That's Fit

Taking 'the pill' is a common practice among young women these days. But for how long? Studies show that the amount of women who take oral contraceptives is declining for one very good reason: They're afraid it will cause them to gain weight. But is this a legitimate concern, or is it just an urban myth?

Chalk this one up to idle gossip, according to this article from The Telegraph. Scottish Professor Anna Glasier said: "We need to emphasize that [oral contraceptives] don't impair fertility, and the majority of them don't affect weight." All the same, many women do report weight gain and other changes when they go on the pill, but this is more likely due to lifestyle changes, according to Dietitian Juliette Kellow.

Sorry girls, guess you can't blame that extra love handle on the pill -- time to get to the gym.

I'm not a big believer in the whole superfood concept. I think any diet that's filled with a variety of healthful, nutritious foods is going to be beneficial.

The other day, however, I got into a discussion with the mother of one of my son's teammates. She's reading Anticancer: A New Way of Life and is really learning a lot. Reviews of this book state that, while many of the recommendations are grounded in science, some are a little fuzzy around the edges. But, in my humble opinion, if a food is tasty, good for you in other ways, nutritionally sound, and may potentially ward off cancer or other diseases, then by all means ... go for it.

The book's author believes that 85% of cancer causes are environmental. The foods we eat are one of the most easily controlled factors. Three of the foods he recommends in moderation are garlic oil, red wine, and dark chocolate. Check out the gallery for more cancer-fighting foods.

You know what I like about Madonna? There's no halfway for her; she isn't sort-of fit on the days she doesn't have something better to do. She doesn't eat right when she can and then do fast food when it suits her cravings. For this star, it's all or nothing.

Wouldn't it be nice to be that dedicated to a healthy lifestyle? Madonna practices Ashtanga yoga for fitness, so she's finely tuned, mind and body. I'm jealous just knowing that there are people out there who can spend a good portion of every day working out the way they love best, rather than grabbing a little cardio when they have a half hour free.

Now, for her diet: she doesn't eat out and she follows a strict macrobiotic diet. What -- no chocolate?

If your dad is short and overweight, your mom is short and overweight, you'll be short and overweight, too, right? Not necessarily.

A government study projects that, if trends continue as they have over the past three years, every US adult could be overweight in 40 years. Let me say that again... every US adult. Overweight. Can you imagine?

Dr. Lan Liang with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality states that "genetically and physiologically it should be impossible." However, two-thirds of US adults are already overweight and that is a staggering figure on its own. Any hike in that already high statistic is alarming.

The study is based on the assumption that the trends of recent decades will continue. Dr. Liang states that curbing the bad trend has to be more than an individual effort, it needs to be a societal effort. That's certainly true. But, as individuals we also have a responsibility. So, That's Fit readers, let's consider this a call to action. In addition to taking care of our own health and wellness, it's important to be positive role models for others in our lives. For those of us that are parents, we have an even bigger responsibility to teach our kids to enjoy physical activity and to cultivate good eating habits. It's high time we put a halt to the downward spiral we've been on.

I just returned from ESPN the Weekend, at Disney World's Hollywood Studios. One of the highlights for me was when I stumbled across an interesting conversation between football all-stars Donovan McNabb, Chris Carter, Tony Gonzalez and a few others. The men were on an open stage being interviewed my Mike Greenberg of the Mike and Mike Show. What caught my attention was the taunting of Tony Gonzalez with strange veggie jokes. Why were they poking fun at this "lettuce man"? Little Miss Fitzness had to stop and listen.

The taunting was followed by Kansas City Chief tight-end Tony defending his vegan lifestyle. I was both surprised and impressed. Tony was bragging about his ability to jump rope and hit the weight room while his teammates were stuck in the mud the day after a game. He's beaten lethargy, increased his energy, and found many more fascinating benefits since he changed his eating habits. The nearly 250 pound tight end is not someone anyone would guess to be a vegan, but I think that's why he's so neat.

To someone who's not, fit people seem to be an entirely different species. Those on the non-fit end of the spectrum can't fathom going to the gym several times a week, participating in sports regularly or heading out on active vacations and excursions. I know, because I used to be one of those people. But used to be is the key here -- I would never go back to that way of life.

Being a fit person is not something that comes naturally to some. And being fit is more than just getting into the habit of going to the gym -- it's a lifestyle and a mindset. But you can--and should--start thinking like a fit person. Here are some habits you should consider adopting:

Queen Latifah is about to join Kirstie Alley and Valerie Bertinelli on the Jenny Craig scene. The Oscar-nominated singer and actress, 37, is the newest celebrity spokesperson for the weight-loss chain and will help market the message of a healthy lifestyle.

"Queen Latifah joins forces with Jenny Craig to communicate the importance of how small lifestyle changes, in the areas of diet and exercise, can have positive effects on overall health," says Scott Parker, Jenny Craig's vice president of marketing.

They'll be no specific dress-size goal for the star who has always celebrated her plus-size figure and calls her body "voluptuous." She will simply be learning to live a healthier life while the public watches on.

"Leader of the Band" soft-rock singer and songwriter Dan Fogelberg died Sunday at his home in Maine after battling advanced prostate cancer since 2004. He was 56.

"Dan left us this morning at 6 a.m. He fought a brave battle with cancer and died peacefully at home in Maine with his wife, Jean, at his side. His strength, dignity and grace in the face of the daunting challenges of this disease were an inspiration to all who knew him."

Many, many men get prostate cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. But it's unusual for someone so young to develop and die from the disease -- eight out of 10 men diagnosed with prostate cancer are older than 65. But it does happen. So, guys, take notice and make sure you follow these life-saving steps.

• Get tested beginning at age 50, or 40 if you are at high-risk.
• Get control of your diet. A low-fat diet is key.
  
• Exercise.
• Don't smoke.
  

Now, more than ever, it's clear that cancer can be caused by lifestyle, namely a poor diet and lack of exercise. So, do your part now, before it's too late.

I hope you'll take this to heart: Adopting a healthy lifestyle even in your 50s or 60s can significantly cut your risk of heart disease or premature death.

Researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina have been tracking data from nearly 16,000 women and men since the late 1980s and have determined that middle-aged adults who eat five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables, exercise for at least two and a half hours a week, keep their weight down, and refrain from smoking cut their risk of heart disease by 35 percent and their risk of death by 40 percent after just four years. Impressive.

Essentially, these individuals caught up. They bought some time and ended up rivaling those who'd been doing the right things all along. Even those who didn't totally clean up their act -- perhaps they mastered just two or three of the lifestyle changes -- lowered their risk of dying.

Need to connect with your family after a busy day of school, work, errands, and more? Need to calmly settle a conflict with a member of your clan? Need to work on fine-tuning your healthy diet? Then there's one place you ought to visit: The kitchen table.

I heard a guest on a radio morning program the other day refer to "the kitchen table conference." It's where relationships are formed, sealed, and mended, she explained. I instantly thought that it's also the place where our diet intentions unfold -- or crumble -- and where we teach our kids the merits of nutrition, the power of portion control, the food lessons they'll carry on through life.

There's a lot that goes on at the kitchen table. So next time you are at yours, nestled closely to the ones you love, consider making a conference out of your time together. Talk about health, food, and lifestyle choices. The discussion will do you all some good. The bonding that results will be icing on the cake.

Scientists are finding more and more evidence to indicate there may be more than family history, genetic mutations, and bad luck at play when it comes to who gets cancer and who doesn't. Now, more than ever, we are learning that cancer may have less to do with chance and more to do with lifestyle. That's why many of us -- me included -- jump on the health bandwagon, clinging to the hope that a good diet and a good amount of exercise will keep cancer at bay.

Breast cancer survivor and writer PJ Hamel offers on My Breast Cancer Network 10 recommendations related to breast cancer and nutrition. They cover everything from antioxidants to soy to fat to fiber. Check out the whole list here. And then take a peek at this -- a recipe for cookies Hamel developed using each of the 10 tips she provides. She calls them her Take-10 Cookies.

For more from Hamel -- she blogs about all sorts of cancer and health-related topics -- point and click your mouse right here.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

Got a life list? It's a type of list that spells out a bunch of things you want to accomplish before you die. I don't have one. There's nothing huge and monumental I want to take on before my time comes to an end. I'm not a skydiving, mountain-scaling kind of gal. I've already traveled to more countries than I care to count, and I'm pretty much living the life I want right now. But some people like to plan ahead for bigger and better days -- check out 43things.com for a peek at some life lists -- and I applaud them for it.

If you don't have a life list and want to create one, begin with healthy lifestyle goals. Pick things that focus on the development of your body, mind, and spirit. You'll find that setting goals, and checking them off one by one, is a great motivator.

Try making three columns. Start small, with maybe three to five goals for each category. For your body, you might want to reduce your sugar intake. For your mind, consider meditation. For your spirit, attend a private yoga lesson. When you complete these goals, scratch them off the list. Add more if you'd like. If you prefer the look of a finished list, wait until you've mastered everything and then begin again.

Here's to life lists -- and accomplishing all you set out to do.

Sometimes thinking about changing your lifestyle in order to be happier or healthier seems like a daunting task. I know that times when I decide I'm unhappy with my habits and end up on a mission to make changes and improve my overall well-being, I tend to give up easily because I get in the mind frame that I have to change absolutely everything at once.

Of course, overhauling your entire life in a day isn't necessarily the best way to make changes for the better. A few small steps can be taken each day, week or even month to improve your life. Eventually all of these little alterations will add up to some major life changes.

I like this article from the Canadian Living website because it gives a list of 10 things you can do in the month of October to improve your well-being. There's nothing very difficult to accomplish on the list -- suggestions include eating more berries, doing push-ups, taking the stairs and trying out pomegranate -- but I bet if you made the commitment to try them all throughout the month, you'd find that you feel a bit happier, more relaxed and healthier overall.

If you want to see all 10 tips and find out just why they're all good for you, take a peak at the entire article here.

The vegetarian lifestyle is a very healthy way to live from many viewpoints (including mine), although vegetarians must make it a priority to consumer foods with all the needed daily components: vitamins, minerals, proteins and good fats.

Protein intake is of particular concern, as there are many who think meat is the best way to consume it. This is false, as many vegetable and non-meat sources are filled with protein. But for those that miss meat products (as in, converted vegetarians), soy-based meat replacement products are surprisingly popular.

The good news is that protein is easy to find in a vegetarian lifestyle with some research. The hard part is finding good sources of plant-based protein when traveling or eating outside of your comfort zone. Just remember that a vegetarian diet must be balanced as well, just like a meat diet.