That's Fit

Can certain foods burn calories? I mean, can food itself actually burn calories? Nope. Just a myth.

There's this thing called the negative calorie effect, which refers to the act of chewing and digesting certain foods to burn more calories than the food itself contains. Cucumbers, celery, and grapefruit are three foods rumored to have negative calories. But they don't. The truth is, chewing only eats up about 11 calories per hour.

Low-calorie, high-nutrient foods -- like cucumbers, celery, and grapefruit -- can surely help you lose weight, but not because they create negative calories. It's because you're consuming them and not crackers, chips, and candy.

You really can't have a well-rounded fitness plan without including at least some strength training and although in and of itself it's a pretty simple concept, there are an amazing number of misconceptions out there regarding how to do things and what is and what isn't effective in building and maintaining muscle. Alive.com is looking to help us all clear up some of those misconceptions, though, with their list of the 7 biggest muscle myths.

The flu has been around since the beginning of time, and in all those years and centuries more than a few misconceptions and myths have come to be believed as truth. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that for all our technology we still can't cure it, or that it can manifest itself in so many ways, or simply because there's just too much room for people's imagination to run wild with the symptoms. Even many people who should know better, like health care workers, often believe incorrect facts about the flu. Do you think you're in the know? Or are you a victim of myth and old-wives tales? Find out the 12 most common flu myths and share your thoughts in the comments!

I'm a big believer in home remedies and natural approaches to various health issues, but I also believe that in some cases "natural" just won't cut it and technology may have the answer instead. But when dealing with alternative health approaches understanding the pros, cons, limits, and risks is imperative. Do you think you have a solid understanding of the basics? Here are a few of the biggest misconceptions people have about alternative medicine:

• "All natural" automatically translates to "all safe." Not true. Natural and herbal compounds often vary in strength, and they can interact and have serious side effects just like many prescription medications.
• "Alternative therapies are cheaper than conventional ones." Not true in many cases. Although they may have a cheaper price tag they often aren't covered by insurance.
• "There's little to no solid research to support the effects of alternative medicine." Not true, although many times research on alternative medicine is not documented and written about in scientific language, which can have a negative influence with doctors.

There's more on this list from Forbes so pop over there and take a look, and then share your thoughts on alternative medicine in our comments section!

Our society is built on myths it seems, most of them known as fun and games and entertainment only. But there are a few lurking around that are sometimes taken seriously, which can become serious when personal health is involved -- such as in foot care. Did you think corns have roots? They don't. Have you ever hurt your ankle and thought you were safe from a break because you could walk on it? Because that's not true either. Read these 5 foot myths and see which ones surprise you, because I bet at least one of them will!

I read a lot of weight-loss and health-related blogs, an one of my favourites is Back in the Skinny Jeans by Stephanie Quilao. If you're not already reading it, perhaps you should be, and if you are, you probably saw this awesome post on the Prince Charming Myth.

The Prince Charming Myth happens when we tell ourselves that once we're thin, or 'back in our skinny jeans', everything will fall into place and we will meet Mr. (or Mrs.) Right. The truth is, while losing weight is important for your health, it's not going to make everything better. Though slimming down can make you more confident, you'll still have insecurities when you're slim, and you'll still have the same problems you did when you were fat. If happy relationships were based on beauty, you wouldn't see so many actors and models getting divorced all the time. Anyway, Stephanie says it better than me, so check out her post and let me know what you think.

It's hard enough trying to get in shape and live healthy, but what if you're putting all your good intentions into wasted efforts? I'm not talking about fads or the "latest thing" that turns out to be not so cool -- if you're trying that stuff then you realize it's risky business. But what if some of the supposed "tried and true's" really aren't what they're cracked up to be? Unfortunately, in some cases it's true!

Here are eight healthy habits that unfortunately, aren't (not always anyway):

• Using antibacterial soap. Truth is washing with antibacterial soap is no more effective at preventing illness than washing with regular soap. And, although not proven yet, there are serious concerns relating to antibacterial soaps helping to create tougher more resistant strains of the very bacteria we're trying to kill.
• Sitting up straight. A study in 2006 showed that leaning slightly back while sitting is actually much better on your back than sitting straight up or, obviously, hunching forward.

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. Hi Fitz. I'm trying to lose weight in my thighs. I do tons of leg exercises but haven't seen any results. Have a suggestion? -- Darlene

A. Yes yes yes! I have the solution to your problem. You can't lose weight in your thighs! That is ... you can't lose weight ONLY in your thighs. Spot reduction is a myth, and no matter how many leg lifts you do, you will never be able to see shrinkage in only one part of your body. The secret to shrinking those thighs are to shrink everything. Just strive to lose some weight. Eat fewer calories and burn a lot more. When we lose weight we lose it everywhere. Legs, arms, back, bum, face, and feet. Some people tend to lose weight in certain areas first, but we certainly can't choose that. Good old genetics made that choice long ago.

If your legs are your area of choice to focus on, well go right ahead. Continuing to do lower body strength training will only allow your legs to look curvier and stronger as you burn the fat. Again, focus on getting sweaty to burn lots of calories. Consume fewer calories and choose a high percentage of fruits, veggies and lean meat. You'll be loving your legs (and other parts too) in no time!

Q. I'm about six weeks pregnant. I'll soon be taking prenatal yoga but is it okay to continue with more strenuous activity like weight-lifting and running? -- Elizabeth

A. Congratulations! Motherhood is amazing, and I'm grateful you're taking your health seriously. Prenatal yoga is terrific, and I definitely encourage you to continue both cardiovascular and strength training throughout your pregnancy too. Strenuous exercise however, I do not recommend. Jogging at a slow or moderate pace is great if you were doing so before you became pregnant. If you're accustomed to it, you'll be able to control your breathing and avoid becoming overheated. Same goes for strength training. Do what you were doing pre-pregnancy, but don't jump into anything new and exhausting.

Pregnancy can be hard, and that sweet little life inside of you is fairly fragile. You are 100% right in choosing to remain fit and strong during these 40 weeks. It will help you avoid many nasty side effects of excessive weight gain, and make your delivery a heck of a lot easier. You just have to be smart. Listen to your body. If you feel like you're becoming breathless, slow down. If you're straining a ton while strength training decrease your load.

Aim to exercise frequently at a moderate pace. If you feel an "ouch" pain or something feels weird, slow down or stop. It's simply not worth it to push hard for the day. Definitely avoid contact sports or activities which you could risk falling, or colliding with anything. Think big picture at all times. Healthy baby. Healthy baby. Talk with your doctor before you do anything and visit this website to get more information.

I've experienced two spectacularly fit pregnancies of my own and I wouldn't change a thing. I made healthy eating choices daily, and exercised most days of the week. I also took a bunch of good naps. My pace slowed down a ton towards the end, but that was fine. I was grateful to just keep moving, and as a result I popped right back into shape once my children were born. Good luck to you both and enjoy creating a healthy home for your little bean. What better could you be?

Punches & Kicks,
Fitz

Note: The content presented on this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as medical advice or substitute for professional medical care.

It's easy to see how misconceptions and misinformation could spread around nowadays, with all kinds of new studies coming out one after another -- seemingly contradicting each other every time. Well here's an article that claims to clear up a little of a the confusion, clarifying the real truth on some of the most common food myths.

Is fresher is always better? No. For example, many flash frozen vegetables retain the majority of their nutrients, while their fresh counterparts' health value degrades over time as they age sitting on the shelf. And doesn't "natural" on the label means less processed? Also not always true. In fact, most of the time foods carrying the word "natural" are more processed and less healthy than some of those that don't.

Read the full "In Pictures" article at forbes.com for the truth behind 3 other common food myths, including my favorite about how sometimes a meal can be good because of what is has (not what it doesn't have).

In my recent move to Virginia, we found an older home to move into that was built in the early 1900's. We love the spacious rooms, hardwood floors, and stone architecture. But one problem we have had is keeping control of a roach population due to a damp basement and lots of leaves and foliage around the house. I hate putting out toxic chemicals because of our family dogs and birds and also our health. I try to use as many natural cleaning and organic products as possible. Cleaning thoroughly of course usually takes care of the situation and maintaining a safe and healthy way to store outside and inside trash usually helps cut down the amount of nesting roaches. But it seemed like they were here to stay and were fine with sharing the space with us as the new dwellers in the home.

In a conversation with my 93 year old grandmother a few days ago, she mentioned that she always kept bay leaves out in her cabinets to keep roaches away. I wondered if this was one of those old wives tales or a myth so decided to do some research on the subject and found out several websites that recommended putting bay leaves out to keep away roaches. At a few dollars a box for bay leaves it is well worth a try to keep harmful chemicals out of my house. It makes my cabinets and trash areas smell nice too.