That's Fit

It's not about the bike, said Lance Armstrong in his book about his fight with cancer. In the fight against breast cancer, though, it is about the bike. It's a bit about chocolate too. And let me tell you, after a 220-mile bike ride from Hershey, Pa. to New York City, riders are going a deserve a bite of the sweet treat this starting city is famous for.

The Hershey's Tour de Pink bike ride, benefiting the Young Survival Coalition -- a non-profit network dedicated to the issues unique to young women and breast cancer -- aims to spread hope and awareness while promoting a healthy lifestyle. Four days of riding from October 3-6 is all it takes. If you can't make it to the big event, you can virtually tackle your miles at home.

The Virtual Ride challenges riders to pedal 220 miles from now until October 6. Start logging the miles you cover on quick rides through your neighborhood or on your stationary-bike excursions. Participate as an individual or form a team. It doesn't matter, as long as you register and ride. Raise a minimum $250 and you'll receive an official Hershey's Tour de Pink jersey. One-hundred percent of the money raised will go to the YSC.

Would you steer away from that juicy restaurant burger if next to its menu description came a whopper listing of its calories? New Yorkers are facing this very question now that the city's chain restaurants are legally required to post calorie counts on their menus.

Officials are hoping that publishing calorie facts will inspire healthier dining and minimize out-of-control obesity. It might. Kind of like journaling your every bite might prevent you from over-eating, staring at the number 2,900 while you drool over the Outback's Aussie Cheese Fries just might cause you to pull in the reigns. Gazing at a Starbucks pastry case may become a whole new experience too. Apparently, people were recently seen backing away from the glass at one location as they read labels.

"Oh man, I never would have guessed it was that much," said one woman about the cookie calorie counts. "It definitely discourages me from buying."

You know, I've never been all consumed with American Idol like lots of people. But I must admit I'll tune in here and there throughout the competition. It's decent entertainment, and I kind of think Simon Cowell is sexy. Nonetheless! I just tucked my healthy babies into bed and plopped down into mine with the old laptop to write about fitness with the television on here in my room.

American Idol is in the middle of their Idol Gives Back program, and they seem to be making a great case for helping children in the U.S. and abroad. Feeling fortunate that my two angels do not have to deal with any of the horrors some other children are suffering from.....I logged on to AmericanIdol.com and made a donation. Partly because of guilt, but mostly out of hope.

If you're a lucky parent like me or just someone who loves children, maybe you can call or log on and donate too. 1-877-IDOL-AID or AmericanIdol.com

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.

This week I went back to talk with one of my favorite past guests, Mr. Colin Egglesfield. (To view Colin's in-depth interview click here.) Spring is here, summer is coming and this All My Children star has the most perfectly fit body one could wish for. We all want to know how celebrities earn their great bodies, and Colin was sweet enough to share his tips for preparing for swimsuit season. These tips are exactly as our favorite Calvin Klein underwear model gave them to me. So play close attention, follow his advice, and prepare to strut your stuff this summer!

• Run! You can do all the weight training in the world, but nothing burns off that winter weight better than a good 30-45 run at least three times a week. I like to start out doing about 30min and then gradually work up to an hour over the course of a few weeks as I start to get my stamina back. I love to run outside by myself with my headphones and some great music on my iPod and just go! It's my time to be alone with my thoughts, and anything that might be on my mind always seems to be a lot clearer after a good run.

If you're thinking about attending your first yoga class, first of all, congratulations! All kinds of people enjoy the benefits of yoga, and you're about to join them!

You should know that, as long as you're wearing something that's comfortable, doesn't restrict movement, and won't make you too hot, any clothes you choose should be fine. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when packing your gym bag for yoga class:

The New York City Council folks say scarce fresh produce in low-income neighborhoods is leading to high rates of obesity and other health problems. So they plan to issue 1,000 permits for mobile fruit and veggie stands in these areas. The produce carts -- there are already 4,000 stands in the wealthy Manhattan -- could be available as soon as this spring.

New York has been making many health strides, banning trans-fats from city restaurants and smoking from bars and restaurants and working to force fast-food chains to display calorie counts on their menu boards.

Currently, more than half of New York adults are overweight or obese. And it's estimated that 700,000 New Yorkers suffer from diabetes, While the rate of obesity is below 15 percent in much of Manhattan, rates in less affluent neighborhoods -- Harlem, South Bronx, and Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn -- are over 27 percent.

See what you can do to improve your own health and wellness by visiting this AOL Body site.

About 20 years ago, Nike introduced the Air Max Light shoe, which was fairly popular for a while until it was overshadowed by a newer version, the Air Max 90.

Well there are now more than 25 versions of the Air Max, all of them available in various colors for men and women. But, Nike is going back to its Air Max roots with the Nike Air Max Light Retro Running Classic shoes.

A couple of versions, like the ones pictured, are available exclusively through JD Sports. However, there are plenty of other versions from which to choose. Check out the gallery and see which ones you want to collect next!

I have no problem pushing myself to try a new sport -- I might be nervous, or even scared, but usually when I set my mind to something, I just do it. However, there are a lot of sports I've never tried and probably never will because I feel like my fear is justified -- I don't want to surf Pipe, I don't want to try extreme mountain biking, and I'm quite sure I'm not going to go skydiving anytime soon.

Am I missing out on something? I came across this blog that initially reinforced my feelings, but as I read on, I began to question my resistance to trying some "dangerous" activities. Zandria, the blogger, included thoughts from quite a few people who had tried something really scary, ranging from trying a really challenging cardio class to mountain biking (in actual mountains) in below-freezing conditions. Even though these women were certainly frightened (or in pain) at some point, they still found joy and beauty in what they accomplished.

It doesn't make me want to try ski jumping, but it might make me rethink downhill skiing (which I've never tried -- I might break my leg!). And, I still don't think all sports are for everyone, but I do think that if you have some interest in something like mountain biking, you shouldn't let fear get in your way. Just think -- if it's something you truly want to try, will the pain of an injury you might sustain be worse than the anger or disappointment you will feel if you don't give it a shot?

Have you ever seen the movie Fantastic Voyage? In this old 1966 flick, a submarine containing a team of scientists is shrunken to a size so small that they can navigate the blood stream in a human being. Imagine being able to get a view like that by swallowing a camera the size of a pill. That's exactly what researchers are describing with a new design for an even easier endoscope.

Pill camera are not new, but traditionally they are so uncomfortable that patients need to be sedated beforehand. This new design allows someone to swallow the camera and beam pictures back out of the mouth so easily that it could be done in a shopping mall. That's exactly how one professor described it.

Not only is it easier to engulf, but the procedure is cheaper too. This is good news, because esophageal cancer is rapidly growing in the US. Survival rates of progressed conditions are not very good, which stems from the difficulty in diagnosing it early enough. It all goes back to patients not being easily screened for Barrett's esophagus, the condition preceding cancer. Hopefully now they can rapidly deploy this new mechanism to catch cases quicker. Who knows, maybe treatment via this little pill is next!

It won't be long until the new year arrives, and that means many of us will be setting new resolutions for ourselves. Many people will include a diet among those, but because there dozens upon dozens, how do you even begin to choose one? Here's a great article from WebMD which outlines 10 tips for finding the perfect regimen that suits you the best.

Not all diets work. This is no news flash, but the reason may not be due to its effectiveness, but whether or not it is the right one for you. To begin, look for a diet that you know you can stick with. As the article says, "The best weight loss plan is one you can keep up." It needs to be healthy and sustainable. Look for a diet that includes exercise, one that's backed by a professional, doesn't include too many supplements, and of course is scientifically sound.

It needs to match your schedule and eating style. Even better, your perfect diet may need to be family-friendly so everyone can take advantage of it. There are some other factors to consider, but if you ask yourself "Can I do this every day?" and the answer is yes, then you may have found a diet you can live with!

All My Children soap star and Calvin Klein model Colin Egglesfield and I have been talking lots of fitness lately, so I thought I'd get his advice for stay completely gorgeous for the holidays, and making it to the new year without an ounce of regret. This is what Colin has to say:

"My tips for the holiday season revolve around the theme of "CALORIE CONTROL!" You can enjoy most of the same treats you traditionally desire if you simply use the lowest calorie ingredients available. And of course, I'm never too conscious of exact calorie amounts, that would drive anyone crazy, I just try to be sensible about what I order and try to eat small portions when possible. "

Here are a few tips that I try to heed:

1. Latte, cappuccino, and hot chocolate lovers be sure to use non-fat milk! I love cappuccinos, so when I do order one... I order it with skim milk. I try to limit my intake of coffee to only two or three a week. The rest of the time I drink herbal teas.

A quick trick to get past party season without packing on pounds is to place your meals on smaller plates. Duh? Sounds simple, but it really will help you cut back on calories. Psychologically, folks tend to want to fill up their plates. A full dessert plate probably only holds half of the calories as a dinner plate. Even if you're choosing the unhealthy options, a smaller plate simply holds less.

The only restraint you'll have to use with this method is not going back for seconds. There are very few perfect answers that work for everyone across the board. But, if you're dedicated to maintaining or improving your fitness level throughout the holidays........a few good rule of thumb type tricks will certainly help you along! Remember. You are in charge of you! You can do this!

Planning on blaming Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Thanksgiving on your jeans being so tight in January? Sorry Charlie! That excuse doesn't cut it anymore. You have the same ability to choose chicken and broccoli for dinner in December as you do in June. Don't fall in to that craptastic spiral of feeling like you have no control over this month. You do, and I won't accept your excuses!

You come to this site to gain fitness knowledge and also the strength to do the right thing for yourself. Well here it is. I am your ThatsFit.com fitness trainer and I am giving you the advice you need to hear. Don't make excuses, make plans. Plans to hit the gym, go for a run, or ride your bike. Make plans to provide a veggie platter at the holiday party, so if everything else is oozing with grease and sugar you'll have something to eat that isn't!

You, ThatsFit.com reader are dedicated to fitness. You care about health and the way your jeans fit. Keep those priorities clear throughout this festive season. Enjoy the music, the friends, the presents, and more! I want you to have fun, go ahead! Fun is healthy. Gorging is not.

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've just begun jogging as a part of my fitness routine. I've traditionally walked a lot and jumped rope. My husband, Aaron, is trying to convince me to run a 5K race with him within the next few weeks. I don't think I can run it all! Do you have any expert advice that will help me get out of it? Thanks. Amy

A. No can do, Amy! I suggest you sign up to complete that race and get the fancy t-shirt that goes with it as soon as possible. Nothing motivates like an upcoming athletic event. Look at it this way. You are a new runner, and that's fine! In fact, it's terrific. We already know you wouldn't be racing to win, right? You'd just be going out to get some exercise and probably support some charitable cause. That alone makes you a winner. Jog as much as you can, and fill in the spots when you get tired with all of that walking you've been doing.

Trust me. I've participated in a bunch of 5K races, and haven't won one. I didn't care, nor did anyone else around me. It's a ton of fun to lace up your kicks and get moving with hundreds or thousands of others. I bet you'll enjoy it so much that you start looking for another race as soon as you're done. Thank your husband for the invitation and the motivation. Then let him know that you're eager to cover the distance at a pace that feels good to you. If he moves faster, he can wait at the finish line with a kiss for you as you cross it. Have fun and let me know how it goes! Fitz

Q. Miss Fitz. I was startled to read that the woman who won the New York Marathon had a nine month old baby. Isn't that really unhealthy? I was shocked! Mark.

Katie Holmes, refreshed and sporting black, open-toed heels, attended husband Tom Cruise's Lions for Lambs movie premiere on Sunday night -- just after she'd finished running the New York City Marathon.

No major recovery was required for Holmes, who finished the race in 5:29:58.

"Isn't she amazing?" said mom Kathy of her 28-year-old daughter. "She's such a good girl. We're so proud." Hubby Tom echoed the sentiment.

"I know, I know. It's amazing."

It is amazing. I am so impressed by those who can finish such a grueling 26.2-mile challenge. Truly impressed.

Way to go, Katie!