That's Fit

Breaking up is hard to do, isn't it? An Australia man recently found that breaking up with his wife was so painful that he wanted to start over with a completely clean slate. So Ian Usher put his entire life -- including his home, car, possessions, even his friends and a trial period at his job -- up for sale on eBay.

It sold, but for considerably less than he was hoping for. The final bid was about $384,000, which Usher said was about $100,000 less than he was hoping to get. Still, he intends to move on and restart his life with whatever is left.

His rash behavior may have cost him financially, for sure. But I'm wondering if he sold out his support system too. Obviously, you can't sell friends on eBay, but by symbolically lumping them in with the rest of his possessions, was he saying goodbye to them too?

If you've suffered a break up recently, Help Guide has some excellent information on how to cope.

So are we finally starting to curb our obesity issue, or are Australia's problems just more out of control than our own? Recent headlines suggest that obesity rates in America -- for women and children, at least -- are leveling off. Leveling off is a very good first step, but when 25% of our citizens are still struggling with obesity, it's clear we still have a long way to go.

No, it's not time to celebrate yet. But when we get our rates closer to those of healthier countries like Canada (14%), Spain (13%), Sweden (10%), or -- dare we dream? -- Japan (3%), then it'll be time to get out the party decorations.

(via Diet-Blog)

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.

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: David Anthony Espeut

Age: 34

Heroic Occupation: Lieutenant (US Navy) Resigned- CG-52 (USS Bunker Hill); FFG-43 (USS THACH); Naval Special Warfare Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S)

If you're in the military...where are you? N/A Resigned from Navy as of September 2002, Suspended Special Agent Application to FBI in favor of Starting/Raising Family in Australia

How often do you exercise? Every day: 30 to 60 minutes.

What type of exercise do you do? Jogging (10-20 minutes), walking the dog (10-20 minutes),bench, pull ups, dips, push-ups, abdominals, shoulder exercises, and curls with dumbells. I also freestyle swim at least once per month. Chasing My Kids= Never-ending

What gets you to workout, even when you're feeling lazy? Fitness is just part of my lifestyle. I feel bad, guilty, and weak if I don't. Getting ones blood pumping is a great way to start the day.

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.

As if last week's Celebrity Fitzness Report with Anthony Field video wasn't cool enough....we're back with a new video that will literally chisel you and your abs up like Roman statues. Oh my! Think you're doing everything you can to slim down, build muscle and cut up? Only if you're doing this stuff!

Read more.....

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.

Anthony Field of The Wiggles was not someone I'd imagine would change my own personal level of fitness. He's a Wiggle. In fact, all of my personal training clients half-lovingly refer to him as "Damn Wiggle". Why? Because ever since I met the hot looking boy in blue, they've all been stuck doing lots and lots of pull-ups. They're all infinitely stronger with way better abs as well. I too, am fierce on the bar. Thanks Anthony!

And just FYI. Before Anthony began training like this he was a bunch heavier. Still handsome, but there was certainly much more of him. The part 2 video I'll be posting next week will simply make you drool. The boy looks wicked in his tight Under Armour shirt. Want to look that hot too? Take a looksy at this!

An Australian study recently found that certain occupations are more likely to have workers with certain health conditions, and the results were somewhat surprising. For instance, they found that people in management were less likely to have cancer than those who worked in skilled trades or who were laborers. The also found that those in the retail industry were more likely to have back pain or arthritis than those in more labor-intensive positions like construction.

What researchers were unable to do was discern why these trends are in place. It isn't necessarily that managers develop cancer less frequently than others, or that those in retail get hurt more often. It may be, for instance, that people who are prone to arthritis choose a field that requires less lifting.

What stands out most to me is that among the people surveyed -- age 45 to 64 -- two-thirds had some sort of chronic medical condition. Does that seem high to you? It does to me.

Chew on this: Eating the wrong kind of cereal could double your risk of heart disease. So, actually I take that back -- don't chew on that. Last year, our friends from down under released information on this so-called "Cereal Killer" issue after reviewing 53 studies on cereal-grain intake and cardiovascular health.

Confirming that eating cereal made from 100 percent whole grains proved beneficial to heart health, they found the exact opposite for cereals that used refined grains. The true danger? Highly processed grains tend to raise blood sugar levels and C-reactive protein, while at the same time reducing HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

These factors, independently, but especially when combined, all play a part in raising your risk of heart disease. A good move would be avoiding these high-sugar, refined grain cereals altogether and instead opting for cereals that are known to be made from 100 percent whole grains.

Need a little inspiration this Monday morning? How about this: Two Australian men recently completed the first successful kayaking trip across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand. They left on November 13th and were at sea for 62 days and traveled over 2,000 miles. The first man to attempt this journey disappeared last February off the coast of New Zealand, just short of his target.

You don't need to kayak 2,000 miles to reach your goal. All you have to do is make sure that you get in that workout you have planned for today. Suddenly, it doesn't seem like such a monumental task, does it?

I recently went back to work with Anthony Field of The Wiggles, and finally have his wild new training tactics on film for the world to see. Think you're doing your best at the gym? Think adding more plates to the end of that bar you bench with is the toughest thing you can do? Think again!

I've trained with tons of athletes from around the world and have never seen any one of them (outside Cirque Du Soleil) perform such a show of pure strength as part of their regular training routine. Thanks to my first encounter with Anthony this summer ...my gym is now full of men, women and children of all ages Getting Strong like this Wiggle said we should.

A few days ago I took my two children, and their two best friends to a Wiggles concert in Kissimmee, Florida and am so grateful I did. Along with the incredible fitness video segments I shot backstage with the gorgeous blue Wiggle, Anthony Field.....it turned out to be one of my children Ginger (4) and Parker's (2) favorite experiences ever.

Before the show, my whole brood got to meet The Wiggles and have a picture taken at the official "meet and greet" session. Traditionally the session is designed for the group to spend time with special needs children. Mine are not, but we were fortunate to have the opportunity. The Wiggles perform about 200 shows each year around the world, but when it came to this special time with the meet and greet children the guys made each child feel really important; the kind of treatment that would bring any Mommy to tears. Bursting with smiles and tender voices, I was impressed at how these men related to the little ones. Hard to describe. The four I took were both shy and excited while meeting the group. Afterward, each maintained a death-grip on the Polaroid's they were given featuring themselves with the band.

Once we were seated in our 'hot potato" seats on the floor in front of the stage, the real fun began. The atmosphere was electric and the kids were ecstatic. The show is bright, colorful, busy and just full of fun! The music also happened to be perfect. Now, I've seen just about every big name performer on tour in the U.S. and there is something unique about singers/bands who actually sound in person the way that they sound on the radio or television. The Wiggles are like that. You get what you came for, you know? You get to enjoy the songs you love in the way that you know them.

Hooray! Once again, I get to go visit my favorite children's healthy heroes The Wiggles. I spent some time with the awesome foursome from Australia this summer and really enjoyed our visit. I originally chose to feature The Wiggles because of their dedication to teaching healthy habits to kids and parents alike. It's amazing how many mommies think to offer Cheetos as a snack over fruit salad. If those mommies only new how "yummy, yummy" that sweet concoction really is.

Anyway! Tomorrow I go to their concert yet again, but this time I'm taking my two little beans with me. Ginger and Parker are giddy with excitement. Ginger is actually worried she may be "too shy" when she greets them backstage. I told her to treat them like she does Jasmine and Aladdin at Disneyworld. This seemed to make perfect sense to her and calmed her little nerves.

Nonetheless. For those of you who enjoyed the spectacular pull-up video featuring Anthony Field available on the front page of Fitzness.com, you can look forward to more of the same after tomorrow. Hopefully Anthony and Paddy (Captain Feathersword) are prepared to work out with me before both of their incredibly physical evening performances. Aren't I sweet to torture them like that?

A new report shows that Aussie teens are more unhealthy than previous generations. Rates of obesity, diabetes, and depression are quite high, says population health expert Richard Eckersley from the Australian National University.

Even while national statistics show that life expectancy has increased in Australia, Mr. Eckersley feels that this statistic does not adequately reflect the greater problems related to chronic illnesses. Furthermore, he points to additional research that suggests that teenagers' physical and mental health are in decline.

Mr. Eckersley's findings were published in the International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health. To read more, click HERE.

It's a pretty well-known fact that obesity is on the rise among kids in a number of countries including the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia. Not only do parents and kids need to commit to eating healthier, they also need to get way more exercise.

Normally, I would encourage any number of activities that would get kids moving, but I think that the pole-fitness classes being offered at gyms in Sydney, Australia, are absolutely ridiculous. The idea is that pre-teens and teens can take non-sexualized classes that are designed to build muscle strength and increase fitness and confidence using exercises done on a traditional-looking pole-dancing bar.

While supporters of the class say that they're a great way for kids to get fit and add that they're "not slutty", I think that for any exercise involving children, the words "not slutty" shouldn't come up at all. What's wrong with getting outside for a bike ride, joining a soccer team or taking a swimming class? There are so many other ways for kids to increase their fitness, I don't see why pole-classes are even necessary.

What do you think? Is any exercise good exercise for kids or are kids' pole-classes totally inappropriate?

An osteoarthritis drug called Prexige has been taken off the shelves and can no longer be sold in Canada after Health Canada decided to pull the product. The drug was approved in November 2006 as a treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee and later was approved to treat general osteoarthritis symptoms in adults.

However, patients -- including two in Canada -- began reporting serious liver problems after taking the drug. Australia was the first country to pull Prexige and the United States rejected the drug altogether due to concerns over these side-effects.

Those who have been prescribed Prexige who want more information on the story can look here, and should visit their doctors in order to find an appropriate treatment to replace the drug.