Day 5: Tired of checking lists. That's the biggest drawback of a diet plan that requires you learn something new -- it takes time to learn it. It's even harder to stick to a plan I'm not convinced works. There's a lot of controversy surrounding the low GI diet. Case in point: When I tried to track down the GI ranking of carrots, I found websites that ranked them anywhere from 16 to 94. I still don't know whether I should have been eating them this week or not.

One study found that the glycemic index can change from person to person, or even because of foods that are eaten at the same time. For instance, white bread is a high GI food, but eating it with high protein foods like turkey and cheese brings the total load down.

I'm not saying the low GI plan doesn't work -- not at all. I'm just saying that anyone who wants to try it should plan on doing lots of reading.

Chances are your kitchen is filled with fruits and veggies that come from trees, bushes and gardens -- but don't forget about those that grow under the surface. Root vegetables -- like beets, radishes, turnips and carrots -- are just as delicious, equally nutritious and less expensive, which is always welcome during these tough times. Over at Calorie Lab, registered dietitian Karen Collins is raving about roots -- here are some things you should know about them:

• They're high in nutrients. For example, beets and parsnips have high levels of folate, and Jicama and celeriac have vitamin C.
• They're cheap and readily available, even in winter.
• They're easy to cook -- you can steam them in the microwave or bake them.
  
• They taste good on their own -- just add a bit of olive oil and some spices and you've got a great side dish.

For more dirt on roots, head over to Calorie Lab and let us know how you like to prepare yours.

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Sick of your specs? Working out might be the key to losing them for good.

New studies show that exercise is good for your eyes. More specifically, running has been shown to reduce your risk for macular degeneration and cataracts, but I'm sure any sort of regular physical activity would show similar results as these. After all, being fit helps improve your total body health, peepers included.

So go ahead, lace up those sneakers and don't stop there. Eating carrots is also good for your sight, and they're so low in calories that you don't need to worry about snacking to your heart's content. And while you're at it, you might as well try eye yoga too.

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Oh, how I miss my local farmer's market. When I go shopping at the local grocery store, the produce department is kind of depressing. The other day the bell peppers were wrinkled and just begging to be put out of their misery. But carrots ... carrots are the ultimate fighting champion of the vegetable world. They look good all year long.

Carrots are a frequent snack at my house. We also steam them as a side dish and dice up the leftover steamed carrots to add to rice the next day.

The New York Times has two great recipes for another carrot side dish. Both grated carrot salad varieties sound utterly tasty. The curry-laced salad is going to be showing up on my dinner table soon.

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The secret to becoming fit and trim is painfully simple, and I know you can follow these easy instructions. No diets, pills or programs necessary!

Changing your post-workout routine, tools to "un-Gumby-fy" your yoga routine, and other neat fitness training tips can be found at ...

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You should always listen to what your momma tells you. Unless what she's telling you is just an old wives' tale. Ella from Ruby Room helps us decipher the truths from the myths:

• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. There aren't too many people who would dispute this. A good breakfast gives you the energy to get through your day and it can even help you lose weight.
  
• Hot milk will help you get to sleep. Milk contains melatonin and tryptophan so it can help you feel sleepier.
  
• Beans are the musical fruit. They certainly do produce a fair amount of gas while digesting. But they're a healthy addition to your diet ... so they're worth it.
• Mixing drinks will increase your hangover. I remember a little rhyme from when I was in college: "Beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor then beer, nothing to fear." The truth is, it's simply the level of alcohol in your blood and the amount of dehydration that creates a hangover.
• Carrots will help you see in the dark. Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which is beneficial for vision. But the direct link between carrots and eyesight is far more myth than fact.
  
  

Check out the full article on Ruby Room to find out the truth behind other cliches.

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Sounds amazing, doesn't it? Curried tuna, carrot and hummus couscous. The mouth waters just thinking about it.

But wait -- there's more. This healthy recipe's got a couple of sources of lean, complete protein: tuna and hummus. Its overflowing with nutrition from veggies too, like carrots, garlic, red pepper, onions and greens (rocket or arugala). And the health benefits of the turmeric in curry are plentiful.

The fun begins, though, when you start imagining all of the ingenious substitutions you could make to boost the nutrition and healthfulness of this recipe. Join me after the jump for some specifics.

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I have a favorite salad I make at home. It's healthy. It's easy. It's something you might want to add to your at-home menu.

It all starts with a bed of baby spinach leaves. Then I add a handful of red grapes, sprinkle on some shredded carrots, mix in some dried cranberries, and toss in a few shaved almonds. For a dose of good protein and a serving of essential omega-3 fats, I top with salmon, which is always a leftover from a previous dinner meal.

No dressing for this salad. The juice from the grapes and the moist fish do the trick all on their own.

Want whiter and brighter teeth? Look no further than your food. Grab an apple, some carrots, a cucumber now and then and you'll scrub your stains away. It's the abrasive or crunchy quality of these foods that do the trick, says Elisa Mello, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in New York City. Items to avoid: Red wine, coffee, and cola, which may darken your pearly whites.

Another cleaning trick, says Mello for Woman's Day magazine (July 8, 2008), is to sip staining beverages through a straw and then chase with plenty of water to prevent them from leaving a mark.

For more tips on eating for healthy teeth, check out fatfreekitchen.com.

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Growing your own produce is an economical way to feed your family healthfully. As an added perk, pulling all of the weeds helps to burn a few calories each day.

If you haven't gotten around to planting a garden this summer, you're not too late. There are plenty of veggies that can still thrive even into the fall. Perhaps even into the winter, depending on the weather conditions where you live. Divine Caroline has a list of edible goodies that can be planted now and enjoyed in the coming months:

• Long-maturing crops such as carrots, cabbage, and potatoes can be planted now for regions with October frost dates, or in August for regions with November frost dates.
• Medium-maturing crops like broccoli, Swiss chard, and kale take about two months to mature. You can plant them now or hold off a bit longer for fall growth.
• Fast-maturing crops such as spinach, arugula, and leaf lettuce mature in about a month and can be planted as late as September. Plant some now and then plan to plant again for a second crop in the fall.

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In my expert opinion, yes! Disney World is the healthiest place on earth. I just returned from a five-night, six-day vacation with my husband and two children and was blown away by the amount of physical activity both offered and required of ourselves in order to indulge in the full Disney experience.

We pushed our double-stroller miles through two theme parks, climbed thousands of stairs and jumped an equal amount of waves at two water-parks, danced our tushies off to live bands at various Disney resorts, and played game after game with our children as we giggled, oohed and ahhed at all the Disney magic. As a fitness trainer, one of my biggest obstacles is convincing my clients not to trash their fitness efforts when they head out on vacation. Disney offers the perfect opportunity to not only maintain one's fitness level, but improve it.

The physical adventures are endless, and Disney World has made a deliberate effort to increase the availability of legitimately nutritious, low fat, and lower sugar foods. Fruit stands have popped up all over the theme parks, and children's dining has switched from burgers and fries to grilled chicken with carrots and grapes offered as side dishes. Soda has been dumped for low fat milk! I can't get food that "clean" in my own neighborhood, unless I cook it myself! Of course, the old junkie favorites like popcorn, fries, and ice cream are still available, but if you do care about your health and want to maintain it on vacation ... Disney makes it easy.

Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

The Carrot Museum calls your average carrot a nutritional hero. Storing a goldmine of nutrients, no other vegetable or fruit contains as much carotene -- this converts to vitamin A -- as this herbaceous plant containing about 87% water. Good raw or cooked, carrots provide healthy doses of vitamins B, C, D, and E, potassium, folic acid, and magnesium. Cooked carrots are best, however -- they are more nutritious this way.

Even small amounts of carrots do the body good with their essential oils, carbohydrates, and nitrogenous composites. Well-known for their sweetening, healing, diuretic, remineralizing, and sedative properties, carrots are important for their three most powerful elements: Beta-carotene, Alpha Carotene, and Phytochemicals. Beta-carotene gives us vitamin A which strengthens immune systems, keeps the skin, lungs and intestinal track in order, and promotes healthy cell growth. Alpha Carotene helps inhibit tumor growth. And phytochemicals may reduce the risk of cancer and strokes, hinder the aging process, balance hormonal metabolism, and promote antiviral and antibacterial properties. Combine these three elements and carrots are yes, nutritional heroes. Just look at some of what they can do.

• Boost immunity, especially in older people

• Reduce risk of heart disease

• Improve muscle, flesh, and skin health

• Fight anemia

• Reduce acne

• Improve eye health

• Heal minor wounds and injuries

• Fight infection

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In our house, we tend to keep food in our fridge for longer than most people. It's part laziness, part iron stomachs and part frugality, but whatever the cause, I'm often left scratching my head wondering if I should use a certain ingredient in my next meal. But I recently came across this handy timeline for storing common fruits and veggies:

• Carrot (peeled): 51 days
  
• Tomato: 36 days
  
• Garlic: 30 days
• Broccoli: 27 days
• Strawberry: 22 days
  
• Asparagus: 22 days
• Spinach: 19 days
• Grapes (black and green): 14 days
• Peppers (red and green): 14 days
• Cucumber: 8 days
• Lettuce: 8 days

Surprising, yes? I thought the times on many of these were much shorter. This is good news though, particularly for those month-old carrots in the back of my fridge.

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It wasn't long ago that the prevailing wisdom for protecting your heart was to eat a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. That's not to say that this advice was wrong; rather, it fell somewhat short only because it focused on what you shouldn't be eating instead of what you should be eating.

To keep your ticker ticking, there are many foods that can provide protection against such threats to your heart as inflammation, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure.

WebMD recently listed 15 foods you can eat to help protect your heart. Click HERE to read the full article, or just breeze through the list below.

1. Swiss Chard

2. Fresh Herbs

3. Low-Fat or Non-Fat Yogurt

4. Garlic

5. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6. Almonds

7. Barley

8. Cayenne Chili Pepper

9. Carrots

10. Broccoli

11. Oranges

12. Lean Pork

13. Salmon

14. Black Beans

15. Dried Cherries

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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: Chris Wilmont

Age: 34

Occupation: Claims Manager

How often do you exercise? Try to keep it between 4 to 6 times a week.

What type of exercise do you do? Mostly weights, but I incorporate cardio to ward off bad doctor visits.

What gets you to workout, even when you're feeling lazy? The inspiration to feel good after accomplishing something for a better me.

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