Fitz always tells us we need to huff and puff during our workouts -- it's how we know we're working to full potential. In the course of all your huffing and puffing, though, make sure you're not struggling to breathe. If you are, you might want to up your fiber intake.

Fiber-filled foods like bran won't give you the lung capacity of Michael Phelps, says RealAge, but it will help you breathe easier.

Fiber gives the lungs a leg up. In one study, people who ate 27 grams of fiber had better lung capacity than those who got 10 grams. They were also 15 percent less likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an irreversible condition that makes breathing difficult. Maybe it's that fiber protects the lungs by reducing inflammation. Perhaps the antioxidants found in fiber help protect lung cells. Could be both. So take a deep breath, and get your fiber fix now.

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Muffins are one of my favorite treats, either for breakfast or as a snack. Unfortunately, many of the ones you find at the grocery store or at coffee shops are high in fat and calories, and are made with excessive amounts of sugar and oil. If you're a fellow muffin-fan and want to try to bake a healthier variety on your own, check out this recipe for ginger bran muffins.

They contain ginger (obviously), which is thought to help settle an upset stomach, and bran (also obvious based on the title), a grain that is high in fib re and may help lower the risk of heart disease. At 136 calories per serving and only 6 g of fat (including only a single gram of saturated fat), and boasting 3g of fib re and 4g of protein, these muffins are a healthy, low-fat and delicious treat that you can enjoy any time.

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The cereal aisle can be daunting. There are so many choices -- from the obviously unhealthy (sugary junk) to the healthy (think high-fiber, zero taste) to the fake healthy (like granola.) Aren't there any cereals out there that are healthy and taste good? Sure there are, but you have to become a diet detective to find one.

The key is reading the labels. Look for the first ingredient on the list -- if it's not a whole grain, put the box back where it belongs. The ideal cereal will 3g or more of fiber, a reasonable amount of sugar (I pick cereals with 10g or less per serving.) For more tips on picking your cereal, plus a comparison of some favourites, check out this article from WebMD.

My cereal du jour is All Bran Guardian with Psyllium -- it's maple-flavoured and tastes like it's not good for you. What your favourite cereal?

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At one place I worked, the boss used to compensate for making us work weekends by buying us a couple of boxes of donuts to munch on. After many a weekend of eating donuts, a few of us started to get bored -- not to mention a bit heavier -- so we asked if we could start adding some muffins in to the mix. Muffins are a healthy alternative to donuts, right? That was the logical conclusion for me, anyway, since my mother allowed us to eat muffins on a regular basis but not donuts. But was mom right? Are muffins actually better for us? How many calories are there in a chocolate chip muffin anyway?

A) 220
B) 450
C) 620
D) 870

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Recently, I've seen a bunch of commercials promoting the benefits of fibre. In this case, you shouldn't skip past the commercials because Regis Philbin and co. are right – fiber is really good for you. True, it's not the tastiest, but the benefits of it are seemingly endless, and not just for staying regular. Fiber is help prevent heart disease, lowers cholesterol, can reduce hemorrhoids and can even play a role in metabolism! So what are you waiting for? Go pick up some All Bran or similar product – but take it with a bit of yogurt and fresh fruit so you don't feel like you're eating cardboard.

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