That's Fit

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

My guest this week is one of the most menacing creatures the Octagon has ever known. Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski is a contradiction as one of the Ultimate Fighting Champion's Title Holders, and the kind of guy anyone would die to call their friend. As generous as he is powerful......Andrei is someone I'm proud to introduce you to.

In fact, a couple of weeks ago I watched Andrei win a UFC match on television. Normally, he lives up to his nick name "The Pitbull," but on this night.....the story was only slightly different. He overwhelmed his opponent in a completely lopsided first round, and then chose not to go for the knock out in the second and third (UFC rounds last five minutes). This was very smart of Andrei, as it preserved his win and kept him far from risk. But.....the crowd wanted blood and gave a little "Boo." This is what I love about Andrei. He totally could have left his opponent unconscious if he would have chosen to, but since he didn't go for it....he took responsibility to the UFC fans. The man actually took the microphone post-win and apologized to the crowd! Have you ever heard of that? The guy is both and monster and a gentleman at the same time. A perfect combination.

Andrei is a former police officer and is now playing hero to his sport. Interviewing Andrei was a lot of fun for me. He speaks English extremely well, but I left his "accent" here in the interview. I think it adds to his charm. Enjoy!

Fitz: How did you get involved with Mixed Martial Arts and UFC?

Andrei: When I was a student in the Police Academy. It is a four year school like University here. Every student needs to learn a combat sport and I learned Sambo. I excelled at this and after the Academy I tested myself with cage fighting. I then moved to Chicago and had my first fight with the UFC.

Fitz: What are your workouts like when you don't have a fight pending?

Andrei: I work on my technique in Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu and freestyle wrestling. I also do my cardio to keep in shape.

Fitz: What are your workouts like when you do have a fight in the near future?

Andrei: My work out changes as it gets closer to the fight, and also changes depending on the opponent. I work out six days a week and 6-8 hours a day.

Imagine being able to feel sounds on your skin. Maybe it's the cringing feeling you get from a horror flick, except it happens when you listen to a radio announcer's voice. Or perhaps your skin would tingle at the sound of train rails. This is exactly what happened to one woman after experiencing a stroke caused by a decongestant that would later be taken off the market.

Sherrilyn Roush had a lesion in her mid-brain, which triggered the left side of her body to respond to noises. It's called synesthesia -- her brain has reorganized itself to accommodate cross-connections with certain senses. In her case, it was feeling and sound redirected toward her left thigh, arm, head and shoulder. However the condition is not all cringes and wincing.

"Round" sounds like water bubbling actually feel good to her! In fact, Dr. Roush has learned to play the string bass in order to literally massage her skin with senses. The brain is amazing thing, something we may never fully understand. But a case like this one really makes you wonder about the untapped power of the human mind!

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

Bruce Buffer is known worldwide as the Voice of the Octagon as he announces for the UFC. If you're not familiar, UFC and mixed martial arts is the hottest sport in the world earning fanatics by the millisecond. So is Bruce. He's got a pretty face, hot body, big voice and the business savvy most millionaires still wish for.

By day, the man is President and CEO of Buffer Enterprises, managing not only his career, but the career of his big brother Michael Buffer. If you've ever heard the phrase "Let's get ready to ruuuuuumble!",(Michael's below) which I'm positive you have....Bruce made some money off of your listening pleasure. He's turned a phrase into an empire and he's not done yet. By night, Bruce stands amongst some of the most athletic, aggressive and entertaining athletes in the world. He starts the UFC action with his infamous phrase, "It's time....to begin", and all hell breaks loose. Definitely a guy to keep tabs on.

Fitz: You spend so much time surrounded by some of the most elite athletes in the world at events, how does that motivate you?

Bruce Buffer: I have always approached life with an athletic winning attitude and being surrounded by superior athletes only motivates me more to keep it all together.

Fitz: Do you ever train with any of the competitors you announce for?

Bruce Buffer: I rolled with Randy Couture years ago in which was an eye opener.

Fitz: Who is the last person you'd ever want to be struck by?

Bruce Buffer: Bas Rutten, Chuck Lidell and most any 200 lb. or heavier striker.

Fitz: Sometimes UFC fights get gory. Do you flinch much? Look away?

Bruce Buffer: No, it's all part of the job.

Fitz: Even though it' your voice people pay attention to and value, you're in show business. Besides staying fit, what measures do you take to stay so 'pretty'?

Bruce Buffer: Vanity and personal pride... thanks for the compliment.

Fitz: Where is your favorite vacation spot? Do you workout on vacation?

Bruce Buffer: The south of France or any place tropical with waves. Yes, I workout on vacation by surfing or at the very least 30 or more minutes of cardio.

Americans consume some 17 billion quarts of this whole grain, good for you treat that is low in calories. That's 54 quarts per man, woman, and child. Many people who have dietary restrictions regarding hulls can not tolerate popcorn. A favorite snack in our family and even for the dog, but with colon problems now affecting several family members, I decided to do a little research to see if there was some kinds of popcorn that had less or no hulls. We are going to give them a try knowing there can be no guarantee that they can be tolerated better. But to continue eating our favorite snack it is worth the try. So I thought I would pass along some information to those others that might have the same problem. Try at your own risk in small amounts first.

Popcorn is a whole grain. It is made up of three components, the germ, endosperm, and pericarp,also know as the hull. There is no such thing as "hull-less" popcorn. All popcorn needs a hull in order to pop. Some varieties of popcorn have been bred so the hull shatters upon popping, making it appear to be hull-less. Although there is no hull, there is still some fiber matter from the endosperm of the kernel. Turquoise popcorn is an heirloom variety which is Mostly Hull-Less. Another type of popcorn that shatters the hull when popped is Mixed Baby Rice which is small like its name implies and light tasting. The kernels are shaped something like rice and are white, red, and striped red in color. When popped,it has less volume than other varieties.

I think its time to go pop a movie into the DVD player and enjoy some light airy no calorie snacks.