Photo: cooper-martin.com

So, you blew out your ACL, and suddenly, you're faced with wearing shorts, skirts or sweats for the next few weeks. Or even worse, you're dealing with a more serious or permanent injury. When you're hurting, it just adds insult to injury to have to wear clothing that you hate, right?

Fortunately, Cooper Martin has created a line of clothing that doesn't make you choose between fashion and function. Their pants, as you can see in the picture to the right, are easy to put on and take off with the integrated zipper system, even if you can't bend your knee or move your hip.

The brand is in the process of offering more styles for both men and women, including shorts, lounge wear, undergarments and active wear. The trousers that are currently available just come in black for now and cost $120. It might be a hefty price to pay if you're making a speedy recovery, but it's nice to know you have options until you're back in the game.

We all know that, in order for our bodies to function at their highest levels, we need to have proper nutrition. But providing proper nutrition after the workout is just as important, and nobody knows that better than Sharon Richter, a registered dietitian who has focused her counseling practice for the last five years on sports nutrition, weight loss/gain, eating disorders and disease prevention for people of all ages. Additionally, she's contributed to a number of publications and worked on three weight-loss episodes of "Queer Eye."

According to Richter, "During a workout one burns stored fuel, glycogen, [and] loses water and electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium and Chloride). The most import thing to replace is lost fluids. The best way to determine how much your body needs is to weigh yourself before you exercise and after. For each pound lost, replenish it with 24 oz of water.

"Second, you also want to replenish the glycogen within 15 minutes of your activity. This can be in the form of fruit, juice, or a sports drink. You want something that is quick and easily absorbed (not high in fiber). The third element to include in your post workout intake is protein. As you exercise you are creating tiny tears in your muscle. To help repair the muscle, protein is necessary. A good ratio of carbohydrates to protein is a 4:1 ratio. In addition to helping repair your muscle, protein helps with the absorption of water."

Even if you truly love working out, I'm going to bet that you don't love the muscle soreness that comes afterward. I mean, there's something kind of rewarding about a little soreness the next day, but the kind of pain that makes it hard to walk like a normal person? I'll pass on that, thanks.

I recently read about a product called The Stick on one of the running blogs I follow. It promises to "prevent and predict muscle injuries, dramatically improve strength, flexibility and endurance, rapidly prepare muscles for physical activity, disperse the effects of lactic acid following activity, and accelerate muscle recovery." I don't know about you, but those are all things I could use some help with.

Lots of professional sports teams use it, including the New York Knicks, Miami Dolphins, and Baltimore Orioles, but it can also be used by non-athletes who are just looking for the best way to massage and warm up muscles.

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Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

Happy birthday to me! That's right, I'm officially 30 none of your business. HA! What's significant about this birthday is that I am closer in age to 40 than 30. Thanks to weight loss, eating right and working out, I feel closer to 30 than 40. Losing 200 lbs. has turned the clock back. Even simple things are new.

I can never remember crossing my legs until three years ago. Being the girlie girl that I am, I do it all the time. It reminds me that I've come so far and that I will never again be unable to cross my legs. In my old life, I experienced what I grew to call, "turnstile terror." Ever been too fat to get through a turnstile? Over the course of time, I learned to wiggle through sideways but I even outgrew that method.

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

I am not happy. I mean, I am happy with life overall, but I am not happy about my tummy tuck drains. I am one week post-surgery and still, I have them -- all three of them -- with removal nowhere in sight. You see, I experienced a drain blockage last week, which slowed the process considerably (I think this is atypical for most tummy tucks). I guess some gunk got stuck on the way out and clogged the drains, located between the pubic area and the bottom of my abdomen. Besides this hassle, I've got cords that, while long enough to pin to clothing, are in my way -- all three of them.

So, I saw my doc's physicians assistant today, and she said with the amount of fluid still draining, the drains should stay in place. She was actually happy about this and said we'd take a look on Thursday when I see my surgeon. I trust her completely, so they are right where she left them -- in me. I've read many stories of fortunate folks who had their drains out in a few days or even a week -- I just am not one of those lucky folks.

Martha recently posted about how exercise can help stroke patients recover. A new virtual reality program that is undergoing clinical trials in the UK and in Canada helps the recovery process a little more.

A researcher at Portsmouth University in the UK created a treadmill that's linked to a virtual reality system. The system helps people recovering from strokes, traumatic falls, and those living with osteoarthritis to build up their endurance, increase their range of motion, and improve their gate.

The system displays scenes -- cityscapes, forest trails, mountains, etc. As the patient is walking on the treadmill, the scenery changes. The system gives them the motivation to walk -- and it also encourages them to virtually pick up objects which aids in balance. In addition, the motion of the scenery is adjusted so the patients walk faster and more smoothly, almost without realizing it.

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Who drinks the most coffee and smokes the most cigarettes? Not your average American, says a new study. It's those recovering from alcoholism who drink more than four cups of coffee per day and smoke much more than their non-recovering counterparts.

Why the fondness for coffee and cigarettes? Study participants said they rely on coffee to wake them up and cigarettes to help them deal with negative moods.

Researchers say they are looking at whether changes in coffee and smoking habits are predictive of alcoholics' ability to stay in recovery. Initially, they think coffee may actually aid in recovery while smoking may hinder it.

For more about this Vanderbilt University study, click here.

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Austin, Texas has it's own fit magazine -- called Austin Fit. I picked up a copy this weekend right off the sidewalk of Guadalupe, a store and restaurant-lined street that runs through the University of Texas campus. It was free. Quite a deal for those, like me, who pick up this publication. It's full of great stuff -- health, fitness, diet, sport, style, and life sections cover the pages -- and one of the first articles I stumbled upon, 6 Rules for Recovery, is just one of many that taught me how to do better at life, this one in particular by doing less. Check out these tips:

Create a need for recovery: Following each hard workout you take on, take a recovery day to fully reap the benefits of your strenuous training.

Rest before; recover after: Make sure your body is rested before vigorously challenging your body. Make sure you recover after the challenge.

Take it easy: Light, easy workouts are important. They don't tax your body like their tougher counterparts, and they don't require a major recovery period.

Train hard when it's time: Train hard because your body is ready, not because your schedule says it's time. If something doesn't feel right, bail on the workout and do something light.

Monitor your recovery status: Listen to your body. If you feel tired, your body is telling you it hasn't had enough downtime. If a tired pattern persists, rework your training schedule by adding more recovery or lighter workouts.

Take a week: Work recovery weeks into your training: After training for three of four weeks, plan for a week of light training for full recovery. This will help prevent an accumulation of fatigue, and it will allow you to train even harder on your heavier weeks.

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I love a good comeback, like the one Allegra Versace is making as she rebounds from the ravages of anorexia. Versace, daughter of fashion icon Donatella and heir to late uncle Gianni's empire, has put on a healthy amount of weight since recently receiving treatment in Los Angeles.

One source, cited in the January 28, 2008 issue of PEOPLE magazine, says the 21-year-old is doing great and remarks that "anorexia is a disease that you never fully recover from, but she is well on her way to a very healthful and bright future."

Appearing at her mother's runway show in Milan on January 13, Versace impressed even those in the modeling industry who revere thinness. They were simply thrilled to see a healthier version of this young woman. I am too.

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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.

Our featured celebrity this week is one of our very own That's Fit bloggers, Jacki Donaldson. Jacki has published and become the feature of more than 1,000 magazine and online articles. She's an eloquent writer who guides her readers towards healthier, more appreciative and joyful lives with ease.

Jacki is also a Breast Cancer Survivor. Jacki was diagnosed in November of 2004, when her two small sons were only three years old and 18 months, Soon after, Jacki endured a lumpectomy, radiation, chemotherapy and all of the great side effects that go along with it. Jacki lives in my neighborhood and approached me about personal training in April of 2006. I considered her a friend before this, but truly had no idea what an inspirational and fun person she would be to have in my life.

As I've cheered for her, she's inspired me to become a better person in every aspect of my life. Her writing makes we want to be more insightful. Her parenting makes me want to be more creative. Her friendship makes me want to be a better person in general. Jacki has turned her experiences with cancer into a positive somehow. She's turned the most rotten lemons into the sweetest lemonade. She's now a role model for health and I'm grateful to be able to share her with you. I recommend visiting JackiDonaldson.com to get her full story.

Fitz: Describe your original diagnosis of breast cancer and your life at that point.

Jacki: I found a lump in my breast while washing in the shower. I knew in my gut it was cancer. After a mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy, I knew with absolute certainty. I had cancer. I was 34 years old, with a husband and two little boys, ages three and 18 months.

Fitz: What type of treatment did you undergo and for how long?

Jacki: I had a lumpectomy to remove my tumor and four lymph nodes. Then I had four doses of chemotherapy, six weeks worth of radiation -- I was zapped every week day for all these weeks -- and then a year-long targeted drug therapy with a new wonder drug that cuts the risk of recurrence by 50 percent. I also received physical therapy -- both surgery and radiation affect range of motion in the arm -- and talk therapy, and I took an anti-depressant for more than one year. My treatment began in January 2005 and ended in July 2006, just more than one year ago.

Fitz: You hired me as your personal trainer about 17 months ago. You said you wanted to "get strong." How were you weak?

Jacki: My body had been battered by both cancer and the treatment designed to save my life. I was fatigued, worn out, and without physical strength. I knew I needed to make a comeback. I just didn't know how. Then I found you.

Fitz: You were still undergoing chemotherapy once every three weeks for your first few months of training. Small things like lunges and strength training with tubes would leave you dizzy quite often, but you persevered. What kept you coming when you certainly were not required to?

Jacki: I believe the healthier and stronger I become, the less likely I am to develop cancer again. So I require myself to work hard. It's my way of controlling an unpredictable disease.

Fitz: You began training in April, 2006 and ran the entire Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5k in October, 2006. You were the first survivor to cross the finish line as you ran every step of the way. As I finished a few steps behind you, I couldn't think of a more proud moment in my career. What did that physical accomplishment mean to you?

Jacki: It meant I really could run, not just around the block which I could barely do even before cancer, but for 3.2 whole miles. It meant that I was taking powerful steps against a disease that threatened to take my life. It meant I could keep up with you -- which is no small feat!

Fitz: You've now revamped your entire way of eating. Tell me about the changes you've made and the results you've experienced. You look really hot by the way!

Jacki: I love you! I've cut out all sweets, soda, and red meat. I eat low-fat, low-sugar foods and lots of fruits and veggies. I drink only water. I've cleared my kitchen of butters, oils, dressings, and more. Results? I've lost 15 pounds, 10 of which crept up on me during treatment. I'm leaner, firmer, and so much happier in my slimmer body.

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While it might seem like "taking one for team" and coming into work when you're sick scores you points with the boss, it's actually the worst thing you could do. Your health suffers, your work suffers, and you're putting the health of everyone you work with in jeopardy.

Especially if you have salmonella poisoning.

It sounds almost ludicrous, but that's the was affliction plaguing one Canadian workaholic who, because of his condition, was ordered by health inspectors to stay home. However, instead of resting up, getting well, and taking the necessary tests to prove he was no longer a danger to others, the 20-year-old went right back to work.

Fortunately, no customers have reported becoming ill as result of the young man's irresponsible behavior, but both he and the bakery he works at were fined by medical officials. The man was out C$1,000 ($970), the bakery was fined c$1,500 and the owner and additional C$1,000.

So take this as a warning. Next time you're sick, take the day off. After all, who doesn't enjoy a day vegging out in front of old movies eating chicken noodle soup?

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Sometimes what you need the most to get in shape (excitement, energy, and motivation) can be exactly what ends up sidelining you unexpectedly once you get started. Going after a workout with everything you've got is a good thing, but if you step too far out of your comfort zone all at once you risk ending up too worn out the next day (or days) to keep up the efforts. A skipped workout is a missed opportunity, plus there's always a chance just one missed workout will turn into several missed workouts, or worse yet the end of your plans altogether.

Recovering from a workout as efficiently as possible is obviously a pretty valuable thing to know how to do, and this list of 10 tips includes both common ideas and off-the-wall ones, so you're sure to find something that works for you:

• Have a workout shake immediately after your workout. Something with a 2-to-1 mix of carbs and protein is your best bet.
• Take a contrast bath immediately after your workout. This is one of those "off-the-wall" ideas, and if you try it you'll have to let us know if it works or not. It's from ancient Eastern techniques and means taking a shower or bath of alternating hot and cold water for 1 minute each for up to 10 minutes total. This is supposed to stimulate recovery.

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Especially with seemingly all of young Hollywood taking drugs, driving drunk, and hopping in and out of treatment facilities, rehab is a popular topic of conversation. But, at least for these starlets, the programs don't seem to work -- so what will make sure your rehab experience gets you sober?

That's the question CNN's Empowered Patient recently took on, and, according to this piece, the five essentials are: no amenities, an experienced staff, individual therapy, gender-separate facilities, and a good exit strategy.

Essentially, it's important to remember that you're there for one purpose and one purpose alone: to get past your addiction. Anything that hinders that -- whether it be ritzy accommodation or potential romantic involvement, should be avoided. Also, recovery takes much longer than the 28 days most people spend in rehab, so be sure to find a place that will help you through the entire process -- not just during your stay at the facility.

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Today, I am limping around, aware that I worked my bad knees a little too hard yesterday by adding too much weight when I did my squats. I made one of the cardinal fitness mistakes yesterday -- I overtrained. For some people, getting a fitness routine started is hard enough, but for those who've been at it for a while, this is a problem. We like to challenge ourselves, but there's a fine line between pushing the limits and pushing too hard.

Overtraining is what happens when you push your body too hard without giving it enough time to recover.And if you're over training, you're at risk for injury. So do yourself a favour: The next time your body tells you t slow down, listen to it and take a break. It's not called being lazy if you take a couple of days off from your routine to recover -- it's called being smart.

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The numbers vary on the number of alcoholics who are also smokers, but it's estimated that at least 50 percent -- if not 90 percent -- of those who seek treatment for alcoholism are also addicted to cigarettes. While the two addictions may seem to be unrelated, a recent study finds that smoking may actually impede the neurocognitive recovery of those trying to kick their drinking habit.

Obviously any alcoholic that gives up drinking will see significant improvements in their memory and processing speed, but the study found that "abstinent alcoholics without a history of cigarette smoking achieved better recovery of critical mental functions during the first six to nine month of sustained sobriety."

Given this information, it seems like there's more reason than ever to quit all your bad habits at once.

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