That's Fit

• Raw stuff, like raw fish, crab, prawn, lobster, water chestnuts, and eggs. Toxins, fungus, mold, yeast, and bacteria -- all found in raw foods like these, and they can't be ingested properly by our digestive system, says HealthMad.
• Anything from the back of your fridge. If it's been pushed to the rear, your feeling should be fear. It's likely past its expiration date and working on a pretty good pattern of mold.
• Nano foods, which are genetically engineered or cloned foods, may be coming soon to a dinner table near you. Be on the lookout for these three: a brand of canola cooking oil called Canola Active Oil, a tea called Nanotea, and a chocolate diet shake called Nanoceuticals Slim Shake Chocolate.
• Escamoles (the eggs of the giant black Liometopum ant and apparently pretty tasty in tacos) and anything else from this list. Caution: Strong language used on this site.
  
• Soy. This might be a controversial one, but Play Life says soy food has never been proven safe and the site counts a few studies showing it can permanently damage your health. Want five compelling reasons to avoid this scary food? Click here.
  
  

Gallery: Unlucky 13: Scary recipe additions

I just received a few Element Bars in the mail, and instantly knew I'd need to share them with you. If you're a person who likes to have a protein/energy bar on occasion when you can't grab a meal, or uses them as a healthier version of snacks or desserts ... Element Bars are a fantastic choice. Why? You can design them yourself!

The process is really quite fun, and you'd be surprised how personalized these bars can be. You get to choose things like: bar texture, fruits, nuts, sweets, and nutritional boosters. Once you've made your purchase, the bar you receive in the mail will literally be a custom bar created by you!

I ordered a few of the most popular Element Bars and enjoyed them all. My favorite was "Chocolate Nut Pie". I couldn't decide whether this bar tasted more like chocolate chip cookie dough or brownies, but either way ... it was delicious. I'm actually in the process of trying to keep lean for a photo shoot coming up for of all things, my abs. Ugh! But the bars I chose are high in protein and fiber and low in sugars, so fortunately they fit in with my plan.

• Soy enhances muscle recovery and growth
• It increase nitric oxide (NO) production
• It enhances fat loss
• It improves heart health and protects against certain types of cancers
  

• Milk. If the school provides milk, you may want to send your child with the money to purchase milk there. (If you're opposed to chocolate milk, be sure to educate your child on that.) If you pack milk cartons, use an insulated lunch box and a freezer pack to keep the milk properly chilled.
• Yogurt drinks. Try freezing yogurt drinks before packing in your child's lunch box. By lunch time they'll still be chilly, but thawed enough to drink.
• Water. Always the best option for hydration, fill a reusable water bottle with water and ice each morning.
  
• 100% juice. There's no reason for the added sugar, so if you're going to pack juice make sure to purchase one that's labeled 100%. Keep in mind that 100% juice is still high in sugar, so don't let your child sip on these all day. One at lunch is enough.
  
• Soy drinks. Be sure to pick a soy drink that is calcium-fortified, lightly flavored, and lower in sugar.

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 one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Miss Fitzness, I'm a vegetarian, but still weigh 34 pounds more than I'd like to. What gives? I thought vegetarians were supposed to be skinny, and I hate being chubby! Meredith

A. Hello Meredith, Thanks for writing! Vegetarianism can have tons of benefits, and a trim physique can be one of them, if done right. Having said that ... it's very easy to go wrong as well. Here is the deal. Vegetarians don't necessarily eat all fruits and vegetables ... vegetarians just don't eat meat. There are tons of products that have no animal products in them, yet are still super high in calories and fat. Let's start with a short list of some vegetarian approved products:

• Flour
• Sugar
• Oil
• Frosting
• Gummy Bears

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.

There's a lot of talk these days about soy. Some people tout it as a great source of protein and other nutrients, while others fear that it may do more harm than good. So what's the verdict on this green bean: is it good or bad for you?

Very good, says an article in the recent issue of Muscle & Body magazine. First, the article dispels the following myths about soy protein:

• Soy protein is only for women
• It will lower testosterone levels
• It is a lesser-quality protein than whey and casein
  

Then, the benefits of soy are highlighted:

• Soy enhances muscle recovery and growth
• It increase nitric oxide (NO) production
• It enhances fat loss
• It improves heart health and protects against certain types of cancers

There are plenty of folks who purposely seek out soy-based food products. But, there are some people who are trying to avoid it altogether, whatever their specific reasons may be. The tricky part is that it can sometimes be in foods you may not expect it to be.

Obviously, if a carton says that it contains soy milk, you have a clear understanding of what you are drinking. The same goes for a number of other soy-based foods; their packaging proudly displays their soy content. However, soy, in some form, can sometimes be found in many types of bread (something you may not realize until you read the nutritional label).

What's more, it's not just the standard, run of the mill type breads that may contain soy. Those fancy, minimally-processed, organic versions that can be purchased at health food stores? Yup, those breads too may contain some form of soy in them.

As always, the takeaway is to be sure to check the nutritional label on food. The flashy bubble letters are great for brand marketing purposes, but they can oftentimes be somewhat deceiving with regard to nutrition.