On a chilly winter day, hot soup often hits the spot. My problem with soup is that it rarely fills me up. Mind you, I'm a little lady and I still don't find a bowl of soup satisfying. I can't imagine how hungry a big guy would be without adding a large sandwich on the side.

I have a solution, though! For a long time, I've been adding other ingredients like cooked vegetables to canned soups to keep the calories low, the meals hot and my tummy full. It's really easy and quick and actually allows soup to become a meal in itself.

I've added my Easy to Make - Soup Dinner recipe to the online recipe book at Fitzness.com on page 32. I hope you'll give it a try!

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Bev tells me it was in the 50s in Chicago the other day. A friend of mine in Ohio shared recently that it hit 68 degrees in Cincinnati. Are your snowmen melting too? If so, get yourself outdoors for a warm(er) winter workout.

We get some cool temps here in Florida now and then and as crazy as it might sound to you below-freezing folks, those 40-degree cold mornings definitely drive me indoors, where I often sluff off on the whole exercise thing. But when we registered at 80 the other day, I laced up my sneaks and ran -- and ran, and ran. It was refreshing (well, it was hot, actually, but I like to run in the hot), and by golly, it may help jolt me out of my recent fitness slump.

My friends: Take advantage of any unseasonably warm day you get this winter. Get outside and walk, run, bike, hike -- just get your heart pumping. Go ahead and hibernate on the really cold days if you must. But when winter gives you a break, take it. Take the opportunity to visit AOL Health's America Takes It Off program too -- lots of great diet and fitness tips here.

Spending time in the great outdoors this winter? If you live in a place that gets true winter weather, you'll need a warm coat, some fleece-lined mittens, a quality pair of snow boots ... and something warm to drink. In my family, it's tradition to pack a thermos of mulled wine when we head out to the wilderness for our annual Christmas tree hunt -- the warm, boozy liquid really hits the spot when it's the kind of day that makes your nose run.

Red wine is considered the healthiest of the alcohols, and since red wine in the main ingredient in mulled wine, it's probably healthy too, right? What do you think?

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Winters in Michigan were brutal when I was in high school, in part because I played volleyball (with the teeny, tiny spandex shorts) and our coach wouldn't let us leave the building without covering our bare legs. And trust me, when practice was over, I didn't want anything keeping me from leaving that gym as quickly as humanly possible, so pulling on sweats or warm ups over my shoes was nothing short of sheer torture.

Although, looking back, I have to admit that keeping us from freezing our bums off was probably a good idea.

Anyway, I would have been very happy to have a GoGirlWrapperz skirt to cover my legs -- quickly and stylishly. There are ankle-length options in a variety of colors made from anti-static microfleece. And they're not just great for high schoolers -- they're perfect for adult gym girls, too.

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Now that the leaves have turned (and somehow all wound up in my yard), there are few things more appealing to me than having a warm drink and a meal with friends in a cozy pub or coffee shop with a fire place. Normally, I'd consider spending my weekends by the water or out in the fresh mountain air, but that's not really an option in November when you live in Canada -- unless you're the super outdoorsy type (I'm not).

So, for those of us who don't like cold weather, the outdoors is out this time of year, except in small doses. I'll take a fireplace any day. Let the wind howl away, we're warm and happy and having fun inside.

After a day of raking leaves or shopping or wandering around the autumn streets, a cup of steaming hot apple cider really hits the spot, don't you think? But surely apple cider is better for you than some of the other winter offerings, most of which are made primarily of cream and sugar. What do you think?

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I don't know about you, but as the days grow shorter and colder, I find myself drawn to warm, comforting foods -- things like soups, stews, pastas, and casseroles. You know, winter foods that can warm you up on the coldest of days.

I love spicy foods, so it's not surprising that Chili Con Carne is one of my winter go-to foods. It's easy to make, it's chalk full of healthy veggies and beans, and -- most important -- it's hot, both in taste and temperature. Topped with a little sour cream, a bit of melted cheese and a slice of warm, freshly baked bread, it's an ideal cold-day treat.

But how healthy is it? How many calories does it have?

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Sore muscles from running? Know what might help? Warming up your muscles before the run -- literally. Here's how.

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I've been swimming every day. I'm doing laps, jumping jacks, push-ups, dips, bunny hops, and a little running too. Like I usually get with exercise, I'm starting to become a bit addicted to my new sport. It's because the water feels great on hot Florida days, I feel so many of my muscles at work, and I feel an ever-so-slight soreness the day after I swim. It's a good sore, a WOW-that-really-worked sore.

Water workouts have long been considered a good form of exercise. They're good for muscle tension and soreness too, says a recent European study suggesting that working out in warm water for three hours a week for eight months may help easy fibromyalgia -- a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points. All exercise can help this condition, but swimming takes away the pain and fatigue land workouts often impose. Water therapy is less stressful on the body, there's no need to support the weight of your body since the water does it for you, and heated water can actually relax muscles.

Nowadays, I swear by swimming. Give it a try and see if you do too.

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Protect yourself in the outdoors, says The American Cancer Society (ACS) -- read all about it here -- and protect your picnic food too, say the cancer experts who are sending me an electronic monthly newsletter all about healthy living.

Warm weather poses a big threat of food-borne illness, according to the ACS. So: Keep bacteria away at your next outdoor feast with these five easy steps.

• Wash your hands before cooking and again after cooking, especially after touching raw meat. If you aren't near a faucet, grab a wet napkin or hand sanitizer -- they'll reduce the number of germs on your hands.

• Keep hot food hot. Hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken should be kept at 140 degrees F or warmer.

• Keep cold foods cold. Even if you've got your food packed in a cooler, tuck it in a shady area. Keep at 41 degrees F or cooler.

• Wash melons before cutting them. This way, less bacteria will slip into the flesh from the rind when you slice them.

• Bring extra plates to cut down on cross-contamination. Use some to handle raw foods and others to handle cooked foods.

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The average family open the fridge 22 times a day. Each time, cold air barrels out and warm air takes its place, making the appliance use extra electricity to cool itself back down.

If you're a frequent fridge opener and closer, you can save energy by practicing this four-step process:

• Decide what you want

• Open the fridge

• Grab your goods

• Shut the door

No lingering, no browsing, no shopping around. Just get what you want and be done with it. While you're at it, make sure your refrigerator is set to its proper temperature. To increase efficiency, be sure your fridge has tight seals and clean coils.

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If you were a cartoon character, stuck in a pile of snow, what would almost certainly be coming to rescue at any moment? A St. Bernard with a small barrel of brandy attached to its collar, of course. A good swig should warm you to the core, right?

Wrong, say the researchers behind the Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine's look into this very subject. Evidently, alcohol is just about the worst thing you can drink when you're cold, as it decreases the body's core temperature and increases the risk of hypothermia.

What's more, it also reverses the reflexes that control body temperature. By actually reducing the body's ability to shiver -- which is the body's natural way of creating warmth -- alcohol also increases blood flow to the skin, rather than to the organs.

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I love hot showers -- probably a little hotter than is good for me actually. I don't know that I have taken an actual cold shower ever, although often in the summer months I'll take what I'd call "cool" ones. But aside from all the jokes that guys make about 'needing a cold shower,' have you ever thought of taking one for your health? Or how about instead of a cold shower a cold foot soak? This interesting article over at Natural Health suggests that alternating cold and warm foot soaks is like a mini strength-training session for your insides. The cold water (around 70º) constricts and tightens vessels, while the warm water (around 100º) loosens and expands them. Asking them to adjust quickly makes them stronger.

I'm guessing alternating cool and warm showers would do the same thing, but obviously that's not so easy. So are you buying this? The science seems sound enough to me, but then it also strikes me as more than a little unnatural.

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You may not need this remedy unless you're likely to be stranded in freezing outdoor temperatures for extended periods of time. Still, you never know what lies ahead. So be prepared -- with a dose of sugar, that is.

Besides adding layers and applying heat, another speedy way to warm the body is to eat or drink something sweet, says one Alaska state trooper who coordinates search and rescue missions. Sugars help build an internal "fire," says Lieutenant Barry Wilson in the December 2007 issue of The Oprah Magazine. Sugar creates brief heat and quick energy. Keep in mind the "brief" and "quick" terminology. Make a habit out of consuming sugar and that jolt of energy will lead to an inevitable crash.

Even better for warming up: a little GORP (granola, oats, raisins, and peanuts). This combo provides more slowly-released carbs -- think of these as the fire's "sticks" -- as well as protein and fat, or the "logs."

Got sugar? Got GORP? Then you're all set.

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I was plugging along on my treadmill today when I decided to focus on the training zones that light up on my machine as I exert myself. My zones are: Warm Up/Cool Down, Fat Burn, Endurance, and Performance. I'm a definite Fat Burn girl and today, I consistently lit up this entire area. When I ran, I hit Endurance and when I transitioned into an incline workout, I moved with force into Performance mode. This is a hard one to maintain so I made only a brief appearance here.

So these training modes got me thinking about my overall exercise routine. I started considering just how hard I push myself when it comes to physical fitness. Obviously, the more rigorous the activity, the better it is for my heart, my muscles, my whole body. Am I rigorous about my workouts? Am I strenuously putting forth effort? Or am I mostly warming up and cooling down?

After giving some thought to my questions, I've determined that what I saw on the treadmill today pretty accurately portrays my daily exercise output. I do more than warm up and cool down. And while I occasionally endure and perform, I typically stay quite firm in the fat burn mode. I'm sure this is fine. But I like a challenge every now and then. So tomorrow, I'm shooting for better. I'm going to light up that Endurance bar, and I'm going to keep it shining bright for as long as I can stand it. I'm going to endure. Yes, I am. And maybe one day, when this becomes old hat, I'll start performing. That's my goal.

What's your training zone?

A couple of weeks ago, I told you about how to dress for outdoor winter activities with a series of carefully planned layers. But I didn't include any specific product recommendations. Lucky for you, then, that Prevention Magazine recently compiled a list of the best cold-weather clothing items to keep you warm and dry when you're sweating up a storm in the chilly winter air.

Some items that made the list?

• Merrell Dash Jacket, $230
• Isis Whisper Hoodie Vest, $145
• Smartwool Fair Isle Hat, $33

What's your all-time favourite piece of winter clothing? For me, it's the mittens, toque and scarf that various family members have knitted me -- I wear them all the time.

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