That's Fit

Normally I wouldn't work a book review into Fit Beauty, but this is just too perfect. I recently read Nina Garcia's The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own, and just like watching an inspirational sports movie makes me want to hit the gym, this book made me want to shop. But with a purpose.

It seems like each season, I look in my closet and think, "Holy crap, I have nothing to wear." I know that's completely untrue, but I also know I'm not alone. And while that might not seem like a big deal, it really can take a toll on you emotionally when you can't find anything to wear, and you know you spent a bit of cash on clothes just a year ago.

With some help from this book, I now feel confident that I can shop in a way that will be productive and stay relevant from season to season, year after year. Let me explain.

If you missed our daily postings this past week, we invite you to take some time to catch up on our prior week's news and gear up for a new week of healthy living information and inspiration.

Another week passes us by, and now we're just days away from the official start of summer. Are you ready? Be sure to check out our Summer Slimdown Guide for last-minute preparations. And check out these posts from the past seven days -- they're sure to help you fine-tune your health goals as you head into a brand new season.

• Chris says an orange a day keeps the wrinkles away. Could it be?
• Bev says you should dump your sun tea. Here's why.
• You need to eat fat in order to lose fat? Laura tells all.
• Want sugar-free kids? Debra offers some direction.
• What star has issues with his butt? Kristen has the scoop.
• Capping your weekend off with a pint of beer? Check out this calorie warning first.
• How about some tips for eating healthy at the ballgame, conceiving that baby boy you want so badly, and cutting down on meat.
  
  

Finally, on this Father's Day, let us all honor NBC's Tim Russert, who died unexpectedly on Friday due a heart attack resulting from asymptomatic coronary artery disease.

Our pals over at DS Fanboy have taken an in-depth look at the pros and cons of practicing yoga guided by a DVD (Yoga for Beginners) versus using the Nintendo DS game, Let's Yoga. First, there was an awesome review of Let's Yoga, and overall, they were fans.

However, as with any at-home automated guide (including a DVD), it's easy to cheat or do poses incorrectly. The game itself sounds like it's easy to navigate and follow, and it has lots and lots of short lessons, so you can tailor your yoga workout to fit into your schedule.

After reading the review, I checked out the comparison, and, long story short, the game totally won. To demonstrate the differences, DS Fanboy provided a chart highlighting similarities and differences, so if you have a particular concern (like you don't want an annoying instructor), you can easily see which option would work best for you. I'm not normally a huge fan of video games, but this sounds like a cool way to get involved in yoga without dragging your karma-challenged butt to a class.

This week I've been sampling Dannon's Light & Fit 0% Plus Yogurt, and I absolutely love it. Before I go any further though, let me tell you how I feel about yogurt. I like it, but only if I feel like I'm getting a high in calcium, low in sugar, legitimately fruit-filled snack. Now, there is always yogurt stacked up in my fridge, because I have two little children. But, rarely do I even open up a cup for myself. Not that I would ever buy my babies anything "bad"... cause I don't. But I regularly expect perfection of the things I put in my mouth. I'm simply not willing to waste 100 calories on a teeny cup of yogurt. I'd rather have two big pieces of fruit.

So! I was thrilled instantly by the calorie count on Dannon's new Light & Fit 0% Plus Yogurt. Each cup boasts only 50 or 60 calories, depending on the flavor. That I can do! The fruity varieties are also full of real fruit chunks. Fresh and healthy fruit chunks, not the icky stuff dumped in from a can. On top of all that, each flavor has proven to be delicious to both my children and me, and then a few of my personal training clients as well.

Before you go give Dannon's Light & Fit 0% Plus Yogurt a try, I encourage you to do a side-by-side comparison of it's nutritional content versus that of other yogurts. I did this a few days ago and couldn't find anything as good. This is the type of thing you want to put in your fridge if you're trying to lose weight. It's a great fix for your sweet tooth, while providing a decent amount of protein, calcium, vitamin D and other important nutrients.

As your loving online fitness trainer, I'm constantly searching for fun new products to help you achieve ultimate fitness with the most ease and enjoyment. Thomas Kemper Low Calorie Root Beer, with only 20 calories per 12 ounce bottle, is one of those products. Look. We all know that plain old water is the best beverage in the world health wise. But...I'm a big fan of the no and low calorie drinks as well. I find that a diet soda satisfies my sweet tooth and keeps me from hunting down muffins throughout my day. It keeps me in the teeny jeans I like to wear as well.

Thomas Kemper did a great job creating the perfect low calorie version of their Original Root Beer. It tastes delicious and my die hard root beer loving neighbor guzzled it down to rave reviews, without even knowing it was a low calorie drink! He almost fell off of his chair when I told him it was a 'diet' drink. Having said that, I think his new addiction to Thomas Kemper Low Cal Root Beer is going to help him get rid of his 'regular beer belly'. Such an easy way to lose weight!

Not only is the Low Calorie Root Beer a yummy treat, the bottle will make you feel fancy. It's brown and beige with a cutie logo, and will make you feel like you're sitting on a farm with Wilford Brimley and Huck Finn. Not that those two characters were known to hang out together, but Thomas Kemper will make you feel like they did. It will make you feel like you're all three together on the farm throwing rocks....or something else sweet and old fashioned like that!

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

What a year it's been for Super Foods. We've covered almost all of them, from salmon and turkey to watermelon and pineapple. Name a Super Food and you're likely to find a pretty comprehensive run-down of the item right here on That's Fit. Our archive of Super Food posts is quite overwhelming at this point so in the interest of a years-end review, here's a sampling of the foods we've found that can heal ills, prevent disease, and promote optimum health. And if this isn't enough, click here and you'll land at each and every You Are What You Eat post.

• Hide it or highlight it, broccoli kicked off the You Are What You Eat series in March 2007.

• Why should you eat Brussels sprouts? Find out in this April post.

• Pack some kidney beans in your pantry, or so says this May post.

• June brought us a super strawberry post. Read all about it.

• In July, blueberries were a hot item.

• With lunch comes energy -- well, in an ideal scenario, anyway. Check out this August post about lunchtime energy foods.

• Chocolate really is a health food. We told you all about it in September.

• In October, we let you know if an apple a day really keeps the doctor away.

• Nearly last on the Super Food list, yogurt showed up in November.

• Bringing up the rear in December were the Super Foods cinnamon, kiwi, pomegranate, and oats.

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. Hello Fitz. I am currently working on getting six-pack abs. I was surfing the web and found this new device called EZ-ups gravity shoes. They basically make you hang upside-down and let you do sit-ups. Is it worth buying or not? Jonathan

A. Hey Jonathan, I know what you're talking about and I really feel neither here nor there on the product. The Teeter Hang-ups EZ-Ups Inversion System Gravity Boots, selling for $149. I have never used them, but being in this field for almost two decades has allowed me to try similar types of exercises and equipment.

Honestly. I wouldn't have any desire to purchase something so expensive and one dimensional like this. I'd prefer to have a regular pull-up bar for pull-ups and then train my abs by lifting my legs while hanging upright. Hanging upside down doesn't hold any appeal to me, since I've previously fallen from and inversion table and conked my head pretty hard. Ouch! In my opinion, there are a lot better ways to skin that cat of six pack abs. Ways that are less dangerous and expensive as well. Fitz

A few days ago I took my two children, and their two best friends to a Wiggles concert in Kissimmee, Florida and am so grateful I did. Along with the incredible fitness video segments I shot backstage with the gorgeous blue Wiggle, Anthony Field.....it turned out to be one of my children Ginger (4) and Parker's (2) favorite experiences ever.

Before the show, my whole brood got to meet The Wiggles and have a picture taken at the official "meet and greet" session. Traditionally the session is designed for the group to spend time with special needs children. Mine are not, but we were fortunate to have the opportunity. The Wiggles perform about 200 shows each year around the world, but when it came to this special time with the meet and greet children the guys made each child feel really important; the kind of treatment that would bring any Mommy to tears. Bursting with smiles and tender voices, I was impressed at how these men related to the little ones. Hard to describe. The four I took were both shy and excited while meeting the group. Afterward, each maintained a death-grip on the Polaroid's they were given featuring themselves with the band.

Once we were seated in our 'hot potato" seats on the floor in front of the stage, the real fun began. The atmosphere was electric and the kids were ecstatic. The show is bright, colorful, busy and just full of fun! The music also happened to be perfect. Now, I've seen just about every big name performer on tour in the U.S. and there is something unique about singers/bands who actually sound in person the way that they sound on the radio or television. The Wiggles are like that. You get what you came for, you know? You get to enjoy the songs you love in the way that you know them.

Two of the most popular and healthy international cuisines are Mediterranean food and Asian food. The Mediterrasian Way by Ric Watson and Trudy Thelander combines these two influences to encourage healthy eating habits in readers. One of the main facets of their plan is a food pyramid that's based on how often you should consumer certain things. For example, red meat should be eaten monthly; fish, poultry, eggs and sweets should be eaten weekly; and veggies, fruits, legumes, nuts, olive oil and carbs should be eaten daily. Physical activity is also a daily requirement. Of course, there's more it to than that, which you can find out by checking out their website.

Diet Blog has a great review of MediterrAsian program and brings up a couple of important problems, including the fact that the diet is high on carbohydrates and includes too much processed soy. But on the whole, it seems to be a fairly wholesome approach.

What do you think of the MediterrAsian approach?

"The Biggest Loser" TV show is full of hard-earned and truly inspirational success stories, so whether you're into workout DVDs or not you've got to agree that The Biggest Loser Workout, Volume 2 must be doing something right. A plan responsible for that many hundreds and even thousands of pounds lost can't be complete hype, right?

A general run-down of what to expect includes a short warm up followed by low intensity cardio, then high intensity cardio (both suited for men and women specifically), a power sculpt session for the women, 15 minutes of boot camp, some functional flexibility training, and then a cool down. I'll be honest and admit that I haven't seen it myself, but this review makes it sound pretty good. The idea of real people working out with me, grunting and groaning and generally NOT making it look so easy, is a big selling point as far as I'm concerned.

Does anybody have this DVD right now? What do you think?

I blogged awhile back on The Cardio Free Diet, and just heard back from a woman who said she was featured on the 20/20 segment in which the diet was featured. She had success with it, and is very much in defense of it. Unfortunately she didn't respond to my blog in the 'comments' section, so you can't see what she wrote, but that's really neither here nor there.

If you're going to read my blogs, you're going to hear the voice of someone who's been in the industry for almost two decades, has the Master's Degree, etc. I will NEVER support a diet. Diet to me, means temporary lifestyle changes which normally lead to only temporary results. I support the teaching of great habits, which over time will lead you to happiness and longevity in the skin you are in. There is no gimmick to it. It is what it is.

My stand on the Cardio Free Diet remains. It disappoints me. Physical fitness is comprised of four elements. Proper nutrition, cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training. I do not believe one can be truly fit without any of those elements. Exercise your brains out, yet eat crap all day......not fit. Strong and flexible without the ability to climb a few flights of stairs (general healthy adult).....not fit.

A reader just sent me a link to info on this new book asking for my opinion. (Thanks!) The Cardio Free Diet was featured on Good Morning America the other day and I got to hear the author's spin on it. He's a guy who used to promote genuine fitness and then turned against cardio. He claims that people will lose weight better by just doing strength training, because cardiovascular training makes people 'hungrier' and therefore many people will be unsuccessful with a balanced fitness routine.

My opinion is that of disappointment. Yet again, someone is making lots of money off of the frustration of people desperate to lose weight and get fit once and for all. Cardio free? Gee that sounds terrific. What he's not honking his horn about is that he also is requiring people on his program to maintain a 1,200 calorie diet. HELLO! That's not a bunch of calories, so almost anyone would lose weight by just adhering to the diet with NO exercise. So, that's not REALLY a "cardio free" diet. It's just a diet.

By promoting this ridiculous 'diet', the guy is completely ignoring the benefits of great cardiovascular and lung capacity, endurance, and agility. Wow! What a huge disappointment. In order to be physically fit, one must address all areas of fitness training. For example, imagine a marathon runner who could touch her toes, but couldn't lift her own groceries. Is she legitimately fit? NO! She's not strong. How about a bodybuilder who can do a split, but can't run a block? Truly fit? Not really.