That's Fit

It's a healthy step, says larger-than-average model Emme -- she wore a size 14/16 at her career high -- of the "plus-size" crowning of 20-year-old Whitney Thompson. But it's still ridiculous, she says. "In our society, she's normal."

What does the big winner have to say about all of this? Here are a few of her thoughts.

• Revenge is sweet, she says, after being called "fat" by mean girls in her Atlantic Beach, Florida hometown.

• Despite teasing, she's never obsessed about her diet. "You don't have to starve to be beautiful," she says. "I made that decision in seventh grade, when my friends were drinking Slim-Fast."

• About speculation that she hasn't always been a size 10 but once fit into size 4 clothing: Never, she reports. She was once a size 6 but shot up to her current 10 in college. She has no plans for slimming down.
  
  

• Thompson also says she was never asked by ANTM staffers to put on weight to fit into the "plus-size" category. Had they asked, she says, she would not have done it.

The world of plus-size modeling may not be large, but here are a few celebs known for strutting their full-figured selves.

My top five veggies are broccoli, peas, corn, squash, and spinach salad leaves. These aren't the five eaten by the majority of Americans, though. The overall top five in this country, according to Canyon Ranch's Connection magazine, are:

• Iceberg lettuce

• French fries

• Potatoes

• Potato chips

• Canned tomato

This is alarming, says the Ranch experts, because these foods have far fewer vitamins than other vegetables. Don't be part of the statistic, they say. Instead, make an effort to eat one new veggie per week so you'll get a wider variety of nutrients.

Tyra Banks' and her America's Next Top Model panel of judges just crowned another winner. Her name is Whitney Thompson, and there's nothing skin and bones about the girl who says she feels validated after so many years of being judged.

The 20-year-old Thompson is the first plus-sized model to win Top Model honors and the first of the show's winners to kind of resemble the average American woman. Media reports peg Thompson as a size 8/10.

Thompson said she's already heard from boys and girls all over the world who are struggling with weight and eating issues. "They're thanking me for standing up and saying, 'I am a plus-size model and I am beautiful,'" says this Florida gal who is the lucky recipient of an Elite modeling contract and a fashion spread in Seventeen magazine.

Whether your (bra) cups runneth over or the only cleavage you are able to show is with your toes, you still want to have the best breasts possible. And no, I'm not suggesting implants or augmentations -- this post isn't about surgical enhancement. I'm talking about simple things you can do at home to get "wow" breasts, and according to Fitnessmagazine.com, it only takes three steps!

You might not be planning to wear tops cut "down to there," but chances are good that sometime this summer you'll find yourself in a top with a neckline that shows at least a little bit of your chest. And when that day comes, you'll be glad you've been taking care of the "girls," believe me!

• No more zits! Did you know that the skin of your decolletage has just as many oil glands as the skin on your face? And, be honest -- even if you wash your face every night before you go to bed, how often do you wash your cleavage in between showers? I don't know about you, but I can truthfully say never. If your chest is prone to breaking out, use an anti-acne body wash with 5% benzoyl peroxide once a day. And, when you work out, wear fabrics that breath and wick away sweat. You can also treat trouble areas with a 2% salicylic-acid body spray after exercising to banish bacteria.

Choosing the right sports bra requires attention to a number of factors. First and foremost is your bust size. Obviously, the big busted woman is going to require a different type of support than a woman with small-bust needs.

Second, take into account what you need it for. Playing basketball or jumping rope requires a different level of support than going for a walk, and it really is important that, if you plan to do some jumping activities, you find a bra that keeps you from bouncing.

SheFinds.com came up with a comprehensive list of the Best Sports Bras using the editors' expertise as well as input from readers. There are bras for busts large and small made for all different activities. Check them out in the gallery and be sure to leave a comment sharing your favorite sports bra!

The fitness equipment, apparel and boxing giant Everlast was so impressed with our That's Fit Fitzness Fiends that they're ready to start rewarding people. Not only am I, your loving online fitness trainer, proud of you all, but Everlast is proud of you too!

Everlast is rewarding an Everlast Fitzness Fiend of the Week with one of their hot new tank tops from their Spring collection. They're absolutely gorgeous, totally comfy, and of ridiculously high quality.

I'm thrilled with the grand response from those of you who've already participated as a Fiend, and even more excited to meet the rest of you!Presents aside, the Fitzness Fiend feature is a great way to share much that you've learned on your way to becoming more fit. We've all ventured down so many paths to better health, it'd be a sin not to share our secrets and successes with others!

To celebrate its 20th birthday, 'Cooking Light' magazine is enumerating 20 cities that best match its philosophy. The criteria included whether or not the residents where in good health, how many farmer's markets does the city have, and how often do they exercise. There were 15 benchmarks in total needed to make the list, so check it out to see which cities made the cut!

Bringing up the rear is Kansas City. This metropolitan community was found to have the purest water of any other major city in the country! Other hot spots included Atlanta, Georgia. Having over 50,000 people participate in their Peachtree Road Race makes them the host of the largest 10k run in the world.

Ever been to Minneapolis? Sitting pretty at number 4, this city's natural attractions and landscapes make it worth standing out. But which place holds the top rank? Seattle, Washington -- fresh food, pedestrian atmosphere, and "inclusive attitudes" put this city at #1. See which other locations made the list, perhaps you're living it!

Congratulations to our Everlast Fitzness Fiend of the Week, Carolyn Kachinsky. Carolyn has literally transformed herself in to one hot mother (of five) in just 24 months! This 45 year old masterpiece of lean muscle gives new meaning to the term "it's never too late". Hopefully she'll send us a photo in her new Everlast tank top. I'm so impressed and inspired by Carolyn. Doesn't she make you want to do better too?

Maybe you'd like to win a smokin' tank from the Big E as well? Wouldn't it be nice to be rewarded for your efforts every now and then? I think you should be. I think you should be my next Everlast Fitzness Fiend of the Week! ....

The fitness equipment, apparel and boxing giant Everlast was so impressed with our That's Fit Fitzness Fiends that they're ready to start rewarding people. Not only am I, your loving online fitness trainer, proud of you all, but Everlast is proud of you too!

For the next two months (at minimum), Everlast will be rewarding an Everlast Fitzness Fiend of the Week with one of their hot new tank tops from their Spring collection. They're absolutely gorgeous, totally comfy, and of ridiculously high quality.

I'm thrilled with the grand response from those of you who've already participated as a Fiend, and even more excited to meet the rest of you!Presents aside, the Fitzness Fiend feature is a great way to share much that you've learned on your way to becoming more fit. We've all ventured down so many paths to better health, it'd be a sin not to share our secrets and successes with others!

The fitness equipment, apparel and boxing giant Everlast was so impressed with our That's Fit Fitzness Fiends that they're ready to start rewarding people. Not only am I, your loving online fitness trainer, proud of you all, but Everlast is proud of you too!

For the next two months (at minimum), Everlast will be rewarding an Everlast Fitzness Fiend of the Week with one of their hot new tank tops from their Spring collection. They're absolutely gorgeous, totally comfy, and of ridiculously high quality.

I'm thrilled with the grand response from those of you who've already participated as a Fiend, and even more excited to meet the rest of you!Presents aside, the Fitzness Fiend feature is a great way to share much that you've learned on your way to becoming more fit. We've all ventured down so many paths to better health, it'd be a sin not to share our secrets and successes with others!

Congratulations to our Everlast Fitzness Fiend of the Week, Russell Hay! Russell expanded his workouts to the Trapeze, Acrobatics and Acrobalance. Now Everlast is sending him a gorgeous tank top, so he can look hot while flying through the air!

The fitness equipment, apparel and boxing giant Everlast was so impressed with our That's Fit Fitzness Fiends that they've offered to reward our devoted readers! Not only am I proud of you all, but Everlast is proud of you too!

For the next two months (at minimum), Everlast will be rewarding an Everlast Fitzness Fiend of the Week with one of their hot new tank tops from their Spring collection. They're absolutely gorgeous, totally comfy, and of ridiculously high quality.

I'm thrilled with the grand response from those of you who've already participated as a Fiend, and even more excited to meet the rest of you! ...........

Padma Lakshmi is an Indian-American supermodel, actress, chef, cookbook author, ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund for Women, and host of Bravo TVs Top Chef. She can also add "blogger" to her resume because this accomplished one has been recapping snippets from her reality show via her video blog.

Lakshmi, a culinary goddess who features in her cookbooks recipes for a delicious low fat diet, reveals more than critiques of Top Chef contestants on her blog. She also shares tidbits about her own approach to food and drink. Through my own tour of her blog, I learned that she's a big lover of breakfast -- it is the most important meal of the day, you know -- and while she doesn't consider herself a big drinker, she does enjoy white wine, red wine, and single malt Scotch. She also loves green markets and enjoys cooking with items grown by local farmers. Lakshmi likes to take classic recipes, like macaroni and cheese, and add one or two ingredients to add a twist. And she's all for basic cooking. The better the chef, the more simple the cooking gets, she says.

There's quite a lot to learn Lakshmi, whose cookbook Easy Exotic was awarded Best First Book at the 1999 World Cookbook Awards at Versailles. See for yourself what this top chef has to offer by visiting her blog.

The modeling world seems, to me anyway, to be a strange place. As Martha Edwards recently reported, a size-10 model in England who won a 'Next Top Model-type' competition, is considered to be plus-sized even though she is still smaller than most regular women.

I also think it's ridiculous how young many of the girls working in the industry are. Recently, John Howard, the Prime Minister of Australia, joined many others in criticizing a fashion event for using a 13-year-old as the face of the show. I agree with those who were opposed to using such a young girl in an event targeted toward adult buyers. While she may look older, it doesn't make her able to deal with the consequences of such a grown-up business.

I don't understand why regular-sized women of an appropriate age can't be considered top models. I know I don't want to buy clothes I've seen hanging of fa child. What do you think?

I found volumes of solid, reliable information on the Internet when I was newly diagnosed with breast cancer and navigating my way through a maze of uncertainty. I also found loads of questionable material and ended up feeling quite overwhelmed at times about all that I'd uncovered.

The Internet can be a scary place. Anyone with an opinion can post anything on a Web site, appearing an expert to those searching desperately for direction about health matters. Therefore, it's important to locate sites that are reputable and worthy of your attention.

Take note, because here are some reviewed, ranked, and rated Web sites, part of a more comprehensive listing of the Top 20 health Web sites. Thanks to Consumer Reports WebWatch and the Health Improvement Institute for compiling these valuable resources.

Sadly, the way the hospital system works most people rarely (if ever) get a choice regarding which hospital they're treated in. It's either an emergency and you end up where ever the ambulance takes you, or if it's a planned situation your choices are usually dictated by your insurance company. But all of that aside, amidst all the health care debates and red tape, some hospitals are rising to the top and managing to give superior care to the people lucky enough to get a bed in one of their rooms.

Leapfrog Group, a health care business group, recently conducted a survey to find the nations top hospitals. They came up with a list of 33 hospitals and 8 children's hospitals all across the country. The best are mostly located in big cities (which is a little frustrating for somebody like me in small town Iowa) and although you can see the complete list here the top three hospitals are:

• Alta Bates Summit Medical Center-Summit Campus, Oakland CA
• Baystate Medical Center, Springfield MA
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston MA

If you or a loved one have ever been treated here count yourself lucky! Unless you had a bad experience?