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! You always say that drinking calories causes weight gain, so I'm willing to try kicking my habit. I'm completely addicted to Coke. There are all sorts of programs to help people stop smoking, but none for cutting back on soda. Help! Brian

A. Thanks for the terrific question, Brian. I'm so glad you've been paying attention! Yes ... caloric beverages such as soda, juice, milk and alcohol are definitely responsible for much of the extra fat folks are carrying around. As an example of this, I once did a series of lectures for a large fire department in my area. I referenced the huge fountain drinks I always saw the firefighters driving around with and showed them how much sugar was in each cup. As their jaws dropped, I challenged each of them to, at minimum, switch to diet soda and, at best, switch to water.

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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 just bought a fairly fitted dress for a party this weekend and am desperate to avoid a poochy tummy. I'm in pretty good shape but often get bloated. I can not wear this dress if I'm bloated. Help! Andrea

A. Hi Andrea, Bloating is a bummer, but I can definitely help you avoid it. You're just going to have to be smart about what you eat and drink for the few days prior to your event.

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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. Hey there Fitzy, I'm in fairly good shape, but I'm sick of my back fat. It sucks! My stomach area is pretty flat, but I have this roll over my hips that I hate. Whatcha got for me? Mitch

A. Hi Mitch. I'm glad you wrote, and yes ... back fat does "suck." I've had it before, the dreaded "muffin top," and I didn't enjoy it one bit. So, how do you get rid of it? That's the million-dollar question today, right? Lucky for you ... you've come to the right place.

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. Fitz, My entire upper arms wobble when I wave hello or goodbye. I'm only 26 years old, but I feel like my arms look like they belong to an elderly woman. I run so I'm thin, but my arms are too flabby. Help! Jada

A. Hello running woman! Thanks for throwing me the soft ball. In fact, maybe that's something you should try. Throwing softballs is a great workout for the triceps. And, if you hadn't predicted what I was going to say, you should be working your triceps! And biceps and forearms, etc.

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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. Hello Fitzy. I need your help! I'm six feet tall and last year I was close to 300 pounds. I am now down to 250. I'm still in the process of losing weight but am stressed because I cannot get rid of my "man boobs."They're devastatingly embarrassing. I wouldn't take my shirt off at the beach if you paid me. What can I do to make them go away? Liam

A. Hi Liam. Isn't it funny how big boobs are super cool on a chic but not so much on a guy? Interesting. Listen, I feel for you. Man boobs are not the status symbol of the day, and it's hard for most people to deal with any unusual bulging pockets of fat. Man boobs, love handles, and saddles bags; nobody wants 'em!

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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 am a fit and healthy forty-one year old woman. I generally eat a well balanced diet, but once in a while I like to splurge on a high calorie snack. Can you burn calorie for calorie? If a snack is worth 250 calories, and I burn the same 250 calories ... does this counteract the intake? Jamie

A. Yes, Jamie. You can! The simple formula for weight management is to burn the same amount of calories that you consume. You're in compete control of that. Just make sure you count calories accurately. Studies show most people tend to dramatically underestimate the amount of calories they consume each day. This is what leads to both weight gain and frustration during attempts at weight loss.

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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. My husband and I totally disagree on the topic of pizza. He's says it's "unhealthy garbage," and I say it's not so bad. What do you think? Stacia

A. I think it can be both ... depending on how you make it. Let's just start with the main ingredients: flour, marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Flour if it's white, is not perfect, but not the worst thing in the world either. Marinara sauce which is tomato based is pretty great; full of lycopenes. Cheese is high in fat which is bad, but also high in calcium which is great. So! Our dilemma is choosing the right ingredients which will make pizza more good than bad.

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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, I know that most people are trying to lose weight, but I am trying to gain. Gain muscle, that is. I am going to the gym three to four times per week. I'm using the weight machines there, but It doesn't seem like I am gaining any muscle. Could you give me some advice? What types of healthy food should I eat? Should I be doing more reps with less weight or fewer reps with more weight? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Lea Rettig

A. Hey Lea, your question is superb, and the answer thank goodness is quite simple. Strength training should be challenging. Funny enough, my clients always seemed shocked and follow up that feeling of shock by giving me dirty looks when I pass them the dumbbell I'd like them to lift. Along with that dirty look, I receive chronic cries of, "Fitz! That's heavy!" Well, yes. Yes it is. The purpose of strength training is to get stronger, and yes ... build muscle. If I were to give them weights they could already lift comfortably ... they wouldn't be getting any stronger!

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If you run for exercise or sport or both, do you prefer to be called a runner or a jogger? One Runner's World reader asks expert columnist Miles what word is most appropriate. Definitely "runner," he says.

"Jogging implies that you lack passion and commitment, that you're out there on the road in $130 running shoes simply for show, that you could take the sport or leave it (and often do leave it)," says Miles.

Ask any runner and you'll hear the same sentiment, Miles reports. You'll hear that those who "run," not "jog," do so to push their limits and live healthier lives. Run a six-minute mile or a 12-minute one -- it doesn't matter. It's still called running. Not jogging.

I don't really care what I'm called. Although I guess when I talk about myself and what I do for exercise, I rarely say the words "jog" or "jogger." How about you? Are you offended by "jogging"?

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What do you do when you're running with a group of people, say, in a race, and you realize you have a wedgie? Pull that thing out and keep on truckin', says Runner's World magazine's "Ask Miles" columnist.

Miles deals with embarrassing issues all the time and offers each month his best advice for avoiding all sorts of fitness-related humiliation. In the December 2007 issue of Runner's World, Miles responds to reader Megan J. of Lake City, Florida, who wants to better handle her own embarrassing running moments.

Using the Miles Embarrassing Situation Scale (MESS for short), Miles says the wedgie is a no-threat scenario. Deal with it and be done, he says. He ranks below-the-belt sweat as low threat and recommends black shorts because they camouflage the sweat. He assigns passing gas while running the label of high threat and suggests runners just pass the gas and move on. If you must do it again, drop back and tie a shoe, says Miles.

Do you have a touchy topic you'd like to run by Miles? Take a trot over here and ask away.

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Your doctor should be the last person you're embarrassed to talk to about health issues, including advice and help with losing weight, but that doesn't mean it always works that way. Some people actually find their doctor the hardest to approach about their weight, instead of the easiest. Maybe it's something about the guilt -- deep down I think we all want to get a good "grade" at our doctors visits and bringing up the fact that we're overweight feels like we're pointing out a mistake that otherwise might sneak by unnoticed (but believe me, your doctor notices, whether he/she says something or not).

So, if you feel you need to lose weight, make a goal for yourself that you'll ask at least one question of your doctor the next time you go. There are some good tips and pointers here if you need ideas, such as asking if they have any pamphlets or brochures in the office and having the doctor or one of the nurses take your measurements.

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Have you read or seen The Secret? I haven't but I know what it's about: The laws of attraction and using them to get what you want in life. Laws of Attraction, it's thought, can be used in any aspect of your life, including, as this blog points out, weight loss. Here's how you can take control of your weight:

• Ask for your ideal weight/size, by writing down your goals
• Believe that you can do it, and believe that it is happening
• Receive your weight loss by appreciating it, and allowing yourself to feel good about it.
  

So do you think they'll come out with The Secret: Dieter's Edition? I doubt it, because these are really basic principals of weight loss anyway. What do you think?

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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. Hi Fitz. I need some advice on how to best use my treadmill. I have a seven month old baby, and have lost a bunch of weight....but I've hit a plateau. I'm nursing, and am constantly hungry. Please don't suggest a gym, because I can't afford one. I'd just like to make the best of my treadmill. I'm desperate. Help! Melanie.

A. Plateaus suck, Melanie. Very frustrating. Fortunately though, it sounds like we can get you moving in the right direction. I nursed both of my children as well, and remember the feeling of constant thirst and hunger. In fact, the second I sat down to nurse, my husband went running to get me a drink. The urges are wild, aren't they?

You don't need a gym. Gyms are fantastic tools if you choose them, but they are no means the end-all when it comes to fitness. You can work wonders in the comforts of your own home, while junior can comfortably sleep or play as well. You didn't tell me what you're doing on the treadmill now, but I can give you this advice. Do more! Go further, faster or walk at an incline. Cranking up the intensity of your workout is a sure way to burn extra calories and develop the muscles in your legs as well. If you don't have specific health issues that prevent you from jogging.......do it! Many of my personal training clients shied away from jogging pre-me, because it seemed too hard. Now they're all running several miles a day.

Increase the level of your training gradually. Don't expect to double your efforts right away. Jog for two minutes, walk for two minutes. Jog for three minutes, walk for two. Jog for four, walk for two. Increase that way. Soon a complete jog will be possible. If you can't jog for some reason, use the incline. Increase the level by one percent each day you train.......and soon you'll be climbing mountains. Not only does that burn mega calories, but you'll earn the firmest fanny for miles. And if you can't jog or walk at an incline....walk further. Increasing mileage decreases you!

Add strength training daily as well. The more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn throughout the day. Push-ups, squats, lunges, dips, crunches, leg lifts, planks. All of those things are free, and will provide you with a great total body workout. You can use your baby as resistance. Do all of your strength training exercises while holding him. You'll both have fun!

Lastly, eat wisely. Since you're hungry quite often, be particular about what you put in your mouth. Look for low calorie, highly nutritious options. Fruit, veggies, lean meat and lean dairy in small portions will keep you satisfied and on the way to your fitter figure. Let me know how it goes Mommy! Fitz

Q. Hello! I have recently started working out again and have gradually worked my way up to using the elliptical machine for an hour. I do 30 minutes of elliptical, then ten minutes of walking, followed by another 30 minutes of elliptical. Unfortunately 20 minutes into my workout, my feet begin to go numb. It's like the tingling sensation you get when you're feet go to sleep. At first I thought it was the shoes I was wearing, but I changed them and it made no difference. Have you ever heard of this before? Do you know what causes it or what I can do to alleviate it? Thanks. Anna

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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. Hey Fitz! How should one proceed if the dominant-hand side is significantly stronger than the other? I was using Nautilus-type equipment, but felt like my right side was doing all the work, so I've switched over to free weights. Dumbbells in particular. I'm worried about staying symmetrical. Thanks, Ann.

A. Hi Ann. Great question. I see this a lot, and the first thing for you to realize is that most people are a bit stronger on one side. Strangely, lots of people are stronger on their non-dominant side too. Sounds odd, but it seems a lot of people carry the groceries with their non-dominant hand, so they can perform the fine motor skills with their dominant hand. I'm a righty, so I carry my kids on the left and unlock doors with the right. That has lead to my left side becoming stronger.

First thing you should analyze is whether you have a lifestyle reason for your disparity in strength, or if you have some sort of medical issue happening. It's possible an injury has lead you to favor one side. Think about it, and if it could be medical or if the difference in strength on each side is drastic visit a doctor. You may simply be missing a medical condition.

If there isn't one and you're just mildly weaker on one side.......you're already on the right track. Stick with dumbbells. Work towards lifting the identical weight on both sides, and then always do a few extra reps on your weaker side. The extra work will help the weaker side catch up. Let me know how it goes Ann! Fitz

Yo. Fitzie! I've been running a bunch to lose weight, but can no longer bare to do so because of chafing in my upper thigh area. Any suggestions? I'm dying here. Jax

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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. Hi Fitz. I am a 23-year-old female and I struggle with my legs. My issue is the upper area: thighs, hamstrings and glutes. I have a desk job and sit most of the day, but I go to the gym every evening right after work. I read tons about fitness and have tried everything. It just seems as though my glutes and thighs never tone. I do cardio (run & elliptical) three days a week and I weight train two days a week alternating muscles groups: upper body with lower body. I eat well, five small healthy meals a day. Please help. Jasmine

A. Hey Jasmine. Sorry you're struggling. Sounds like you're on the right track, but we can change things up a bit to get you closer to where you'd like to be physically. First of all, I'd like to change the type of cardio you're doing. I absolutely love running and the elliptical trainer, but those activities don't really make the best use of the power in your glutes and thighs. Start engaging in activities that take your legs through a large range of motion and utilize their power. Kickboxing, climbing stadium bleachers, and mountain biking are great choices. These activities require you to lift your legs, extend/flex at the hips and knees and create both endurance and strength in the areas your eager to enhance. Make sense? This way you'll be burning major calories and creating strong hard thigh muscles simultaneously.

Continue a well rounded strength training routine, but add some extra moves to target those glutes and thighs. Walking lunges and squat jumps (squat real low, jump real high) are my favorites. Make these changes, Jasmine, and you'll start seeing the results you've been dreaming about. Keep me posted!

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