The temperatures are well into the minus double digits where I live, and that definitely puts a kink in my active lifestyle. I try to walk a couple of miles every day, but that's just not possible when five minutes outdoors takes away all feeling in my fingers and toes.

But I still want to be as active as I can this Christmas ... indoors, of course. Here are some things my family is doing to avoid being total couch potatoes:

• Wii. Virtual bowling and tennis are great ways for my brother and I to relive our competitive younger days.
  
• Games. Charades and cranium provide hours of laughs.
  
• Cooking. It's not the most fun activity out there, but helping out in the kitchen will not only get you off the couch, it will make the chef's day.
  
• Better yet, cleaning. Volunteering for dish duty is a good way to earn your keep.
  

What indoor activities are on your Christmas Day agenda?

Here at That's Fit, we're constantly telling you what we think about things, but sometimes it's nice to know what you think. So from time to time, we'll ask you a question. Don't be afraid to speak up -- we love feedback.

When it's cold outside, there are plenty of ways to get fit -- You can go ice skating, skiing, even shoveling your snow burns a ton of calories and provides enough physical exertion to exhaust you for days -- depending on how much sidewalk space you have at your house, of course.

But not everyone likes the cold weather. Do you?

The days are shorter now, so why not take your walking workout indoors?

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What you put inside your body eventually shows on the outside, reports Reader's Digest. Just ask the 100 dermatologists who analyzed the skin of 4,000 women ages 40 to 74. What they found is that eating habits, weight, history of sun exposure, and menopausal status all affect the skin. Specific to diet, though, the good doctors discovered the following.

• Women with higher vitamin C intake had significantly fewer wrinkles. Makes sense since vitamin C is key in the formation of collagen, which protects the skin from damage and keeps it strong and elastic. For best results, be sure to get vitamin C not through a supplement but in its natural form -- think orange juice, citrus fruits, and tomatoes.
  

• Those who ate plenty of the nutrient linoleic acid had skin that was less dry and fragile. Known to keep skin moist, this stuff can be found in green leafy veggies, nuts, and plant-based oils.

• Women who ate more carbs and fat had more wrinkles.

It makes sense than that we put in our bodies what is truly good for us, on the inside and out. Check out the following gallery for 11 healthy -- and antioxidant-rich -- goodies.

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Jump roping really is excellent exercise. It's a great cardiovascular workout, does wonders to tone your calves and thighs, builds endurance, and even appeals to your inner child by being so much fun. But unfortunately you also need a lot of space to let that rope go flying around -- or do you? Not if you have this Ropeless Jump Rope. Now you can jump rope anywhere you can jump! It makes a snapping sound to help you keep a good rhythm, plus it tracks calories burned, jump repetitions, and how long you've been exercising. It even has a talking mode that will keep you up-to-speed as you go.


Via Book of Joe

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Ever heard of metronomes? We all have one and if we'd like to make our exercise walks a bit more pleasant, we'd be wise to tune into these internal pace-setting mechanisms in our bodies.

When we walk, we pay attention to all sorts of messages sent from outside our bodies -- like beautiful scenery, crosswalk signs, bikes that pass us by, and cars zipping around. But paying attention to what comes from inside our bodies can lead to smoother, more enjoyable walks.

We all have two forms of rhythm -- breathing and heart rate. Let's start with breathing.

We have a natural breathing pattern we may not even be aware of. When we exercise, breathing becomes very important because our bodies need more air to move us long. Next time you go out for a power walk, try to coordinate the rhythm of your steps with the rhythm of your breathing. Breathe in for two steps and breathe out for two steps -- or use whatever count works best for you. Regardless, you'll see what a difference this makes for your walking.

Now for heart rate. When we exert ourselves physically, our hearts pump blood at a faster rate than when we're resting. The harder we work, the faster our hearts pump. Get a sense of your own personal pump as you walk and then try to coordinate this beat with your steps. Coordinating your three rhythms -- steps, breath, and heart beats -- will make you feel a whole better.

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Indooritis is defined as "the hidden threat in every home, mall, and office that drives sufferers to strange, synthetic extremes to replace the natural joys in life."

So basically it just means that when people spend too much time indoors they go a little nuts.

Do you have it? I think everybody does a little by the time spring rolls around. But now that spring has sprung it's much easier to get outside, and Lipton tea is launching a new campaign to "fight indooritis." They've got a website full of interesting features and strange facts about the outdoors (did you know a koala's fingerprints are so similar to a human's they could be confused at a crime scene?), and they've even come up with "O.U.T.S.I.D.E," which stands for "organization for the understanding and treatment of society's indoor dependency epidemic."

This idea (and the website especially) is lighthearted and silly and I think it's a great idea.

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Here in Florida, we're dealing with some nasty forest fires that are filling our air with smoke. In fact, I believe the nearest actual fire to me is about 20 miles away, but I literally have ashes falling on my head as I step outside, and the smoke is so thick you can't see more than a couple of blocks away. If you're in a similar situation I have one suggestion for you. Stay inside as much as possible!

My son has asthma, and we are allowing him exposure to the elements as little as possible. If you care for someone with respiratory issues, keep them inside as well. It's startling to walk outside and have to squint to see. I personally don't have any particular health concerns, but as I briefly walked to my car from a friends house I grew an instant headache and sore throat.

Pay attention. No exercising outdoors. Keep your windows rolled up, and if you have asthma or care for someone with it......keep that albuterol handy. Take care.

Today I'm so excited and feeling a tad genius because of the spectacular new gift I bought for my daughter's fourth birthday and son's second. A bounce house. My kids have always loved to bounce, jump and flip. They've both grown up in my gym and have spent countless hours on BOSUs and mini-trampolines. They've also spent hours each week playing at the local gymnastics school, so purchasing this bounce house seemed like a great idea. It only cost $200 to own, and the one day rental on the huge bouncers was $150.

Here's my genius move though. I made my husband blow it up inside our home! Sadly enough, we don't actually own official dining room furniture yet. It's only been four years since we built this house, and all of our money has been poured into these two little people since. Fancy dinner furniture has not yet made its way. Nonetheless! The 9 X 12 X 6 foot bounce house fit perfectly! They love it, and they use it all day. The benefits are endless. They leave me alone for a while. They get plenty of exercise. They leave me alone. They don't fight over toys. They leave me alone. They screech and laugh a ton. They leave me alone. They conk out for naps and night time easily and sleep like logs. And did I mention they leave me alone? Kids adore these things, and they make much better babysitters than any DVD. :) For more ideas on keeping kids fit visit KidsHealth.Org.