That's Fit

A few months back I went to a place I like to call "Man Heaven" and wrote a few articles about it. Man Heaven is also known as ESPN: The Weekend at the Disney Hollywood Studios in Florida. The event was jam packed with dozens and dozens of your sports lovers' heroes from today and yesteryear. Football, basketball, baseball, tennis, hockey and golf stars flooded the theme park with ample opportunity for each Disney guest to get up close and personal with the athletic love of their life.

Of course, there were also a ton of female fans decked out in their team jerseys, but truly....this event was for boys. Young boys, elderly boys, and every boy in between. I saw big groups of men in coordinating jerseys riding the tram to the park, and then I saw tons of father/son duos shooting baskets with their favorite hoops star.

The event isn't until early next March, so you'll have plenty of time to book your air, hotel, and ticket reservations. He'll have lots of time to squirm with anticipation for the big event. Trust me.....if your guy loves sports, he will love ESPN: The Weekend and love you even more for sending him to it.

I'm already thinking about it: Mother's Day. Are you? The big day -- Sunday, May 11 -- arrives in less than one week. Which means you've got not quite seven whole days to think up a whopper of a gift for your mom -- or anyone who serves as mom to you. By "whopper," I mean not something big, expensive, or extravagant -- and not something that hails from your neighborhood McDonald's. I mean this: Thoughtful. Something that tells mom you know her, love her, and appreciate her.

For me, a candle fits the bill. I love candles. And my little boys know this. Every time we pass the Yankee candle shop in the mall, they ask me if I want to stop in for a visit. When we stroll the scented store together, they love finding fragrances and running them over to me. They also know I like quiet time. Once as they were backing out of the driveway in route to a guy's weekend getaway, they spotted me shedding a few tears as I waved them goodbye. "Enjoy the quiet, mom!" Joey shouted from his open window. He knows me well.

What do you know about your mom? Does she love the outdoors? Enjoy a home-cooked meal? Seek thrill and adventure? Give it some thought. And try to translate it into a whopper of a gift -- like a home-made gift certificate for an afternoon hike -- with you. Or a feast made by your own two hands with only the healthiest of ingredients. Or a zip-line excursion at a local ropes course location.

It really is the thought that counts. So start thinking now. And make your gift one that really matters.

I just returned from a place I've decided to be Man Heaven. Man Heaven is a place where loads and loads of men dressed in various colored athletic jerseys giddily board trams with feverish excitement to spend time with their favorite sports heroes. These men were squirming in their seats, beaming bright smiles and high-fiving their way all the way to the entrance gates of Disney World's Hollywood Studios. ESPN the Weekend is Man Heaven.

The weekend was filled with endless opportunities to meet, train with, question and listen to America's favorite ESPN stars: Donovan McNabb, Tony Gonzalez, Hershel Walker, John Stockton, Cal Ripken Jr., Chris Carter and more. Oodles of ESPN Sportscasters took stages across the park hosting their own scheduled and aired ESPN shows, and also hosted other fun question and answer sessions with the stars of Man Heaven.

In last week's post I talked about ways to pamper yourself or someone you love on Valentine's Day. In one of the paragraphs I discussed gifts for men, including a short bit on grooming gifts. This week I thought I would elaborate on it because, to me, Valentine's Day often seems to be more about gifts for women. I know this may come too late for today -- or not, depending on how organized you are -- but here are a few of my favorite companies that do great grooming products for men.

Aveda is easily my favorite place to buy any kind of beauty product. I don't get to shop there often as I find it a bit pricey, but it is still great for a treat. They have a good range of items for men including hair care, skin care, body and shaving products. If your guy is mane-obsessed, you can try the pomade, grooming clay or cream, or if he's looking for face care, Aveda offers the All-Sensitive Cleanser, All-Sensitive Toner and All-Sensitive Moisturizer.

Valentine's Day is not for everyone. Some people love it and some people loathe it. I don't think that whether or not you're a fan of Cupid's big day necessarily has anything to do with your dating/marriage status. Sure, there are single people who hate it and attached people who love it, but I also know happy couples who feel that any time is a good time to let their other half know that they love them and single people who consider the day a great time to let their friends and family know that they care.

I don't think that you should need an excuse to pamper a loved one (or yourself) but, let's face it, sometimes we all need a reminder. If you're an annual celebrant of Valentine's Day and can't wait to spoil a loved one (or spoil yourself for the benefit of a loved one!) check out the sites that follow for a range of ideas on how to do it. And if you're normally anti-February 14th, why not try altering your thinking slightly this year and use the day as an excuse to take a break and pamper yourself?

Have you ever known an individual who seems to have an incredibly natural ability to pick up music easily? I've known several, and I always used to think they just were "genetically predisposed" to being so gifted. Well, the University of Arkansas has done some research on the topic and discovered that it has more to do with training and practice than genes.

By subjecting musicians to solo recordings of Bach's violin and flute pieces, they used functional magnetic resonance imaging to scan their brains. The activity of their brains mirrored evidence that suggests experience plays a bigger role than genetic makeup.

Those who had more experience with a violin showed increased brain activity when listening to flute renditions. The vice versa was true for flutists. Researchers say if genes played more of determining factor, then the brain activity should have been equal for both recordings. I guess this goes to show you that nothing beats a little hard work!

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. Hello Fitz. I am currently working on getting six-pack abs. I was surfing the web and found this new device called EZ-ups gravity shoes. They basically make you hang upside-down and let you do sit-ups. Is it worth buying or not? Jonathan

A. Hey Jonathan, I know what you're talking about and I really feel neither here nor there on the product. The Teeter Hang-ups EZ-Ups Inversion System Gravity Boots, selling for $149. I have never used them, but being in this field for almost two decades has allowed me to try similar types of exercises and equipment.

Honestly. I wouldn't have any desire to purchase something so expensive and one dimensional like this. I'd prefer to have a regular pull-up bar for pull-ups and then train my abs by lifting my legs while hanging upright. Hanging upside down doesn't hold any appeal to me, since I've previously fallen from and inversion table and conked my head pretty hard. Ouch! In my opinion, there are a lot better ways to skin that cat of six pack abs. Ways that are less dangerous and expensive as well. Fitz

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. Help Fitz! I'm mortified, because when I asked my husband what he wanted for Christmas today...he answered, "something sexy"! I could die! Fitz, I'm about 40 pounds overweight and could not squeeze into anything sexy at all. Christmas is about four weeks away. How do I lose weight fast? Marcy

A. Oh my Marcy! I think you're confused here. It sounds to me like you don't have to do a darn thing for that man of yours to think you're sexy. Since he specifically asked you for a sexy gift, he already wants you bad! Nice going. In fact, if I were you.....I'd be feeling really great about myself right now. Start thinking in terms of an actual gift.

Lingerie doesn't always have to be super slinky. How about a cutesy little elf outfit? A little velvet and fur are always racy this time of year. Maybe you can sign the two of you up for Latin dancing lessons? Hace Calor! A weekend away, a couples massage, body lotions, and adult toys obviously fill the sexy requirement as well.

If you want to lose weight Marcy, do it the right way. Change the habits that led you to gain 40 extra pounds in the first place. Start eating highly nutritious and lower calorie foods. Exercise daily as well. But, you don't need to do a thing for that man to think your sexy. He wants to have fun with you. Hooray! Let him! Just keep this in mind. Leary, uncomfortable, and miserable are not sexy qualities.....even on a supermodel. Confidence, energy and passion are always hot. I normally don't say this, but I wish you a very Sexy Christmas! Fitz

Q. What's up, Fitz? I'm hosting a small holiday party for a few close friends next week. I'm totally in to fitness and always eat really healthfully, but some of my friends do not. Am I going to seem like a total loser party pooper if I don't serve them crap food? I just don't want to bring that greasy, sugary junk into my home. Nonetheless serve it to my friends. Have any suggestions? Rey

I recently went back to work with Anthony Field of The Wiggles, and finally have his wild new training tactics on film for the world to see. Think you're doing your best at the gym? Think adding more plates to the end of that bar you bench with is the toughest thing you can do? Think again!

I've trained with tons of athletes from around the world and have never seen any one of them (outside Cirque Du Soleil) perform such a show of pure strength as part of their regular training routine. Thanks to my first encounter with Anthony this summer ...my gym is now full of men, women and children of all ages Getting Strong like this Wiggle said we should.

I'm an early bird when it comes to shopping for holiday gifts. And while I don't actually have much in the way of purchased presents right now, I do have a list that spells out exactly what I'm giving to my loved ones this year. It's nothing too extensive, and my plan follows a bit of simple logic. I'm buying only what (1) is consumable or (2) is long-lasting. Another condition: both options must support the pursuit of health and happiness. Here are some of my ideas.

I've already got the gift bags -- plain old brown bags with handles, perfect for dressing up with fancy ribbons and tags -- and these bags will be filled with apples, oranges, bananas, and maybe some kiwi. My message to the recipients of these goody bags will be something to the effect of, "Have a happy, healthy holiday!" Obviously, this gift is of the consumable nature and will surely deliver a dose of health and happiness -- hey, free fruit makes my wish list any day.

An idea I've got for my little boys: sports equipment -- bunches of it. Balls, jump ropes, soccer gear, maybe even a punching bag top this list of long-lasting items that will bring happiness to both my boys and me -- busy, tired boys always make me happy. It will also, of course, engage their bodies in lots of physical activity.

I'm also investing in cutesy note pads -- great for jotting down diet and fitness plans -- and well, I can't reveal any more. Some of my readers are on my gift list, and I don't want them to "peek" at their presents.

In the spirit of health and happiness, I offer you this link, chock-full of healthy holiday gift ideas.

Anything that can make life easier, healthier, and less stressful is definitely worth having as far as I'm concerned. And this 'Apple Jacket' by Jacqueline Dufresne will not only make your life a little brighter by being so darn cute (it's even got a little knitted leaf sticking off the side!) but it will also make it handier to bring a healthy snack along with you in your purse or bag. It offers just enough protection to keep an apple from getting bruised up (or impaled) by your car keys, or an orange from getting everything all sticky with its oily skin.


Via CribCandy

Cosmetic surgery is a hot topic these days with all the talk about liposuction, botox injections, breast enhancements and more, being popular among both celebrities and regular folks. Various topics have been covered here at That's Fit, with Rigel's posts on getting the facts before going under the knife as well as the continuing popularity of facelifts. I have covered the topic before as well with a post on aging gracefully versus finding the answer with cosmetic surgery.

To be honest, I really don't have a problem with plastic surgery in general. If an adult with the means to pay for a little nip or tuck feels that their self-confidence would benefit from a procedure or two, then that is completely up to them. I feel there is such a thing as going overboard (has anyone seen a photo Michael Jackson lately?), but in general I think that cosmetic surgery is just fine.

However, I read this article about parents giving their teenagers plastic surgery as a commencement gift and think the idea is completely absurd. Not only does it give these young adults the wrong message -- that rewarding intelligence and hard work with good looks is appropriate -- I also think that teenagers are way too young to decide whether or not to permanently alter their bodies. While there are always exceptions, most don't have the life skills or maturity to make that kind of decision. I think that they should give it a few years and wait until their bodies are finished growing. By the time they reach their 20s, they'll have a much better idea of who they are and what they value. At that point, if they're still desperate for a nose job or a breast enhancement, at least they'll have the time and experience to fully think it through.

There's a reason there are so many lists of gift ideas available this time of year -- although shopping is generally a good time, it suddenly turns stressful when you have difficult people to shop for. And men are notoriously difficult, yet every year we've all got at least a few of them on our gift list. It just can't be avoided!

So, if you've spent the last many years giving out socks, ties, and new gloves maybe it's time to think outside the box a little and surprise that special someone with something enjoyably unexpected. Most women don't realize that more and more men are coming to appreciate being pampered, or at least are more aware of their appearance and more interested in things like anti-aging products and finding ways to relax. eDiets.com has compiled a list of gifts ideas for the pampered man that really does have something for everyone, no matter how "macho" that man on your shopping list might be.

There are 10 ideas on the list total, ranging from cologne to a luxury shaving kit to a self-tanner designed specifically for men. No socks from me this year!

As Christmas gets closer and closer every day, for some of us procrastinators the stress of Christmas gift shopping is getting greater and greater. But if you've got a fitness-lover on your shopping list this year you may find your answer in this list of unique items and gizmos. Depending on just how "gizmo" you want to go, there is everything on the list from workout DVDs to a massage tool nicknamed "The Stick." Or maybe a "buddy-system" fitness plan that's designed like a game, where competition helps motivate and the winner gets rewarded. There's also a wristwatch alarm that can sense your body's rhythms and wake you up at the most opportune moment in the morning, or a sports bra that has a heart-rate monitor built right in. Or, if all that is a bit too unique, maybe some cool upgraded headphones for your loved one's iPod/MP3 player would be a better fit.

Everybody loves to get thoughtful and unique gifts, and this list is certainly full of those! It's just up to you to decide if they fit anyone on your list or not.