Photo: Mike Baird, Flickr

Obviously, exercise is good for you, but just how much it benefits you depends on many factors, including your gender and your race, according to a long-term study led by the University of Northern Carolina.

Researchers have been tracking exercise and cholesterol levels in 15,000 African American and Caucasian men and women since the late 1980s. In all groups, adding an hour of mild exercise or a half an hour of moderate exercise a week increased levels of 'good' cholesterol, the heart-healthy HDL kind. However, the increased activity lead to lower levels of LDL ('bad') cholesterol only in women, not men. Additionally, the only group to exhibit improvement in all cholesterol levels were African American women. Caucasians who exercised more saw a decrease in harmful triglycerides, but African Americans didn't show the same result.

The reason for the differences? Researchers aren't sure, but they suspect it has something to do with hormonal differences between the sexes and genetic difference between races. Furthermore, the method of research -- questionnaires -- means the results might not be entirely accurate.

If you're a woman, this is even more motivation to step it up, because it's evidence that even a small change can make a big difference. But regardless of your race or gender, regular exercise is vital to your heart health and overall well-being -- so get moving!

Need more motivation? Find out how Michelle Obama sculpts those smokin' arms.

Some women may think exercise is boring. If only they knew some core strengthening moves have the possibility of leading to an orgasm.

Sounds like a myth, doesn't it? But Women's Health has quotes from a number of women who swear that they've experienced the elusive "coregasm." Since these women have nobody to please but themselves, I think it's safe to say they're not faking it. And experts agree that it's possible.

Ladies, we can't all pull off multiples and we may not all be capable of coregasms, either. But if you want to give it a try, Women's Health has a series of moves that have worked for other women. At the very least, you'll be strengthening your core. At best, you'll finish your workout with a smile on your face.

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One of the easiest ways to cut calories and sugar from your diet is to give up your soda habit. But for one Swedish woman, asking her to quit drinking Coke is like asking her to quit breathing. She took drinking soda to an entirely new level -- from bad habit to total addiction.

Addicted to Coca-Cola? Really? Yes, really.

In fact, the woman, who also happens to be deaf, had to go through legal channels to have her addiction recognized. An appeals court recently ruled that she be hospitalized for her addiction to Coke and food, due to her uncontrolled high blood pressure and diabetes.

People joke all the time that they're addicted to their favorite foods. Though they may not be an addiction in a true sense, cravings can be a very powerful thing. Check out the gallery below for tips on how to keep them under control, and when cravings do strike, try substituting one of these low-cal snacks instead.

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When biking on a back-country trail, running into the wrong kind of wild life is always a risk. But when a Boulder woman came across a stray cow, her inner alarm bells were silent. She stopped to let it pass.

I mean, after all, it was a cow. Big, sure, but also a doe-eyed grass eater.

But this cow was apparently having a Very Bad Day. Instead of crossing in front of the woman, it knocked her over and stepped on her legs. I can only imagine her surprise. At what point did she go from thinking, "Aw, look at the cute cow?" to "Hmmm, this might be trouble." Luckily, she was unhurt.

Jason Vogel, VP of the Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance calls the event, "odd, rare, and random." You can say that again. As for the cow, it disappeared into the woods ... now simply the stuff of legend.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. 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 keep hearing both you and other people say I should do push-ups, but I'm a small woman and don't want to bulk up. Push-ups are hard, so should I do them if I want to stay toned yet trim? Alyssa

A. Great question, Alyssa! This common question is on the mind of many women, and I'm happy to give this answer as many times as there are women who need to hear it. What you need to know is that it requires extraordinary effort for most women to put on any sort of bulky muscle. That means: protein shakes, supplements and insane amounts of heavy lifting. Of course, there are a few rare women here and there who pack on muscle quickly, but if you're already telling me you are small ... you are not one of those rare women.

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I'm in love with Lucy. No, I haven't ditched my husband for a chic. Lucy is the maker of the pants I've adopted as my uniform. Do I need a uniform? No! Do I wish I had an excuse to wear Power Pants every day? Heck yeah!

If you're not familiar with Lucy, let me introduce you. Lucy is a fashionable line of women's workout wear that puts equal emphasis on performance, versatility and style. The line offers clothing and accessories designed for running, yoga, gym workouts and training in the great outdoors. I've done all of the above in my latest addiction: the Power Pant.

The Power Pant fits my smallish bum in the most amazing way. It enhances my curves, never shows a panty line and falls beautifully to the floor in the boot cut style. The moisture wick material allows me to run without discomfort, and the cute little zippered pockets hold my mp3 player firmly against my hip. One of my girlfriends has a pair, and they disguise her lumps and bumps. Most other fitness pants just accentuate them.

The secret to thin legs. How to plump up the appearance of a flat fanny. How to stay trim. What exercise does and doesn't count. Carol Burnett shared superb advice on all these topics.

I just saw the legendary funny woman last night and was fortunate enough to ask her a couple of questions. At 73 years young, she really does have a body most women would dream of at that age (including me). In fact, she's always had an amazing physique; just check out her old pics from The Carol Burnett Show!

Burnett is starring in Laughter and Reflection with Carol Burnett: A Conversation with Carol Where the Audience Asks the Questions and besides answering my questions, she answered some from the audience as well.

On the topic of how she keeps her legs so thin: "I shave off loads of excess hair each day."

-The ape woman population will benefit greatly from doing this.

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Once, I was at my son's school during recess and noticed that (other than a few exceptions) it was mostly boys playing kickball and girls sitting in small groups around the jungle gym chatting and playing cats cradle. At the time, I didn't think much of it, but I was reminded of it the day when I read an article about how young and old females aren't as active as males.

Researchers from Liverpool John Moores University followed 10 and 11-year-old children during recess and found that boys tend to engage in more active play than girls. On the flip side of the coin, another study found that women over age 70 are less likely to be active than men.

It's important for everyone to be active. But it's certainly important for girls (during the formative years when their bones are growing) and older women (who need to maintain bone density) to be physically active.

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I just posted a list of my favorite fitness tools of the year in my Holiday Hottie column over at Holidash, and since you are all fitness fans ... I'd feel silly not to share it with you.

The bottom line is: I'm privy to the best tools and clothes on the market. I aggressively seek out hot new items, and sometimes the makers of those items seek out me. At the end of the day, I drop the crap and keep the stuff I truly love.

My short list of Gifts to Get Greedy Over is comprised of some of the most innovative tools for training at all levels of fitness. Oh! And the apparel is to die for. So scoot on over to Holidash and give the gift of fitness. Or ... get something fancy for yourself. You deserve it!

I wish you happy and healthy holidays!

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Women who are overweight face many health risks, such as heart disease and type II diabetes. And Martha recently told us how overweight women tend to be more impulsive. But overweight women face some risks you might not expect:

• Being fired. Could it be because people who are overweight have a higher rate of absenteeism? Or is it because of a prejudice? It's hard to pinpoint the reasons why, but medical research shows that overweight women run a higher risk of losing their jobs.
• Being the victim of a crime. Overweight women run a greater risk of being victims of crimes. They're also more likely to become criminals.
• Financial woes. Overweight women are more likely to find themselves broke.

It's a chicken and the egg situation, really. Is a woman's weight causing these negative life events or are the negative events causing stress that leads to overeating and obesity?

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My family had a birthday party for my mother recently. Even though it's downright chilly here, my oldest sister was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and kept fanning herself. Since I'm 15 years younger than she is, I got a little laugh out of her hot flashes. But it's only a matter of years before my time comes.

While the cause of hot flashes during perimenopause and menopause aren't fully understood, there are several health-related possibilities. Women who smoke are more likely to have hot flashes -- one more reason to quit -- and women who are overweight or obese are also more likely to have hot flashes. In addition, blood glucose levels may play a role in hot flashes.

If you're currently experiencing hot flashes, talk to your doctor. He/she may have nutrition or fitness suggestions that will help, and there are several medications that can help as well. If, like me, hot flashes are only a future possibility -- take action now. Make sure you maintain an appropriate weight and eat healthfully.

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Did you know that women tend to eat more healthfully than men? And that women are more likely to choose foods to benefit their overall health and/or select foods for a specific health purpose (e.g. digestive health)? After the somewhat frustrating news Martha gave us about the difference between men and women when it comes to fitness, I'm glad to hear women have an edge somewhere.

According to a recent research study, both genders believe that nutrition plays an important role in health, but women came out on top in all categories studied. For example, 53% of women choose foods to benefit overall wellness, compared to 46% of men.

So c'mon guys ... consider it a challenge. Maybe by the next time this subject is studied, you'll have closed the gap.

[via Vital Juice Daily]

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Maintaining a healthy weight lowers your risk of heart disease, type II diabetes and other obesity-associated conditions. But did you know that obese women are at a higher risk of having a miscarriage?

A research team followed up with nearly 700 women who had had unexplained miscarriages. The researchers determined that, for obese women, the risk of a second miscarriage was 73% higher.

Unless your OB/GYN gives you specific instructions to do so, it's not recommended that you try to lose weight while pregnant. Your best bet is to achieve and maintain a healthy weight before becoming pregnant. AOL Health has tips on diet and fitness to help you.

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I haven't hit the big 4-0 yet. In a few weeks time, however, I'll be officially in my late 30's -- unable to deny it any more. As much as I would like to say my body is just like it was in high school, that's sadly not the case. Time has marched on. In some cases, time has marched downward if you catch my drift.

So while I think this ab workout from More Magazine is appropriate for anyone, regardless of age, I do understand the greater need once you're in your 40's. (Or maybe once you're in your late 30's!)

After all, I think the concept of aging gracefully is silly. Why settle for being graceful when we can be active and fit? Instead of time marching on, why don't we march all over it?

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We all know someone like her and we all want to be her -- the woman who never gains a pound, and who never even has to think about her weight. She's just naturally slim. That cow.

OK, jealousy aside, we can all learn something from her, because good genes aside, she must be doing something differently from the rest of us. Our friends over at AOL Health recently revealed the secrets of these naturally thin women. On average, thin women tend to ...

• Get more sleep
• Eat until they're satisfied, instead of eating until they're totally stuffed
• See hunger as a minor inconvenience, not a major emergency -- meaning they can wait until a healthy option becomes available
• Not engage in emotional eating
• Eat more fruits, veggies and other healthy stuff
• Stick to a loose eating routine, rather than letting chance (and cravings) dictate the next meal
• Think twice about indulgences -- particularly if they're not hungry
• Walk a lot -- two and a half hours more per day than the average woman, in fact!

These make sense, don't they? Tell us which one you stuggle with by clicking here.

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