We all know that there are certain foods you should stay away from when dieting. The list usually goes something like this: All of your favorites. Okay, that's a little extreme, but there are foods that don't necessarily scream weight loss that are actually not so bad for you. For example, the three P's (pizza, potatoes and pasta) are usually the first to go on our list, but according to AOL Health, keeping them in your meal rotation won't destroy your diet.

Here's why: By ordering only half the cheese on a thin-crust pizza and piling on fiber-rich greens, such as broccoli and spinach, you can create a healthy dinner that isn't kryptonite to your diet. A medium-sized potato has 161 calories and no fat. It's packed with vitamins, minerals and has a high-fiber content to keep you satiated. One cup of spaghetti has 221 calories, which really isn't so bad. Toss in your favorite steamed vegetables, and you've got a perfect, nutrient-dense meal that won't sabotage your waistline.

Are you guilty of falling for a diet fad? Check out some of these crazy diets through the decades.

If you can't resist pizza, try to blot your slice.

Liz Neporent is a diet and fitness expert and author of 12 fitness bestsellers. She regularly appears on national TV programs and is the president of Wellness 360, a New-York based wellness provider.

For those of us who live in lower Manhattan, Whole Foods is the only game in town. Not that I'm complaining; I'm certainly grateful for the first real supermarket in the neighborhood. After a decade of shopping in cramped, dirty delis where a carton of juice costs double the national average and there aren't any of the good kinds of cereal, Whole Foods is Mecca.

I was pondering these facts as I was grocery shopping the other day. Blueberries were "on sale" for $2.99 a pint. For that same $3, I thought, I could have walked the six steps to the nearest McDonald's (rather than the 10 blocks to Whole Foods) and ordered up a double cheese burger, medium fries and a small Coke. That's three large for two small handfuls of fruit -- or a meal fit for, well, a Burger King.

Pizza might be his life, but even Papa John's founder John Schnatter admits that pizza's a food that should be eaten in moderation. "Pizza's actually healthy for you if you don't eat too much of it," Schnatter recently told BBC, "You can't eat five or six slices but if you eat one or two slices it's very nutritious."

It's great advice, even if it doesn't help him sell more pizza. But let's test his claim ... is pizza really nutritious, when eaten in moderation?

According to Papa John's nutritional info sheet, a slice of Garden Fresh pizza on a whole wheat crust is your best option, with 270 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, and 660 mg of sodium. On the other hand, if you order The Meats pizza on a pan crust, you're looking at 440 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 890 mg of sodium. Ouch.

Source

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! Everlast and Everlast Woman are giving gorgeous workout T-shirts 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: Matt Dunn

Age: 31

Occupation: Software Engineer

How often do you exercise? Five times a week.

What type of exercise do you do? Mostly running -- I'm currently training for my first and second marathons this spring.

Source

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.

Eric Stoltz has one of those careers any actor would kill for. Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Mask, Pulp Fiction ... the list goes on and on. He's currently on a tear, directing all sorts of hit primetime shows too, but this week we sat down to chat about his guest role on ABC's Grey's Anatomy. My opinion: Eric is really smart, relaxed and funny. He also happens to know the secret to losing weight -- you might be surprised by how simple it actually is!

Fitz: You're playing a serial killer on Death Row for a couple of weeks on ABC's Grey's Anatomy. Any similarities between you and your character?

Eric: Fortunately, no. But it did get me interested in reading and learning more about serial killers. Although repellent, they're often very brilliant, bold and fearless people. Evil characters like that offer me a great opportunity to be creative.

Fitz: Does that mean you're really a super nice guy?

Source

This January, you're probably trying to make healthier choices in a bid to shed those few extra pounds you packed on over the holidays -- not to mention the 10 to 20 you've been promising to lose for years.

But seeing that it's at the height of the miserable winter season, January is also a good time to order in food instead of venturing out in the ice and cold for a meal. But if pizza is your take-out food of choice, are there any healthier options? In the recent issue of US Weekly, they recommend ordering the thin crust veggie pizza -- but what's the damage if you do?

Source

Actor Eric Stoltz and I just had one of the most interesting and funniest conversations I've had in a long time. He's presently guest starring on ABC's hit show Grey's Anatomy as a Death Row serial killer. Charming. While interviewing my guests for Celebrity Fitzness Report, we always talk fitness, but we also talk about the projects each celebrity is working on at the moment.

So first Eric and I talk fitness. Eric is a guy who works out not because he's desperate to get big, he just really wants to be healthy and fit. He makes a habit of doing cardio and strength training on alternating days. Great! He's also a vegetarian who loves a healthy meal of pasta with eggplant and mushrooms.

Now to the serial killer/last meal part. I asked Eric what his favorite not-so-healthy food is, and he told me he loves pizza. So, going back to his role on Grey's Anatomy, I asked him if pizza is what he'd choose for his last meal.

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.

Name: Chuck Marshall

Age: 44

Occupation: Programmer

How often do you exercise? Five to six days a week .

What type of exercise do you do? Body weight strength training and cardio. I like to do intervals, elliptical, rowing, and running (when I'm not injured).

Source

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.

The Hills season finale on December 22 is quickly approaching on MTV, and I was able to catch up with reality star Lo Bosworth for a quick interview. To find out how she stays in shape and what her "realities" are while starring on this hit show, read on.

Fitz: How'd you end up on The Hills? What goes in to that?

Lo: Well, I started out on Laguna Beach back in high school. Then I went away to college. I was at UCSB and I transferred to UCLA my junior year. That was when Lauren and I were able to spend more time together. So I started going out a little bit and sometimes they would be filming. And then at some point, the producers just asked me to re-join the show.

Fitz: You're on a reality show but not necessarily a "performer" in Hollywood. You're supposed to be "real," but do you feel tons of pressure to be thin, beautiful and well dressed all the time?

Will Lo launch her own fashion line? Read on!

Source

• Juice. Dilute it with water or add a few ice cubes (each cube generally holds an ounce) into flavored seltzer for a low-sugar treat. If you must serve juice, make it OJ -- at least you'll be boosting your little ones' folate, potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and E. And serve no more than four to six ounces of juice per day. Too much sugar and calories, so don't go overboard. There isn't anything your kiddos need in juice that they can't get from whole fruit.
• Pizza. Order pizza "easy on the cheese" and pick thin crust instead of thick (it will slash about 80 calories). Top slices with veggies, chicken or ham (better than pepperoni or sausage) and pass on extras, like stuffed crusts and breadsticks.
• Mac and Cheese. For boxed brands, use skim milk and reduce the margarine from four tablespoons to one (this will save 100 calories and 10 grams of fat per cup). When making your own, whip up a sauce of skim milk, margarine and flour and melt in shredded cheese. Boil whole wheat noodles for six grams of fiber per cup. Stir in broccoli bits and diced carrots.

For the skinny on bettering ice cream, cookies, chicken nuggets and French fries, take a stroll over here.

Source

I love this kind of news. I don't really believe it ... but I love it. Apparently, eating a little dark chocolate can help you keep your weight down.

In one study, 16 men participated in two sessions. In the first, participants ate dark chocolate after fasting for 12 hours. Then, they reported on their appetite for the next five hours. In the next session, they repeated the experiment with milk chocolate. In both sessions, two and a half hours after eating the chocolate, the men were instructed to eat as much pizza as necessary to make them comfortably full. (Chocolate and pizza? Where can I sign up?) The men ate less pizza after eating dark chocolate than after eating milk chocolate. Researchers felt the findings were significant and reported that the men felt like eating less sweet, salty and fatty foods after having dark chocolate.

I don't know. Sounds too good to be true to me. On the other hand, a small amount of dark chocolate can actually be good for your health. So if you want to have an ounce or two a few hours before eating, then give it a try.

Source

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! Everlast and Everlast Woman are giving gorgeous workout T-shirts 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: Monique Riveire

Age: 28

Occupation: Paralegal

How often do you exercise? Three times a week.

What type of exercise do you do? Cardio Kickboxing, Zumba, Bootcamp, and Wii Fit

What gets you to workout, even when you're feeling lazy? Group support, and the fun music in the classes.

Source

Pizza is a favourite indulgence for many. But health-wise, it's not the smartest choice. Do this to make your slice suffice:

Alas, our farm days are over for this growing season. Our CSA farm closes up shop this week, a bit early due to the wet, wet summer; you should see the poor tomato plants. But the rain didn't ruin everything, as we have big, beautiful butternut squashes, just waiting to be cooked and gobbled up.

Butternut squash is loaded with vitamin A as beta carotene, vitamin C and fiber, along with B vitamins, so you really can't lose by making the most of your winter squash.

One of our favorite dishes is a simple pizza with tomato sauce, roasted butternut squash, shallots and sage leaves, topped with prosciutto and feta cheese. How's that for a fun way to eat your squash?