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Samantha Clowe never wanted to be a 'fat bride,' and now, sadly, she won't be one at all. The obese 34-year-old, who was looking forward to her upcoming nuptials, died after an intense crash diet. Described as "fit and healthy" by her family, Clowe lost 42 pounds in 11 weeks on the controversial Lighter Life Diet, which restricts dieters to just 500 calories a day.

We're all aware that crash diets aren't great for you, but you can die from them? You bet -- and this isn't even the first time this diet has killed someone. Just last December, a mother of five died after drinking 4 liters of water, as was recommended by the program. Amazingly, you need your doctor's consent to sign up for the program. Is anyone else having a hard time believing that a trained medical professional would give the OK for this kind of extreme diet?

Photo: Janet Kimber, Getty Images

In these economic times, do you really want to pay the price of being overweight? Carrying around extra pounds can add up to extra dollars spent on everything from plane tickets and gas to prescription drugs and health care coverage. This week on AOL Health, we uncover these surprising financial costs and emotional burdens that the obese often have to carry.

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So you have your mother's eyes and your father's nose -- but could your extra pounds be attributed to a parent, too?

Recent research has found a link between obesity and parents. Specifically, obese mothers were 10 times more likely to have obese daughters; similarly, obese fathers were six times more likely to have obese sons. But, like hair color, eyes and height, is obesity passed down through genes? Researchers think that's highly unlikely. Instead, they feel children are more likely to follow the behavior of their parent of the same sex.

You know how your kids are -- very little escapes their attention. Kids pick up on cues from their parents and, often, they glom on to the less-than-desirable habits. Most parents can recall a time when they let a swear word slip and the next thing they know, their toddler is repeating that word all over town. The same holds true for eating and exercise habits.

When you develop an active lifestyle that includes family-based exercise time, as well as solo exercise time (that your kids are aware of), you're setting a positive example for a lifetime of physical activity. Serving healthful meals and selecting nutritious snacks for yourself goes a long way, too. Not only are you giving your kids healthy foods -- they see that your personal choices are nutritious as well.

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By now, you've probably heard that Mississippi is (once again) the fattest state -- for five years running. And Colorado is holding tight to its status as the leanest state. But where does your state rank? Odds are, your state's obesity rate is climbing -- all in all, 23 states got fatter this year. Some more facts to consider:

• Four states have over 30 percent obesity. Mississippi tops the charts with 32.5 percent. But Alabama, West Virginia and Tennessee follow close behind with 31.2 percent, 31.1 percent and 30.2 percent, respectively.
• Baby boomers in Alabama are the heaviest for their demographic, but Michigan boomers are close runners-up.
• While only four states have adult obesity rates over 30 percent, 21 states have childhood obesity rates over 30 percent.

Considering that not one state reported an improvement in obesity rates, it's not surprising that this year's report by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation was titled F as in Fat. The report states that the economic crunch we're experiencing could make obesity rates even worse.

It's all kind of depressing actually. But That's Fit readers know that while the government types sort out any policies that can be put in place to help this growing obesity crisis, we can all take responsibility for our own health. After all, you are the biggest influence in your own health. Start taking steps to achieve a healthy weight today.

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Obesity and fertility are closely linked. Not only can obesity cause ovulation problems, it also seems to impair fertility in obese women who ovulate normally. But recent research gives new hope to obese or overweight women who are hoping to get pregnant. Research shows that a small amount of weight loss can increase fertility.

Women in the study had a BMI of nearly 40. They were given medication (orlistat or metformin) to help them shed pounds. After 12 weeks, researchers discovered that even a modest 5 percent drop in weight increased blood flow to the womb, which reduced testosterone levels and triggered the ovaries to function properly.

When you have lots of weight to lose, it can be daunting to look at your long-term weight goal. Particularly so when you have an important goal -- like getting pregnant -- in mind. That's why it's important to set milestones along the way. If you're overweight and trying to to get pregnant, start with the goal of losing just 5 percent of your weight. Then aim for 10 percent. Short-term goals are more attainable and can help keep you motivated.

Most of the women in the study had Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) which can make weight loss more difficult. If you have PCOS and have had difficulty losing weight in the past, ask your doctor for advice. But healthy eating and exercise are necessary for everyone who's trying to lose weight, and they're particularly important for women on the verge of getting pregnant. Check out AOL Health for weight loss tips that work.

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For the first time since 1990, the weight-gain guidelines for pregnant women have changed. Well, not for all women -- just for those who are overweight.

Pregnant women with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 should limit their weight gain to 11 to 20 pounds, according to the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council. Previously, these women were advised they could safely gain up to 25 pounds over nine months.

Why the reduction? Because mounting evidence says that excessive weight gain is linked to a number of health problems for both mother and baby. Gestational diabetes and the life-threatening blood-pressure problem called pre-eclampsia are possibilities for mom, and kids born to overweight moms are more likely to be overweight or obese themselves. Therefore, doctors are urged to counsel overweight women to lose weight prior to conceiving. About 55 percent of women of childbearing age are either overweight or obese.

The guidelines for women with a body mass index under 30 do not change. Underweight women, with a BMI of less than 18.5, should gain 28 to 40 pounds during pregnancy; normal-weight women, with a BMI of 24.9 or lower, should gain 25 to 35 pounds; and overweight women, with a BMI of 25 to 29.9, should gain 15 to 25 pounds.

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When you think of yoga, what comes to mind? I think of long, lean bodies performing controlled, flexible poses while wearing brightly colored yoga clothes. While a yoga class is a challenging yet relaxing experience for most people, it can be intimidating for overweight or obese people. Just think about it -- how would you feel if the whole class is going into revolved triangle pose and your body just simply doesn't bend that way.

Luckily, the active-at-any-size belief is moving into the yoga world. Yoga classes designed specifically for overweight and obese are popping up all over the country. From the New York-based Buddha Body Yoga classes to Yoga for Round Bodies in Seattle, modified moves are making yoga not only possible but enjoyable and beneficial for the overweight.

Instructors of plus-size classes maintain that the more comfortable atmosphere attracts more participants. But Kelly McGonigal, editor in chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, has a different opinion. McGonigal told the New York Times that she feels instructors should be able to make modifications for weight or any other issue. She would rather see traditional yoga classes be modifiable and attract a broader selection of participants. After all, yoga is about mind/body awareness, overall health and self acceptance. And even though lithe, flexible people come to mind when you think about yoga, most classes are a friendly mix of yoga enthusiasts of all shapes, sizes and abilities.

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Working hard to climb that corporate ladder but can't seem to get ahead? It might be your weight holding you back. It seems that being overweight or obese might lower that oh-so-frustrating glass ceiling that women who want to climb to the top have to deal with. Interestingly, a large waistline might actually help men get ahead.

Here's the scoop: In one study, researchers compiled photographs of top male and female CEOs from 1,000 leading U.S. companies. Raters with expertise in determining body weight ranked the photos as normal, overweight or obese.

What they found is that compared to the U.S. population, overweight and obese women are greatly underrepresented among top CEOs:

• Twenty-two percent of female bosses are overweight, while 29 percent of American women are.
• Sixty-one percent of male bosses had packed on the pounds, compared with a 41 percent national average.
• Only five percent of CEOs -- regardless of gender -- were obese, despite a 36 to 38 percent national average.

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BMI is far from a perfect measure of your body's fitness (as evidenced by one reader who is classified as obese, but just completed a half marathon). But knowing where you fall can be helpful none-the-less. We wondered where That's Fit readers land in the BMI scale:

• 56.2 percent fall in the normal range.
• 22.2 percent are overweight, but not obese.
• 12.8 percent are considered underweight.
• 8.9 percent are obese.

It's awesome that so many readers fall into the "normal" category. But it's important to keep in mind that BMI isn't a perfect measurement. Follow a healthy lifestyle, maintain an appropriate weight and use BMI as a general gauge only.

Lemondrop has a series of old advertisements for smoking. They're humorous in an I-can't-believe-they-said-that kind of way. A couple of the ads focus on how smoking can help keep you thin. Yeah, good idea. You'll have stinky breath, smelly clothes and hair, lung cancer, and emphysema ... but at least you'll be thin!

If you still believe the smoke-and-stay-thin myth, you'd better think again. Or somehow time travel back to the 1950s. A recent study suggests that teens who smoke are more likely to be overweight later in life. The researchers aren't suggesting that cigarettes themselves cause you to gain weight (though that might be a more effective deterrent than the Surgeon General's warning). Instead, it's thought that smoking in teenage years just becomes the first in a string of bad habits. Like burgers. And fries. And sugary soda. And chocolate. And, excuse me ... now I'm hungry.



Smoker or not, if you're looking to shed some extra pounds, check out America Takes It Off: Shrink a Size for great weight loss tips.

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Would seeing images of your healthy child as an obese adult inspire you to change the unhealthy habits you're teaching them and replace them with healthier ones? The British Government thinks you will, so as part of the Change4Life campaign, they're digitally altering images of children to show how they'll look in adulthood if they don't maintain healthy eating and exercise habits.

It's meant, of course, to scare you into changing any bad habits to make you and your family healthier. And it's working. Isabel Taylor -- the mother of Poppy, pictured here -- says the images are "frightening" and have inspired her to make healthy changes like switching to low-fat mayo and getting the kids active on a regular basis.

It takes more than low-fat mayo to impart habits in your child that will last a lifetime, though. And it starts with you -- kids learn by example, so set a good one for yours.

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When it comes to weight loss, calories count. But don't get bogged down with record-keeping.

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I hate it when weight loss information sounds defeatist. And, to my ears, that's exactly how this New York Times article sounds. It states that some of the "facts" about obesity and weight loss are either pure speculation or oversimplification of science.

Defeatist or not, the article has some good points. Everyone wants to hear about how easy weight loss is, but there is no magic pill nor is there an overnight remedy for obesity. While 10 minutes of exercise might sound like a great plan -- and it is certainly better than sitting on the couch -- small amounts of exercise aren't enough for weight loss. And, as the article states, most people tend to greatly underestimate the calories they consume and overestimate the calories they burn.

Don't let articles like this get you down. The fact of the matter is weight loss isn't easy. If it was, nobody would be overweight. But weight loss is possible. You can do it. Be honest with yourself and how many calories you're consuming. And push yourself to exercise just a little more. You'll see the results. Check out America Takes It Off: Shrink a Size for realistic tips that work.

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After reading about ZoneDiet.com's survey that determined most people aren't very trusting of their diet buddies, I was curious to see what That's Fit readers thought. So I asked you in a poll about your own diet buddies. Here's what you revealed:

• 73.1% of you said that you would trust your diet partner to be honest. That's good news. The support of a trusted friend or family member can really help you stick to your weight loss plans.
  
• 77.8% of you admit that you would like to lose more weight than your diet partner. Well, I can't say I blame you. Weight loss isn't a competition (well, not unless you're on The Biggest Loser), but we can't be magnanimous all the time, can we?

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