That's Fit

We know the standards when it comes to weight loss -- less calories, more exercise, lots of water, not a lot of junk food. Now check these out -- some unconventional ideas for losing a few pounds.

Go Blue. The color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, wear blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Then avoid all visions of red, yellow, and orange while you eat. Studies find these colors encourage eating.

Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall. Hang a mirror across from your seat at the table and you may eat one-third less than normal. Looking at yourself while you chow down will remind you of why you're trying to lose weight.

Often associated with mold and decay, the color blue is typically not a popular one when it comes to all things food related. That's why you won't see too many blue plates in restaurants -- just not too appetizing, say food experts. Interestingly, you don't typically see too many blue foods either. Well, in Ireland you might. And other places too if you really look around. But let's stick with the Irish story.

The blue potato, once introduced by a family producing vegetables for 200 years, became all the rage in Dublin not long ago, where parents began urging kids to eat their blues.

Who knew the blue potato -- the color comes from the antioxidant anthocyanin -- would be such a hit when marketed to the masses. The idea was to appeal to children by selling them something with a little novelty. It worked -- initially. But interest may be waning. Why? The color.

How do you feel about blue? I'm OK with it. I like blueberries and blue chips, and well, I can't really think of anything else. Blue potatoes? I'd try them. How about you?

Want to feel better, look younger, and add years to your life? Want to do it without pills, expensive therapy, or wacky supplements? It's possible, says Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner, author of the book The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest. All it takes is a change in lifestyle.

An explorer and longevity researcher, Buettner has spent the past five years traveling to regions where people live the longest. What he's discovered are nine common denominators among the folks who live in the longevity hot spots, or Blue Zones. The Power 9 he calls them. And here they are.

• Move Naturally. Be active by focusing on activities you love.

• Eat Less. Cut calories by 20 percent.

• Plant Slant. Avoid meat and processed food.

• Grapes of Life. Drink red wine (in moderation).

• Purpose Now. Articulate your life purpose.

• Down Shift. Punctuate your days with calm.

• Belong. Be a part of a spiritual community.
  

• Loved Ones First. Make family a priority.

• Right Tribe. Be surrounded by those who share Blue Zone values.

This may seem like small stuff. But the payoff from committing to the Power 9 is huge. Buettner says the average American can add 14 good years of life by putting these habits to work.

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.

This week I got to sit down on a beautiful sunny day, in The Swamp with the very sweet, smart and athletic ESPN College GameDay Analyst Mr. Kirk Herbstreit. No, we weren't knee deep in mucky water. We were in the heart of Gator Country enjoying the breeze after Kirk completed his workout, running zillions of steps at the University of Florida football stadium, The Swamp. Kirk retired from playing football more than 15 years ago, after four years at quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes. But now, he's one of the major faces of college football. Pandemonium strikes college campuses across the country when he -- along with host Chris Fowler and analyst Lee Corso -- set up shop outside the biggest games of each week.

Kirk brings something unique to the team. Every time the GameDay crew heads to the University of Florida, I find more than just the expected crowd of rowdy football fans swarming their booth. There is always an unusual amount of females in a frenzy to get as close a look as possible into Kirk's pretty blue eyes. He's definitely worthy of the attention. From my interaction with Kirk, I think he's a genuinely nice and genuinely thoughtful person. Before we started talking fitness, Kirk shared concerns over all the violence taking place on college campuses. He's a protective father and husband who tries to excel in his career while taking care of his family. He is just plain old sweet! And even though his professional life has been built around sports, he works hard to squeeze in fitness and manage nutritious eating just like the rest of us. Kirk seems to be an expert juggler of life and shares some great tricks for staying fit on the go. He also dishes a few doozies on football.

Fitz: What types of things do you do to stay in shape?

Kirk: It's kind of a lifestyle really. As an athlete I worked out so hard, I could eat anything without paying the price for it. As I got older, I still had that appetite and I was not able to work out as hard as I did when I was playing football. What I really try to do is control my portions, and mix in cardio and strength training workouts four to five days a week. If I can do that, I feel like I'm in a pretty good place. It's just about doing it though!

Fitz: What do you do while you're on the road?

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: Rob K.

Age: 42

Heroic occupation: Police Lieutenant

If you're in the military...where are you? N/A

How often do you exercise? Five times each week.

What type of exercise do you do? Running, strength training, lots of pull-ups, and a variety of cardio machines.

What gets you to workout, even when you're feeling lazy? The knowledge that I'll be glad I did when I'm done. I also feel that the most rewarding workout is the one that you didn't want to do in the first place.

Last night, I spent an hour or so with the faces of college football. Now, of course these faces are no longer "in" college. But! They're the ones we turn to week after week to get the scoop on our favorite teams, athletes, and upsets. ESPN College GameDay. is coevering the Orange and Blue game, which is the University of Florida Gator Spring Scrimmage. I know...it's just a scrimmage! But...it is a big deal. A very big deal to the fans, and one of the great symbols that fall football is almost back again. Since I spend a lot of time near the University of Florida, I paid them a visit for some Celebrity Fitzness Report interviews.

When I arrived, sports analyst Kirk Herbstreit and side-line reporter Erin Andrews were working out, running up and down the bleachers in the Swamp (the Gator Stadium). Maybe they knew a fitness trainer would be popping in to check on them, but probably not. They were just wisely using their short break time to squeeze in a great workout. I was kind of sad not to have been in workout clothes myself though. It would have been fun to interview them on the go! Maybe next time they're in town we'll do that.

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!

If you haven't already done so, you must visit Fitz's website Fitzness.com for a look at her encounter with the blue Wiggle Anthony Field. In the bottom right-hand corner of her site you'll find a once-pudgier Wiggle working his magic with a pull-up bar. He swears by it -- he loves a pair of rings too -- and says he's used nothing but his own body weight to transform his physique. What a physique it is.

Fitz told me I should take a stab at this pull-up bar thing. She's incorporated it into her workout routine and says it's really making a difference in her abs. That's what I need -- different abs -- so I gave it try. We happen to have a bar here at my house and so I gave it a whirl. Well, a whirl implies I made something happen with that bar. I did not. I simply hung there. I tried to lift my body but it never did budge. I almost pulled my arm from its socket in my struggle to make a move, but progress? Nope. The fit and trim Wiggle says that's OK. If you can't do anything but hang, then just hang. Keep at it and eventually, you'll make strides.

Mr. Field makes pull ups look effortless. At this point, maybe they are for him. But I bet when he was heavier and not so agile, they weren't such a cinch. Success takes time, patience, determination, and lots of practice. Once I muster up this bundle of characteristics, maybe I'll be able to pull up my entire 135 pounds. Maybe Fitz will feature me on her website too.

Larry the Cable Guy, also known as Dan Whitney, has happily shed 50 pounds on the NutriSystem diet. On celebrating this huge milestone, the comedian says: "I immediately took my wife out to eat and had everything I'm not supposed to."

The Blue Collar comedian, whose new big-screen comedy, Witless Protection opened on Friday, works out twice a day and travels with a personal trainer while on tour. His workout routine includes weight training, 50 minutes of cardio early in the day and 50 minutes of cardio later in the day.

The once 282-pounder blames his wife's recent pregnancy for his weight gain.

"She'd crave a double cheeseburger, order two bites of it and then I'd eat the rest," he says. "I couldn't let it go to waste!"

In my December interview with Oprah Winfrey's health expert, Dr. Oz, I harassed him about not doing real pull-ups with a bar. (He was using the Gravitron). I gave him a bit of a ration, detailed in his Celebrity Fitzness Report interview, and he promised to get a bar and start doing them. He was very inspired viewing this video of Anthony Field of The Wiggles performing an amazing pull-up routine. So, I emailed Dr. Oz some links on where to get pull-up bars etc. and harassed him only a teeny bit more.

Well, Friday I randomly sent him an email asking "how are the pull-ups coming"? His awesome response was that he just filmed an Oprah show and demonstrated 21 pull-ups on air! Hooray for Dr. Oz! The show will air tomorrow, Tuesday February 5th and I'm looking forward to it. I'm so proud of him!

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.

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.

This weeks featured guest is Coach Billy Donovan, of the 2006 and 2007 National Champion Florida Gator basketball teams. I chose Coach D. not only because he's brought endless excitement and pride to my Alma Mater, the University of Florida, but because he epitomizes athleticism, perseverance, determination and success. Don't we all wish for that! Coach Donovan just oozes excellence.

He's one of the youngest yet most intense, and successful coaches in the history of NCAA basketball. A master of the court, Coach Donovan and his Florida Gators are still riding high from their second straight National Championship. His 2006 team was the underdog going into the championship game against UCLA, and shocked the nation with a dominating 73-57 win. 2007 was an entirely different story. Donovan's' Gators were picked as the number one team at the beginning of the season and completed it in the same way. With a commanding win 84-75 over Ohio State, the Gators made history as only the seventh team ever to win back to back titles.

Billy played guard at Providence College under the infamous Rick Patino, and went on to play one year for the New York Nicks as well. Although his success as an athlete was impressive, Billy Donovan was born to coach. He runs a first class program, with top notch recruiting, a unique ability to inspire teamwork, and a great attention to academics. I love the fact that he makes no excuses, and takes no excuses. A fine rule of thumb for anyone trying to become better at sports, fitness, or anything else in the world.

Fitz: What do you do to stay fit?

Coach Donovan: I try to run/walk and lift weights at least 5-6 times a week.

Fitz: Do you utilize the guidance of your UF athletic trainers for yourself?

Coach Donovan: Yes, very much.

Fitz: You've spent the last two years coaching NCAA Basketball National Champions. Have your championship years been more chaotic than the rest? How does it all affect your personal fitness level?

Coach Donovan: Because of the time demands, it can be very easy to fall out of a workout routine. But I try to do my best.

Fitz: Do you make time to exercise during the March Madness tournament?

Coach Donovan: Yes. I do try to make time each day.

Fitz: What's on your MP3 player?

Coach Donovan: Stones, U 2, Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan

Fitz: What's your favorite healthy dish?

Coach Donovan: Yogurt for a snack and any type of fish for dinner.

Fitz: What's your favorite sinful indulgence?

Coach Donovan: Ice cream and cheesecake.

Fitz: Do you ever play ball with your teams?

Coach Donovan: No. My playing days are over!

Fitz: If you were to play or coach any other sport besides basketball, what would it be?

If you're looking for ways to improve your mood, concentration, and even give your creativity a boost then consider taking a hint from the ancient Chinese philosophy of feng shui. Part of feng shui is using colors to improve life by recognizing what effects certain colors have on how you feel. By strategically incorporating colors into your environment and decor you can help boost areas that may have been lacking. Purple, for example, can help foster creativity, blue can calm stress, and red stirs passion. What do you need more of in your life? Experiment with different shades and different combinations in your home, your office, and other places -- even just a well-placed accent, like a bold photo frame or arrangement of flowers, can make a difference.