Just last summer, we were awed by his seemingly super-human strength in the water. But over the weekend, a tabloid photo of Michael Phelps smoking marijuana proved to us that he is, in fact, human ... just like the rest of us.

Michael made a major error in judgment. What it means for him as an athlete and a role model is hard to predict right now -- will he keep his endorsements with healthy product labels like Speedo, Power Bar and Kellogg's, for instance? But as people who are dedicated to a healthy lifestyle, I think -- in a lesser sense, at least -- we all know what it's like to make a mistake like Michael did (but hopefully not an illegal mistake).

Much like Michael spends hours each day training, we dedicate our days to planning healthy meals, squeezing in workouts around busy lives and making good choices for ourselves. But every now and then, something comes along to throw us off track ... a slip-up that makes us feel like our success doesn't count.

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Michael Phelps, the swimming star of these past Olympic games, made more than a few headlines with the revelation that he eats 12,000 calories a day, almost 10 times what us regular folks consume. But while this number is much talked about, it's not actually true.

During his recent appearance on 60 Minutes, Phelps revealed that he actually eats about 8,000 to 10,000 a day when he's training. That's still quite a lot of food, but Phelps insists that he really needs it -- "I have to always just constantly shovel food in because I can lose five to 10 pounds in a week," he says. Dang -- I sure wish I could say the same.

What does he eat to keep his calorie intake up? His Baltimore apartment is stocked with junk food and healthy foods alike -- peanut butter cups and Nutrigrain bars, to name a few.

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My freestyle swim stroke looked good, my dad told me the other day in the pool as he observed my skills. It just wasn't very strong. My breathing was not ideal either. My kick? Not bad, but he had a tip for how I might improve it.

Here, three dad-generated tips I received on how to become a better swimmer.

• Bring arms high out of the water with each stroke, hands cupped, and reaching a bit across the body (right arm reaches to the left; left to the right) as they scoop into the water. My arms were low, I was hitting the water with the side of my head, and I was not reaching across.
• Breath on a four-count (because I need to breathe to the right only). Stroke, stroke, stroke, breath to the right. Repeat. I was breathing on a two-count, thinking it was necessary in order to get enough air. Not so.
• Kick with the hip, not below the knee.

My new stroke powers me better, my breathing allows me more speed -- not so much time spent turning my head and gulping air -- and my kick propels me with more force. I feel stronger, quicker, and more skilled. Dara Torres I will never be. But a better swimmer, I am.

Have you looked at the body of Olympic swimmer Dara Torres lately? I mean really looked at it? Lean, mean, and 12 pounds lighter than she was at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, this 41-year-old medalist and mom of a two-year-old, is in better shape now than she was 20 years ago, at age 21. What exactly has she done to her body to achieve such physical greatness and beat her 1998 Olympic 100m speed by 2.47 seconds? She's worked her butt off, that's what. She's pumped up her weight training regimen by practicing a resistance stretching and flexibility and strength-building program that uses her own force to work out muscles -- while most strength-building exercises involve contracting muscles, her program contracts and stretches muscles during a repetition. It makes her lighter in the water, she says, and makes her stroke more efficient.

Some want to know not what Torres is doing to her body. They want to know what she's putting in her body. Nothing that isn't approved by the USADA, she says. In fact, she switched her asthma medication to a lower dose because it relieves symptoms without increasing lung capacity. She wants no unfair advantage and takes only an amino acid supplement for muscle recovery and strength. Doubt her? Don't. She'll submit to any test available -- urine, hair, DNA -- to prove she's the real deal.

Dara Torres is certainly doing something right. Check her out in the gallery below and see what you think. Then hop over to this article and find out from Carl Foster, professor of exercise and sports science at the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse and past president of the American College of Sports Medicine, how exactly Torres is making it as an aging athlete.

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When I talk to people about swimming for fitness, I tend to get one of two excuses -- either, "I'm a terrible! swimmer," to which I reply, "Practice!" or they say, "It's just so boring, with no music and nothing to watch." This one, I totally get -- I keep myself interested by timing my laps, but I can absolutely understand where people find lap swimming a bit dull.

But that excuse will fly no more.

There are a multitude of waterproof cases and waterproof iPods on the market, many allowing swimmers to go as deep as 10 feet without endangering the iPod or sacrificing sound quality. The one that seemed to keep popping up as I did my research was the iSH2 Natalie Coughlin Signature Series Waterproof Headset by H2O Audio.

Fit Gadgets: Underwater iPod(click thumbnails to view gallery)

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Those who work their butts off physically often enjoy a bit of added protection against cancer. And sometimes they don't. Just ask Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau, who was just recently diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Shanteau, 24, won't let cancer stop him from going for Gold in the 200-meter breaststroke -- he plans to delay his surgery until after he competes. Don't worry. The swimmer will be closely monitored and will drop out of the Olympics should his cancer appear to spread. "By no means am I being stupid about this," says Shanteau, who has high hopes for a successful recovery.

According to the American Cancer Society, testicular cancer, one of the most curable forms of cancer in the United States, will strike about 8,090 U.S. men in 2008. Because treatment is so successful, the risk of dying from this cancer is very low: about 1 in 5,000.

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If you're looking to mix up your workouts and haven't yet incorporated swimming, you're in luck. Megan Quann Jendrick, who won the 200 meter breaststroke at the 2000 Summer Olympics, has recently published a book with her husband Nathan Jendrick called Get Wet, Get Fit: The Complete Guide to Getting a Swimmer's Body.

The book incorporates advice for swimmers of all levels, telling novices the best way to breathe and competitive swimmers how to improve their backstrokes. And the couple has plenty of experience in helping swimmers improve their technique -- they've both spent time at clinics throughout the country helping swimmers of all ages. She stresses that, by incorporating swimming into your fitness routine, you not only burn fat and calories but use every muscle in your body to give you a lean shape.

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How did five-time Olympic gold medalist Janet Evans whittle away her post-pregnancy weight? She did what comes naturally. She swam. She swam throughout her pregnancy too which helped keep her in shape and then 10 days after daughter Sydney was born, she was back to splashing in the pool.

"Swimming throughout the pregnancy really kept me fit and made it easier," says the 37-year-old. "And my OB said it was the best thing that I could do."

Evans just can't shake her competitive spirit. Ten months after giving birth, she arrived at a fund raiser in a flattering dress, determined to make an impression.

"I'd be disappointing all of the Olympians if I didn't look good after having a little one," she said.

Evans, a natural-born swimmer, began swimming laps at the age of two. At 15, she broke her first world record and then went on to win Olympic medal after Olympic medal. She talks all about her swimming escapades as a motivational speaker and has written a book too -- click here for more information. And here for a tour of Evans' website.

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If you're headed to a lake or ocean this summer for boating and swimming fun, or if you're lucky enough to live near the water all year round, there's a concern that's bigger now than ever before: Recreational Water Illness (RWI). Caused by bacteria and other microscopic organisms in the water of lakes, oceans, pools, and hot tubs, the usual symptoms of RWI are diarrhea, rashes, and swimmer's ear (although it can exhibit in other ways).

Even chlorinated pools can harbor microorganisms for several days before they die, so everybody is at risk of RWI if they spend any time in the water. The good news? RWI is fairly easy to prevent by simply never swallowing water, by drying your ears out immediately after you get out, and by taking a quick shower before and after swimming.

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I can't decide what I think about Lewis Gordon Pugh's plan to swim in record-cold waters at the North Pole this summer. He'll be doing it in the name of global warming (as little as 10 years ago it was ice, not water), the big day is July 15th, and this would be a seriously life-threatening endeavor for most people because no human has ever swam in waters this cold before. Ever. And although 37 year old Pugh has experience with cold-water swimming he has still been training for this extensively by increasing his weight and spending time swimming in a specially designed ice pool. Awesomeness or craziness? All I know is it doesn't sound fun!

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Want to get some exercise this summer without wearing out your joints and causing pain? While jogging and walking are great exercise (while trying to be low-impact), there are few exercises that are as safe and invigorating as swimming.

Although swimming is available year-round inside many health clubs, the outdoor kind is now in full swing as pools across the country open for business.

The low-impact and high-resistance nature of swimming makes it perfect for many people needing a full workout spectrum but need to be extra careful when exercising (like pregnant and overweight people). It's a great summer choice that could lead to a great new habit.

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In a new study coming out of Barcelona, data shows that chlorinated water can increase the risk for bladder cancer. Not only drinking it, but also bathing and swimming in it was shown to be enough exposure. The cancer risk comes from by-products (called TMH) produced by the chlorine that are ingested, inhaled, or absorbed into the body. The risk is greatest from showering and swimming in chlorinated water, with a smaller risk (but there nonetheless) from drinking it. Researchers believe that absorbing the by-products through the skin or lungs is more toxic because then they aren't processed and detoxified through the liver.

This is concerning because chlorine is everywhere, and now I'm wondering what the TMH levels are in my city's water.

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