That's Fit

Do social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook put youth in "mental risk?" At least one London-based psychiatrist thinks so. Dr. Himanshu Tyagi thinks kids who have grown up with the internet and who frequent social networking sites may have a skewed view of how true social interaction works. He warns that kids involved with social networking may place less value on their real lives and that this can lead to impulsive behavior.

Of social networking sites, Tyagi says "It's a world where everything moves fast and changes all the time, where relationships are quickly disposed at the click of a mouse, where you can delete your profile if you don't like it, and swap an unacceptable identity in the blink of an eye for one that is more acceptable."

Other experts disagree. While most concur that overuse of social networking sites can be harmful, some experts like psychologist Graham Jones feel that moderate use is perfectly healthy. In Jones' opinion, many people who use social networking sites tend to be quite social in their real lives as well. Their online presence is just an extension of their real-life social behavior.

Breaking up is hard to do, isn't it? An Australia man recently found that breaking up with his wife was so painful that he wanted to start over with a completely clean slate. So Ian Usher put his entire life -- including his home, car, possessions, even his friends and a trial period at his job -- up for sale on eBay.

It sold, but for considerably less than he was hoping for. The final bid was about $384,000, which Usher said was about $100,000 less than he was hoping to get. Still, he intends to move on and restart his life with whatever is left.

His rash behavior may have cost him financially, for sure. But I'm wondering if he sold out his support system too. Obviously, you can't sell friends on eBay, but by symbolically lumping them in with the rest of his possessions, was he saying goodbye to them too?

If you've suffered a break up recently, Help Guide has some excellent information on how to cope.

When you start dating someone new, it's easy to get a little lax in your eating habits. After all, you're going to swanky, romantic restaurants, sharing appetizers and desserts, drinking more wine than normal. Or, if you're past the "wooing" stage, you might find yourself staying in, cuddling, and chowing down on pizza and Chinese takeout.

Dining is such a social occasion that it's no wonder you want to share meals with your sweetie. However, you don't need to sacrifice your figure, wardrobe, or health in order to go on a food-related date. Check out the gallery for some fun, food-y ideas!

You've heard that old phrase "never go to bed angry," right? It never seemed reasonable to me. Maybe I'm too hot-headed, but I just couldn't imagine being married and never going to sleep upset at my husband. Heck, there are days that I'm annoyed or angry with my son and we don't end the day on a good note. It's amazing how a night's sleep can wash away bad feelings.

According to an article on Revolution Health, it's OK to go to bed angry once in a while. If you think about it, staying up for hours on end talking over everything you're annoyed about could actually be counterproductive at times. Sometimes calmer heads will prevail in the morning after having a good night's sleep.

The article also recommends sleeping in the same bed as you usually do, even if you're angry. If you're up to it, you can even try making love. So what if you're a bit angry? Turn the energy into something a bit more fun than fighting. Also, sometimes it's necessary to agree to disagree. Stating something like "I'm angry with you right now, but I love you very much" can help put a temporary stop to an unresolved argument. For more healthy relationship tips, see AOL Health.

I think it's safe to say that men and women are a bit of mystery to each other. I'm single, but even my married friends often puzzle over things their spouses have said or done. The Kinsey Institute conducted a study that sheds some light on what turns men on.

The research team set up six focus groups with men ranging from age 18 to 70. The one thing they found is that what turns one man on may not turn on another. As a woman, I'm glad to hear that. It's nice to know that all men aren't looking for that stereotypical "beautiful" girl.

Some turn ons included women who were confident and felt good about themselves. Not surprisingly a good body and a pretty face were listed as turn ons, but so was intelligence. Feeling emotionally connected to a woman is also a turn on for many men, as is a woman's scent.

Want to learn more about sexual health? AOL Body has resources for both men and women.

I'm friends with a lot of fit couples, and I've noticed that, while they all enjoy working out and have memberships to the same gym, they rarely follow the same fitness routines. They might jump on the elliptical together, or spot each other on weights occasionally, but more often than not, they do their own thing.

As long as they're both happy with their individual routines, generally, it works. However, what if your sweetie is far more dedicated than you are, or vice versa? For example, Spice Girl Geri Halliwell has recently been kicking butt in the fitness department, and she's looking fantastic. However, her dancer boyfriend, Ivan Velez, is reportedly getting fed up with the amount of time she spends working out, and isn't a fan of being roped into her early morning fitness routines.

It's not easy -- if he's naturally thin and you put on weight easily, you might feel compelled to hit the gym hard every day, and he might be perfectly happy going two or three times a week. If you really want to work out together, That's Fit posted some suggestions last year for involving your sweetie, but one thing I would suggest is that you be flexible and figure out whether it's more important to you to have a long, hard workout, or to work out with your partner. If you're willing to take a brisk, two-mile walk instead of a four-mile run, he or she might be more likely to join you. Or, if there's something your sweetie enjoys, give it a shot -- there are plenty of ways to burn calories, after all!

Anna Kournikova participated in the Nautica South Beach Triathlon. Sort of, anyway. She ran a four mile portion as part of a relay team for K-Swiss. She held a very respectable 7:15/mile pace, but she had another goal that took up a good bit of her focus -- raising awareness for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. The tennis player regularly incorporates running into her fitness routine, so this was not a huge stretch for her. Some observers say she's lost her curves, but I think she looks fit and healthy.

Mariah Carey is showing up everywhere lately, but there's less of her to see thanks to a lifestyle change and nutrition and fitness coach. She admits she's bummed to give up her comfort foods, like mac 'n cheese, but she's thrilled to be fitting into the same size jeans she wore in 10th grade.

Not only is Britney Spears working out at Bally (she's been there one to three times a day, lately) -- she just might become their newest spokeswoman. You know, if fitness plays a big role in Britney turning her life around, then Bally might be taking a really smart risk. Or not. Only time will tell.

If you go out on a date with someone who seems to be perfect in every way, have you ever wondered if they would also make a great romantic partner? A new study is suggesting that when it comes to social butterflies who seem like the perfect date versus those people considered "socially awkward," the latter group makes a better committed partner.

Those individuals who are always on top of their game when it comes to social situations are referred to as "self monitors." They evaluate how their actions and appearances affect those around them. By adjusting how they act and what they say, these people appear to be perfect at building strong relationships.

However, researchers conducted a study by comparing various participants' level of commitment and how much they self-monitored, communicated (on an intimate scale), and their relational satisfaction. The findings show that because these individuals watch what they say and do in order to appeal others, their commitment doesn't run as deep. This is in comparison to socially awkward types who, when surveyed, showed higher commitment and satisfaction. Is this scientific, or moreover, believable? Not across all situations, thankfully -- everyone is different, and even the researchers admit that people often end up with someone in between these two polar ranges.

If you ask my 89-year-old great aunt, one of the major downfalls of living so long is that most of your close friends and family died years ago and you're all alone. Still, it's important to make new friends and stay in touch with distant ones, according to this article from Everyday Health. Maintaining relationships helps improve your quality of life as you grow older. It also helps ward off dementia and keeps you mentally sharp.

It's also important to engage in productive activities, whether you need to or not. These could include shopping, gardening, baking or any other chore, hobby or activity that you enjoy.

So, if you're retired, consider joining a club or taking up a hobby or activity that keep you busy and allows you to meet new people. You'll be happier and healthier for years to come.

Marriage has a bit of a bad rap these days, with lots of people complaining and saying how life and fun are essentially over the minute you take the plunge. But millions of people are still getting married every day, and thankfully research shows that they don't have the wrong idea -- it's not a bad thing! Research has found that married people have the following health advantages over people who aren't married:

• Better general health, and less sicknesses
  
• Less alcoholism
• Fewer suicides
• Less time spent in hospitals, and faster recovery rates
• Stronger immune systems
• Lower risks for depression, along with reduced stress and anxiety

Of course I'm thinking if you marry the wrong person and end up stressed and unhappy then these benefits probably don't apply, but for the average person your spouse may be doing more for you than you think!

We all experience things we don't like pretty much on a daily basis, and doing something about them can be a daunting task. Obviously not everything can, be changed, but when it comes to dealing with things that can the approach you take can make all the difference. "Complaining" is a word that definitely has a negative connotation, but the principle of speaking up is not a bad one if you do it right, and it can help you build healthier stronger relationships at work and at home. The keys to expressing yourself constructively pretty much break down into making sure you do these things:

• Talk about the specific issue or problem at hand
• Ask the other person about their view
• Make a point to understand their view, while making your own view clear
• Come up with a strategy for solving the problem
• Follow-up on it all later

All that may seem easy enough, but many people miss key points and end up coming across the wrong way and making things worse instead of better.

When deciding what to look for in that special someone, you might want to add "healthy" to your list of desired characteristics. A new study has found that you and your future spouse will probably copy one another's choices when it comes to habits like smoking, drinking.

For instance, the odds of smokers putting down the pack were five times higher if their husband or wife had already quit, while others were just as likely to give up alcohol if their spouse wasn't a drinker. The same pattern held true for preventative medicine -- like flu shots, for instance.

I guess that makes sense. Since moving in with my fiance I've changed the movies I watch, the clothes I wear, and the food I eat -- it's only natural that my health habits would follow suit.

Guys, as much as we like to complain that she steals all the covers, it turns out we actually sleep better when our significant other is lying next to us. You ladies, on the other hand, aren't so lucky.

Men are more likely to snore, which makes it very difficult for their partner to get a good night sleep. When the sound level becomes so loud that it wakes them up at night, many women opt for sleeping in another room -- just so they can get some peace and quiet.

On the other hand, men -- despite popular stereotypes -- are much more dependent on close relationships than women are. Subsequently, when it comes to sleeping, guys do much better when they share a bed with someone they're committed to.

So what's the solution? While women might get more sleep when they choose a separate bed, this probably won't do wonders for their relationships. If your man is a noisemaker at night, try earplugs, and if that doesn't work, talk to your doctor -- there's a number of ways to keep him quiet.

Is your man making you fat? I think we'd all like to answer 'yes' to that question and call the nation's obesity problem solved, and although it's not that simple for the world in your case it is likely that your guy is contributing to your weight gain. It's been found in studies that women gain weight when they move in with a man, which is likely due to the fact that couples tend to adopt each others eating habits and men burn an average of 26% more calories in a day than women do. Those extra calories burn away on him, but on you they park on your hips and settle in for the long haul.

Guy-proofing your diet isn't completely effortless, but it is easier than you probably think. Take a look at these tips, which address all of his worst habits (like skipping veggies and drinking a beer every night with dinner) and give easy advice on how to deal. And please share if you have any tricks of your own! Us ladies got to stick to together.

Considering retirement? We all dream of the day we can kick our feet up and start having fun instead of being a slave to the timeclock. But new research suggests that many men and women make the decision to retire for the wrong reason: because they're depressed.

Of course I'm sure it's rarely a conscious influence, but experts say that 1 in 10 working adults will experience depression in any given year and that adults who have symptoms of depression are more likely to retire earlier. The study included 3,000 adults from Finland, where (in theory) depression should have a lesser effect than here in the States due to a better post-retirement "safety net" provided by the Finnish government. I guess it makes sense that unhappy people are less motivated to continue working, but it's sad that a negative state of mind can influence such a major decision in somebody's life.

So if so many people suffer from depression, if it's such a common occurrence, what are we doing wrong? What can be done to avoid it?