That's Fit

The nutrition folks at Canyon Ranch offer a great tip for grocery shopping excursions. Before you drop anything in your cart, ask youself, "Did my great-grandmother eat this?" If the answer is "no," then it's best to pass that item right by.

It's best for all of us to eat a variety of healthy foods, the same healthy foods our ancestors ate -- fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, fish, and lean meats. Not all that packaged stuff, that processed stuff, that trans fat stuff. Even the stuff we think is good, like "low-fat products," are often full of sodium and corn syrup and other sweeteners.

Our food nowadays is too loaded with gunk to be wholesome. Sticking with whole foods is our safest bet. If it worked for great-grandma, it can work for us too.

During the summer months plenty of lecturing goes on about looking after your skin by wearing an SPF lotion and drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. The result, for most of us, is that we look pretty darn good all summer. Later on when the plummeting temperatures and harsh winds of winter settle in, many of us aren't so well prepared and spend months suffering with chapped lips and dry skin. I know that by February my legs start to take on the appearance of a scaly fish, and are also often itchy and sore.

There is no reason, however, why your skin can't look as good in the winter as it does in the summer -- as long as you're prepared to look after it, that is. This piece recommends concentrating on what you put in your body, as what you eat will be reflected by how you look on the outside. According to the article, a diet full of fish, beans, nuts, whole grains, leafy green veggies and flax seed oil (which is full of Omega-3 fatty acids), will help ensure your face -- and the rest of your body -- continues to look fresh during weeks of nasty weather.

Naturally though, there are a number of ways to take care of you skin that have nothing to do with what you're eating. Some of the tips on winter skincare listed here include:

I had great legs until I was about 10 and then I quit my regular swimming lessons and hit puberty, and they've been kind of chubby ever since. It's one of my personal goals to get great legs again before I turn 30 -- I'm running out of time.

For any of you out there who, like me, want sexy pins and want them sooner rather than later, you might want to give the excruciating-sounding routine laid-out here a try (or maybe not, it really does sound painful -- maybe I'll never reach my goal). Apparently the trick is a combination of cardio that includes lots of focus on the legs (swimming and running repeatedly up and down hills, for example) and resistance exercises -- with lots of reps -- that target hamstrings, calves, thighs and buttocks.

The article says that if you do each 60 to 75 minute work-out 3 times a week, you'll see results in 4 weeks. But you've got to stick to it and not skip sessions. If I haven't scared you off, take a look here for the entire routine as well as tips on how to make your newly-tones gams look extra-great with exfoliation, moisturizer and a fake bronze glow.

One of my biggest guilty pleasures is the TV show "What Not to Wear". I don't really enjoy clothes shopping and I'm not great with make-up or doing my hair -- mascara and headbands/ponytails is often as good as it gets -- so I love the idea of a show that takes people like me and gives them a helping hand.

So I was pretty excited to come across this article by the show's resident make-up artist, Carmindy. She always looks great in minimal make-up and has pretty fantastic skin, so I figure she knows what she's doing! Apparently, great skin isn't necessarily hard to achieve. Carmindy recommends washing with a cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type both in the morning when you get up and again before bed. It's also important to use a moisturizer daily and find one with SPF to protect your skin from the sun.

For more advice, as well as ideas for the best types of cleansers and moisturizers for oily, dry and combination skin, see what Carmindy has to say here.

Just thought I'd share one of the cutest things that happen in my house. My husband has confiscated and is now in posession of my deodorant. Of course, he may get even with me for telling you this, but he uses my Lady Speed Stick and it works well. In fact, the reason he uses it is due to the men's deodorant creating a weird chemical reaction with his body. The 'guy stuff' would leave odd stains on his shirts and create funky odors.

What makes it all so great is that he's this big perfectly muscular and athletic guy who is a police officer. He's totally all the manly guy things in the world, but his armpits smell like strawberries and I think it's adorable. More importantly, the deodorant works and that's how this is all relevant to you. I buy the Lady Speed Stick clear drying deodorant in strawberry and it's awesome.

I spend all day in the gym and after he runs seven miles and lifts weights (then showers), Rob spends all day in a bullet proof vest. From what I've been told we don't smell half bad. The clear drying stuff is terrific because I wear a ton of tank tops and the last thing I'd want is yucky white stains on my shirts. Lady Speed Stick seem to cost less than the other deodorants on the shelf and it also comes in Cool Coconut, Berry Blossum and Pink Crush. The scents are fun, so give em a try. You can smell fruity instead of smelly too.

Last night I watched and cheered as my Alma mater's basketball team won the Big Dance. Again! It was a spectacular feat which was well earned. I've had the luxury to sit court-side at many games this year, and as wonderful as they look on television, they're even more impressive in person. I have tons of respect for this team.

The Gators are composed of incredible athletes who play selflessly every second of every game. Each Gator works hard in the gym and on the court more for the guy next to him than for himself. They are quick, agile, strong and smart. Each player is a coach's dream. Since they play for one another, they never made excuses or trained half way.

If you're looking for fitness role models, the Gators are it. If you're a parent, child, or spouse choose your precious family members as your "team". Pursue fitness as desperately as this magical team pursued two national titles in a row. You have the ability to live a champion's life of longevity and health if you put your mind to it. Live to truly enjoy your golden years with the special people in your life, and allow them to enjoy you.

Kickboxing aerobics and tae-fitness classes have been the rage for the past few years. To some, they are a bit more fun and interesting than the traditional dance aerobics style group fitness classes. Instead of screaming "reach", instructors yell "punch" and the students go wild. Men are more inclined to venture into these fighting style classes as well. All good news.

As a competitive kickboxer of a little more than a decade I understand the lure. I was compelled toward the sport as a teen, and finally found a legitimate trainer at age 20. My first fight came soon after. I didn't invent kickboxing so I can truly brag about it. It works every muscle in your body from head to toe. It offers the benefits of intense cardiovascular training, builds strength, and increases flexibility. Not to mention it burns a bazillion calories. Oh! And so far, fighting is the most fun thing I've ever done in my life.

Back to those classes. I'm a fan of anything that makes people huff and puff, but if you're into that you may want to take it further. Find a class that utilizes equipment such as heavy bags, focus pads or kicking shields. Hitting the air is fun, but hitting an actual heavy bag is amazing. To me, hitting willing opponents........PRICELESS!

To find a martial arts school near you, visit http://www.martialsearch.com/usa.asp.

Here's an idea that I like: stop focusing on what foods to avoid and instead make lists of what foods you should make a point to eat more of. Certain foods have been shown to improve mood and make healthy eating and weight-loss easier. Some of these "feel great foods" are probably not what you expect: burritos, omelets, and turkey/ham sub sandwiches to name a few. Some others are more commonly known as "good for you," such as garlic, green tea, and of course lots of water.

I really do believe in the idea that certain foods make you feel better than others -- I know when I eat a lot of junk food (like right around this time of year!) I feel noticeably fatigued and less motivated, and it's much harder to stick to my eating and workout plan. I also like the idea that I can go with the structure of a specific diet plan if I want to (like The Good Mood Diet), or simply make a point to put more of the "feel-great foods" in my grocery basket the next time I go shopping. Sounds cheesy, but I feel better already!