That's Fit

Endometriosis is a condition that was discussed a lot in my house when I hit puberty and started experiencing menstrual cramping that brought me to my knees. My mother was diagnosed with it (and told she needed a hysterectomy) when she gave birth to me -- that was, of course, after more than 25 years of truly unbearable cramping during menstruation and 10 years of trying to conceive with no luck. She had seen doctors about the pain and was basically told it was in her head.

So, when I came across this post at Divine Caroline on the "Devastating Effects of Endometriosis," I took a moment to read it over, and boy am I glad I did. It turns out that endometriosis can cause a lot more than just miserable cramping.

Endometriosis "occurs when fragments of the womb lining are found in other parts of the body where they may swell, bleed, and lead to fusing and scarring." Fragments are generally found in the abdomen, but can be found in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, and bowel -- even as far away as the lungs. And, it can cause infertility -- between 30 and 40 percent of women with endometriosis are unable to conceive.

Gabriel Olds is a Hollywood actor. He's appeared on CSI, Law & Order: SVU and Six Feet Under, and his most recent film is Life of the Party. Usually the bad guy on TV, Olds is really a pretty good guy. Why? Because when it comes to women, it isn't fake boobs or fixed noses he prefers. Forget puffy lips and implanted buttocks. This guy like the real thing.

It took this guy a string of unsuccessful dates to figure out exactly what he wanted: Real bodies. He suspects other guys feel the same way.

"This is the part I think women don't understand," says Olds in a Glamour magazine interview. "When a guy falls in love, his lover's body parts become bewitching. I'm not going to tell you that our heads don't turn when we see a stacked blond walking down the street. But when we fall for you -- really, really fall for you -- you hijack our sense of beautiful. What's sexy to us? You -- in the "before" picture."

The Dove Campaign For Real Beauty has been based upon the idea that, while our bodies might have flaws (real or perceived), we're all beautiful. It's a good message, and they're looking to boost the self-esteem of females of all ages, starting with young girls. I'm all for it -- it's important that women realize that they don't need to be able to trade clothes with their favorite actress or be stalked by paparazzi in order to be beautiful.

However, some discussion has recently surfaced saying that the women in the Real Beauty ads were retouched. Premiere retoucher, Pascal Dangin, told The New Yorker that there was a great deal of retouching done on those ads, "But it was great to do, a challenge, to keep everyone's skin and faces showing the mileage but not looking unattractive."

What do you think about this development? I can't say I'm surprised -- I appreciate the fact that Dove still used women of different shapes and sizes. I mean, these are regular women being photographed and filmed in their undies! I can't say I would object to a little digital help were I in their position. But, others feel that it destroys the message -- they're not showing "real" beauty if there's retouching. What do you think?

It comes as no surprise to me that men and women tend to gravitate toward different foods. However, you might be surprised by some of the findings shown in a recent post over at Diet-blog based on a study of 14,000 Americans.

Predictably, men tended to eat more meat and poultry, and women ate more vegetables. However, men ate more Brussels sprouts and asparagus, and women ate more fresh hamburger while men leaned toward frozen. Several "risky" behaviors were also recorded, showing that men ate more pink hamburger and runny eggs while women ate more alfalfa sprouts.

Do you think our eating habits are predetermined, or are you influenced as you grow up by what those around you choose to eat?

Wouldn't it be grand if you simply had to eat a chocolate bar every day? Not complying with your daily prescription would mean the study of heart disease would take a hit. People could get sick, for goodness sake. You wouldn't want that on your conscience, would you?

Participants in Britain will soon be eating one grand chocolate bar every day for one whole year to help researchers determine whether compounds called flavonoids found in chocolate and other foods help reduce the risk of heart disease for menopausal women with type 2 diabetes. Previous studies suggest dark chocolate is linked with heart health but experts say the high sugar and fat content might cancel out some of the benefits.

One hundred and fifty women -- each one past menopause and with type 2 diabetes -- will come to the aid of science very soon. While downing their daily decadence -- half will eat a super-charged bar with 30 grams of flavonoids; the others will get chocolate without the active compounds -- researchers will look at their blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and the condition of their arteries.

Researchers hope this study has implication for a wider population. If all goes well, maybe a candy bar will soon be on your daily diet plan.

Choosing the right sports bra requires attention to a number of factors. First and foremost is your bust size. Obviously, the big busted woman is going to require a different type of support than a woman with small-bust needs.

Second, take into account what you need it for. Playing basketball or jumping rope requires a different level of support than going for a walk, and it really is important that, if you plan to do some jumping activities, you find a bra that keeps you from bouncing.

SheFinds.com came up with a comprehensive list of the Best Sports Bras using the editors' expertise as well as input from readers. There are bras for busts large and small made for all different activities. Check them out in the gallery and be sure to leave a comment sharing your favorite sports bra!

Here at That's Fit, we're forever grateful for the service, courage and sacrifice made by the heroic men and women who serve as military, law enforcement officers, and firefighters. We're so grateful, that we'd like to dedicate some features to both showing our heroes off, and learning a little bit in the process as well. If you serve your country courageously, are a veteran or know someone who does, please return this form completed to Fitz along with a photo and we'll share your story with the world.

Name:

Age:

Heroic occupation:

If you're in the military...where are you?

How often do you exercise?

What type of exercise do you do?

A recent issue of Men's Health suggests that guys who are consistently striking out at the bar may want to consider joining a running club.

This is because women with athletic builds tend to be less superficial than those with curvy figures, say researchers from Poland. Women were asked to complete a detailed survey, which revealed that the wider a woman's hips are relative to her waist, the greater the importance she placed on a man's physical appearance.

According to the study author, Dr. Boguslaw Pawloswki, "Curvier women have more estrogen and a greater material urge to find a partner who looks like he'll produce strong babies and provide for a family." However, since science is never an exact ... science, there is probably a great deal of variation when it comes to this supposed theme. Please feel free to weigh in with your own opinions in the comments section below.

Bad news for women in the Washington Post yesterday. A study, also published yesterday, reveals evidence that life expectancy is falling for a significant number of American females.

According to the Post, the study cites that in nearly 1,000 counties that together are home to about 12 percent of the nation's women, life expectancy is now shorter than it was in the early 1980s. This marks the first decline in life expectancy for a significant number of women since the Spanish influenza of 1918, the Post reports.

All of us, men and women alike, need sleep. But one of us needs it more. Any guesses?

Women.

Doctors are discovering that poor sleep habits make women more vulnerable than men to heart disease and diabetes. Controlling for age, race, and smoking and menstrual status, researchers found there's no changing the the fact that women -- all women -- are at risk for these illnesses when their sleep patterns are disrupted.

Land's End has long been known as a quality clothing retailer, offering great options for the active family along with the ease of shopping from home. If you've been a fan of Land's End before, you're going to just love them now -- they've launched a new collection of sport apparel for men and women!

And that's not all! To celebrate, they are giving away a women's cardio workout apparel package that's valued at $300 just for That's Fit readers! The package includes the Clubhouse Duffel, Via Panic Pedometer, Beach Trekker Shoes, Performance Fitness Tee, Sleeveless Performance Fitness Tee, Performance Sport Pants, Performance Sport Shorts, and a Sport Knit Jacket.

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment below before 5:00PM Eastern, Wednesday, April 16, telling us about the craziest thing you've ever worn to workout. We'll randomly choose one winner amongst the eligible entries and announce the winner on Friday, April 18. Some other important details:

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us about your craziest workout outfit.
• The comment must be left and confirmed before April 16, 2008 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
• You may only enter once.
• One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
• One winner will receive the Women's Cardio Workout Apparel Package (valued at over $300).
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete Official Rules.

The fitness equipment, apparel and boxing giant Everlast was so impressed with our That's Fit Fitzness Fiends that they're ready to start rewarding people. Not only am I, your loving online fitness trainer, proud of you all, but Everlast is proud of you too!

Everlast is rewarding an Everlast Fitzness Fiend of the Week with one of their hot new tank tops from their Spring collection. They're absolutely gorgeous, totally comfy, and of ridiculously high quality.

I'm thrilled with the grand response from those of you who've already participated as a Fiend, and even more excited to meet the rest of you!Presents aside, the Fitzness Fiend feature is a great way to share much that you've learned on your way to becoming more fit. We've all ventured down so many paths to better health, it'd be a sin not to share our secrets and successes with others!

You might think strapping a tight seat belt over a growing pregnant belly can harm an unborn baby. But not buckling up is what harms fetuses, says a newly-released University of Michigan study concluding that pregnant women who wear seat belts significantly reduce the risk that their babies will die or be seriously hurt in a vehicle crash.

Study findings, published on Wednesday, reveal that the lives of 200 of the roughly 370 fetuses killed each year in U.S. vehicle crashes would be spared if all pregnant women wore seat belts.

"Seat belts absolutely protect the fetus -- and not wearing a belt is a big problem," says study lead Dr. Mark Pearlman. "Every single time they get in a motor vehicle, pregnant women should wear their seat belts without question -- every single time."

It's simple: Seat belts protect moms. And they protect babies, says Pearlman who offers these tips for proper pregnant buckling.

• The lap strap should be placed under the belly as much as possible, across the hips.
  
  

• The shoulder strap should be placed between the breasts, to the side of the belly.
  
  

• Seat belt straps should not go directly across the stomach but should be below the belly button as low they can comfortably go.
  
  

• The seat belt should be snug, not loose.
  
  

Pearlman's study also showed no evidence that air bags are harmful to fetuses. He therefore does not recommend disabling them.

The gym I attend has the initials GHFC, and it's often referred to as Gainesville Hair & Fashion because many of the members put a lot of thought into how they look for their workouts. I don't spend much time on make-up or hair for my workout, and I don't always match all that well, there are times when I want to look a bit nicer.

For example, I tried a new class this past Monday -- Hip Hop Live (it was awesome, but I'll tell you about it in another post). I actually stressed a bit over what to wear. I ended up looking like a dork, but my wardrobe was only part of the problem.

Also, if you're joining a new gym, sometimes you also want to make friends or meet someone special who shares your interests, in which case it makes a lot of sense to put some effort into your appearance.

For you ladies who are looking to incorporate a few special pieces into your workout wardrobe, check out Nina Bucci. You'll find everything from capris and workout pants to bra tops and jackets, with a few extras thrown in for good measure (like bottom cover-ups). While the prices are a little steep ($63 for a "mini tee"), there is a section for 50% off items that's well worth checking out!

For female runners, all those miles can eventually do a number on your bone-density levels, says a recent report from the Journal of Athletic Training.

To help remedy this issue, you can do two things. The first, which is the one people suggest most often for issues related to bone health, is to make sure that you're getting enough calcium in your diet. If you're not a milk drinker, there are a number of other foods that contain a good deal of this nutrient, as do supplements. The second step you can take to help protect your bones is to start lifting weights.

Research from the University of Connecticut shows that resistance training can increae bone-density levels, as well as keep them close to where they should be as women age.