That's Fit

Kate Moss hasn't exactly been known for her healthy image -- she's better known for her partying, drug use, and waif-like physique. However, she's making an effort to get her body into better, healthier shape this spring with the help of her good gal pal, Sadie Frost.

Each spring, Sadie does a detox in which she cuts out dairy, pasta, potatoes, meat, and fish, and this year Kate has decided to join her, which has meant forgoing her favorite greasy, fried foods. They've been noshing on garlic and Sadie's mom's homemade tomato sauce to keep their hunger at bay.

Seems like they could hire a nutritionist and private chef to come up with something a little tastier and more healthful, but hey, at least they're getting some nutrients!

Our pals over at DS Fanboy have taken an in-depth look at the pros and cons of practicing yoga guided by a DVD (Yoga for Beginners) versus using the Nintendo DS game, Let's Yoga. First, there was an awesome review of Let's Yoga, and overall, they were fans.

However, as with any at-home automated guide (including a DVD), it's easy to cheat or do poses incorrectly. The game itself sounds like it's easy to navigate and follow, and it has lots and lots of short lessons, so you can tailor your yoga workout to fit into your schedule.

After reading the review, I checked out the comparison, and, long story short, the game totally won. To demonstrate the differences, DS Fanboy provided a chart highlighting similarities and differences, so if you have a particular concern (like you don't want an annoying instructor), you can easily see which option would work best for you. I'm not normally a huge fan of video games, but this sounds like a cool way to get involved in yoga without dragging your karma-challenged butt to a class.

Feet are, in my opinion at least, one of the single ugliest parts of the human body. That doesn't, however, mean they're not important. They're so important, in fact, that if they're not healthy and well taken care of, the whole rest of the body suffers.

How well do you treat your feet? If you're like most people, probably not so well. Most people stand on them too long while wearing shoes that are too tight and heels that are too high, all the while expecting their feet to go everywhere they want to go every day without giving them any care at all really -- until there's a problem of course. And according to statistics, seven out of 10 of us have problems, varying from simple things like sore feet and blisters to much more complicated and damaging disorders like hammer toes, tendinitis, and unexplained back pain.

I'm totally guilty of buying yoga pants for the express purpose of having something comfy to wear for ... sitting on the couch, not necessarily for yoga (Hey, I work from home! I'm not going to wear a suit!). However, when you're ordering yoga apparel, don't you want to feel confident that the clothes you're buying are truly made for poses like downward facing dog, rather than super lazy couch potato?

Should you choose to check out J. Crew's online Yoga Shop, you can rest assured that it's truly made for yoga -- their model is actually a yogini and co-owner of the Shri Yoga Center in Tribeca, New York.

As many of you commented, yoga isn't about what you wear, but if you do happen to be in the market for some new yoga-wear, there's nothing wrong with finding something cute and comfy, right?

So, most of the time, yoga is a fairly serious practice. There's a lot of concentration and meditation involved -- you breath, you focus, you get more in tune with your body -- and it's wonderful.

However, laughter is good for your body, too, and in honor of Mike Meyer's new flick, The Love Guru, I present to you Mr. Meyers' newest character The Guru Pitka. He has a series of yoga poses that are not for the faint of heart and definitely not for those without a wicked sense of humor.

It's kind of what you'd expect if you were to do a private yoga class with the man behind Austin Powers and Shrek -- asanas like Gassy Cobra and Yank My Doodle, It's a Dandy, and the faces to go with them. Are you going to get a great yoga workout from it? No way. But, you're pretty much guaranteed to laugh, and that's worth something, too.

The last time I took a long walk on the beach, barefoot, my calves let me know about it the next day, which got me thinking about how great it would be if I could do more walking barefoot. There's something really satisfying about stretching one's toes and feeling the changes in terrain while walking, plus, it obviously works the leg muscles differently than walking in shoes. However, it wouldn't be safe (or hygienic) to walk around the places I go barefoot, so that was the end of that.

Only it wasn't actually the end, because this link for Vibram FiveFingers Footwear (which we've also covered here at That's Fit a time or two) popped into my inbox the other day. You know I love fashionable footwear, and believe me, this isn't it, but it is a unique and cool concept based on barefooting, which they define as:

1. The exhilarating joy of going barefoot without leaving yourself exposed; 2. any activity requiring unconventional footwear offering the protection of a thin, flexible Vibram skin; 3. an intelligent way to deepen your connection with your natural surroundings.

Gallery: Vibram FiveFingers Footwear: It's funky!

This has been a Gwyneth Paltrow-heavy week. First of all, the mother of two spoke up about her battle with post-partum depression after the birth of her second child, son Moses. She said, "I felt really out of my body ... really down ... really pessimistic." She thinks part of the problem was that she stopped taking time for herself and neglected her usual wellness treatments, such as acupuncture and massage.

And, as long as we're talking about Gwynnie and gawking, there's no WAY I'm going to leave out the wardrobe she's been sporting while stumping for her new flick, Iron Man. First of all, there have been shoes -- shoes with heels of half a foot or so. And then the dresses! Gwyneth has been rocking the shortest minidresses imaginable, mostly with great success. She certainly has the body to pull it off, although I'm firmly of the opinion that nobody should wear a skirt so short that there's serious risk of a panty-flash, no matter how fab the legs are.

In other Gwyneth news, her trainer (who she says Madonna stole) gave USWeekly a diet and exercise program designed to allow participants to lose three to five pounds a week. It doesn't look too healthy to me, so I think I'll stick with a more moderate plan and be happy to drop just a pound or two weekly.

Yoga is well-known for the flexibility it promotes, but the meditative and relaxation qualities are also beneficial. If the twists and turns of traditional yoga methods don't appeal to you, you could try yoga nidra -- a style that focuses solely on the meditative side.

Also known as yogic sleep, yoga nidra involves lying very still and listening to meditative instructions. Fans of yoga nidra report better stress management and sounder sleep. So what exactly does it involve? Yoga nidra classes are usually 20-45 minutes long. Participants lie comfortably on their back and listen to a series of instructions including focusing on a goal, and focusing on awareness of each part of the body. Participants are also encouraged to think of a situation or emotion that is difficult and then think of its opposite.

While yoga nidra obviously doesn't have the physical benefits of more traditional yoga, the mind-body connection and stress-relieving aspects can be so beneficial for the body and spirit.

Break out your hula-hoop. You'll need it for exercise class. Well, a modified hula-hoop is what you'll need really, one that's larger and heavier and requires a lot more dexterity than your typical childhood hoop.

In "hooping" classes set to music, exercisers learn lots of moves, work lots of muscles, and get a whole-body fitness experience – all while burning about 400 calories per hour. Check your area for hooping studios and classes. And visit Hoopnotica for instructional DVDs, hoops, and more.

If hula-hoops aren't your thing but you need a little fitness variety, give "suspension" a try. Designed by former Navy SEALs, it's a total body resistance program that uses heavy-duty nylon webbing attached to wall brackets. Users do traditional exercises but get increased resistance. Ask your personal trainer about TRX (Total-body Resistance Exercise) or look for these three letters at health-club chains.

Though I know that yoga is so beneficial for flexibility as well as mind-body strength, I have yet to try it. But reading Prevention's article about how yoga can lead to a better sex life... well, who wouldn't be tempted to give it a try?

Flexibility obviously can help lead to success in the sack. Many of yoga's moves will increase your flexibility. Yoga is also beneficial for balance which could be helpful if you're, oh, more ambitious and inventive than most. But other yoga moves have more specific bedroom cred. "Root Lock" (or Mula Bandha) will help strengthen your pelvic muscles for increased sexual sensation and control. And "Legs Up the Wall" can help you energize you and leave you ready for other non-yoga positions. And guys? Yoga has some benefits in the bedroom for you, too.

AOL Body has more information on women's sexual health. They've got tips for guys, too.

Former Crossing Jordan and Law & Order actress Jill Hennessy just debuted her body after giving birth to her second child in November. And well, it looks pretty good.

Hennessy credits nursing for losing her pregnancy weight: "When you are nursing a small infant it literally sucks everything out of you," the 39-year-old said at her first post-baby public appearance.

Yoga helps too, admited Hennessy who maintains that getting back into shape is not all fun and games.

Long gone are the days when pregnant women were expected to rest and eat for two. Research shows that, among other benefits, a fit and active pregnancy leads to a healthier heart -- for both mom and baby. A recent study had 10 pregnant women engage in varying levels of physical activity. Both the mother's and baby's responses were monitored. Fetuses whose mothers exercised had significantly lowered heart rates. The heart health benefits were evident at all tested stages of gestation.

If you're pregnant, check with your OB/GYN before beginning an exercise routine. But for most pregnant women low-impact activity is recommended. Walking, yoga, and swimming are great choices for physical activity -- they're low impact, get your heart rate up, and are relatively safe activities. BabyCenter has more ideas for activity during pregnancy.

Before moving to New York City, I lived in San Francisco. There one morning, my yoga teacher Larry Schultz talked about why he practices yoga every morning. He called it the "art of sequencing." In essence, by making healthy choices first thing everyday, you boost your feeling of wellness. In turn, you'll be gentler on yourself and others. This in turn generates a sense of happiness that will also help you make better decisions as the day progresses. Then, by the time you climb into bed at night, you'll be tired, but peaceful and happy.

This doesn't mean you have to wake up and tie yourself in a knot. It doesn't even mean you have to do yoga. Whether it's eating a healthy breakfast, rocking out to some tunes while getting ready for work, or putting on a nice outfit, any small healthy decision can boost your confidence and overall outlook on life.

There's a great quiz about making feel-good choices on AOL Body.

When I took the quiz, I got 8 out of the 10 ten questions correct. Two areas where I can improve are: Making enough time to relax with my friends and leaving the house looking my best. What can I say, I'm a sucker for comfort. But, I'll work on both and see how I feel.

Carpe Diem!

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!

Replace "It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superman!" with "She rolls out her mat, strikes a pose, it's Yoga Girl!"

Tamara Standard is a yoga guru with a mission to bring yoga to the masses, especially to residents of tough San Francisco neighborhoods devoid of yoga studios or most anything yoga-like. She'll calmly and confidently uncurl her yoga mat on rough streetcorners in areas such as the Tenderloin and Mission districts to teach yoga gratis to people traditionally unexposed. Doesn't matter if crack or prostitution is simultaneously for sale, nothing stops her.

On her inspirational website Standard shares Yoga Girl is her alter ego of sorts, an extension of her desire to serve others. I see Yoga Girl as the embodiment of an authentic, spiritual super hero. Truly extraordinary, Standard is opening hearts, filling spirits and softening the taut muscles, ligaments and tendons of busy city dwellers. Who knows how many people tuck away the yoga Standard willingly shares, later unwinding at sunset or waking up with the birds with a sun salutation in a little corner of their home. A cherished moment of serenity capable of flourishing into a deeper, lifelong practice.

Go Yoga Girl! Has anyone seen her?