Like a hefty helping of tomatoes with your meal? Then you're in luck. A new study from the UK's Reading University shows that tomatoes may help control hunger.

If you thought BPA was only hiding in your plastic, here's a health update: the December 2009 issue of Consumer Reports tells us BPA is in a variety of name-brand canned food items including Progresso Vegetable Soup and Campbell's Condensed Chicken Soup.

Now for a light-hearted link we love: 10 workout videos to get you LOLing at your desk, if not well, exercising. Hey, laughter burns calories too.

Regular exercise is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle, but is there such a thing as over-exercising? You bet -- and according to Sarah Brown, fitness expert for ThatsFit.ca, it's more common than you think. What's more, it can be harmful to your health.

If you think you might be guilty of over-exercising, ask yourself a few important questions. Do you seem to spend most of your free time at the gym? Have your sleep patterns changed? Do you seem to be more susceptible to illness than others? Do you suffer from more aches and pains than usual? If the answers to most of these are a yes, it could be your body's way of telling you to slow down.

Instead of working out more, work out better with tips from this celeb trainer.

Keep track of the latest in diet and fitness Twitter trends and opinions with this weekly post. Not only will AOL Health's Twitter alias Healthpop and That's_Fit ask fitness-related questions and share the best responses with you, we'll scour the Twittersphere for the latest buzz on everything from good eats to exercise routines gone bad.

---

Hopping on the treadmill and sweating it out on the elliptical are things of the past for many of Twitter's fittest tweeters. They've put traditional workouts on the back burner and are trying something new. Check out which exercise waters they've tested.

Photo: Getty Images

Working out at home is a great way to get fit -- no gym memberships or expensive trainers necessary, just the great outdoors, your garage, even your living room floor. And don't think you need to shell out a load of cash on DVDs to whip your body into shape. CafeMom says there are free exercise videos all over the Internet.

CafeMom names Exercise TV as a favorite for videos featuring quality moves taught by certified fitness professionals. Whether you want rock-hard abs or a strong and sexy shape, you'll find plenty of inspirational tutorials here.

That's Fit blogger and certified Pilates instructor Lisa Johnson made the CafeMom cut, too, for this core-strengthening Pilates video. "She makes it look so easy and has such good form," says Cafe Cynthia.

You'll want to be careful when shopping for exercise videos online, though, because there's no way to tell for sure if "instructors" are certified or not, and you may end up with unsafe advice. Check with a fitness professional or your doctor if you have any doubts about the information streaming across your computer screen.

This treadmill workout is one you might want to avoid.

Amazon.com

We've long known that self-defense is a good backup skill to have, but when we wanted to know how good of a workout it really is, we went to Tayah Kansik for the details. She told us who should try it (Kansik says anyone can learn it, as long as its in a contained environment, and starting at a young age is ideal), what kind of workout you can get from a DVD (her advice: a "DVD is a great place to start, and is a confidence builder" but it is better to be in a class environment to get more interaction and be able to learn a constant variety of moves and training tips) and more below.

That's Fit: Why do you think self defense makes for a great workout?

Tayah Kansik: From an early age I have competed in most sports from dancing to athletics. I was always fascinated by fighting scenes in films so I decided to take up Thai Boxing. The benefits of martial arts have conditioned me to be disciplined in mind and body. The workout is as hard as the individual wants to make it. The more you put in the more you get out! Many other classes that are taught may only concentrate on separate training, i.e., cardiovascular, endurance, muscular strength, toning, core stability, technique and/or agility. Self defense hits all these areas. Good technique, fitness, strength and speed come with practice and patience.

Photo: wwfcanada, Flickr

The summer sun is a wonderful thing. But going for a run in the sweltering heat? That's not always so pleasant. If you're going to exercise when the temperature is high, remember to keep safety in mind. Try working out in the early morning or late evening, dress appropriately and drink plenty of fluids. But if you're looking to escape the heat altogether, CafeMom has some indoor workout suggestions:

At home exercise. Work out in the convenience of your own air-conditioned living room. To keep things interesting, try swapping workout DVDs with a friend or renting new ones.

Dive right in. Swimming may be the best hot weather workout there is. You can visit a local community center's indoor pool.

Video games. Try out Wii Fit. Who ever said video games weren't good for you?

Climb the stairs. If you live in an apartment building or there are multiple floors in your workplace, you've got free fitness gear at your disposal.

What's your favorite workout when it's hot outside?

Source

Lots of people get fit to look good in their swimsuits. But why not get in your swimsuit to get fit? CafeMom has a great post with some water workout suggestions such as:

Tick-tock hop. Jump from side to side with your feet together.

Squat jump. Extend your arms to shoulder height, then squat down; jump as high as possible while raising your arms overhead.

Bicycle. Lean back against the side of the pool with your arms resting on the edge for balance. Raise your legs and pedal at the surface.

Want some more ways to get fit at the pool? Check out these poolside workout tips.

Source

It's tempting to use parenthood as an excuse not to exercise; after all, between work, school and family commitments, parents are pretty busy people. But with a little creativity, you can squeeze in some exercise every day ... even with kids in tow! Here's how:

• Make good use of the bike trailer: Cycling is great exercise, but tow 30-75 pounds of kid on your next ride and you'll immediately give that workout a boost. Plus, your kids will get some fresh air too.
• Rather than creep along beside kids who are old enough to ride on their own, ditch your wheels and jog next to them instead.
• Monkey around. Your kid can cross the monkey bars; why can't you?
• Have a new baby? Try sitting on your fitness ball while holding her. You'll strengthen your core muscles, and the bouncing motion might put her right to sleep.
• Squeeze in strength training whenever you can: Do one squat for every push you give your tot on the swing, do tricep dips on a park bench or walk laps around the shallow end of the pool while your kids swim.
• Never sit and watch at the playground. All that running, climbing and swinging is good for you too.
• Start a new tradition -- the family walk or bike ride -- and stick to it every day, before or after dinner.

If you're a parent, share your favorite ideas with us for staying fit while spending time with your kids.

That's Fit: Do you think exercising outdoors is more beneficial than working out at the gym?

Vindum: Absolutely! First, it's a blast in every way -- physically, mentally and emotionally. People find that exercising outdoors feels good to them, they get results and it's easy to stay with it. When you do it repetitively, your brain rewires for it -- and you will literally own that feeling and want to exercise.

This type of training [like the workouts found in my book] pulls in more muscle fiber and burns more calories -- up to 12 percent more calories and 32 percent more fat. It also causes your brain to focus more and pair up with your body in a way the gym can't -- so you stay super present, focused, coordinated.

Compared to machines and a flat gym floor, the outdoors challenges your muscles in every way -- climbing up, down, laterally, and diagonally; moving you forward, backward, squatting, lunging, rotating on every imaginable surface -- grass, dirt, sand, gravel, pavement, snow, etc., and working in all planes of motion.

Gyms are open all year and there's never a weather-related excuse that will keep you from workout DVDs, but there's just something motivating about being outdoors. I know spring fever has hit me hard and I'm enjoying being outside more (although I could do without all the raking, thank you very much). Recently, I wondered how the warmer weather affects your workout. Here's what you had to say:

• 59 percent of you are more active when you can be outdoors. It's important to be active during those bitter, cold months, but it's understandable why the warm weather inspires more activity. You can be outside running, walking, biking and participating in team sports, like softball or volleyball. Enjoy the warmer weather, but be sure to have a fitness plan next year when the snow starts to fly again.
  
• 28 percent of you are active all year long, but enjoy different activities in warmer weather. Changing your activity from season to season is a great idea; it keeps things interesting and throws your muscles a curve ball. Want some ideas? Check out these great warm-weather workouts on AOL Health.
• 10 percent of you can be found in the gym whether it's warm or cold. Well, there's certainly something to be said for consistency. But get outside and enjoy some of the nice weather, too!

Just because the economy is in the toilet doesn't mean you should flush your workout program down with it, says Jackie Burns at "Love and Blueberries." No way, man. There are plenty of affordable and effective exercise options out there. Here, Jackie names five of her cheapest fitness finds, and I'm thinking that if you incorporate all of them into your life, you'll never need a costly gym membership again.

Source

DVDs are a great choice for fitness. They're convenient; no need to worry about gym hours -- your living room is always open. They're motivating; when you become familiar with a routine and an instructor, you'll really perfect the workout and that's inspiring. They're economical; in these penny-pinching days, low-cost workouts are more important than ever. But DVD workouts do have one caveat -- after you've done them for a while, they can start to feel a bit stale.

If you have a favorite workout DVD that you've really grown to love, odds are there's a similar workout that you'll enjoy just as much. The new addition to your DVD collection will inject some variety in your workout, which will keep you interested and coming back for more. Here are some alternate suggestions for five popular workout videos:

• Do you love Jillian Michaels "30-Day Shred?" Then try "Workout: One-on-One Training with Jackie." Jackie Warner, of Bravo's "Work Out," has a different style than Jillian Michaels, but the two share a no-nonsense approach. Jackie breaks the workout into three sections -- upper body, lower body and core/abs. Power through and do all three sections at once or do them one at a time. It's a great workout either way.
• Do you swear by Leslie Sansone's "Walk Away the Pounds" series? Try Kathy Smith's "Matrix Method - Power Walk for Weight Loss." Like Leslie Sansone, Kathy Smith has an indoor walking routine. This workout, however, uses interval training with walking segments and Cardio-Core segments.
• Does "The Firm: The 500 Calorie Workout" really get you moving? Like most of "The Firm" workout DVDs, "The 500 Calorie Workout" is high energy and effective. If you like that style, you'll also like Amy Bento's "Hi/Lo Extreme." Bento's workout is the same length (64 minutes) as "The 500 Calorie Workout" and employs some serious cardio.
• Does "10 Days to a Better Body" give you great results? Who wouldn't like a better body in 10 days? Fans of this popular DVD set love the fast-paced one-minute intervals. If you're a fan of intervals, you'll also like Patrick Goudeau's "Hard Work Conditioning." The workout alternates periods of cardio with intense strength training.
• Do you love Kelly Coffey's "30 Minutes to Fitness Bootcamp?" Kelly Coffey's two-workout bootcamp is no light and fluffy routine. Many of the moves are intense and high impact. If you love that bootcamp style, check out "Crunch: Boot Camp Training." It's a short 30-minute workout, but it's definitely a challenge.

What is your favorite workout DVD? Why would you recommend it for other That's Fit readers?

Some women may think exercise is boring. If only they knew some core strengthening moves have the possibility of leading to an orgasm.

Sounds like a myth, doesn't it? But Women's Health has quotes from a number of women who swear that they've experienced the elusive "coregasm." Since these women have nobody to please but themselves, I think it's safe to say they're not faking it. And experts agree that it's possible.

Ladies, we can't all pull off multiples and we may not all be capable of coregasms, either. But if you want to give it a try, Women's Health has a series of moves that have worked for other women. At the very least, you'll be strengthening your core. At best, you'll finish your workout with a smile on your face.

Source