That's Fit

I ran really far on Sunday, and when the time came to go to the gym with my husband on Monday, I thought I'd be too beat to perform. I literally was contemplating stretching for an hour as I walked through the front doors. But then! Then I saw something beautiful to my left. Over the dozens of cardio machines to my side, I saw Tom Cruise plopped down on the couch with Oprah and was drawn over to the treadmills.

Curiosity got my goat, and up I climbed on to the machine before me. Now strangely enough, because of a back injury, walking hurts more than running. So with emotional bricks in my shoes I cranked up the speed to six miles per hour and got going. I swear to you that before I turned that darn machine on, I would have never imagined my legs would take me half a mile. Apparently I was wrong.

Turns out that even though I felt sluggish and was full of doubt, I was capable of running for an hour straight! Isn't that insane? I think so. Listen. I've been in this business a long time, and have made a living out of proving to people that they could do the things they thought they couldn't! Feeling slow, tired, and unmotivated is not unusual. What is unusual, though, is finding the inspiration to yank out your personal best, even under those circumstances.

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. I'm heading out for a week's vacation on a cruise ship next month, and worried that once again I'll gain almost ten pounds while gone. That's what I've done the last few times I've gone on a cruise. How can I get around it? There is awesome food everywhere! Susan.

A. Susan, Susan, Susan. I'm shaking my head. The deal with vacations, cruises especially, is that they're a time for you to relax, get away from the daily grind and have some fun. Pigging out and gorging are simply not what you should be focusing on...wherever you are! Yes, there is a lot of tasty food on cruise ships. There is also a lot of yummy things available at your local grocery store every single day! That doesn't' mean you should run through the aisles like a lunatic shoving everything you can get your hands on into your mouth. Just because food is THERE, just because food is FREE, doesn't mean you have to eat it.

If you believe relaxation contributes to good health and you believe cruises lead to relaxation, then sailing the oceans blue might be just what you need. But if you believe there will be dependable medical care on board should your health take a detour, then you'd possibly be wrong and therefore, a cruise may not be just what you need.

Nearly 10 million Americans will set sail this year. What these 10 million may not know is that cruise lines claim no responsibility for doctors' actions. Cruise lines hire doctors, and they assign them as part of the crew -- but the buck stops there. The doctor merely has to claim to be competent. If he or she is not, cruise lines disavow any responsibility whatsoever.

This fact can be found in the fine print on tickets, Web sites, and brochures. But most of us don't read every detail and for some, discovering this hidden wording occurs too late.

If cruise lines are not responsible, then the doctors must be, right? In theory, perhaps. But many doctors are foreigners who and are tough to track down in legal scenarios.

In the book Unsafe on the High Seas, Miami attorney Charles Lipcon offers advice for protecting yourself : Get travel insurance if yours doesn't have an evacuation provision, he says. And bring copies of your medical records, and tell the cruise line about pre-existing conditions. And most important: If you have a serious medical problem, maybe a cruise is not right for you.

Katie Holmes, refreshed and sporting black, open-toed heels, attended husband Tom Cruise's Lions for Lambs movie premiere on Sunday night -- just after she'd finished running the New York City Marathon.

No major recovery was required for Holmes, who finished the race in 5:29:58.

"Isn't she amazing?" said mom Kathy of her 28-year-old daughter. "She's such a good girl. We're so proud." Hubby Tom echoed the sentiment.

"I know, I know. It's amazing."

It is amazing. I am so impressed by those who can finish such a grueling 26.2-mile challenge. Truly impressed.

Way to go, Katie!

A grad student at the University of Calgary in Canada has used the death of a family member in a drunk driving accident as inspiration for a video game that simulates the consequences of driving under the influence.

Created by Lori Shyba, the game named Booze Cruise, lets players experience tunnel vision, flared lights and slow reaction times, and forces them to avoid pedestrians and go through alcohol checkstops. While the game still throws in some silly elements -- apparently obstacles to avoid include Elvis and pink elephants -- it still deals with an important life or death subject and is meant to be taken seriously.

Shyba and the rest of the team that created the game want to give young people the chance to see what it's really like to drive after drinking, while avoiding the potentially tragic consequences. Hopefully, kids that get the chance to play Booze Cruise will realize that drunk driving is never an option.

If the game become widely available, would you encourage your kids to play it?

I've never been on a cruise, but I imagine going to one would be like visiting an all-inclusive resort, where the buffets and bars are always well-stocked and the entertainment flows just as much as a booze. One thing I know about all-inclusive resorts is that dieting, or even maintaining your weight is next to impossible. At least, if you're will-power-less like I am.

The reason I'm talking cruises is Fitsugar has posted some suggestions on how to keep from de-railing your diet while on a cruise, like:

• Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day, instead of 3 huge ones
• At a buffet, fill your plate with healthy things like salad first and hopefully there won't be room for the unhealthy stuff by the time you get to it.
  
• Drink lots of water
• Sign up for activities, especially the fitness classes.

How do you stay fit on a cruise?