That's Fit

Could the movement of your breasts within your sports bra create enough energy to power a small device, like an iPod? The short answer is yes, it certainly could. But there's more to it than just bouncing them around enough to create energy -- that energy then has to be harnessed.

Slate recently had an article on what would need to occur in order to harness the power of our swaying breasts (I mean actual energy power -- not the power to stop men in their tracks or knock over a small child), and believe it or not, there's some serious technology already at work regarding this. However, each possibility has its problems.

For example, one researcher has fabric made of nanowires that could easily be used to create a bra. However, it couldn't be washed -- ew! And then, there's the Lightning Pack technology that's already at work in backpacks for serious hikers and the military, and while this technology could be used on the bra strap, there's a generator and a piston involved, and, long story short, it just wouldn't be too comfy.

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. Yesterday I did two classes in a row - Cardio sculpt and Extreme training, which are both really tough. Two days before that I ran three miles to the gym, did a class and ran three miles home. For the first time in a long time I did not enjoy the exercise one bit. I have been exercising regularly for a long time now - usually I love it. I have been practicing good nutrition habits with the occasional sweet tooth fix, drinking lots of water and STILL the number on the scale is staying the same. I feel like I am on the verge of burning out. I can't seem to lose the flab around my tummy - particularly under my belly button and backs of my thighs, no matter what I do. Plus, short of starving myself and getting very cranky, I don't know how to actually lose the weight. Funny how a number on a machine, the scale, can be so vital to my state of mind. It's ridiculous, really. PLEASE - do you have any advice? Cindy

A. Whoa there Cindy! You need a break! Sounds odd for me to say this, but put your sneakers away and sit the heck down! Fitness is not supposed to make us insane, fitness is supposed to help us maintain our sanity. You are burnt out to the max, and need to just let it go for a while. I'm not suggesting forever, but take at least a week off. I know what you're going through. You already have an elite fitness level, but particular parts of your body are just not responding the way you want them to. You have incredibly high standards for your body. That often leads to frustration. Especially when you're 'starving' and running a million miles a week!

Choosing the right sports bra requires attention to a number of factors. First and foremost is your bust size. Obviously, the big busted woman is going to require a different type of support than a woman with small-bust needs.

Second, take into account what you need it for. Playing basketball or jumping rope requires a different level of support than going for a walk, and it really is important that, if you plan to do some jumping activities, you find a bra that keeps you from bouncing.

SheFinds.com came up with a comprehensive list of the Best Sports Bras using the editors' expertise as well as input from readers. There are bras for busts large and small made for all different activities. Check them out in the gallery and be sure to leave a comment sharing your favorite sports bra!

Whoever decided that big breasts, impossibly tiny waists, and curvy hips was a good look for a woman must not have had these features themselves. Well-endowed women often deal with aching backs, shoulder pain, and other issues due to their breast size. In fact, breast reduction surgery is one of the top five cosmetic procedures.

According to doctors at a London hospital, many surgeries could be avoided if women wore a properly fitted bra. The London Free Hospital started a bra fitting clinic and, so far, 100% of the women have been wearing the wrong bra size. For women with large breasts, an improper fit can lead to the shoulders bearing the brunt of the weight instead of the chest. This can create severe back, neck, and/or shoulder pain.

Do you remember back (way back for some of us) around the time we were about 11- or 12-years-old when sexual education started to be a regular unit in health class? Our fearless teachers managed to sit through all of the giggling long enough to explain the many technical details about growing up into men and women. As I've gotten older, I've learned a few things (whether through the experiences of friends or on my own) that I really wish they'd covered back then.

One of those things is the basics behind buying a bra. OK, I suppose it isn't really the education system's responsibility to make sure that you know how to get the right fit but it's still something that I think we girls need to learn as early as possible in order to save years of struggling through life in ill-fitting, uncomfortable brassieres.

I'll spare you the entire bra story -- you can read all about it here if you wish -- but suffice it to say that something as little as a bra, a measly $20 bra, can lift a whole lot more than the flesh found right there on your chest. It can lift your mood and your overall spirit. And it can do quite a job at inflating both your body image and your self-esteem. I know because I just got my very own new bra.

I not only got a new bra this weekend. I got a brand new model of bra. I traded in my minimizing bra -- the kind I've worn for years -- for a barely-there-light-push-up bra that has transformed each of my breasts from pancake to perky. It's amazing, the difference, and it makes me want to spread the word: If you're feeling down about your body and need a change, a simple little change, while you whittle away at your weight or firm up your flab, then consider a new bra.

Or forget the bra. Make it a new pair of pants that flatter your behind. Or a shirt that trims and slims. It can be anything really -- a hip new jacket, a sporty haircut, a fresh manicure, anything that puts a spring in your step and a smile on your face. Let's be real here: Big sweeping changes take time. So why not try reinventing yourself before long stretches pass you by? It's easy, I tell you. As easy as my new bra.

Oprah has all the bases covered when it comes to feel-good stuff. She's the queen of giving, and gratitude, and good books, and now . . . underwear.

Yes, underwear is good for the soul, ladies. Well, good underwear is. But how many of us have good foundation garments? Are your outdated and faded panties stuffed in a drawer alongside your other mismatched goods? Do your bras work for your body type and shape? How about your gym gear -- does that job bra accomplish its intended function? If you answered "yes," "no," and "no," then your undergarments may need a swift trip to rehab.

Oprah to the rescue. Check out this article from her February 2008 magazine for the lowdown on managing your intimate apparel wardrobe and updating your mental health too.

I just finished reading a feature on Kelly Ripa in Fitness magazine. The focus of the article is on Kelly's new fit body and her favorite workouts. But of course, when it comes to Ripa, we can always expect the unexpected.

Kelly says she wears jeans that are very tight in the butt, because they give her some extra lift. She wants her jeans to smoosh her cheeks together and raise em up. I've never actually thought about jeans that way, but the idea has the capacity to make sense.

Just be careful when you're trying on denim that the jeans squish you up, and don't smoosh you down. Flat fannies are not so hot!

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, Why is that we feel like puking or vomiting during intense workouts? Is it a bad indication or health threat? I saw on the Biggest Loser that there were those who puked. However, I felt it just recently on my 20 minute incline treadmill workout and it gave me the creeps. Did I do something wrong? Am I supposed to have myself checked with a doctor? Thanks, Kassy

A. Hi Kassy. Thanks for the great question. There are a bunch of possible causes for your nausea, and most are not worthy of worry. Vigorous exercise takes it's toll on all the different parts of our body; not just our legs, arms and abs. It effects our respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, and digestive systems (amongst others) as well. Most of the effects of challenging exercise are great, some of the effects though are temporarily not-so-great. I found a study by Dr. R. Rafoth, M.D., The Athlete and the G.I. Tract which describes the causes of exercise induced nausea and other G.I. symptoms which I summarize below.

Some of the factors that can lead to exercise induced nausea are:

1. Presence of symptoms in a non exercising period, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

2. Age. More symptoms occur in younger athletes.

3. Gender: Women are more likely to experience exercised induced nausea, completely unrelated to ones menstrual cycle.

4. Diet: There is an increased incidence of upper abdominal symptoms in athletes who consumed:

• too big a meal too close to exercise
• fats
• hyper-tonic drinks, glucose syrups, honey/maple syrups
• foods high in dietary fiber
• high protein diets

According to this article on Trendhunter 73% of women don't wear a sports bra when exercising -- is that right??? Ouch ladies! Maybe we'd all be a little more inclined to support ourselves adequately if we could find customized support tailored to our individual needs. Shockabsorber does just that, by having women take a quiz to narrow their activity level and cup size down to a specific recommendation of a sports bra with the right support and fit in all the right places. Sounds awesome, although I will say it looks like some of their styles are downright functional (read: ugly!) to look at.

I'm not a huge fan of mint anything, really, so the fact that I'm not at all excited about a sports bra scented like peppermint is no surprise. But what do you think? FitSugar has a poll going on the topic, based on the new Reebock Pulse Scented Short Bra Top which "releases the refreshing scent of peppermint" when you workout. It seems like more people like it than don't (48% cool, 38% not cool, so far), but I'm not convinced. I keep thinking that it doesn't keep you from sweating so what does 'sweaty peppermint' smell like? That could be downright nauseating.

What's in your gym bag? Me? I've got deodorant, my yoga mat, a towel, my running shoes, spare socks ... erm, well, you get the point. There's nothing particularly fancy about my gym bag -- I'm pretty low maintenance.

Glee Magazine has a few suggestions for people like me, who aren't prepared for anything but, well, working out. How about mini beauty and bath products for that quick, apres-sweat pampering? A multi-purpose bra, in case you have some place to be after the gym? An energy bar for a quick fix? A pair of sandals for the shower? A hat and sunscreen, in case you decide to workout outdoors?

A mini-spa that you tote to the gym sounds like a great idea, but is it practical? I'll probably stick to my bare-basics workout gear ...what about you?