That's Fit

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy

My guest this week is the very excellent athlete and adventurer Will Gadd. Starring on Discovery Channel's Fearless Planet, Will guides us through the world's most spectacular natural wonders to teach us how these land formations were created. The show is really so gripping that as I lay sick and exhausted in bed a few weeks ago, I refused to fall asleep. I couldn't miss his journey through and lesson about the Sahara. (No.....I don't have TiVo.Yes, I know I'm a nerd.) I was wishing this show was around when I was back in school learning about geography. If it was.....I think I would have actually been interested in the subject and learned all of the things I was supposed to learn back then. Totally entertaining!

From Canmore, Alberta, Will has won every major ice-climbing competition in the world and holds the distance world record in paragliding. He's one of the most successful outdoor sports athletes in the world, as well as an award-winning film-maker and writer. He has flown his para-glider over the Grand Canyon, climbed icebergs in the North Atlantic, won the X Games, written a best-selling outdoor instructional book and regularly writes for the New York Times and other international magazines and newspapers.

As I interviewed Will, we giggled a lot as he was totally down to earth (when not hanging from it). He's a new Daddy and considers that his most exciting, yet rewarding adventure. He's also the real deal when it comes to healthy living. He has some especially unique insight on food, which I think we could all learn from.

Fitz: You're the ultimate outdoor sports guy....in amazing shape. You're world renowned for excellence in ice climbing, mountain climbing, paragliding, kayaking , caving and skiing; a bit of a lunatic. How did you get started with all of this?

Will: I actually began my escapades in utero. My Mom was hitting the mountains while pregnant with me. My Dad's a climber too. I grew up with it.

Fitz: What does your wife think about you dangling upside-down from ice all the time?

Will: She totally gets it. She's (Kim Csizmazia) also a champion ice climber.

Fitz: That would probably help! And now you have a daughter?

Planning on blaming Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Thanksgiving on your jeans being so tight in January? Sorry Charlie! That excuse doesn't cut it anymore. You have the same ability to choose chicken and broccoli for dinner in December as you do in June. Don't fall in to that craptastic spiral of feeling like you have no control over this month. You do, and I won't accept your excuses!

You come to this site to gain fitness knowledge and also the strength to do the right thing for yourself. Well here it is. I am your ThatsFit.com fitness trainer and I am giving you the advice you need to hear. Don't make excuses, make plans. Plans to hit the gym, go for a run, or ride your bike. Make plans to provide a veggie platter at the holiday party, so if everything else is oozing with grease and sugar you'll have something to eat that isn't!

You, ThatsFit.com reader are dedicated to fitness. You care about health and the way your jeans fit. Keep those priorities clear throughout this festive season. Enjoy the music, the friends, the presents, and more! I want you to have fun, go ahead! Fun is healthy. Gorging is not.

I was listening to radio financial guru Dave Ramsey today, and for a brief moment thought I was listening to myself. No, I'm not a man ... nor do I have so much facial hair. But I could just hear myself in his words. His callers call in and make up all of these excuses on why they've charged a bunch of things on their credit cards, and are now in insane amounts of debt and he goes "duh" and "so what." Then he proceeds to give them an exact solution to get them out of the hole they're in.

I do the same thing. Trillions of people come to me with caloric debt. Meaning ... they give me a tons of excuses why they've consumed more calories than they could burn off and now they're stuck trying to get out of the hole they're in. I go "duh" and "so what." And then I give them the exact solution to get them out of the hole they're in.

There are two things you need to be both successful in fitness and in finance. First you need knowledge. If you don't know what healthy eating legitimately is, and how to exercise to your best advantage you can't succeed. Same goes for money. You need to understand how to avoid debt, deal with purchases, investments, and savings to avoid financial distress.