That's Fit

Don't ever say we didn't prepare you for the holidays. It's only December 4, and already we're sharing our greatest tricks for this troublesome time of year.

Here, eight more tips for fighting holiday weight, straight from the mouth of Dr. Oz's daughter Daphne, author of The Dorm Room Diet Planner -- the sequel to The Dorm Room Diet. Daphne's diet inspiration comes from years of adolescent struggles with an extra 30 pounds. Hey, if she can avoid the Freshman 15 (or is it less than 15?) and even lose 10, you can surely earn an A+ as you navigate your festive family feasts.

A few of Daphne's stay-slim secrets: Drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily, count to your age before you "cheat," get off the couch and avoid processed snacks. And there's more here.

Jessica Alba has looked fantastic at every public outing since giving birth to her first child in June, but none of that prepared the world for a calendar Alba posed in wearing swimwear, evening gowns and a whole lot of sex appeal. The calendar is for Campari, an alcoholic apertif. Maybe next time we'll see her posing in a campaign for fruits and veggies, which seems a little more up her ally!

While it's entirely likely that a decent amount of retouching went into the calendar (good grief, I hope so), there's no disputing she's looking hotter than ever, with an hourglass figure to die for. She's relied on a strict diet and exercise, as well as a personal trainer, but admits that she generally sticks to baggier duds these days.

"I'm usually walking around in comfy clothes, with a baby on my arm," the fit-but-curvy Alba says, adding that she enjoyed getting all dressed up. I think everyone else will enjoy it, too -- either for gawking purposes or, in my case, for motivation. I think I need some of the images taped to my gym bag!

Diet pills do work. But they've gotten more dangerous than effective over the years, and experts warn that there's no miracle potion out there that can shrink you back into your college jeans without compromising your health. Diet and exercise -- now, these are two formulas that work. Still, we're on a hunt for the perfect skinny pill.

Redbook magazine digs up the scoop on five popular diet drugs and offers a rundown on them all right here. There's Alli (orlistat), Meridia (sibutramine), Zimulti (rimonabant), Glucophage (metformin), and Byetta (exenatide). If you think blocking the digestion of fat calories is the way to go, Alli might be your drug. But if you eat too much fat, you'll need to be prepared for loose, oily stools. Maybe you'd like to just feel full faster. Then Meridia is tops. Well, if you don't mind high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Shutting off your appetite is another possible fix, thanks to Zimulti, which might just happen to turn on a little anxiety and depression.

You get my drift, right? Yes, weight-loss drugs work. Their effectiveness just comes with a cost-- one I'm not wiling to pay. How about you?

You've fortified your weight loss goals this holiday season with a solid plan, extra workouts, and a dash of willpower.

But one thing you don't want to underestimate this month are the holiday diet saboteurs, well-meaning loved ones who can wreck your weight loss in a ho-ho-ho-hurry.

Luckily, Laura knows how to stop them, so pop on over to Holidash and see what she has to say.

Usually our fridge is in shell shock after hosting a holiday dinner. Too many calorie-packed leftovers to count. I wish the tupperware fairy would wave her magic wand and get rid of them, so I can return to my regular, healthier eating habits as soon as possible. But I grew up with leftovers and it's hard for me to throw food away.

This year I tried something different -- I entertained away the leftovers. After hosting 14 for Thanksgiving, we packed all the leftovers in tupperware, then invited ourselves over to my brother's house for dinner the next day. Of course, we offered to bring the leftover holiday spread with us.

Everyone was thrilled. I heated it all up in the oven for a touch of authenticity (no microwaves). The stuffing and turkey were a bit dry, but nothing day-old gravy couldn't solve. This is also a perfect opportunity to unload leftover holiday desserts, such as that extra fruit pie, half a cheesecake and that two-pound box of gourmet chocolates guests were too stuffed to touch. Just remember, to avoid hosting a food poisoning party, check out Jacki's tips on how to properly handle those holiday leftovers.

If there's one celebrity name that pops into my head when I hear the words "stick thin," it's Mary-Kate Olsen. Kate Moss is up there too, but I'm guessing Mary-Kate may be known more for her skinniness than her Full House stardom. Hey, things might be changing, though.

Tabloids are reporting that the normally waif-like Olsen twin has put on a few pounds. This all stems from rumors that Mary-Kate is pregnant. Her rep says she absolutely is not. Apparently, the 22-year-old reveals in her new coffee table book Influence that doesn't even want kids. Maybe after previously battling anorexia, she just wants a few extra pounds. Not a bad idea, I'd say.

If you're counting calories, you're probably just concerned about the number. If you are keeping a meal under 250 calories, it doesn't matter whether you get those 250 calories from a big bowl of steamed veggies or a sliver of cheesecake (other than the fact that getting your nutrition from cheesecake isn't good for your overall health), right? Not necessarily.

According to Diet Blog, some researchers are saying that's not the case, and some calories are more likely to become fat than others. Basically, sugary treats cause your blood glucose levels to spike, which makes your body release more insulin. And, some experts say that "controlling insulin secretion is the key to losing weight."

I know -- this means that substituting Christmas cookies for a nutritious dinner, even if the calories are equal, is a bad idea. And for that, I'm sorry. But hey, anything I can do to help you avoid a little seasonal weight gain is a good thing, right? So make sure you're not just counting calories, but counting the right calories.

Why wait until your hangover on January 1 to start your New Year's resolution for a healthier, skinny self? Start Holidashing right now and roar into 2009 with less fat, more muscle and oodles of motivation.

AOL Health shares 13 proven tricks to a skinny you, and here are a handful of my favorites:

• Have sex -- lots of (safe) sex. The big O delivers calorie-free endorphins. A skinnier you also means better sex. Now that's a circular win-win.
• Make more than a verbal commitment -- sign up for a fundraiser race today and you'll be sure to follow through because it's not about you. So many of us do more for others than we'd ever do for ourselves. Click on Step By Step Fundraising for ideas.
• Fill that MP3 player with the right music mix now. Change up your tunes like you do your workout -- no one improves with the same 'ole, same 'ole. With Jogtunes, you can select your playlist according to your ideal training bpm (beats per minute) heart rate for your age. I have got to do this.
  
• String that bikini or 34" pair of jeans on the wall tonight -- a visual motivation is effective. I'm putting out a pair of old GAP jeans that will feel comfy when (not if) I lose those last five pounds.
  

OK, what visual motivator are you posting? Do share, then have sex ... now. Sorry for the sense of urgency in this post, just a by-product of my direct marketing days.

Ever notice that supermarkets are installing more and more bakeries, rotisserie chicken grills, salad bars, and snack-food stops? Ever wonder why? It's to entice you to buy and eat, and buy and eat some more.

Smells have the power to make us purchase, especially if we're shopping on empty stomachs. When we sniff something appealing, the odor receptors in our noses send messages to our limbic systems, which control our emotions, memories, and sense of well-being. Freshly baked bread remind of you of the warmth of mom's kitchen? Well, then, you don't stand a chance.

And there you have it: Another reason to shop on a full stomach. Already we've got the lure of everything lining the shelves. Add the aroma of a batch of fresh bakery brownies, and you might as well just slap those calories on your thighs.

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 just bought a fairly fitted dress for a party this weekend and am desperate to avoid a poochy tummy. I'm in pretty good shape but often get bloated. I can not wear this dress if I'm bloated. Help! Andrea

A. Hi Andrea, Bloating is a bummer, but I can definitely help you avoid it. You're just going to have to be smart about what you eat and drink for the few days prior to your event.

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 stood on my BFF's porch recently and heard a sound I hadn't heard in nearly two years -- a lawn mower. Even though it was distant, it was easily identifiable. Having lived down South for most of my life, hearing this sound is not unusual. Having returned to my southern home from my current New York home, the nostalgia this sound brings makes me exhale deeply. Not a lot of grass being mowed in Brooklyn but standing there on a porch in Charlotte, NC with the 60-degree sun shining on me, I was glad to be home.

In my last post, I expressed deep concern over reverting back to my old ways once I returned home. I wasn't sure if I would continue my good New York habits. In some ways, I thought I would; in other ways, I did not. After much agonizing over making time to exercise, I decided I would do what I could do. I was intent on enjoying my family for the first time this year, after all. So, I managed my portions well and made good food choices. I did not deprive myself of the local favorites I can't get in NY, such as Chick-Fil-A, but instead of having the whole sandwich, I ate half. I also enjoyed a hot dog from the North Carolina exclusive Cook-Out. Instead of getting the famous foot long, though, I had the regular size dog. This trip was a balance of what's become important to me now and how serious I am about my newfound fitness and my healthy lifestyle. It was also indicative of my connection to food, family and friends.

Britney Spears is looking great these days, but she wants to make sure everyone knows it didn't come easily. She told Glamour, "I have had to work hard at getting [my body] back to where it used to be. I used to be obsessed with working out ... But I can't get motivated right now because I'm so focused on my music."

Whether she says she's motivated to work out or not, she definitely has been working hard getting ready for her recent live performances. Dancing hasn't just gotten her in shape, but it's helped her emotionally. And, adjusting her eating (and drinking) habits has certainly helped. Still, she doesn't exactly look forward to working out.

"It isn't fun, so to do it every day would be horrible. Three days a week is cool, even two. It makes me feel good and feel like I've done something. It's important to take care of your body." She is even more aware of this now, after having two children, saying, "Recently, I started to appreciate my body a bit more from before I had kids."

The full interview will be in Glamour's January issue.

People buy roughly 30 percent more when they shop with big grocery carts, says Sunday's Parade magazine. The bigger the cart, the more likely we are to stuff it full of stuff we probably don't need.

Why can't we just get what we need, regardless of cart size, without filling it to the brim. It all comes down to psychology. Consumers become self-conscious if their big shopping cart contains only a few things. It's as though we expect other shoppers to frown upon us. Why? I'm not sure. Also, when our carts are large, the dopamine levels in our brains increase, causing us to fill every square inch of space. Dopamine is an addictive brain chemical -- it increases in anticipation of any kind of reward. Give it a big cart, then, and watch out.

Next time you're at the grocery store, forget the cart. Grab one of those small shopping baskets with handles or use one of your reusable bags. Only need two or three things? Hold them in your hands and take them directly to your friendly cashier. And don't be temped by the check-out aisle. It's as problematic as that big cart.

Write Santa all you want, even sit on his lap and beg. If you want awesome abs for Christmas, it isn't going to come from the big man in the red suit.

(I mean, after all, look at his bowl full of jelly. If he could gift great abs, wouldn't he start with himself?)

No, to get great abs by Christmas, you've got to work for them. Hop over to Holidash and let Fitz help you get what you really want for Christmas.

Randy Jackson calls his diagnosis with Type II diabetes a double-edged sword. It was bad, because diabetes is a disease that never goes away. But it was good, because he had to do something about it. What did he do? He lost weight -- and lots of it -- and changed his entire lifestyle. He dishes up the skinny in his new book Body With Soul: Slash Sugar, Cut Cholesterol, and Get a Jump on Your Best Health Ever.

While Jackson was the recipient of gastric bypass surgery, he says it wasn't meant to be an easy fix. A lot of hard work is still necessary after this expensive and risky procedure (just ask Karla), which certainly is not for everyone. It worked for Jackson, though, since he had a disease and needed to do something quickly.

Post-surgery, Jackson is all about changing habits, and he fully endorses the morsel diet -- just have a bite and then move on. And no seconds either. Hey, we all know what's good and bad for us, says the American Idol judge. Eat healthy food and move. Does it get any easier than that?