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

Q. Hi Fitz. I would like to start teaching my family good eating habits. I'm overweight and my children are too. Where should I start? Thanks. Charlene

A. Hello Miss Charlene. Thanks for the great question. Raising fit and healthy children is my soap box, and actually one of my favorite lecture topics. Why? It's so important! Parents literally have the capability to set their children up with terrific habits which will greatly increase their chances of living a long healthy life. What a wonderful gift! The opposite is true as well. Moms and Dads who do not insist upon healthy foods and exercise can doom their children with awful diseases, ailments and even worse ... premature death. Junk food is no fun in the long run, and we as parents, owe it to our beautiful babies to provide a healthy start.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

I'm not so good about stretching. I don't stretch for the sake of stretching. I don't stretch for relaxation. I typically don't stretch before a workout. Basically, I don't stretch. But I should. There's no doubt it would help my occasional shin splints. It can also do so much more.

Stretching can loosen my tight ligaments and muscles. It can prevent injury and soothe pain. It can limber my overall body and put me in a more positive frame of mind. Stretching is simple. Yet, for me, it's so hard to accomplish.

Some organizations are offering morning stretching to help employees kick of their days in the right direction. I propose you make stretching a priority early in your days too. If you'll do it, I'll do it too.

Before you flex that body of yours, be sure to stretch correctly so you don't hurt yourself. Stretch slowly and carefully to the point of light tension, not pain, and hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Avoid bouncing during the stretch too.

OK, time to get started. Click here for eight simple stretches to start off the day.

Get over it! Haha, I just always wanted a reason to yell that out. And procrastination, especially in the area of your health, is as good a reason as any. Do you have a problem with procrastinating and just taking forever to really get started with all your lofty health and fitness goals? I do, totally. Once I'm going I'm usually able to stick with it for awhile and see some good results, but getting started is the real problem for me.

The reasons why people procrastinate can vary wildly, but I must say I agree with this take on it over at Cranky Fitness, which basically says that procrastinators aren't necessarily the lazy bums they're made out to be. You can be an awesome procrastinator and still be a very productive person -- just not in the desired target areas! So what's the issue? Well only you can answer that question, but it could be something as simple as being afraid of failure (that's when a good solid "get over it!" might help, and the realization that you're already failing by not even trying) or even that you're simply not expecting to enjoy it so you're putting it off for other things.

Try these tips they suggest to help "get over" your own procrastination issues:

If you consider yourself a fitness newbie that's a good start -- you can't be new at something unless you're actually getting started, right? Here are some tips to get yourself set up the right way so you make lasting changes you'll stick with for life:

• Choose a physical activity you really enjoy. If you love to run, then start jogging. If you hate to run, then maybe dancing, swimming, or kickboxing are more your style. If you genuinely enjoy it you'll be so much better at staying with it.
• Get professional help, at least to get you started. You don't necessarily need a trainer to work with you every day, but having a specifically designed program tailored just for you by a pro is a big help.
• Slow and steady is best -- don't get started too fast, and be consistent.
• Build up to higher levels of fitness and adjust your routines as you progress.
  
• Expect great things! Think positively and you will reap positive results!

You want to begin eating right and exercising, but you have absolutely no idea where to begin. Then this article is definitely for you. It's written geared towards the true newbie -- somebody who has just started thinking about getting healthy, just started mentally preparing. Somebody who hasn't really made any moves yet towards their goals, and probably hasn't yet decided what their goals even are.

But if you're not a true "newbie" to the idea of health and fitness, and I think most of us aren't (meaning we've all been around the block a few times and are just looking for good advice to help us be as successful as possible on the next go-round) it might still be worth your time to read through the tips. With advice like taking a close (and realistic) look at your schedule, and to beware of magic potions (I fall into that trap every so often), I think these are good things for all people, beginner or not, to take a look at.

We are famously more sedentary now than ever before in history, yet we feel more rushed and stressed than ever before. How does that make any sense? It doesn't. But unfortunately it does seem to be the truth, with more and more people helplessly watching their waistlines grow bigger as they find it impossible to fit in time for exercise.

The good news is that when it comes to fitness and physical activity, every little bit helps. You don't have to block out an hour of your day, or even a half an hour, to have life-changing results. Just a few minutes here and a few moves there, even during your day at work, and you can have a positive impact on your health.

Here are 8 moves specifically designed to mimic traditional gym exercises but modified to be done during normal everyday activities. My favorite? The "seated quad shaper." I tried it here at my desk and it really burns! (or maybe I'm just extra out-of-shape, ha!) The one that made me laugh is the "cardio shopping." It's good advice, I just think you'll have to try this one carefully -- "walking quickly up and down the aisles" for an extra calorie burn could be dangerous to innocent bystanders if the store is busy and/or you're not careful!

I'll be totally honest -- if there's ever a good day to procrastinate on your fitness plan and "start tomorrow" I think today, Christmas Day, is the perfect day for that. But even if you plan on starting the physical exercise tomorrow, there's no reason you can't start getting motivated today. Motivation is key, it's paramount, to your success. And the more thoroughly you motivate yourself the easier it will be to stick to your plan once you get it going.

Here are some ideas taken from a survey of experts to amateurs, so one or a few of these might work for you:

• Use stickers on a calendar to track your workouts, or tape your goals up on the bathroom mirror or refrigerator. The idea is to keep a visual reinforcement of what you promised yourself.
• Join a club, any club, even one you might not normally think of yourself fitting into. It definitely won't be boring, you'll meet new people, and have others counting on you to be there.
• Make a commitment to a goal. Pick an event, like a 5k run or a weekend biking getaway. Once you make reservations, or pay deposits and entry fees, you'll be invested (literally!).
• Dance! Music is a great motivator in and of itself. If you're not in the mood to workout, the right tune can change your mind and get you moving in no time.
• Reward yourself with luxury. Try putting a dollar in a jar every time you go to the gym or get outside for that jog. At the end of the month go get your nails done, have a massage, or buy whatever pampering you don't get on a regular basis.

So today I am not going to worry about what I'm eating, or whether or not I worked out. I am giving myself permission to procrastinate! But I am going to think about what I'm gonna do tomorrow (and by tomorrow I don't mean next week or next month!) and I'm going to renew my focus and motivation to make sure I get off to a good start. Looking over this list of motivators, I think the whole "stickers on the calendar" thing works the best for me. It's addictive somehow, sticking little stickers on day after day -- it almost gets hard to take a day off my workout just because I want that fun little row of designs to go on uninterrupted! ...anyway...

Happy Holidays!