That's Fit

I consider myself a pretty good eater. I mostly consume fruits, veggies, non-red lean meats, some whole grains, and only an occasional basket of bread -- ah, my weakness. I'm sure I eat the appropriate amount of calories in a day -- not too many, not too few -- but one thing that makes me wonder a bit is this: Am I getting enough of the good stuff in my diet -- the protein, the fiber, the calcium, the iron? My mom and I discussed this the other evening while power walking through our neighborhood. Protein was the topic. After our walk, I came home and did some research. Here's what I found.

Apparently, most Americans get more than enough protein in their diets, according to Health Central's MyDietExercise.com. Sometimes, though, our erratic eating habits and tendencies toward fad diets throw our protein intake out of whack, which undermines energy, exercise performance, and overall health.

So how much exactly is enough protein? Well, it depends on a few factors, says Health Central -- like age, gender, and activity level. For me, after plugging my stats into their handy dandy calculator, I learned that I need 81 grams per day. Seems like a lot but check out how these common foods stack up in the protein department -- chicken has 35 grams per four-ounce breast and salmon has 23 grams per three-ounce serving. One six-ounce can of tuna has 40 grams, four ounces of cottage cheese has 14, and one egg has six.

Looking to pump up your protein intake but aren't exactly thrilled with the idea of eating canned tuna? Fear not, you chicken of the sea -- there are plenty of much tastier foods out there that offer a heaping helping of this macronutrient.

The current issue of Maximum Fitness magazine serves up these fine alternatives to the usual protein suspects:

Beans. Score a solid 18g of protein from a cup of kidney beans, which take only a few minutes to cook up in a saucepan or microwave.

Eggs. Large eggs contain about 6.5g of protein each. Not a whole bunch, but most people don't just eat a single egg. It doesn't take a degree in advanced mathamatics to figure out that a hearty egg breakfast can hook you up with a healthy dose of pro.

Trans fats are bad. But fiber is good. So maybe as you ditch the bad fat from your diet, you could replace it with some good fiber. It's never tasted better, says Prevention magazine. You might not even miss your fats when you give these fiber-filled foods a whirl.

• Grain: Air-popped popcorn, 3 cups, 4 grams of fiber

• Cereal: Quaker Oats (cooked), 1/2 cup, 5 grams of fiber

• Fruit: Blueberries, 1 cup, 4 grams of fiber

• Vegetable: Broccoli, 1 cup, 5 grams of fiber

• Protein: Black beans (cooked), 1 cup, 15 grams of fiber

• Other: Dark chocolate, 5 pieces, 3 grams of fiber
  
  

These are just a few ideas. The list goes on -- just hop on over here and you'll stumble upon tasty treats like orange juice, chickpeas, canned pumpkin, pears, whole wheat pasta, and so much more.

Take one look at Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba and it's clear the girl is doing something right to maintain her sleek dancer's body. Whatever could it be, aside from the dancing, that is?

Inaba credits yoga and a diet inspired by her island upbringing for her trim figure.

"I was born on Hawaii and I'm Japanese, so I was raised to eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and protein, whether it's soybeans or fish," says Inaba. Smart girl -- with some smart moves. Check them out in the gallery below.

As we grow older, the slowing of our metabolism literally is a force of nature. Our bodies begin to change; we gain weight, lose muscle mass, and everything begins a gradual descent toward our southern hemisphere. It's a natural and, if left unattended, entirely unavoidable process. Sucks, doesn't it? I agree. Thankfully, all hope is not lost, as there are several ways to keep your body young by boosting your metabolism.

To help your muscle stay and ensure that the fat stays away, try following some of these tips from DivineCaroline.com to supercharge your metabolism:

Eat Protein and Eat Often. The website recommends eating three protein-rich meals and two protein-packed snacks each day. And, never consume less than 1,000 calories per day, as doing so can cause your body to become catabolic (meaning that you'll start to use your hard-earned muscle for energy).

Supercharge with Supplements. Promote fat burning and stabilize blood sugars with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and other key supplements. However, be sure to speak with your physician first before rushing out to GNC.

When you're on the go, it's sometimes difficult to find a healthy snack. That's why fitness-conscious people like you and I have grown to become quite resourceful, using Macgyver-like techniques to make something healthy and tasty out of what we have readily available. But, I'll be the first to admit that this endeavor is not always easy, nor are the solutions always palatable.

This is why premixed protein drinks can oftentimes be convenient fixes. They're usually low in sugar and fat, and serve up a healthy dose of protein; a great mix for the time-crunched fitness fanatic. However, with the summer heat already climbing to record-breaking temperatures, thick, milky protein drinks are -- as Ron Burgandy (aka Will Farrell) says after downing a carton of milk on a sweltering day in the movie Anchorman) -- "... a bad choice."

Enter the much more summer-friendly, fruit-flavored Designer Whey Protein Blitz.

Packed with 30 grams of protein and 7,800mg of muscle-building BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids) per 20oz bottle, this fruity drink lacks nothing in the nutrition department. As for the taste, I've now tried all three flavors (WTF ... Orange Mango; Can you take this ... Punch; and Grip it good ... Grape) and was pleasantly surprised to find that they all tasted quite good, unlike some of the few other fruit-flavored protein drinks on the market. As an added bonus, you can enroll yourself (for free) in a customized weight-loss and/or muscle-building diet program as part of their health and fitness initiative by visiting the website found on the back of each bottle (www.designerwhey.com/diet.htm). There, you'll also find a list of other Designer Whey products, such as Protein2Go Packs and Lite & Lean Protein Water -- a protein-infused (5g per serving) flavored water that also contains healthy antioxidants.

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. Dear Fitz, I know that most people are trying to lose weight, but I am trying to gain. Gain muscle, that is. I am going to the gym three to four times per week. I'm using the weight machines there, but It doesn't seem like I am gaining any muscle. Could you give me some advice? What types of healthy food should I eat? Should I be doing more reps with less weight or fewer reps with more weight? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Lea Rettig

A. Hey Lea, your question is superb, and the answer thank goodness is quite simple. Strength training should be challenging. Funny enough, my clients always seemed shocked and follow up that feeling of shock by giving me dirty looks when I pass them the dumbbell I'd like them to lift. Along with that dirty look, I receive chronic cries of, "Fitz! That's heavy!" Well, yes. Yes it is. The purpose of strength training is to get stronger, and yes ... build muscle. If I were to give them weights they could already lift comfortably ... they wouldn't be getting any stronger!

Men's Health just published an article about Salba, the world's richest whole-food source of fiber. And, as if that weren't enough of a reason to hunt down this ancient Aztec crop, its seeds also happen to contain more omega-3 fatty acids than any other plant food.

So where can a person find this ancient food? Must they visit the lands once occupied by the Aztecs, searching desperately to find a mere trace of this super plant? Um ... not exactly. In fact, you can find it growing on that stupid Chia Pet you bought five years ago.

Yes, believe it or not, but this uber-food is the edible version of the seeds used in the once popular Chia Pet plants. Packing a whopping 6 grams of omega-3, 6 grams of protein, and 10 grams of soluble fiber per each 1 ounce serving, you can make any food healthier by sprinkling this nutty-tasting seed on top of it, says the Men's Health article.

Rather than eating the Chia Pet or its seeds (which isn't the safest or best way to source the Salba), order yourself whole and ground seeds from Salba.com.

You'd be hard pressed to find a Smoothie King smoothie that isn't both tasty and nutritious. Delicious flavors like Angel Food and Caribbean Way are packed with fresh fruit and nutrients, and you can actually make them even healthier. Simply ask for your smoothie to be "made skinny."

"Skinny" smoothies have no turbinado (raw cane sugar) and contain 99 less calories and 23 less carbs than their counterparts. Smoothie King offers more than 30 smoothies under 300 calories after being rendered skinny. The Slim-N-Trim, for one, is a low-calorie treat used by many as part of an overall diet and training program geared toward slimming down.

Smoothie King also offers 50 smoothies with ingredients that meet customers' nutritional and dietary needs. There's The Hulk, with lots of calories and lots of nutrients, for chemotherapy patients who need a boost. There's The Gladiator for individuals who have undergone gastric bypass surgery and need essential vitamins and protein for recovery. And others can be formulated to jump-start energy and immunity; address stress relief, joint, and tissue repair; and build muscle.

Not all smoothies are created equal, say Smoothie King founders Steve and Cindy Kuhnau, who are proud to be the originators of the nutritional, fruit-based smoothie. Want to taste what they're talking about? Consider this:

Smoothie King will award one lucky reader with a $100 gift card, good for use in any one of their stores -- click here to find a location near you.

To enter to win, just leave a comment below before 5 PM Eastern on Thursday, June 12 describing the tastiest and healthiest smoothie you'd create if you could -- we want our mouths to water so make it good. Feel free to go to www.smoothieking.com for inspiration. Click on "Find Your Favorite" under the "On The Menu" category and you'll find bunches of possibilities. We'll randomly choose one winner amongst the eligible entries and announce the winner on Friday, June 13. Some other important details:

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below describing the tastiest and healthiest smoothie you'd create if you could.
• The comment must be left and confirmed before 5 PM on Thursday, June 12.
• You may only enter once.
• One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
• One winner will receive a $100 gift card for the purchase of Smoothie King smoothies.
  
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
  
  

Click here for complete official rules.

Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

A self-confessed sushi addict, I love heading to my favourite Japanese restaurant when I'm hungry. Their sushi is fresh and fantastic, but that's not the only draw: The meals all come with a steaming bowl of Miso soup. Now, I've heard that Miso soup is a bit of an acquired taste, but I love it; salty, a bit tangy, satisfying and the best part? It's really low in calories. We're talking 80 calories or less in a cup of soup.

But Miso is more than soup. This Japanese ingredient is used in a number of delicious dishes. Now, don't be grossed out or anything, but Miso is actually a fermented soybean paste with the consistency of nut butter. It has a delicate, light taste that makes it a welcome addition to many dishes.

Being a guy, there is little I know about what foods most women enjoy. Come to think of it, being a guy, there is little I know about all things women enjoy (except for some things, that is -- bom chicka wah wah). Anyway, to help come up with a list of what foods the fairer of the species fixates on, I turned to the popular magazine Self for some answers.

In almost no time, I came across an article about the foods that women crave most, based on a study conducted at Tufts University in Boston. In reading it, I learned that...

31 percent of women report chocolate is their most coveted food

24 percent of women say their strongest desire is for salty snacks

10 percent of women admit they regularly have an urge for ice cream

10 percent of women long for carbs, such as pasta and bread

7 percent of women desire protein-rich foods, such as fish and meat

Now there are two things I must do: 1 - Pat myself on the back for discovering, with the help of this list, that I wasn't nearly as ignorant about women as I thought I was, and 2 - Go bang out some quick sets of bench press, fix a car, punch some dude in the face, and throw a 90mph fastball in order to restore my manliness. Maybe I'll pick up a different magazine while I'm at it. Guns and Ammo sounds good.

Generally speaking, there are three basic speeds at which protein can be released: Slow, Medium, and Fast. Pretty straightforward, right? However, what might not be so obvious are the known effects each type of release will have on your body.

Here's a quick look at different types of protein sources and how their release speeds play a role in their functionality.

Slow Release

Sources: Whole food protein sources (chicken, beef, fish, etc.), casein protein

Effects: Causes a gradual increase and maintenance of blood-amino-acid levels for a long duration of time. Will also keep you feeling full for an extended period of time.

Medium Release

Sources: Milk-protein isolate, soy-protein isolate

Effects: Provides a bit less of a gradual increase of blood-amino-acid levels but helps them from eventually dropping rapidly. Will keep you feeling full for some time, but not quite as long as most slow-release protein sources.

This one's for the girls:

Women, you know how frustrating it is trying to take off just a few pounds while your man can lose them effortlessly Scientifically, men have some advantages: They tend to have more muscle and aren't hard-wired to store fat like we are. But those reasons are only part of the big picture. There are several things men do that enable them to be bigger losers than us.

AOL Body talks about these reasons in detail. Much of it comes down to the ways we deal with stress: Men are more likely to do something active, while we head to the kitchen -- and that box of chocolates. What's more, when we crave something, we hit the sugar, while men are more likely to chow down on some meat. And we beat ourselves up more, don't you agree?

So here's the challenge this week:

The other day, while hosting over a dozen of my children's playgroup friends here at my house for some outdoor fun....I created a frozen treat guaranteed to fill their little tummies up in a completely nutritious and fun way. Bapaloneo (a weird word my three and five year old children made up) Pops served the purpose I had intended and energized the group for several hours of insanity. Try them this summer.

Fitz's Bapaloneo Pops:

• Cut bananas in half length-wise, and stick a popsicle stick in the flat end.
• Coat the banana with creamy peanut butter.
• Roll the peanut butter coated banana in a bowl of regular cheerios.
• Place pops on a pan covered with freezer paper and then put them in the freezer for an hour or so.