Metabolife's former CEO and co-founder Michael J. Ellis released his tell-all book "The Metabolife Story: The Rape of Cinderella" on February 13th. Now as you know, I'm a fitness pro who is adamantly against weight-loss drugs and snakeoil salesmen. I am, however, a business woman who's definitely interested in learning about the rise and disastrous fall of a bazillion dollar corporation.

Even though Mr. Ellis starts his book by sarcastically confessing to being a drug dealing thug who set out to murder people and cheat the government (if you believe the media's side of the story), the next few chapters paint him as a pretty light-hearted guy who simply created a product to help his father survive cancer.

Desperate to save his Dad, Michael experimented with herbs and other holistic remedies. He notes that a surprising side-effect of his concoction was weight-loss. The story just twists and turns from there on out.

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There are five really great reasons to be incredibly skinny. I think you'll agree with these.

• You are a contortionist.
• You're in jail and want to avoid all the effort it takes to create a master escape plan and just slide out through the bars of your cell.
• You want to hide behind small tress.
• You are part of an ice skating team with some dude spinning you around over his head.
• You are starring in a movie in which your character was lost at sea and has been stranded on an island for a long time.
  

Yep. These are the best reasons I can think of. Skinny or trim (which is the word I prefer) is fine if that's what you naturally are, as long as the term suits you in a healthy way. But "skinny" is not something I would hope people would strive for. Healthy and fit are far more important concerns than "skinny."

Eight short years ago, Marion Jones was the pride of the US -- raking in medals at the Sydney Olympics. Then things fell apart when it was revealed that Jones took performance-enhancing drugs. She was stripped of her medals and was sentenced to time in prison for lying to federal prosecutors. In her first interview since her release, Jones spoke to Oprah about what really happened.

According to Jones, her former coach, Trevor Graham, gave her pills he described as flax seed oil. Jones, who took numerous substances such as vitamins and creatine, didn't question what he was giving her. Jones said she was instructed to put the tablet under her tongue for a while and then swallow it. Later, during the investigation, prosecutors showed Jones a vial of a designer steroid nicknamed "the clear." Jones now admits that she recognized it immediately as the substance her coach had given her. "I made the decision I was going to lie and try to cover it up," explained Jones. "I knew that all of my performances would be questioned."

There's a lesson for all athletes here. From the average Joe to the high school quarterback to elite athletes -- we're all responsible for what we put into our bodies. Supplements such as whey protein and creatine are frequently used by athletes. But even legal supplements shouldn't be used without knowledge and caution. Proper nutrition, consistent exercise, and appropriate training are your best bets for keeping your body in peak condition.

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Obesity increases your chance of an early death. Well, in most cases, anyway. For Richard Cooey, being obese might just save his life.

Cooey, 41, was sentenced to death in April for the rape and murder of two women, but claims he's too fat to be executed. At 5'7 and 276 lbs (and a BMI of 43.2!), Cooey claims the executioners would have too difficult a time finding his veins. Additionally, he's on a migraine medication that could affect how his body processed the anesthesia he wold receive prior to being executed.

Does this mean we will see a rapid increase in the average BMI of prison inmates across the world? Only time will tell.

What do you think of Cooey's defense?

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There's yoga for pregnant women, yoga for golfers, yoga for runners, yoga for cancer patients -- I guess it was only a matter of time before the fitness phenomenon entered the judicial system. Some prisons are now offering yoga class to inmates, and I think it's a fabulous idea. Yoga isn't just for the body -- it's for the mind too. I can't speak for everyone, but for me, it calms my mind and helps me gain a fresh perspective on things. It's also based on the principals of peace and karma, which I think can benefit inmates trying to get their life back together.

The program has been a hit among inmates already, and I hope it continues to grow -- it would be great to see yoga offered in all prisons. What do you think?

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Here's a story for the archives of bizarre and somewhat disturbing news: A beautician has been jailed for killing a client of hers by injecting her with cooking oil -- in her buttocks. Apparently the beautician has been using the corn oil as an anti-aging treatment, and has given it to several of her clients over the years.

46-year-old Maria Olivia Castillo died of multiple organ failure caused by fat blockages throughout her body as a result of the treatments. Martha Mata Vasquez pleaded guilty to manslaughter and has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

This isn't the first time the quest for beauty has had fatal consequences, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Please, if you feel the need to take measures to turn back the clock, do it with a medical professional or at least a trained beauty expert who uses legitimate anti-aging treatments.

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