That's Fit

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. Hi Fitz, I'm 56, run three to four miles, five or so days a week. Lately, as I'm walking to cool down, the back part of my right knee tightens up and bending it becomes very painful as I do post-run stretching. No pain when running. Anyone familiar with this condition? Dave

A Hey Dave. I get soooo many questions about knees. In fact, I had knee surgery long ago, so some people think I'm some sort of knee expert. I'm not. In fact, I don't think anyone who isn't a physician or physical therapist and hasn't seen you in person should give you advice on your condition. Not helpful, right? Wrong.

I am well past the age when I thought I'd have to worry about major breakouts. I rarely had pimples or zits when I was a teenager and now that I'm pushing 30, I thought I was safe. Not true. I don't know what it is but suddenly I've began to have super, massive under-the-skin, painful zits on a regular basis and am getting other minor breakouts on occasion as well.

In the last week in particular my skin has been revolting -- and I use the word 'revolting' as both a verb and an adjective in this instance. I was afraid that I was alone until I got a text message from a very good friend giving me a quick update on her life. "Things are good but nearly 30 and suddenly breaking out all over".

I love statistics. Don't let that "D" I got in my college statistics class fool you. I love reading these numbers, interpreting them, wondering how they fit into the lives of those who inhabit this Earth. Statistics catch my eye all the time. Here's one I just happened upon while strolling through the December 2007 issue of Family Circle magazine.

More than 65 percent of women haven't had their feet measured in five years. What's the big deal, you might ask. Well, feet can lengthen and widen over the years and wearing shoes that improperly fit can cause blisters, calluses, and ingrown toenails. You don't want that, do you?

Don't forget to keep tabs on your feet, especially if you use them for regular exercise. Knowing exactly how you measure up can increase comfort and decrease problems that might arise from putting the squeeze on your tootsies.

For quite a while now there have been a lot of giggles and jokes happening about one of pop culture's favorite new phrases, "the muffin top". As I'm sure all of you know, but in case any of you have someone managed to not yet hear the description, a "muffin top" occurs when one wears pants with a waist-size that is too small, making their stomach spill over their belt so that their mid-section resembles the top of a muffin.

While I know a small group of people who find the muffin top attractive, as far as I know most don't and tend to snicker at the thought of it. The thing about it is, a muffin top doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how much extra weight you're carrying but it has everything to do with how your clothing fits. If you've chosen jeans or pants of an appropriate size, you shouldn't have too much trouble preventing your belly -- whether large or small -- from ballooning outward.

If you love the taste of butter, but don't love all of the fat and calories involved in the consumption of it, Smart Squeeze is for you. Since other butter substitutions like I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray are full of fat....Smart Squeeze stands out as the only choice providing genuine butter flavor with zero fat and only five calories per tablespoon.

Did you know that I Can't Believe it's Not Butter spray has zero calories and fat ONLY IF YOU USE 1.25 sprays? If you use any larger portion though.....you're screwed. I'm not even sure how one could accomplish a .25 spray! One teaspoon bags 20 calories and 2 grams of fat. Deceptive in my book. You really have to read the fine print to figure that one out.

So! If you want to enjoy a guiltless buttery piece of corn on the cob or some toast....go for it. Just get it in the white bottle with the green cap. Smart Squeeze is truly a smart product.

Corsets were the height of fashion in the late-19th and early-20th century. Used as a device to help create a desirable hour glass shape by squeezing in the waist and making the bust and hips appear larger, the garment was often worn so tightly that it cut off oxygen and often made the wearer faint.

These fashion torture devices were replaced by free-flowing flapper dresses in the 1920s and should have been banished forever in my opinion. But in recently years, the garment has made a comeback (often as outerwear) and as this piece points out, they're just as bad for your body now as they were a century ago.

Wearing a constricting corset for too long can lead to gastric reflux, fluid retention and even the potentially deadly Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), the same condition that those on long-haul airplane flights are at risk of developing. So before you fall for this fad, decide whether conforming to what fashion dictates is the norm by squeezing yourself into the smallest size possible is really worth it.

One of the most frustrating things to me, as a fitness trainer is to see people who work so hard towards fitness get duped. The I Can't Believe it's Not Butter spray is one of those things. Now....I'm not suggesting the folks who make that product are liars. Cause they're not. I think the idea of their product is incredibly deceptive though, due to the fine print.

Did you know that the I Can't Believe it's Not Butter spray has zero calories and fat ONLY IF YOU USE 1.25 sprays. WHAT!? Who does that? If you use any larger portion though.....you're screwed. And how exactly do you accomplish a .25 spray?One teaspoon bags 20 calories and 2 grams of fat. Most people never read that fine print. In fact, most folks I know claim to pour it on their rice, pasta, and bread because they truly believe it's a completely fat-free product. Who knows how many thousands of fat calories these poor people have been unknowingly consuming for years? Do you think it's fair and reasonable for them to advertise ZERO CALORIES on the front of the bottle?

When I lecture on fitness I always address this topic, and I can't tell you how many jaws come crashing to the ground when I drop this information bomb. First looks I get are of shock. Second looks I get are of pure anger. They feel cheated and they have every right to. Of course, it would be nice if they read the ingredient lists which lists OIL as it's number two ingredient. But I still feel bad for the consumer, because they are lead to believe the product is completely fat-free and can be used at leisure. Fortunately though, I've found an amazing substitution which is legitimately fat-free, low in calories and delicious. I even bake with it!