That's Fit

Would you loan your husband out to a single friend for the night? Let a friend in need use your car? Invite house guests to stay for an indeterminate amount of time? Though these may seem like generous sacrifices you can make for friends and family that you love, a marriage and family therapist at Canadian Living lists them as some of the six sacrifices you should never make.

Why? Because these kinds of sacrifices invite trouble. An accident may wreck more than your car, it could wreck your driving record. And sharing your house can lead to stress and damaged relationships. And doesn't everyone fight about money at some point in their life? Though it feels rewarding to help people in these big sorts of ways, think long and hard, says this therapist, before making a sacrifice you just might not be able to afford (in more ways than one).

I think that much of it boils down to trust. There are friends for whom I'd do almost anything, because I know without a doubt they'd never take advantage. But those are people in my innermost circles, not even just good friends or acquaintances.

What do you think about these six sacrifices? Do you think she's right when she says that people should never make them, or do you think there are instances when you just need to help another person out?

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 one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz. My husband and I totally disagree on the topic of pizza. He's says it's "unhealthy garbage," and I say it's not so bad. What do you think? Stacia

A. I think it can be both ... depending on how you make it. Let's just start with the main ingredients: flour, marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Flour if it's white, is not perfect, but not the worst thing in the world either. Marinara sauce which is tomato based is pretty great; full of lycopenes. Cheese is high in fat which is bad, but also high in calcium which is great. So! Our dilemma is choosing the right ingredients which will make pizza more good than bad.

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. Dear Fitz, My husband makes a big stink when I give our kids any type of 'sugar candy' like gummy bears or bubblegum. The kids are totally skinny and I don't see what the big deal is. They are kids! What do you think? Christy

A. Hey Christy. Your husband is a freaking genius. That's what I think! He has the insight and thoughtfulness to know that as parents, you should be teaching your children the best habits possible. He knows that your children are less likely to eat nutritious things when they've had a dose of candy. They're more likely to deal with the pain and terror that comes along with having their cavities filled if you give them candy. They're more likely to struggle with their weight and other less than lovely issues later on in life if you don't instill high standards in them today.

I'm literally a sobbing crying mess as I write this. I fell in love with a dying man a few weeks ago when I caught wind of him giving an amazing gift to his students, colleagues, friends and family at Carnegie Mellon University. Randy Pausch, a computer science professor gave his Last Lecture now famous on YouTube, on September 18, 2007. Randy's lecture was called "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams." Now, I have my own spectacular husband, but I imagine anyone who knows, or knows of Randy . . . would love him very much.

For a man whose pancreas is being destroyed by a cancer that could take his life within months . . . he was hysterical, energetic, inspirational, and relentless about the idea that life can be wonderful every day, and that his days still are. He told stories of his childhood and made one of the most insightful statements I've ever heard. "Are you a Tigger or an Eeyore? Choose!"

A few weeks ago I interviewed the TLC Trading Spaces host Paige Davis for my Celebrity Fitzness Report. Paige was open, honest, and hysterical. We blabbed for an hour and Oh Boy! did she fill it all up! One of the standard questions I ask my Celeb Fitzness guests is what their favorite vacation spot is, and whether or not they work out while on vacation. Paige gave me the best response I'd ever had to that question. Read on to find out what it is. Maybe you too, can incorporate her training into your other holiday activities?

**Actual excerpt from Celebrity Fitzness Report.interview with Paige Davis.

Fitz: Where is your favorite place to vacation?

Paige: Vegas. And, I know it's totally gag-me, but I love Disney World too!

Fitzness Fiends is a section devoted to you, the reader! We all have learned so much on our path to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! Fitzness Fiends are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect, some are not. All have health on the mind. Please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Heather Schott

Age: 35

Occupation: Stay at home Mother of two. My 11 yr old is home schooled and I have a 3 1/2 year old that I chase around all day.

How often do you exercise? Five times a week.

What type of exercise do you do? I run, lift weights, and occasionally do yoga.

What gets you to workout, even when you're feeling lazy? I have downloaded photos of people's body parts I covet. I look at those when I need a swift kick in the pants, or I visit a bodybuilding website to get motivated.

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. Ms. Fitzness, I stopped smoking five months ago and have put on about 1.5 stones (21 pounds)! When is the best time to try and diet? I don't want to try and do too many things at once. I exercise regularly as I have my own horse and am always out and about. Thanks in advance, Lisa

A. Hey Lisa. Congratulations on your success getting rid of smoking! Smoking is one of the absolute worst things one can do to themselves, and your decision to quit is one of the best. Hooray! I'm literally doing a little 'happy dance' here at my laptop for you.

Now for your question about when you should begin dieting. Easy answer. NEVER! Never diet, lady! Diets are temporary behavioral changes that only lead to temporary results. Screw that! You are in this for the long term, sister, and no diet can last forever. What to do then? Gradually become more and more deliberate about what you put in your mouth. Seek out low fat, low calorie, high nutrition type food. Before you decide on any meal or snack, ask your self which would be the healthiest choice. Trade french fries for a baked sweet potato. Choose grilled poultry or fish over hamburgers. Find some calorie free beverages you enjoy as well.

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

Desperate Housewives actress Felicity Huffman feels the pressure to conform to Hollywood's unrealistic standards of thinness. But she fights it. Having suffered from an eating disorder in her 20s, Huffman is now happy about her size six -- sometimes size 8 -- frame, even though it's considered big in Hollywood. But while she doesn't kill herself to look a certain way, she does stay fit.

Huffman and husband William H. Macy exercise together. They go to the gym two to three times per week, run outdoors, ski, and work out with a personal trainer. Everything in balance, says Huffman who is happy her trainer doesn't wince when she eats a muffin or an ice cream cone.

Huffman, mom to two girls -- ages seven and five -- no longer believes she has to achieve an impossible weight. "Now that I have kids, I have to say, I do like my body a whole lot better," she says.

Source: Medizine's Healthy Living, Third Quarter, 2007

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. Dear Fitz. I'm trying to lose about 100 pounds and am having no luck. Seems like all of my teeny friends lose weight whenever they want. Is my metabolism way slower? Angie

A. Just the opposite is true Angie. It is waaaaaay easy for a larger person with lots of extra fat to lose weight than a person with just a little. For the most part, we all burn about 10 calories per day for each pound of body weight we have. A 120 person can consume 1200 a day without gaining weight (if they are not exercising). A 220 pound woman burns about 2200 a day just to maintain her weight. If she wanted to lose one pound (3600 calories) in three days....she could drop her consumption down to 1000 calories a day and do it. The 120 pound girl has to work infinitely harder. By cutting calories, she'd have to eat about 600 calories, which is absolutely not healthy. And she would have to go burn off 600 calories through exercise.

Your extra weight is just that. Weight. You're body burns lots of calories while struggling to carry all of that extra meat around. Sounds rough, but it's true. Go pick up two 25 pound dumbbells. Those 50 pounds are really heavy. Double that and that's what you're body is working to maintain. The reason you're not losing weight is that you're probably continuing the same poor eating and exercise habits that lead you to gain an extra 100 pounds in the first place. Maintaining your weight takes effort. Stop seeking out lots of food or high calorie food. You're probably doing one or both of those things. And just and FYI.....Hypo-thyroidism is very rare. The problem is more than likely not medical, it's a problem with your lifestyle.

Get to work Angie. Huff, Puff, and be particular about what you put in your mouth. You can do this! Fitz

A, Miss Fitzness. My husband won't go to the gym with me. He says our workouts are too different. But, I really want to go with him! What do ya suggest? Melissa

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. Dear Fitz. I'm trying so hard to shrink my tummy and I do tons of crunches. My friend says I'm doing no good. What's the truth? Katie

A. Very good questions Katie. It reminds me of a funny story my husband, who's in law enforcement just told me. The Chief of his department is a cool guy who also has been a certified fitness trainer. Very knowledgeable on two cool topics I think. My hubby's' Captain is also a really neat guy who I consider to be in pretty good shape. Looks good to me, you know? So anyway, one day in the department gym the Captain is on the floor doing crunches and the Chief comes along and tells him to stop wasting his time, because he's just "pushing the fat out". Makes me laugh every time I think about it. Poor Captain.

Here's the truth. If you're trying to shrink your tummy, crunches aren't the way to go. Crunches will absolutely strengthen and harden your abdominal muscles, but they will not shrink your tummy the way you'd like. Strong abs are great, but if you have a layer of fat over them.....you'll still look like a girl with a big belly.

What to do? Lose weight. Burn more calories than you consume. Eat foods that are low in calories and high in nutrition. Burn many extra calories with great workouts. When the fat disappears, we'll all be able to "Ooh and Ahh" over the sturdy abs you've been earning. Fitz.

Q. Hey Fitz. My butt is super saggy and it drives me nuts. My profile from the waste-down is flat wihich is not hot. Can you guide me on what to do? Erika.

Do you have a healthy marriage? That term can describe emotional states or physical ones, but on the physical side, it's been found that if one spouse changes, the other might too.

In other words, spouses with healthy partners may become healthier as well over time. Want to stop eating so much fat and want to walk every night to get exercise? Perhaps your husband or wife will follow you and both of you can get healthier at the same time.

The study mentioned here was quite interesting, and should make married couples think a bit. How are you when it comes to being healthy? Has your spouse joined you freely or with begging?

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. Fitz, I'm a stay-at-home mom who is very active with a small child. I feel like I need to be doing more exercise, but going to a gym or taking an hour for myself during the day isn't a reality. How can I get more exercise in with my daily routine? Thanks in advance, Carrie

A. Hey Carrie. I'm feeling your pain. With two little ones of my own, it definitely requires strategic planning to keep fit. Even though I own a great gym, I utilize the local health club because of its amazing childcare program. Not only do I get to accomplish a great workout, but I get an hour of 'me time' which offers a priceless break in my day. I wish you had the same luxury.

However! If that isn't a reality for you, it just isn't. There are plenty of opportunities for fitness at home. Either plan to workout with kids or without. Training with kids could be running with the jogging stroller, or cycling while towing your child in that towing trailer. (What is that called?) You may also just jump in with them and dance to a Wiggles video together sometimes. "Doing the Monkey" requires plenty of energy, and hey.....it's something right!

On the days we don't go to the gym, I make great use of their nap or rest times and workout here in the house. I suggest investing in a piece of great home cardio equipment. A treadmill, stepper, or elliptical trainer can provide you a super workout at slow or fast paces, at any time of day in any kind of weather. Other easy things to do at home are jumping rope, push-ups, dips on the floor, lunges, squats and crunches. You can do those exercises which require no equipment throughout your day. 40 push-ups in the morning and squats at lunch. Easy as that.

Owning a variety of fitness videos is a brilliant plan as well. Not only can you do them on your own, but I find that children seem eager to take part with their parents. Get a variety of videos that appeal to you, and pop one in whenever you can. They're truly designed for folks in your situation. The need to exercise at home.

Parenting certainly does make 'me time' more difficult, but staying fit is one of the most generous things you can do for your children. They're going to want you around for a really long time! Fitz

Q. Dear Fitz, My fiancee and I want to work out together to look our best for our wedding next fall. We don't want to be stuck lifting weights or on a machine alone. Can you recommend some ways we can partner up to get fit?
Jamie & Jordan

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. Yo Fitz! I'm on a tight budget. If I can only buy one thing for fitness, what should I get? Randy

Hey Randy, Tight budgets stink sometimes, but they're great at helping us prioritize and the answer to this question emphasizes that. I say, if you can only invest in one thing......get sneakers. With an awesome pair of kicks you can do just about anything. Run, jump, climb stairs, walk, skip, dance, cycle, squat, kick, strength train, etc... On the reverse side, you shouldn't be doing most of those things without a supportive pair of sneakers.

I was just certifying a terrific group of fire fighters today to become in-house personal trainers at their fire department. While teaching them the basics of muscle function, I drove home the fact that they should be able to train everywhere from the fanciest gyms to the desert. You don't NEED equipment. Equipment is nice to have, but a lack of it is never an excuse to skip out on exercise. No matter where you are......if you have your sneakers, you can put them on and go!

Once again. Sorry your budget is tight, but there are worse things in the world. More importantly, your priority is on your health. Can't put a price tag on that!

Q. My husband has gained about 40 pounds in the last year. I'm worried about him, but don't want to say anything cause I fear he'll think I'm just not physically attracted. The last thing I want is for him to feel picked on or ashamed. What do you suggest? Stacia

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 just don't like veggies. Do I really need to eat them, or can I take a multivitamin instead. Aaron.

A. Wow Aaron! Out of the hundreds of veggies out there, you don't like any? That seems odd. It's funny. Even though I started teaching fitness at age 18,I too refused to eat any sort of vegetables except for those found in a house salads until I turned 21. I had a mental block against them and considered them gross I guess. Funny thing happened to change my mind. I met the most gorgeous guy in the planet and he cooked me chicken and broccoli one night. I was totally grossed out, but wanting to impress this man.....I gave em a try. Turns out I actually did like broccoli. I also ended up loving the onions and peppers he grilled and put on top of pizza the next week.

I didn't like veggies because I hadn't tried them. I predict you're in the same boat. Veggies are vital to a well balanced diet. They're huge on vitamins, high on fiber and low in calories. Why wouldn't you want to make an effort to love these things? They'll keep your skin pretty, nails strong, vision clearer and digestive system moving at a super pace. Nonetheless! I now love veggies and crave them in large quantities. I also married that hot guy who introduced me to the. So I say, "Try them, try them Sam I AM! You will like cauliflower and yams!"

Q. I had my daughter three years ago and although I have lost a lot of the pregnancy weight, I have been left with a deflated belly. Just a saggy, loose flabby belly. I have been told there is nothing I can do to tighten loose skin. Can I re-tighten my stomach? Or is liposuction/tummy tuck the only solution? Not that I would go that route. Brenda