That's Fit

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Q. Hey Fitz, My name is Sarah and I'm almost 16. I have always been involved with sports including: hockey, basketball, soccer and you name it! Now that I am older, I have slowed down a bit and only play basketball for high school and travel. This is what is bothering me: I can't seem to run as long as I used to. I get tired easily and run out of breath. I'm not fat or anything, and I am even really fast. But by the time I run one length of the court I'm pretty much dead. What am I doing wrong and what do I need to do to change this? It seems like I get more out of breathe each season. Thanks, Sarah

A. Hi Sarah, Thanks for writing. I have two thoughts on what may be happening with you, the first being more probable than the last. Most likely, you've just become out of shape. That doesn't mean you're obese or in horrible shape, it just may mean you're not capable of doing as much as you were two years ago when you were involved in three sports! You take pride in the fact that you run fast. That's great! But, the fact that you like to go all out probably makes you more likely to suck wind at the end of one lap.

Giran Jobe, a grunting weightlifter, had some disgruntled neighbors who felt he was too loud when lifting his weights. And, it turns out he probably was too loud, as he has now been fined, given a noise abatement, and taken to court.

Before you get too upset, you should know that the noise coming from his top floor flat was measured last June, and found to reach 100 decibels, the level of noise typically found at a rock concert. He was ordered to keep the noise down. Then, only a month later, the neighbors lodged another complaint, so the the Council implemented some noise recording devices.

At the office the other day I was talking with a co-worker about the kind of crap I used to eat at the mall when I was a teenager. Cinnabuns with extra icing (the entire bun) and poutine (a French-Canadian specialty that consists of fries covered in cheese and gravy -- trust me, don't knock it until you tried it because it's indescribably delicious) were always the order of the day. I finished my end of the chat with the statement "no wonder I was so chubby in Jr. High".

I tend to avoid mall food altogether now but when I do need to grab a bite from the food court, I skip the fries and sugary stuff and stick to the healthy options that are available. These days there's way more variety with wraps, soups, sandwiches, salads and more on offer at most shopping centers.

As this article points out, lots different cultures are represented these days including Mexican, Greek, Italian, Chinese and Japanese. If you're willing to skip the fried stuff, ask for dressing on the side, opt for whole-wheat rather than white bread and avoid extra sauces like mayo and ketchup, you can cut calories while still consuming healthy veggies and protein. For ideas on the best items to order at the food fair, take a look here.