Remember Babar the Elephant? I don't know about you but stories of Babar and his family were a fixture on my childhood bookcase -- I love the one where Babar and family go skiing because that's what my family spent their weekends doing.

Now Babar is at it again -- the lovable elephant is joining the worthy cause of getting kids in shape by encouraging them to get in the yoga groove. Babar's Yoga for Elephants by Laurent de Brunhoff is a beginners guide to yoga for pachyderms and kids alike. One word of warning: It might not be the best 'bedtime story', as it encourages active participation.

Getting kids healthy is definitely a worthy cause, and this is a fantastic way to get kids moving, if you ask me. What do you think? Have your kids tried yoga?

(via Fresh Fitness Tips)

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A little inspiration can go a long way. Duke University researchers put the old adage to test when they gave a book with a weight-management storyline to overweight girls. The girls -- ranging from age nine to 13 -- who read the book were slightly more successful at managing their weight than girls who didn't read the book.

The book, Lake Rescue, is part of the Beacon Street Girls series. In the book, a girl is concerned about going on an outdoor school trip. During the trip, however, she builds self-esteem and learns about appropriate levels of physical activity.

Though the weight loss results for those who read the book may have only been slightly better than for those who didn't read it, any small improvement is beneficial in my opinion. Positive inspiration is so important -- especially for young girls who are confronted with unrealistically thin actors, unattainable (air-brushed) perfection on magazine pages, and other images that are potentially damaging to their self-esteem every day.

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TIME magazine's Andrea Sachs names 10 of the most notable diet books for 2008, each one unique in its approach to the always-popular topic of weight loss.

Check out these top 10 in the gallery below.

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I'm a planner, an organizer, a scheduler. My every task, responsibility, meeting, and appointment must be written on my calendar or I'll forget where I'm headed and what I'm expected to do while there. If it weren't for the fact that I exercise every day at about the same time each day, I'd be writing my fitness schedule on that calendar too.

If you're one who can't seem to find time for exercise, scheduling this priority might be key. Putting a 30 minute walk, jog, or gym class in your daily planner might make you less likely to skip your workouts.

According to a public opinion survey by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), 84 percent of the population recognizes the importance of exercise. Yet many don't commit to it because of time constraints. With all the craziness that goes on in our lives, exercise often gets squeezed right out of the equation.

Jay Kimiecik, Ph.D., associate professor in exercise psychology at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, suggests personal trainers help their clients with the time crunch factor. "Have your client write it down and the reason(s) it's important to him or her," he advises. "When a client finds a time barrier cropping up again, he or she can refer to what was written and, hopefully, move past any self-defeating thoughts."

I suggest you give this a try too. You have little to lose, and a lot to gain.

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It's not so hard to talk to kids about nutrition, fitness, and overall health. But when it comes to informing them about sexual health, not-so-hard can become oh-so-scary.

Before you draw a blank about what to say to your kids about sex education, head to the bookstore for a little advance preparation on how to tackle the "where do babies come from" questions. Experts recommend parents pick up a few books, read them, and then begin discussing the "birds and bees." Here are the books they suggest:

It's NOT the Stork by Robie H. Harris
What's the Big Secret? by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
What's Happening to My Body by Lynda Madaras
The Boy's Body Book by Kelli Dunham

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For most school is back in full swing, and as the first few days and weeks are past homework is starting to pile on in that nasty way it always does. I remember when I was a kid in school I used to wish my backpack had wheels on it like airline luggage, and although today some of them actually do many kids still use the traditional on-the-back backpack. And last year there were 7,300 injuries reported in U.S. emergency rooms due to backpacks that were overstuffed.

It's recommended that kids carry no more than 15% of their body weight, which isn't that much when you start piling on history and algebra books. Sometimes they even end up so packed with stuff they won't even zip shut! If your child has red marks from the backpack's straps, struggles to put the bag on or take it off, or of course is actually complaining of pain then the bag is too heavy. Consider getting them a bag that is proportionately sized to your child, has well-padded shoulder straps, and possibly even wheels if that makes sense. Some parents have even requested a second set of textbooks so it isn't necessary to tote them to and from school -- smart idea!


Via FitSugar

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I'm a self-confessed bookworm. I read a lot. If I'm currently reading a book that really interests me, pretty much every spare moment I have is spent reading it -- including when waiting for the bus, when I'm stuck in traffic and when I'm enjoying my Grande Americano at Starbucks. If I was able to read while I did my daily run on the treadmill, I would but unfortunately, running is not conducive to reading.

BUT, I just read this tip from eDiets and it struck me as ingenious -- why not listen to an audiobook while you're on the treadmill? In fact, you could listen to your favourite book in almost any situation that's not fit for reading -- doing housework, driving and shopping included.

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Harry Potter mania has seized the nation, and the majority of my friends are holed up in their rooms reading furiously and trying to get to the end. What do you do with that monstrous book when you're finished reading and you know the ground-breaking ending? Why, you incorporate it into a workout. Really, what else would you do with a book that size?

Fitness Magazine has developed this workout that incorporates your Harry Potter book, or really, any other book -- perhaps that dictionary you hardly ever use? The workout allows you to work your triceps, core, legs and butt, and the more you do it, the more books you'll need to add. Maybe you'll eventually be able to squat the entire series, if you can find a way to safely do so, that is.

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How many diet books have you read? How many of them worked? I mean really worked, for more than a week or two? Of course there's an exception to every rule and there are a few awesome ones out there, but for the most part books on dieting just don't work. So why not? What's the deal?

The Diet Blog has the theory that it's because books are not people. Studies have shown that women in particular prefer face-to-face dieting advice, and I'm not sure but men might feel the same way? Plus I think there's a lot to be said for the fact that a book presents the same method in the same way to everybody who reads it, and we're each so different what are the odds it's going to work for many people?

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You'd think by now there wouldn't be any more room for "firsts" in the weight loss and fitness industry, but the authors of a new book called "Zodiaction" beg to differ: they are promoting their book as "the first-ever workout program based on your astrological sign."

For the record, I have no idea if that's true or not.

But anyway, do you think it makes sense to pick a workout based on astrology? Obviously they do, and they don't stop at just workout suggestions. They also give ideas on what your physical "trouble spots" might be, individual dieting vices, and even what kind of clothes you should be wearing during exercise. Based on this summary of the book by each sign my abs are my trouble spot, I tend to eat too much, and I should be working out in big loose sweats.

Yes, yes, and no thanks (yoga pants all the way). Okay then, moving on to the next crazy fad!

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When I was in college, procrastination was a good friend of mine and it came in the form of three-course meals. Whenever I just didn't feel like hitting the books, I'd hit the kitchen instead. An hour or so later after I had prepared, cooked, and eaten my steak glazed with mango chutney, stuffed baked potato and steamed broccoli I'd plop onto the couch for a short nap. Afterwards I'd toss back a few of those tasty rugala pastry treats. Those were my wonder years and today I sit wondering how I somehow managed not to tack on 35 pounds at the rate I ate (or, should I say, procrastinated)?

My freshman 15 were a healthy 15 and evened much of my body out. Some girls in their first year of college won't have this kind of luck. Surely, most freshman students will be overwhelmed and will probably groan at the mention of another text or book, but ladies hear me out. The St. Paul Pioneer Press has a piece on a new book called "The Dorm Room Diet: The 8-step Program for Creating a Healthy Lifestyle Plan That Really Works," by Daphne Oz, who shares her compelling story and hopes to inspire other young women to get healthy in college.

Daphne, who is entering her junior year at Princeton University, has done the research to write a book that works for you. Her father and grandfather, both cardiac surgeons, and her grandmother, a nutritional advisor, were all consulted and provided her with the direction needed to make a healthy lifestyle plan. According to the article, her book looks to ground readers with solid information about how many calories they should consume and some "tricks" to feel satisfied while keeping calories in tow. That's just a start. For more info, you can read the article by clicking here or head to Amazon.com where the book can be purchased for $11.53.

Though they'll probably never steer clear of Top Ramen and beer, what's your advice to college students to avoid the freshman 15 or just maintain healthy eating habits?

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