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Overwhelmed by all of the "Follow Friday" recommendations on Twitter? Each week AOL Health's Twitter alias Healthpop and That's_Fit search the Twittersphere for the greatest diet and fitness Twitterers, and each week, we'll highlight the best-of their best tweets (no Twits here). Got any great advice for our Fit Follow Friday post? Give us a shout on Twitter and let us know all about it!

The Zone Diet, devised by Barry Sears, M.D., and introduced in 1995, gained popularity through celebrity dieters like Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore and Madonna.

Like other weight-loss plans, the Zone Diet encourages dieters to cut calories, especially those from carbohydrates and unhealthy fats. It encourages people looking to lose weight to eat lots of lean meats and other foods filled with healthy omega-3 fatty acids as well as fiber-rich vegetables and fruits. To keep their blood-sugar levels stable and fend off hunger pangs, those on the plan eat five small meals a day.

Unlike some diets, the Zone Diet doesn't force people to buy certain foods, which can help cut down on the costs that sometimes accompany these plans. There are, however, a line of Zone Diet supplements. People who choose to eat them should be warned that they can be expensive.

Sounds perfect, right? Not so fast.

The diet discourages dairy consumption, which can keep those on the Zone Diet from getting several essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin D, Vitamin E and calcium. Another common complaint is that the low-carb plan leaves dieters too tired to exercise. Coffee and soda intake can get tricky on the plan, too, because caffeine, which causes insulin levels to spike, is considered a no-no.

Others have a hard time understanding the 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat (40-30-30) ratio that Dr. Sears says will make your metabolism function best. These restrictions can be especially problematic when you're dining out. Dieters are also required to eat within one hour of waking and, roughly, every two to three hours after.

Additionally, Zone Diet creators claim -- despite a lack of evidence -- that those who follow the plan will decrease their risk of cancer, heart disease and other conditions while improving athletic performance.

If you have decided to lose weight, one of your best bets is a healthy, low-fat diet, paired with exercising several times a week. That's Fit has Diet and Weight Loss tips to help.

Read the full Zone Diet Review and Zone Diet Foods List from AOL Health.

Amy Barnes once described food as her comfort, her solitude and her very best friend. That "friend" ended up costing Amy her health and her family.

Overweight for most of her life, Amy put on an additional 200 pounds during an abusive relationship with a boyfriend that lasted five years. "I used food to celebrate, to mourn, out of boredom and for comfort," she told the Today Show. The 35-year-old admitted she was addicted to food, just like someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol. "I always had food in my hands."

Amy ballooned to 490 pounds and became too big to sit in an armchair or airplane seat, and too tired to walk up a flight of stairs or play with her children. "I had lost complete control over myself physically," she said. That loss of control landed Amy homeless and without her kids after a judge ordered her to "get healthy and get your life in order".

Chromium, also called Chromium Picolinate, is a weight-loss supplement. Chromium is a naturally occurring mineral found in meat, poultry, fish and whole grains, and when combined with picolinic acid, has anecdotally been believed to help weight loss by helping in reducing body fat and increasing lean muscle. Chromium picolinate has also been linked to having positive effect on how the body processes glucose and been rumored to manage type 2 diabetes.

But while it's mostly agreed that chromium picolinate weight-loss supplements aren't generally harmful, they're not thought to carry much benefit either -- i.e. they probably won't help you lose any pounds.

According to Health Service at Columbia University, there is no evidence to prove that chromium affects weight loss.

Hank Lukaski, Research Leader at the US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center insists, "Chromium picolinate has no effect on building muscle, reducing body fat, changing body composition, decreasing weight or increasing strength."

Officials at Harvard Medical School advocate natural chromium consumption through a healthy diet rich in whole grains, nuts, broccoli and green beans, which contain the mineral, but do not recommend chromium supplements without a doctor's consent.

What's more, Science Daily reports that there may be an increased cancer risk to those who regularly took the chromium.

Chromium picolinate supplements are taken on a daily basis before working out. Alternatively, pure chromium supplements can be ingested. Chromium and chromium picolinate supplements are available through various online dealers for approximately $10 for 250 tablets.

Trying to lose weight? AOL Health reviewed these natural weight loss aids and their claims -- to see which work and how effective they really are.

Photo: Michelle May, M.D.

The trademarks of yo-yo dieting -- overeating, followed by deprivation in guilty repentance -- may seem like something a doctor would have the self-control and training to be above, but Michelle May, M.D., former yo-yo dieter and author of the new book "Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat," explains that "health care professionals are people too," and that the restrictions of diets -- not the dieters -- are to blame for failed weight-loss plans.

The reason? In her book, she explains that the very basics of dieting -- the counting, planning and constant need to think and plan your eating based off of someone else's rules (often "before you're even out of bed!") is tiring. So much so, that any good aspect of the diet is essentially canceled out by the end result: "This constant effort and vigilance may wear you out and cause you to return to overeating to escape." Once Dr. May ditched diets, and adopted long-term successful strategies she describes below, the weight came off.

That's Fit: What do you think was most effective in helping you achieve a healthy weight?

Dr. Michelle May: I had to pay attention not just to what and how much I was eating, but why I was eating in the first place. I didn't have any deep, dark emotional issues, but I had certainly learned to comfort and entertain myself with food. Even when I was on a diet and following the rules about what to eat, I was still eating when I was bored, stressed or tired. When I felt too deprived of the foods I loved, I'd go off my diet. Nothing had fundamentally changed about my relationship with food so I just went back to overeating my favorites. This is what I called my eat-repent-repeat cycle.

I've since worked with thousands of people who are doing exactly the same thing, and the reason is that with yo-yo [dieting you don't] have any middle ground -- you are either on your diet or off. I kicked yo-yo dieting by changing the paradigm completely from a yo-yo to a pendulum. There is still the possibility of extremes but as you give overeating and dieting less of your energy, the pendulum settles into a smaller arc in the middle where you have the flexibility and the mindfulness to nourish your mind, body, heart and soul.

We at That's Fit and AOL Health know you've got a lot going on in your lives besides staying in great shape, and we realize that more than just diet and exercise goes into feeling your best every day. That's why we're sharing some of the exciting reporting going on at AOL Health.

Carrying some extra weight around your waist? Obesity experts and bestselling authors Drs. Mary Dan Eades and Michael R. Eades claim to have the remedy. Their new book "The 6-Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle" promises to show you how to get your tummy back in shape. AOL Health has six steps you can start trying today.

Do You Know What's Really in Your Food? Take AOL Health's Weird Food Ingredients quiz to see if you know what bathroom cleaning ingredient is also found in chips, what hot dogs and headaches have in common and more!

Think good luck and genes are all it takes to live to 100 (and beyond)? These centenarians (members of the over-100 club) share insight about why they think they've lived so long, including what they eat (and what they avoid) and how they've stayed active over the years.

WNBA

M.V.P. ('08). Rookie of the Year ('08). Fit mama back on the court ('09). Twenty-three-year-old basketball champ Candace Parker's resume is beyond impressive, so when we got the chance to interview her, we had plenty of questions we wanted answered, but since this is a three-questions-only post, we'll sneak some of the extra tidbits we learned up here in the intro. How she slimmed down post-pregnancy? She watched what she ate, "not necessarily cutting back ... but eating healthier things. I would snack on fruit instead of cookies." Her favorite (non-basketball) way to get active? "I love to go out in the yard and throw the football around."

That's Fit: It's hard enough for most career women to take time off to start a family, how did you deal with the added pressure of needing to really take care of your body so you could get back to playing professionally?

Candace Parker: I was really focused during my entire pregnancy on eating right, exercising and just taking care of my body. Being active during my pregnancy and having a solid foundation really helped me when I wanted to come back. I rode the elliptical a lot. I still shot baskets. I went on walks with my dogs a lot. I just stayed active.

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our That's Fit 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. I'm a tall, mostly trim guy, but I have a bit of a gut. My sister's always nagging me about it, but since I'm trim, I tend to ignore her. She says it's worse to have fat on the gut than fat in the butt, but I say fat is fat. What's your spin? Adam

A. Wow, Adam! What a saucy way to deliver a question. I'll do my best to respond accordingly. Here goes: Big bums can be sexy. Big bellies can be lethal. My little scenario didn't rhyme as well as yours, but you get the gist, right? Your sister is correct, pal, and you'd serve yourself well to force that waistline of yours to jump in line with the rest of your trim body.

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That's Fit Club is our feature devoted to you, the reader. We have all learned so much on our paths to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other. That's Fit Club members are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect; some are not. But all have health on the mind.

Besides showing you off, we want to reward you for all of your hard work! Adidas is giving gorgeous gym bags to each featured member. To join, please send Fitz your answers to these questions, with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Annabel Adams

Age: 25

Occupation: Singer, blogger (FeedMeI'mCranky.com), Master's Student and Marketing Assistant

How often do you exercise? I try to exercise every day, but I will not force myself to if I legitimately do not feel well. I typically run three days a week and strength train three days a week.

What type of exercise do you do? I run, do the elliptical, strength train, and dabble in yoga and dance.

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. 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! I've come across a couple articles recently that are dead-set against prolonged cardio multiple times a week. They suggest that High Intensity Interval Training or low intensity activity only a few times a week at most, alongside regular weight training, is the only way to lose fat and stay fit. I don't think I could live without long runs or my favorite aerobics class. What do you think? Thanks, Samantha

A. Hi Samantha! Thanks for the great question. I'm sure it's on the minds of many. Bottom line, the folks who said that are over-opinionated. Think about Lance Armstrong, the guy does massive amounts of cardio each week and is the picture of health. So do I ... and so do most runners, cyclists, boxers, kickboxers, soccer players and more.

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Looking to Shrink a Size in 2009? Look no farther than these five rules for weight loss.

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Do you squirm, fiddle, twitch, and jiggle? If so, keep it up -- it might help you lose weight. If you're already lean, fidgeting can help you maintain your size and shape.

Apparently, small physical activities, like shifting positions, can help you lose weight. And consider this: Lean people who don't exercise tend to move around for two and a half more hours per day than overweight folks. This extra motion burns a bonus 350 daily calories, which can add up to 30 or 40 lost pounds in a year.

Think there's any truth to this theory? I don't. I move all day long, can't even remember when I last put my feet up during the day, and I've yet to see such a dramatic yearly weight loss. But let's call it possible and consider this good news for kids who can't sit still. And for the parents of these kiddos too. Next time your little ones are driving you nutty with motion, don't reprimand them -- join them.

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Midlife women often exercise for the two least motivating reasons, says 42-year-old psychology researacher Michelle Segar. They exercise (1) to lose weight and (2) to protect their health. Both really good reasons. Just not the most inspirational ones for this age group.

In one study of 156 women, 61 percent named these reasons as their top motivators -- and they happened to do the least amount of exercise. Here's why: Midlife women don't always lose weight with exercise. So if they work to shed pounds and it doesn't work, they get frustrated and give up. Regarding the health reason: Women who have a full schedule and generally feel healthy are not likely to fit in fitness.

What's the best motivator, then, for midlife women? To improve their state of well-being. Think better moods and less stress, and exercise might just become a priority.

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It doesn't take major strength training of bodybuilding proportions to benefit the body. Nope, a little light lifting can work wonders for a body in need of a little revamping.

Lifting light free weights -- think two to four pounds for starters -- not only adds variety to a stale workout routine, it also can increase your metabolism, improve your posture, and help you lose weight. Another bonus: Free weights are less expensive and more versatile than weight machines. They also work the body in ways machines can't by forcing you to focus on balance and core strength.

Ready to try some light lifting? Take a peek at these exercises, which focus on the shoulder and back muscles but also engage all sorts of other areas. Give them a try, and you'll see what I mean. Keep this in mind as you get started: Position and precision of motion are more important than how many pounds you lift.

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