of us are way too embarrassed to ask. It is choc full of explicit pictures of REAL women who randomly volunteered to show their stuff.

• Uneven boobs? Check!
• Cellulite? Check!

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

Hooray for Paige Davis! I just got done interviewing the delightful host of TLC's Trading Spaces and I genuinely like her a lot. We spent an hour blabbing our brains out, and I have to tell you that the girl is as easy, sweet and likable in person as she is on the show. The world of home improvement fans exhaled a collective sigh of relief when TLC announced they were bringing back their beloved Paige.

She's sweet, she's smart, and she happens to have a smoking body. She's been professionally dancing for a very long time, and has some terrific advice to help get the rest of us in super shape as well. Paige's perspective on both life and fitness seems to be on track. Her enthusiasm is contagious. If you'd like to catch a case of her 'perfect life' germs...read on!

Fitz: You've been gone from Trading Spaces for a few years, and just finished shooting the first half of the new season. How'd it go?

Paige: Great! We've shot 13 episodes so far. It's been different, but great! It's wonderful to be back working with all of my friends who were there before. It is so much fun working with Frank. And Doug is like a sibling to me. We have this silly chemistry, and we just poke fun at each other and have a blast all the time. Plus, I've made lots of new friends. I love it.

Fitz: Moving is really hard work. The audience may wonder of you're just the cute perky girl hosting the show, without having to actual pitch in to the tasks. How much physical labor do you actually do while filming?

Some people struggling with eating disorders are finding a new therapy that works: Nourishing others.

Maria Rago, clinical director of an eating disorders program at Linden Oaks Hospital, is credited with this novel treatment approach for patients at her clinic. It works like this: Patients create grocery lists, go shopping, and cook for what Rago calls Real Meals. Essentially, those disgusted by eating prepare meals for large groups, like the homeless, and serve food to those who are suffering in different ways.

"The impact is powerful," says Rago. "They see how lucky they are."

Once, a teen patient burst into tears, afraid to take a bite and a homeless man comforted her. "Everyone ate that night," Rago reports.

Patients who sit down and eat with those in need come to appreciate how they take food for granted, how they deny themselves something central to living. This program allows for a reversal of self-absorption. It gives people a positive purpose. It boosts self-esteem. And it can work for people with other mental health issues too, like depression, anxiety, and alcoholism. Anyone trying to recover from anything can benefit from this type of volunteering.

Not trying to recover? I bet you can still benefit. Whenever you give of yourself, it's healthy.

Maybe so! I just got done chatting with the host of TLC's Trading Spaces, which by the way...is a lovely thing to do. Paige is saucy, fun and really very sweet. The type of girl you want to live right next to. I was interviewing Paige for a future Celebrity Fitzness Report and she was totally open and honest.

We talked health, fitness and show business. We also talked a bit about nudity. One of my reader's suggestions was to ask Paige if she'd ever pose in the buff. She didn't say no. In fact, under the 'right circumstances' she would do it. She didn't say she would do it to show off her fantastic figure (which she has) though......

Who out there has become a Facebook 'addict'? It's tough for many to not go overboard adding photos and searching out friends from high school and earlier. I think it's fun to see what everyone is up to and have the chance to send quick notes to say hello.

But quick notes don't equal a real, lasting friendship and the study reported on here discusses how those who use social networking sites and 'collect' dozens upon dozens of friends, will likely not be able to forge any true relationships with the friends they make on the site.

A real friend is someone who will be there for you physically and emotionally when you're in need. They'll make you laugh and keep you company when you're feeling lonely. The people you meet on Facebook you may never even see face-to-face, so if you're joining these kind of sites in the hopes of making new friends, it may be a better idea to join a local recreational sports team or hobby group.

Today on Oprah, new Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson took the spotlight dishing about her victory the night before. She also chatted about her new fitness habits. Since her role in Dreamgirls, Jennifer has lost a considerable amount of weight and admitted to doing it the old fashioned way.

It seems that many Hollywood beauties seem to spend time telling the press how they can eat anything they want, and never gain a pound. Hudson was real, and I think that's great for normal women everywhere. She didn't say exactly how much she has lost, but she did tell how she's doing it. She wakes up at 4:00AM to run for an hour, followed by an hour long workout in the gym with her trainer. She didn't mention it, but I'm positive she is modifying her eating habits as well.

It's nice that Jennifer shared the details of her efforts with the world. Too many people do very little and expect very big results. Knowing that a real woman like Hudson can run for an hour will probably motivate many more to do the same. I care very little about the Oscars, so today I think I'll give Miss Hudson the Fitzness Role Model Award for inspiring others to become more fit. Congratulations on your big win!

Kickboxing aerobics and tae-fitness classes have been the rage for the past few years. To some, they are a bit more fun and interesting than the traditional dance aerobics style group fitness classes. Instead of screaming "reach", instructors yell "punch" and the students go wild. Men are more inclined to venture into these fighting style classes as well. All good news.

As a competitive kickboxer of a little more than a decade I understand the lure. I was compelled toward the sport as a teen, and finally found a legitimate trainer at age 20. My first fight came soon after. I didn't invent kickboxing so I can truly brag about it. It works every muscle in your body from head to toe. It offers the benefits of intense cardiovascular training, builds strength, and increases flexibility. Not to mention it burns a bazillion calories. Oh! And so far, fighting is the most fun thing I've ever done in my life.

Back to those classes. I'm a fan of anything that makes people huff and puff, but if you're into that you may want to take it further. Find a class that utilizes equipment such as heavy bags, focus pads or kicking shields. Hitting the air is fun, but hitting an actual heavy bag is amazing. To me, hitting willing opponents........PRICELESS!

To find a martial arts school near you, visit http://www.martialsearch.com/usa.asp.