That's Fit

Salmon is by far my favorite type of seafood. Not only is it delicious, it's good for you, too; it's rich in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D, selenium, protein, and vitamins B3 and B12.

While it's important to me to serve healthful meals for me and my son, I'm not the world's most innovative cook. That's another reason why salmon is tops on my list. It's so easy to cook ... you really can't go wrong. My favorite method is to drizzle it with just a tiny bit of olive oil, sprinkle some paprika on top, and grill it. The same method works in the oven, too. I usually pair it with some seasoned brown rice and steamed asparagus.

Real Simple has eight salmon recipes that are much more creative than my stand-by preparation method. The Dill Salmon Burgers sound awesome as does the Blackened Salmon.

I'm so excited to share with you the recipe for my Protein Power Potato. It's something I've been eating several times a week, and it really has served me well. I insist that my food be: low cal, low fat, high fiber, often high in protein and overall nutritious. This Protein Power Potato fills me up, and gives me the energy to get through tough workouts or wild days with my kids. (It keeps me really trim too.)

I've included an option for making this a vegetarian or carnivorous option as well. Since I understand food, and know what I want out of it ... sometimes I just look in my fridge and concoct something that's going to give me what I need. That's how we got this meal. Did I mention this thing is delicious too? Mmmmm. I could eat it every day!

To give it a try, visit the Recipe section available at Fitzness.com, page 42.

Healthy fast food? Could there really be such a thing? A West Hollywood restaurant in California called O!burger seems to think so, and they're not talking cold sub sandwiches either. Burgers, fries, and shakes make up a good part of their menu, along with veggie burgers, yogurt smoothies, and salads.

Their main claim to fame (and health) is that they're 100% organic and striving to be eco-friendly in every way they can. They do have a healthy sounding veggie burger made of spinach and corn, but no mention of fat grams or calories. Is being organic enough to make such a broad claim like "healthy?" Unfortunately I don't live in the area and can't go try it for myself but if you do then give it a shot and let us know what you think!

Out to dinner a week or so ago, my husband ordered a giant everything-but-the-kitchen-sink burger. "If the cholesterol in that things doesn't get you," I quipped, "The salmonella in the tomatoes probably will." He's generally a pretty health-conscious person but considers going out to eat fair game -- proving it with his love for a big, sloppy burger every now and then.

If burgers are your personal vice, or if you're just looking for a few visuals to scare you off burgers for a good, long time, check out Diet-Blog's seven hamburgers of the Apocalypse. With names like The Quadruple Bypass Burger, The Hot Dog Burger, and Mulligan's Monster, these burgers are notorious for their artery-clogging powers.

Of course, it is possible to eat a healthier hamburger. Check out About.com for their healthy hamburger tips.

Of all the burgers out there, I think the general consensus is that veggie burgers are the healthiest of the bunch. They're low in saturated fat, and fat in general, plus they're lower in calories than regular beef or chicken burgers. As a non-vegetarian, I always get the same reaction when I order a veggie burger at a restaurant: 'Huh? Are you on a diet or something?' But I suspect that what veggie burgers lack in calories and fat they make up for in add-ons like cheese and sauce. But then again, I could be wrong.

What do you think? Are veggie burgers healthy or not?

No bones about it: Losing weight is hard work. You're going to have to make some major changes and you're going to have to stick to them. But changing too much too fast is a recipe for disaster, so our advice is to take it slow and start off with some smaller changes.

Diet Blog recently put together a list of easy food swaps you can make that will cut 100 calories from your daily intake. Some examples?

• On your toast, have honey instead of jam and butter.
• On your sandwich, trade mayo for a little bit of light cream cheese.
  
• Instead of having a beer after work, have a glass of wine.
  
• Instead of ordering a cheeseburger, order a plain hamburger.
  

They have plenty of other great swaps -- click here for more info.

If you're lean and healthy and you want to stay that way, steering clear of burgers is a wise move. It's an even wiser move for those who are obese -- studies show that obese people are even more affected by burgers and other high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods.

In one study, 10 normal-weight folks and eight obese folks were fed an 1,800-calorie meal consisting of a burger, fries, cola, and apple pie. After two hours, blood tests showed that both groups had increased inflammatory and oxidative stress -- key factors in artery hardening, which leads to heart attack and stroke. Another hour later, the lean eaters' levels were back to normal. The obese group's numbers were still rising. The interesting twist is this: a high-fiber, fruit-based meal full of 1,800 calories had no such adverse effects.

This study, detailed in the March 2008 Reader's Digest, is small and therefore not conclusive. Still, we might learn a lesson from it: Ditch the greasy burgers, especially if you're above a normal weight range, and embrace fiber and fruit. Nothing new, is it? Consider it a friendly reminder.

If burgers are a must-have for you, check out these healthier varieties.

12 "healthy" foods that really aren't:

Why? Click to find out!

Turkey Burgers are a much more diet-friendly that traditional burgers. Well, at least that's what most of us believe. While it's true that turkey meat is leaner than beef, poultry still has a fair amount of saturated fat. And there's more to a burger than it's meat--there's the bun and the add-ons to consider too.

So here's an interesting question for you:

Fitzness Fiends is a section devoted to you, the reader! We all have learned so much on our path to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! Fitzness Fiends are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect, some are not. All have health on the mind. Please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Nick Ferrara

Age: 32

Occupation: Police Detective

How often do you exercise? 5 times a week, Monday thru Friday. Weekends off...I need this to keep my sanity.

What type of exercise do you do? Strength training using free weights and cardio (usually 20-25 minutes).

At this point it's common knowledge that fast food is full of fat and calories, and we've all seen plenty of scary headlines declaring the "deadliest fast foods" and citing outrageous calorie counts. Plus it seems we find different numbers wherever we look -- so if you're trying to get an accurate reading on your favorite indulgence you've probably found yourself stuck in the +/- 300 calories range. Yeah, that's helpful.

So I'm presenting this list, from A Calorie Counter, with all of that in mind. It's one list that I think looks about right as far as the numbers go, and I always think lists like this are fun. One thing I know for sure: at 1680 calories I won't be having a large White Castle chocolate shake anytime soon!

The list ranks the top 272 items total, so take a look -- you might be surprised at where your favorite indulgence lands on the list!

Like our waistlines, food just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I've seen hamburgers with four patties that an average-sized man can eat with no trouble at all -- isn't there something wrong with that?

One blogger in Japan decided to speculate on the future of the Big Mac and just how big it can get. This is what he came up with -- the Chichi Mac, a ginormous burger with so many patties that I've lost count. I'm assuming this is a joke, but with burgers the size of this one that by partner Jon ended up with on a night out a little while ago (yes, it really is as big as his head), it might be a reality before you know it.

What do you think -- will food keep getting bigger, or will it get smaller now that we know how bad it is for us?

With all the focus on body weight and fat intake, we sometimes forget that cholesterol is also something that we should all be concerned about as we age. Many know that 25%-35% of their daily calorie intake should come from fat, but does anyone know what the maximum amount of cholesterol you should consume in a day is? Didn't think so. The answer is 200 mg, which is found in the yolk of just one egg.

Want to know the cholesterol levels in other items? Here's a guide courtesy of Everyday Health:

• 2 slices of French toast with butter = 116mg
• 3 oz of top sirloin beef = 76 mg
• 1 6-inch tuna sandwich/sub = 48 mg
• 1 hamburger = 29
• 1 slice of chocolate cake with frosting = 26 mg
• 1 slice of cheese pizza = 9 mg

See? Learning about cholesterol is not so bad. You don't have to cut down much -- just make sure you are getting lots of fruits and veggies and watching your portions of animal fats. And avoid those egg yolks -- one a day is the maximum you should be getting.

"Moderation is the key." We've heard this a lot as the golden rule for a healthy diet. So long as you don't overdo it in one way or another, everything will work out. Right? Correct, moderation is the key for wellness, but here are 10 foods that you should never moderately consider for consumption (they're just plain bad for you!).

Leading the pack is Pepperidge Farm's Original Flaky Crust Roasted Chicken Pot Pie. Sounds like a pretty good meal. But what makes it so unhealthy? At 510 calories and 9 grams of saturated fat, this food actually appears to be OK. Looking at it closer, you'll find that these nutrition facts are only for half of the meal! If you consume the whole pie (and honestly, who wouldn't?) you're looking at 1,020 calories and over 30 grams of fat (oh yeah, 13 grams of that are trans fat). All of this in one little pot pie.

Another food to keep an eye out for is the Starbucks Venti Cafe Mocha. Add some whipped cream to this delicacy and you're looking at 490 calories of piping hot brew. However, you can shave off 320 calories and all 16 grams of fat by ordering a tall with nonfat milk (hold the whipped cream). This may or may not surprise you, but check out the other foods to learn about what to avoid.

The veggie burger industry is growing steadily as more people look for alternatives to red meat and animal products. As a result, the recipes and methods are getting better and the days of "cardboard burgers" are pretty much over. I'm not crazy for the super-fake options like artificial bacon, but a good bean burger can be really good with the right toppings.

But reading the label on a box of soy burgers can be a little scary, especially if you're a health-conscious consumer (and people don't usually choose soy burgers unless they are). What is all that extra stuff in there with names like disodium guanylate3 and methylcellulose? If you're wondering then this article, coming from MSN, breaks everything down in easy-to-read terms. No more "mystery meat" mysteries!

Just wanted to spout out about something that really irritates me. I know a woman I'll call Nancy who was totally adamant that her baby only be nursed for the first year of his life. Formula was too "dangerous and unhealthy" for her. Nursing 100% is completely great with me, and just FYI ... I nursed both of my children for about a year as well. Mine were given formula here and there though and I truly felt it made no difference. To each her own, right?

Nancy nursing her son was terrific, but Nancy was also a big idiot about others who gave formula. A BIG IDIOT. Constantly putting down the formula, and baby food, and everything else. What drives me most crazy about this buffoon is that as soon as her boy turned one year old I caught her several times with a stroller tray full of Burger King cheeseburger bits and french fries!

Nursing is phenomenal. But don't go from strictly giving your kid the BEST food to the WORST food. What the heck is that all about? That first year of a child's life is crucial to development and counts so much. Nursing is not sustainable forever. What matters most are the habits you give them to grow on. Sustainable and realistic habits that will set them on course for a healthy childhood, followed by a long and vibrant life. Parents.Com has some great advice on pursuing this option.