That's Fit

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 two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hey Fitz, I have a question. How come Hollywood celebrities lose weight with such ease? There has to be some secret. I can't figure out why Renee Zellweger can gain and lose 20 pounds with ease, yet I can't get eight pounds off once! What's the deal? Elaine.

A. Good question Elaine. It does seem easy for the celebs to shed pounds quickly doesn't it? I can tell you for the most part, that besides the few that are blessed with oddly high metabolisms......the other popular hot bodies stay hot due to discipline and hard work..

Celebs do have certain benefits that make their efforts easier. First, they have budgets that can afford them personal trainers and chefs. Having a team of fitness professionals to guide and harass you would make one more likely to stick with a healthy eating and workout plan. Second. They have extra motivation to stay in great shape knowing their next job relies heavily upon their appearance. Imagine if you had to maintain a certain weight to keep your job! It may be half great and half crappie, but if you wanted to work ... you'd probably maintain your ideal weight.

Besides the benefits of celebrity and wealth, the bodies don't stay 'hot' without the same old fashioned exercise and conscious eating habits that I recommend to you non-celebs. The "Rich and Famous" may have trainers standing over their shoulders, but they still have to put in hours on the treadmill and do endless amounts of squats, push-ups crunches. Chefs may provide perfect meals, but the celebs still need to avoid the ice cream shops, candy, and fast food.

It's easy to feel inadequate and frustrated in a society where most of the folks we see on screens and in magazines are physically fabulous.Since you seem interested in celebrities, I encourage you to accept your different roles in life and try to find someone you can be inspired by. Pick a person with a similar body type and find an article on their fitness habits. Maybe you can learn from the advice given to them by their celebrity fitness staff! Fitz

Q. What's up Fitz? I see Matthew McConaughey splashed all over the magazines and that guy is definitely ripped. I think he's on steroids though. What do you think? Jason

Slowly but surely, corporate America is catching on that not only is having healthy employees a good thing for the bottom line, but actively helping them attain and maintain that healthiness is even better. Companies are learning that by having active wellness programs in place they can control insurance costs, increase productivity, and make more money.

CEO's and other high ranking executives seem to be the engines behind this train, which is a good thing because they're the ones who can really make changes happen. And because of this new explosion of interest there is a growing number of wellness advisers, counselors, and consultants creating plans for companies all over the country. Over 50% of employers offered health assessments to their employees last year, which is a big jump up from just 35% back in 2004. And other programs, like corporate-sponsored disease management and nurse advice lines, that used to get trimmed out of health benefits are now not only being left in but are being modified and adjusted to get employees more actively involved.

Happy fourth of July everyone! Frequent readers of That's Fit probably know that I'm not American, but that doesn't mean I can't wish my neighbours to the south a very happy independence day. Plus Canada's version of independence day (Canada Day) was just a few days ago (July 1) so I'm still a bit high on the national-pride kick.

When I think of independence day, I think of fireworks, parades and outdoor barbecues -- complete with burgers topped off with little flags, plenty of cold beer, yummy treats and ... potato salad. Seriously, potato salad seems to be a fixture of summer barbecues. I don't think I ever been to a barbecue where someone didn't bring some potato salad, so in honour of Fourth if July Picnics, I ask you: How many calories and fat in a serving (one cup) of homemade potato salad?

A) 120 cal, 10 g of fat
B) 256 cal, 18g of fat
C) 358 cal, 21 g of fat
D) 567 cal, 36 g of fat

For many -- myself included -- summer is the absolute best time of year. The long, hot days mean little more than relaxing and getting to spend some time tanning on a beach, playing in the ocean and generally enjoying as much time outdoors as possible.

It's important to remember though, that being out in the elements can wreak havoc on your skin and hair. If you want to not only have a great time this season but to also look great doing it, check out these tips from make-up artists who keep stars like Jessica Alba and Ashley Simpson looking great through the dogs days of summer.

You'll find advice on the best beach make-up, how to keep hair sleek when it's humid, moisturizers with SPF to protect your skin from sun damage, great summery fragrances and more.

For Americans, today we celebrate Independence Day, I'd like to encourage each citizen of this spectacular country to focus on the purpose of the Fourth of July. We celebrate freedom. What could make us prouder or more grateful?

I hope you will all have fun enjoying family and friends, and take at least a few moments to relish the great fortune it is to be AMERICAN. Wave your flags and light up the sky with joy. I do also hope you will not use this as an opportunity to gorge on fat and grease, freedom for the United States is not a great excuse to destroy yourself. Please respect alcohol as well, and make one hundred percent sure that neither you nor anyone you know gets behind the wheel of a car. Be proud, be patriotic, be responsible. Happy Independence Day America!

It's been said that stress causes many people to gain weight. The reason I commonly hear is that stress causes people to overeat as well as sit behind a desk more than anyone should. Hence, a lack of exercise.

But what about stress affecting the body's fat cells? A new study suggested that by setting fat cells free in the body (as in, allowing fat receptors in cells to full engage) is caused by stress.

That, in turn, could be suggested as a direct cause of obesity in some. Researchers did say that by blocking Y2 receptors in cells, drugs may one day be developed to combat stress-related obesity. Until then, avoid stress. Well, as much as possible anyway.

Aside from the obvious pain caused by a bang to the funny bone or that pesky hang nail, several pains should not be ignored and could instead be signs of possible health problems to come.

Listen to your body and if you feel a persistent tummy burn, be sure to ask your doctor about ulcers. As well, instead of just ignoring particularly bad menstrual cramps, check into the possibility of endometriosis. Now don't get all paranoid and turn into a hypochondriac, but also take special note of sore throats and gums or a horse voice that persist beyond a couple of days. All these minor symptoms can lead to major health issues. This article outlines the six pains that require attention.

What are your experiences with these symptoms?

'It won't hurt a bit,' Magda assured me, moments before she ripped the hairs by the root out of the most sensitive part of my thigh. Magda lied. It hurt. But I wasn't about to confront someone who was standing above me with hot wax perched above my most vulnerable body parts.

Ahh, the joys of the bikini wax. Experiences like this kind of make a girl want to get that hair lasered off, if it wasn't so expensive. But it might be worth it because apparently, bikini waxes can be dangerous. This news comes after a story of an Australian woman who, after receiving a Brazilian wax, developed painful swelling and copius amounts of vaginal discharge, plus a severe fever. She was later diagnosed with Toxic Shock Syndrome, a potentially fatal condition.

Nonetheless, it hasn't stopped her determination to get rid of those unwanted hairs. Would it deter you, or would vanity take over?

It wasn't too long ago that carbs were largely regarded as the waistline's enemy. These days, however, thinking has changed -- it's not that carbs are bad for us, it's that protein is good for us. Protein has been shown to decrease appetite and increase energy. And unlike carbs, which are often stored as fat if not burned off, protein goes to your muscles.

That said, don't go out and order the biggest steak on the menu. Lean protein is the way to go, from sources like fish, skinless chicken breasts, low-fat cottage cheese, tofu, eggs, milk, nuts or even a slice of whole wheat bread!

I've recently upped my protein and I've felt pretty energetic ever since! What about you? How do you get your protein?

Your head is full of extraneous information that can fuzz up your daily functioning memory. Our minds try to organize tasks and memories in some sort of order of priority.

I have found that if you take five minutes or so to write down all your daily chores as apposed to trying to remember each short term deed, you will clear your mind for the more important long term memories. I tend to be a bit on the disorganize end of the spectrum, so I take a note pad with me everywhere. Having a good organized head space will allow you to reduce the stress that every day life can dish out.

So when you pick up the phone to call your best friend or partner and draw a blank on the phone number or forget your pin number, perhaps it's just filed away temporarily out of access to enable more free thinking space.

Although China has a population of more than a billion people, almost half a million of those die each year due to pollution, according to a study by the World Bank.

The pollution comes in the form of dirty air and drinking water, which is not surprising considering the staggering amount of industrial and commercial growth in China in just the last decade.

Citing possible civil unrest, the Chinese government suggested that the actual figures not be published, but they were anyway, even though some physical and economic costs have been dropped from the public version of the report due to calculation methods not having the needed level of accuracy.

Vehicle idling is a huge contributor to this big scary global warming thing, and though climate change might seem very far removed from your life, it's not -- it affects all of us and we need to take action to make our world a healthier place.

For starters, here's a quiz on Idling your car the contains some interesting facts. In the winter, for example, you only need to warm up your car for 30 seconds before you drive it -- no need to leave it idling in your driveway.

A word of warning about the quiz: When you click on Answer, it shows you the answer to all the questions, not just that one. So if you want to really test yourself, wait until the end to look at the answers.

What did you get?

As I work from home today, Dr. Phil is bleating away in the background about husbands who sabotage their wives' weight loss efforts because they want them to stay chubby. I can't help but wonder -- are there actually people who intentionally hurt someone's health because of their own agenda? eDiet's says yes -- in a recent survey, they found that the majority of people who are trying to lose weight have friends who try and sabotage their efforts. Are these friends or foes?

I think the line needs to be drawn between those who intentionally undermine your healthy habits and those who do so without meaning to. According to eDiets, 95% of those polled admitted that their friends offered them something that was forbidden on their diet program. I don't call that sabotage -- I call that being generous.

Everywhere I go, people are talking about this sushi restaurant and that sushi dish they tried where. It seems like Japan's signature dish is now a staple in North America, and I can see why. It's yummy and healthy. But if you're a sushi virgin, going to a sushi restaurant can be fairly intimidating. What's what? And is it even safe to eat raw fish?

Here's a quick guide to sushi -- explaining the difference between Sushi, Sashimi and Nigiri, as well as the history behind the food. Did you know that in Japan, Sushi Chefs often train for a decade before they are qualified to to run their own show? That's longer than most doctors go to school for.

Are you a sushi lover?

Those who suffer from epilepsy are quite a bit more likely to take their own lives according to a report out of Denmark this week.

The increased risk? About 300% over the normal population. And, the risk was five times the normal rate if diagnosis was half a year or less. Doctors were warned to watch those that had just been diagnosed with epilepsy, although I would think it is hard for "doctors to watch patients" -- unless I am missing something here.

The study looked at people who died of non-suicide causes between 1981 and 1997 and those who took their own life during the same period. That is when the suicide rate correlation was discovered. Going further, the report found that those who had been diagnosed recently with both a psychiatric illness and epilepsy had a suicide rate of 29 times the norm.