That's Fit

Sometimes I run. Sometimes I walk. Sometimes I bike. Sometimes I work out in a gym. Sometimes I try to get fit in my own back yard. Yesterday, I exercised in my living room. It all comes down to my kids and how to best fit in my physical activity around their needs, their wishes, their desires, their demands. The living room workout, all 22 minutes of it, well, it satisfied us all. I only hope we can keep up with it, making it a regular ritual at our house.

All it took to keep the three of us busy were one BOSU, two resistance bands, two six-pounds weights (for me, not them), and our own bodies. We did push-ups, sit-ups, leg lifts, jumping jacks, and planks. I did squats, on and off the BOSU, and lunges, and a few arm exercises too. Danny (he's five) did a lot of creative work with the bands, and Joey (he's seven) became a master at BOSU push-ups.

I don't know about my guys, but I worked up a sweat during our group workout and judging by the enthusiasm of my kids -- "I really like to exercise," said Joey as he moved to the tunes he chose to blare throughout the house -- it seems I may get to keep sweating in this manner. Perfect for me. And for them too.

One of the most common questions I'm asked is, "how do I get in shape quickly?" Well ... I'm sure as you read that question you might have thought ... impossible! Yeah, kinda. But, there are some things that will get you in shape quicker than others. The key is to challenge yourself, work most areas of your body, and make sure you do both cardiovascular and strength training. These are my favorite five moves that I believe will have the greatest impact on your fitness level, and help you see results sooner rather than later.

Check out the Summer Slimdown Guide -- it's loaded with tips to help you make the best of this summer and that fine body you're living in!

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!

Just yesterday I wrote about the ill effects slouching at your desk can have on your cognitive ability. Leaning over restricts blood flow from certain arteries to your brain, thus making it a bit more difficult for you to ... to ... to think clearly (sorry, I was a bit too hunched over).

As a follow-up, I thought you might want to know about a recent Cornell University study on poor posture and long-term back problems. According to the study, about 30 percent of all workplace injuries are back-related -- and in most cases they comes as the result of sitting improperly at a desk.

The types of injuries to result from poor posture do not occur overnight; sometimes they can take years before showing signs. However, take this other Cornell University study into consideration, revealing the potential for musculoskeletal damage one faces by working on a desktop computer, as opposed to a more adjustable work station. This particular study was actually done using middle school students, showing that risk of injury can start this early. Now, factor in all the years most kids will spend at desktop computers, and then add them to the number of years they will later spend at similar workstations as adults, and it becomes quite obvious how these injuries can occur.

When I was younger, I used to have perfect posture. I had a choir director who just drilled posture into us. Through the years, my posture has changed. I'm a writer, so my job has me glued to my computer desk all day long. I try to maintain good posture but by the end of the day, I find my shoulders hunched forward and I end up with an aching back.

I found an article about this simple exercise designed to improve your posture. The exercise is dubbed "The Superman" because you start with your arms stretched straight out in front of you. There are no weights required and it works all the right muscles. I tried it and my back and shoulders feel loose and better than they did before. Whether it will improve my posture remains to be seen, but I'm willing to give it a try!

Want to try something different? Back in March, Jacki posted about a posture exercise she's been having luck with. Developing better posture is well worth the effort. Not only will your back and shoulders thank you for it, better posture can even help you look slimmer in your swimsuit.

Your back is the key to everything. If you have a weak back you're suddenly weak all over. Injure your back and you're pretty much useless until it gets better. Having back pain means you hurt all over. The spine is the center of the human body, and all the muscles that connect to it help make up the core of who you are -- take care of your back and your spine and you're well on your way to taking care of everything else.

Try these tips for having a healthier spine:

You know, I've never been all consumed with American Idol like lots of people. But I must admit I'll tune in here and there throughout the competition. It's decent entertainment, and I kind of think Simon Cowell is sexy. Nonetheless! I just tucked my healthy babies into bed and plopped down into mine with the old laptop to write about fitness with the television on here in my room.

American Idol is in the middle of their Idol Gives Back program, and they seem to be making a great case for helping children in the U.S. and abroad. Feeling fortunate that my two angels do not have to deal with any of the horrors some other children are suffering from.....I logged on to AmericanIdol.com and made a donation. Partly because of guilt, but mostly out of hope.

If you're a lucky parent like me or just someone who loves children, maybe you can call or log on and donate too. 1-877-IDOL-AID or AmericanIdol.com

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.....

I've always slept in the same position, from the time I was a kid to the present: On my side, slightly curled, not moving until I wake up. I think everybody has a sleeping style that they're accustomed to. And according to this article from AOL Body, your sleeping style is more than what you're used to--it's indicative of your personality. Interesting, no? Here's what they have to say about the different positions:

• Those who sleep in the fetal position are thought to be tough on the outside but sensitive and even shy on the inside. 41% of people (mostly women) sleep in this position.
  
• Those who lie on the their side with their arms down tend to be sociable and trusting.
  
• Those who lie on their sides with their arms in front are often open but somewhat cynical.
  
• Those who lie on their backs with their arms at their sides tend to be quiet and reserved.
  
• Those who who lie on their stomachs with their arms up by their heads tend to be brash
• Those who lie on their backs with their arms by their heads make the best friends.
  

Want to know more? Read the full descriptions on AOL.

For several days now, I've been writing an ongoing series of diet and fitness posts titled "Why the Pounds Are Sticking Around," which are a collection of tips sourced from the health magazine Self. Since the response has been so positive, I decided to forge ahead with an idea I had for a series of healthy living posts. Since exercise and training are more my forte, I sought out information from an outside source -- Men's Health magazine. To that end, I found ten great health and wellness tips that I thought would be perfect for pieces on healthy living.

So, just as I have been doing with the diet and fitness posts, I will also be posting one healthy living tip per day as part of a series I think I'm going to call "Living Well." I think you'll find these tips to be as interesting and as helpful as I did.

Healthy Tip #7 - Stop being so upright

Maintaining proper posture while standing -- that is, keeping your shoulders directly above your pelvis and your back straight -- is highly advised by medical professionals. But when it comes to sitting down, some researchers believe that leaning back a bit is better for your spine.

Using magnetic resonance imagine (MRI), Scottish and Canadian researchers found that sitting up straight may actually be bad for your back. The research, carried out at Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen, Scotland, involved scanning the spines of twenty-two volunteers, leading to the findings that leaning back 45 degrees off vertical is ideal for back comfort and safety.

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!

A while back, the physician that has been caring for my lower back injury suggested I go do Pilate's to help strengthen and stretch the muscles that are stuck in a chronic spasm. Now, I've been teaching fitness for 18 years and have been exposed to almost every type of training and equipment under the sun. I'm embedded in it. Strangely though, Pilate's and Yoga are things that have never interested me. I understand the benefit to doing those things, and have recommended them to others. I've just never wanted to pursue them myself. I'm a fighter; literally. If you don't believe me click here. I like to move fast, go hard, sweat, grunt, and pant like a lunatic. I like to GO, GO, GO! The one time I took yoga, I wanted to slit my wrists. The few times I used the Pilate's Reformer, I thought it was interesting....but not anything I'd want to pursue.

So last week I show up at the Gainesville Health and Fitness Center, and the advanced Pilate's mat class was just about to start. Feeling guilty for not following up on my doctor's advice from months ago, I half-heartedly asked the perky front desk chic if there was any room in the class. Yep. There was. And she handed me a little butterfly thing with a number on it to hold my place.

A few years ago, I helped my (female) friend move. Moving is one of those jobs that tends to be delegated to men by default, but I figured we could handle it. After all, we're a couple of strong, independent chicks. And the whole thing went pretty smoothly -- until it came time to life the large TV onto the high dresser. I could not lift it above my head, no matter what. The lack of strength I had in my shoulders was painfully evident.

Shoulders are an oft forgotten part of the body, but they're just as important as the bigger muscle groups--working on them will not only increase your strength but help prevent injury too. Here are some exercises that will tone your shoulders, making them sleek, sexy and best of all, strong:

Is it going to be a white Christmas where you are? The forecast where I'm going is calling for snow, which should be pretty but not so great for driving. Or shovelling.

Speaking of shovelling, it's a source of many an injury in the winter. But it doesn't have to be -- follow these tips from the Weather Channel for safe shovelling:

• Use a small shovel, and make sure it isn't bent or damaged
• Drink fluids before shovelling
• Take frequent break and go inside if you're feeling overheated
• Stop any time you feel any pain
• Don't try to fling snow long distances

As with most things, people who are out of shape are more likely to be injured, so taking up an activity can't hurt either!

(via Fitsugar)

The great thing about good posture is that it not only has health benefits, but it makes you look and feel more confident. Slouching is a common occurrence for a lot of people, especially those of us who spend our day in front of a computer screen. But it's a habit worth breaking!

Poor posture leads to sitting and standing incorrectly which can cause pain. Ever feel compelled to pop your neck or twist your back into shape? If you're like me, it could be a stance issue. However, here's an interesting article that addresses the causes and provides a few tips for better posture.

There are a bunch! One tip that I'm definitely going to implement is the suggestion regarding the strengthening of back muscles. By building up muscle endurance, you are enabling the body to keep better posture for longer periods of time. The Superman exercise is a simple way to beef up the torso which powers the limbs for better carriage. Lie on the floor face down and lift your right arm and left leg up several inches. Hold for about two seconds and then alternate limbs. Try for 10 repetitions. There are a couple other exercises to do, and many other tips, so check them out!