That's Fit

Maintaining a healthy weight lowers your risk of heart disease, type II diabetes and other obesity-associated conditions. But did you know that obese women are at a higher risk of having a miscarriage?

A research team followed up with nearly 700 women who had had unexplained miscarriages. The researchers determined that, for obese women, the risk of a second miscarriage was 73% higher.

Unless your OB/GYN gives you specific instructions to do so, it's not recommended that you try to lose weight while pregnant. Your best bet is to achieve and maintain a healthy weight before becoming pregnant. AOL Health has tips on diet and fitness to help you.

I haven't hit the big 4-0 yet. In a few weeks time, however, I'll be officially in my late 30's -- unable to deny it any more. As much as I would like to say my body is just like it was in high school, that's sadly not the case. Time has marched on. In some cases, time has marched downward if you catch my drift.

So while I think this ab workout from More Magazine is appropriate for anyone, regardless of age, I do understand the greater need once you're in your 40's. (Or maybe once you're in your late 30's!)

After all, I think the concept of aging gracefully is silly. Why settle for being graceful when we can be active and fit? Instead of time marching on, why don't we march all over it?

We all know someone like her and we all want to be her -- the woman who never gains a pound, and who never even has to think about her weight. She's just naturally slim. That cow.

OK, jealousy aside, we can all learn something from her, because good genes aside, she must be doing something differently from the rest of us. Our friends over at AOL Health recently revealed the secrets of these naturally thin women. On average, thin women tend to ...

• Get more sleep
• Eat until they're satisfied, instead of eating until they're totally stuffed
• See hunger as a minor inconvenience, not a major emergency -- meaning they can wait until a healthy option becomes available
• Not engage in emotional eating
• Eat more fruits, veggies and other healthy stuff
• Stick to a loose eating routine, rather than letting chance (and cravings) dictate the next meal
• Think twice about indulgences -- particularly if they're not hungry
• Walk a lot -- two and a half hours more per day than the average woman, in fact!

These make sense, don't they? Tell us which one you stuggle with by clicking here.

So you say chocolate is calling your name? You're not alone! From sugary sweets to salty treats, we all deal with cravings from time to time. Divine Caroline shares four reasons you might be having a craving:

• You're pregnant. It may seem like an old wives' tale or fodder for a TV sitcom, but many pregnant women do experience cravings. Jacki recently told us that Rebecca Romijn does.
• You're premenstrual. Women can crave certain foods just before their periods.
• You have low insulin levels. When your insulin level or blood sugar is low, your body will naturally crave foods to correct the imbalance.
• You have low serotonin. When you're stressed, your body may send out signals for something to ease the pain.
  

When you understand your cravings, you can take control and make wiser and healthier decisions.

Nestled (read: crowded) in seat 15A on my AirTran flight from Florida to Ohio for my 20-year high class reunion (gosh, that's a long time), I'm thinking, like many of us do when we travel away from structure and routine: How will my diet and exercise fare on this whirlwind weekend trip? And does it really matter? I mean, we're talking two nights and barely two full days. How badly can I mess things up?

And then I happen upon a blurb in Go magazine (the airline publication crammed in the seat-back pocket in front of me) about this woman who stuffed 173 buffalo wings into her tiny body in a mere 12 minutes. One-hundred pounds this woman weighs. And she won the wing-eating contest last year at the National Buffalo Wing Festival in, none other than: Buffalo. OK, so if this gal can down a truckload of festival food in one sitting, I can surely survive an indulgence or two. I'm running on a mini-bag of AirTran gourmet pretzels at the moment -- I've clearly got calories coming to me.

I think I'm headed for my favorite Ohio salad -- I know, not very daring, is it? Usually a no-salad-dressing girl, though, I may douse my chicken salad this time. And I'm definitely eating the pita bread slices that come with the meal I haven't had in 10 years. It must be butter that makes this white bread taste so good.

So, no heaping piles of buffalo wings for me on this trip. Nothing else too crazy either. Nothing too rigid either. Just a little moderation on the road, starting with a second bag of gourmet pretzels. What ever happened to airplane meals? It's lunchtime, people!

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.

There is more in the world than sugary treats. If you're one of those folks who has no interest in indulging in the traditional not-so-good-for-you birthday celebration ... 1-800-FLOWERS has come up with an adorable alternative. They've made beautiful cakes and cocktails out of flowers! The arrangements are beautiful, fun and absolutely guilt free!

Now, I'm not a girl who brings cake into my home or even orders it at a restaurant. I am, however, someone who enjoys a piece on my birthday. If true cake is a special component of your big day, than by all means ... have some! But if it's not, I think these cakes made of flowers make a wonderful celebratory substitute.

The other thing that struck me is that they'd make an incredibly thoughtful gift as well. We've all had the standard bouquet brought to our door, but these little masterpieces are the kind of flowers that would make me squeal! As a fitness trainer, I hold myself to a very high standard. I want to be a role model and I'd never want to contribute in an unhealthy way to a friend. I personally could never just grab a basket of chocolate and give it to someone I love. How contrary that would be!

I'm on the plane flying home from the Prilosec OTC Roundtable Discussion with the gorgeous actress, Cheryl Ladd and nutrition expert, Elizabeth Somer, R.D in New York City. They/we discussed the benefits that both a healthy lifestyle and positive attitude can have on today's Baby Boomers. I was happy to see two bright women, both 57 years old, who were able to close in on 60 without being or looking "old". While preserving their appearances and health, they still embrace and enjoy the gifts that come with aging.

Both Cheryl and Elizabeth personify the woman I hope to be when I am of similar age. Not only because they are gorgeous women who have defied the years physically though. Their healthy eating choices, chronic exercise habits, and joyous perspectives on life offer proof that with decent effort one can earn a long, productive, enjoyable life.

For women who exercise, a sports bra is an essential piece of workout gear. For one Colorado state hiker, her sports bra became a lifesaver.

Jessica Bruinsma fell while hiking in the Bavarian Alps. Too injured to leave the place where she fell, she took off her sports bra and tied it to a cable that lumbermen used to transport timber. As luck would have it, the cable was out of service when she fell. When it was repaired, her bra moved down the line until it reached the bottom, alerting workers who then called authorities.

Jessica's quick thinking may have saved her life, but she's not letting this accident slow her down. If she recovers from this injury in time, she plans on training for a marathon.

When I grow up, I want to be just like the adorable and inspiring 85 year old women I saw following along as best as they could in the back of a cardio kickboxing class today. I stood in awe watching them in their elastic waisted linen pants and button-down collared shirts jabbing and crossing with energy.

I thought about the things I do today to increase my health and preserve my athleticism. Will I be able to do the same things those amazing women were doing today while surrounded by others more than half their age? I bust my butt to ensure a long healthy life, but I when I watch things like that....it just seems like a bit of a miracle as well. That's what I'm working for. With all of my being, I want to be just like them.

Fitzness Fiends is a section devoted to you, the reader! We all have learned so much on our path to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! Fitzness Fiends are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect, some are not. All have health on the mind. Please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Alexandra Harris

Age: 51

Occupation: Life Coach

How often do you exercise? I eat seven days a week, and I exercise seven days a week!

What type of exercise do you do? Power walking, light weight training (for muscle tone), and yoga (for balance, flexibility, and occasionally turning my organs upside down). I think there's something really healthy about moving your organs around!

Girls, we've all been there. 'The time of the month' is not only a nuisance, it's a pain -- literally. Hands up: how many of you have missed work or school because of severe cramps? Now, I can't see your hands, but I'm willing to bet most of you raised them--myself included. Popping a pain killer is always an option after your period has hit, but is there any way to prevent cramps?

WebMD says yes, and they've even put together this video on how to nip menstrual cramps in the bud. There are a few things you can do:

• A few days before your period starts, take a mild over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug like Advil, aspirin or ibuprofen
  
• If you're not trying for a family, consider taking oral contraceptives. They'll help make your period lighter and less painful.
  
• Applying heat to the area will help -- use a heating pad or hot water bottle.
• As always, eating well and exercising lots will go a long way to help prevent pain.
  

Want more tips? Watch the video, and be sure to let us know if you have any 'secret weapons' against the pain of periods.

I just picked up a fantastic book called Body Drama and I think it's something every female age fourteen years old and up should have. The book is based on the nitty gritty truth about all the weird things that happened to a woman's body and how to deal with it.

A woman's body is a wonderful thing. It's also confusing, stressful, a bit gross and totally out of control sometimes. Body Drama answers the questions ninety percent of us are way too embarrassed to ask. It is choc full of explicit pictures of REAL women who randomly volunteered to show their stuff.

• Uneven boobs? Check!
• Cellulite? Check!

Those of you who have been in a wedding--in any part--know that there is a lot of pressure associated with 'the big day.' With the astounding amount of time and money that goes into a wedding, it's not surprising that brides-to-be are going to another extreme to have their perfect wedding--namely, they're starving themselves to look their best.

It's called Brideorexia, and according to this article from Newsweek, it affects an alarming number of women. Consider these statistics from a recent study of engaged women:

• 20% were closely monitoring their weight to make sure they didn't gain an ounce (which is understandable because when you spend that much on a dress, you want it to fit. But;)
• 70% were trying to lose 20 pounds or more before the wedding
• 20% engaged in 'extreme' dieting behaviour, such as skipping meals, going on liquid diets and using laxatives.
  

That's not all--A small percentage of the women started smoking to lose weight, and some went as far as to purge after meals. Want to know more? Click here.

The bottom line? It's one day, and it's not worth jeopardizing your health for.

(Via Aisledash)

Actress Kelly LeBrock, of 80s films Weird Science and The Woman in Red, no longer sports her famous size two figure. She doesn't even sport the trimmed down bod she got on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club -- LeBrock started the reality show weighing 175 pounds and signed off at 144 pounds. Nope, this hot mama -- who virtually starved herself to lose those TV pounds and exercised twice a day to keep the weight off -- vows to never diet again.

While LeBrock may find herself cutting back on a few things -- mostly lasagna with crème béchamel sauce -- when her pants get a little snug, you won't find her striving for size two ever again. She won't weigh herself either.

"I could be like everyone else [in Hollywood] and stop eating," she tells PEOPLE magazine. "But that wouldn't make me happy."