Want to slim down? It's important to address your stress.

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Overwhelmed by all of the "Follow Friday" recommendations on Twitter? Each week AOL Health's Twitter alias Healthpop and That's_Fit search the Twittersphere for the greatest diet and fitness Twitterers, and each week, we'll highlight the best-of their best tweets (no Twits here). Got any great advice for our Fit Follow Friday post? Give us a shout on Twitter and let us know all about it!

Whether extra stress, sex (hey -- you were thinking it, too) or sick days is the reason you've lost a few extra pounds, our keep-the-weight-off guide will keep you looking slim in your loose-fitting clothes.

Are you making the most of your meals by filling up on the hottest antioxidants -- nutrients that can help you prevent wrinkles and grow shinier hair and stronger nails? Click through AOL Health's photo slide show of the best of the best nutritional powerhouses out there.

You may have realized your Kraft Mac and Cheese contains no real cheese, but did you know that Smucker's "100 percent fruit" label is anything but truthful? Ingredient secrets food companies don't want you to know.

We at That's Fit and AOL Health know you've got a lot going on in your lives besides staying in great shape, and we realize that more than just diet and exercise goes into feeling your best every day. That's why we're sharing some of the exciting reporting going on at AOL Health.

Photo: Rob Inh00d, Flickr

In this hectic world, there's nothing better than taking care of two things at one time. Physical exercise will reward you with greater energy, overall health and a fit body -- but did you know that exercise also helps you develop a fit mind? It's true! When you work out your body, you also work out your mind.

In addition to cognitive challenges (such as taking a class, learning a new skill or even just doing some brain teasers), several studies concur that physical activity helps keep your mind sharp. Moderate activity has a positive impact on mental acuity, but cardio workouts that really get your heart pumping seem to have the greatest effect. What's more, an active lifestyle will have a long-lasting impact on your mental fitness.

The mind and the body are closely connected. One study found that even short bouts of physical activity in previously-sedentary seniors restored some of the brain loss that's associated with aging.

Exercise is also a great stress reliever. As you're running or biking (or whatever else gets your heart pumping), you'll have time to sort through your thoughts and process your emotions. If you want to really give your brain a good workout, look for a new sport to try or set up a challenging obstacle course -- the combination of physical and mental stimulation will do you good.

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Feeling tired? Wish you had more energy? Got the blues? Studies have shown again and again that regular, moderate exercise reduces stress, increases energy levels and can even fight depression.

In fact, a recent study out of the University of Vermont found that the post-exercise "glow" or general feeling of well-being you get after a workout lasts up to 12 hours. That's a long time! And study authors think that their findings prove that regular exercise can help people feel happier. "This goes a long way to show that even moderate aerobic exercise has the potential to mitigate the daily stress that results in your mood being disturbed," study author Dr. Jeremy Sibold says in an interview.

Here's how it worked: Forty-eight healthy men and women between the ages of 18 and 25 completed a mood survey. Then one group rode stationary bikes for 20 minutes, while the other group didn't exercise at all. Researchers retested mood again at eight hours later, then 12 and 24. The exercisers reported a better mood than the group who didn't exercise -- not a surprise, since that had already been proven in previous studies, but what was a surprise was how long it lasted ... up to 12 hours.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our That's Fit 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. Fitz, I'm begging for your help. I'm not in very good shape, my skin is pasty white and I am sick to death about having to get into a swimsuit this summer. I know someone might say that I don't really have to, but I do! My social circle spends at least half of the summer at the lake or at the pool. Can you fix me? Melissa

A. Yeesh, Melissa! You really sound stressed. I can help you, but first I want you to take a huge deep breath. In fact, I think I want you to take about 10. You are going to be OK. Swimsuit season is definitely the cause of some major anxiety, but by the time I've said goodbye here, you'll hopefully be ready to relax and enjoy some fun in the sun.

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Get into your skinny jeans by lowering your stress levels. Laura will show you how.

Dominos tried to deceive us, but Kristen got to the bottom of their Pasta Breadbowls in the end. There's a moral here: Eating out is tricky, and you can't believe everything you read on a food label.

Hugh Jackman was fit to begin with, but for his latest turn as Wolverine, he describes himself as "ridiculously fit." What do you think about Jackman's look?

Get a Michelle Obama-worthy set of guns, just in time for sleeveless season. Fitz will show you how.

Most of you aren't using Twitter as a diet aid just yet. It can be a valuable tool, but as Maggie warns, watch out for scams.

Marie Osmond and Valerie Bertinelli face off on whose diet is better. Come on, ladies. You both are looking and feeling great -- do we need to go there?

Hydroxycut has been pulled from the shelves, and Jonny's glad. There's no magic pill for fitness.

Americans may have a sedentary lifestyle, but obesity can be blamed more on diet than exercise.

Cheerios are not a drug, says the FDA, so they can't advertise cholesterol-lowering claims anymore. Does this mean they're going to start cracking down on other food manufacturer's claims?

Is it just me, or do you second guess every dollar you spend now that we're in a recession? I went grocery shopping yesterday and was horrified by a lot of the prices. The $3.96 bottle of 100% orange juice really had me questioning its necessity. (I finally decided to buy it, pour it into a pitcher, and add water to make it stretch further. That has an added bonus of reducing the sugar content of each serving as well!)

The high costs of goods, job insecurity, lack of raises and cuts in benefits that come along with a recession can really take a toll on you. And a high stress level can sometimes lead to unhealthy habits -- like emotional eating, smoking, drinking and becoming more sedentary.

But if you're feeling stressed, now is the time to really focus on healthy habits. Good nutrition isn't just for maintaining a healthy weight; when you select the proper foods you'll feel a boost in your energy and your mood. Exercise is also more important when you're stressed; it provides an energy boost, plus exercise can trigger the release of endorphins -- and who couldn't use a little dose of feel-good hormones?

Healthy eating and fitness can both fit in a recession budget, too. Bethany has budget-friendly nutrition tips and Bev shares ways you can get fit for zip. What are your tricks for staying healthy and reducing stress during the recession?

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Late last year, Martha wrote that Lindsay Lohan was looking frighteningly thin, and that many of Lindsay's pals were blaming Samantha Ronson for the severe weight loss. In fact, many media outlets reported that the couple was in a sort of dieting competition, and that Lindsay was going to extreme measures to keep up with Sam's naturally thin frame.

With Lindsay looking scarily skinny again, speculation as to why is running rampant, but Lindsay told a reporter from US magazine why she's dropped a few pounds. Basically, she said, it's due to stress and lack of sleep when she travels.

She told him, "I eat. I had my Big Mac yesterday from McDonald's. I eat just as much as I always have." She then admits she that, while she's down a few pounds, she has no idea how much weight she's lost because she's never weighed herself in her life. Ummm, right. One Big Mac does not a healthy diet make -- I don't believe for a second that she's eating well or taking care of herself. Do you?

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What do bananas, beans and salmon have in common? They can all boost your mood.

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Jennifer Hudson is going to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl today; her first appearance since the horrific tragedy in her family.

No doubt, her first performance will be stressful. But, in typical diva style, Hudson didn't choose to perform at some low-key event. You've got to give the girl credit. She's ready to come back in the public eye and she's doing it with a bang. I can't wait to hear to hear her sing the anthem; her voice is so strong and powerful, I'm sure it will be fantastic.

A singing voice isn't the only strong and powerful thing about Jennifer Hudson. In the past, she's said that she'd love to work out all day, every day. While she doesn't have time for that, one of her favorite activities is to jog and walk the 23 flights of stairs in her building. Exercise is a great way to overcome stress and boost your mood. I hope, while she spent time with her family and grieved their terrible loss, Hudson found time to continue her healthy habits and take care of her beautiful self. Who knows? Maybe she'll even get a chance to run some of the stairs at the Raymond James stadium.

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I've always been envious of those people who have a hard time eating when they're nervous. I have the opposite problem -- I want to stuff everything I see down my throat. And then, because I don't do that, I'm crabby. I'm not a lot of fun when I'm nervous.

Kate Winslet, on the other hand, sounds like an absolutely delightful nervous wreck (but, then again, when is she ever not a complete delight?). She admits that she's more nervous this awards season than ever before (she's nominated for two different films, The Reader and Revolutionary Road), and she has a surprising way of dealing with the butterflies.

She told People magazine that she's "not exercising at all, and I'm eating whatever I like." Including lobster macaroni and cheese. And she still looks like that? I'm willing to bet that this phase is a very short one, and she'll be right back to her healthy habit of "everything in moderation" shortly. She might not think she has an impressive body, but the rest of the world does, and I don't see her letting it go anytime soon.

Watch the full red carpet interview here, or click on the badge below for motivation.

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I'm willing to venture a guess that very few of us can claim to get enough sleep. I don't know about you but I am just too freakin' busy to always get eight hours a night, though I try my darndest and do pretty well most of the time. But maybe this year, it's time to make sleep a priority -- I'm starting to think that there's nothing a proper sleep can't do, short of bringing about world peace, and maybe it could even do that if all the leaders in the world were taking afternoon naps.

Recent studies show that getting enough sleep can reduce your risk of heart attacks. Getting the proper amount of sleep can help you lose and maintain weight, control cravings, even out your metabolism and manage hunger-inducing stress better. So while work, chores or that latest episode of Lost might seem more pressing, you're better off getting some shut-eye. You'll thanks me when you slip on those skinny jeans.

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As much as we fitness writers want to make exercise out to be awesome (!) and fun (!) and other exclamation-point inducing adjectives, that's not always the honest truth. For many people, exercise is nothing but a pain in the rear. Even if you know all the benefits of exercise and how necessary it is for good health, there are times that you'd much rather plop on the couch and watch TV.

I'll admit that I used to feel that way. Then, several years ago I started trying to lose weight. I forced myself to exercise every day and, other than the gratifying sense of accomplishment I felt when it was done, I hated every minute of it. A couple of months later, I had a really stressful day at work. When I got home, I wanted to exercise. Somehow, amidst all my "hating" exercise, I had learned to use my workout to relieve stress. Totally weird, because usually I turned to chocolate when I was stressed out. That's when I began loving exercise -- I finally realized that as I was working out, the physical activity was working for me.

If you're exercising while hating it like I was, keep at it and try some positive self talk while waiting for your workout epiphany. Ashley Tisdale admits that she hated going to the gym. Now she says: "Before I work out, I think, 'I love exercise' -- and it works." Take a tip from the High School Musical actress and fake it until you make it. And remember to find activities you can enjoy ... it really makes a difference.

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The Obama family has a Christmas tradition of visiting the President-elect's home state of Hawaii. This year is no exception. And, while Barack Obama is ridiculously busy selecting cabinet members and preparing for his transition to the White House, I'm glad to see he's keeping a family tradition intact.

Daily Mail has a photo snapped of President-elect Obama while on vacation, and he's looking kind of ripped. Not surprising, really. We already knew how important fitness is to the Obama family. What is surprising is when you scroll down the Daily Mail article and see the photo of Barack Obama that was taken on his vacation last year.

When you compare his abs from 2007 to 2008, it appears that in the midst of his hectic and stressful campaign, Barack Obama has toned up. Whatever your opinion of our up and coming President is, you have to admit that's inspirational. If he can find the time to get more fit while campaigning to be President of the United States, than surely the rest of us can find time, too. And, as Barack Obama certainly knows, physical activity is the healthiest way to manage your stress level.

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