That's Fit

That's Fit Club is our feature devoted to you, the reader! We have all learned so much on our paths to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! That's Fit Club members are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect; some are not. But all have health on the mind. Besides showing you off, we want to reward you for all of your hard work! Everlast and Everlast Woman are giving gorgeous workout T-shirts to each featured member! To join, please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Stephanie Hobbs

Age: 25

Occupation: Technical Support

How often do you exercise? Five to six days a week.

What type of exercise do you do? Running, cycling, and high-intensity aerobic exercises with weights.

Read on to see how much weight Stephanie has lost, how much she has to go, and what keeps her going!

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz, I'm a woman in my early 40s and have really let myself go over the past decade. I used to have a nice figure, but now I'm stuck with a 'lumpy bumpy butt' that is far too big. The rest of my body needs work too. I joined Weight Watchers two weeks ago, cause I saw that you wrote it was a great program. I'm down three pounds already. So, what do you advise I do to improve my backside. It's awful! Marlene

A. Hello Miss Marlene. I'm glad you sent me your question, and I'm confident I can help. There are a lot of things you can do to tighten up that tush. You've already taken the first step with Weight Watchers -- losing weight will be most important for getting rid of bulging pockets of fat.

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hello Fitzy. I need your help! I'm six feet tall and last year I was close to 300 pounds. I am now down to 250. I'm still in the process of losing weight but am stressed because I cannot get rid of my "man boobs."They're devastatingly embarrassing. I wouldn't take my shirt off at the beach if you paid me. What can I do to make them go away? Liam

A. Hi Liam. Isn't it funny how big boobs are super cool on a chic but not so much on a guy? Interesting. Listen, I feel for you. Man boobs are not the status symbol of the day, and it's hard for most people to deal with any unusual bulging pockets of fat. Man boobs, love handles, and saddles bags; nobody wants 'em!

Meg Cabot writes books for the teen set -- her one claim to fame is The Princess Diaries series -- and she writes for us grown up people too. The good thing about the message she authors for adults is this: She makes it OK to be big boned.

Size 12 is Not Fat and Size 14 is Not Fat Either are two of Cabot's books. Big Boned is another. All are mysteries, written with easy-to-follow and witty storylines -- size 12 character Heather Wells, an ex-pop star turned assistant dormitory director, finds herself tangled in various student murder mysteries and gives equal time to her detective work and her body image. Wells dwells on her size at times, cracks jokes about her plumpish figure, and shares her struggles with diet and exercise -- she is no stranger to indulgence and finds her commitment to fitness marginal, at best. Wells is real, human. That's what I like about her. She knows she's got room for improvement when it comes to healthy living. She also knows happiness doesn't always come in a size two package.

Looking for a good book, plus some validation for the fact that it's OK to be a size 12, or 14? If so, Cabot may be just the author for you.

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

Is desire alone enough to attain a goal? Or does it take more? What separates those who get it from those who don't?

Too often I wonder why I continue to struggle with my weight loss as much as I do. I try not to beat myself up, but maybe I should I do it more. I mean, why do I pat myself on the back for even the smallest accomplishments? How is it possible that as much as I exercise and know of its benefits that I still make it borderline optional?

On occasion, I will buy myself a "treat." I absolutely love Tootsie Rolls and have bullied my fair share from kids on the playground. (Note: being the biggest kid in school wasn't ALL bad). For whatever reason, I easily justify to myself why I "deserve" a treat, be it in the form of Tootsie Rolls or something else not included in my daily diet. But seriously, even typing the word deserve is almost comical because I'm just not that good. And saying on occasion is almost as funny. Deserve translates to justify and on occasion really means several times a week. I call it treating but I'm really tricking -- myself.

Ever wonder what the secret is for ditching the love handles for good? That would be nice, right? I think so. Check out this video and find out how!

For more fun fitness tips, and recipes visit ...

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

Drain, drain go away, please come back another, NEVER! I am happy to announce that I am completely drain free. I had the last one removed today and needless to say, I am ecstatic. The final drain held on for four weeks and two days. I don't know that anywhere along the way I was prepared to have a drain for this long. but I'm just glad it's over.

Overall, I cannot complain. As strange as it may be to say, the experience with my wonderful surgeon, Dr. Olivier, and her staff nearly outweighs the results of the surgery. They have really held my hand and answered every silly question I've had throughout this process. Believe you me, there have been some silly questions. I guess because she specializes in breast reconstruction of cancer patients she posesses an extra element of care and concern that I've missed in other New York City doctors. I've not only seen it with me but with every patient I've witnessed. It feels good to be in an office where I'm a person and not just another number.

I am slowly noticing a return of feeling in the area below my navel where it was completely numb. I'm no doctor but my best guess is the itching and tingling that I feel deep below the skin is some form of healing. These are the areas where feeling is beginning to return. The tingling only lasts a few seconds but can be aggravating because there's no possible way to scratch. My navel has healed very well and is starting to lighten in color.

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz. I am a fit and healthy forty-one year old woman. I generally eat a well balanced diet, but once in a while I like to splurge on a high calorie snack. Can you burn calorie for calorie? If a snack is worth 250 calories, and I burn the same 250 calories ... does this counteract the intake? Jamie

A. Yes, Jamie. You can! The simple formula for weight management is to burn the same amount of calories that you consume. You're in compete control of that. Just make sure you count calories accurately. Studies show most people tend to dramatically underestimate the amount of calories they consume each day. This is what leads to both weight gain and frustration during attempts at weight loss.

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

Happy birthday to me! That's right, I'm officially thirty none of your business. HA! What's significant about this birthday is that I am closer in age to 40 than 30. Thanks to weight loss, eating right and working out, I feel closer to 30 than 40. Losing 200 lbs. has turned the clock back. Even simple things are new.

I can never remember crossing my legs until three years ago. Being the girlie girl that I am, I do it all the time. It reminds me that I've come so far and that I will never again be unable to cross my legs. In my old life, I experienced what I grew to call, "turnstile terror." Ever been too fat to get through a turnstile? Over the course of time, I learned to wiggle through sideways but I even outgrew that method.

She's a skinny girl -- size two skinny, to be exact -- but One Tree Hill actress Sophia Bush says even girls her size can have cellulite. I believe it. Skinny can still be soft. And big can still be toned.

Bush, 26, is speaking out about skinny cellulite because she thinks it's important to remind young women that what they see in photos may not be the real deal. Don't think that stick figure on the cover of a fashion magazine doesn't have a little flab under her tight dress. And don't think that rail-thin star hasn't had her glossy likeness retouched. Even Halle Berry has cellulite, says Bush.

Staying fit is key, no matter your size. "I think it's healthy when fitness experts encourage fitness rather than getting a certain body shape," says Bush. "And I'm Italian -- I love food. I'm not going to cut out bread and pasta and wine to be thinner."

Well, when you're a size two, I guess that's easy to say. Still, she makes a good point.

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

I'm sure there are drains in hell. I know we've heard about hell's heat, but I suspect that drains will be a nice surprise waiting for unsuspecting folks. If they aren't, I'll be surprised. I know drain hell personally because I'm still in it and two of the original three drains are still ... in me.

That's right folks, two weeks post-op, and I still have drains. Needless to say, I am less than happy about it. Again, my surgeon was very happy because it lends to better results for as much fluid as possible to be removed prior to taking the drains out. The alternative is to remove the drains and come to her office several times each week to have the fluid removed by needle. That's okay. I'll pass on that one.

She suggested I keep an eye on the output and call her when they are both below 25 cc's. Worse case scenario: She'll take them out in two weeks. Two weeks? Seriously? A month after surgery with drains? Wow. As of yesterday, they were 75 and 25 cc's respectively. I had an output in one of the drains of 15 cc's a few days ago and really got excited because I was sure that this drain had come to the end of its line -- until it produced 30 cc's the following day. I have great faith in my surgeon -- not only because she's one of the best but because I know she cares about her patients and the quality of her work. I'm keeping the drains. The drains themselves aren't so bad but the positioning is miserable. They are below the bikini line in the top of the pubic mound, hence they are very inconvenient. My chi-chi looks like a balled up fist ready to fight. Oh what joy.

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

I feel fat. I look in the mirror and I certainly don't look fat but I feel fat. If I close my eyes and visualize myself based solely on how I feel, I'd be that pig with the apple in its mouth. Since the abdominoplasty, I am able to eat even less and feel overstuffed quickly. I'd read about this ahead of time so thanks to the blogosphere, I was not completely caught off guard. I read several posts of people who felt this way the first few weeks -- thank goodness.

Of course, this emotional stuff is all in my mind. What I feel does not overcome what I see when I look in the mirror. Who I see looking back is the most beautiful me I have ever been. The reflection is the most fit me I've ever seen. My response to what I see is nothing less than ecstatic. These are new words to me -- beautiful, fit, ecstatic. Eating right and exercising have replaced the former words of disgust, obese, and painful.

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

There aren't any. Just plain misery is associated with those words that can make any gastric bypass patient shudder. Nearly three years out and I thought dumping was a thing of the past. Until Tuesday night.

Most gastric bypass patients are aware of or have heard the horror stories of dumping. It occurs in patients who suffer malabsorption of sugar. Lap band patients typically do not have this problem since the entire stomach remains in tact and works fully. For those of us who underwent some type of stomach separation, the new smaller stomach does not produce enough acid to break down most sugars. When sugar is ingested it causes a violent reaction consisting of cold chills, profuse sweating, diarrhea and vomiting. In addition to these symptoms that typically occur simultaneously, there are violent stomach cramps.

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

I am not happy. I mean, I am happy with life overall, but I am not happy about my tummy tuck drains. I am one week post-surgery and still, I have them -- all three of them -- with removal nowhere in sight. You see, I experienced a drain blockage last week, which slowed the process considerably (I think this is atypical for most tummy tucks). I guess some gunk got stuck on the way out and clogged the drains, located between the pubic area and the bottom of my abdomen. Besides this hassle, I've got cords that, while long enough to pin to clothing, are in my way -- all three of them.

So, I saw my doc's physicians assistant today, and she said with the amount of fluid still draining, the drains should stay in place. She was actually happy about this and said we'd take a look on Thursday when I see my surgeon. I trust her completely, so they are right where she left them -- in me. I've read many stories of fortunate folks who had their drains out in a few days or even a week -- I just am not one of those lucky folks.

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

I did it. I am so proud of myself. I had my abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). I had heard all the arguments, pro and con, but in spite of a thousand tongues in all directions, I took the plunge. Some may think it vain; some may think it a waste. I thought it necessary.

Gastric bypass people, hear me and hear me well. Once you knock off 100+ pounds, stuff is gonna sag, and plastics may be necessary. My doc said that had I done it on the younger side that I may not need it but I didn't, so here I was: Down 190+ pounds with enough skin sagging in my middle to make a quilt -- or at least a baby blanket. I felt like I had an inner tube around my waist. I mean, I work out. Why shouldn't I have abs? Oh, that's right. I do. NOW. Here's the nitty gritty.