VO2 Max -- also known as maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake or aerobic capacity -- is a measure of the maximum oxygen capacity , or how much air an athlete can use. The name is a combination of volume (V) and oxygen (O2). VO2 Max is considered to be the most accurate indication of an individual's aerobic endurance and cardiovascular fitness.

Calculating VO2 Max is done in a controlled environment such as a sports performance laboratory. The athlete is required to perform an exercise at maximum effort, such as running on a treadmill, while their oxygen uptake is recorded. The point at which oxygen consumption levels out is known as the VO2 Max. Their values vary depending on gender and age -- values can typically range from 17.0 (very poor performance) to 60.0 (very superior performance.)

Your VO2 Max is largely determined by your genetics, but research indicates that you can increase it through training. The most effective method for increasing VO2 Max is by engaging in continuous exercise that raises the heart rate to at least 70 percent of your maximum rate for 20 to 60 minutes three times a week.

Once you know your VO2 Max, be sure to check out other highly recommended online calculators.

If you frequently travel by plane, you're putting your body at greater risk of a silent killer. Those long periods of inactivity -- legs scrunched up behind the seat in front of you and your arms held tightly to your body because the person next to you is stubbornly refusing to give up even a quarter inch of the arm rest -- aren't exactly healthful for your body.

Frequent fliers run the risk of a condition called Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). In fact, the condition has two travel-related nicknames: Traveler's Thrombosis and Economy-Class Syndrome. DVT is a condition where a blood pools and forms a clot in the calf, thigh, or less commonly in the arm. If you travel a lot or are planning a long flight, keep these DVT prevention tips in mind:

• Get up and move. Don't need a bathroom break? Visit the loo anyway and march in place for a few minutes. Even a quick stroll up and down the aisle will do.
• Ankle circles. Rotate your feet at the ankle both clockwise and counter-clockwise.
  

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If you travel by airplane at all for a trip that lasts more than a carry-on's worth of clothes, you know the worry. Will my suitcase weigh more than 50 pounds and I'll have to pay extra? Airline luggage allowances are a pittance these days. The airlines giveth -- blankets, pillows, peanuts, room for luggage -- and the airlines taketh away. Unless you pay, of course.

First, let me say that I realize that, to the inexperienced, 50 pounds may sound like a ridiculous weight for a suitcase. How could anyone pack that much stuff for a trip? Let me tell you, it adds up quick. And now that more of us have to add those heavy toiletry bags to the check-in mix to avoid the potential of having our shampoo tossed out at the security checkpoint, it's worse. And, if you've got a kid to pack stuff for in your luggage, well, it's a challenge to keep that weight under control.

There's really no way to take all the stress out of air travel, but we've found an easier way to determine if we've put on too many travel pounds without struggling to see the scale over the suitcase we're holding.We've been using this handy suitcase scale for our past several trips to via Southwest Airlines to California to see our families. So worth the $10 I spent. There's also a digital version of the same thing. Or, if you're in the market for a new suitcase, some have built-in scales. Pretty cool.

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Recent research shows -- believe it or not -- that sweat and airway secretion are linked. For people who have exercise-induced asthma, dryness in their airways can trigger asthma symptoms. Increased airway secretions can minimize or prevent symptoms during exercise.

Study participants were given medications to induce asthma symptoms and/or sweating. Obviously, the average Joe can't pop a pill to increase sweat production. And honestly, who would want to? So while researchers still work out the practical applications of this knowledge, follow these tips from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology:

• Try swimming -- the warm, humid atmosphere reduces the risk of symptoms.
• If you want to play team sports, opt for those -- like baseball -- that have short bursts of intense activity rather than continuous movement.
• In cold weather, wear a scarf or mask over your mouth and nose to warm the inhaled air.

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Have you flown the friendly skies recently? For many people, flying is a headache... quite literally.

An Israeli study of 906 people found that 6% report getting headaches when they travel by airplane. Based on that statistic and a few flight numbers/occupancy assumptions, researchers estimate that this translates into more than 100 million flight-induced headaches per year.

There are several things that could trigger a headache during air travel -- stress, pressure changes, poor air quality, and engine noise. (Not to mention noisy passengers!) To help manage air travel-related headaches, be sure to drink plenty of water (as dehydration can contribute to headaches), get up and walk around during long flights, bring books or music or anything else that will help you reduce stress, pack ear plugs if noise bothers you, and bring some over-the-counter pain relievers.

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When my body isn't moving so much, my mind goes to a bit of a blue place. I'm not quite there, but I feel myself getting close. Ironically, this week my body has traveled thousands of miles and I've seen my favorite blue place in the world -- the Pacific Ocean.

As most of us know, traveling usually means our health suffers a bit due to lack of exercise, increased stress and the subsequent effect on our mental state of both. I travel from my home in the mid-Atlantic to my native California at least twice a year. I am writing from my mother's home in the Los Angeles area right now. Before heading home a week from tomorrow, we will have traveled by air and navigated airports for more than 12 hours and spent almost 20 hours in cars in order to visit family and friends on opposite ends of the state. So much movement, so little exercise.

Thankfully, visiting the loved ones we live so far away from keeps my mind a bit happier during these sedentary vacation days. And I do try to adhere to some of the common tips for maintaining good health and fitness while traveling, such as making good food choices and drinking lots of water. I also follow certain prevention guidelines.

When I get home, I'll run through the neighborhood, hop on my bike or swim laps at the rec center in an effort to kick those endorphins back into high gear and then some. I'll certainly have to in order to heal the little bit of homesickness and heartsickness that's sure to crop up after leaving so many loved ones behind.

While incense is often linked to meditation and tranquility, it's now being linked to something much, much different -- cancer of the upper respiratory tract.

To clarify, only use over long periods of time appears to increase the risk, and it does not increase the overall risk of lung cancer. A study found that "Incense burning almost doubled the risk of developing squamous cell upper respiratory tract carcinomas including nasal/sinus, tongue, mouth and laryngeal. There was an increased risk both in smokers and in nonsmokers, pointing to an independent effect of incense smoke."

As scary as this sounds, as long as you're not filling your room with incense every day, year after year, you're probably in the clear. However, it's good to be aware that burning incense or candles introduces environmental pollutants into your home, which isn't the best thing in the world for your health. If you yearn to burn, do your homework first!

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We have a pile of toothbrushes sitting on our bathroom counter. We seem to alternate among them and as they pile up, I realize it's time to toss the whole lot and start fresh. It's healthy to do this every once in a while. But how often? Every three to four months. Why? Because frayed bristles -- we've got plenty of these -- don't clean well and leave teeth ripe for tooth decay.

Got an old toothbrush? Toss it now. Toss these things too.

Vitamins. After two years, give your vitamins the boot. Experts say they can technically sit for three years but since you have no idea how long they sat on store shelves, two years is a good time frame. They won't hurt you if you take them years and years later. They just won't work.

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I hate a growling stomach. Well, my own growling stomach, anyway. Other people's grumbling bellies don't bother me at all. When it's mine, though, I want it to stop. Real Simple magazine (August 2008) offers two tips for people like me who wish to silence the screams.

• Eat. Our stomachs are constantly churning, and they churn more when hungry.
• Don't chew gum -- swallowing air only exacerbates the sound.
  
  

And here's my two cents: Carry around portable, healthy snacks wherever you go so you can buy some time between grumblings and mealtimes. Try some popcorn, whole wheat crackers, or a handful of nuts.

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Just wanted to wish all of my fellow Americans a very happy Fourth of July, and to remind everyone why we celebrate. Of course politics can be rough, and the economy sometimes varies, but those things pale in comparison to all that this country has to offer. As I was explaining to my three and five year old children this week, we celebrate our freedom this Friday. As Americans we are able to choose our jobs, choose our religion, choose our spouse, choose our homes, and have as many or as little children as we'd like to have.

Nothing is perfect of course, but America is perfect for me. I rarely walk by a man or woman in uniform without thanking them for their service, nor an elderly man proudly wearing his baseball cap describing which branch of the military he served. I value the local and state law enforcement officers for placing their lives on the line each day to protect ours. I'm even grateful for the sometimes messy brood of politicians we elect to run this beautiful country of ours.

Lastly, I'm grateful for the nation of Americans. Thank goodness the majority of us are really good hardworking people. The good certainly outweigh the bad. I thank you for voting, working, educating your children, volunteering, helping strangers, and just making this country what it is today. I love it here. I'm proud to be here, and I'm grateful to those who laid their lives on the line to provide my family and I the simple yet irreplaceable luxury of freedom.

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A few months back I went to a place I like to call "Man Heaven" and wrote a few articles about it. Man Heaven is also known as ESPN: The Weekend at the Disney Hollywood Studios in Florida. The event was jam packed with dozens and dozens of your sports lovers' heroes from today and yesteryear. Football, basketball, baseball, tennis, hockey and golf stars flooded the theme park with ample opportunity for each Disney guest to get up close and personal with the athletic love of their life.

Of course, there were also a ton of female fans decked out in their team jerseys, but truly....this event was for boys. Young boys, elderly boys, and every boy in between. I saw big groups of men in coordinating jerseys riding the tram to the park, and then I saw tons of father/son duos shooting baskets with their favorite hoops star.

The event isn't until early next March, so you'll have plenty of time to book your air, hotel, and ticket reservations. He'll have lots of time to squirm with anticipation for the big event. Trust me.....if your guy loves sports, he will love ESPN: The Weekend and love you even more for sending him to it.

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Here at That's Fit, we're forever grateful for the service, courage and sacrifice made by the heroic men and women who serve as military, law enforcement officers, and firefighters. We're so grateful, that we'd like to dedicate some features to both showing our heroes off, and learning a little bit in the process as well. If you serve your country courageously, are a veteran or know someone who does, please return this form completed to Fitz along with a photo and we'll share your story with the world.

Name:

Age:

Heroic occupation:

If you're in the military...where are you?

How often do you exercise?

What type of exercise do you do?

Here at That's Fit, we're forever grateful for the service, courage and sacrifice made by the heroic men and women who serve as military, law enforcement officers, and firefighters. We're so grateful, that we'd like to dedicate some features to both showing our heroes off, and learning a little bit in the process as well. If you serve your country courageously, are a veteran or know someone who does, please return this form completed to Fitz along with a photo and we'll share your story with the world.

Name:

Age:

Heroic Occupation:

If you're in the military...where are you?

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The average family open the fridge 22 times a day. Each time, cold air barrels out and warm air takes its place, making the appliance use extra electricity to cool itself back down.

If you're a frequent fridge opener and closer, you can save energy by practicing this four-step process:

• Decide what you want

• Open the fridge

• Grab your goods

• Shut the door

No lingering, no browsing, no shopping around. Just get what you want and be done with it. While you're at it, make sure your refrigerator is set to its proper temperature. To increase efficiency, be sure your fridge has tight seals and clean coils.

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Fitzness Fiends is a section devoted to you, the reader! We all have learned so much on our path to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! Fitzness Fiends are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect, some are not. All have health on the mind. Please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: George O'Neal

Age: 54

Occupation: Retired USAF; and am now a full-time grandparent.

How often do you exercise? Seven days a week.

What type of exercise do you do? Seven days: One hour of cardio on an elliptical machine. Six days: Weights (no weights on Sundays).

What gets you to workout, even when you're feeling lazy? I've exercised daily since October 1, 1973. It's simply part of my day.

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