That's Fit

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.

Mario Lopez showed the world he could do a little dancing on Dancing With the Stars, but who expected this? Our beloved former A.C. Slater has taken his act to Broadway, joining the cast of A Chorus Line!

Mario will be playing Zach (no, not a nod to his former Saved By The Bell BFF, Zack Morris), a demanding director in charge of casting the chorus roles for a new musical on Broadway. He debuts this Tuesday, so you'd better get your tickets fast -- if these promo pictures are any indication, this is going to be one hot show!

Or, at the very least, Mario will be looking hot, and that's enough for some of us. I'd have to say Broadway agrees with him. Wouldn't you? Check out the gallery for proof!

I grew up dancing -- tap, jazz, gymnastics, ballet -- you name it, I took the class. My schedule has recently become a bit more flexible, so I've been checking out new classes at my gym. I came across Hip Hop Live, which promised "it's more like a dance party than a workout." Sounds like a ball, right?

It was! But it was definitely a workout, too -- after the first class, I was drenched with sweat and crazy sore. More painful than the muscle soreness, though, was the serious bruise to my ego -- apparently those dance classes from my elementary school days weren't going to come back as easily as I had anticipated.

I went to the class again last night, and there was definite improvement (I'm still not good, but it was slightly less embarrassing). Probably Missy Elliott isn't going to be casting me in a video anytime soon, but I'm having a blast learning some of the moves. I don't know when I've laughed so hard working out.

Do you have a class you love to attend? Or hate? Or love to hate? Share -- if my gym has something similar, I promise I'll give it a shot!

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

Hooray for Paige Davis! I just got done interviewing the delightful host of TLC's Trading Spaces and I genuinely like her a lot. We spent an hour blabbing our brains out, and I have to tell you that the girl is as easy, sweet and likable in person as she is on the show. The world of home improvement fans exhaled a collective sigh of relief when TLC announced they were bringing back their beloved Paige.

She's sweet, she's smart, and she happens to have a smoking body. She's been professionally dancing for a very long time, and has some terrific advice to help get the rest of us in super shape as well. Paige's perspective on both life and fitness seems to be on track. Her enthusiasm is contagious. If you'd like to catch a case of her 'perfect life' germs...read on!

Fitz: You've been gone from Trading Spaces for a few years, and just finished shooting the first half of the new season. How'd it go?

Paige: Great! We've shot 13 episodes so far. It's been different, but great! It's wonderful to be back working with all of my friends who were there before. It is so much fun working with Frank. And Doug is like a sibling to me. We have this silly chemistry, and we just poke fun at each other and have a blast all the time. Plus, I've made lots of new friends. I love it.

Fitz: Moving is really hard work. The audience may wonder of you're just the cute perky girl hosting the show, without having to actual pitch in to the tasks. How much physical labor do you actually do while filming?

Actress Kate Hudson, who says she isn't worried about being totally perfect, has danced her whole life and she works out all the time too. That's why her body is so, well, perfect.

Hudson, starring with Matthew McConaughey in the movie Fool's Gold, primed her body and prepped for her role by getting certified for scuba on the Great Barrier Reef. It took her a couple of weeks to accomplish this feat. It took McConaughey five seconds, she says.

Yep, those Fool's Gold diving scenes are the real deal. So is Hudson's physique.

The UK is launching a new initiative to change the physical education approach for girls. To help pique interest, new options such as yoga and dance are going to be offered. In addition, changing facilities are going to be adjusted to better meet the girls needs (such as adding blow dryers and hair straighteners for older girls).

In the UK, only 40% of young teenage girls participate in physical activity for the recommended 60 minutes or more per day. While I hope that adding dance and blow dryers doesn't mean removing other sports (cause girls can hang with the guys just fine... thank you very much), I think anything that encourages more activity is a wonderful thing. The program has piloted in a number of schools and they're seeing positive results.

Is there a young girl in your life that could use some fitness motivation? Here are some sites for inspiration:

• iemily
• girlshealth.gov
• Kid's Health
• Kid's Health Galaxy

My kids and I caught Oprah's Friday episode featuring Dancing with the Stars past champions and the new season's line-up too. My boys love to dance and have perfected some pretty good moves in their few years of life. Now, after watching a few pro performances, they're bound to get even better.

My interest in this Oprah show was not skill related. I don't dance and don't aspire to learn how. I do appreciate physical prowess, though, and must say I am simply amazed at what I saw happening on the dance floor. The professional dancers were on fire. Their partners, stars like pro football player Emmitt Smith and boy band guy Drew Lachey, start with no real ballroom dance experience, train their butts off in non-stop fashion, and then dance to kill. Inspiring, this stuff is -- for my boys who could hardly wait through the commercials to see each dancing team and for me too.

Need some of your own inspiration? Check out the new season of Dancing with the Stars, beginning Monday March 17 (8:00-9:30 p.m., ET) on ABC.

Maybe so! I just got done chatting with the host of TLC's Trading Spaces, which by the way...is a lovely thing to do. Paige is saucy, fun and really very sweet. The type of girl you want to live right next to. I was interviewing Paige for a future Celebrity Fitzness Report and she was totally open and honest.

We talked health, fitness and show business. We also talked a bit about nudity. One of my reader's suggestions was to ask Paige if she'd ever pose in the buff. She didn't say no. In fact, under the 'right circumstances' she would do it. She didn't say she would do it to show off her fantastic figure (which she has) though......

Welcome to 2008. It's you're year to get fit this time around, I can feel it. So what are you waiting for? We're coming up on the third week of January. Most of us are back to the grind at work, so let's get back to the grind of the gym too. Or if you're just starting out, start looking around for gyms or fitness programs in your area that fit with your schedule and lifestyle.

Not sure what to do? Here are some suggestions of things you should try in '08

Sabrina Bryan, former Dancing with the Stars hopeful and member of Disney's Cheetah Girl singing group, is committed to fighting childhood obesity and promoting health body image among young girls. How exactly is she doing it? With a hop-hop fitness DVD, that's how.

"My opportunity with the project was to bring a health-conscious topic up in a fun way for girls," says Bryan whose three-part workout (called Byou: pronounced Be You) was a team effort with Healthy Kids Challenge, a nonprofit that focuses on creating children's nutrition.

Bryan, 24, remembers clearly body image issues she experienced during her adolescent and teenage years.

"I went through this whole, 'I hate my body,' thing," she said.

Becoming active in sports and dancing was key for Bryan who practices balance in her adult life.

"It is good to have balance," she says. "Anything that is too one way or the other is where you end up doing binge kinds of things which is not what we want in the minds of young girls."

For more on Bryan's dance outreach, visit the official Byou site.

It's starting to get really, really cold out there. My New England self envies any of you living in warmer climates right now. Being more of a gym person than an outdoor workout type, my only real exposure to the elements fortunately lasts for the forty-three seconds it takes to walk from my car to the gym entrance. But, there will soon be days when the roads are not plowed, the gym is closed, and taking my routine outside is just plain crazy. It's good to know that even on such crummy days as those I just described, there are ways to burn some calories without ever leaving the house.

Here are five simple ways to burn at least 100 calories:

5. Dance like nobody is watching for 15 minutes. Pop in that CD (you know which one -- the one that you keep hidden from the rest of your CD collection because you don't want people to know that you actually own it) and dance around your living room like it's your last day on earth. The good news is that you probably have many, many more days ahead of you, and that you just burned 112 calories.

4. Jump rope for 10 minutes. If you own a home, this shouldn't be much of a problem. But, if you rent an apartment and it happens to be on an upper level, the people living below you may hate you. Oh well, you can't please everyone. Such are the sacrifices we make for burning 115 calories.

3. Mop the floors for 30 minutes. Decidedly less fun than the past two options, mopping the floor is nonetheless a more physical activity than it may seem. Proof of this is the fact that you will burn 121 calories.

2. Walk up and down your stairs for 30 minutes. Halfway through this exercise, you'll probably wish you had chosen to mop the floor. After a solid half an hour on the stairs, you will have burned 190 calories.

1. Play with your dog for 30 minutes. Aaah, now this one sounds fun. If you're snowed in, that dog of yours is likely feeling just as much cabin fever as you. The opportunity to run around, chew on its favorite toy, and play fetch (albeit, a rather confined version of the game) will not only bring your canine friend a great deal of joy, but it will also help you burn 100 calories.

Bev told us that she danced her little butt off recently at her husband's work holiday party. You should follow her lead. Get out there at your own holiday party or simply crank up the tunes and let loose on your living room floor. Not only will you have a blast, you'll burn about 136 calories for every 30 minutes of dancing.

Not exactly sure how to shake your booty? Go to the site learntodance.com where learning to dance is as easy as pie. While there, you can learn to move with free online lessons, locate a dance studio near you, and check out the best instructional materials around. Step by step, you can master the latest trends in Argentine Tango, Ballet, Ballroom dancing, Breakdance, Country/Western, Freestyle, Hip Hop, Salsa, Swing, Tap, and more.

Dancing can be lots of fun. It's lots good for your body too. Click here to learn more about the health benefits of moving' and groovin'.

Jennifer Lopez just gave new proof of how sexy and capable pregnant women can be. She seemed to bust all of her old Fly Girl moves and do it well during her Dancing with the Stars performance. Her clothes were breezy as to hide her bump, but if one didn't know she was expecting before the show...they would never had known as a result of it.

I say "good for her", and "thanks" too. Pregnancy is certainly a time for cautiousness, but she wasn't risky.....she was just doing her job. In hindsight, I wish I would have vamped it up a bit more when I was pregnant. Oh well. Maybe I'll have an oops! baby and get my chance. Thanks Jennifer for the inspiration.

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. Hi Fitz.. I am 18, 5'6, and 220 lbs. I try to eat right and be fit, but it's hard to do since I am so busy. I recently started SCUBA diving and through all the equipment and the swimming, I consider it a workout. Especially because we usually do two and sometimes three dives most days. I live overseas in a place where there are no cars, so we ride bikes everywhere. I feel pretty good, but when I see myself in the mirror I cringe. I don't even bother buying new clothes.

Between diving and my full time job, I don't have time to plan meals or even go to the gym. I've tried to get up and go to the gym in the mornings before work, but I'd have to get up at about 5 and I'm NOT a morning person. What can I do to fit fitness into my busy schedule and what is an easy way to eat healthier? Amanda

A. Argh Amanda! It makes me so sad to know that you cringe when you see yourself. I used to do the same until I really figured out the science of eating right, exercising appropriately, and pursuing fitness in a healthy way. Funny thing is, I only lost the weight I had wanted to lose when I stopped beating myself up. For real! I actually decided to recognize all of the ways that I am great, (good student, caring friend, a consistent volunteer) and only then did the weight come off. I think spending so much energy despising myself didn't leave any for making positive improvements.

I think you should start there. Find out why you're great. Why you're worthy. Then focus on adopting healthier habits. Exercising in the morning usually starts of hard, but becomes easier as you get used to it. Gyms are packed at 5:00am. If that's truly your only free time, then I suggest giving it at least one month's chance. Along with that, get moving on your lunch break. A few ten minute walks each day will add up! Private office? Try push-ups, crunches and lunges behind closed doors. You can do these things without getting too sweaty.

Eating healthy should not take any more time than eating junk food. Throw things like a banana, apple, and baby carrots in your bag at the beginning of each day. That way you'll always have a nutritious, filling and low fat snack available. Choose lighter fare at restaurants. Even fast food joints offer grilled meat and other healthy options. Make it a point to choose those.

Amanda. If you pursue a healthy lifestyle, your body will become what you've guided it to be. You can do this! Take care of yourself, and stop with negativity. You're worth the effort! Fitz

Q. Dear Fitz, I am having a problem with losing weight! I take three hours of dance and I do cheer leading at my school (one day of practice and two days of games, each about 2 hours). My biggest problem is eating. I get home from school and eat a lot but I always figure that I do so much exercise that I will burn it off. I try to jog around the block but its just not really my thing. I also never have time to go to the gym. What can I do to lose weight, but remain healthy and happy at the same time? Jennifer

While doing my indoor exercise routine yesterday morning -- my outdoor running and walking is on hiatus while my shin splints heal -- I tuned in to a little Live with Regis & Kelly. Survivor host Jeff Probst was sitting in for Regis, and he and Kelly happily welcomed Janet Jackson for her very fist visit to the show. The spunky threesome talked about Jackson's new movie -- Why Did I Get Married? -- and her new diet and weight loss book. They even discussed a little fitness trivia.

Ripa was thrilled to announce this fitness flash: Rhythm Nation, one of Jackson's smash hits, is reportedly the most listened-to song by those who rock while working out. This information comes courtesy of Fitness Magazine, said Ripa, who happens to have this very song on her iPod. When no one is watching her on the treadmill, she told her audience, she breaks into a total Rhythm Nation dance routine. On the treadmill? Yep, that's what she said.

What's your favorite workout song? And tell us -- do you bust a few moves when no one is looking?