That's Fithttp://www.thatsfit.comThat's Fithttp://www.thatsfit.com/media/feedlogo.gifThat's Fithttp://www.thatsfit.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/The Sneaky Reasons You're Not Losing Weighthttp://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/28/the-sneaky-reasons-youre-not-losing-weight/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/28/the-sneaky-reasons-youre-not-losing-weight/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/28/the-sneaky-reasons-youre-not-losing-weight/#commentsFiled under:

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You've been dieting and dieting for what feels like forever. So why isn't the weight coming off faster? You may be getting tripped up by one of these all-too-common diet pitfalls. "Sometimes people think they're doing everything right, but they're actually doing something wrong," said Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of "The Dr. Oz Show." Here, Dr. Oz explains how to avoid these common missteps and get the scale moving in the right direction again.

You rely on "healthy" foods that really aren't. You'll find all kinds of foods at the supermarket that seem great for dieting because they're labeled "fat-free" or "light." But these items are actually loaded with other ingredients, such as added sugars or sodium, that aren't particularly diet friendly. "Those head-fake foods really get me angry because they don't help you," said Dr. Oz. Beware of these foods in particular:

  • Flavored "light" yogurts. They may have little or no fat, but they can contain as much as 14 grams of added sugars, like high fructose corn syrup, per serving. If you're a little heavy to start with, eating sugar works against you because it prompts the body to store more than a third of those calories as fat. Instead, Dr. Oz recommends reaching for plain yogurt and sweetening it yourself with blueberries or honey. Go for Greek yogurt -- it has half the sugar and nearly twice the protein of regular plain yogurt.

  • Fat-free foods. These sound ideal, but according to Dr. Oz, they're major diet traps. "Reducing the amount of unhealthy saturated and trans fats is a diet must," said Dr. Oz. "But when foods that are supposed to have fat in them are made fat free, like cookies or ice cream, they're also taste free. To make up for the lack of flavor, manufacturers add things like sugar, salt and starch, which are terrible for your diet." Besides, having some fat in your meals is better for losing weight. "Fat is much more satiating than sugar, so if you're not getting any fat, you may not feel full and that can lead to overeating," said Dr. Oz. "You're often better off having a small portion of the full-fat stuff.

  • Juices. Fruit is good, so how can juice be bad? The problem with juice drinks is that they're full of added sugars, making them a big source of empty calories. And while 100 percent juice is better, it's still not ideal. "You get all of the sugar from the fruit, without the fiber to keep you feeling full," said Dr. Oz. One way to have your fruit and drink it, too, is to make a spritzer with seltzer water/club soda and a splash of your favorite juice for flavor.

  • Frozen "diet" meals. Steer clear of these, said Dr. Oz, because they're often pumped full of preservatives and sodium, which can blow up our bellies like balloons. "Part of the reason you're dieting is to look good, so you want to avoid things that bloat you; otherwise, you're not going to look so hot," he said. "Plus, when you're bloated, you feel heavier." Rather than stock your freezer with packaged meals, make your own with fresh ingredients, then freeze them for the week. Winter is the perfect time for making chilis or stews. "These are very flexible dishes because you can put in whatever you've got in the fridge that you want to use before it spoils," he said.

You eat when you're not hungry. We eat for all kinds of reasons that have nothing to do with actual hunger. Sometimes we nibble just to be social or to celebrate a happy occasion with a little bread-breaking. But digging into a pint of premium ice cream because you're lonely, scared, angry or sad is a double diet whammy. The food itself doesn't ultimately make you feel better -- and after eating you feel even worse for breaking your diet. "You can't feed emotional emptiness with food," said Dr. Oz. "It's not satiating." The better approach is to find a feel-better activity without food that you can fall back on when you're tempted to pull out the ice cream scoop. Dr. Oz's suggestions: Do some yoga, meditate, bundle up and take a walk, or vent to a friend. "Studies suggest that eating comfort food reduces your body's stress response, which may explain why emotions send you running to the kitchen for an indulgent snack," Dr. Oz said. "Venting to a friend may also relieve some of that stress, and it's a much more waist-friendly option." Another idea: Start a food diary. "That's been shown to help find patterns between your mood and food," he said.

More From Dr. Oz

You're sedentary. Dieting without exercising is like trying to drive with the parking brake on: You won't get very far. "You may drop some pounds initially," said Dr. Oz, "but your body can't selectively lose fat or muscle, so you lose both, and that makes losing weight more difficult because pound for pound, muscle burns more calories than fat." Another bummer: "You also lose bone density, which can lead to osteoporosis later in life," said Dr. Oz. Get started by choosing an activity you enjoy. "That way you're more likely to do it," advised Dr. Oz. Maybe that's taking some fitness classes at the gym or working out at home with DVDs or even getting together with a friend to talk while you walk. In fact, walk as much as you can. Aiming for 10,000 steps a day really helps the weight come off, said Dr. Oz. "You can get a few thousand steps in with just your daily activities, but you'll need to commit extra time to reach the 10,000 mark," he said. Get a pedometer so you can track your progress.

Dinner is your biggest meal. If you're just so hungry by dinnertime that you can't help but gorge, try eating several small meals during the day. "Then you won't feel like you need to make up for the entire day at one meal," said Dr. Oz. "It's generally more waist friendly to make breakfast or lunch your big meal. Eating earlier in the day gives you more time to use up the calories so they're not stored as fat."

And when you do sit down to dinner, start with a small portion, telling yourself that you can have seconds if you're still hungry. "It generally takes about 30 minutes for your stomach to register that it's full, so by the time you're ready for seconds, your first serving will just be settling, and you may think twice about the extra calories," said Dr. Oz. Another trick that may stop you from automatically taking seconds and thirds: Leave the serving bowls and platters on the counter, not on the table. Women participating in study at Cornell University ate about 10 percent less when they had to get up to refill their plates compared to when the serving platters were within easy reach.

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]]>diet mistakesDr. OzDr.Ozweight lossNorine Dworkin-McDanielFri, 28 Jan 2011 12:00:00 ESTDr. Oz's Diet Danger Zoneshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/21/dr-ozs-diet-danger-zones/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/21/dr-ozs-diet-danger-zones/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/21/dr-ozs-diet-danger-zones/#commentsFiled under:

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Every dieter has a certain time of day they absolutely dread. They stay the course just fine -- until their own personal witching hour strikes. Then the diet resolve melts and suddenly the blueberry muffin, chips, pasta Alfredo or ice cream suddenly don't seem to have that many calories, so why not have a little? Needless to say, consistent caving in to temptation can really frustrate your weight loss efforts. Fortunately, with some careful planning you can hold firm when you're in your danger zone. Here, Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of "The Dr. Oz Show," shares his strategies for navigating those difficult moments so you stay on track.

Danger Zone: Breakfast pastries in the break room at work

Diet Protector 1: Eat breakfast at home. "If you're ravenous when you get to work, it's harder to avoid the temptation," said Dr. Oz. Make sure your breakfast has a good mix of protein and healthy carbs, like eggs and whole-wheat toast or steel-cut oatmeal with raisins and nuts, to keep you full through the morning so you're not even tempted to check out the doughnuts. No time to sit and eat? Try a smoothie made with bananas, low-fat soy milk and crushed pineapple when you need to eat breakfast on the go.

Diet Protector 2: Move your feet -- not your mouth. "Instead of heading for the break room, walk the stairs in your office for five minutes," suggested Dr. Oz. "That'll burn a few calories and give you an energy boost in the process."


Danger Zone: Lunchtime Client Meeting

Diet Protector 1: Prescreen the menu. These days you can find most restaurant menus online. Looking it over before your lunch meeting -- especially if the menu is extensive -- gives you more time to pick out your entree, so you don't order blindly because you're rushed or distracted by business talk. "When you have more time to think out your options, you'll be more likely to make the healthiest choice," said Dr. Oz.

Diet Protector 2: Get half to go. Restaurant portions can be so large there's enough for at least two meals on your plate. And according to research done at Penn State University, the more food on your plate, the more you'll eat. "Head off that temptation by asking your server to put half in a carryout bag as soon as your meal comes," said Dr. Oz.

More From Dr. Oz

Danger Zone: Early Evening Dinner Prep

Diet protector 1: Have a 3 o'clock snack. You're tired and hungry by the time you get home, so it's all too easy to start nibbling as you're making dinner. And before you know it, you've consumed a few hundred calories -- and that's before you sit down to eat. But if you eat a healthy snack between lunch and dinner, you won't be completely starving when you get home, and you can put together the meal without noshing, said Dr. Oz. His favorite choices: an ounce of nuts with a piece of fruit; low-fat yogurt with raisins and a half cup of canned unsweetened peaches or mandarin oranges; cut-up veggies dipped in low-fat yogurt; or a half cup of whole-grain cereal with a quarter cup apiece of almonds and dried fruits.

Diet Protector 2: Take a quick walk. If you can change into your walking shoes when you get home and take a quick lap around your neighborhood, "the exercise will curb your hunger and give you energy to prepare dinner for your family," said Dr. Oz.

Danger Zone: Nighttime Channel Surfing

Diet Protector 1: Close the kitchen after dinner. "You shouldn't be eating any food within three hours of bedtime," said Dr. Oz. "Don't open the fridge. Don't even walk by the kitchen if you can help it. If you can go to bed just a little hungry, when you wake up in the morning, you'll be just as hungry as if you'd had a piece of pie, but you won't have had the extra calories. It's that extra 100 to 200 calories that [can] slowly accumulate over a lifetime."

Diet Protector 2: Replace TV time with family time. "In our family, evenings aren't about snacking in front of the TV," said Dr. Oz. "Sometimes my wife and I do yoga, or I'll play sports or board games with the kids in the basement." But if you really want to just kick back and watch TV after dinner, record your favorite shows so you can fast-forward through the commercials. The endless parade of food ads can't help but make you hungry, which will lead you right into the kitchen, looking for a snack.

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]]>dietDr. Ozweight lossNorine Dworkin-McDanielFri, 21 Jan 2011 13:00:00 ESTGerri Kept Her New Year's Resolution and Lost Nearly 100 Poundshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/17/gerri-kept-her-new-years-resolution-and-lost-nearly-100-pounds/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/17/gerri-kept-her-new-years-resolution-and-lost-nearly-100-pounds/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/17/gerri-kept-her-new-years-resolution-and-lost-nearly-100-pounds/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Gerri Before

Name: Gerri Ann Foster

Age: 25

Height: 5'4'

Before Weight: 273 pounds

How I Gained It: I've always had weight problems -- I was a little chubby girl who turned into an overweight teen who turned into a morbidly obese woman. Although my lifelong struggle with weight was in part due to infant health issues, I ultimately gained it by living a sedentary lifestyle and slowly killing myself by overeating. I also lacked the knowledge and motivation to do anything about my health issues.

Breaking Point: In 2007, I became violently ill after coming back from a vacation and lost about 50 pounds. This was the first time I realized that it was actually possible to lose weight -- just in a healthier way. Instead of condemning myself to a lifetime of pain, I decided to seek help and do some research, so I made an appointment with my doctor. But what I discovered at that appointment shocked me -- I found out I weighed almost 300 pounds, was living with endometriosis and was in the prediabetic stage.

How I Lost It: Toward the end of 2009, I was dating a guy named Chris who was starting a diet and exercise routine. He persuaded me to join him, and in January 2010, I made a New Year's resolution to lose weight and started a friendly competition with Chris. We would check in with each other's weight, food intake and life in general as we continued to date off and
on.

I've never been crazy about exercise, and past gym memberships were never used. But Chris kept telling me about new machines and how many calories he was burning, and eventually it motivated me to start going. I went for the first time on Monday, January 11, and vowed to become a regular, whether I liked it or not. When I set my mind to something, I do it wholeheartedly. That first day I was exhausted from work, but I used the time to do some soul searching. I knew I needed to change my life. That next day, January 12, was the first day of my life.

Around the same time, my doctor set me up with a nutritionist to talk about diabetes, calories and portion control. The weight started melting off, about 10 pounds a month. When May 2010 rolled around, I walked across the stage at my college

Gerri now, with her trainer TJ

graduation weighing 55 pounds lighter. I was so proud of myself, but I knew it was time to set a new goal. I vowed to reach 200 pounds. By that time, Chris and I had parted ways, so it was just me now -- no more competition.

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Life threw me a curve ball in the summer -- I switched jobs and could no longer work out at my regular hours. So I signed up at 24 Hour Fitness and was offered a free session with a personal trainer. I didn't take it at first, thinking I didn't need help, but eventually I thought, "What have I got to lose?"

It was worth it -- my trainer, TJ, changed my life. When I started with him, I couldn't lift a five-pound dumbbell over my head. He's taught me about perseverance, he's helped me change my body for the better and he never ever gave up on me. He is more than just a trainer -- he is a friend, motivator and someone to count on when I feel like there is no one who understands me.

I'm now down five dress sizes, and though I still have a ways to go to get to my goal weight of 140 pounds, I am confident I can achieve anything I set my mind to. I am the healthiest I have ever been. To anyone considering this journey, I have this advice: Make today the day to invest in yourself and know that anything is possible ... this all lies within you!

After Weight: 188 pounds and counting.

Gerri continues to lose weight with TJ's help -- in fact, she signed up for another weight loss competition this month! She hopes to run a marathon one day.

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]]>caloriesdiabetesexercisegerrigymnew years resolutionnew years resolutionspersonal trainerportion controlprediabeticsuccess-storiesweight lossMartha EdwardsMon, 17 Jan 2011 10:00:00 ESTDr. Oz's 5 Ways to Outsmart Food Cravingshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/07/dr-ozs-5-ways-to-outsmart-food-cravings/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/07/dr-ozs-5-ways-to-outsmart-food-cravings/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/07/dr-ozs-5-ways-to-outsmart-food-cravings/#commentsFiled under:

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Each of us falls victim to a little temptation while dieting -- usually in the form of chocolate cake, homemade mac 'n' cheese, or some other rich food or drink that you love to indulge in but know you'll pay for on the scale in the morning. Unfortunately, cravings are almost impossible to ignore. "There's a survival value to craving," said Dr. Mehmet Oz, better known as the host of "The Dr. Oz Show."

As he explains it, we crave food for the same reason we crave sex. "There's a biologically mandated desire to nourish and procreate that's hardwired at numerous levels to ensure there's redundancy in the system, so it can't fail because those are the two things you need to survive as a species."

Fair enough. But unless you're someone who, say, craves asparagus tips and broccoli florets, routinely giving in to that hardwired, biologically mandated desire for fettuccine alfredo or stuffed-crust pizza can wreak havoc with your plans to get back in your skinny jeans. But biology isn't always destiny. So rather than tough out your cravings through sheer willpower -- a losing battle akin to "trying to hold your breath underwater indefinitely," according to Dr. Oz -- you've got to be a bit cunning in your approach. Here, Dr. Oz offers five smart ways to get control of your cravings so they don't end up controlling you.

Know your kryptonite. There are two types of craving foods, said Dr. Oz. Those we can occasionally eat a bit of, feel satisfied and are done. And those that have you licking the crumbs from the bag then tearing apart your kitchen hunting for more. Everyone's craving foods are different, so figure out what sends you on a food bender, then steer clear. Knowing the foods that you're powerless around isn't weak, it's smart. "Mine is chocolate-covered nuts," admitted Dr. Oz. "I can go through a gallon of them, and I'll just be getting started. I know that, so I don't have them near me if I can avoid it."

Keep junk food out of the house. You're less likely to gorge on chips or cookies or candy if they're not readily available in your pantry or fridge, so you do yourself a huge favor by not even bringing them home from the market. "Out of sight, out of mind is the best way," said Dr. Oz. "You don't even think about them." But on those days when all you can do is think about double chocolate chip cookies, "go to the store and buy a snack-size amount," said Dr. Oz.

Find a healthier substitute. You may be able to fake out a craving and avoid the extra calories, fat, salt and sugar by eating foods that are close to what you're jonesing for. Craving sweet? Dates are naturally very sweet, as are grapes, prunes, raisins and dried figs. Need something creamy? Try a low-fat Greek yogurt. It's lower in sugar than other low-fat yogurts, and you can mix in some blueberries or honey for flavor. When you need a salt fix, reach for a dill pickle. "You get the crunch and the salt without the fat and calories of chips," said Dr. Oz.

More From Dr. Oz

Strike a bargain. Make this deal with yourself: You'll set a timer for an hour, and when the time's up, if you still want what you want, you can have a small amount. Then find something else to do for that hour -- rearrange your sock drawer, go for a walk, comb through your kids' closets for clothes and toys to give to charity. Whatever helps you fill the time so you're not watching the clock. It's a good deal to make, said Dr. Oz. "Most cravings don't last more than 20 to 30 minutes, so by the time the hour passes, you may have solved your problem."

Cleanse your palate. There's a reason fancy restaurants serve sorbet between courses -- it cleans your taste buds so you can enjoy the next dish without being distracted by the flavors from the dish that came before. Use this same tactic to quell a craving. "Brush your teeth, gargle with mouthwash, chew some gum. Nothing tastes good after you have that minty taste in your mouth," said Dr. Oz. And if you have given in to an indulgence, doing any of these things can "clear your palate so the food taste doesn't linger in your mouth, making you crave more," he said.

Call a pal. We often rummage through the kitchen for a quick feel-better fix when we're stressed or angry or sad or vulnerable because comfort food equals emotional comfort is something we learn as children. "When you're a child and you're unhappy, you're often satiated with something fatty, like mother's milk or bottled milk," explained Dr. Oz. "That creates a loop -- unhappiness equals fattiness equals happiness -- that gets learned and reinforced at a very fundamental level in your brain, even before we can verbalize it." The trick to not eating when you're feeling emotional is to find another source of comfort, like a good friend. "Venting to a friend is a much more waist-friendly way of relieving stress," said Dr. Oz.

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]]>cravingsDr. OzDr.Ozweight lossWeightLossNorine Dworkin-McDanielFri, 07 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST15-Minute Sculpt and Slim Workouthttp://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/03/15-minute-sculpt-and-slim-workout/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/03/15-minute-sculpt-and-slim-workout/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/03/15-minute-sculpt-and-slim-workout/#commentsFiled under:

Burn calories and sculpt a beautiful shape with That's Fit expert Harley Pasternak's fast and effective total body workout.




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]]>Harley PasternaktoningvideoworkoutHarley PasternakMon, 03 Jan 2011 16:00:00 ESTTotal Body Toning Yoga Workouthttp://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/03/total-body-toning-yoga-workout/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/03/total-body-toning-yoga-workout/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/03/total-body-toning-yoga-workout/#commentsFiled under:

Build a lean, sexy body with this total body yoga workout from That's Fit expert Mandy Ingber.

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]]>videoworkoutyogaMandy IngberMon, 03 Jan 2011 14:00:00 ESTLisa's New Year Diet Led to a 50-Pound Weight Losshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/03/lisas-new-year-diet-led-to-50-pound-weight-loss/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/03/lisas-new-year-diet-led-to-50-pound-weight-loss/http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/01/03/lisas-new-year-diet-led-to-50-pound-weight-loss/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Lisa Before

Name: Lisa Maiorana

Age: 36

Height: 5 feet, 6 inches

Before Weight: 156 pounds

How I Gained It: I started to gain weight after I had my first child in 2005, and continued to with my second child in 2009. I was in my early 30s when I had my children, so my metabolism had already started to slow down. I also struggled horribly with severe morning sickness known as hyperemesis during my second pregnancy, which caused me to vomit up to 10 times a day for the first six months and to actually lose weight. The doctor told me I had to gain weight for my health and the health of my baby, so I did -- but I don't think he meant eating half a pizza every day.

Breaking Point: My personal breaking point was when I realized that I literally did not know when to quit eating. I would make myself sick eating portions that were meant to be shared with four to six people, and I would eat it all myself.

One day after eating way too much, none of my pants fit, and I had to wear my pregnancy jeans. I was so humiliated. I had gone from a size 6 to a size 16, the biggest I had ever been in my life. At 156 pounds, I wasn't what most people would consider overweight, but I have a small frame and I'd always been slim. At size 16, I didn't even look like myself. I wanted to feel like myself again.

How I Lost It: My birthday is January 3, and I decided that the start of the New Year in 2010 was when I was going to start. My first step was getting myself mentally prepared to make a lasting lifestyle change, not a short-lived diet. This was very important to me -- I know that diets are only temporary and the weight always comes back on.

In order to do this and make it successful, I needed to incorporate healthy habits into my life. My diet and exercise plan started out like this: 300 crunches a day (most of my weight was in my belly from having children), plus 30 minutes of cardio every other day. At first, my cardio consisted of just walking on the treadmill. I gradually started to incorporate squats into my routine along with 2.5-pound arm weights.

Once I got comfortable with my workout, I really went for it. I worked myself up to an hour of exercise every day, seven days a week, with 30 minutes of treadmill time at a steep incline, 1,000 crunches (500 in the morning, 500 at night), 50 arm exercises, 30 tricep dips and 30 push-ups. I did this every day because I wanted to feel like it was part of my daily routine, part of my life and part of me.

Lisa Now

As for my diet, I made a few major changes. I gave up all white foods entirely -- no sugar, no salt, no flour, no bread, no pasta, no rice and no potatoes. I also started only drinking water and fat-free milk -- no soda or juice. I ate six to eight mini meals throughout the day to keep my appetite satisfied. My meals would be around 250 to 300 calories, and my snacks would be about 100 calories. When I was losing, I tried to keep my personal daily calorie intake to 1,200. That may seem low, but I needed to lose 50 pounds and at that calorie level, I lost an average of two pounds per week, which is a healthy pace for weight loss. I never felt hungry because I ate every couple of hours.

It was tough, but it was so worth it. I've never felt better, and I'm in the best shape of my life now. I'm so toned that everyone jokes about my "guns."

One thing I'd like to add is that everyone needs a support group. Some people aren't always going to be supportive when you decide to lose weight -- they might be jealous, intimidated or worried that you might be turning into a different person. They might even try to purposely sabotage you. You need one person that fully supports you in your goals and helps keep you on track. I know I did, and this person was my mother. I couldn't have done it without her!

After Weight: 106 pounds

Happy Birthday, Lisa! Today marks one year since she began her journey, and she's kept the weight off for six months.

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]]>cardiodietNew Yearportionssuccess-storieswaterwhite foodsMartha EdwardsMon, 03 Jan 2011 10:00:00 ESTFree Nutrition Consultations to Help You Reach Your New Year's Weight Loss Goalhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/30/free-nutrition-consultations-to-help-you-reach-your-new-years-w/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/30/free-nutrition-consultations-to-help-you-reach-your-new-years-w/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/30/free-nutrition-consultations-to-help-you-reach-your-new-years-w/#commentsFiled under:

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That's Fit expert Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD, creator of the F-Factor Diet, and her team of registered dieticians will be offering readers FREE nutrition consultations to help start your New Year's diet off right. Get personalized tips, tools and recommendations to help you reach your weight loss goals from the pros.

Our toll-free hotline will be open from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. EST begining Monday, January 3 through Friday, January 7. Call 855-245-7874 and start losing weight today!

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]]>consultationnutritionistweight lossWeightLossThat's Fit EditorsThu, 30 Dec 2010 15:00:00 ESTMediterranean-Style Meal Planhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/mediterranean-style-meal-plan/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/mediterranean-style-meal-plan/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/mediterranean-style-meal-plan/#commentsFiled under:

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With an emphasis on fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, fish and olive oil, the Mediterranean diet is often described as the "gold standard of healthy eating." And unlike other popular diet plans, it's not about counting calories or fat grams or depriving yourself but about enjoying your meals.

Based on foods harvested in the regions surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, the diet favors fresh, simple, seasonal ingredients. Thanks to its robust nutrient profile, the Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Although up to 30 to 40 percent of calories come from fat, it is very low in saturated fat -- the type most commonly associated with heart disease and poor cardiovascular health. A study published in the October 2010 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating a Mediterranean diet prevented weight gain and obesity, despite a heavy reliance on olive oil and permission to imbibe a daily glass of red wine.

While no one food or food group is excluded, fresh, wholesome and unprocessed are the orders of the day. Follow these key principles and you'll find long-term success on this plan.

  • Choose foods from plant sources, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Opt for fresh, seasonal and locally grown foods whenever possible.

  • Use olive oil as your principal fat (olive oil is a good fat, meaning it lowers "bad" and raises "good" cholesterol). Eat fish and poultry several times per week. Consume red meat several times per month (lean versions when possible).

  • Engage in regular physical activity.

  • Enjoy a moderate consumption of wine, usually with meals (about 1 to 2 glasses/day for men and 1 glass/day for women).

  • Have meals in the company of others -- the people of the Mediterranean make a point to sit down with family or friends and enjoy the ritual of eating as much as the food itself.


Click here for the full Mediterranean Meal Plan and Menu



About Victoria Stein

Victoria Stein

Victoria Stein is a nutritionist, freelance writer, and health and fitness enthusiast, living, eating, and exercising in New York City. Victoria is the founder and principal of Back to Basics Nutrition, a private practice specializing in pre- and post-natal and pediatric nutrition. Victoria also works part-time at New York Children's Health Project where she provides individual and group counseling to women and children living in local shelters. Before becoming a registered dietitian, Victoria spent four years as a food editor at O, the Oprah magazine, and later worked as a restaurant publicist in New York and Los Angeles. Victoria holds a master's degree in Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health from New York University and completed her clinical training at NYU in affiliation with Long Island College Hospital.

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]]>dietmeal planMealPlanMediterranean dietmediterranean diet meal planMediterraneanDietMediterraneanDietMealPlanweight lossWeightLossVictoria SteinSun, 26 Dec 2010 10:00:00 ESTLow-Carb Meal Planhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/low-carb-meal-plan/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/low-carb-meal-plan/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/low-carb-meal-plan/#commentsFiled under:

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This meal plan is designed to kick-start your weight loss journey by focusing on "fuel factors" at every meal and snack. Instead of refined carbs (think bagels and pasta), which get digested quickly, lead to a dip in energy and cause rebound hunger a few hours later, you'll be focused on two essential fuel factors: lean protein and unrefined "good" carbs. Lean proteins include skinless poultry, lean red meat (such as round or loin cuts), fish, low-fat dairy, egg whites, natural peanut butter and legumes (beans, peas, lentils). Protein stays in the stomach longer than carbs or fat, so you should feel fuller longer and consequently be satisfied with fewer calories. There are no forbidden foods on this diet plan, but the emphasis is on enjoying sensible portions of unprocessed carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. The fuel factors will keep your blood sugar levels stable and deliver time-released energy throughout the day.

Follow these principles and you'll see results without feeling deprived or sluggish.

Eat unlimited nonstarchy vegetables, such as baby carrots, celery sticks and sliced peppers.

Starchy vegetables allowed include beans (except green beans), peas, corn, winter squash and potatoes. These are healthy foods, but they contain 80 calories per half cup serving versus other vegetables that contain just 10 to 25 calories per half cup serving.

Breakfast is a must on this plan. If you're not a big morning eater, you can substitute two snacks (make sure one is fruit).

For many people, dinner spells disaster when it comes to calorie control. Since it can be a challenging meal, there are two different supper options daily. Simply choose the one that best fits your schedule.

Take the meal plan with you when you go grocery shopping so you can purchase all your ingredients and foods for the week.

If you are exercising for more than 30 minutes on most days of the week, include at least two snacks daily in addition to your meals. Getting adequate amounts of calcium from food sources can help with weight loss, so try to make a glass of skim or soy milk one of your snacks.

Click here for the complete Low-Carb Meal Plan and Menu



About Sari Greaves

Sari Greaves

Sari Greaves is the Nutrition Director at Step Ahead Weight loss Center where she provides personalized nutrition counseling to men and women seeking weight loss and healthy lifestyle modification. Prior to working at Step Ahead, Greaves worked at New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell (NYPH-Cornell) in New York City for five years, where she held a dual position; she specialized in HIV/AIDS nutrition on inpatient units, and served as the outpatient dietitian at Cornell's Cardiac Rehabilitation Center.

Greaves is also a national spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. She appears regularly on television and has done interviews on ABC News, New York 1, MY9 News, NBC News, Fox News, CW11 News and Bloomberg News. She routinely does nutrition web videos for Foxnews.com and is a contributor to the Fox news health blog. Greaves has been a guest on both the Martha Stewart Radio Show and Dr. Radio Show. She co-authored the Cardiac Recovery Cookbook (Hatherleigh Press, 2005) and has written extensively on consumer nutrition topics. She has been quoted in a variety of print and internet publications including the Wall Street Journal, Daily News, New York Post, Newsday, Food & Fitness Advisor, Self Magazine, Shape Magazine, MSN News, Men's Health Magazine, Women's Health Magazine, Prevention Magazine, Consumer Reports on Health, Fitness Magazine, Health Magazine among many others.

Finally, as a professional speaker, Greaves provides nutrition lectures to various corporations in New York City; including Estee Lauder, Wilmer Cutler Pickering & Hale, Clifford Chance, Societe General Bank, International Federation of Accountants and the Council on Foreign Relations. Greaves graduated magna cum laude from the University of Delaware and completed her post-graduate dietetic internship program at NYPH-Cornell.

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]]>low carblow carb meal planLowCarbLowCarbMealPlanSari GreavesSun, 26 Dec 2010 09:30:00 ESTPortion Control Meal Planhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/portion-control-meal-plan/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/portion-control-meal-plan/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/portion-control-meal-plan/#commentsFiled under:

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Portion control dieting involves balancing foods you enjoy eating with foods you "should" eat. Ask anyone who has achieved long-term weight loss how he did it and he is sure to mention portion control. In fact, it will make or break your weight loss efforts. One of the biggest pitfalls that dieters make is trying to stick with a diet plan that is rigid, restrictive, or involves complicated recipes and instructions. Portion control dieting is about freedom. You really can eat anything you want as long as you practice moderation and balance. Portion control involves two key things: amount of food (in the form of calories) and variety. Practicing portion control every day will not only help you take the weight off but will also teach you how to keep it off.

This 1,500-calorie, one-week meal plan is designed to take the guesswork out of your weight loss effort. Dishes are interchangeable; you can swap within meal categories based on your preference, schedule and food availability. Breakfasts and lunches are designed as simple assembly meals based on food groups and portions, while dinners and snacks are based on overall calories. This way, regardless of how you swap your meals and snacks, you are ensured to meet all daily requirements of vitamins, minerals and fiber without unnecessary calories.

This plan is simple, but iif dieting were easy, no one would be overweight. Long-term weight loss involves monitoring your food intake, exercising regularly and regulating your emotions. These five tips will help keep you on the road to weight loss this year.

Start with a specific plan every week. You may decide to change your plan or find yourself in a situation that alters your meal, but starting out with a plan will keep you conscious about your food choices, ultimately helping you drop weight.

Keep a journal. Tracking your food, exercise and emotions every day will keep you accountable in the face of food temptation. It will also teach you how to eat according to your body's true hunger.

Use your hand as a portion guide. A serving of protein shouldn't be larger than a palm-size piece of meat. Starch servings such as pasta or rice can be measured by one fist.

Eat more often. Eating smaller portions more frequently boosts metabolism. It will also help you feel more satisfied throughout the day because you are eating every couple of hours.

Don't beat yourself up. Guilt will not help you lose weight. If you overeat or "fall off" your plan, don't fret. Start over right now, not tomorrow. Long-term consistency will ultimately help you reach the size you want.

Click here for our complete Portion Control Meal Plan and Menu



About Marjorie Nolan

Marjorie Nolan is a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and national spokesperson for The American Dietetic Association. She owns and operates a national Web-based nutrition program called MN Nutrition for weight loss and behavior modification. She is based in New York City where she works with individual patients; conducts corporate wellness workshops; and is a regular speaker for New York University, LIM College and Columbia University.

Nolan specializes in the area of disordered eating and behavior modification. She has helped hundreds of men and women return to a balanced lifestyle through nutrition and fitness. Her professional background includes working several years for the prestigious Renfrew Center for Eating Disorders, teaching nutrition and fitness at The National Personal Training Institute, and consulting for New York University's wellness center.

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]]>meal planMealPlanportion controlPortionControlweight lossWeightLossMarjorie NolanSun, 26 Dec 2010 09:00:00 ESTWalk a Marathon in a Monthhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/walk-a-marathon-in-a-month/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/walk-a-marathon-in-a-month/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/walk-a-marathon-in-a-month/#commentsFiled under:

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This walking plan will blast fat and burn serious calories, and it's as easy as putting one foot in front of the other. You'll start gradually with steady power walking in week one, add distance and intensity in week two, begin logging serious miles in week three and walk the equivalent of a full-fledged marathon by the end of week four.

"Striding the equivalent of a marathon -- 26.2 miles -- is actually easier than you think in a month if you make it consistent," said fitness expert and author of "Nordic Walking," Malin Svensson, who helped design our plan. Walking is the ultimate simple, low-impact, affordable and convenient mode of exercise for blasting body fat, toning up and building exercise confidence.

DETERMINING YOUR PACE
You can judge proper walking pace three easy ways: steps per minute using a pedometer, how long it takes you to complete a mile, or (if you're on a treadmill) miles per hour. Use our guide below to help you keep the right pace.

Warm-Up
85-95 steps per minute
25- to 30-minute mile
2.5-2.9 mph

Brisk Pace
100-125 steps per minute
16:30- to 20-minute mile
3-3.5 mph

Moderate Pace
130-135 steps per minute
15- to 16-minute mile
3.6-4 mph

Fast Pace
140-145 steps per minute
13- to 14-minute mile
4.3-4.6 mph

FIVE-MINUTE PREWALK WARM-UP/COOLDOWN
Warming up for five minutes by walking slower helps circulate blood and prepare your muscles for striding.

"At the start of each five-minute warm-up, begin strolling at a slower pace and gradually pick up your speed," said Svensson. You should start each of your walks over the next four weeks with a warm-up.

To sidestep injuries, not only is it important to warm up, but it's also necessary to cool down at the end of your workout with slower walking and stretches. "Cooling down and stretching soothes your muscles; returns blood pressure and heart rate to normal; and makes it easier to walk faster, farther and stronger the next time," said Svensson.

WEEK 1

How to Start: Depending on your present fitness level, plan on walking three to four days for 15 to 25 minutes in your first week. "If you already walk more than that amount, keep it up," said Svensson. Walk in supportive shoes on flat, giving surfaces (a track, treadmill, local streets, even mall walkways) this week to get your body accustomed to the new muscular demands.

Frequency: Three to four walks at 15 to 20 minutes each. If you have not been active for weeks or months, set yourself up for victory by starting the first week off slowly or asking a buddy to join you so you don't give up!

Pace: Walk at a brisk pace or faster. "Your intensity or effort level correlates to the speed of your walk, and the faster you go, the more intense your cardio workout becomes and the more calories you'll burn," said walking coach Therese Iknoian, author of "Walking Fast."

WEEK 2

Frequency: Add an extra day of walking (four to five days per week) and tack 10 minutes onto each walk, maintaining the smart practice of warming up before (and cooling down afterward). "If you ended the first week walking 20 minutes or so, pump that up to 30 minutes minimum," said Svensson.

Pace: While this is the perfect time to add duration onto a walking regimen, you should also increase to a moderate pace. "This affects each walker differently, but if you averaged a steady 3 mph last week, it's safe to increase intensity by 5 to 10 percent or so," she said. "If this proves too challenging, alternate by adding distance onto one walk on Monday and adding intensity onto another walk on Tuesday."

Tip: If lack of time becomes an issue, try to accumulate your miles in two separate 20-minute walks per day.

WEEK 3

Frequency: While the amount of sessions you walk this week doesn't change much (four to five days), how you walk and how fast you move changes dramatically to bolster your strength and muscular endurance.

Pace: This week, try alternating one-minute intervals of fast pace walking with every minute at your moderate pace. "Interval walking blitzes calories, tones your lower half, challenges endurance, and also strengthens your heart and lungs," said Svensson.

Twenty-Minute Interval Walk:
0:00 - 5:00 Warm-Up
5:00 - 6:00 Moderate Pace
6:00 - 7:00 Fast Pace
7:00 - 8:00 Moderate Pace
8:00 - 9:00 Fast Pace
9:00 - 10:00 Moderate
10:00 - 11:00 Fast Pace
11:00 - 12:00 Moderate Pace
12:00 - 13:00 Fast Pace
13:00 - 14:00 Moderate Pace
14:00 - 15:00 Fast Pace
15:00 - 20:00 Gradually Slow to Cooldown Walk

Tip: For more variety, challenge your muscles and increase your heart rate and endurance by adding hill training and/or Nordic walking with two poles. "Using poles and adding hills to walking training engages more muscle groups, blasts double the calories [compared to] a regular walk, and increases balance and strength," said Svensson. Remember: You may slice each big walk into two separate sessions per day. "I like to do a 20-minute interval walk in the morning and then add a 20-minute Nordic walk with poles each evening," suggested Malin.

WEEK 4

Frequency: You'll increase to five to six days of walking this week (everyone needs at least one day off per week to allow muscles to recover) and sustain about two interval walks and several cross-training walks per week. Another great way to cross-train is to walk off-road on hiking trails, steep hills, and soft sand or packed dirt -- anything that shakes up your walking routine to create faster results.

Pace: Aim for 50 to 60 minutes of walking at a moderate to fast pace most days of the week. Warming up, cooling down and stretching are more important than ever when you're covering nearly five miles or so per walk! "Don't be afraid to stride really fast or break into an occasional run if you feel the urge," said Svensson. Get moving: Every single step counts!

Tip: Add rewards! You're almost at the end of your marathon walking challenge. Treat yourself to a new pair of walking shoes or even a sports massage to sustain exercise motivation -- you've earned it! Follow this week-by-week plan and you'll drop pounds, lose inches, feel fitter and walk the equivalent of a marathon in only one month.

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]]>walkingweight lossWeightLossNicole Dorsey-StraffSun, 26 Dec 2010 08:30:00 ESTDr. Oz's Top 5 Mistakes Dieters Makehttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/dr-ozs-top-5-mistakes-dieters-make/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/dr-ozs-top-5-mistakes-dieters-make/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/dr-ozs-top-5-mistakes-dieters-make/#commentsFiled under:

David M. Russel, Harpo Inc.

You ate and sipped your way from Thanksgiving to New Year's. The food was delicious; the eggnog and champagne divine. But now, well, now your pants won't zip. Holiday weight gain is hands down the most unwanted gift of all. Fortunately, you don't have to keep it. America's favorite doctor, Mehmet Oz, better known as the host of "The Dr. Oz Show," is here to share his most effective weight loss strategies for shedding those holiday pounds. Dr. Oz explains how to avoid the biggest dieting blunders so you're sure to start off your post-holiday weight loss plan right.

Mistake No. 1: You Crash Diet
Of course, diets that promise big weight loss fast sound great. After all, who wouldn't want to drop every pound you gained in just a few short weeks? And sure, if you radically cut your calorie intake, you will lose weight. But here's the catch: You can't eat like that forever. And once you go back to eating the way you usually do, you'll regain what you lost and possibly even more. "The fundamental problem these diets have is that you cannot overwhelm your biological drive to eat with willpower. That's why 98 percent of these diets fail," said Dr. Oz. "Any diet that eliminates an entire food group or that replaces meals with mysterious concoctions aren't good for long-term weight loss."

Want another reason: Our bodies are built to help prevent us from starving when there's not enough food to go around. But since our bodies don't know the difference between famine and a crash diet, they react the same way -- by slowing your metabolism, which makes it even harder to lose weight. "Your body is not going to let you waste energy, so it rapidly adjusts its metabolism based on caloric intake," Dr. Oz said.

Dr. Oz's Fix: Eat a variety of healthy foods so you don't feel like you're depriving yourself. Then track your calories with a food diary and find ways to eat just 100 fewer calories every day. "Every long-term weight study ever done in which people kept the weight off for more than two years came back to this same basic rule," said Dr. Oz. "It's not hard to do. And 100 calories is such a small amount, your body can't tell you're on a diet, so your metabolism doesn't slow down and you'll naturally lose the weight."

Mistake No. 2: You Skip Breakfast
You'd think that bypassing breakfast would be a quick and easy way to shave some extra calories -- except, you're actually more likely to consume those calories (and more) later in the day. Thinking you have some calories to play with because you didn't eat breakfast, you may supersize your lunch or grab snacks that aren't particularly good for you simply because you're hungry. In addition, skipping breakfast prompts your body to store fat rather than metabolize it. In fact, research shows that breakfast skippers tend to be heavier. While breakfast eaters consume more calories, they're also slimmer, more active and have healthier diets overall. In a study of people who'd dropped at least 30 pounds and kept it off, 78 percent said they routinely ate breakfast.

Dr. Oz's Fix: Eating something within an hour or so after waking up boosts your metabolism by as much as 10 percent. Go for things like oatmeal sprinkled with nuts and raisins or a tablespoon of peanut butter, a veggie omelet with whole-wheat toast, or low-fat cottage cheese with fruit. The mix of protein and fiber holds off hunger through the morning so you're less inclined to help yourself to the powdered doughnuts at the office or overeat later on. In a recent University of Connecticut study, when volunteers had eggs for breakfast, they consumed 100 to 400 fewer calories at lunch than when they ate bagels, even though both the bagel and egg breakfasts contained the same amount of calories. Other research suggests that fiber-rich breakfasts help you burn more fat when you exercise. No time to sit down to eat? Do what the Oz family does: Drink a Magical Breakfast Blaster as you head to work or drop off the kids at school. "It's fast, it's filling and has everything you need in the morning," said Dr. Oz. "It's purple so kids like it, too."

Magical Breakfast Blaster

This recipe makes two 136-calorie servings.

½ large banana, broken into chunks
1/3 cup soy protein
½ tablespoon flaxseed oil
¼ cup frozen blueberries
½ tablespoon apple juice concentrate or honey
1 teaspoon psyllium seed husks
1 cup water
Powdered vitamins (optional)

Put everything into the blender. Blend and drink.

Mistake No. 3: You Drink Extra Calories
When we eat a big meal, our body knows it's been fed and we eat less at the next meal. But that doesn't happen when we drink high-calorie beverages, which are estimated to add about 235 extra (empty) calories a day to our diets. Our bodies don't seem to register liquid calories the way it does solid calories. So even after guzzling a jumbo-size soda at the movies, we don't eat less when it's time to eat again. Specialty coffee drinks, fruit drinks, sodas, energy drinks and alcohol are some of the biggest calorie traps. Alcohol is actually doubly so because drinking relaxes our willpower. Have a few cocktails and suddenly having that slice of cheesecake seems like a pretty good idea.

Dr. Oz's Fix: Choose lower-calorie drinks. Like coffee? Leave out the whipped cream, syrups and chocolate shavings, and drink it black or with a little sugar. "A teaspoon of sugar is just 16 calories, a tiny amount," said Dr. Oz. "People aren't getting fat because of 16 calories." Can't give up your soda? You can have both soda and fruit juice if you add a splash of your favorite 100 percent fruit juice to club soda. You get the fizz with fewer calories. "If I'm sitting down to a meal, that's what I'll get," said Dr. Oz.

More on That's Fit

Mistake No. 4: You Don't Snack
Snacks get a bad rap because we think of them as junky foods we shouldn't eat. But nutritious snacks are actually a dieter's best friend, because eating frequently can actually help you consume fewer calories. "Thoughtful snacking keeps you from getting ravenous between meals and making poor diet choices later on," said Dr. Oz. "People who eat several small meals and snacks a day are more likely to control their hunger and lose weight." He should know. He snacks constantly. "I'd bet that at least half the calories I eat are snacks," he said. "I don't like being hungry, and I don't like the threat of being hungry, so I keep healthy foods near me all the time. Whenever I feel a little tinge of hunger, I throw a handful of something in my mouth." The snacks he relies on: apples, radishes, carrots and nuts.

Dr. Oz's Fix: Each day, pack several healthy snacks in small containers or snack-size baggies to keep in your purse or an insulated tote in your car. If you always have diet-friendly snacks at hand, you'll be less tempted to raid the vending machine. Just watch the portion sizes, cautioned Dr. Oz, "so you don't overdo it."

Mistake No 5:You Don't Drink Enough Water
The next time you feel hungry, take a big, long drink of water and you may not need to eat. Because the hormones in our intestines that tell us we're hungry are very similar to the hormones that let us know we're thirsty, we're not very good at distinguishing hunger from thirst, which is why we typically reach for food when we should be drinking. "Often hunger pangs are just your body screaming for a little extra H20," said Dr. Oz. And when we're not well hydrated, our metabolism drags. "Water is essential for burning calories," said Dr. Oz. "Adults who drink eight-plus glasses of water a day burn more calories than those who drink less."

Dr. Oz's Fix: Drink water before every meal and snack and a few more in between. According to a study done at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, overweight or obese study volunteers who drank a 16-ounce bottle of water before every meal lost 44 percent more weight after 12 weeks than volunteers who didn't drink water before dining. That may be because water drinkers ate about 75 fewer calories when they drank water before their meals, as another Virginia Tech study found. "I carry a water bottle with me wherever I go so I'm constantly sipping," said Dr. Oz.
If eight glasses a day seems daunting, try this mind trick: Drink from larger bottles, so instead of consuming eight glasses, you're sipping just three and a half bottles. Easy! And there's no reason to always drink it plain. "I completely get that people think water is bland," said Dr. Oz. "In our house, we make water more appealing by adding slices of fruit or a splash of fruit juice to give it a different taste."

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]]>diet mistakesDietMistakesDr. OzDr.Oznew years resolutionsNewYearsResolutionsweight lossWeightLossNorine Dworkin-McDanielSun, 26 Dec 2010 08:00:00 ESTFind the Right Diet for Youhttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/find-the-right-diet-for-you/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/find-the-right-diet-for-you/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/12/26/find-the-right-diet-for-you/#commentsFiled under:

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Is your New Year's resolution to lose weight in 2011? That's Fit is here to help you reach your goals! We've developed three different meal plans in partnership with the American Dietetic Association to fit your lifestyle, goals and preferences. Whether you're looking to drop a few extra pounds from the holiday or trying to end a long-time battle with the scale, we've got the right diet plan for you.

Using our simple guide below, determine which plan fits your needs best, then click to get a complete one-week meal plan with recipes, tips and more.

The Portion Control Meal Plan is right for you if ...
  • Cutting back on the amount of food you eat is your biggest challenge when trying to lose weight.
  • You don't want to be limited to certain foods.
  • You're looking for steady, long-term weight loss.
Click here for the complete Portion Control Meal Plan

The Low-Carb Meal Plan is right for you if ...
  • Avoiding breads, pasta and other refined carbs is your biggest challenge when trying to lose weight.
  • You want to see results quickly.
  • You want to increase your energy.
Click here for the complete Low-Carb Meal Plan

The Mediterranean-Style Meal Plan is right for you if ...

  • Feeling that you can't enjoy food is your biggest challenge when trying to lose weight.
  • You want to lower your risk of heart disease and cancer and improve overall health.
  • You enjoy cooking.
Click here for the complete Mediterranean-Style Meal Plan

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]]>dietnew years resolutionsNewYearsResolutionsweight lossWeightLossThat's Fit EditorsSun, 26 Dec 2010 07:30:00 ESTDr. Oz's B.E.A.C.H. Diethttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/28/dr-ozs-b-e-a-c-h-diet/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/28/dr-ozs-b-e-a-c-h-diet/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/28/dr-ozs-b-e-a-c-h-diet/#commentsFiled under:

David M. Russell, Harpo, Inc.

Earlier this month, That's Fit talked with three working moms from Detroit who'd been challenged by "The Dr. Oz Show" host Dr. Mehmet Oz to get "beach body ready" using his B.E.A.C.H. diet and fitness plan. Four months later, when the ladies returned to "The Dr. Oz Show" on May 18, they'd lost between 30 and 60 pounds apiece. Impressive, huh? Here's a more detailed look at how the B.E.A.C.H plan can help you get ready to make some waves.

Eat Breakfast
The "B" in B.E.A.C.H. stands for breakfast, which you should ideally have shortly after you wake up each day. "In study after study, people who eat a healthy breakfast lose more weight than those who don't," said Dr. Oz. "Eating soon after you wake up in the morning gives you the calories and energy you need for the day and kicks your metabolism into gear." Choose breakfast foods that contain protein and fiber, like scrambled eggs on whole wheat toast or a bowl of whole grain cereal. "Whole grain cereal is one of your best weight loss allies because the fiber in the cereal helps fight hunger all day long," said Dr. Oz. This yummy oatmeal recipe from Dr. Oz's "YOU: On A Diet" (co-authored by Dr. Michael Roizen) kick starts your day with four grams of fiber!

Banana Steel-Cut Oatmeal With Cinnamon
Makes 3 servings, 200 calories per serving
2 1/3 cups fat-free milk
2/3 cup steel-cut oats
1/8 tsp salt
1 large banana, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a medium saucepan, over high heat, bring 2 cups of the milk to a gentle simmer. Stir in the oats and salt. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring frequently until most of the milk is absorbed and the oats are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in banana and cinnamon. Pour into two cereal bowls and serve with remaining 1/3 cup milk.

Eliminate the Simple Carbs
The "E" in B.E.A.C.H. stands for eliminating foods that contain simple carbohydrates -- white rice, white potatoes and any breads, pastas, cereals cookies, cakes, crackers, pastries, muffins and so forth that are made with refined white flour and sugar. And don't overlook cutting out these liquid sources of simple carbs (often called wet carbs): Soda, fruit drinks, juices sports/energy drinks and alcohol. The simple carbs in these kinds of foods and drinks are dieting Kryptonite. They're digested very quickly, causing wide swings in blood sugar that make you feel hungry again not long after you've eaten. To keep your appetite in check, opt for foods with complex carbohydrates, like fruits, vegetables and breads, cereals and pastas made with 100 percent whole grains. It takes longer to digest complex carbohydrates, so your blood sugar stays steady and you can go longer without feeling hungry.

Exercise (Almost) Every Day
The "E" also stands for exercise -- something the three healthy housewives of Detroit did six days a week. Cardio exercise (biking, treadmill, kick boxing, dance) will burn off calories, while strength-training with weights or core workouts like yoga and Pilates build and tone muscle, which will help you burn more calories overall, even when you're not exercising. "Muscle burns several times more calories than fat," explained Dr. Oz. "More importantly, you burn more calories between muscle-burning workouts than the actual workout, which is the opposite of what happens when you just walk or run." Still, burning even a few more calories than you eat each day will add up, so when you don't have time for a full workout, look for opportunities to organically work exercise into your daily activities. On your break, go for a walk instead of sitting and reading a magazine. Park at the far end of the lot, and then walk to the mall or market. Take the dog for a hike. Play tag or Frisbee or kick the ball around with your children on the playground. Use the restroom that's two floors down from your office and take the stairs to get there instead of the elevator or escalator. Track your progress with a pedometer and work up to 10,000 steps a day. Every two pounds you lose trims an inch off your waistline, Dr. Oz said.

Add Antioxidants to Your Plate
Fresh summer produce is one of the go-to sources for the "good" carbohydrates that control hunger, and, provided that you don't drown them in rich sauces and dressings, are also so low in calories you can go back for seconds and thirds without feeling like you're "cheating." But the fruits and vegetables in season now (and throughout the year) have one more thing going for them: They're chock-full of antioxidants -- the "A" in B.E.A.C.H. The compounds that give fruits and vegetables their bright colors also help reduce inflammation in the body, which indirectly helps with weight loss. "Inflammation contributes to chronic stress in the body, which activates certain receptors in the brain that lead us to overeat -- the same receptors that give people the 'munchies' after smoking pot," said Dr. Oz. Less stress equals less rampant snacking, which equals more weight loss.

Indulge in Dark Chocolate
Yes you can! Every diet needs a little splurge, and the B.E.A.C.H. plan builds it right in with dark chocolate -- the "C" in B.E.A.C.H. -- so it's not cheating! (As long as you don't have too much, said Dr. Oz.) A nibble of dark chocolate (look for brands with 70 percent cacoa) will satisfy a sweets craving when you're in the mood to excavate a gallon of ice cream. And savor this morsel: Dark chocolate is another gold mine of the same kinds of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables that work behind the scenes to help you lose weight by reducing inflammation. And, yes, it has to be dark -- milk chocolate contains far fewer antioxidants than dark, and white chocolate none at all.

Hydrate Yourself
The "H" in B.E.A.C.H. stands for hydration, which is especially important in summertime because you can lose a lot of fluids through sweat. But staying hydrated also plays a big role in your weight loss efforts, said Dr. Oz, because we often mistake thirst for hunger and grab a snack when what we really need is something to drink. "You can really shed pounds by taking a drink when you feel hungry because chances are, some of the time, you'll really be thirsty," he said. But, again, skip the soda, beer, juice or sports drinks because those things are loaded with calories and sugar. Your best bet on a warm summer day? Water. Drink it unadorned, or, if that's just too blah, try a no-calorie flavored water or mix seltzer with a splash of fruit juice.

Following the B.E.A.C.H. diet will certainly get you on the right track to a great summer body. Also check out another one of our favorite Dr. Oz countdowns -- the six worst meals in America.

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]]>beach bodydr. ozmehmet ozweight lossNorine Dworkin-McDanielFri, 28 May 2010 14:00:00 ESTDr. Oz's Summer Weight Loss Challenge: How Three Real Women Lost Bighttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/18/three-real-women-take-dr-ozs-summer-weight-loss-challenge/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/18/three-real-women-take-dr-ozs-summer-weight-loss-challenge/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/18/three-real-women-take-dr-ozs-summer-weight-loss-challenge/#commentsFiled under:

Dr. Oz showCourtesy of Zoco Productions

One hundred days ago, Dr. Mehmet Oz invited three working mom pals from Detroit to "The Dr. Oz Show" and challenged them to get "beach body ready" for summer. For nearly four months, Tricia Francis, Kerri Ross and Kim Kaczor (seen left to right) exercised six days a week with a trainer and followed Dr. Oz's B.E.A.C.H. Diet (not to be confused with that other "beach" diet), which emphasizes:
B - eating Breakfast
E - Eliminating white flours and sugars
A - getting Antioxidants from fruits, vegetables and nuts
C - eating dark Chocolate, a sweet treat that's also a source of antioxidants
H - staying Hydrated

"The plan for Kim, Kerri and Tricia was to get their weight, blood pressure and BMI down to healthy levels, not only for them to feel better and live longer, but to look better in time for summer," said Dr. Oz. "Having each other was a huge factor in their success. So was meal planning and setting aside time for exercise. It makes me so happy when I see guests reach their goals."

On Tuesday, Kim, Kelli and Tricia returned to "The Dr. Oz Show" to show off their new slimmed-down bodies -- and share their secrets for success. That's Fit spoke with each of the gals and got even more details about what helped them achieve their goals. Here's what they told us.

Kim Kaczor
Age: 40
Occupation: Financial Analyst, Mom
Before Weight: 328
Current Weight: 264
Pounds lost: 64

Kim never had a weight problem growing up. But after two pregnancies and a high-stress sedentary job, Kim was 211 pounds heavier than when she graduated high school. "What happens is you take care of everything else, but you don't take care of yourself. It just got out of hand," she said. "I can't believe I was over 300 pounds. I decided enough was enough. I'm still 264 pounds and that's not a goal weight for me. I want to get to 150. I still have a long road to go, but I know I'll get there."

Kim's Success Secret 1: Plan everything.
"I plan my meals for the week. I batch cook on Sundays and Wednesdays to make sure I have enough chicken breasts, salads and snacks. I measure everything, bag it up and then load up my section of the fridge at work on Mondays. I also keep 100-calorie packs of walnuts and almonds in my drawer at work, in my lunch bag and at home, so I always have something handy to crunch. I also plan which days I'm going to the gym in the evening and when I'm going in the morning. When I know I'm working out in the morning, I sleep in my gym clothes so there are no missteps in the morning."

Kim's Success Secret 2: Lean on your friends.
"Kerri, Tricia and I, we were just there for each other. I could send them a text saying, 'It's a high-stress day; I'm not going to make it.' And they were like, 'Step away from the Snickers.' I could not have gotten these results in such a short period of time if I didn't have the support of Kim and Tricia or our trainer and my coworkers. Kerri and Trish aren't going to give up on me and my family is there for me. I know I'll do it!

Kim Success Secret 3: Tune in to why you're eating.
"If I wanted something that wasn't on my menu, I'd ask myself, 'Why do I want this? Why do I feel like I have to have it? Is it hunger? Are you nervous? Are you worried?' People eat for a lot of different reasons, and the answer is not in the refrigerator. To help me get my emotions in check, I'd find a quiet spot and meditate about it. I'd breathe in for 10 and out for 10 and just calm myself down."


Kerri Ross
Age: 40
Occupation: Secretary, Mom
Before Weight: 207
Current Weight: 174
Pounds lost: 33

"I went back to work when my twin girls were four, and that's when the weight started coming on. I work at a surgery center and the doctors buy food all the time -- pizza, ribs, croissants; there's chocolate everywhere. It's crazy. You gain weight -- five pounds here, two pounds there -- and start accepting it. I just let myself go, and I was unhappy with myself. So I was very gung ho about this challenge. I was going to do it. I didn't care if I was limping -- and I limped a lot because I worked out so hard. There were days my daughters would sit on my lap, and I'd groan because my legs were so sore. Doing this was a huge change in my life. I'm happier."

Kerri's Success Secret 1: Eat breakfast.
"Breakfast was my best meal," said Kerri. Her go-to breakfast is a bowl of steel-cut oats, topped with dried cranberries, walnuts, some dark chocolate and skim milk. "Sometimes I'd put a teaspoon of peanut butter in it and it would taste like a no-bake cookie. But it's healthy for you. It has protein and fiber and I get my chocolate fix. And it fills you for four hours."

Kerri's Success Secret 2: Embrace exercise.
"I became addicted to exercise. Sprints were my main thing. You burn calories, build muscle and you work your abs at the same time. Plus, it makes the time go by fast."

Kerri's Success Secret 3: Get your family on board.
"When I started this challenge, I knew I could do the workouts, but I couldn't come home to a messy house. I would have lost my mind. I told my husband that I needed him to keep the house running. And he did. That was huge for me. My husband and kids are in a better routine and now I'm back to help."


Tricia Francis
Age: 34
Occupation: Nursing assistant, mom
Before Weight: 205
Current Weight: 165
Pounds lost: 40

When her sister died last year from a brain aneurysm, Tricia sank into a deep depression and put on 50 pounds. "I was the heaviest I'd been since being pregnant. I didn't even realize how much I was eating," she said. "This challenge was my opportunity to get myself back, for me, for my husband and for my children." Unfortunately, two weeks into the program, Tricia broke her foot. But she didn't let that derail her determination. "While the other girls were doing their cardio on the treadmill, I sat on a ball and boxed the air. I was not going to let a broken foot get in the way of making a change in my life. Now I'm off all of my antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. I'm me again. And it feels good."

Tricia's Success Secret 1: Let yourself cheat -- a little.
"If I had a handful of chips, I told myself that that was okay because it was just a handful, and that's all I needed. If we were having family pizza night, I'd have one piece, then fill my plate with vegetables or a salad. If I was still hungry, instead of grabbing another slice of pizza, I'd have an extra helping of vegetables. My favorite dish is green beans with cucumber, fresh garlic and vinegar. It's 0 points, according to Weight Watchers' point system, so you can have as much of that as you want."

Tricia's Success Secret 2: Make your portions look bigger.
"I butterfly my chicken breast, slicing it down the middle. Even though I was still just eating one breast, but it looked like more on the plate. Because it's thinner, the chicken cooks faster, too. You can have dinner in 20 minutes."

Tricia's Success Secret 3: Crunch on ice.
"I always had my hand in a bag of chips -- that was my weakness. If I felt I needed to eat something, instead of chips, I'd have a glass of ice instead. It was something to grab, so you can satisfy that hand-to-mouth thing. And it's good for you because you're getting your water."

Click on the video below to see a clip from the episode.




Get more summer weight loss secrets from Dr. Oz.

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]]>dr. ozsuccesssummer weight lossNorine Dworkin-McDanielTue, 18 May 2010 12:30:00 ESTDr. Oz's Fridge Makeover: Your Kitchen Can Help You Lose Weighthttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/10/dr-ozs-fridge-makeover-your-kitchen-can-help-you-lose-weight/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/10/dr-ozs-fridge-makeover-your-kitchen-can-help-you-lose-weight/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/10/dr-ozs-fridge-makeover-your-kitchen-can-help-you-lose-weight/#commentsFiled under:

Take a peek in your pantry and fridge. What do you see? Chips maybe? Crackers? Cheese puffs? What's that hiding way in the back of the freezer? Frozen pizzas? Ice cream?

Here's the thing about having all that stuff squirreled away in your kitchen: If it's there, you're going to eat it. And that doesn't get you any closer to modeling that new bikini this summer. "You can't keep bad foods in the house and expect that you won't give in to temptation. That's not realistic," said Dr. Mehmet Oz, a.k.a America's favorite physician and the host of "The Dr. Oz Show."

So, what should you do with all that junk? Grab a garbage bag, because it's got to go. "Biology will always trump willpower, so you want to make sure you don't set yourself up to fail," said Dr. Oz. "In my home, we go by the 80/20 Rule. Eighty percent of what's in the refrigerator and pantry are good wholesome foods, and 20 percent are treats that my family and I eat once in a while."

Want your fridge and pantry to look more like his? Here, Dr. Oz explains what you should toss out, and what you should stock up on instead. Follow his suggestions and you'll soon have a fridge and pantry packed with healthy foods that actually take the deprivation out of dieting. Plus, making a clean sweep of bad-for-you foods is a great way to psych yourself up to start slimming down -- and that puts you one step closer to your bikini summer.

Poultry, Fish & Meat
Dump: Bacon, pulled pork, any cuts of beef that have a lot of fatty marbling, fried chicken and fried fish -- yes, fish sticks count.

Stock: Skinless chicken breast, lean ground turkey (for making meatballs), turkey hotdogs, and any kind of fish or shellfish you like. "Poultry and fish are the leanest, healthiest of the animal proteins," Dr. Oz said. Keep in mind that while all fish have a great nutrition profile -- high in protein and low in saturated fat -- some varieties should be avoided because they contain high levels of contaminants like pesticides, PCBs, dioxins and mercury. You can find safe fish lists (and fish advisories) at the Environmental Protection Agency. Or, get the Monterey Bay Aquarium free Seafood Guide phone app at iTunes.

If you can't imagine dinner without the occasional steak, choose lean cuts (the leanest are solid red without any marbling) of grass-fed beef (look for "grass-fed" on the package label). "Corn fattens up the animals, making their meat high in fat and calories,"said Dr. Oz.

Dairy
Dump: Butter and margarine, whole milk, full-fat yogurt and full-fat cheeses.

Stock: Plant-sterol spreads, and olive oil or canola oil cooking sprays to be used in place of butter or margarine. "Although margarines don't contain all the fat and cholesterol we worry about with butter, they do contain synthetic fats and trans fats that our bodies don't digest well, which makes them a bad diet choice," said Dr. Oz. Replace full-fat milk, yogurt and cheeses with fat-free milk or low-fat soy milk, reduced fat yogurt or strained Greek yogurt (it has less sugar and more protein than other yogurts), reduced-fat feta and cottage cheese and part-skim mozzarella. And here's some good news about eggs: If you've been doing egg-white-only scrambles to save on calories, go ahead and enjoy the whole egg if you want to, said Dr. Oz. "Don't obsess over the yolks. They have a few more calories, but in the long run, having only egg whites won't make a huge difference." What does makes a difference is how you cook the eggs, said Dr. Oz. -- with a little cooking spray, not a lot of butter or margarine -- and what you serve with them. "The real danger is the grease and the sausage, bacon, hash browns and cheese that go with eggs in omelets," he said.

Fruits & Vegetables
Dump: Any vegetables that are fried, breaded or covered in cheese and other rich sauces. "It's easy to tell ourselves that potatoes au gratin, cucumbers with sour cream dip and fried cauliflower are good for us because they're vegetables," said Dr. Oz. "But the frying, cheese and cream add unnecessary calories. When you prepare them, vegetables and fruits should look exactly the way they did when they came out of the ground."

Stock: Any fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables. "Two of my summer favorites are watermelon and blueberries because they're a filling treat that's naturally sweet," he said. Look for bagged salad greens and pre-cut vegetables or fruits in the produce area. Though you may pay a little more for these, it's worth it if means you're more likely to snack on and cook with fresh produce because the slicing, dicing and chopping has already been done for you.

Cereals, Breads, Pasta, Rice
Dump: White rice, breads and pastas made with white flour, and sugar-coated cereals.

Stock: Brown rice, 100-percent whole wheat breads and pastas, oat-based cold cereal, shredded wheat or bran flakes, and steel cut oats (for oatmeal). "Almost every breakfast I recommend has a 100 percent whole grain cereal in it. Whole grain cereal is one of your best weight loss allies because the fiber in the cereal helps fight hunger all day long," said Dr. Oz. "But you have to be mindful of portion sizes. The biggest mistake people make is to pour a bowl that is three to four times the serving size listed on the label. A better idea is to pour out the serving size and then add fresh blueberries or other fruit. "This mixes up the flavor a bit and gives you a more filling portion," he said.

Snacks
Dump: Chips, crackers, pretzels, cookies, pastries, cakes, packaged microwave popcorn and fat-free ice cream. "I don't believe in fat-free ice cream because something else has to be added for this to taste good and it's usually sugar," said Dr. Oz. "A better idea for a cold treat is to freeze strawberries, sliced bananas, blueberries, peaches and grapes (or buy already-frozen fruit). You can eat them as they are, or toss them in the blender with low-fat yogurt, soy milk or even almond milk to make real fruit shakes."

Stock: Dark chocolate (look for brands with 70 percent cacao), or mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, walnuts and almonds, dried fruits (cranberries or apricots) and organic popcorn kernels. "Snacks are your friend because they prevent you from feeling hungry and overeating," said Dr. Oz. That said, having unlimited snack choices isn't wise because the sheer variety can tempt us into giving in to cravings and overeating high-calorie foods. "The key to successful snacking is to eat the same snacks every day because when you standardize your portions and calorie counts, you're more likely to stay on track," he said. You also want to snack frequently, so you never feel hungry, which can also lead to overeating. "I eat a snack every hour," said Dr. Oz. "My favorites are a handful of walnuts or almonds, a piece of fruit or some berries, even a piece of dark chocolate."

Drinks
Dump: Soda, fruit drinks that are not 100-percent juice and diet drinks. "Diet drinks are sneaky," said Dr. Oz. "You'd think they'd help with weight loss, but they can actually sabotage your efforts." That's because, he explained, when people replace sugar calories with zero-calorie artificial sweeteners, they often think they have more calories to splurge with and end up going overboard. "You save a few calories with a diet soda and then have an extra barbecue rib." In addition, anything made with artificial sweeteners tricks the brain into thinking that it's real sugar. "Then the brain thinks it has enough incoming sugar," he said, "and directs the body to store all the calories as fat."

Stock: Orange, grapefruit, cranberry or tomato juices, water, naturally flavored water, sparkling water that you can flavor yourself with lime, lemon, cucumber or mint, even coffee and tea. "On their own, coffee and tea contain few to no calories, and they're great sources of antioxidants," said Dr. Oz. "The danger is the creams and sweeteners and other add-ins like syrups that increase the calorie and sugar content. If you need to add a bit of milk and sugar, use reduced fat or skim milk and real table sugar. A tablespoon only has about 16 calories, so you won't lose the weight loss battle by adding one to your coffee." Agave syrup, honey and stevia are also good natural sweeteners.

Ready-Made Meals
Dump: Most commercially-made frozen family-style dinners, pizzas, desserts and snacks.

Stock: Look for frozen meals that contain no more than 4 grams of sugar and saturated fat per serving, no more than 400 mg of sodium per serving and zero trans fat. These brands are a good place to start: Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice and Amy's Kitchen. Or, make your own. "I prefer to prepare meals on the weekends, freeze them in meal-size portions and then I'm good to go all week," said Dr. Oz.

Condiments
Dump: Gravies, any sauce, spread or dressing that has a mayonnaise, sour cream, cream or cheese base as well as any condiment -- salad dressing, marinade, sauce or spread -- that contains more than 4 grams of sugar per serving or that lists high fructose corn syrup within the first five ingredients. "High-fructose corn syrup disrupts the feedback mechanism that lets you know when you're full," said Dr. Oz. "And because your brain doesn't recognize the fructose in HFCS as regular food, you can eat a lot of it and still be hungry, so you eat even more. Plus, HFCS encourages your body to store more fat."

Stock: Salt, pepper, fresh garlic, low-sodium soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, wine vinegar, virgin olive oil and apple butter. When it comes to everyday toppers like ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce and salad dressing, look in the supermarket organic section for natural products that don't contain HFCS, suggests Dr. Oz.

Dr. Oz offers even more tips for losing weight this summer!

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]]>bikini bodydr. ozfridgerefridgeratorsummerweight lossNorine Dworkin-McDanielMon, 10 May 2010 12:00:00 ESTOutdoor Workouts: How a Little Green Time Could Save Your Lifehttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/04/outdoor-workouts-how-a-little-green-time-could-save-your-life/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/04/outdoor-workouts-how-a-little-green-time-could-save-your-life/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/04/outdoor-workouts-how-a-little-green-time-could-save-your-life/#commentsFiled under: ,

girl stretchingNow that spring has sprung, it's time to trade your regular gym sessions for some outdoor activity. Recent studies suggest that even just a few minutes outdoors can have an amazing impact on your body and soul. Five minutes of fresh air is all it takes to give your self-esteem a lift, boost your mood and increase your lifespan, according to researchers from the University of Essex in England.

The findings, to be published in the upcoming edition of Environmental Science and Technology, were compiled by analyzing the outdoor habits of over 1,200 people with differing ages, genders and mental health issues, paying attention to activities like walking, gardening, horseback riding and cycling. What they discovered was that spending time outdoors led to improvements in both the physical and mental health of the individual. "For the first time in the scientific literature, we have been able to show dose-response relationships for the positive effects of nature on human mental health," Jules Petty, co-author of the study and professor of the environment and society, said in a press release.

Got a lake nearby? The study goes on to suggest that this is especially true if you live near water. "There was a significant increase in people's self-esteem and mood, particularly when they exercised in the wilderness or by water," Jo Barton, co-author on the study, told the Daily Mail. "Historically we are drawn to water to survive." So why is being outdoors so good for you? It's a natural reaction, according to Barton. "It is in our genetic make up to be at one with nature."

Five minutes outside doesn't sound like much, but if you ask Barton, those five minutes could change the world. She thinks the health care system could be revolutionized by patients using exercise as a cure. "There is a large potential benefit to individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all groups of people were to 'self-medicate' more with green exercise," she said. A little ambitious? Probably, but there's no doubt that a little exercise can have an incredible effect on a person's life. Plus, outdoor workouts are good for both your wallet and the environment.

So is it time to stop shelling out for that gym membership? Not necessarily -- at the end of the day, you have to choose an exercise routine that's right for you, and if that routine involves a treadmill and an air-conditioned fitness studio, so be it. Even so, you should make an effort to get outside every day -- it very well might do you a world of good.

Need some inspiration? Here are three cool things you can do outdoors with your family.

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]]>environmentexercisegreen activitiesoutdoorsoutsidetreadmillworkoutMartha EdwardsTue, 04 May 2010 16:00:00 ESTJoe Dowdell: Energy System Traininghttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/04/joe-dowdell-energy-system-training/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/04/joe-dowdell-energy-system-training/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/04/joe-dowdell-energy-system-training/#commentsFiled under:

joe dowdellIn addition to my 10 Must-Do Moves, I have designed an energy system training program, which once again has been modified from my book, "Ultimate You," for the exclusive purpose of this four week program. Beginners should use a stationary bike for the entire four weeks.

Individuals that fall into the intermediate/advanced category should go with the stationary bike or treadmill (running outside is also an excellent option) for the entire four weeks. The EST program is designed to complement the metabolic resistance training program and should be performed on the days in between these workouts (i.e., Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday).

Please Note: Beginners, during the work interval you should increase the resistance (or gear) on the bike in order to achieve a higher Rate of Perceived Exertion.

Be sure to check out the RPE guide below so you know how hard you should be working!

Week 1: Total Time: 22 to 26 minutes

Warm up: Three to five minutes at an RPE of 2.
Work Interval #1: 120 seconds of cycling (beginners) or Jogging/Running (Int./Adv.) at an RPE of 5.
Recovery Interval #1: 120 seconds of cycling (beginners) or walking (Int./Adv) at an RPE of 2.
Repeat the work and recovery intervals three more times.
Cool Down: Three to five minutes at an RPE of 2.


Week 2: Total Time: 21 to 25 minutes

Warm up: 3 to 5 minutes at an RPE of 2.
Work Interval #1: 60 seconds of cycling (beginners) or Jogging/Running (Int./Adv.) at an RPE of 6.
Recovery Interval #1: 120 seconds of cycling (beginners) or walking (Int./Adv) at an RPE of 2.
Repeat the work and recovery intervals four more times.
Cool Down: Three to five minutes at an RPE of 2.


Week 3: Total Time: 19.5 to 23.5 minutes

Warm up: Three to five minutes at an RPE of 2.
Work Interval #1: 45 seconds of cycling (beginners) or Jogging/Running (Int./Adv.) at an RPE of 7.
Recovery Interval #1: 90 seconds of cycling (beginners) or walking (Int./Adv) at an RPE of 2.
Repeat the intervals five more times.
Cool Down: Three minutes at an RPE of 2.


Week 4: Total Time: 16.5-22 minutes

Warm up: Three to five minutes at an RPE of 2.
Work Interval #1: 30 seconds of cycling (beginners) or Jogging/Running (Int./Adv.) at an RPE of 8.
Recovery Interval #1: 60 seconds of cycling (beginners) or walking (Int./Adv) at an RPE of 2.
Repeat the intervals six to seven more times.
Cool Down: Three to five minutes at an RPE of 2.

Rate of Perceived Exertion Table
RPE 1: Extremely easy, breathing is very relaxed.
RPE 2: Very easy, you can carry on a conversation easily.
RPE 3: Easy, can carry on a conversation but it's somewhat labored.
RPE 4: Moderate, talking becomes difficult.
RPE 5: Somewhat hard, breathing becomes heavy.
RPE 6: Moderately hard, you're taking deep breaths and conversation is very difficult.
RPE 7: Hard, forceful inhalation/expiration.
RPE 8: Very hard, labored breathing and you cannot talk.
RPE 9: Very, very hard, breathing is extremely labored.
RPE 10: Extremely hard, you're gasping for air.

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]]>cardiofitnessinterval trainingIntervalTrainingrpeJoe DowdellTue, 04 May 2010 14:00:00 ESTJoe Dowdell's 10 Must-Do Moveshttp://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/03/joe-dowdells-10-must-do-moves/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/03/joe-dowdells-10-must-do-moves/http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/05/03/joe-dowdells-10-must-do-moves/#commentsFiled under:

joe dowdellIf you're ready to get in shape for summer, my workout plan can help you get the results you want. This program, which has been modified from my book "Ultimate You," is designed to help you shed excess body fat, elevate your metabolism and increase your overall muscle tone so you can get your best beach body ever.

Over the next four weeks, we are going to maximize our training time by incorporating a technique called metabolic resistance training circuits. With this style of training, you will perform one set of the first exercise; rest for the predetermined amount of time; then move onto the next exercise, and so on. Once you've completed one set of each exercise in the circuit, you'll rest for two minutes, then repeat the entire circuit one or two more times depending on which week you are in the program. The routine below should be completed three times per week on non-consecutive days (for example, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).

Because not everyone is at the same fitness level, I've developed progressively challenging plans for beginner and intermediate to advanced exercise levels. Choose the plan that matches your fitness ability, then click on the gallery below for all the moves. For these moves, all you'll need is a pair of dumbbells, a chair or workout bench, workout bands and a swiss ball.

Intermediate/advanced participants will also need a jump rope.

Beginner Plan:

Week 1: You will perform all the exercises in the circuit, except for Jumping Jacks and Skipping Rope. Rest for 30 seconds in between each exercise. After completing the circuit once, rest 120 seconds and complete it a second time.

Week 2: Perform the circuit below three times. Once again, do not include Jumping Jacks or Skipping Rope.

Weeks 3 and 4: In week three, you will rest 25 seconds after each exercise instead of 30 seconds. And, in week four, you will rest 20 seconds after each exercise. Basically, at the end of the four weeks, you will have done more work in a shorter amount of time, thus increasing the density of the workouts which will also increase the fat-burning effect.

Intermediate/Advanced Plan:

Week 1: You will perform all of the following exercises in a circuit. Rest for 30 seconds between each exercise. After completing the circuit once, rest 120 seconds and complete it a second time.

Week 2: Perform the entire circuit below three times.

Weeks 3 and 4: In week three, you will rest 25 seconds after each exercise in the circuit. And, in week four, you will rest 20 seconds after each exercise, which will result in a greater fat-burning effect from the workouts.

To get the most from these 10 moves, make sure you also do this customized cardio program.


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]]>exercisefitnessjoe dowdellmust do movessummer workouttotal body workoutJoe DowdellMon, 03 May 2010 16:00:00 EST